Cheers on Cindywood

The day after Christmas, Jenn and I co-hosted a progressive dinner for the family.  Everyone met at our house for heavy appetizers and drinks for a few hours before walking over to Jenn's house for yummy desserts and more wine.  Everything felt so festive, and all the food turned out delicious.  Everyone had a great time, and it was so nice to do half the work for all of the fun!

I served wine spritzers, red wine and beer for drinks.

Shrimp cocktail in tall shot glasses

Cranberry salsa over cream cheese

We also had black bean salsa, stuffed mushrooms, savory palmiers, baked brie, ham/rolls and cocktail wieners in sauce.

Since my Dad was off hunting, Mom came up that night to join the party.  Lila looks like such a doll.  Precious girl.

Mimi with her girls

Jenn's dessert spread.  Everything was delicious!

Jenn and I had made pre-mixed cookie jars for everyone to take home from the party.

Some of the girls

Merry Christmas 2014

On Christmas morning, the girls woke up a little before 8 and came to snuggle in our bed for a little bit before opening presents.  We then spent Christmas morning with just our little family and really got to take our time opening the gifts.  Addie was super excited about Christmas this year which made it so fun.  The girls played with their Christmas toys, and Jason and I straightened up the house a little.  The girls both napped at home, then we headed up to Deanna and Jim's house to spend Christmas with the family.  We opened gifts, ate a yummy dinner and just enjoyed the chaos that ensues with a house full of people and kiddos.  It was a great Christmas, and we are so blessed to be able to spend it with family that we love. 

 

My two snuggle bugs

 

Santa came!

 

Every time Ad sat on Santa's lap this year or anytime anyone asked her what she wanted for Christmas, she told them a tiger....a little stuffed tiger.  I have no idea where she got that from, but that was her story, and she was sticking to it.  Luckily Santa heard her request.  :)

Santa brought Addie a tiger

and a dollhouse

Lila loved her toy from Santa

My two sweet girls in their matching jammies

Addie has really loved helping me in the kitchen lately so I bought her her own apron and hat.  I hope that we make many many memories over the years cooking and baking in the kitchen together.

She named her new tiger, Frosty, and he was never too far from her side.  :)

Stocking time....

 

Showing Lila her new loot

It just doesn't get any more precious than this.

Lila and I digging in our stockings

Addie got some princess stuff and a frozen nightgown from Deanna that she refused to take off the rest of the evening.  haha

Deanna got the girls these little chairs as well which ended up being the best gift ever.  Addie is obsessed with her chair and has already used it a ton.  As you can see, she swamped out her princess heels for her rain boots (another big hit).  What can I say....she's got swag.

Nana and her girls

Jackson is always so sweet with Ad and Lila

Deanna has a play kitchen at her house, and Addie loves to cook in it while she is there.

Lila and Grandma O

 

We hope that each of you had a very Merry Christmas...or as Ad proudly declares...It's Jesus' Birthday!!

Christmas Eve

We started out Christmas Eve by heading up to Jim and Deanna's house to let the kiddos decorate Christmas cookies.  We started doing this each Christmas several years ago, and I just love the tradition.  These cookies always remind me of my Grandma since she made them at Christmas every year so it's fun to incorporate a little of my family into the Mayeaux traditions.  Ad loved "painting" the cookies and did her share of icing licking as well.  After the cookies were decorated, we headed back home so the girls could have lunch and nap before heading to the Christmas Eve candlelight service at church.  I just love the Christmas Eve service.  The girls were good during church, and I just sat there with tears in my eyes knowing how very blessed I am that I get to be their mom.  Sometimes the days can be long, but I don't ever take for granted that God entrusted Addie and Lila to me.  I really made a conscious effort this year to not get bogged down with the stress that comes along with the holidays and truly tried to enjoy every second with my little family.  After church, I let Ad look at the awesome train display in the church lobby for a while before we headed over to Harry and Laura's house for Christmas Eve dinner and a white elephant gift exchange.  All in all, it was a great day full of family and fun. 

Sporting her new coat from Uncle Cody and Aunt Britt and ready to get her cookie decorating on.

The cookies turned out really cute.

She was in awe of the candles

 

Sweet Lila saying a little prayer at church  :)

Trains everywhere!

My girls!

 

Lila with her great grandparents

Hunting Reindeer

While we were in Harlingen for Christmas, Norton was kind enough to take Addie and I on her inaugural hunting trip on Sunday afternoon, and she had the absolute time of her life.  It was a perfectly chilly afternoon, and we saw tons of animals.  The lease where Norton hunts has several exotics, so Ad saw zebra, Oryx, Eland, Kudu, etc.  We also saw turkey and deer and nilgai....this list goes on.  Of course, to Ad, everything that had horns or antlers was a reindeer, and we chased them all over the lease.  When we spotted them from the jeep, Ad would yell..."Go Get Them!", Norton would appease by stepping on the gas, and Addie would chant..."Faster! Faster!".  I had the best time watching how excited she was.  We ended the evening by sitting around the fire and eating a yummy dinner prepared by my dad who had been hunting with Trey for the afternoon.  I couldn't have asked for a better today and will store that trip in my memory banks for a lifetime.

The mighty hunters