trimming the tree

After baths on Sunday night we decided to let the kids stay up a little so that we could get some ornaments onto the tree....We have REALLY high ceilings in our new house, and so this is the biggest tree, by far, that we have ever had...we could definitely go bigger, but we wouldn't have the ornaments to fill it, and I would hate for the girth to take up the whole den!
This is our tree with lights, ready for some ornaments....

We had lots of help from our little footed pj (LOVE THEM- even the tacky ones from KMart) clad munchkins.....they would put the ornament on the low branch and then when they turned around to grab another ornament from David (he was the guardian of the ornaments) I would quickly relocate to a higher location.....sooo sneaky...

Lila's hair is very, very curly after her bath...love this pic.....

Elise helping out....

Bennett showing off the LSU ornament....

Everyone wanted a "term" putting the star up, so they all got one!

I have to admit, this made me a little nervous....but David assured me he would not be dropping any small children onto the hard brick floors below....

Fearless Lila....

Our three, hard at work....

The tree looked great!! Why the past tense, you may ask? Well, sometime between Sunday night and yesterday morning ALL of the lights stopped working. SO, we are going to have to do some trouble-shooting to figure out what the deal is. Because what is a Christmas tree without lights?? (I am wondering if a certain little kitty cat had something to do with this.....)

Merry, merry!

Nicole

it's beginning....

...to look a lot like Christmas!!!! We love this time of year, and it is been lots of fun (and let's be honest, lots of work!) getting the decorating process going....

The "star attraction" (pun intended) around here is this awesome star with lights trailing down that David managed to suspend about 40-50 yards up in the air!! He did list last year, but our trees at the old house were not quite as mature, and so the star wasn't near as high....this year he definitely out did himself...needless to say, the kids LOVE it!

While he worked on the star I got to work on the front door....I think I am done, but don't hold me to it, because I have definitely been known to go back and make adjustments...

Today we have been tackling the inside, but with a big brief due tomorrow David had to work all afternoon and so we haven't gotten too much done. But, the tree is in the stand and the stockings are up!! Maybe Kate & Nick can send that elf they are hoping for this way after he finishes up at their house!

Elise definitely wins the quote of the day award around here, yet again. She was so excited to help me unpack the nativity scene (a wedding gift from awesome Aunt K), and like last year where she cracked me up telling someone that we "keep our Jesus in the attic"..she had me laughing again. We were pulling out each person...Mary, Joseph, the Wise Men, etc...and she said, "Mom- we've got to find Jesus. He's the little guy!"

On a serious note, hopefully we'll do our job this year of teaching them all that, although he may be "the little guy"...that he is the ONE, and the Reason for all of the celebrating....

Happy Christmas Season everyone!

Love, Us

thankful

We have so much to be thankful for this year.....where do I even begin?

Well, first of all, how many 33 year olds still get to celebrate Thanksgiving with their Grandpa? And how many 2 and 4 year olds get to spend time with their Great Grandparents? The kids had fun yesterday playing with Grandpa and Virginia.



They also loved seeing their Aunt and Uncle and getting to work on some puzzles with them....We all definitely missed Mo and Phillip, but know they will be here before we know it!





And it is the little things, like a family photo where everyone is looking at the camera, that I am thankful for as well....



This has been a great year for us, and we are extremely grateful for all of the time we have had with family and friends. We also are thankful for our new home, and the fact that we were able to pull it off without ever having to have two house notes....thankful that Elise's face has healed so much better than anyone thought it would, and that we have peace knowing that Baxter is happy in his new home....
This doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of the list we have...as we are humbled and blessed today....
Thank you to all of you who choose to stop by here and check on our family...and for you fellow bloggers, thank you for sharing your families with us....as we love keeping up with you!!!
Love,
The Parnells

dinner and a show

Hello! I'm back!!

David's parents are prepping to leave for an extended buying trip this week and so they came over yesterday afternoon to spend some time with the kids before they leave....They wanted to take us out to dinner, and David thought it would be fun to take the kids to a hibachi restaurant. It really was. Bennett definitely enjoyed the show the most, but we all enjoyed the food and the chance to get out!



A choo-choo train of onions (this was Bennett's fav!)



The two David Bennett's and Bennett....




Lila, Elise, and Emmy...waiting (im)patiently for their food...




We topped off the night with a trip to a new frozen yogurt place!! Yum! Yum!!
Have a great trip Emmy and Pop!!

fun fall pics

We had a great time taking pictures with Paula the Friday that Mo was in town, and she quickly got a beautiful slide show of pictures to us. Click here to see. I love photography, love different people's points of view, and treasure pictures of our children (if you've been to our house you can attest to this!)...I never want to forget the way they look right now and I know that will be hard to remember when they are grown (which is happening quickly!)....
She was so much fun to work with, and came to our house- which I thought was so fun! The kids were able to play freely in our backyard, and we even moved some of our favorite pieces of furniture (gifts from David's parents) out back for them to play and climb on. Not only did we create some great pictures, but great memories as well!
I decided to let her shoot me in a few of the pictures, with hopes that I could maybe surprise David with a great group shot for his office, but with three kids and a Mom that is not so photogenic, that was a tall order...but anyway, we are thrilled with the pictures of the kids and feel that she truly captured their personalities....
ENJOY!