Christmas Parties

Yesterday was a day of parties. It started out with Millie's precious preschool party. They ate some pizza, read a book, and decorated cookies. Most of the kids just ate the icing and sprinkles instead of the actual cookie. This is a sweet class. 

Last night was a party for the grown ups. We have been a part of a couples Bible study that meets on Monday nights (I think I've mentioned this group before) for about five years now. The group has been together longer than that. We had our annual Christmas party last night that included good friends, good food, and a fun game of dirty Santa. We ended up with some scandalous men's underwear and an invitation for a steak dinner.

My camera was on the wrong setting for some of these pictures, and some of the them are blurry. Then one picture focused on the person in front, and it made the people behind him blurry. These pictures aren't perfect, but I still like capturing the night with our friends. I should have handed the camera over to the photographer in the room! 

We love all these people, and we missed those that weren't there! 

Just for fun, here is a picture from 2010.

I know I have a picture from 2011, but I cannot find it.
Click here to see the party from 2012 .

I'm a Real Mom Now

I have never been a car person. I have never cared about what kind of car I drive.

My first car was a used hunter green 4-Runner. I thought it was cool because it was an SUV and the back window could roll all the way down. It's obvious that I didn't know what made a car 'cool.' I was just thankful for a car. I only lost the 4-Runner because someone didn't look left before turning out on the road, and they turned right into me. Everyone was fine, but the car was totaled. Then I got a Honda Pilot. My mom picked it out. It was a good car. As a sophomore in college, I thought it was kind of a 'mom car', but I didn't really care. It had actually been previously owned by a mom. It had a Kool-aid stain in the back to prove it. Again, I was glad to have a car. The longer I had the Pilot, the more I loved it.

Over the past couple of months Nick mentioned getting a van. Growing up in vans, I said I would never get one. Even though I didn't know cool cars, I did know that a van was definitely not cool.  I've always said we don't need a van until my Honda Pilot died. It was a good car. It has a lot of room. Hondas last a long time. I thought there was no reason to get a van. Then one day Nick found a good deal on a Honda van. And before I knew it, we were test driving vans. The Pilot has gotten over 100,000 miles. If we were ever going to sell it, now was a good time. We also realized that the Pilot was a little more crowded than we thought when traveling with two kids and our stuff (I guess we should just get rid of some stuff). Therefore we traded in the Pilot and got a cool van.

Goodbye Pilot. You were good to me. You took me through the end of college, my wedding, moving to Montgomery, moving to our house, and you brought my two babies home safely. May your next owner appreciate you as much as I did.

Hello van. The ultimate mom car. As a friend on Instagram said, "Welcome to the best, most practical decision of your life." I think she is right. I like it more than I thought I would. It's great! I can open the side doors with buttons. I have a sun-roof for the first time. I have a TV and DVD player. This is actually the coolest car I have ever owned. 

I have officially become my mother.

But that's a good thing!

Thanksgiving Week

Our annual Thanksgiving in Mississippi

{nick trying to kill some beavers}

{the men watching the hunt}

{if only they would smile}

{at least they are holding hands}

{tall george wore this hat all week}

{it was so cold that i didn't take off my uggs all week}

 {she wore her tiger dress all day in anticipation of the iron bowl}

{and we all know how that game went}

I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! 

And... War Eagle!!

I didn't take one picture of our food. I must have eaten too fast.