Christmas in Knoxville.

Matt, Jack, Alyssa, and Abby at Mammaw Dottie's house in Knoxville the weekend before Christmas. They actually all did some posing for me here in the sunroom.

Alyssa enjoyed hanging out with her big cousin Abby. Alyssa is only used to boys, so even though Abby acted like Alyssa was her baby... Alyssa had fun because she was a girl.

Alyssa learned real quick what to do with presents.

Matt was excited he got a wrestling belt. Jack wanted it on.. you can see he's showing his belly.

Merry Christmas from our house to yours.

First of all, I just want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas... I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. I have quite a few pictures to share from our Christmas this year. It was funny, this year Alyssa was all about unwrapping and picked up on what she was suppose to do very fast. Then there was Matt, oh he was an old pro, but his issue was his behavior... so he was worried if Santa would even visit him. We had to make a special visit to the mall to see him the day before Christmas Eve... Alyssa was scared to death and wanted nothing to do with him, but Matt made it a point to tell the "big man" what he was wishing for. That night after visiting Santa we were laying in his bed and he said, "Mom, even if I wasn't good enough for Santa to visit me this year, I have my whole life to be good and to make up for it."

Alyssa was doing so good "smiling" for the camera... maybe alittle too good in this picture.
Matt.. he's such a great big brother.

The kids at Granma Angel's and Grandpa Scott's house on Christmas Eve.

Grandma had this nutcracker that is as big as Alyssa... she thought it was great. She was giving him love and hugs all night.

Then Matt wanted his picture next to the "man size" nutcracker. He is actually posing like he's a nutcracker himself....lol

Alyssa and I beside the Christmas tree.

The kiddos opening gifts. Alyssa got a pound puppy. Steven and I both had one of those growing up.

Matt got a wrestler.. he's all into that (like father like son).

Matt is also playing basketball... so we got him a Wade jersey.. He was excited!

Alyssa already likes Hannah Montana.. so she got a microphone that plays one of her songs.. we listened to that ALL day. She actually puts the whole microphone in her mouth.

Here she is wearing her Mr. Potato Head glasses... hilarious.

She was sooo excited opening her new toys.

Pa came out to visit Christmas night.. We had a good visit and ate some food.

Matt with his Pa.

The kiddos with Pa.. Alyssa didn't want to sit still.

I need to do a better job about getting pictures of the kids with everyone. I didn't get any pictures of our visit to Aunt Jenny's Christmas morning, nor did I get pictures of the kiddos with Grandma and Grandpa. I do have pictures from our trip to Knoxville and I will put those on later this weekend. Love you guys!!

TrIcK oR tReAt...

The gang on Halloween.. We always go to dad's house to trick or treat first. So he can see them and so the kids can see each other. We don't trick or treat together anymore, so at least the cousins can see each other.

Alyssa's, we call her Boo, first real Halloween.. where she gets to trick or treat. She at first was scared of her giraffe costume, but we left it out for two weeks before the actual day and she got used to it. It was a hand-me-down from Matt. He too was a giraffe at her age (mainly cause Steven worked at Toys R Us at the time.. he was dressed like Geoffrey).

Jr Lions Awards.. October 2008

Matt got an award for participating on the football team. He had a team picnic down at the "Hillbilly Cabin". It was a beautiful day for a picnic and we all had fun.

Boo had fun too, but she had to stay close because she hasn't learned to have "fear" of the waters edge. Not that I want her to be scared, but I don't want her to go fall in either.

Steven and Alyssa having fun at the picnic. Check out their matching blue eyes!!

She was watching Matt have fun and wanted to be out there playing football with them.

Matt's Football Season.. Fall 2008

So, this year Matt decided he wanted to try football. Steven and I signed him up. It turned out to be very time consuming, but towards the end of the year Matt was enjoying himself. He played for the Cannon County Jr Lions. We traveled to far away places to play his games... one of which, was all the way to Clay County (on the KY line). We had fun and may let him play next year... just depends what we have going on at the time..

These were pictures of him with his face painted before the game.. he's a LION.. We had gone to the Nashville Zoo that morning to the TSC company picnic and they had face painting so he thought he would be "intimidating" with his face painted like a "real" lion...lol

Matt at his first game against Gordonsiville.

Alyssa wasn't too fond of football... actually she isn't very fond of any of brothers sports. She gets bored easily. We are currently playing basketball so I will try to add pictures of that soon. By the way, Alyssa doesn't enjoy basketball either..lol