Christmas 2013

We had a full, blessed, fun-filled Christmas season!  It started with the kids helping me decorate, and ended with lots of toys and great memories of time spent with family!

They loved the gum-drop tree- decorating and eating!

Cooper was Santa in the 1st grade Christmas musical!

singing his little heart out- quite the performer!

Cooper had his first piano recital- he played so well!

On a family "ice day" we all decorated a house in our gingerbread village

We took a trip to Nashville to celebrate my birthday and to do some fun Christmas stuff!  This was with Sis-Sis at Sunny Side lights in Brentwood...

and Santa at Sunny Side lights!

checking out two of Santa's reindeer at Cheekwood in Nashville

Telling Santa what they want for Christmas and then posing for a picture all while holding hands- melt my heart! So thankful they love each other!

my first year to attempt a "glowing tree" picture- got one good one on Christmas Eve before Cooper collapsed in the bed!

RA hung in there to put out cookies (that they made with Edie) and milk for Santa!

Santa came!  He brought baby Charlie's presents to our house, too!

Excited about one of his gifts from Santa!

Reese Ann and Caroline- her 1st American Girl doll!

And on to the Edwards Christmas- Edie and G-Chip with all three "grands!"

RA helping to show Charlie his new car and Coop trying to look like he is interested!

Closest thing we got to a family picture this year- will do better next year!

Cooper turns 7!

 Cooper turned seven on November the 1st!  After lots of negotiating (which is his normal behavior these days), we told him that if he didn't have a big birthday party that he could get a big Lego set.  He loved the idea, and after the school-wide halftime show at USJ was re-scheduled for his birthday, we settled on the idea of having just a few friends and their families over for dinner before the football game.  We had a fun-filled day celebrating Cooper, and some family all came over for ice cream sundaes the next day to continue the celebration!

Cooper with Miss Linda

Reese Ann had to come join the celebration in Cooper's class!

The football cake (nothing else for this football-obsessed boy) in Auburn colors!

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Coop & some of his buddies

got to love presents- especially when they are Legos!

Halloween

The night before Halloween baby Charlie and his parents made a visit to Jackson so that everyone could see him in his cute little mouse costume!  Edie and Reese Ann shared their witchy ways with each other- although I can firmly say RA was a cuter witch!

The weather on Halloween was absolutely awful this year.  It rained and rained, and there was lots of talk about postponing trick-or-treating until the next night.  Thankfully, the rain stopped and we were able to trick-or-treat on the 31st since Nov 1st is a busy birthday in our house!  Our gated neighborhood was the perfect calm place to be and we loved having tons of new neighbors this year who shared candy with this crew!

Cade and the Davenport kids came over to trick-or-treat with us!

We actually got a family picture where we are all smiling!

Cooper was dressed up as Wolverine, but when Cade showed up in his UT gear, he had to show his Auburn spirit!

Our Fall Family Getaway

We made a quick, whirlwind trip to the beach to hang out with Dan's college friends and their families, and on the way back home, we stopped in Auburn to take in a football game!  It has been a fun football season with Auburn's fantastic turnaround, and Cooper has become obsessed with all things football!  He loved Auburn (his first trip there for a football game in several years) and so did Reese Ann!

Lots of fun was had on the beach with friends!

The kids decked out in their Auburn garb!

Love this sweet picture- melts this mama's heart!

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With Cam's statue- we all thought it was pretty cool!

Reese Ann may have thought the majorette's were a little cooler, though!

Loved hanging out in downtown Auburn

Game-time fun!  War Eagle!

Baby Charlie

After months of anticipation, Charles Edwards Carruth was born on October 18th.  The kids and I were there for the birth of my first nephew and their first cousin- Natalie had a scheduled c-section which helped in the planning!  Dan came to Memphis later in the day to meet him, too!  He is so sweet and cute, and we are so glad that he is here!

Waiting for the news!

Meeting Charlie for the 1st time!

A super-proud cousin!  She adores Charlie now that the shock of him being a boy has worn off!

I love being an aunt!

Some fall fun...

Cooper's grade all took a trip to the zoo in October.  We went with Lindsey and George, and the boys had a great time! 

My favorite picture is of the boys holding hands- not going to get many more like this one!

Dan's birthday was October 12th, and he wanted us to all go do a bike ride that was going on in Jackson on the morning of his birthday.  We put Reese Ann in a borrowed seat, and Dan, Cooper and I rode over 10 miles!  We were so proud of Cooper and his riding skills and endurance!  I see many more bike rides in this family's future!

Reese Ann is 4!

Our sweet little Reese Ann turned four on September the 4th!  A couple of days later we had a princess birthday party for some friends at our house!  We had tons of girly fun celebrating her!

Celebrating at school

Reese Ann, some friends, and her brother who didn't want to miss out!

Our birthday princess celebrating that night at home with grandparents and us!

Opening presents

with her new ballet loot!

Party time!

Edie doing make up and nails for the little ones!

Singing!