Christmas 2014

Christmas!  My favorite time of the year!  I hate that there is a shadow in Liams face but he was so excited about his chocolate countdown to Christmas calendar!  We would always be a few days behind and he would get to eat 2 or 3 pieces at a time.

The boys got their wear out of these cute outfits! I have been going through Liam's old clothes and there were some Christmas PJ's of his that the boys got to fit into.  They were a little big but they still fit!

Liam helping Ryan put up the Christmas tree.  He loves to help!

He did such a good job hanging ornaments on the tree!

Brasfield Christmas was the Sunday before Christmas.  We had it at our new house since we have the room.  We did our usual breakfast for dinner and let the kids open their presents!

Liam got a sleeping bag.  He opened it up and said "Wow! A bag of pants!!!!" Haha! That kid is hilarious!

The boys each got cowboy boots and bibs.

Marlisa and Liams headlamp, the twins bib and showing off Hardy Lee's toy!

They were happy just playing with the wrapping paper!

Gilley's Progressive Dinner Party was next on our week of Christmas festivities.

We started out at Bobbi's for appetizers and then to Pam's for Dinner, which was sooo good!  I have a picture of Connor every Christmas holding at least one of my kids!  He is such a good big cousin!  We left after dinner and didn't make it to Kandy's for dessert.  I think Ryan and I both had to work that next day and needed to get home and in the bed!

Christmas Eve afternoon was Gilley Christmas.  We all snack on appetizers and hand out all of our gifts to everyone.  After everyone is done opening gifts we do Dirty Santa.  Since we were having McWhorter Christmas at my house I had to rush back home to get everything ready there.

McWhorter Christmas was at my house on Christmas Eve night.  We had sandwiches and sides and we all played Dirty Santa!
Here is a pic of Hudson chewing on my chewy necklace.

Nana and Kane

Ryan and Reid

Ryan and the twins

Uncle Richard pitched in and helped feed a baby!

Uncle Paul got the twins size 4T shirts.  Even Liam can't fit in a 4T!!! It's the thought that counts :)

Hudson opening his presents.

After everyone left, Ryan and I got to working on the boys Santa gifts.  Liam got tons of Lego Duplos and I made him a Lego table and a Lego book to put all of his lego papers in so that he can rebuild them again.  The twins got diapers, formula and some snacks because thats all they needed!

Of course to stay on our Christmas morning schedule we had to wake Liam up to show him what Santa had brought him!  He was so excited and wanted to open up everything!

Reid & Kane with their bears that Liam made them.

All the boys by their gifts being thankful for what they recieved!

We had to open up a couple before we made our way to G and Grandy's House!

Liam helping pass out presents at my parents house while the boys watch every move he makes!

Ryan patiently waiting to open up all his gifts :)

We ate breakfast at my parents and hung out there for a little while before we made our way to Ryan's parents to do Christmas there.  Here is Papa and the little ones playing in the floor.

Liam opening a present.  I think this one was underwear from Aunt Maggie, Uncle Mark and Hudson.

 Yay! More Legos!!! :S

Hudson opening up some presents.

They had brunch at Ryan's parents house and we laid around a while over there before we decided we needed to get back home to hang out and play with all our toys.  I decided before we started opening all the Legos we should take a picture.  This kid got WAY too many Legos for Christmas!!!

Nana and Papa got the twins a kiddie corral haha.  This thing sure has been handy!

Poor thing had too much fun and fell asleep playing.

Look here to see the last few Christmas' 

Christmas 2012, here.

Christmas 2013, here.

Elvis the Elf

November is over and it is time to meet our elf.  Last year Liam wasn't really interested and didn't really understand the whole elf thing.  I knew this year would be different and more exciting for him.  We tried to stay on top of it but Ryan and I just weren't very good at it.  We started on December 1st.  I wrapped up the elf in its box and wrote a letter from Santa about who the elf is and what the elf does.  I also had found a chocolate calendar that I used to do when I was a little kid and I knew Liam would love it too!  Here he is finding his package at the front door!

He was so excited and couldn't wait to open it!

Liam is only 3 and so when I asked him what he wanted to name him his simple little mind immediately said "Elfie the Elf."  I talked him into "Elvis."  So Elvis it is!

The first night in the Barker house we found "Elvis" hanging from the ceiling fan in Liam's superhero room dressed as Spiderman.

We didn't do something silly every night.  There were nights where we just moved him.  Actually, there were lots of night that we just moved him.  We forgot about Elvis a lot!  

Here is Elvis and Jake sailing on Bucky!

One morning we found him hanging out in Liams' stocking!

We didn't do a very good job this year with this.  We were very forgetful and so was Liam.  We were always asking him if he had seen Elvis that morning.  Oh well, next year will be different I am sure!

Here is our adventure with our elf last year, here

Super Porridge, Mangos & Chicken

Super Porridge was next!!!  I took brown rice and threw it into the food processor and ground it up until it was powder form.  The powder stays good in the fridge and you only use what you need.  I make a weeks worth at a time.  You just boil some water and throw a couple of tablespoons of powder into the boiling water for about 10 minutes.  I then divide it out into separate containers.  I usually give it to them in the morning with yogurt or some fruit.

Mangos were next.  Mangos are expensive in the winter time.  I bought 4 mangos and they didn't even make a full 2 trays.  Like all the other fruit they have tried, they love mangos too!

Chicken is another story.  I boiled a couple chicken breasts and cut them up and threw them in the processor with some broth.  I thought I made the right consistency and put them in the trays.  Once I warm them up in the microwave they aren't the right consistency and are chunky and rubbery.  Needless to say, the boys loathe them!  I can mix them with things they love and its not a pretty sight!  They gag with every bite and it doesn't get any better.  I even waited a week and tried again and it was the same story.  They just don't like chicken (or pureed chicken). HAHA