New Years in Nashville!

This year we decided to do something extra fun for New Years! Once you have kids, gone are the days of partying it up on NYE!! ;) But spending it with kiddos is just as fun.. I promise!

We talked to our friends Chris and April, and decided to head up to Nashville for the weekend. They moved there just before Thanksgiving and we had only seen them once since then. (We met them at Melting Pot for dinner over Thanksgiving weekend). So, not only were our kiddos missing each other. The grownups were in need of some time together too! The kiddos always enjoy Christmas related activities and we had exhausted all options in Memphis.. every year we go to Starry Nights, Enchanted Forest, Zoo Lights, and fun activities at the Children’s Museum. (thank goodness for memberships!!) So, we decided that they would really joy the ICE! exhibit at Opryland. LK had gone when she was 3, but none of the other kiddos had been.

Chris’ parents offered to keep Gray while were gone, so they came and picked him up super early Saturday morning and we finally got out of town around 8am. Addyson had stayed in Memphis that week, so we picked her up and she rode back to Nashville with us. The car ride when extremely well! I learned a things about traveling with 3 kids though: 1) electronics are a must!!! I don’t know what we would have done w/o the iPad, iPod touch, and DVD player! 2) just when you think no one has to stop to use the bathroom… someone always does! and 3) always being extra clothes and pillows!

We got into Nashville just before noon and made our way across the city to The Caldwell’s house. They live east of the city in a small town. After unloading the car and making a quick Kroger run, we headed over to Opryland. Luckily, it was only about 15min from their house. We immediately went into the ICE! exhibit. We had all bought tickets ahead of time, so we didn’t have to wait in line.

The first part that you go to is a big room to watch a video about how they make all the ice sculptures. It was actually pretty cool to watch! After the video, it SNOWED!!

Then we made our way to the room with all the parkas! Everyone had to get a blue parkas b/c the temp inside the exhibit is only 14 degrees!!

 

Even Abigail got one!

The ice sculptures were amazing!!!

Ethan was hilarious in his huge parka! He kept doing this little dance that was just too funny!

 

The husbands, of course, enjoyed it! ;)

Toward the end we found the SLIDES! The kiddos loved them!

Of course, Ethan had to do a little flip halfway down!

Dad got to slide down too since he took all the kiddos up!

Our fun group!

It was SO much fun!! We ended up getting t-shirts for all the kiddos b/c everything in the gift shop was 75% off! $4 shirts.. yes, please!

After the ICE! exhibit, we walked the path to the Opryland Hotel for even more fun! We got to say hello to some Shrek characters and even make a gingerbread house! And, of course, we got to walk around the hotel and see all the incredible Christmas decorations! The last time Chris and I were there was over Thanksgiving weekend in 2007. That’s when LK when to ICE!. It was Charlie Brown back then, now it’s Madagascar. Before then, we had been several times to stay at the hotel during Thanksgiving weekend. It has changed a lot since then b/c of the terrible flooding from a few years ago, but fortunately they were able to restore a lot of the hotel! It’s absolutely beautiful, and even more so decorated for Christmas!

Enjoying the Delta Atrium. They were begging to take a boat ride!

After taking in some of the decorations, we made our way over to decorate a gingerbread house. Another plus.. it was a lot less than the original price b/c it was after Christmas!

I think Ethan ATE more candy than decorated with it!

Their house turned out adorable!

After we finished decorating, we headed back toward the parking lot to head back to The Caldwells. We stopped on the way and ordered some pizza to-go. It was DELISH! After dinner and playing, the kiddos were down by 10 or so. The grownups stayed up till midnight … but barely! ha! We rang in the New Year and then called it a night!

Hey, Shrek!!

We enjoyed a yummy pancake breakfast in the morning and then loaded up the car to head home. It was a short trip, but SO fun and SO needed! We absolutely love our Caldwell family and it was great to spend time with them!! Hopefully we’ll get to see them again soon!

Christmas Day

Like I said in the last post, we were able to spend all of Christmas Day at home! It was FABULOUS!!! We never get to do this, so it was such a great change. Chris and I decided that from now, that is exactly how we’re doing Christmas! It’s way more fun and relaxing for the kiddos, and they’re who Christmas is all about, right??! Well, them and Baby Jesus! :)

Around 4 that afternoon, Chris’ family started arriving. We got to opening gifts and again the kiddos were spoiled!

After exchanging gifts, we ate dinner. Chris baked a delicious ham for sandwiches, along with some pasta salad and yummy sides!

Everyone was EXHAUSTED after such a long day. Little Man held out till the end though!

On Monday, we ventured out to Rosemark to celebrate Christmas with my Dad and his family. We went early to exchange gifts, then got to enjoy another delicious lunch. I was food spoiled this holiday season!! Yet again, we loaded up on way too many goodies!

Look at that precious Cubs hat!! Thank, Aunt Joell!

I couldn’t resist snapping a few pics of Gray and Grandpa!

All in all, we had an amazing Christmas!!

 

Ok… no more Christmas posts.. I promise! :)

Christmas Morning

We all woke up bright and early Christmas morning! I think Ethan was up around 6:30 and woke Chris and I up. We made him wait while we fed Gray a bottle, then we gave him permission to go wake LK up. He was SO excited!! Santa left QUITE the loot this year!!

LK and E got PB beanbags to replace their old Anywhere chairs. (BTW – these were a pain to put together!!)

The rest of Santa’s goodies!! Seriously.. I know I went overboard, but this is just proof that we need a bigger house ASAP! ;)

LK’s gifts:

Barbies goodies – a bathtub set and a kitchen set; dollhouse furniture – a bedroom set and a kitchen set; American girl goodies – the violin set, the school desk with backpack accessories, the cheer outfit, pink glasses, sporty sandals, doll earrings, Bitty Baby monitor, Bitty Baby carrier, and matching pjs; PB ribbon watch set; American girl “doll school” set; new bins for all of her Barbie and AG stuff; framed quote pictures for her room and a memo board; a Vera Bradley hipster purse; and her BIG gift… an ipod touch!

Gray’s gifts:

Spinnin’ Sounds Speedway, Fisher Price Animal Sounds Zoo, Busy Ball Elepopper, Fisher Price Construction set (I don’t remember the exact name), a Hungry Caterpillar puzzle, Little People Batman figures and cars, Baby Einstein dvd, the adorable PB animal critter chair, and a few new books.

Ethan’s gifts:

A Marvel Encyclopedia, Nerf darts for his guns, a Star Wars beach towel, a GI Joe parachuter, Hot Wheels Sky Jump, Star Wars and GI Joe men, Crayola 3D books, Disney leapster game, Imaginex Ninja house (we actually forgot to get this out until the after ALL the gifts were opened! so, it had to end up being from Mommy and Daddy! ha!), The Big Game Hunt Wii game, Star Wars Lego Wii game,  and the CAT tractor.

The tractor was a big hit!

Santa didn’t forget Mommy and Daddy either! Chris got a new drill, Crate and Barrel cutting board, and a Camelback for while he’s kayaking/running. I got my Kitchen Aid mixer, my very own pink tool set, Kate Spade ipad case, West Elm throw, and I was extremely surprised to open a little package with the Michael Kors watch that I wanted!!! Santa was WAY too good to me! :) We also were able to get a new laptop (HORRAY!!!! NO more old circa 2006 Dell! a new and spectacular HP!) and an ipad!! I AM OBSESSED WITH IT! Huck wasn’t left out either. We went to the pet store and he got LOTS of goodies!!

Our stockings were filled! LK got pink glitter Toms and Disney Sing It Wii game. Ethan got red Toms, superhero cookie cutter set from WS, a matching Captain America spatula, Chris got new slippers, an Asian strainer, and a new black polo. Gray got some PB bibs and PB animal rattles.

I think she was a little excited about the ipod!! (and yes.. the Otterbox was a MUST!)

 

He was SO excited about his hunting game!!! He’s been begging for this!

Huck loved his goodies too!

Gray had just as much on Christmas morning as he did on Christmas Eve!

Some of the aftermath! What a mess!!! SO worth it though!

Santa had one last hidden gift for Ethan… his BB GUN!!!! He has asked for 2 Christmas’s in a row now for this and he finally got it!

After Goo Goo got to the house, we decided to give their HUGE gift from Mommy and Daddy…

I took them a minute to figure out what it was. I had purchased new smoked Mickey outfits for the three of them, along with t-shirts. I put those on the top of the box, then put an ornament I had ordered with all of us wearing Mickey ears, lastly I put their clipboards that said “Days till Disney”. LK got it first since she can read!

Ethan kept digging in the box, probably thinking “Why on Earth did my Mom get me all these clothes??”. LK told him and they both screamed! It was GREAT!!!

Our ornament!

 

After we finished opening all the gifts, we enjoyed some Christmas shaped pancakes and a yummy breakfast casserole with Goo Goo. The best part about Christmas this year is that we didn’t leave our house ALL DAY! We told everyone that we wanted to stay put this year and enjoy our day playing with our new toys and each other. It was THE BEST decision!! There’s usually fussing b/c we have to get ready to go somewhere, but not this year! Everyone was able to stay in their pjs all day!

Late that afternoon, Noni, Papa, Nana, Papaw, BB, and Brian all came over to exchange even more gifts! More on that to come….