Christmas-Take two!

Well, we headed to Matt's hometown to celebrate Christmas with his family. We had lunch with GrandDaddy on Christmas Eve Eve. We got to go eat the kid's favorite--pizza! Or "P-P" as Lilly and Reid call it.

Then, Christmas Eve morning, we loaded up and tried to get a group photo to give to DeDe and some other family members. I love Lilly's facial expression in this picture!

We have to hang out until past Reid's bedtime waiting for everyone to get to Mike and DeDe's house to open presents on Christmas Eve. This is him sitting with Uncle Mac completely zoned out watching Jack's Big Music Show.

Lilly preferred to do her waiting by eating her weight in Cheese Balls.

Finally, present time! This is the first year that Lilly has really gotten into unwrapping. She unwrapped hers and most of Reid's. Reid got a little overwhelmed after two presents...and, again, it was way past his bedtime.

He did enjoy drinking from a "big guy" cup.

Lilly liked playing peek-a-boo with MamMa. A fun time was had by all!

Then, Christmas morning, the kids had some Santa presents to open/look at. (We do a mix of wrapped/unwrapped presents.) After that, everyone comes over for Christmas lunch! Lilly wanted to say cheese with Aunt Bec-Bec and Aunt Kay.

The kids love playing with Uncle Bert and Aunt Bec-Bec. They talk about them All. The. Time!

Opening some presents! The kids got so many wonderful things! (So did Matt and I) I will post some pictures later--but rest assured they are having a blast with all of their new toys. (c:

Oh, Reid got into Lilly's cereal Christmas night...it was Christmas so I let her pick her dinner. Look closely, it is everywhere!

So it was bath and PJ time. I spiked his hair for fun. (: This fur-real monkey was one of their presents. They LOVE it but it just randomly makes noise when you walk by it--it is constantly startling me!

DeDe has the same blow-up (Christmas) Mickey that we have and it was here in this corner until it blew a fuse. Lilly and Reid would not stop asking for it and after a while Lilly started getting really upset about it so DeDe brought out Halloween Mickey and all was right with the world again. Ha!

Hope everyone had an awesome Christmas and enjoyed celebrating the birth of Jesus! We are back home and finally finished with "grandparent detox" (you know the adjustment period where there aren't people standing around waiting to meet their every need and want). Lucky for them, we are doing Christmas with my side of the family this weekend so we get to do it all over again!

Merry Christmas!

And the picture we chose for the Christmas card is..... This one!! I thought it was a perfect representation of our family at this point in time.

I put a few extra pictures in the grandparent's cards...these are the rest of them!

Dear Heavenly Father,

We just pray for all of those reading this blog! We pray for comfort for those that are away from and missing loved ones this Christmas--may they feel your comfort and peace. We pray for those hurting and struggling that they would be filled with your hope. We pray for a Christmas and New Year filled with joy and memories made with ones they love. Most of all, Lord, we pray for a year that brings them closer with you than ever before!!

In your awesome and Holy name,

Amen!

Merry Christmas from the Scott's!

Little Artists

The other day I was unloading the dishwasher and the kids were playing in our room. All of the sudden, I got the feeling I should check on them. I walked in and this is what I found---- Reid coloring the door with my eye liner. I got there just in time to keep him from getting the walls too! He was so proud of himself that I couldn't do anything but laugh. I didn't want to take that pride away from him. As I got closer to clean it off, I realized that Lilly had helped and colored the door with some highlighter too.

Then, I went to start cleaning it off and I was washing one side of the door when Lilly came up and very gently put one hand on my shoulder and one hand on the other side of the door, smiled very sweetly, and said, "Mommy, some more!" Ha! They had gotten the other side too!!! These two keep me on my toes. (c:

Christmas Card Rejects!

Well we decided to try and get a family photo in front of our Christmas tree last week...you know, for a frame in the hallway and for the Christmas card. I pretty much wanted the standard photo--where we all: 1. Look at the camera. 2. Smile. Sounds simple?? Not. So. Much! my friends, not so much. We took 57,000 pictures (I exaggerate here) and Jesus nearly packed up and moved right on out of my body toward the end...where I had to just walk away. However, when I was looking at them to choose one for the Christmas card, I couldn't help but just laugh hysterically because they are so stinking funny! Reject #1. The sad thing is--I actually like this picture now. BUT in the moment where I was just looking for that "perfect" shot...this wasn't cutting it.

Ha! That is all I have to say about this one! Eyes closed-check, Funky-mid-word look on my face-check!

We were trying to get them to sit on the present. You can see how they felt about that. Don't worry-I had planned to crop Mickey out. He isn't an "official" member of the family. (c:

Lilly's expression cracks me up.

This one is pure money baby! Pure money. (You should be sensing a vast amount of sarcasm.)

Almost....so close, but yet soooo far away.

Get the kids looking and Matt's eyes are closed. Sigh.

It is PERFECT. Oh, wait--WHO GAVE REID A PACI??????! (Insert hard elbow to Matt's side right here.)

Juice break! You know those were fun to take away. Or that caused a colossal melt down.

I will let you guess which one by the looks on all of our faces in this picture. My mom was taking pictures and she said, "This isn't very much fun anymore." To which I replied, "The phrase "Christmas card photo" might as well be a curse word with a one year old and a two year old."

"Lilly, get your hand out of your mouth."

And then, we finally got it. You want to know the funniest part--I didn't use it. Because as I was looking through the pictures, it occurred to me that this doesn't properly represent our family. Don't get me wrong: we are a happy family! But this is a little too "cookie cutter" and a lot "too calm". The truth is, though I lost sight of it during the actual photo shoot, our family is crazy and chaotic and happy and fun and perfect just the way it is--and I wanted a photo that reflected just that. I laughed so hard going through the photos. It is funny how God could turn a situation that caused me to be SO cranky into a very fond memory. I am not putting the photo I chose on this post tonight. My Christmas cards haven't gone out yet. I am almost done addressing the envelopes and praying over the recipients and will be getting them in the mail tomorrow. I want the picture to be a surprise! I will post it on here Christmas day!!

Christmas

We are out of town on Christmas Day, so we do Christmas the weekend before Christmas Day at our house. So, this Saturday, was Christmas for this Scott family!! The kids woke up and opened some presents! Lilly was so excited and wanted everything opened immediately. Reid was a little bit overwhelmed--he wasn't sure where to start! He finally settled on a toy and, of course, Lilly then decided it was "my turn". She ended up in time out no less than 4 times before breakfast for trying to steal any toy Reid had in his hands. She understands that we take turns....however, she doesn't understand why it isn't always her turn.

She LOVES her play food. She ran into the kitchen and got a spoon and was eating her ice cream. Please note the blow-up Mickey that is INSIDE our house-in our kitchen.

Then we cooked a yummy breakfast (courtesy of Grandma Betty-she surprised us with a package of pancake mix, yummy syrups, and bacon that arrived in the mail the other day). Then the kids used their new markers and crayons to color (or "khully" as Lilly calls it). We put some wrapping paper down on the table underneath Lilly's coloring books so she wouldn't get marker on the table. Reid decided he wanted to color, too, so Matt asked if I wanted him to put some wrapping paper down for Reid and I said, "No, just put him in his high-chair to color." I was cooking breakfast and not really paying attention and then I looked over and Reid was in his high-chair very happily coloring his actual high-chair with a marker. I said, "Reid, where is your coloring book??" Matt replied, "Oh, I thought you just let him color the high chair." Ha! He also has marker on his forehead and all over his hands. He had a blast though!!!

After naps, we got ready and went to "the square" to look at lights! They do an amazing job with all of the lights!!

There are also pony rides! Here is Reid on his ride. I would've taken a picture of Lilly but she was on it for less than 2 seconds.

BUT she didn't want to leave the pony area. I thought we were going to have to stand there all night long!

She loved watching those ponies!

We walked around and looked at all the pretty lights and then decided to take a carriage ride!

We rode in a sleigh instead of a carriage, though....you know, because it is Christmas and all.

This is Bobby. Bobby is the Belgium horse that pulled our sleigh. Lilly and Reid have both talked about Bobby today!

These are some of the lights--but pictures DO NOT do it any justice! It is awesome!

As we were coming around the corner in the sleigh, we saw the camels (for like the 3rd time that night) and Lilly said, "Whoa!!" when she saw them. And then she went back to talking about Bobby and the other ponies.

After the square, we went to a local grilled-cheese place--Oh. My. Gosh--it was so delicious!!! MoMo, Papa Ray, Blayne, and Jackson met us there and then came back to the house and we played some dominoes! It was a PERFECT day!! We had a wonderful weekend and are so overwhelmingly blessed!!

Upcoming Post spoiler alert--bad Christmas card photos!

Trendsetter

When I went in to get Reid this morning, this is how he looked. I think he could bring the one-sleeve trend to men's fashion!! Afterall, he is rocking this look!!

(He is looking down at Lilly.)

He is even posing and giving me different angles like a model. He just may be onto something.

Lilly and him discussing it. She is checking out the new look.

Well, what do you think???

Mommy says I look good in it, but the rest of the world is just not ready!!