Jam packed, fast paced and exciting days....

Let me just start by saying, yes it is crunch time, and yes we are probably stressed and running around like crazy people this last week before Christmas.... I am one of those people...however, I am NOT going to worry about it too much!  I guess I work better under pressure.  I don't know...but I seem to get all the gifts wrapped, all the shopping done, all the candies and cookies made, etc...and still be ready by the time Christmas Eve rolls around.  Every year it is this way...everything seems to happen these last 10 days or so before Christmas...and it all seems to pile on...so tonight I told myself...just step back...take a deep breath and it will all be just fine!  And it will be!!!  It's all good!  :)

This week has been busy and sooo fun!  Maybe I can give you a quick recap and nutshell it all for you in a minimal amount of words.  I haven't posted in forever!!!  And my good friend Telah reminded me tonight in such a loving way that I needed to update my blog....:)  What are friends for???

Last Friday night was a date night for me and my husband...we dropped off the kiddos at the grandparents and drove to Cullman...a town about 45 minutes from here and ate at one of my newest favorite places to eat...All Steak.  It was a very quiet dinner and a nice time.  It seemed a little strange not to be ordering chicken fingers and chocolate milk and not to have kids crying and fighting over who was going to sit where???? But it was nice to get away for a couple of hours. We were having a little night out to celebrate our anniversary....which was Tuesday.  We have been married 8 years on Dec. 19th.  Since our anniversary is so close to Christmas many times we find it difficult to get a night away....but this year we managed to at least sneak away and have a quiet dinner. 

We came back home, picked up Parker, and the girls stayed the night with the grandparents.  Thanks Nannie and Gaga!  They had a blast!  (This has become one of my all time favorite pix of us together now....I even printed it and put it up in a frame the other day)

Got up Saturday and hit some early bird specials...since I didn't have to drag but one child out into each store....it was pretty easy and not too frustrating.  Then we met the family at Cracker Barrel for breakfast!  Yum! 

It was good and nice to spend time with everyone! Plus, CB was having 40% off all their Christmas items....so I picked up a few things....they had some really cute stocking stuffer items and then just some home decor items for the Christmas season that turned out to be a really good deal with the 40% off....if you have a chance you might want to go by and check it out....I am sure the discount will only get better the closer to Christmas and afterwards.

Mallory and her Nannie....we are sooo lucky to live close to Shane's parents and the girls are blessed to have two wonderful grandparents that love them very much right here in Athens!!!!

 of course Kennedy had to be in the picture....sitting here waiting on her pancakes....lol

 

 

 

Parker is hungry too....where's mine mama???

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The rest of the weekend flew by....we made gingerbread Christmas trees, stamped treat bags for a church Christmas party, made some crafts, etc....  The girls loved making this tree and I did too...it turned out pretty cute....considering this the the first time we have made one.....here are some pictures as a recap to the weekend....

 

 

 

 

 

Mallory enjoyed this tree making experience....and I think Kennedy did too....but we did it late on Saturday, so they were beginning to get tired and it shows ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More a little later on the Christmas party and some more happenings....I am off to try and be productive while my kiddos are still asleep...Have a great day!  Just 4 more days till Santa comes!!!!