Christmas Day & Beyond

Santa was so good to us this year! Here is a picture of what we woke up to Christmas morning...

Cooper was super excited about her yellow mini cooper! Santa purposely put all her other presents into the seat of her car so that she had to open those first.

 

During the month of December, we asked Cooper several times what she wanted Santa to bring her. She would look around and request the first thing she saw..."I want a magazine or I want a pencil". She knew who Santa was and I think she understood that he was going to bring presents to her house, but I don't think she quite understood that she could make a list of specific requests.

A new Christmas tradition that we started this year was the Elf on the Shelf. Cooper named our new friend Barney! He came to stay with us at the beginning of December and brought us lots of entertainment. Cooper woke up every morning excited to find Barney and to see what he had gotten in to. I don't think Cooper really understood that Barney reported back to Santa each night because we threatened he with it a couple time and she didn't seem to be too concerned!

After spending Christmas morning together, we drove down to Tuscaloosa for the weekend. Lunch at Nanny's has been a Christmas tradition since I was little. Now the kitchen table is filled with another generation of girls!

We tried to get a picture of Nanny and the great grandchildren but Cooper decided to throw a big temper tantrum right about the same time. After lunch we went over to the Stripling's to spend some time with Wes's family.

We had a nice, relaxing Christmas break and got to spend lots of time with our family and friends! I am so thankful for the time we were able to be together.

Courtney & Cameron had us over to the Tidmore farm for dinner after Christmas. We used to get together all the time but it is a rare treat these days! Of course, both the adults and kids had a great time together!

Family Christmas

The timing of all our family Christmas gatherings worked out suprisingly well this year. After last year, Wes & I said we wanted to slow down and be able to enjoy time with family on Christmas day instead of running from house to house. Well, we didn't really plan for it, but that ended up happening this year.

The weekend before Christmas, Jack & Diane kept Meredith & Evan. They stopped by our house on the way back to Dothan so the cousins got to open presents together!

Christmas Eve we went down to Bebe and Papa John's house for dinner. Our family was there along with Susan & Rick and Grandmaw. We opened presents after dinner. Cooper helped pass out gifts. She was able to recognize the first letters of the names on the gifts and pass them out accordingly!

Papa John refinished this desk for Cooper. It stays in the kitchen so she can sit and color or draw while we are cooking or just hanging out in the kitchen.

Cooper and Gram! Great picture! A little gift that Grandmaw got Cooper seemed to be her favorite of the night. It was a small pink car that winds up and rollls across the floor. Who knew??!!

Throwing in a random of me & mom!

Cooper helping Papa John open his gift. She loved to help everyone open their gifts!

Cooper and Bebe. She changed into the pajamas that Bebe & Papa John got her. She and bitty baby have matching PJs.

It is somewhat of a Thomas family tradition to ice cookies, so after dinner we sat down at the kitchen table and iced the cookies that Cooper & I made earlier that day.

We came back to Birmingham after so that we could spend Christmas morning at home. Cooper was ready for Santa to come!

ThE BiG 30

It's official...I'm old! I turned 30 on December 18th. Really, I don't feel much different. I tell people all the time that I started feeling old after I had Cooper ( I was 26). That's when our lives really changed from always being out & about to staying home enjoying our time together as a family. It's funny that it still feels like just yesterday when I graduated from high school, started college, and got married...that was 12 years ago! I totally believe that you are as young as you feel/act so I'm sure I will continue to think of myself as "young" for years to come.

Insert photo from high school, college & wedding here (they have to be scanned in)

My bestest friends Courtney & Lauren, with the help of my mom & Wes, threw a wonderful birthday party for me! (Love that I remember saying this exact same thing when I scrapbooked my 21st). They know me so well that they knew EXACTLY what I wanted to do...Mexican, margaritas, small group, just chill.

We had dinner at Margarita Grill. Courtney & Lauren made the cutest centerpieces that had pictures from my 1st Christmas to my wedding day. My closest friends, including several girls from the neighborhood, came for dinner & drinks. It was so much fun! There are a few other long time friends that I would have loved to share this time with me (Leslie, Karin, Alye) but unfortunately they live too far away. They were there in spirit though because those girls were on my mind!

After dinner Courtney, Cameron, Wes & I went to Ross Bridge for the night. Thanks Mom! Again...it was so much fun to spend some adult time with my bestest! I wish we could do that more (and we should make the time to do it!)

I am so blessed with a wonderful family and fantastic friends and I can't wait to find out what God has planned for my 30's!