New Year's Eve....

Well, New Year's Eve was a big day for us.
I won't expand on that, but let's just say it was a great day, and marks the start of a new adventure.

That night, we went out to eat with our dear friends, James & Jess.
We ate at Culpepper Steakhouse. Who would have guessed that we would run into some family friends from years ago? {Hi, Al & Paula, if you're reading!!!} It's a small world.
:)

For dinner, I had the lobster {not the fried lobster tail that is a regular on the menu, but rather a more traditional take on the lobster tail} & it was wonderful. The whole meal was wonderful!

...until the hostess made a flub of a mistake, but I won't harp on that just now. In reality it didn't take away from the taste of the food, which again, was wonderful.
:)

After that....we adults headed home....where we found R1 & Gage still awake & awaiting our return! R1's grandmother watched the boys (including Gage) while we dined out. After dinner, we all reconvened at The Casa de Lainey-Paney for some Mexican Train dominos. It was great fun!

I can't believe we all got dressed up, looked so cute, and I didn't even take any pictures! Ugh!!!

Alas, I snapped pictures of these two who zonked out on the couches...




2011 brought us Mom's cancer treatments & healing. It brought us blessings in disguise. It brought us a new hospital with new coworkers, and a lot of change. It brought us Kindergarten and new friends. It brought us hope and new opportunities.
We have big hopes & dreams for 2012, so pray for us.
:)

Just For Fun...

So, I never claimed to be the smartest person...ever.

So, some of my mommy-friends suggested that for fun, you let your kiddo take a bath with glow sticks. I, for some reason, imagined them cutting open the glow sticks & pouring the glow stuff in the water, and it just being a big mess.
Ummmmm....no.
You just crack/bend the sticks to get them to start glowing, and turn off the bathroom light. Oh, Gage thought it was soooo much fun. And for $1 for a tube of several of the glowsticks---it's cost-effective fun!

Christmas Day 2011....

Did we NOT have the cutest cookies for Christmas!? I dare say we did! Thanks, Jess!!!! You rock.




And was Hubby not super-cute & festive? Of course he was. {Thanks for the tie, Darnin!}


The Casa de Lainey-Paney was mighty full that day....And we all got mighty full on the tons of food we had! Including the Holiday Aristocrat:


Pics from our day...


















Gage & R1 had fun on their scooters... {Not that they would even consider stopping for a picture...}



Fun with family...and fun with friends. Before we knew it, the day was over.
...and New Year's was just around the corner!

Christmas Eve...& Christmas Morning

We drove home from Mom's on Christmas Eve day/early evening. We had cooking to do to get ready for Christmas Day.

We let Gage open one gift on Christmas Eve, and he chose to open his gift from Memaw & Poppa.





...and of course, then Hubby & I had to open a gift a piece too! {Can't let him have all the fun, now can we!?} Hubby got me a new purse that I wanted, and I got him an advent calendar.



After Gage's bath, we set out our cookies for Santa...


...and tucked this little guy into bed...




Guess what?
He couldn't sleep.
He was BESIDE HIMSELF that Mommy & Daddy were still up. He just KNEW that Santa was going to skip him if we didn't get our hineys to bed!

Luckily....we made it to bed in time, and Santa totally delivered!

{Why, yes, that is a SQUIRREL on Hubby's stocking!}





Gage on Christmas morning...







Gage gave Daddy a "Dad" ornament, and they were hanging it on the tree together.



Gage was very excited to get an iPod Touch for Christmas. Wooohoooo!



It was a great Christmas morning.



....and then we had to get ready for company!