Merry Christmas From The Sanders Bunch

This year I used the tripod and timer to take our annual Christmas card picture.  I think this was the way to go, because Addie loved running to the camera to see the picture.  I guess it was a game to her.  

** Insider info... Addie has a cookie behind my back:)  Anything for a picture.

We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Wonderful New Year!

Give Me Cookies!!!!!

This was the year of the Christmas cookie for our family.  We could not get enough of the sugar, butter, and sprinkles.  We delivered cookies to the local courts, schools, church, family, and friends.  I love how Kyle and I say it is for Addie's enjoyment, but she usually bailed when the first ingredient was dumped in the mixing bowl, only to return to the kitchen when it came time to add sprinkles and eat!

Addie helped Daddy with the store bought cookies.  After a week, we graduated to making our cookies from scratch. Kyle and I would find different recipes and even had a Cookie "Throwdown"... Kyle won. 

One of the many plates of cookies from this Holiday Season.  Notice the giant candy cane... Kyle's pride and joy!!!  We are going to cookie rehab January 1st.  

Downtown Christmas

Our family has made it a tradition going to Dickson's Downtown Christmas for the past three years.  It is amazing that winter always appears the first Friday of December for this event.  We bundled up to enjoy some yuletide festivities.  We went to the Christmas tree lighting, the train museum, and in some of the local shops.  Addie was a trooper considering how cold it was.  I was amazed that she was so cold that she even wore a hat... the first time since she was a year old.  Addie picked out her ornament for the year at Volume One Bookstore.... a Mickey Mouse one... are we surprised?  The last thing we did before we called it a night was a carriage ride through Downtown.  Addie was so excited to be a princess.  She thought the horse went really fast and tried to get it to slow down when we passed houses with Christmas lights.  But the highlight of the night was Addie's comment about her leggings that were under her pants.  When we were getting in the car she said, "I have something wrong!  I have a wedgie."  

Kyle and Addie at the tree lighting.

Our family on the carriage ride.

Addie's Black Beauty

Let's Build a House

This past weekend we continued to check off our Christmas to do list.  This time we pushed up our sleeves and built a gingerbread house.  I was a slacker mom and just bought the kit at the store and, boy did I learn my lesson.  I do not consider myself a world class gingerbread house builder, but the icing in the kit was not kid or adult friendly.  It was just impossible to spread, so next year homemade will be the way to go.  Most importantly, Addie had a blast playing/eating the candy and building a house.

Let's Talk About The Lights...

To kick off our family's holiday season, we loaded up and went to the Opryland Hotel to look at the lights.  We had a great time walking around and gazing at the twinkle lights.  Addison really did enjoy the lights this year.  I tell a big difference this year because she is really realizing the tinsel and decorations that go with the season this year.  When we were leaving the hotel, Addison just chanted, " Let's talk about the lights!!!"  Here's to a great Christmas Season.

Touching the lights with Daddy.

Our family Christmas picture.  Our last one as a trio.

Do you think she has been naughty or nice?

Get Your Pedals Running...

Addie is finally putting her feet on the pedals!!!!!!!  I have been working with her for about four months trying to perfect her tricycle skills and she finally did it a few weeks ago (As you can tell from the ghost in the yard and the green leaves on the tree.  I must get better about my blogging habits.)  So long Flintstone feet.

Getting in position....

Downward stroke...

And she is off!

Happy Halloween!!!!!!!!!!!

    This year Addie's "two year old theme" is Minnie Mouse.  We had a Princess Minnie cake for her two year birthday and now she was Minnie for Halloween.  We had a great time with this costume and it was nice that Addie was excited and understood the Trick-or-Treat concept.  If you cannot remember, last year she did not want to dress up and it took dressing up our dog as a bee to get Addie to wear her bee costume.  The only item she did not like about her costume were the mouse ears.  Addie is not a fan of headbands, so we took the ears off the headband and made them into barrettes.    

Looking for "Minnie" good treats!!!!

After going to a few houses, we went to the church's Fall Festival.  Addie was so excited about the bouncy houses and cotton candy that awaited.  All she could talk about for two days was the cotton candy she was going to get at the Fall Festival.  The funny thing about this was when Addie's dream was granted, she did not want to try the cotton candy.  Yes, my picky child did not want to try fluffy SUGAR!!!!  So she just waved it around until a sucker caught her eye.

After we waved our cotton candy around a bit, visited with our friends, and ate chili, we were off to the fun and games.  Addie really did have a great time this year with the games.  She played, ran, and bounced.  It really was a great night.

Addie fishing for more candy with candy in her hand.

Our "Minnie Mouse" bounced right out of her ears.

The post sugar crash.... sweet dreams.

Pumpkin Carving on Halloween Eve...

Since it took so long to get pumpkins (see pumpkin patch blog), our carving night almost wasn't.  Addie chose the smallest pumpkin out of our assortment.  While I was getting everything ready for our carving bonanza, I asked if Addie wanted to sit on the counter to help and watch.  To my surprise, I turn around and Addie had read my mind and was already on the counter.

Does this picture illustrate the years of trouble on our hands or what?  She used the door pulls as a ladder, and to quote Addie "Look mommy, me real high up."  After I gave her a lecture about not to climb onto the counter and then took a picture, which negated my lecture, we got to carving.  Addie carved a pumpkin with her preschool class on Wednesday, so she knew the drill and was eager to help.

 

Addie scooping out the smelly pumpkin guts.  I am sooooo happy to give this job away.  Addie said she wanted a happy jack-o-lantern so I tried my best to oblige.  She also picked out the shapes for the nose and eyes.  We named our jack-o-lantern "Crazy Jack".

Play Date Fun

One of my favorite things about staying home this year with Addie is being able to help friends out in a pinch.  My other stay-at-home mom/teacher friend, Keli, chose me to keep her little peep one day....

Meet Mr. Beckham, Addie's stroller riding buddy.  Addie loves Beckham in her special playing hard to get girl way.  Beckham is always willing to give Addie a hug, kiss, fist bump, high five, etc. but Addie just is not that kind of girl:)  These two had a blast playing together and just show us how sweet friendships can be.

Addie "fishing" in her chalk pond.

Who knew Addie could walk on water.

Addie rowing her boat to get away from the sharks.

Watch out Tiger... competition is on the way!  Look at that back swing.

What a swinging good time!!!!

Our Pick of the Pumpkin Patch...

It was pumpkin patch time in Tennessee.... or so we thought.  We loaded up after church last Sunday and met up with our friends for pumpkin pickin' at Gentry Farms in Franklin.  When we got there we were very sad to hear that the patch was closed due to the rain, mud, and the fact that most of the pumpkins still on the vine were rotten.  Good thing they had a great play area to make up for the lack of pumpkins because Addie was quite sad.  She quickly got over it and we went on to pet goats, play with the chickens, go on a hayride, play in the corn, and go through a corn maze.  

Aubree calling the cows on the hayride.

Addie's stroller buddy Beckham and his mommy Keli and Daddy Ryan.

 

The parents' failed attempt of trying to get a group shot.  Next year maybe we can get a helicopter for an ariel shot:) 

Going to the slide.

Beckham did not know what he was getting himself into at all.

Beckham trying the slide out one more time.

Who knew corn kernels could be so much fun.

Evan getting into the corn dumping.

The daddies thinking of how they could start something like this for $6 per person and retire early. 

Addie talking to the ducks.  Her favorite saying, "Come here little buddy."

Off to the car without a pumpkin but with a lot of memories.

*** We stopped at a pumpkin stand to fulfill Addie's wish for a pumpkin:)

The Flower Girl

Addie checked flower girl from her bucket list last Friday when Uncle Jason married his love Kellie.  Since Kyle, Addie, and I were all in the wedding it was a very busy event for our family. 

The very happy and cute couple at the wedding dinner the night before.

The wedding took place at Cedar Wood Plantation and was supposed to be a nice Autumn wedding with cool, crisp air and leaves falling down around us.  Instead we had a cold snap that made the wedding party look for Jack Frost lurking around every corner.  With the wedding moved onto the patio and the heaters turned up on high, the occasion turned into a very cozy event.  Addie was adorned in a dress fit for Cinderella.  She was not keen on the dress at first, especially once she discovered how "warm" silk is when it is 45 degrees outside.  She was definitely wishing for her velour "pre wedding" suit.

Addie walking outside, discovering how cold it was, and begging for her clothes:)

The flower girl found some flowers to pick and decided to wear the dress.  Daddy's pockets full of Starburst also helped to convince her.

After the "I Dos" were said and Addie had stood next to Kyle for a whopping fifteen minutes... playing with his Blackberry, eating Starburst, and playing with the pumpkins that were part of the alter decor, WITHOUT tipping a candle over, stepping on the train of the wedding dress, or climbing the staircase where I was standing (these were all of the things I had nightmares about her doing) we were ready to eat, dance, and be merry.  I am not going to lie.... I was stressed about all of these things.  

The happy parents of the flower girl.

Addie's idea of a great wedding reception... a portable television with Dora.  This is a great way to Addie's heart.  The portable entertainment allowed Kyle and me plenty of time to fellowship with our friends.

On the dance floor with Daddy.