Christmas in Monroe

Monday afternoon, we left for Monroe to spend our Christmas with Matt's family. We got there and Matt's mom and her brother, Uncle Mark, had made a FEAST for dinner. It was so good! (I swear this girl has got to put a stop to all the food I've been shoving into my mouth...NY resolution, right?) We enjoyed dinner together and then did our gift exchange with everyone. The kiddos were wired that night. I am assuming it was a mix of Christmas fun, Matt and I being in town, and a lot of sugar :)

I loved their real Christmas tree

Olivia Kate and Jack Henry wrestling

Emily opening her gift

Matt and Sam Wyatt

Strike a pose!

Jack Henry as a "present"

I think these kids get cuter everytime I see them!!  Tuesday, Matt and I slept in and then Emily and I headed out to the mall to do a little shopping.  Afterwards, Matt met us at Mohawk, a fabulous restaurant in Monroe with an amazing fried shrimp platter.  After an early dinner there, Matt and I headed back to his parents house and curled up by the fire.  It was the most relaxing night.  Matt and his dad watched football while Andree' and I read by the fire with a nice glass of red wine.  I need more nights like that one! :)

We got back to Little Rock Wednesday night and slept late this morning.  Lord help me when Monday comes and I have to set an alarm again!!  Today has been productive...a clean house, a mani/pedi, a spray tan, Target run and now cooking tacos for dinner.  We are really looking forward to New Years Eve, Emily and Jack are driving up to spend it with us.  We have dinner plans and then we'll be going to a little house party to watch the ball drop.  I am hoping it won't be TOO late of a night, because Kyndall and I always hit the sales on New Years Day!!!  Hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year!!

Christmas in Rogers

I love Christmas Day!!  It's one of my favorite days of the year and not because of all the presents.  It is one FULL day that I get to spend curled up in my pajamas, eating lots of food, watching movies, napping, and playing games with my entire family!!  Since my Dad and brother both run our family business, we don't get to take "family" vacations because they cannot both be gone from the store at the same time. So...days like Christmas, when EVERYONE gets to spend all day together, are pretty special to me!!  Below are lots of pictures of our Christmas morning at Mom and Dad's house. 

Mimi and Pawpaw had a red wagon for the girls.  It was a HIT!!

This was Brynlee's face everytime she opened a present.

Even Cedar and Jovie enjoyed some new toys from Santa :)

This was what the day looked like, we would all take turns pulling BC around in the wagon. She would ride by one of us and we would say, "Here comes Princess Brynlee, everybody wave".  She was waving and blowing kisses by the end of the day.  It was priceless!!

You can't really see this, but it's a matted frame with four pictures of me and my dad at my wedding/reception.  In the middle is the hankerchief that I gave him on that day that says,"Daddy, you'll always be the first man I ever loved. Your little girl, Kia".  August 1, 2009.  It turned out beautiful!

Mom with one of her presents....a Nook!!

And we're back in the wagon again...

Brandi with one of her presents, a gorgeous pea coat!

It's not Christmas morning without brunch and mimosas!!  (Brandi was putting Emma down, that's why she's missing.)

PawPaw loving on sweet Emma

And this was actually AFTER we cleaned up the family room :)

Brynlee helping Uncle Matt open some presents

Papaw and Mamaw came out for the afternoon

Overall, it was a wonderful day spent with so many people I love.  Brandi's parents, Pat and Dale came out as well.  They are just like family to all of us and we love having them there. 

Sunday morning we went to church at Bentonville, they had one service at 10:00, and then we headed back to Mom and Dad's for leftover brisket, twice baked potatoes, soup, creamed corn and the list goes on....

Here are a couple of pictures from the afternoon.

Emma was modeling the sweet little velvet dress we got her for Christmas.

Aunt Bee with Emma

Brynlee and her Daddy (I said, "Brynlee, show me your teeth" - love it!)

Matt, Kyndall and I are now back in Little Rock.  I can't believe Christmas Day went by so fast!  That's the best thing about having a blog, I can keep up with all the fun times we have :)  Matt and I are getting ready to leave for Monroe to have Christmas with the Fitzgerald's.  We are looking forward to seeing everyone and I'll be posting about Christmas #2 when we get back in town.  I hope every one of you had a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!! 

'Twas the Week Before Christmas...

WOW!!  I have a whole lot to catch up on.  The week before Christmas was perfect for us.  Matt and I spent every morning sleeping in and enjoying little things like curling up for movies, a date night at Prego, and I even managed to get out to meet some of the girls for lunch at The Pantry on Tuesday.  I just love the holidays!

Wednesday afternoon we left for Rogers.  We got into town and met Mom and Dad, Landon, Brandi and the girls at Table Mesa to eat.  Below are some pictures of Matt and I on the square in Bentonville.

And one of sweet Emma eating carrots...I had to get the bow!

Thursday morning Mom made my favorite (biscuits and gravy) for breakfast and we all spent the morning curled up on the couch by the fire watching White Christmas - well I am pretty sure Matt slept through it, but Mom and I enjoyed it. :)  Matt and I left for Silver Dollar City around 3:00.  We went to eat at Olive Garden (random, but it was the closest restaurant we found to SDC) and then headed to see all the lights.  Below are some good pictures of the park and a couple of Matt and I enjoying the Christmas music, lights and hot apple cider. 

Christmas Eve is always so fun and this year was no different.  Before going to Mamaw and Papaw Garner's house for dinner (we do this every year), Kyndall, Brandi, Lindsey Honea and I met for some Christmas cocktails at Copelands.  Girl time is always appreciated and the four of us had a great time catching up!

Afterwards, we headed to Mamaw and Papaw's and enjoyed a delicious dinner and opened presents.  Most of these pictures are of my sweet nieces...Brynlee Claire and Emma Grace.  Afterall, Christmas should be all about the kiddos :)

Brynlee is so into opening the presents this year, it's adorable!

Emma...she's just more into toys :)

Aunt Bee and Brynlee

Emma loves her Uncle Matt

Two peas in a pod

What a fabulous start to the holidays!!  Christmas Day is a whole other blog in itself, stay tuned! :)

 

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I don't know if it's the Holiday season, or maybe the fact that I am finished with work for the year; perhaps it's because this past week was filled with so much fun...I don't know, but I am in the best mood!  We are looking so forward to Christmas!! 

Matt and I sometimes like to throw a little random fun into our weeks, so last Monday night we went to see the movie, "Love and Other Drugs."  I absolutely LOVED it!!  Although I will say, speaking from experience as being a pharmaceutical sales rep for sometime now, that's not exactly how we do our job :) but I loved laughing at all the jokes that made fun of it!!

Tuesday, Matt left for Monroe to spend some time with his dad.  It was my first time staying in this house all by myself.  I slept with the alarm system on, bedroom door locked and a loaded gun by my bed...a bit much you might say...you're probably right!  Everything was absolutely fine!!  I enjoyed cleaning the house up, watching The Biggest Loser Finale(my favorite t.v. show), and a girls night out on Wednesday.  Needless to say though, when Thursday rolled around I was SO EXCITED to see Matt!!  One night away is enough for me :)

This weekend started with a surprise party for one of our good friends, Jason Garner.  He turned 33 and Julianna, his wife, rented out the upstairs room at U.S. Pizza in Hillcrest on Friday night.  Long story short, the cover was almost blown, however Jason was clueless and ended up completely surprised.

Matt stayed for a while and then went to poker night with some of the boys.

Waiting for Jason's arrival

"What?! This party's for me?"

Wonderful wife who put it all together

With Melissa and Shelly

Blowing out the sparklers (we almost caught the place on fire:)

Love this crew!

Afterwards, we moved the party down to Ferneau.  There was a fabulous jazz band playing.

Charla, Corie, and Kyndall

Lovely Ladies

Three of my favorites...David, Kyndall and Devon

Me, Misty and Sabrina

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JASON!!! 

Saturday was filled with a big breakfast after sleeping until 10:30.  Matt and I made chocolate chip pancakes, cheesy eggs, bacon, the works.  We got out for a little bit, but decided to order in PFChangs for dinner and rent movies.  We watched "The Other Guys", with Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg (absolutely horrible) and "Going the Distance" with Drew Barrymore and Justin Long (cute).  We enjoyed church this morning and had brunch at YaYa's while listening to the jazz band play Christmas music. (which makes me so happy)

This afternoon Matt and I exchanged gifts for Christmas for the first time!  We had decided (the previous years) that since he was in school and income is always a little tighter during the holidays, we would just focus on our families at Christmas.  Well, my sweet husband thought we should buy each other a little something this year.  He got to open his present after church today which is the North Face coat below (but black and blue instead of gray).  He loved it!  It's got the extra lining and very warm.

I have to brag on my husband.  He knows me oh so well!!  He gave me a gift card for a spa day that includes...a back scrub and pumpkin papaya enzyme face mask + skin softening lip exfoliation + a moisturizing facial massage + beautifying hand and foot treatment + a 50 minute swedish massage with soothing aromatherapy.  REALLY?!!?  I cannot wait to use it!  Thank you Matt for being so good to me!! 

We are looking forward to a relaxing week coming up...full of movies, nights out, cooking and just being together.