{Our Little} Most Rememberable Moments of 2011

10.  Rememberable Vacations we took this year!

 9.Dropping a knife on my foot, cutting my tendon, then having surgery on it 2 days before we moved!

 8.  My mom visiting from Iowa for a week each time Scott flew to Germany!

 7.  Celebrating 3yrs as Husband & Wife!

6.  Carving our name into our Greensboro home tree before we moved.

 5.  Camden being in 2 schools and Bexley starting hers.

4.  Scott starting his new job with BASF!

3.  Selling our home in Greensboro. 

2.  Celebrating the holidays with family!

1.  Moving to Apex!

{Marbles} Museum

While the Hurst Fam was in town we went downtown to the children's museum!  So much fun!  I can't wait to take the kids back!  Here's some pics from the day!

{Have Yourself A Very Merry} Christmas!

It was our very 1st Christmas in our new house and we were going big!  We decided to have a big bash this year inviting all who wanted to come, eating until we got sick and opening a lot of presents!  We loved every minute of it!  Christmas morning the kids opened presents from Santa and then we were off to church.  Then just a lot of relaxing the rest of the day because the next day we were celebrating with everyone!  Chris & Kyle flew in from St. Louis and the Cole/Gillispie's were coming over!  We had a lot of fun with our Dirty Santa Gift Exchange and telling stories from 2011!  What a great 1st Christmas in our new house with new memories and the ones we love so much!

Dirty Santa Gifts!

{Cole} Christmas Eve!

This Christmas Eve was a very special one because my parents made a special trip here to see us!  We were very excited to have them visiting! We decided to honor their (and mine growing up) Christmas tradition to grill steaks and open presents (from them of course)!  The kids loved it!  They also loved sprinkling "Reindeer Food" for Santa's reindeer friends!  We were off to bed early as the next morning Santa  was coming to our house!

Look at all that Reindeer Food!

Sprinkle, sprinkle!

{Merry Christmas} To All!

{Our Last Week with} Elfie!

This is our last full week with Elfie ~ boohoo!  He's been doing all sorts of fun things lately...I think he likes it here!  Surprisingly, Bexley is the one who finds him the fastest every morning!  She always makes sure you know she found him too, shouting, "Dere's Elfie!  Dere's Elfie!"  The kids are really going to miss him when he's no longer here!  Here's what he's been up to this week!

{Preschool Christmas} Program

I've been waiting for this moment since we put Camden in Preschool 3 yrs ago...the Christmas Program for the 4's!  He started when he was 2 and they sang like one song (Twinkle, Twinkle Christmas Star) and the whole time Camden was looking around at his friends making faces!  Then last year his program was cancelled due to the weather And this year we got the whole sha-bang!  Our little 4 year old was front and center singing and signing as loud as he could to their 5 songs!  He was so cute!  I got a little teary-eyed when they sang "Silent Night" but can't wait for next year when we get to start this all over again with Bexley!

Before the program looking all handsome!

Singing "Jingle Bells"

Proud Daddy recording it all!

{Gingerbread House}

Of all the Christmas traditions there are, decorating a Gingerbread House is not one of ours.  We are also doing an Advent Calendar this year so I thought we'd have the decorating as one of our daily activities!   It was so much fun!  I told the kids the #1 rule of decorating the Gingerbread House was, "Decorate more, eat less!"  Miss-Sugar-Tooth-Bexley had an extremely hard time with this!  Scott and I are still not sure if she even decorated or if she just ate while we were busy working!  Anyway, we had a great time and defiantly will be adding this to the many Christmas traditions.

Our House BEFORE

Camden taking his decorating seriously!

Me showing them how nice a pattern looks instead of just randomly putting it on! Bexley reaching for more candy!

Bexley, "Oooh, that looks good.  Now back to eating!"

AFTER Camden's Side

AFTER My side with a little extra help!

{Elfie} on the Shelf

Do you have an Elf on the Shelf?  "Elfie" has been sent to our house from Santa to watch over us and report back to the big guy if we are being nice or naughty!  We love having him here!  Every night he reports back to Santa and by morning is in a new spot to watch the next day!  Here are some places we've spotted him!

Marshmallow snowman!  Elfie you are so silly!!!

In our fridge!  Brr...good thing he brought a scarf!

In our Christmas Cookie Jar!  Hope he took a cookie back to Santa!

{Our Little Home} at Christmas

It's not a secret...besides my birthday, Christmas is my favorite time of year!  And I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE decorating it for the holidays!  I decorate all season long, but this year I am really trying to knock it out by the 1st week so I can really enjoy the rest of the holiday relaxing and celebrating with friends and family!  Here's a little peek into our home during the holidays! 

Mantel

Mantel + Fireplace

Dining Room

Our Advent Calendar ~ My Pottery Barn Inspired DIY Project

Breakfast Nook Buffet

{Santa at the} Fire Station

We are still getting aqainted with the traditions and fun things to do in Apex.  Some of our new friends informed us of the Christmas Extravaganza in Apex and how it's a MUST DO!  We are so glad we listened!  We started out our day at the Christmas Pancake Breakfast at the Fire Station and after breakfast we got to see SANTA there!  The kids had so much fun ~ Camden especially liked being where he could see the firefighters too!  Later that night we were invited to a Christmas Party!  The family's home was on the main street in Apex so we had front row seats to the Apex Christmas Parade later that night!  Great new memories made at our 1st Christmas in Apex!

Picture with Santa at the Apex Fire Station

Camden getting a hug from Santa at the Fire Station Breakfast!

Bexley talking to Santa

Daddy and Camden at breakfast

While at breakfast we saw our friend Matthew from school!

Camden in front of the firemen's coats with his class pet "JoJo!"