Cookie Exchange

Last Sunday, I hosted my second cookie exchange. This year was just as fun as last year, plus we had a special addition of SANTA visiting!  It was a wonderful time to catch up with friends, snack on some goodies, and let the kiddos play.  This is a tradition I really enjoy!

A place for the kids to play...and Santa to visit!

Trays ready for guests and their cookies!

Drinks - we also had hot apple cider with mulling spices.

Elfie hanging out.  (We haven't named him yet...)

Some guests start to arrive, including Hadleigh in her adorable outfit!  The light on my camera was weird for most of these pics. :(

Friends say hi and give hugs!

Kids start to play with toys!

More toys!

And more toys!

...AND MORE TOYS!

Beckett greets Baby Josh

A sneak peek of Santa! (More pics later)

Here are the cookies the guests brought:
Jenny - Sugar Santas
Allison - Reindeer Pops
Ingrid - Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies
Emily - Gingerbread Men & Snowmen
Rachel - Chocolate Chip Stockings
Heather - Holiday Monster Cookies
Carly - Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies
Dorothy - Sugar Sprinkle Bites
Mom - Fingerprint Jammies and Russian Tea Cakes
Kristin - Rolo Snickerdoodles
Treva - Peanut Butter Cups
Jayme - Nutter Butter Reindeer
Janis - Sugar Kisses
Lindsey - Peanut Butter Crumbles
Hannah - Sugar Cookies
Julie - Mint Brownies

Lindsey also served as photographer when Santa arrived and some of the pictures were just precious.  I left the cd at work, so I will have to add them later.  It was a lot of fun!

Halloween Party!

We had Beckett's second Halloween party last night, and it was so much fun!  Maybe a little crazy, with 17 kids and 17 adults, but we all had lots of laughs and tons of yummy food.  It was great to watch the kids play in their costumes, too!  They all left with lots of goodies in their trick or treat bags. 

Beckett's been through the desert on a horse with no legs...

You can really see my bump here!  Don't the boys look cute? I love Beckett's hat.

Some of the families got pictures taken. I made the bunting for fall in Beckett's playroom.

Here are a few of the kids. The couch picture took forever and I took about 30 shots.  This one was as close to the best as I could get!

For memory's sake, L-R: Braylon U., Molly S., Ava K., Kiptyn S., Beckett, Emmett H., Wil and Reese P., Football Baby Josh and Drew T., Hayden and Julia M., Hampton and Hadleigh W., and (Front row, L-R) Kaylee S., Braylon H., Lily and Grace G. 

I put together a plate of the goodies from the party.  S'mores, spider suckers, witch fingers, cookie sandwiches, witch hats and broomsticks, orange crush with swirly straws, M & Ms, and more.  We had Mummy hot dogs and Halloween mac & cheese, plus chips and dips, mini sandwiches, goldfish and cheese puffs. 

My favorite picture. :) 

At the end of the party, Kristin put Ava into her PJs and the sugar had started to kick in...  What a fun night!

VBS

This week, I got to help in the nursery during VBS. it was a lot of fun and Beckett really enjoyed making new friends. I only tok pictures one day, and they turned out pretty cute. Next year, I might try to be a crew leader, although I just loved my time with the babies! It was a double-blessing, too, because I was able to play with Beckett at the same time I lent a hand for church.  I think you can definitely see his personality in these pictures... :)

NOM NOM NOM - Cheerios.  I think he ate 580 of them.

Everytime the music went on in the sanctuary, he would drop what he was doing and start dancing.  Note his placement in the center of the room. :)

Get down!

"Maybe if I smile REALLY big, she'll give me some extra Cheerios..."

"Thank you, Dear Lord, for the extra Cheerios."

Little Fish is One!

Here are some pictures of Beckett's Goldfish-themed first birthday party from April 7th.  It was so much fun - he loved the cake, and many of our friends were able to come.

Smiling and ready for the party!

I got a tricycle from Grammy and Gramps!

I love GG - I think there are some similarities in this smile.

Our friends, the Waldens, only 3 days before Hampton was born!

Gramps let us use his camera when Mommy realized she had forgotten the memory card.  Then Daddy bought a new one!

We all loved the real goldfish!

We had some banners I made on my friend's Cricut machine.

His cheeks are perfect for smooches!

Kaylee and Casey - We've missed you!

Here are some of my friends! Notice this shirt, which was the replacement after the cake smashing.

Kiptyn was all over the place - so energetic and cute!

Thanks for coming, Chris and Marissa!  I love the clothes and the John Deere tractor!

My middle school friends - Monica took the picture on the fireplace mantle.  Katie and Megan helped take pictures at the 5 month shoot, and they are all three such great people!

These pictures are totally out of sequence...Here we are opening some of Beckett's presents. He actually got involved in it this time, especially with tissue paper.

Love this face during the cake smash!

More friends...

More presents... (Don't you love that Hadleigh matches the party theme?)

My Uncle Matthew sent me two books - one of his favorites and also The Little Prince, passing the title down. :)

A Year of Monthly Photos

Favors. (Catch ya later!)

Amazing cookies from Miss Ingrid were the favors. YUM!

Tammy brought lots of sweets, including tarts and cookies. Ingrid made the bagged favor cookies, and we also had sixlets with goldfish in them.

I love Kaylee.

I made this shirt for the cake-smashing festivities.  It had a 1 on the back.

I loved the sixlet favors.

I also loved this suckers from Vintage Confections on etsy.  I painted blocks from the Dollar Tree to hold the suckers.

PREPARE TO SMASH! It was way too cute to smash...

He started so dantily.

Emily and Nathan had a good time, too!

I had water bottles with custom labels, including cute ingredient lists... And they got left at home. Haha! So we will be drinking to Beckett's first birthday all year long. :)

Thanks to everyone for coming and for your well-wishes.  It has been an amazing year.  We are so very blessed!  (And thanks to Shonn for letting me plan this party - I had a blast doing it!)