Reunited!!!

I have been best friends with Jamie since we were in the 4th grade! We met when we both started attending Pleasant Grove Elementary School when it first opened.
Jamie and I were best friends through our last two years of elementary, all of middle school and we were inseparable in high school. Jamie is like another sister to myself & my biological sisters! We have remained friends through our college years, when she attended WKU and I stayed home to attend UofL. Now, Jamie is attending UofK for her graduate degree in physical therapy! (So proud of her!!)
Even though we don't get to see each other as often as we would like, we try to make time for at least one date while she is home for holidays!

Today Jamie, Elyse and I went to lunch at McAlisters (YUM) and then had a shopping extravaganza at Target! We had a blast chatting, laughing, shopping and catching up!

I love the bond we have and when we get together it feels like we have never been apart! James (as I call her) has been with me through my most difficult times and has stood beside me during my happiest moments! I love you James! Thank you for a beautiful friendship!!

Christmas Celebration

This year my sisters and I decided that we wanted to start making it a tradition to celebrate Christmas with just our little families. The theme was a pizza party Christmas. Each family made one pizza. Alex (who is a WONDERFUL cook) made BBQ chicken, I made veggie & turkey pepperoni, and Pamela made ham & pineapple! They were all DELICIOUS!!! And it was a nice change from traditional Christmas food!

The afternoon was relaxed & we just got to enjoy the babies! .. Alexander enjoyed drinking out of my polar pop cup! (Don't worry, it was just water!)

Bellie really enjoyed playing with Alexander's new toys!

Bellie got an owl cup from Mike & I.

Bubby's police car puzzel from Mike & I:

Bubby loved his pants from Uncle Mike & I that he cried until he got to put them on!

Bubby LOVES the UofL Cardinal, so Uncle Mike & I got him his own "GO CARDS" shirt!

Isabella & her new hat & mittens!

Bubby in Isabella's seat!

Cutie!

I hope we keep this tradition of a sister & brother-in-law Christmas celebration! I LOVED getting to spend time with my favorite people in the whole world!

The Best Way to Spread Christmas Cheer is Singing Loud for all to Hear!!

Christmas Eve Mike and I attended Christmas Eve service at Church with my sisters and then headed over to his side of the family. We were both very excited about Christmas morning and talked about our excitement before falling asleep. Well I must've been way more excited then I thought because I woke up Christmas morning at 2:30 am!! By 4:30 am Mike and I were both up & I was making pancakes for our Christmas breakfast!

I made these Whole wheat banana bread pancakes (found on pinterest)! They were delicious!

Since we were wide awake after eating breakfast we decided to go ahead & open up presents from Santa (each other)! We let Toby open his stocking first since he is our baby.

Toby loved his new bone & treats from Santa!

Mike with his gifts!

My favorite picture of the day!

Mike and I were finished opening gifts by 5:30 am!! Mike went to bed after all the excitement, but I was not able to fall back to sleep! I got a whooping 2 & 1/2 hours of sleep Christmas Eve night!

Christmas day we went to my Maw-maw's house to continue celebrating!
But first we had to have a family photo shoot!

Sisters! (& Bellie)

My two favorite boys!

Uncle Mike & Alexander being silly!

Bubby got a shopping cart form Maw-maw & Paw-paw!

Beautiful Bellie

What a little angel!!

After eating lots of food & spending time with family, Mike and I came home & crashed! I ended up falling asleep at 8:30! Mike and I had a wonderful 2nd married Christmas! Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve Eve

The week of Christmas is very hectic at work. The night before Christmas Eve Eve Worldport (UPS hub) broke the volume record with a crazy 2.1 million packages processed & shipped out through our hub! Needless to say it was a very long week at work.

Christmas Eve Eve was spent at my Dad & step-mom Rhonda's home. Rhonda cooked a traditional Christmas dinner for all of us kids. Rhonda's food was my favorite of the Christmas weekend! We ate ourselves sick and then opened presents!

Bubby didn't want to take pictures!

Bella & Aunt Sissy matched!

Uncle Mike & Bellie

My LOVE!

All the kiddos waiting patiently to open presents!

Beautiful girls!

The Arthurs

Bellie got a set of princess Barbies! (I was a little jealous! lol)

We had a wonderful evening celebrating Christmas at my Dad's! Love this time of year!

I Love Luna!

I am addicted to Luna bars. I have received free bars from Luna before and a few weeks ago I signed up on their website to receive another free bar. I had forgotten about this until I went out to get the mail this afternoon. When I opened the mail box I was so excited to see a tiny box:

Inside the box was this little note:

And when I lifted the note out of the box I found this!!!!!!!!

Two of my favorite things!! Lip gloss & a Luna bar!!!!!

If you haven't tried Luna bars yet, you will not be disappointed! This Chocolate Peppermint Stick flavor is one of my favorites! I have never tried one that I don't like! :)

Thank you LUNA for making my day!!

Cookie Day!!!

Today was a very busy & fun filled day! I got to spend the whole day with my best friend & sister Elyse. Elyse treated me to lunch this afternoon at McAlister's Deli! It was delicious & very nice just to get to spend some time with my sister!

My favorite part of McAlister's is diet Dr. Pepper :)

After lunch we headed to Walmart to get baking supplies for our cookie extravaganza! We were baking for Savannah's cookie swap party! We baked cookies all afternoon at Elyse's house, which was an adventure! I'm not sure how we would've done it alone and I am so thankful for my sister! We had the best time baking, laughing at one another and listening to Christmas music!

Elyse made Peanut Butter Pretzel Balls.. Isn't she cute?! :)

Elyse & Dixie

The peanut butter balls were very sticky & we had a hard time molding them into balls!

I

Dixie waiting for crumbs to drop!

I made (with the help of Elyse) Peppermint Kiss Cookies!

Ready to go into the oven!

Elyse & I mixed, dipped, sprinkled & baked for over four hours! Finally this little cutie arrived home!

The finished product!!

We arrived to Savannah's beautifully decorated home & to this spread of cookies... YUM!!!

All the guys watched basketball while the girls sat around the table chatting & eating all of the delicious treats! Alexander hung out with his favorite, Savannah!

Bubby also enjoyed Savannah's cake balls, which are the most amazing treats EVER!

All the girls: Ashley, Elyse, Savannah, Me & Megan

& the boys (minus Mike, he had to go to work): Alex, Bubby, Kevin, Kevin & Josh

I had a wonderful time, as always, with the girls & I really enjoy spending time & eating yummy food with them! Thanks again Savannah for hosting! I had a great time!!