Merry Christmas.....and a vacation!

We had such a great holiday this year! Our first Christmas in Mississippi and in our new home. I made new stockings for us this year mostly because I really hated our old ones. I am very proud of them, so I really want everyone to tell me how much you love them! All of them hanging from our mantle, do they not look adorable?

My parents sent these adorable Christmas clothes for the kids this year, I took this picture on Christmas Sunday. I love Jack in his little suit.

Maddie looks so pretty in this picture, she is growing into such a lady.

Girls on Christmas morning, they were so excited this year. This is the first year we have not been at a grandparents house for Christmas morning. Though we missed our family, it was nice.

Da got me this awesome porch swing! I love it so much!!!!! Picture is with my mom. We were so happy that my parents and Jared were able to come on Christmas day!

The kids recieved a swing set, you can not imagine thier excitment!

Thank goodness Dad was here, he and Da spent a good many hours putting this puppy together, but they did a great job! I should of taken a before picture, anyhow, this is when they finished!

Dad taught Jack how to play catch! It was so cute, he just kept laughing and laughing! He was really figuring out what to do. I don't know if should of already known how to or not, this is my first boy, but it was so cute!

I bought Da a basketball hoop. He and Jar had fun, Da was trying to teach him how to be a pro. Jared seemed excited until Da told him he used to practice 5 hours a day when he was in High school. After that I think that Jared thought that seemed a bit much for him.

Here is a picture of the kids at the swamp, you can really see aligators here. However, we did not

We took them to the Resevoir, I know this picture is fuzzy, but I still liked it of my Mom and Dad.

We went to the Agriculture museum too. This is the world's largest rocking chair, exciting!

Of course we had to have smores with them

We also went to Vicksburg and saw the battle grounds, that was really interesting. It was really a beautiful day too.

This is inside a tunnel dug by the Union soldiers. I think that Dad carried Sadie around the entire ten days that we were with them. She loves her Papa!

This huge boat was in the bottom of the Mississippi for over a hunderd years before they pulled it out, its just amazing!

On New Year's eve, we all squeezed into our mini van and drove to St. Louis to visit Bud and Heath! We all had so much fun, there is a lot of really cool things to do in St. louis. For starters, there is a butterfly house. Inside this large greenhouse are thousands of butterflies! Pretty cool picture below. Some of the pictures may be a little fuzzy because it was so humid in there my camera keep fogging up.

Family shot, Maddie really was having fun!

She was trying to get a butterfly to land on her hand

One actually did land on Da's!

All the kids outside the butterfly house! Hey, they are all in it!

Heath was very prepared and had sparklers for the kids on New year's

Sa with Papa of course

We also went to see the arch and went all the way to the top. Sadly it was foggy, so we did not see much. I think it would of been a little freaky myself, it is VERY high! My parents with the grandkids in the museum.

This is the pod that you ride in to get to the top, its so small! Suprisingly, its a pretty smooth ride.

My cute baby!

Inside the pod

A picture of Jared on the top.

The kids all looking through the windows.

Some of our family.

Maddie and Payson in the museum, they had so much fun together! The kids just played and played! They had a slumber party everynight, and when it was time to go, Pay gave maddie a hug and said " I will miss you Maddie" So sweet, just made me melt!

A picture taken under the arch, Da was taking it, that's why he is missing

We have had such a great Christmas! Thank you Mom and Dad and Jared for the visit and thanks to Bud and Heath for having us up to thier neck of the woods! We love you all and miss you already!