Jingle Bells

Well...it has begun. I couldn't wait to start decorating for the Christmas Holiday ... yeah I know we haven't even eaten the turkey yet. I made my first wreath today! What do you think?



Remember that tree skirt I made from old sweaters a few years back? Well I still have quite a few left. I am currently working on stockings for our family out of these but while I am working on those.. I thought I would try my hand at some door decoration. I got a grape vine wreath yesterday at the craft store. My idea was to cut strips of sweater and wrap it around the base and tie it in the front. I think it turned out pretty well!



Now for the best part of all :) As Margot and I were browsing in the store, I found some clip on birds.. a cardinal and my absolute favorite.. the chickadee. I think they look just perfect! I also got some red jingle bells and sewed them to the open spot in the wreath were the birds are perched. I think they look like lusciously ripe berries, don't you? Such a fun project. It took me about 1 1/2 hours this afternoon and cost me about $13. I have found about 57 reasons to step out onto our front porch this evening :)

Parade

We all bundled up and headed downtown this morning for the Christmas Parade. We live close enough to walk so walk we did. The weather was just perfect. Cold, but perfect nonetheless.



We met our buddy Josie, who brought her parents along just for kicks.



We all took turns holding various babies. Here Margot is enjoying a ride on Mr. James.



Ada was extra happy that Daddy is so tall, it made it easier for her to see the jump ropers.



Josie bug and her sweet mama.

There were so many people this morning - supposedly around 60K. It started at 9:30am and we were there for the very first police car. Two hours later we finally gave up on waiting for Santa and headed home for lunch. The girls, all three of them, spent the entire time being so sweet and were mesmerized by all the action. Those are some pretty good attention spans for such little girls. They squealed at the horses and ponies and clapped for the marching bands. Waved back at the beauty queens and firemen. It was a delight. They were a delight. I am so glad the Holiday Season is here. Definitely the most wonderful time... of the year :)

29

Stephen turned 29 on Saturday. We took a mini break and went to Pilot Mountain for the day/night. The weather was perfection.



I am not sure we have been back there since we first met.. maybe once since then.. at any rate we talked about how incredible it was that almost ten years ago we were there with campers and other staff and now... we were back.. married..with twin baby girls at home. Time flies when you are in love.



We climbed out onto a ledge and shared a picnic lunch of hot soup, avocado, herbed goat cheese with crackers and sweet/spicy pecans. The soup was still boiling hot courtesy of the vintage picnic bag with matching glass insulated soup and coffee thermoses. It was so good.



Hot coffee on a mountain peak. It was just a wonderful day. As the sun started to set we headed to our little getaway at the base of the park. Our room in this bed and breakfast was beautiful and cozy with a fireplace and a whirlpool tub for two... wink wink. It was spectacular. Geez... sounds like it was my birthday or something! We even got to go star gazing that night on the grounds of the place we were staying. The sky was so clear and the stars were magical. We saw 4 shooting stars. Happy Birthday, hot stuff.



So what were the babies doing while we were away? Why playing with Nana, Papa and Aunt B of course :) Here is Papa reading to them before nap time. There is something about seeing my dad read to my kids in the rocking chair that belonged to his father that feels so special.

On a completely unrelated note, we are all sorta shakin' around here tonight. We are praying with/for a beloved, treasured, cherished family member who had surgery today to remove a malignant tumor. Our family is banding together in prayer on this one, please join us.

Uniquely Margot

Rainy Sunday

What do you do with two little wild things on a rainy Sunday? Hug 'em till they giggle :)

Boo!

State Fair

This weekend was the last weekend of the North Carolina State Fair. I got to go twice. Once last night with my BFF Joyce.. and once this morning with my family.



Joyce and I spent some time looking for Funnel Cakes that were made without eggs or dairy.. no dice. Poor Joyce. We went and had some Krispy Kreme instead.



This morning we took the babies. They got to see all sorts of animals. Margot was very cautious around the goats.



A good time was had by all. More soon.