Noelle snagged her tights at school and had a blast really ripping them on the way home!

Rona and Debbie came over (sweet friends from Mike’s office) for lunch today.  I made a salad trio that turned out so great!  We took a pic of the food but forgot to take a picture of all of us!  We had a great girlie Christmas lunch together!

Last night our church group came over for a Christmas party.  We had a blast, and I loved using all of my new pewter that Mike gave me for Christmas!

The Hapy Girls party is always a special treat.  Rara with me and Noelle, and Rara with me and Anna Kate!

Noelle playing on the bridge at the doll house.  Our little poser with Ra-ree (Noelle gave Rara the nickname Ra-ree this weekend), which isn’t as bad as the nickname Noelle overheard Mom calling me: Mochresha!  What?  Yup, my mom calls me Mochresha sometimes, Noelle overheard her and has been calling me that non-stop this week.  What do ya do?  Thanks Ra-ree!

The Hapy girls is the social organization my grandmother, Mary Arnett, founded in 1965 along with three of her best friends (her last name, Arnett, is the A in H.A.P.Y.), and although all the founding Hapy girls have passed away, the group remains strong, meeting for lunch once a month to celebrate each other’s birthdays and precious lives.

Aunt Elsie, Aunt Joe, Great Aunt Polly, Cousin Linda, and Rara

Noelle and Mommy with Bekah Boo!

Noelle with her Great Great Aunt Polly!  I cannot tell you how treasured this picture will be to me for the rest of my life!

Rosie with her sisters

Cousin Linda and Cousin Brittany 

Our wonderful lunch – ever since I’ve been pregnant, I’ve been posting more food photos – wonder what I’m thinking about?  Right now, a snack!

Everyone brought a piece of costume jewelry they no longer wear to the party, and we had a penny raffle.  Everyone got a cup with 50 pennies, and the auction began!  It was SO much FUN – you can also share your pennies with others in a bidding war, if you’d like.  Noelle and I won so many GREAT pendants for jackets and hats… these ladies are classy!

This is the picture I took for Jax’s pet therapy business cards.  When he goes for visits to the hospital, Poppa will hand out his cards to his patients.  I’m so proud of Jax and Poppa!  They are really helping cheer up lonely and hurting patients.

Noelle loves to dance with babies while singing Aladdin’s "A Whole New World!"  I captured the moment this weekend while she was dancing with Rara’s wedding doll.

Noelle was showing out for Bekah’s friends Friday night in Jacksonville.  Not sure what the tongue is all about, but I’m sure Noelle thought she was so funny!

Bekah went with Noelle and me this weekend to Poppa and Rara’s house.  Bekah, Ashley, and Abigail (all so grown up and cute) went to the movies…

…while Aunt Joe, Aunt Polly, Rara, Aunt Elsie, Noelle (back row Miss Shirley and Miss Kathryn) and I had lots of sewing and crafts to work on.  Noelle has a little strawberry in her teeth – I promise they are all still there!  🙂

We are so thrilled to announce our baby’s name!  Her official name is Anna Katherine, and she will go by Anna Kate.  She is named after Melissa’s aunt Joe Anna, who is Melissa’s namesake as well.  The name is so perfect – it already fits her spunky personality (lots of kicks)!

Anna Katherine means gracious and pure, and we pray her sweet spirit will bring these attributes to fruition throughout her life.

Just wanted to share our boy/girl sonogram pictures from the last couple of months!  We are so happy to have that confusion behind us!  

Noelle wanted a cheerleader gingerbread girl!

We had a cookie and gingerbread decorating party this week with some friends from my Mops small group. 

Sam checking out the enemy position below.  He is so creative in play!

Sweet Aiden and Jillian (and Noelle peeping from behind).

Pretty Isabella!

All the kids hung out outside while the Mommys switched out between keeping an eye on them, getting the cookies baked and getting the gingerbread ready to decorate (or adorn, as my sister would say)!  🙂

Decorating the good stuff!

Noelle straight up ate a spoonful of icing – yucky!

Lauren, Caitlyn, and Isabella having fun decorating their cookies. 

Noelle piling on the sprinkles (her favorite part)!

Lindsay and Melissa with our little girls.

We had such a great time today! 

That night, Devon came over and we took her out in celebration of our birthday month.  After supper, we exchanged Christmas gifts.

Devon gave Noelle a fairy princess dress-up costume, and Noelley ripped her clothes off as fast as she could to get it on! 

Thank you Devon for your precious gift and hanging out with us!  We love you!