The first weekend of December, two of our eight nieces and nephews came for a little slumber party!  Jimmy, Roan, Olivia, Julie, and Clay participated in the St. Jude marathon and half marathon, so Russ and I enjoyed our time with these two little monkeys!

Roan said they were very excited about coming over. (I'm not sure if she was just being nice or if she was serious, but I'll assume she was serious!  Ha!)  When I was young, I would always get extremely homesick.  These little ones didn't show one bit of homesickness.

From the minute we loaded in the car, Russ and I were filled in on all the fun and exciting things that happened since the last time we saw them.  There was a fun trip to the flea market, crocheting, funny stories, and lots of knock knock jokes!  Ha!  Farley always provides PLENTY of entertainment for these animal lovers too!

How the Grinch Stole Christmas was on when we got home, so we settled in to watch that movie.  When it was over, we paused it so everyone could get their pajamas on and teeth brushed.  It was coming on again, and we just must see it from the beginning!  Sam made it clear that he didn't need to sleep with the girls in the big bed.  He would make his own little bed on the couch, thank you!  Russ was working, so Sam was the man of the house.

After Sam made his bed and Leah checked the number of gifts under the tree, we were ready to start the movie again!  We didn't make it through the entire movie, of course.  But, we did see the entire movie....out of order though it may have been!

I enjoyed my slumber party with these two sweet kiddos, and I can't wait for our next one!

Christmas Cards

One of my favorite things about the holidays is how stuffed my mailbox is each day.  I absolutely love checking my mail to see which cuties will grace our Christmas card display!  In the last two moves, Christmas cards may be the only updated pictures we see of some of our friends and their families.

I love my door hanger card holder!  We always "outgrow" the holder, so we have the rest of the cards taped to our kitchen counter and overhang.  We walk past them all many times a day.  I love seeing the fun, pretty, and special holiday wishes!

Farley got in on the Christmas card exchange this year, too.  He knows the reason for the season for sure!  Farley has a few friends and family members who take care of him and check on him any time we are away...which is a lot during football season!  Ha!

All his caregivers received a Christmas wish from Farley himself!

My sweet baby is a genius!  Does your dog know how to write a Christmas greeting?  I didn't think so.  Ha!  Keep 'em coming, sweet friends!  I can't wait to check my mailbox tomorrow!

It's a Coon Family Christmas

This past weekend, my mom's side of the family celebrated a Coon Christmas in full Coon style!  If you've read my blog for any amount of time, you know how much fun we have when our family gets together for any occasion.  This was no different!  Mama, Kristin, Lee, Russ, and I arrived Saturday night.  We spent our night at The Bulldog and spent the night in the hotel next door.  We had a great time!

The original plan was for my grandfather's church to come caroling to the nursing home.  Then, we were going to have Christmas in the nursing home's sun room.  I was fully prepared for heartwarming and hilarious tales from our new adventure.  There was only one problem: the nursing home was quarantined because of a stomach virus going around.  So, we went with plan B!  What better way to start a family Christmas party than with lunch at the one and only Cracker Barrel!?

Kristin and Lee playing a rousing game of Checkers

My early  bird of a mother was quite concerned with the timing situation.  Kristin, Lee, Russ, and I were to arrive at 11:30 to put our table of 12 on the list.  Mama would follow shortly after with Pops in tow.  The rest of the clan was to arrive by noon.  Well, in reality, Mama and Pops beat us all there.  Imagine that!  Another problem: Everyone in our party had to be present in order to be seated.  Hmmm...

Me, Pops, and Mama

Let's see if I can get this straight...

Daddy and Dustin came in from Corinth Sunday morning.  Uncle Howard and Aunt Patsy had to run to grab some last minute things for our now-moved Christmas celebration at their house to avoid the stomach virus epidemic.  My cousin came in from Florence after searching all over for scissors to wrap our gifts.  That didn't happen, in case you were wondering.  Her husband had taken the scissors with him.  Jack, her husband, joined us straight from deer camp.  So, you can see why the notion of us all being present in order to be seated was such a laughable concept!

Russ chatting it up with Pops

Eventually Mama told them a teensy weensy fib that 10 of us were there, so that we could get seated and begin the beloved process of helping Pops order and organize checks.  Actually, it wasn't that much of a fib because by the time we were seated, there were 9 of us there.  See?  She was close!  Ha!

Pops pushed the game over to Mama to play

We spent our lunch drowning in fifteen conversations at all times, what felt like a waitress for every person at the table, and tons of laughs.  It was just what we all needed...time to enjoy each other!

Great minds think alike!  Matching cousins!

After lunch, we all traveled to my aunt and uncle's home for the real festivities to begin!  My uncle had made a mad dash to the store to stock up on essentials since we had a last minute change of plans.  He did a wonderful job!  We enjoyed finger foods and apple cider as we opened gifts.

Pops and Dustin

Our host

Daddy and Mama

Once the gifts come out, you never know what to expect!  Everyone did so good this year!

The guys with their gifts

Pops opening his gifts

LOVE my bracelets from Clancy and Jack

The girls must have given gifts they really like.  Somehow, we all ended up with these glasses!  Kristin gave Clancy one, and Aunt Patsy and Uncle Howard had given the rest of us one!  So funny!

The girls with their redneck beverage glasses!  Ha!

Aunt Patsy knows what Daddy likes!

Russ will stay warm.

Farley always gives Uncle Howard something fun.  I think he did a great job this year too!  Ha!  Uncle Howard immediately put the basket on his head and started playing ball with the guys!  I'm thinking this should give Uncle Howard and Aunt Patsy hours of fun!

Uncle Howard playing a little "Basket Case."

Jack got a marshmallow gun from Mama and Daddy.  Rage was great at finding the marshmallows and gobbling them up!  We just had to make sure Jack wasn't actually shooting Rage with marshmallows!  Ha!

Rage eating the marshmallows

And, in case you weren't sure...it's not a party until someone wears a bow on their head!

My Aunt Patsy

It was a splendid day with the family!  A Coon Family Christmas never disappoints!  The Griswolds better watch out!  They have some competition!

Holiday Baking

 Well, I know that most of you have worn your Christmas aprons and baked yummy goodies to the tune of your favorite Christmas music.  I know you have made many wonderful memories in your kitchen this year.  Although I'm not one to spend tons of time in my little kitchen, I do enjoy making some kind of little treat for my friends and family.

This year I decided to try something new.  It was BY FAR the easiest thing I've ever done!  They are so cute and de-lic-ious!  I was in the kitchen until 3 o'clock this morning working on them.  I must mention that I did lots of other stuff before getting into the kitchen...which gives an excuse for my night owl ways.  I didn't finish though.  When I got home from work, Russ had everything laid out and my oven on so that I could finish in a timely manner.  Gotta love that man of mine!

Now our treats are packaged up and ready for delivery!  The main stop will be to our Johnson Christmas party Thursday night.  If there are any leftover...they will be hidden throughout the Smith house so that I may sneak a snack whenever I choose!  Ha!

Happy holidays from my kitchen to yours!

Movie Night

Many of you know that Russ has been working a night call schedule this month.  This means that he works five or six nights from 10 PM - 7AM.  Then he's off for five or six days.  The pattern continues throughout the month.  There have been positives and negatives about the schedule.  By the time I get home from work, Russ is getting ready to head into work.  He will have to work the entire week of Christmas, including Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  His sleep schedule is completely off!  However, I must admit there are things I have enjoyed about his work schedule.  I've been able to stay up until 2 in the morning to complete sewing projects, wrap gifts, and watch recorded Hallmark Christmas movies.  Ha!  When he's off, he is not thinking about his next day of work or reading up on some strange case.  He has really enjoyed just doing nothing and spending time together! 

One of his nights off, he stopped by RedBox and picked up three movies for me to choose from.  I was very happy.  Then, he offered to make a pallet on the floor for us to watch the movie.  I'm such a kid!  I love a pallet!  Russ, however, is not comfortable on the floor.  Who is, though?  It's just the experience! 

So, I watched as Russ made a nice little pallet.  I advised him that I like the fluffiest blankets on the bottom, so that my pallet is soft and comfy.  Once Russ finished making our pallet, he wanted to prove to me how fluffy it was.  He proceeds to start "jumping on the bed" to show me just how soft it was!  Oh my!  I do have video of this on my phone, but I'm not sure how to put it on the computer.  All I can say is that it was hilarious!  And he jumped pretty high!

Once my giggles subsided, I broke out the 50 cent candy corn I found at Walgreens.  That's one thing I'm sad about this time of year...my candy corn goes into hibernation until next fall.  I stocked up on the sale, so I'm still sneaking a few candy corn every once in a while for a good fix!  Ha!

Farley took all the activity in stride.  I swear, if he could talk, it would probably sound something like this: "Bless their hearts.  They are the nerdiest, silliest, and weirdest parents a dog could have!"  Ha!  He just looks at us like, "Really?!"

We settled down.  I pulled out Nonnie's quilt for our cover, and we watched two movies.  One Hallmark Christmas special and one of Russ's choices.

It was a fun movie night with my little family!  We enjoyed one of my love languages...quality time.  And we managed a few laughs in between.

Thankful for this time of year!  Thankful for my hubs!  Thankful for my life!

Christmas Tour of Homes

Welcome to our little humble abode!  Just because we live in our little modest two-bedroom apartment doesn't mean it's not a "home."  Because it is!  I love my little cozy home.  So, welcome!  Come on in and enjoy the sights of the season...or what I was able to scrounge up and find in our storage unit.

This wreath on our front door has been on our door since we bought our house in Jackson.  The cute stocking is from Southern Living at HOME...called Willow House.  I had the berries and ribbon added to finish it off!

And, this is our tree!  The love of my life this time of year...or at least when Russ isn't around.  Ha!  I really do love my tree!  We had the same tree from QVC since we were married.  Then last year, Russ was painting a spot in our living room and fell...onto the tree.  Yep!  I know.  I'm sure it was funny.  However, he neglected to tell me.  Instead, she turned the tree slightly and stacked the smashed in gifts to hide it.  Needless to say, when I did find it - I wasn't thinking it was that funny.  So, last year, we bought a new tree at Walmart for a great price.  We brought it home, got ready to set it up only to see that it wasn't the right tree at all!  It was labeled wrong.  We returned it, and brought home this one!  And I LOVE!  Now, if I can just keep Russ from falling into this one!  Our tree skirt is new this year, and I just think it's the cutest ever!  I found it for a great price as Merry Mistletoe.  The top hat is a new addition too.  So, I guess with all the "newness" you can see why I'm in love with our Christmas tree.

Our cute little Doctor Santa was a gift from my sister.  He makes a great end table decoration, and he will make a cute office decoration one day too!  Just look at that cute teddy bear's leg.  All bandaged up by Dr. Santa!

Now, these cute little elves were the original Elves on Shelves!  Ha!  My grandmother had these in her Christmas tree for years and years.  I just thought they were too cute not to take home.  I have them all around in random places.  I guess that makes me a little like Pops.  He would do things like that.  I just think it's so fun to see a cute little elf stuck in random places...brings a little smile to my face.

Our sweet carolers on our mantle are family heirlooms.  I haven't actually inherited them yet.  Ha!  I guess they are on loan.  My grandmother started the collection, and my dad started a collection for my mom.  I think these are actually supposed to be passed down to my dad's collection, but I must've smiled pretty one day, because I ended up with them in my home!  They bring back sweet memories of growing up!  I love them!

I ordered our stockings from Pottery Barn before we were even married.  They are classic red and green.  Sometimes I think I want a fun set of stockings, but I just can't let these go yet!  Maybe when we're decorating with a family of stockings...

I'm obsessed with our little ceramic reindeer!  My grandmother made these, and we found them in her closet when she was moving.  I snatched them up quickly!  They make me happy!

In our little dining area, I display my Christmas dishes in our cabinet.  I registered for Christmas dishes when were were married...in June!  I've always been a Christmas fanatic.  I absolutely love my red Vietri dishes paired with the cute Christmas pieces.  The Christmas dishes are actually retired now, so I love them even more now.  And I try not to break them!

My sweet rocking chair made by a precious church member from our hometown sits politely in the corner with a little Merry Christmas pillow.

Well, what do ya know?  Another little random elf...

You better watch out!  You better not pout!  And you better not eat too many calories!  Santa Claus is watching us...

I love my cute little angels I found at Stein mart a few years ago. They are the perfect touch for our little kitchen!

This whimsical tree was another find that we found when cleaning out my grandmother's house.  I just think it's cute as can be!  It's a sweet touch for our guest bathroom!

And this beautiful Santa was a late wedding gift we received the December after we were married.  He looks great in our bedroom!

Hopefully, next year, I can add a few more Christmas touches in Baby J's room.  But, for now, we are enjoying and soaking in this Christmas as a Party of Two!  To take a tour of our past Christmases click here and here.

Thanks for stopping by!  From our home to yours....Merry Christmas!