Merry Christmas

Before Christmas {Catch-Up}

You can just call me the biggest blog slacker ever. I'm going to attempt to catch up over the next couple of days and then I'm going to do better. You'll believe it when you see it, right?
The last real blog post was about Jack's reappearance. Jack got into a little more mischief and left a few more surprises before Christmas. Here's Avery Claire's 2012 ornament. She loves "pinecesses."
Avery Claire had her Christmas party at school, for which Nana joined her. We've had some really warm, 70 degree winter days. Avery Claire loved that she could wear a Christmas dress without a "tutleneck." Have you ever seen such funny faces?
  Before school one morning....
 

We did some last minute Christmas shopping that cold, rainy night.

That was the night we talked Avery Claire into sitting in Santa's lap. I was sad she didn't have on a cute Christmas outfit, but I was glad she sat with him. She told him she wanted a "dokker" {a doctor kit we'd just seen at Target}. And she got TWO suckers because, according to her, she was the "on-y won who akked wike a big gurl. Dose udder kids akked uggy!"

Jack left some paint sitting out after he painted her nose one night.
She asked to paint.
 
I let her.
 
She fell in love with her "gingerman jammas."
Miss Kaysie posted a picture on facebook of Avery Claire at school. I love getting little looks into her days at school. Miss Kaysie left school, though, and we were sad!
 
We spent lots of time making sure things were finalized at the new house!!
Avery Claire learned how to drink from a water bottle like a big girl! {She asked me to take a picture of her little bottle.}
We took a picture of us at the new house the night it was move-in ready (Dec. 21)! We thought it was funny that our new house was complete on the "day the world was supposed to end!" 
Today, we packed our suitcases and headed to Clay County to celebrate Christmas with our family....

Jack's Back

Our little elf, Jack, has made his way back from the North Pole for the Christmas season. He's keeping a close eye on Avery Claire and is making sure to report to Santa when she does and does not listen to her Mama and Daddy!

 

He's gotten into some messes since he's been here! He's also left a few fun surprises during the last couple of weeks!

Nashville

We went to Nashville last weekend to visit Aunt Steph. We did some shopping, some eating, and some playing! Avery Claire LOVED the stairs {aka: cage} at Aunt's Steph's house. I bet she made at least 100 trips up and down during the less than 48 hours we were there.

Guess who made his little way to Nashville to keep his eye on Avery Claire?
After our visit, I can assure that Steph will be waiting many years until she has children {if she decides to be brave enough to have them at all}.
Thanks, Steph, for letting us visit. We enjoyed our time with you!