The Santa Special

December was VERY busy for us! But...I do want to remember it all, so I'm attempting to catch up! The first weekend in December we took Cooper to Calera for a ride on the "Santa Special". We originally wanted tickets for The Polar Expressbut they were sold out~I cried, felt like I was depriving Cooper of something very fun and special EVEN THOUGH he had no idea The Polar Express even existed!! Anyway, as we were waiting for Jared to bring our tickets, I overheard him talking to the ticket lady about "next Friday night"~Daddy of the Year had sweet-talked us some tickets on The Polar Express (another blog, another day...I promise). Back to the Santa Special~it's a train ride during the day where Santa gets on the train, sits with you for a very long time, your little one gets to sit on his lap (if he's willing), and Santa even gives you a present from his BIG bag!!! We weren't sure how Coop would do since last year he screamed like Santa was going to take him from us~however~ because he was distracted by the train ride he did very well! He LOVED riding the train, as usual! We were one of 3 families on the train, so the conductors sat and talked to us and then Santa came! Cooper called him "Ho-Ho"! It was soooo cute. Cooper sat and talked to Santa and loved the little snowman beanie baby that Santa gave him! After talking with him, snapping a few pictures, and getting his present, Cooper was ready for Santa to move on because he was a distraction from the ride! It really is neat and intriguing to me how Cooper is sooo into trains. We have taken many rides on the Calera trains, and LOVE it more and more each time! We will definitely ride the Santa Special again!

Thanksgiving in Tennessee

This year in Tennessee, we only ate a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with my mom, dad, sister, and her husband. I think this is the first year that we haven't eaten with my Granny and Pop, but my Pop is literally fighting to live each day, and my sweet Granny is exhausted from loving, supporting, and caring for him. So this year we just visited with them, played with Cooper, and enjoyed time that we have together right now. Cooper taught Granny how to "jump high" from the porch, we played the drums A LOT, smashed towers that PawPaw built with the blocks, and played with Sissy's puppies Ruby and Aubie (although Ruby is too old to do much playing). It was so nice just to take a few days and enjoy talking to and seeing the family that I love so dearly and miss so terribly.

Thanksgiving with the Burks

This year, EVERYONE from Jared's dad's side of the family made it to celebrate Thanksgiving. This had never happened before, so there were people there that I had never even met. We had Thanksgiving at the church where Jared and I were married in the fellowship hall. The boys had a great time playing basketball...we had a great time trying to keep Cooper out of the middle of the 3 games that were going on at all times! It was really a blessing to be with all of Jared's family...it really gave perspective to what Thanksgiving is all about. Cooper also had a great time playing with little Denver who is only 4 months older than him. Glad they like each other since they're supposed to walk the aisle together at Aunt M's wedding...we'll see about that!

Disney on Ice

The first weekend in November was Jared's birthday so he went to the hunting club with his dad. I knew that Disney on Ice was in town...but I was not so sure I was brave enough to take a 2 year old by myself! I could not stand the thoughts of not taking him...so we went, AND I"M SO GLAD WE DID!! We had the BEST time on our little date! Cooper's favorite was the sharks from Nemo, my favorite was the It's a Small World presentation, just because it was incredible and sooo pretty! I, as an adult, sat there amazed! Cooper was not impressed with the Princesses AT ALL...but he watched them skate and did like it when they "turned a flip"! We ate popcorn, drank Sprite, and even had our picture taken together at one of those outrageously expensive photo opportunities! I didn't care~Cooper was smiling so big, and it's one of the best pictures I have of the 2 of us(maybe if I'm ever blogging when he's awake I;ll scan it so you all can see it, but for now...never wake a sleeping baby!)

ALL BOY!!

The other night as I was putting away clothes, I came back into the living room to this scene!! Cooper was so proud...he said, "Watch me, Mommy!" Once I started breathing again...and realized that he was having sooo much fun...I grabbed the camera so I could capture this! What fun and STRESS it is to be the Mommy of a little boy!

Better Late than Never!

I can't believe I'm sitting by my Christmas tree blogging about Halloween...oh well, sometimes blogging is LOW on the priority list! This year, Mammy and PawPaw came to trick or treat with us. We all went to a little Halloween party at Patrick and Lyndsay's house, and went trick or treating with Tripp and John Patrick! Those boys had a BLAST! They would have been content to stay at the house and eat candy from the bowl there! We went around the neighborhood~isn't Cooper's Thomas flashlight the cutest thing? Mammy found it at a yard sale and Cooper was SO PROUD to carry it! (And yes, I tried to rotate that picture)!! After trick or treating, we came back and ate candy, did a little Halloween sticker project that Lyndsay's mom bought for the boys, and danced to Thriller!!! It was the best night just watching those little kiddos play and enjoy one another! Can't wait to do it again~this time they can destroy OUR house!

Boo at the Zoo