MLK 2011

This was the 2nd year that we spent MLK weekend in Hound Ears with Mom, Bill, and the Webster's. As always, we had a great time and the kids thoroughly enjoyed each other. As a bonus, Jessamy and her man, Brett, joined us.

Mom and Bill won't be in this house much longer since they bought a new house in Blowing Rock. This is bittersweet because I grew up in this house, being that my grandparents built it. It has been in my family since I was little. Now we are starting fresh, which always has it's ups and downs. But ultimately it's about the people you are with, not the place, so I feel certain the ups will outweigh the downs.

Check out the beautiful view of Grandfather from the house my grandparents built:

PS Jess took this pic!

Here are some pics from sledding at Hound Ears, on a hill that used to be a ski slope with a full service lift and all. It's where I learned to ski at 5 years old. We had a great time sledding there.

Pretty Wynnie

Back at the house Elin got some QT with Jess:

And Wynnie spent as much time with Elin as she possibly could. She LOVES Elin. I know that when Elin gets a little older she will reciprocate this love two-fold.

Ben built a snow tunnel in the driveway. Buxton thought it was pretty cool!

Mimi "Nene" as Buxton calls her and Bill...Buxton loves them!!

Family pic time:

Elin was sleeping:

And lastly here are some pics of Elin in her nursery with, btw, her 1st ear infection. I don't even have her in daycare yet and she's already on antibiotics. Please God don't let her have her brothers ears and need tubes!

I had to rearrange her room a bit cause I got my most favorite rocking chair in the whole world while we were in the mtns, and it needed more space than the chair I had in there originally.

This is a very special train that Mom got in Sundance after Christmas. Buxton has the same one of his name.

Here is the chair. It was my Grandma's. It is gorgeous. I love it.

Rocking my baby girl in my Grandma's chair is a very special and priceless gift.

i haven't been very good about taking pics of the kids lately and this is because 1. i started back to work and have been busy and 2. i've been looking at new cameras and not wanting to pull my current camera out (lame i know)

BUT

i got inspired by sunday when she posted some beautiful pics of her girls (all her pics are beautiful, btw) and even though i don't have the talent nor the equipment that she does i wanted to try for some good daytime, indoor shots. the light reflecting off all the white snow helped for sure!

buxton is playing "footsies" with elin here, and making her smile:

as i've said before, he loves his sister so much. the cutest thing lately is how he always says "bless you" when she sneezes. and he goes right up to her and says it to her in a very sincere and concerned way, like he understands what it means.

here buxton is saying that the truck on his shirt is "dada's truck". it's not really a scout, but looks a lot like one. hence why i bought it from here.

and a couple snow pics, taken and edited with ben's iphone:

more iphone pics of our sweet boy.

a blessed december

i'm way behind in posting since we were very busy last month doing many fun things and enjoying the celebration of our Savior's birth. so i'm just going to sum everything up with a bunch of pictures.

a couple of mommy and kiddos pics to start off with:

wynnie and buxton getting some play time together one night,

and opening presents to each other:

buxton and his cool self "hanging out" before some outing which i can't remember what it was:

and look how big elin is!

buxton with his papa on Christmas eve, before going to church:

elin and papa on Christmas day in the outfit he bought her that says "my 1st Christmas". can you imagine my dad clothes shopping for elin?!

my first attempt at a double layer cake with icing for Jesus' birthday (all home made)

buxton playing with brandon at Christmas dinner at mimi and bill's:

playing in the snow the day after Christmas:

this is what has been built so far of the play gym buxton and elin got from us and their grandparents. it only has 8,000 screws and bolts, most of which don't fit where they are supposed to. this may get fully built in time for spring:

special friend time at lindsey's on dec. 27th

cat and trey brought cate (rt) and logan (lft) and i just had to get a pic of them with elin since they are 1 month apart:

on the 27th carla and family arrived and buxton was sooooo happy to have his cousins here. we had a lot of fun with them and buxton is still talking about grace and wondering where she is. grace cries everytime she leaves NC and i think next time i will know how carla feels when this happens cause buxton will be crying too!