Santa!

This year we saw the Santa at Willow Bend again.  He is so nice to the kids and very authentic looking! :)  We got there about 10 minutes before they opened and were third in line so there was almost no wait!  This is key for my kids.  They had a very nice Narnia display throughout the waiting line, but since our kids are a little too young to appreciate it we just by passed it altogether.  We didn't get very good smiles from them, but there were no tears so I consider it a success!

Eli waiting patiently.  :)

Jillian waiting patiently.

 Smiling at Daddy!

Eli talking to Mrs. Clause.  She was super nice and did a great job keeping the kids minds off the short wait.

The official picture.

 This picture isn't very good because I snapped it very quickly.  I don't think you are supposed to take your own pictures of Santa.  But Eli was having such a sweet conversation with him I really wanted to capture the moment, even if the moment is blurry. :)  This is the little booklet Santa gave him.  He told Santa he wanted tools, but it sounded more like "toos."  So cute!

Chillin in the stroller before leaving the mall.

Thanksgiving 2010

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with the Davis clan!  We have so many things to be thankful for this year, including two new additions to the family...Jillian and Carter!  Of course,there was lots of wonderful food!  I didn't get a chance to take many pictures but here are a few!

Uncle Scott & Jillian

 Uncle Keith & Jillian

Brother & Sister

Jillian was happy here long enough for everyone to eat!

Cousin Kymberly and Eli.  He was so distracted by everything going on that he didn't eat anything!

Uncle Scott, Jillian, & cousin Krystyna.

Eli with a football.  Pretty common sight.  He soon realized he could throw it over this railing.  :(

Eli playing drums.  He loves all the toys at Aunt Liz and Uncle Keith's house!

Kymberly and Jillian

Krystyna and Jillian

Grandmommy and Jillian

We missed Uncle Chris, Aunt Carrie, and baby Carter!  We'll see you soon!

Another One?

Do we have another sports fan on our hands?

I hope not! lol

Shutterfly Holiday Cards!

Shutterfly is having a giveaway!  If you blog about their holiday cards, you get 50 free cards!!   No brainer my friends.

I can't believe Christmas is almost here!  Yes, I realize that we haven't had Thanksgiving yet, but since I love all things Christmas (music, trees, lights, baby Jesus, etc), I have already started thinking about Christmas cards!  We have been sending Christmas cards since we got married.  I love receiving them and I'm hoping Eli will get excited about them this year too.  It is such a fun tradition.  I really like sending photo cards so family and friends that don't live close can see how the kids are growing.

I have used Shutterfly for cards in the past and have always been happy with the outcome.  If there is a complaint it is that there are just WAY too many choices!!  :)  Here are a few of my favorites from their 2010 Holiday Collection.  I always have a hard time choosing...it may come down to how many decent pictures we get and which card they look the best with.  Since so many cards have great red and green colors, I might go with black & white pictures.

These first two are definitely contenders if we only get one good shot of the family or kids.

If I actually come up with several good shots these next two would be great.  Love the trees!

I love the candy cane stripes in this one and that you get to write a bit of a message.

They even have a couple of cards this year that allow you a bit more room to add messages or updates about your family. (I'm sure I won't be able to get it together enough to send one of these.)

I get pictures of the kids printed from shutterfly all the time.  I've been printing pictures of both kids since they were babies and putting them in albums for them to look at when they get older.  Eli actually loves to look at his now.  I usually wait a few months and then get a bunch printed at once.  I just love getting my orange package in the mail. :)

Did I mention Shutterfly is having a giveaway?!?!  If you blog about their holiday cards, you get 50 free cards!!   No brainer my friends.  If you would like to get 50 free holiday cards of your own, just go here and plug in your info.  You will get an email in a couple of days with instructions.

My New Favorite Place!

Sunday afternoon Grandmommy wanted to take Eli out for icecream.  Since Daddy needed to work on his big paper,  Baby Sister and I tagged along.  We went to a new place in Murphy called Yogurtville.  Ever been there?  It is pretty close to what I think Heaven will be like.  At least the frozen yogurt place in Heaven.  There will be a frozen yogurt there, right? :)

They have cups (BIG cups) that you fill with whatever flavor(s) of frozen yogurt you want.  Then you add toppings and/or sauces.  They pretty much have any topping you can think of.

*Please excuse the quality of the pictures.  They are from my phone.

Here is Grandmommy and Eli weighing his yogurt.

Here is Eli's cup.  Grandmommy helped him get whatever he wanted. :)  He has some kind of strawberry frozen yogurt and cookies & cream.  Topped with strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, mini m&m's, tiny cookie dough balls, and some other kind of candy.   

 Saying "cheese" with his big bowl of ice cream.

Here is mine.  I had snickerdoodle (something didn't taste right with this one), cookies & cream (good), and red velvet (awesome!  Just like the cake!)

Happy boy!  He ate it ALL!!  Thanks for the treat Grandmommy!

Turkey Cupcakes

Eli and I wanted to do a little Thanksgiving project.  He loves to pretend to cook with me and has loved helping me in the kitchen a few times in the past so I though we would try these turkey cupcakes.  They looked so cute and fun.  I love to bake but I'm not a creative decorator at all so I knew this might be a bit of a stretch for me.  Eli loved it and now often says he wants to "cook cupcates with Mommy."  If you have a little one who likes to cook, you should try this!

Ready to start!  Holding the cupcake liners gave him something to do. :)

He was great at holding the bowl while I poured in the cupcake mix.  Yes, of course this is from a box...I would have to concentrate way too much with Eli around to make this from scratch. :)

Helping me pour the oil.

Reading Mommy the instructions.

He was great at mixing too.  Why am I using a wisk you ask??  I loaned out my kitchenaid and forgot about it until I started making the cupcakes.  I really should get a hand mixer but never have.  Maybe I should just go steal my kitchenaid back ask nicely to have my kitchenaid returned. :)

Still mixing.

 I think putting the paper cups in was his favorite part!

 Then, of course, we had to count the paper cups.

 Mommy filled the cups and they were ready for the oven!

Just one lick!

We waited until the next day to decorate them.  I iced them and Eli dipped them in the feathers (sprinkles.)

Checking out his work

 Putting the candy corn on.  It was hard to get them in the right spot.  I think Eli was better at it than I was.

Trying to sneak one!

Here's my turkey!

This is the best looking one we made.  It doesn't look anywhere near as good as the ones from the website, but not bad for our first try.

 The part Eli has been waiting for!  It actually took him a few minutes to figure out how to get into it.

 Happy boy!