Savoring EVERY Moment of CHRISTmas!!

Christmas was Wonderful!!! The Celebrating of our Saviour, spending time with all of our family & the good mememories that were made! Christmas with a 4 year old is alot of F-U-N, seeing Christmas through the eyes of a child brings back so many fond memories when I was her age, I have to say this past Christmas was one the most fun, believing in Santa, the awe of the gifts...I could go on and on.....
We have such large families we have 3 more Christmas gatherings this weekend....I guess we can call those Christmas/New Years Celebrations. I took tons of photos with my new camera still learning on it, but Loving being able to catch those precious memories! Here's just a few...............getting ready to welcome 2012 in a few days!

~AdVeNtUre Christmas Shopping~

Chloe went shopping with her Daddy Saturday for me. I was sure they would never have a dull moment on the trip. This was the 1st Trip for Christmas that they had went on together. I had a nice, quiet morning of cooking for a Christmas gathering and running errands, I just grinned to myself thinking of the "fun" times they were having together. After making it home, 2 hours later, my husband said that 2 hours seemed as 8 hours! I learn a few quirks that they encountered, Chloe getting into the sample make-up that is on display, picking up a bottle of shampoo and thinking it was lotion, squirting it all over her hands/arms & the episode of Chloe yelling out "DADDY LOVES You" in a real southern drawl to some random lady that was shopping....My Husband, James said he just had to had hide on another isle with his face red as a tomato....Chloe is a "Daddy's Girl" & Glad She got to spend some Memorable Shopping Time Togther!!!

Pre-K Christmas CELEBRATION

Yesterday Chloe's Pre-K Class Had a Christmas party! My husband and I came to it, they sung 3 Very Cute Songs, ate snacks and made some Cute Christmas crafts! I can't believe Chloe is 1/2 way through with Pre-K, WHERE has ALL of the time gone????!!!!

I got a few cute shots of Chloe being the little class clown...No school for Chloe for the next 2 weeks, going to spend some time with her grandparents and I'm going to take some extra days to enjoy this time of year with her.....9 days until CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!

C*H*R*I*S*T*M*A*S Lights

Last night we decided after dinner to get in the car and roam the roads looking at all of the Christmas lights. We went in several subdivisions, googling over the yard lights. I have to say some were very impressive, I LOVED the beautiful wreaths on the doors! We had been to the Lake Lanier Magical Lights several times, even though Chloe was very small one year, but I just couldnt' see paying that kind of money to ride through...so we opted to take advantage of all of the hard-work that residences had done in their yards....FUN & FREE Night with the Family!!!!!!

Pure J-O-Y!!!

Yestarday after we went to church & ate lunch we decided to go visit my Great-Aunt in the Nursing Home. Chloe had never been to one so didn't know how she would do. She was very observant, quite bashful most of the time and that is VERY unusual for Chloe, as she is always the funny/hyper little girl! We took some Christmas gifts for my Aunt and visited a while. All of the residents there were so extremely happy to see such a cute, little girl to visit with, they kept asking her questions and wanting to see her snowman bracelet. Nursing Homes can be helpful to families that have no other result but they can be sad as well, especially the elderly that have no family or some never have visitors to spend time with them. We all went to the Dining Hall to watch a Christmas square-dancing with the residents there, it was quite entertaining & fun to watch their faces light up.
I recommend anyone that hasn't been before or in a long time to go visit with the men & women that are in the Nursing Homes, You NEVER know what that little time you take to go by or that smile you give them could lift their spirits so Very Much! Quite a Nice Experiece with Chloe....as she got her Dr's bag/supplies out as we got to my Mom's house, she was wanting to be a nurse at the Nursing Home!

***Santa #2 ***

Last night we decided to take Chloe to Bass Pro to see there Santa, plus a FREE Pic! Nothing special just headed down to Bass Pro, thinking since it was during the week that there wouldn't be many people, YEAH RIGHT, there were lines! We got our "pass" to wait, looks like we were going to have an hour wait...but then the Nice Lady working back there snuck us a pass for 15 minutes from the time we got there, S-W-E-E-T!!!!!!!!!
We got 2 kids away from Santa & Chloe started getting anxious, she said she had to go to the bathroom....WHAT???!!!! No way was I going to get in the back of the line now....was crossing my fingers & holding my breath that Chloe didn't pee on Santa...that would have scared the poor girl for her the rest of her Life! She didn't go thankgoodness, only mentioned one thing on her Christmas list "Make-Up", this girl isn't going to give up on the make-up! After meeting with the "Big Guy", Chloe ran non-stop to every boat, 4-Wheeler, All -Terrain Mules and insisted she wanted them for Christmas Too! ( I think that's a little much for the Christmas budget though!!!!!) Nice, FREE event for any age kids, Highly Recommend!!!!

Our **NEWEST** Addition....Elfie Elf!!

Chloe spent 2 nights with her Grandparents over the weekend, which gave me tons of time to do some much needed 'to do' things. I cleaned, and cleaned, finished decorating & wrapped all of Chloe's gifts. I had to find a good hiding spot, as Chloe is very inquisitive and sneaky....upstairs bonus room, seemed to be a good spot. I think wrapping her gifts and thinking of the little smiling face on Christmas morning, has me as excited/anxious as her.
Oh, & yes, we did give into all of the CRAZE....The Braswell's are now proud owners of a "Elf on a Shelve"! I told myself last year I wasn't giving into the fad, but after thinking about the tradition that could be started, about years down the road reminiscing over it, I thought it would be a well-worth purchase. Chloe has been very excited checking every morning to see where her little mystery elf is hiding, still no name...We just call him "Elfie" right now....Hope to give the no-name Elf a name soon!
Looks like another busy, Christmas week, 2 Christmas parties...but looking forward them as well!

Decorating A Little Daily = A Messy House!

My house has been a M-E-S-S all week!!! Boxes & boxes of Christmas decorations, and me being OCD my nerves have been on edge all week! I've been on the verge thinking when I'm going to get this disaster cleaned up. The house is looking alot more festive now, got the live greenery on the mantles, apoth. jars filled, wreaths on the door. Got my "To-Do" list almost full for the weekend. I'm going to attempt finishing up decorating tonight, clean all day tomorrow and Saturday since Chloe is staying at my parents going to attempt at getting all of her gifts wrapped and put upstairs. A MUST that has to be done 1st before any of the list is fulfilled...Apple Cinnamon candles lit and some Kenny G playing...and then I'm Set!!!!!!!!!!