What is pink & green and sparkly all over??????

A Fairy Princess, of course!!

My sweet baby girl had her 4th birthday party this past Sunday..........I can't believe she is turning 4...........but that tearful story is for another day................

This was a fantastic party!! And thanks to the hubby, a sitter & G-Daddy, it came off without a hitch.........of course, many more people were involved in the process but these guys helped me pull off the "install"!!!



We rented a little room at a park near our house and it was affordable and perfect for 14 crazy little fairies............But the best thing we did was hire MIMI to come and entertain the girls......She was worth every last penny!!






They all got their faces painted beautifully, sang songs and danced crazy!! Plus she made balloon flowers and all sorts of crazy things...............














I went pretty overboard on the number of pictures I took, so these are just a sample......I didn't really get that perfect shot of the birthday girl, but she looked so stinking cute. And she kept telling me how much fun she was having and just how many best friends she had.....(even though we lost one to an ugly stomach bug..we missed you amelia) it was really a great party.

The girls giggled, big papa ran crazy, and tons of junk food was consumed but isn't that exactly how birthday parties are supposed to go? These little girls are growing up so fast and it warms my heart how sweet and kind they really are. These are the memories that I will cherish forever......................


And of course, our beautiful little fairy princess got her special shirt compliments of Petey Pie's!!

I love you baby girl.........Happy 4th Birthday, May you always know our love and the joy you bring us..............We are blessed...............

Santa here we come............................

Not even freezing temperatures and awful rain could keep us away.............Friday was our Phipps Santa appointment day and as some of you locals know, NOTHING is gonna mess with that!!

So off we went, umbrellas and all.....................What a special tradition......It is the season for traditions, right? Well my coworker and I have been taking the kids to see Santa at Phipps since they were born!! Other than the first picture, I seem to have atleast one child crying in every one.............But isn't that what these are for??? Oh well, it was a truly wonderful day spent with a very dear friend..........and our crazy kids!!



Now Big Papa was a bit unsure how to get the carefully laid candy cane from the top of the wooden airplane without that man in the beard seeing him.........He decided that the candy cane was simply not worth the chance!!

Then the nice lady asked me if I wanted him IN the picture with his sister and Santa........Well, excuse me, but isn't that why I pounced online at the crack of dawn to secure a very coveted appointment spot? YES PUT HIM IN HIS LAP, TEARS AND ALL!!!! So, that of course will be what our picture looks like when we receive them................

Unlike my friend who's son smiled as if Santa had already given him that special present!!



Now, listen little brother, trust me on this one, you HAVE to sit in his lap.........

Want to bet....................

Anyway, after a typical Santa visit, it was time for hot chocolate.........YUMMY!
And who cares if it is dribbled down the front of our outfits, WE ARE DONE WITH THE PICSS!




Now, I will have to reluctantly admit that my special little girl here actually ordered herself a Chai Tea Latte instead of the kids hot chocolate but come on, what's the big deal, right! They are really yummy........I can't believer her daddy started her on that habit.......hee hee hee

Time for some Pink Pig........ 3 times to be exact..........3 times around in that COLD little tent, but ride we did............3 times...........





AAAHHHHHHHH the joys of Christmas......................

The FINISH LINE...........and the fun that was missed!

So The Hubby has officially finished graduate school at Penn State.....................And he flies home tonight...............aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!

For two years, he studied all hours of the night, planted in front of the computer!! And now he's done. No more "studying" no more "conference calls" no more excuses to miss crazy birthday parties and wild family outings.........He is DONE!

And we couldn't be prouder..............well, maybe if he had graduated from The University of Georgia, we might be a tad prouder, but we really are so proud! And we are looking forward to him getting home...................

BUT, while he was gone, check out these pics............

That's right........The top of the telephone pole was on FIRE...............so, after a call to the fire department, then a call to the power company, and 10hours without power, we have a NEW POLE! How about that.....................
Crazy things happen in these neck of the woods!!!

Not enough days............

I need more days..................

I hear the clock ticking.........

I don't see the "TODO" list getting smaller..........

And before Santa can come, an almost 4 year old needs a party.............

A Fairy Princess party................

With invites, tutus, wands, wings, halos, tablecloths, centerpieces, 300 balloons, a surprise visit from a fairy, and food with cute titles and shaped like crowns......

All mixed with a Moms Christmas night, school parties and cookie decorating with friends.......

plus, did I mention the hubby was gone???????????

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Flying solo............................

So the hubby left town very early Sunday morning...................5:40 to be exact!! Where might he be off to, you might ask???? A week long vacation??????????? No, although he does get to sleep in a nice quiet hotel without ten tiny toes digging into his back and hopefully he isn't cutting his colleagues dinner while demonstrating his ability to catch flying milk and prevent meltdowns all the while carrying on a conversation.................NO, not vacation, but the long awaited MBA School GRADUATION!!! Although before he can officially be graduated, he must complete a week long final at Penn State...............Hence, we are flying solo!!!

GDaddy so kindly dropped him off at the airport while we stayed snug in our beds :) Thanks, GDaddy!!

So after a fantastic morning at Church and an interesting sermon on REPENTING, we headed to our Carnes Family Christmas gathering!!

Although the weather was cold and damp outside, we had a very nice day with the family........
and a little snowman that kept the kids quite entertained!!


Now, I'm not sure if your family does a "white elephant" exchange but ours does. And for many years now, the "elders" decided it had to be ornaments..........You still stole and yelled and fought, but it was over ornaments now, instead of fun gadgets like mini screw drivers and mag light flashlights..........And the rules are ever changing........Higher numbers are better one year and then lower numbers are better the next..........Anyway, I gave up after kids! BUT, my mom insists on making us play and she provides the ornaments. so we play. like it or not.

Well, I may have finished (saved us from) the game for future parties. As you know, STEALING is actually OK in this game. Unlike my daughter who "pocketed" the pink cell phone from the church nursery, explaining to me that her teacher TOLD her she could have it............likely story............anyway, STEALING is the name of the game and being number 16 out of 17 gave me a little advantage. So as the game progressed, I anxiously watched as ornaments were opened and I waited my turn. eyeing cautiously the good vs. the bad......................And then they appeared...................two of the prettiest snowmen.....from LIMETREE, no less..........Now, I hate to call my family out, but most of the time (and the reason I quit) the ornaments are very ECONOMICAL, let's just say.......SO, when I saw TWO Limetree ornaments show up, I knew they were mine..........
So, since STEALING is the name of the game, I stole them..............from my five year old nephew, who proceeded to melt, and really suck the fun right out of the whole game. Where are the ornaments? on my tree.......what? not nice? I did politely let him "reselect" which didn't go over well so I also politely asked him if he knew what was in the bag I was taking, and he didn't. Hence them sitting in my house!!
Aren't they adorable...............

Anyhoo....................Sunday night included a little impromptu dance party by the tree and movie night with Rudolph, popcorn and Emolade (lemonade)................Merry Christmas!!

A loss for words!!

Really? This is $49.00 on the Red Envelope Website....................

A little family tradition.....................

So, Thanksgiving weekend always includes lots of extra calories, In-State football rivalries, and a trip to the Big Lots parking lot for a very special Christmas Tree.........

Now, this years tree might have had some pretty big shoes to fill, but traditions ARE traditions. Last years tree was approximately 12feet tall (although they swore it was 10feet) and an unbelievable girth (not unlike my belly after thanksgiving dinner), this years tree needed to be a bit smaller!! We went from 24foot ceilings to approximately 8!! And a living room that was a tiny bit smaller................ok, pretty much like a closet!! However, us Williamsons are making the most out of it and a Tree was a MUST!!

So we loaded the kids and headed to HOME DEPOT..........What????.............I thought I said Big Lots?? Well, I did but that visit was later............First, we needed to get us some Icicle lights. Decided we needed some new traditions to add to our old ones...........New house, New lights!

Many pennies (and actually 3 trips) later we had all the necessary items for displaying quite a fancy light display! We had to keep up with the Porters (our new neighbors)..............

So then it was tree time. And although it was way past lunch and nap time, and against the urging of the hubby, we headed to Big Lots for our traditional photo op..........And photo op we got!!





Now, due to these tough economic times, we actually ended up taking the kids home, putting them to sleep and I snuck back to Home Depot to save $15 dollars on a tree .............. Yes, I know, but $15 dollars is actually 3 trips to Starbucks.........And I do love me some Starbucks :)

So we got a lovely tree, kept with our traditions and spent a great day welcoming in my favorite Season of the year...................
Although the picture does NOT do it justice, here is a sneak at the hubby's amazing work!!

Puts a smile on my face every time I come home and I love to listen to my little monkeys tell me how OUR lights are the BEST!!

And speaking of monkeys.............My little ones did an excellent job helping me put up our tree.....



Sometimes it just wears me out counting all my many blessings.................

Please don't growl at me............

Did I really have to tell my sweet little baby boy NOT TO GROWL AT ME???? Yes, I sure did. He has this very new little habit..........If you happen to say something that he doesn't like or ask him to do something he really would rather not, he quickly GROWLS at you to show his displeasure.......Really? have mercy!!

Blessings and Traditions WITH PICS!!

So, Thanksgiving Day we headed to the mountains.........Stone Mountain, that is!!


It was a very sunny day but a little on the chilly side!! So, once we got into the park, we timed it perfectly for a little story by Mrs. Clause.........................

She was beautiful and totally captivating............................

And we even got bonus hugs...................very special memories!!

Chasing kids, holding coats, sipping hot chocolate and many other things added to Grandma Shary taking most of the pictures so as soon as I get those, I will add to our collection. It was truly a special way to get us all into the Christmas spirit!!