Happy Birthday Bruce!!

Today is Bruce's birthday and since our original plans were changed due to the snow/ice--we celebrated quietly at home.  It was a great day spent with just the 3 of us and Bruce got to sleep-in, watch a movie during the day, had 3 meals cooked for him :) and watched another movie and had ice cream birthday cake tonight!!  Happy birthday to the man I love, a fantastic father, a wonderful friend and the best husband ever!!  We love you very much!! :)

Snow!!

The Snow of 2011!

Winter showed up on our doorstep this week.  We ended up getting around 7 inches of beautiful snow Sunday-Monday.  It was great to have a few days off and to be lazy and not feel like we had to do anything.  Parker really didn't know what to think about all the white stuff.  The ice, which started Monday afternoon/evening, which fell on top of the snow did put a damper on things but we did have a great time.  Here are some pictures of the winter wonderland.

"What is all this white stuff?"

One of the rare times Maggie lets Parker close. How cute!

 Precious

7 inches

"Who took my bathroom away?"  :)

Bruce is glad his car's in the garage...

Fun wearing mommy's boots

"Now what??"

"You didn't teach me this when I learned to walk"

Having loads of fun!  :)

Mr. G Q

Too handsome not to share!!!  This is the outfit that Parker's Aunt Tracie got him for Christmas!!  He wore it to church this past Sunday!  Doesn't he look precious!?!?  I love this boy!!  :)

"See Dad, this is Maggie's food!"  :)

New Year's

This past New Year's, like the last 8 previous ones, we spent with some of our dear friends.  This year, we had everyone up to spend the night at the lakehouse and celebrate New Year's Eve.  It worked out great because we were able to have all the kids play together and the adults were able to ring in the New Year's at midnight (and not 8 pm so that we could leave and get the kids in the bed) and enjoy spending time with each other!! :)  The kids (6 of them ages 3 and under) had a blast playing together and of course the adults enjoyed taking pictures of them and trying to keep them from injuring themselves!! HA!!  After we ate a delicious meal (thanks Papa Carl!!) we got the kids ready for bed and then after they all were asleep, us adults hung out, played some games, watched the ball drop and talked! It was a sweet time spent with everyone and we had a wonderful New Years!!  Saturday morning we ate a tasty breakfast, hung out and let the kids play some more!!  When nap time came around, everyone (and I mean, everyone) rested!!  :)  After nap, everyone packed up and headed home and Bruce, Parker and I stayed at the lakehouse for the rest of the weekend and just relaxed!!  It was a great  time and thanks everyone for the precious memories!! 

 Madison (the future physician) and Parker

 Best buddies Parker and Luke (talking to someone important, I'm sure) 

 too cute!  I love how Luke and Parker are looking at Anna :)

 The older kids (missing Campbell)  James, Madison, Luke, Anna and Parker

 Bruce and Parker

 "wow...new toys!!"

 Our feebile attempt to get a picture of all the kids!!  (Campbell and Parker are trying to escape!!)  :)

 Maggie wanted to get in this picture...Luke is getting bored....

 Anna saying goodnight to Parker

 LOVE THIS PICTURE!!!!  Luke and Parker giving each other a hug goodnight!!  Precious!!!  :)

 and another hug!!

 Happy New Years!!  Daniel and Lynn (and baby girl Pascazio) 

 Bruce and I

 Natalie, Jonathan and a unhappy Luke (he started with a croup cough right before midnight, so he was up at New Year's with us!! Poor thing!!)

 Bert and Hannah

Chris and Julie (and baby Elsken)  ;)

Christmas Card Picture

Okay, I'll admit it: I got a little overwhelmed with all of the Christmas activities and I kept putting off ordering our Christmas card.  SO...since it's now the 2nd week of January, I'm just going to do a blog post of our Christmas card.  (and I know that some of you were thinking that you got cut off the list this year---trust me, you didn't--I just got a little slack! oops)  BUT next year you will get a nice one!! :)  Enjoy the picture....and for an added bonus, I put a few up of Parker in his SuperMan PJ's that GiGi got him!!  AND the SuperMan cape was actually Bruce's when he was little!! How fun!!  :) 

Christmas in Greer

After we left Charlotte Christmas Day, we headed home to unload some things and then headed over to Bruce's parents house to celebrate Christmas with the Lee side of the family.  It was alot of fun seeing everyone and enjoyed catching up--and then the SNOW!!!  That was wonderful; such an amazing blessed to have a white Christmas.  Of course there were some snowball fights, lots of pictures taken and Bruce and I built a snowman the day after Christmas (Parker wasn't too keen on playing in the snow yet!!)  :)  We ended up spending the night at Lucian and Jeanie's Christmas night so that we had our "Christmas morning" on Sunday morning!  It was so fun to be there with them and let Parker have Santa again!!  And of course, Santa came to see us too! :)  It was a very special day to spend with Lucian and Jeanie and we just loved being there to celebrate Christmas.  Sunday night we headed over to Papa Carl's and Mama Jo's for The Doors--which is a Christmas tradition.  And a special treat was having Whitney there this year!!  All in all it was a wonderful holiday season and we are so thankful to have such amazing families!! 

PS:  somehow my pictures got loaded a little backwards--so just bear with me! :)

 Day after Christmas -our Christmas with Bruce's parents:  Bruce trying on his new coat

 Buddy and Maggie getting ready to open their Christmas gifts  :)

 GiGi's stocking  :)  NICE Santa!!

 (now back to chronological order--Christmas night with the Lee family)  Payton and Parker playing

 Huey waiting on Uncle John to help with the gifts

 It was a large crowd--couldn't fit everyone into the picture!

 SNOW!!!!   :)

 I love this picture of Bruce getting excited helping Parker open his stocking!!  Too cute!!  :)

 "oohhh--Cookie Monster!!"

 Lucian checking out his new Bible

 My Christmas gift---a beautiful Rolex!!  Thanks so much Lucian and Jeanie!!  I LOVE IT!!!!

 too funny....

 not quite sure about this snow stuff...

 waiting in front of the Doors---the annual 'kid' picture

 And the 'adults' picture :)

 The boys!!  Bruce, Lee and Parker

A proud Great-Grandfather!!  :)