Merry Christmas from North Carolina!

This was our first Christmas in North Carolina! We really enjoyed our day as a family. Anna and Henry played all day with their gifts from Santa, and they loved opening their gifts from everyone under the tree. Chad surprised me with a painting from a picture taken at the beach last October...I had to share a picture!

Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas! This year we went to church early at 5 and then we were invited to our friends' house for cocktails and appetizers! We had so much fun! The kids had a ball, and they all opened pajamas to put on. The boys went in one room to change and the girls went in another. Henry wanted to go with the big boys...I think he thinks he is 5 sometimes!:) After we got back home, Anna and Henry opened one special present...a recorded book of Twas the Night Before Christmas. They loved listening to Nanny and Pa read the book...in fact, we have "read" it again and again. (At least once a night since then)

Other Houston pics

Anna and Henry loved playing with our old toys...the roller racers and our puppet theater! We also were able to celebrate Michelle's birthday with her at their house one night.

Visit to the Houston Zoo!

Last Sunday we visited the Houston zoo. It was great weather, and the kids had a ball! It was so fun watching Anna and Henry helping out their little cousins. I think Henry loved feeling like a big kid!

Visit to Houston...

We had a wonderful time visiting Houston last week. We loved seeing everyone and having a little early Christmas! We were lucky to have everyone there, except for poor Chad who was stuck here working. We all missed him.

We had fun at Nana's house with everyone...we all enjoyed each others company, opening presents, eating "vicki's fried chicken" and especially watching Nana open her ipad! For some reason...being at Nana and Papa's house just makes it feel like Christmas to me...Great memories! :)

Our little angel...

Anna was in the church pageant this past weekend. I was a chaperone in the back, but I heard that the entire program was a beautiful portrayal of the story of Christmas. All of the kindergartners were angels...

Brunch with Santa

This year we went to Brunch with Santa at the Carolina Inn...a gorgeous hotel right in the center of Chapel Hill.
The hotel also had a 12 days of Christmas exhibit and gingerbread houses! I think that their favorite were the "two turtle doves". They were real! Anna and Henry loved looking at all of it! We also tried to take some pics at home before we left...it was somewhat comical!