before christmas

well, we had a fantabulous christmas, but can't quite believe that it's already come and gone. every year, it sneaks up on me, and then passes too quickly.

and now it's 2011.

seriously?

but first i wanted to recap christmas. then i realized i needed to recap the week before christmas as well, so here it is.....

we took the kids to see Santa. Caleb has no idea who Santa is, or who he is supposed to be or do or any of that. but this momma wanted a picture anyways, so we braved the traffic and crowds and lines to see him.

now, i was perfectly prepared to stand next to Santa while holding a reluctant Caleb in my arms in hopes of getting at least one decent picture. but just when i think i know what my little man is going to do, he surprises me. not only did he sit in Santa's lap, but he seemed happy and was smiling. you could have knocked me over with a feather i was so surprised.

and for old time's sake, here he is his first christmas, looking cute and chubby as ever.....



same Caleb, different Santa.

go figure.

back to the present...afterwards, he rode on daddy's shoulders, which always makes him happy, and i got to walk through the mall for a little while, which always makes me happy.




next we headed out to Opryland Hotel to see the lights and walk through the gardens.

eight years ago, on christmas night, when husband wasn't husband yet but was still boyfriend, he took me to one of the gardens for what i thought was a simple romantic walk. well, the walk ended with him asking me to marry him, to which i obviously said yes. so needless to say, Opryland at christmas is now very special to us.

the hotel flooded back in May, but it is open again and is just as beautiful as ever.



little man fell asleep in the car on the way there.

little man NEVER falls asleep in the car. we had to wake him up, and this is how he felt about it.....


baby girl, however, was content as could be.....


so we walked around for awhile, and then we found a mini train ride that daddy squeezed into to take him on.



that daddy sure is a trooper.

ok, be back soon with our two christmases.