Christmas 2010

This Christmas was pure bliss. There is nothing greater in this world than watching your childrens eyes light up and see their excitement Christmas morning.

We spent Christmas Eve with Grandma Katherine, Miles, Jessica, J.C. and Valerie. Jess and Miles cooked us a wonderful dinner, and we all actually got to sit down and eat together, which is so nice. The girls got some great gifts from their aunt and uncles and Gradma including new pajamas, an outfit and a couple of toys. Cheyenne really got into opening presents this year and as soon as she was done would ask for another one. By Christmas Day she was a pro. We got home and baked cookies for Santa and took a few pictures in their Christmas pj's. And of course they each had to have one of Santa's cookies.

After the girls went to bed, William and I put out all the gifts. Theirs something magical about it all when you have children, I can't explain it. In the morning, Cheyenne came down the steps and said "I got a bike! Mommy I got a pretty bike! Thank you Santa!" She ran right to it and kissed it. Hailey ran right to her stroller and baby dolls and started pushing it around the house. They knew exactly what was theirs! We spent the next 30-45 minutes opening gifts from each other. They each got a sleeping bag from mommy and daddy that they loved to get in and watch a movie. With one of the sleeping bags came a play tent. They love to get in it and play with their baby dolls. Chey got some roller skates (we may have to put these up and try again in the summer) She could do them okay but wasn't completely comfortable. They got a magnadoodle to share and each got a babydoll. Cheyenne also got Candyland and a Dora memory game. She LOVES to play Candyland. I played with her Sunday and she got the hang of it right away.
We then headed over to mom and dad's for brunch. I made a "breakfast before" casserole-Katherine's receipe (LOVE IT!) and we had muffins that Jen made and mimosas. The girls each got a barbie car from Nana and Poppa and some other gifts from Emma and Ryleigh and Aunt Katie. They got soo much stuff. We put some away to rotate through the year and got rid of some toys they don't play with any more to make room. When we got home, Hailey napped and Cheyenne got to try out her new bike! Its a tad to big for her. I was afraid of that, but the smaller size she would outgrow in no time. I think it'll be okay and by the time the weather warms up and she really gets to get outside and ride it it will be perfect. Christmas night we went to my Aunt and Uncle's house to see my dad's side of the family. We stayed for a little over an hour and visited with family and then came home. The girls had had a long day. All in all we had a GREAT Christmas!
Chey in front of Grandma's tree Hailey LOVES to give kisses

Mommy and Hailey at Grandma's

Opening presents Christmas eve

Chey got a cool game to help her learn what sound letters make!

Grandma Katherine with the girls

Christmas eve having a cookie in their Christmas jammies!

Checking out Santa's cookies

Santa was here!

Hailey loved her stroller!

Chey LOVED her bike!

Checking out what was left in their stockings

Chey got a Baby Alive

Daddy got a cool vest!

Hailey with her new sleeping bag

The magnadoodle

Feeding her baby. This thing cries, coos and burps and its mouth moves when you're feeding it and it blinks and closes its eyes to sleep!

Brunch at mom and dad's Hailey's a "cheeser"!

Barbie Car!

Chey trying out her skates

Trying out the new bike with daddy!

Chey and mommy

Snow Day

It started snowing Christmas day and didn't stop until around noon Sunday! We had a beautiful white Christmas! We all ventured over to mom and dad's today and have some fun in the snow. Cheyenne and Emma loved riding the sled behind the 4-wheeler! They had a blast!

3-day for the Cure

You all know that recently my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was caught early and the tumor removed. We are still waiting to find out if chemo will be needed. She will go through 4 weeks of radiation. My very good friend Heather's mother has been battling breast cancer for a few years now and right now isn't looking good. Two ladies in my neighborhood particiapted in the 3-day for the Cure this past fall in Washington D.C. It is a 3 day walk totaling 60 miles (20 each day) The minimum amount you have to raise is $2,300. Please support me and the Susan G Komen foundation for a cure for breast cancer. You can donate any time and as much as you wish. Donations are tax deductable. If you would like to walk with me you can register to walk on my team. Just find Team Hollifield when registering.

To donate go to:
www.the3day.org
click donate to a participant on the right side of the page. Put in my name 'Autumn Hollifield' Thank you!!

Our Break

Last Friday morning William and I left bright and early to drive to Charleston to board the Carnival Fantasy for a cruise to the Bahamas! It was just what we needed. The first day, which was a day at sea it rained. We slept until 9:30-went and got breakfast. Napped from 10:30-1. Ate lunch. Then napped again from 2-4:30. I had NO idea I could sleep that much in 1 day. I guess thats what 3 years of not getting enough sleep will do to you! It was much needed though. Our first stop was in Freeport, Bahamas. Not impressed. I wouldn't recommend going there. It's just a port and you have to take a taxi into town which is 30 minutes away. We didn't do this, we just got off the ship, walked around for a bit at the tiny market and got back on board. We didn't care though, we just wanted to relax! Nassau was much better. We have been twice before. Once on a cruise, and again when William took me to Atlantis for my birthday when we were dating. The place is amazing but sooo out of our budget these days. Would love to take Chey and Hailey when they're older but we'll have to start saving now! Ha! The last day at sea was WONDERFUL. The weather wasn't what we expected this trip. It was chilly! the high was only around 70. I didn't think about it when we were packing but the Bahamas isn't much furthur south than Florida..and it is winter time. I could be in my bathing suit but the wind on deck made it a tad chilly. I was still able to lay in the sun and read, sleep, relax, eat lunch and have a drink. The last day was my favorite by far. We stayed on deck dozing, reading and just enjoying each other's (and other peoples) company. We had a great trip reconnecting with each other and I can't wait to do it again in another 3 years! We missed the girls like crazy. We talked about them all day every day. It was so hard being away from them but we really needed it. I especially, but we both were just burnt out. Anyway, here's a few pics from our trip. We didn't take a bunch-I was too busy sleeping, eating and relaxing!

Christmas Dresses!

Here's the girls all dressed up for church! William and I will leave for our trip on Friday and I don't know if Katie will be taking the girls to church so I wanted them to wear their Christmas dresses today. They may look familiar. Nothing the girls are wearing his brand new! Hailey's dress is Chey's from last year. It's a little big, but I didn't see the point in buying a new one to wear one time. Chey's dress is a hand-me-down from cousins Kate and Caroline and both the girls white sweaters came from a consignment store. Am I cheap or what?!? Ha! No really, as fast as they grow out of clothes I just don't see the point. They look so cute and actually wanted to smile for me this morning. William is dancing behind me I believe to get some smiles.

All Things Christmas

To be honest, I'm so glad this week is over with. All 4 of us had a stomach virus, we're thinking it was Norovirus. Whatever it was, it was NO FUN! Taking care of sick children when you are sick and your husband is sick is just wrong. Ha! Friday we were all feeling better from the stomach mess but William went straight to a severe cold and ended up at the doctor yesterday doing a breathing treatment and came home with 4 different prescriptions. We've had all the sickness we can take for a while!
Friday the girls and I baked cookies and gave them out as gifts to friends and neighbors. Chey loved helping and decorating the sugar cookies. She did a great job! Then Friday night we went to Disney on Ice-Toy Story 3. I haven't uploaded those photos yet. Since William wasn't feeling well, my dad went with Chey and I. We had a great time!

On Saturday afternoon we had our annual Friends Thanksgiving dinner with our good friends The Kivetts, Strecks Bleakneys and Ryan. Melissa his fiance was out of town and couldn't make it, William was sick so didn't go and Tripp had to work so we had a smaller crowd than usual. Here is a photo of all the kids, minus Gavin who had already left. From left to right, Cheyenne, Hailey, Maggie, David and Alicia.

We got snow yesterday! The weatherman was just calling for a few flurries but Saturday at lunchtime it started and kept at it for quite a while. The girls loved playing in it this morning.