The Polar Express

This year we took a little trip to Bryson City to the Polar Express. If you do not know what this is, it is a reenactment of the story, The Polar Express. You actually ride on a train and take a trip to the "North Pole." We had a great time and look forward to going back for some of their other events throughout the year.

Mommy and Josy eating a HEALTHY dinner of hotdogs and Cheetos! YUM! These pictures are taken in a quaint little store that we went into to have a slice of cake and coffee. Josy was entertaining herself. She is so funny. She was dancing and acting like the mirror was in the privacy of her own home. She is not shy! I hear tell she is very much like her mother at this age. Surely not! Could you see me doing this? Wait don't answer that! LOL!

Johnathan, we miss you! We wish you had went with us. He is getting too old for this kind of adventure. OR...So he says! He stayed with Papaw Bob and had a great time looking back through old photos!

Daddy and Josy getting in line for the train!

Enjoying her hot chocolate. Just like in the book! Notice the pinkie finger. Their may be a little Diva in there yet!

Did they say we were at the North Pole?

YEA, I see it!

Santa got on the train and gave the children a bell. Also like the book!

A happy girl! She does not even believe in Santa! You would never be able to tell in this picture would you? We have never did "The Santa" thing with her. Meaning, Santa does not come to our house. We read her all the stories and fun things that have to do with him but she knows he is like Mickey and Cinderella. Not real. Just make believe.

A proud little one with her bell!

Singing and having a great time!

She is not letting that bell out of her sight!

Well.....she does put it in her pocket. Hopefully she doesn't have a hole in her pocket???

Tired and resting with her daddy!

Seth, Look what you have to look forward too...

Eating a little macaroni and cheese!!! Miranda, Braden and Josy Girl! The Three Chipmunks! Poor Braden, these girls love to "take care" of him! And he says...."Enough, girls!"

Miss Miranda dressing up in the tree shirt. She is Mary. The purple blanket that Josy is giving her is Josy's lovey....well..... today it is Baby Jesus! What imagination! Josy is so blessed to have cousins to share her life with. Johnathan was the only one for soooo many years on both sides of the family. It makes me sad that he did not have this precious experience of having cousins his age. It is so fun!

Precious Moments!

Josy is always in the Christmas parade with my mom. Each year they drive one of their antique cars. This year they were going to take the convertible so I bought Josy a new toboggan and mittens. She found them and loves to wear them, even in the house! This is her watching television and holding Love Muffin. Yes this is the kitten that we took in that was wild! He LOVES Josy and she LOVES him!

Isn't he funny?

My handsome son ask what he was going to be getting for graduation. He told me that he knew some kids that were getting cars! Yea--Right? Well, I am glad that some can get a car for graduation, but my sweet boy will not be one of them! Sorry son, it was a good try! Then I was telling him he needed to get a job. He said he was going to very soon. Then he said " Just think mom.... maybe me not working is giving someone else a job that has a family to support." I am not buying it! But again....good try!

Who said Christmas fun is just for HUMANS?

Muffin wondering if he should GO FOR IT!

I guess so....... Notice the ornament swinging? Darrell took these pictures LATE one night. I brought these cats home and he ends up loving them as much as I do! Animals are sometimes a lot of trouble but they are SO WORTH IT!!! We love our fur babies!!!!

Christmas Program

Getting ready to go to the Christmas Program at school! I told Josy to smile like the GRINCH! That is her FAVORITE Christmas program this year! Last year it was Mickeys Christmas!SO SWEET!!!! Mommy's GIRL!!!!

Josy wanted to let Sophie see the lights! The Girls waiting in the hall to perform! Notice Rebekah is showing Josy her loose tooth. Josy is so eager to lose her teeth. So this is a BIG DEAL to my girl! In the picture below she is trying to convince them that her tooth is loose too! I'll let you in on a little secret.....her teeth are NOT coming out anytime soon. Braden waiting to see Josy and his sissy sing!MCS KINDERGARTENThis is one of my favorites! I love the way that the girls are having a great time doing the motions to the songs!

This one is also VERY cute!

Miranda

This picture cracks me up! I have noticed that anytime Josy performs she yawns and wipes her eyes???? I think it may be nerves...although she does not act nervous! Who knows, just one of her little mannerisms that I want to remember.

The kids did awesome!

DECORATING the Tree!!!

Daddy is finishing up the fluffing and Josy is supervising from underneath. She likes to lay under the tree and look at the lights! I remember doing that as a kid! Well, OK.....I still like to do it! Have you tried squinting your eyes when you look at the tree?? Try it! It is beautiful, you can see only the lights! It is a great way to make sure the lights on your tree are distributed evenly all over the tree!!!! Listen to me I sound like Martha Stewart! Anyone who knows me knows better! LOL!Sophie Lou on the balcony supervising! Notice Josy has SHED her clothes since the first picture! We are REALLY working on getting her to wear clothes since she is getting older! You can see it is NOT working well. Oh.... we do wear clothes in public. SOMETIMES!! LOL! A little farther to the right bubba!

Wonder if I could jump from here??

I know that I did not want to put up this monster of a tree but....I am so glad we did. It is soooo pretty. But what I LOVE even more than the tree is the memories we created while decorating. It takes a lot of crates to store this during the year. We always dread bring them up from the basement . As you could guess they make a HUGE mess. But.....it kinda reminds me of life. I know personally I make a mess of it all the time. But... MY Heavenly Father continues to direct me through MY mess toward His will. He knows what the finished product will look like (IN HEAVEN) and it is BEAUTIFUL!!! Isn't that what Christmas is about anyway? God loving us sooooo much that He sent His Son to die so that we may have everlasting life. How much more could we, as Christians, possibly ever want? All I want is to serve MY GOD more everday and become more Godly as the days go by. That is my WANT and PRAYER for my life and my family this year. What do you want for Christmas?

Hanging of the Greens at The McCroskey's!

This year I have been a bit of a party pooper! I have been having some health issues and to be honest I have not felt very good. I have been stalling about getting the house decorated! So we decided we would put up the tree... but I did not want to put up this specific tree. It is 12 feet tall and a BIG pain to deal with. I wanted to put a REGULAR size tree. BUT....Darrell insisted that he loves this tree. So...here we go with the HUGE Tree!!

Team work! Believe me it takes it to get this thing up!

Of course Johnathan is doing his part! I do believe he is TEXTING!!! Teenagers...they can not go 2 seconds without texting!

Josy has decided that she will get a chair. Johnathan....well....he's texting again!!!

Too Funny! Daddy is FLUFFING the tree and using a light! He must think he is a coal miner! LOL! You can never guess what he will come up with next. Life is NEVER boring!