Imagination

Brandi commented on my last post that she liked all the toys that AnnaKate got for Christmas that require imagination. It got me thinking about how important imaginative play is. Before AnnaKate, I always said I wanted wooden classic toys for my child because they would last longer and required imagination. When AnnaKate came along, I seemed to deviate from the imagination toys to light up-musical toys because is what AnnaKate liked the best. But I soon realized that she liked what we exposed her to. She can play with toys that require imagination and will grow and learn from them. I was really pleased when I looked back at her Christmas gifts and realized very few things require batteries.

AnnaKate's kitchen is a huge hit. She cooks for us all the time and especially likes to make sandwiches. Everyone has to eat...including baby.

One of the best gifts AnnaKate ever got was a mirror for her room. It is still the focal point of all play. She has moved it so she can watch herself cook.

Today she put on her aprons and really enjoyed playing "dress-up" in the kitchen. This also led to a hat parade. I just sat in awe as she spent a good 30 minutes trying on all of her hats. I really think she needs a chef hat...

*This is her monogrammed shopping bag for her felt food...or a hat...**The apron can also be a hat...this was my idea!

What kind of neat toys did your child get for Christmas?

Christmas 2009

Wow...is all I can really say! We have had the most wonderful holiday season and Christmas did not disappoint!

AnnaKate's friend, Emerson, came over on December 23 to exchange presents.

We stopped by my mom's on Christmas Eve and my mom went ahead and gave AnnaKate her stroller and baby doll. It is one of her most favorite gifts!

On Christmas Eve, we went to church and then to my mom's for our family Christmas.

Kenny and AnnaKate= True Love

Bev and LeahGrace

AnnaKate was exhausted.

Marshall and I got a little silly...I will spare you all the pictures!

LeahGrace got in on the fun

Santa came!!!!

This year's big gift was a kitchen. She got so much stuff to go in the kitchen...a toaster, blender, pots and pans, an apron, plates and TONS of food.

Christmas morning when AnnaKate first saw her kitchen. She was so excited and immediately set to work cooking.

Opening her stocking

Dog was able to try one of her delicious meals from the new kitchen

After a quiet Christmas morning at home, we headed over to Kenny's house for our family Christmas.

After lunch AnnaKate was pooped!

After a rejuvenating nap, she was ready to go at LouLou's.

Ohh...a cupcake making set for the kitchen!

LouLou and granddaddy gave her a beautiful hand painted table and chair set.

And if that was not enough...we had my dad's family over to our house the day after Christmas. The Christmas kitchen extravaganza continued.
Every little girl needs a blender with her kitchen...

Making a sandwich and reading a book with TT.

I think this picture sums up our Christmas!
We all had a wonderful time enjoying family and friends.

I hope your Christmas was just as special!

Holiday Home Tour

So many blogs have Holiday Home Tours where you can go and look at other people's decorations. I just love it! I find myself spending way to much time looking inside of stranger's homes! So I decided to give the Holiday Home Tour a whirl. If I can't visit your home this year for the holidays, why don't you do the same so I can see your decorations?

The holidays brings special smells, "limited edition" items, special dishes, etc.
These are some of my favorites:

Portmeirion Holly and Ivy China...I like to use it well into February.
Williams-Sonoma Winter Forest hand and dish soap
Exposures Holiday Picture Frames
Any yummy smelling holiday candles

My friend, Holly, and I made these neat advent calendars for our children this summer. I really like ours! I had fun filling it with trinkets, names of Christmas books to read and holiday outings to do.

My paper house collection is one of my favorite things. They look so vintage.

This year I added some new paper houses to the mantle in the den. They are a lot bigger and much more whimsical.

Decorating the tree is so special for me. My mom started collecting Christopher Radko ornaments for me back in the late 1980's. I just love opening the boxes and thinking of when I got that ornament. I have had to cut back on my Radko collection because they have just gotten way too expensive.

My tree is very similar to my mom's tree. Mostly all of my ornaments are old world glass type ornaments. I love glass clip-on birds with feather tails and at last count had about 70 on the tree! Glass bead garland and white lights make the whole room twinkle. The more ornaments the better!!

I always love framing the Santa picture from that year and finding a special place for it.

The is our mantle in the living room. The lighted garland is a new addition.
I like the festiveness of lights!

Ribbon candy is so fun...

I love to fill jars and bowls up with old ornaments.

Don't you just love what AnnaKate and I whipped up!! HA
A dear friend's mother-in-law always makes a gingerbread house for AnnaKate. It is just amazing. The details are perfect.

I have a little tree and some decorations in AnnaKate's room too. She loves turning on her tree every morning. Her nativity figurines are a gift from her grandmother each year at Christmas.


It was so fun to have you over! Please invite me to see your decorations...