Before Christmas arrived this year, we did a lot of shopping, a lot of decorating, and a lot of traveling! We made a trip to Savannah around the time of our five year anniversary to go ice skating in the Civic Center. Not being one of my most favorite past times (basically because I'm a terrible ice skater!), we still had a fun day soaking in the Christmas spirit in the icy rink!
Lacing up...
Posing...
And showing off!
He jumped right out onto the rink...Joseph is pretty athletic and his high school days of working at Skate Land paid off on the ice. I will never forget the first time we ice skated...he swore he wasn't very good. As soon as our blades hit the skating rink, he took off skating circles around me. I was permanently stuck to the wall. :)
This year I actually ventured away from the wall. I was pretty proud of myself, even if 5 year olds went flying by me!
Still skating circles around me, but sweet enough to slow down for his less than skilled partner...
Both of my parents are from Savannah, so a lot of the places we visit and the things that we do are things my parents visited and did when they were the same age. In fact, my mom was telling me about how she skated in this very rink for Skate Fest when she was 17 years old. I'm a huge nostalgic sap, so it was really neat to know she did the same thing just a few years before. :)
Christmas was never complete without a visit to Santa Claus when we were kids, and I want my own kids to count seeing the jolly old man as an absolute tradition. What better way than to start with my first four-legged child, Penny?? We stopped in Pet Smart to visit good ol' Saint Nick with the rest of the "kids" in town.
Such a friendly girl...she must have known Santa was watching!
Finally our turn with the big guy!
I won't bore you with all the outtakes, but there are a couple of cute ones Joseph grabbed before the real photographer stepped in...I'm sure anyone with an animal or child probably knows that pictures are almost never quite right on the first go. The "mess ups" usually end up being my favorites!
After telling Santa what we wanted for Christmas and ice skating to our favorite holiday tunes, it was time to head home to the upstate to spend our last Christmas as "single" folks! Penny and I packed up with suitcases bigger than us!
Brogan was all smiles when we got there...
While Bailey took a more serious approach.
And Penny was just interested in the full trash can behind her! These three can't get away with anything when I'm there with a loaded camera attached to my hip.
Mom and I delivered yummy goodies to the neighborhood a few days before Christmas. She's a great cook and baker, and 99% of my best recipes come from her cookbook! Momma Bear made delicious cherry almond cookies this holiday!
This year's Laird family Christmas tree
And stockings hung by the chimney with care
I think Penny was more interested in sniffing my ears than taking a picture
My parents live in a great neighborhood in Spartanburg, with beautiful land and nature trails, gorgeous houses, and fun neighbors! We spent the "eve of the eve" with some of our favorite neighbors at the Price's holiday drop in.
Dad and I pre-party
Love my stylish momma
The best parents a girl could ask for! There is nothing better than spending the holidays with these two :)
After church on Christmas Eve, we settled in for snacks and a movie in preparation for Santa! Kevin humored his sentimental sister and took a few pictures to commemorate this Christmas.
I am so proud of my little brother! He scored an amazing job with UPS in Inside Sales about a month ago in these tough economic times. We had so many great things to celebrate this Christmas for which I am really thankful!
Snuggling with grandaddy before bedtime :)
No snack goes unnoticed in this house!
Christmas morning 2010!
Sorry for the sideways picture, but I wanted to capture the headline of the Spartanburg Herald Journal newspaper: giving all the glory to God! It's not every day you find such a front page. I LOVED it!
Christmas sercies from Santa for the puppies!
A little light conversation over Christmas morning mimosas :)
I know I drive my family crazy with all my pictures, but since I work in the hospital and don't get every Christmas off, it makes the ones that I am off for that much more special. I want to capture every moment, large or small, as a way to mark great memories that we can always look back on. For this reason, my family always humors me and probably looks forward to my posts more than I do!
Playing with new toys in our pjs...some things never change.
Making the INCREDIBLE spread! I actually helped more this year with the cooking than I ever have. Gotta learn fast because it'll be my turn before I know it!
Best. Dinner. Ever. Mom caught me slumped over my not finished plate. That almost never happens!
Saved some room for our gingerbread house ice cream cake, though! Gotta love Baskin Robbins!
Everyone was worn out by the time night arrived...
Until....
SNOW!! We were dreaming of a white Christmas and that's exactly what we got! :D
This is Penny's second time seeing snow in Spartanburg. We always seem to be here at just the right time!
The next morning we awoke to our own little winter wonderland.
Penny took it a little slow first thing...
While Bailey and Brogan took off like the wild kids that they are!
They can be such sweethearts, too. Snuggling with momma:)
Christmas hugs
And kisses
From our family to yours! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year's to all!
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