A Pink Guitar

Dear Abby,

As you may recall, all you wanted for Christmas this year was a new puppy.  But after you got that, all you wanted for Christmas this year was a pink guitar.  It's what you told me 200 million times.  It's what you told Santa multiple times.  It's what you told the cashiers at Publix one too many times.  Well, on Christmas Eve, we stopped by your BFF's house before we gathered at the McCormick family Christmas and Sarah had a special gift for you.  Hmmmm, wonder what it could be...

OH MY GA!!!!! IT'S A PINK GUITAR!!!!

If you can't tell, you were pretty darn excited about it!

You immediately started playing it and broke out in an all time favorite for me and Daddy, but a pretty much worst favorite for Sarah - Rocky Top!!! She said it was a bitter sweet moment for her.  Sarah gives the best presents ever, doesn't she.  You are lucky to have her as a BFF, fo sho.  

Bake Day!

Dear Abby,

Mimi had her annual baking day on Sunday.  We walked in and she had everything just perfect! 

And, all your cousins were there, too!  Emily (and Bug)...

Your newest cousin, Bailey, and Katie Ann...

Clara Lee...

Emery and Sydney...

Hayden and Gracie

And John Michael (and Emily's friend Dakota, who is practically family to us!).

And a few aunts showed up, too, including Lynnie!

You kiddos started decorating cookies and maybe eating a few, too...

Yep, eating a few, for sure!

After decorating cookies, we took a break and you all played for a bit.

But then it was back to work in the kitchen...

If you can't tell, it was a delicious afternoon!  Everyone stuck around for most of the evening and even the adults had a good ole time hanging out!  Baking Day is a top favorite, always!!
Love you!

Clark Family Christmas

Dear Abby,

On the Saturday before Christmas, we celebrated with our Clark side of the family.  To you, that means  Ellie and Caroline and even Princess Alexis!  We were all very happy that we got to spend it with them this year because this was supposed to be our off year, so yay!  

You and Ellie and Caroline immediately ran off and played and then would run down and grab a cracker and cheese or a chicken pop or whatever your quick little hands could get.  We had a great time socializing with everyone and then it was time for the Clark Family photo.  It is always an adventure to figure out the best arrangement for this big family, and you and Ellie (and Bug and Kipper) were oh so nice to help us out...

After a bit, we got a perfect picture!!

Now that we got that taken care of, it's PRESENT TIME!!!!

HOORAY!  It's Hungry Hungry Hippos!

Let me just go on the record and say that this game is the LOUDEST GAME EVER!  Oh my ga, I had no clue when I suggested to Aunt Amy that you might like it.  No clue.  But by the end of this Christmas gig, we all knew and we insisted on it being put up!
I love how we open gifts because we watch every person open, one at a time.  This year, it was particularly funny when Harrison opened his gift.  It was underwear!!!  He was embarrassed and even a bit shocked, but he handled it well and didn't act like a spoiled kiddo at all.  AND, when he looked closely, there were gift cards in the underwear!

Caroline got an awesome art set that we all thought was pretty neat.

And Spencer loved his jacket, which we thought at first was from Abercrombie and Fitch but thankfully was not.  We do not like A&F anymore!

After gifts we had fun just goofing off, including tickling Uncle Martin's feet.

And hanging upside down with Aunt Steph.

It was a great Christmas celebration and even Knox enjoyed some family fun!

Now, pack your bags!! We're headed to Mimi's!!!!!
love you...

Family Christmas 2013

Dear Abby,

We have a TON of things going on this Christmas, so we had to have our family Christmas dinner a week before Christmas!  We did our annual Christmas dinner at Buca di Beppo this year.  We headed out for an early dinner and ordered lots of pasta.  This place is a family style restaurant where you order and share everything.  It was very delicious and when it came time for dessert, we did NOT hold back! We knew it was going to be big, but you specifically asked for ice cream, and, well, that's what you got...

If I remember correctly, it was 8 chocolate brownies with 12 scoops of ice cream and then whip cream on top, with sprinkles, too!  I think everyone in the restaurant stared at us for a solid 2 minutes wondering what in the world we were going to do with that.  You and Katie Bug (with a little help from Mommy) showed them EXACTLY what we do with that!  It was delicious and we made ourselves sick off of it.  A good decision, indeed!  We have it on video where you made the famous quote "Don't think about anything but the ice cream."  I say "famous" because Mommy and Mimi said that quote probably a hundred times over the Christmas holidays!  Whenever we felt overwhelmed or were getting bogged down by goofy stuff, we'd say "Don't think about anything but the ice cream!"  I'm going to make t-shirts and sell them.  It will pay for your college. After we demolished the dessert, 

we rolled ourselves out of the place and headed home to open gifts from each other.  

A big part of your Christmas present was Knox, but we had a couple other small gifts that you got to open.  

You were quite pleased with your new leopard print gymnastic leotard, to say the least.

And you loved Kate's lady bug one, too, but you told me you like your's better because it's your favorite color (i.e. leopard print).
You and Kate also got matching snow/rain boots.  They will be perfect for our ski trip!

And guess what?  Mommy got a pair, too!!!

After you opened Mommy and Daddy gifts, you got to pass out the gifts you got for all of us.  You were VERY excited for Daddy to open his...

They look wonderful on him, don't they!!  And you, of course, needed to try the on...

And then it was Bug's turn...

I didn't get a cool set of glasses with a nose, but I did get these really cool (and large) sunglasses!!

It was a FANTASTIC family Christmas, and to say the least, you were exhausted.  This is how I found you when I checked on you later that night!

Merry Christmas Abs!!!!

PS - You and Ellie and Kate helped me make fudge one day.  It was all of your first times tasting the infamous marshmellow cream.  Not surprisingly, you all three loved it!  We might have to make monkey sandwiches one day (when Mommy doesn't feel like being heathly, that is!).  That would be marshmellow cream and peanut butter on bread.  Delicious, to say the least!