Pint-sized Picasso

Step 1:  Lick finger & dip into paint (color of choice: black)

Step 2:  Spot & recognize paintbrush & use it as a tool to splash in the water.

Step 3:  Finger the wet bristles to make sure they are adequately wet for painting.

Step 4:  Start working on that masterpiece...

Step 5:  Painting is exhausting!!  Time for a drink!

Shop 'til you drop!

My adventurous & super-fun friend Sally and I always love a good Girl's Weekend.  Throughout the years, we've done many beach trips and we hit up New York City for a long weekend a couple years ago.  We were, however, long overdue for a getaway.

Well, every January, Atlanta Gift Market rolls around.  As if we need an excuse to shop for great (and cheap!) jewelry and giftables.  We did an Atlanta weekend for Gift Market a while back and had so much fun...so why not make it a tradition??  Not to mention we could squeeze in a little trip to Ikea and hit up the oh-so-amazing Dawsonville outlets on our way back to G-vegas.

So Saturday morning, we got up (eagerly!) at 7:30 and hit I-85 South to ATL.  First stop: my dear friend Julie's house.  She (bravely) joined us for our fun shopping spree and we were thrilled to have such a fun third to our typical twosome.  We arrive in Atlanta around noon and spent the next 5 hours shopping, shopping shopping.  Around 5:30, we finally came up for air & realized we hadn't eaten lunch.  "Lucky" for us, the only thing available at market to eat at that time of day were some plump hotdogs...but we were not picky, just starving.  After another hour of browsing the Children's World, we split & headed to Ikea. 

Just a sampling of our deals...look at this amazing jewelry...
bet you'll never guess how much I spent.

Sushi was on our radar for dinner & we found a great little Japanese place that had fabulous rolls.  Sure beats our hotdog lunch.  After stuffing our faces, we checked into room at the Marriott & laid in bed giggling & telling stories until 2am.  In much contrast to previous girl's weekends, we were up all night & actually not up to "no good"!!

Sunday started around 10am with Starbucks & showers, which was our kick-start to the shopping marathon at the Dawsonville outlets.  With so many great stores & so little time, we did 4 hours of power shopping, even resorting to borrowing the shopping cart from PB in order to more easily carry our load.

After going up & down every row of shops & nearly perishing due to fatique & major ice cream cravings, we decided it was time to wrap it up & head back home.  I had a fanastic time with two of my closest friends & can't wait for our next getaway.  NYC anyone?

White Christmas

Just as we were getting into Conover on Christmas Day, it started snowing and it didn't let up until the next day, totaling about 6 inches. We got to enjoy a white Christmas, a first for all of us!

 Jackson's first snowman! (Actually, the neighbor's snowman)

I love this picture of him just taking it all in.

He didn't know what to do when he fell down and couldn't get up.  So he decided to take a few bites while he figured out a game plan =)

Sledding with Daddy & Bella (who, by the way, looks like a spring chicken frolicking in the snow)

After about 15 minutes & 10 frozen fingers, it was time to go in for a hot chocolate break.  What a fun way to spend Christmas!!

Christmas Day

I think Ben & I were more excited on Christmas morning than the baby was.  We were so eager for Jackson to come downstairs that we were up at 7am -- coffee made, video camera rolling -- just waiting on the first whimper from upstairs.  Around 8:00, we couldn't stand it any longer and broke our #1 rule: never wake a sleeping baby!  Jackson went from grumpy to happy in about 20 seconds and didn't know what to think when we saw all the gifts under the tree!

The big gift from Santa -- a 4-wheeler just like Daddy's, only smaller.  He was a bit intimidated by the power behind this bad boy and preferred to push it instead.  (On a side-note 2 weeks post-Christmas, Jackson still prefers the green 4-wheeler that Ben salvaged from the neighbor's trash.)



Helping Poppy open the "Bimini's Oyster Bar Ring Game" that Ben carefully constructed for Poppy.  Poppy was so surprised & impressed by Ben's level of detail and handiwork.

Jackson's other favorite gift: his cowboy boots!  Oma & Opa picked out the perfect gift!

Next came the stockings...Jackson was eager to help Nanny & Poppy open their's first!

Jackson loves his Poppy!

After presents & breakfast, we loaded up the car & headed to Bebe & PopPaw's in Conover to celebrate Christmas with them & Mike & Jenn.  First things first at Bebe's...more presents!!  Uncle Mikey & Aunt Jenn gave Jackson this awesome guitar, which he loves!

Giggling with Bebe...this little boy sure does adore her!  "Bay-Bay" as he calls her! 



 Time to open his presents from Bebe & PopPaw, including a Thomas train set (which I failed to actually get a picture of).  He was obsessed with it.  And still is.

Showing Uncle Mikey his choo-choo and cowboy hat!

The rare group shot...Christmas Day 2010!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve rolled around a few days after I had a terrible 24-hour stomach bug and just as Ben was recovering from his bout with it.  Needless to say, I forgoed my much anticipated cooking & cleaning binge and just did as much as I could to get by.  Christmas Eve was spent hanging around the house, and Poppy & Nanny came down around lunchtime.  We went to the mid-afternoon Christmas Eve service at church, then went by the Roper Mountain Holiday Lights to see Santa & check out the Griswald-esque displays.  It was a mighty impressive show of lights and the Santa there was very authentic looking.

(None of the pics of the Christmas lights turned out, but this is how Jackson was able to take in the view!)

We enjoyed some home-made clam chowder for supper and then let Jackson open a couple presents before bed.  His instant favorite...the Thomas Train from Uncle Jon!  (Bella was also quite fond of the train tent)

He also loved the tool bench that Poppy & Nanny brought, and especially loved rocking the safety goggles.



After lots of playtime, it was bedtime for Jackson so Santa could come!