Cookies With Santa

First order of business...let us all acknowledge the fact that this is Post #3 for the week!!!

It feels great to be back.

On to the true topic of the day...Cookies With Santa.

Another annual tradition for Anna Blake is to attend Cookies With Santa.  This event is put on by the Town of Braselton and is fun and unique.  It is limited to 30 children and each child receives 1 on 1 time with Santa to include a professional photo, arts and crafts, cookie and milk as well as face painting.  We look forward to this all year!

2016

#9goingon19

Santa always finishes up the afternoon reading "Twas the Night Before Christmas".

Photo by Tracey

Photo by Tracey

Photo by Tracey

Photo by Tracey

Let's take a stroll down Memory Lane...

2015

Photo by Angel

2014

Photo by Sarina

Photo by Sarina

2011

And now we enter into those years that the "thought" of Santa was much more fun than the actual man himself.

2010

My favorite year...we had to be SUPER sneaky.

#itworked

Many thanks to Santa and Sarina for their patience in trying to get a picture.

2009

This is the year that started it all...the very first Cookies With Santa

#boywasiyoung

I realized while composing this post that I'm not sure where the pictures for years 2012 & 2013 have disappeared to; looks like finding them needs to be added to my "To Do" list.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Until Next Time,

Heather

Deck the Halls

~Welcome to our Home~

Please, come on in.  

I'm so glad that you could stop by.  Please grab your favorite hot beverage; coffee, cocoa or tea and ENJOY!

As I said yesterday, I forgo the madness of Black Friday and choose instead to decorate for Christmas.  I love Christmas!  I love the twinkling lights, the magic of Santa, the joy, hope and love that accompanies this time of year but I also love Thanksgiving, therefor I do not decorate before Turkey Day.

My Tree

I'd have to say that the theme of my tree is "Memories".

Every year each child (and the hubs) receives a new ornament, usually one that relates to something special that they did that year.  I began this tradition 22 years ago with Cammie, 20 years ago with Traice, 9 years ago with Anna Blake and 7 years ago with Zane and Lexi.  I LOVE unwrapping each and every ornament, reminiscing about the memory associated with it.

Stockings:  Zane & Heather

Stockings:  Cammie, Traice,  Lexi & Anna Blake

Another special touch to my decor...my mother hand made each of our stockings.

The Hutch in my living room has a few Christmas additions.

I even added some holiday cheer to the kids bathroom.

My Dining Room

Christmas love in the kitchen and laundry room.

And this year I decided to add a little something to our bedroom...

Last year, Skittles (our Elf) brought Anna Blake a mini tree for her room, complete with lights and decorations.  The plan was to show you a picture of her tree but due to late nights, early mornings and a VERY unclean room, I'll have to snap that photo at a later date.

Now let's step outside...

Back door friends are best!

Each window along the front of the house dons a wreath and red bow...

And this is the most relaxing view in our entire home...

...kicked back in the recliner, coffee in hand, twinkling lights complete with a fire!

From my house to yours...

Merry Christmas!

Until Next Time,

Heather

Life Lately

...a month in review

WOW...I can't believe that it has been a month since I last posted.  Time has flown by and I have missed you guys.

So today I am going to share a quick recap of what has been going on in my life over the last month.

First Up

~our last camping trip of the season.

We headed south to A.H. Stephens State Park in Crawfordville.  It was the first really COLD weekend of the Fall season so I found myself sitting by the fire for the majority of the time.

I was able to finally get around to reading my magazines.  Does anyone else have months worth of magazines lying around just waiting to be read?

We did get in a little trail walking...

and someone got beat at horseshoes, again!
#itwasntme

It was a much needed relaxing weekend!

Next UP

~Thanksgiving

We began our celebration of  Turkey Day with Coffee and Sausage Muffins all while watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  A tradition that I LOVE!

#photofail

The Parade was followed by a lot of cooking and even more eating.

Now It's Time For

~Christmas

We started off strong with our first Christmas celebration beginning before Thanksgiving ever arrived.  The Braselton Christmas Parade is always the 3rd Saturday in November, a tradition that dates back many, many years.

#patience

It was COLD!

The bands are my favorite part of the parade!

~Decor

Black Friday for me means DECORATING!!!

Here is a sneak peak but check back tomorrow for my complete Christmas Home Tour.

Skittles

~our mischievous little Elf has returned.

Do you want a build a snowman?

He brought a Gingerbread Village...

#concentration

...and a Reindeer.

Yet Another...

~parade.

This time it was in our home town of Homer.  The girls got to ride in the Firetruck while Dad manned the wheel.

The Grinch, Frosty and Santa...what more could you ask for?

HFD Annual Christmas Dinner

On Saturday all past and present volunteers gathered at the Firehouse for the annual Christmas Dinner.

He cleans up pretty nice if I do say so myself!

A huge "Thanks" to Chief Hill 

for his dedication and service

to the Department!

Birthday

Amidst all these holiday happenings, we celebrated my favorite son turning 20!

#heismyonlyson

Steak and cake, per his request.

So there you have it...my life lately.  So what does the rest of the year have in store?  We have a few more Holiday Parties to attend and of course there is Santa's arrival.  Then we'll round out the month (and year) with an anniversary get-away to the mountains of N. Georgia.

Stay Tuned...

Until Next Time,

Heather