White Christmas

We woke up Christmas morning to a beautiful sight and the best gift anyone could ask for...a white Christmas! Call us Alabamians, but believe me when I tell you that we've never seen that much snow. My dad was with us for Christmas, and he claims that it's the first white Christmas he's ever seen. It started early that morning, snowed fast and hard, and by about 8:30 we were like kids in a candy store. A snowy, gorgeous candy store!

The view when we stepped outside the front door...
This is what we saw when we took a peek down the street...
And that was just the beginning!
Let me back up a few days, though. Remember the flu that took over our house? It was still lingering before Christmas. I was afraid that the girls would be opening gifts from their spots on the couch come Christmas morning...
Can you tell what kind of mood the sickies were in? Not fun!
Towns perked up much quicker than Cate did, but she didn't stray too far from the couch either. This picture is funny...She's texting Bethany on J's phone, playing the Cake Doodle game on my phone, and has a round of Barbie going on her DS. Is that a sign of the times, or what?!
Thankfully, by Christmas Eve morning everyone was somewhat back to normal enough to help me out with homemade cinnamon rolls...
My dad came into town that afternoon and they could hardly wait for him to get here, so I kept them busy baking cookies for Santa while we waited...This was the hard part...
Is it just me or does it seem like they take ages longer when you're watching them cook?
Finally Pawpaw rolled in, and not without a few early Christmas goodies for the girls...
Matching bicycles!While they tested out the new bikes, Mirabelle was busy getting their Christmas pj's ready. Elves must know that Santa doesn't play around when it comes to bedtime on Christmas Eve, so she said she came to help us out a little...They didn't have too much trouble closing their eyes that night after the cookies and milk were set out. While visions of sugar plums danced in their heads Santa was making tracks. Of course they were up with the sun on Christmas morning!
I'd much rather see them opening all their gifts than get a single gift myself. Watching my children on Christmas morning takes me back. I love it!
Towns was so excited to get Love's Baby Soft perfume in her stocking...Anyone else remember that? It was my favorite when I was her age.
Cate's never been one to see present opening through 'til the end. Once she opens the first few gifts, she's done. After she opened her hot pink DVD player (she still thinks it's a laptop) I'm pretty sure that was it...
J opened the rest of her presents while she checked out only the things that were left unwrapped...All the baby wanted for Christmas was a "back and a front". It took us a while to translate that. What she meant was that she wanted a stroller that had a back and a front to put two babies in. When we went to see Santa she wouldn't even look at him, so Towns had to fill him in on what Cate wanted. The fact that Towns simply said "a stroller" didn't go over very well. Cate cried for hours because Towns left out the "back and a front" part. We assured her Santa would know just what she meant, and thank goodness he delivered...
I'd be willing to bet she's put a hundred miles on those wheels already!
In contrast to her sister, Towns loves opening presents. She wants to drag it out and make it last as long as possible...She got some pretty fancy shoes that I wanted to snag myself...Daddy and the girls...
The girls were totally satisfied with what they'd gotten so far, but there were two biggies that they hadn't seen yet. J pointed out a set of keys hanging from a branch on the tree...
What could they possibly go to?
A polka dot four wheeler, naturally...And Buggy was oh so thrilled over her pink "Escalay" as she calls it...It's quite ghetto with rims and speakers in the back, but she loves it. And somehow, it just kind of fits her colorful personality!
We couldn't let the morning pass without getting the two new vehicles out in the snow, so we headed a few blocks over to the park where there's plenty of wide open space...Apparently Cate needed 4-wheel drive for all the ice and snow...Blondie was loving life...We were all frozen before long. After a few more pictures we had to go home and thaw out...
Towns couldn't wait to use her new towel wrap and her very own hair dryer after her hot bath. She wanted to get herself ready in Bebby's bathroom, and I can't imagine why that would be. Maybe because she wants to do everything just like her big sister? Probably so!We got dolled up as fast as we could because we couldn't wait to pick up Bethany and head to Grandmommy and Pop's...
There aren't many pictures to be had of B opening her gifts because she tears through them so fast. I suppose she's had lots of practice and is a pro by now...
Before we left to visit with the rest of J's side of the family we couldn't pass up the opportunity for a few family pictures...
Keaton's face in that one makes me laugh! :)
I'm still amazed they were cooperative enough for a cousin shot. Sweet, sweet kiddos!

Our Christmas was a very special one, and we hope yours was too. We've been busy ever since and maybe I'll catch up with everything by 2012...that's a long shot, though!
Happy 2011!