Santa!

This is the first year Santa visited our house. Max is old enough to mostly get it, and he thinks reindeer are pretty awesome. Since we left for Texas first thing Christmas morning, Santa came early on Christmas Eve this year. That guy is so considerate.

 The tree ready and waiting...

 Ben's loot. He is getting in early on this Santa action!

 Max's loot.

A barn to share...although Max thinks it's "his barn."

 A kitchen...I mean marketplace! I mean, it has a cash register and everything.

 I'm still half asleep but excited.

 I thought you said Santa came?

 There it is! But I'm still out of it.

 Why are you taking pictures?

 Playing with daddy.

 What is this??

 I like it!

 Guys, did you see this??

 Tastes delicious!

 

Zoo Lights

We had never been to Zoo Lights at the Memphis Zoo, so when my mom left her cell phone up in Memphis at lunch we decided we may as well take it as a sign and go! It was cold, but I am glad we went. Max got to see a real reindeer, and he is still talking about alligators we saw.

Mike, me, Max, Uncle Zachry, and Aunt Hailey

Mike and me

Siblings...plus Max.

Ben staying warm. He loved sitting up like a big boy and looking at the lights.

Mimi and Max

Deep thoughts

Riding the train

Seriously, people?

Yay! That train was fun!

Daddy, do you see that alligator??

Uncle Zachry and Max underground.

Christmas at the Pink Palace

The last two weeks of December were packed with activities and family fun. My mom, brother, and sister came to town the weekend before Christmas, and we had a lot of fun showing them all the fun things to do around Memphis for the holidays. It was fun, because we had never done any of them either!

We started off at the Pink Palace's Enchanted Forest and Christmas trees. It is not the newest exhibit there ever was, but Max had fun and we enjoyed seeing it. The Christmas trees decorated by different companies and groups were my favorite part!

 Origami Tree

 

 

Checking out all the trees

 Snowman tree

Ben was fascinated!

 Dr Seuss Tree

 

 My sister and me in the enchanted forest.

 He was both fascinated and freaked out at the same time.

 We didn't know what this was supposed to be. Polar zebra?

 

 Posing on the bridge. He really was excited...I promise.

 

Hanging out with daddy

 

Bible Study Christmas Party

In the past, we have always hosted our Life Group Christmas party. Our group dissolved this year since so many of us teach on Sunday mornings, but we started a Thursday night bible study for younger couples in our church. So...we had to party of course! 

I didn't take many pictures,  but I did grab a couple of the always fabulous white elephant gift exchange. This year, Mike and I made t-shirts for our gag gifts. I was kind of obsessed with them, because they just cracked me up! I am certainly not mocking the importance of praying for your church leaders...but sometimes you just have to have some fun!

 In case it's too small to see, we got pictures of our pastor and worship pastor and wrote "I pray for my pastor" on them. Except with praying hands...because that just makes it cooler.

 

 Mike got a super big cup. Ha! It got stolen as a fun Christmas centerpiece.

 Who doesn't need a One Direction toothbrush?

 If I'm going to eat chocolate, I want it to be in the shape of a cat.

Also...this is our worship pastor. Which made it super awesome when someone opened a shirt with his face on it.