Merry Christmas...late;)

Merry (Late) Christmas! Life around the McPherson-Alley household this Christmas has been crazy! We were in full swing gearing up for this special season at the beginning of Advent and just went full steam ahead right on through Christmas day. What a glorious time of year it is! This season was full of projects (we made our own advent calendar, ginger bread house, Christmas cookies, etc.), friends and family, lots and lots of food and baking:). Here are some pictures that represent the few days we spent in Richmond for Christmas. I will warn you, they are in backwards order...thanks computer;)

Will, Jess and the kids made it to Richmond on Christmas day night...what cuties they are!

Will and Jess with our wild bunch

Owen watching Papa and daddy start Papa's train

obviously Jess needs helping opening her presents...whew, good thing we have back-up;)

Alley trying on daddy's gift 

The Alley's youngest Giants fan actually wearing the Cowboys hat...way to come over to the good side Owen;)

John entertaining the kids...choice of toys was interesting;) 

baking with Mimi

Alley working hard on the family puzzle...;)

Merry Christmas daddy

This is the plate I found for our Birthday party for Jesus! I love it!!

Alley and I made a cake for Jesus...and it was from scratch...yes, I'm slightly proud of myself;)

Alley and Kendall playing with each others toys

opening presents Christmas morning

Papa holding Kendall 

Alley and daddy plying with a gift

Santas cutest helper helping me open my gift...she was so sweet to help;)

Alley playing with her new kitty that purrrs (she called it Cagnie)

opening her kitty

Kendall playing with her stocking gifts

opening stockings

oh look! Stickers! My favorite

Christmas Eve reading Christmas books to Alley before bed

Family photo before the Christmas Eve service - side note, Alley did a fabulous job in church!

cheesy grins at Mimi's

Mary and Joseph decor

the girls checking out their Christmas gifts before we left for Mimi and Papa's

Merry Christmas to all!!

Christmas Fun!

Christmas is less than two weeks away...where did all the time go??!! My mom and I decided this year that it would be fun to smock matching Christmas dresses for my girls. Knowing us and our schedules, we bought the stuff back oh, say, in August...;) Good thing we did because it took us this long to get them completed! I had to end up getting Granny to finish the last little bit this week so the girls could wear them for the next few Sundays...and believe me, they will be wearing these dresses until the Christmas season has officially ended and the wise men have made it to see baby Jesus! Smocking is hard work! The girls looked just precious in their dresses and we took TONS of pictures...but go figure, these were the only two that they both looked "pleasant" and at the camera. It seems the look now-a-days in the McPherson household when mommy throws a camera in your face, is the deer in headlights look...good grief!

Here are my sweet things snuggling together

Yeah! They are both semi-smiling and semi-looking at the camera! Score;)

On Sunday we invited our good friends three kids to come spend the day with us so the parents could shop and spend some quality time together. We had a blast!! I don't know who enjoyed it more?!! The kids, me or the parents;) We love, love, love this family and their kids so it was a complete pleasure to have them mesh into our family for a day. Our day was full of church, playing, baking Christmas treats, watching Christmas movies, and EATING!!!

Here's the crew in front of the gingerbread house they made and decorated. Good job guys!!!

the masterpiece...notice the finger in the center pointing at the candy she wants to eat..."...and this, and this one, and this one...I want all of it...yum"

We also covered just about everything in my kitchen with chocolate;) Right here we have the strawberry marshmallows covered in chocolate...yum! They taste like chocolate covered strawberries!

Here's a little piece of heaven sandwiched between two chocolate covered DOUBLE-stuffed Oreos;) I'm just going to say that there is nothing left from this baking adventure...;) 

Here are a few of the little bakers taking a break and watch Christmas movies

Okay, I am now officially ready for Christmas!! What a fun day we had! Let's do it again tomorrow;)!

Twisted...Tangled...whatever!

Ever since the new Rapunzel movie came out I have had a really hard time with the title. I keep calling it Twisted?! It's TANGLED Catherine! I have no clue why I can't get it straight. Calling it Tangled makes a lot more sense than calling it Twisted...I just need help...or more sleep;)

A few weeks ago, my mom found out that there was a free showing of Tangled (or if you're me, "Twisted") today. Andy and I decided we couldn't pass up this opportunity. We weren't sure how Alley would do in a movie theater since she just turned 3, but the worse that could happen is that we would have to leave during the movie. And since it would be free, we wouldn't lose any money;) It's a no lose situation.

Today we turned the movie trip into a special morning for Alley. We drove to Richmond and dropped Kendall off with Mimi and Papa (poor Kendall...she definitely didn't get loved on at all;) ha!!).

Here is a picture of Alley and her Rapunzel doll (that she named "Tangled") right before we left

Giving Tangled a good squeeze

She didn't want Raggedy Ann and Andy left out...they had to have a picture too;)

Alley and mommy

Kendall wanted in on the action;) 

A side note, Kendall has been taking a few steps on her own here and there, so we should be taking off in no time! Yikes!!

After dropping Kendall off, we headed over to Krispy Kreme to enjoy some Christmas doughnuts before our special movie. Oh how we McPherson's love our Krispy Kreme!! We three could have polished off 2 dozen in no time;)

Alley and her "chosen"

making sure no one steals her doughnut...;)

Afterwards we headed off to the movie theater. The movie was super cute, and yes, we didn't make it through the whole movie. We were so close to the end, but she requested to leave. She did a great job though and I hope we will be able to do this again next year. And I'm totally not saying it because I want more Krispy Kreme doughnuts....;)
 The comment of the evening..."I don't like bad grandma, she scare me...I looooove Jesus." Can't get any better than that;)