Chritmas Eve '08

Christmas Eve was day 1 of our Christmas vacation with everybody home! Celia always asks to feed Camilla so for Christmas she fed her a bottle. I love watching the girls together. Celia is so gentle and nurturing to Camilla and Bennett tends to be a little more lively.....but all in all they really love each other well.

The Christmas Eve service was great this year. The pastors wore their robes and sat in the front leaving me to sit with all 3 girls solo until the Dyers moved to sit with us (thanks y'all!). I think Lindsay had the hardest job....balancing Caleigh and Bennett.....there was a children's sermon that was sweet. Dave had Celia and Bennett right there with him while he spoke to the kids....Anna counted 80! wow!

And for our Christmas Eve dinner we had dinner with all of our advent candles lit. Then Dave and I watched Elf.......it was a great night!

Mamu and Pops Christmas....

Christmas came early at the Kulp house when Mamu and Pops came to town. We'll have to wait for more pics from them because apparently we only took pictures of the present time! We had a great visit with them and the girls definitely scored big----my personal favorite- a trampoline for the basement! So fun!

school parties

The last days of school for the girls were full of Christmas fun. I was able to join Bennett for her Christmas party. The kids had made Christmas cookies and we were able to sing some Christmas songs with them. It was really fun to see Bennett in her own element at school....

Sophia and Bennett

Everett

Rudolph Bennett sans antlers

Celia's party was following her Christmas concert....I didn't get a chance to get many photos during the concert but I was able to take a couple of videos. She was front and center...."the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear...." (John Kruger is diagonally behind Celia to the left, 2 rows back....)

And Celia smiling proudly....

Christmas Cookies

This year we made our gingerbread men with the Dyers- it was a little crazy at times but we loved it! And so did Santa....we gave him our last ones....

footie pj's

2 years ago we bought a set of matching footie pj's for Celia and Bennett....now Bennett's have been passed down to Caleigh and at lifegroup the other night they both had them on! Look how snuggly sweet!

B's attempt for bunny ears has become a little confused since her last birthday...we'll call them antlers instead....

and Celia for some Caleigh love

Go Tigers...

I know its been a while but at least the Tigers won 1 important game this season!

AHHH go tigers! BEAT THOSE GAMECOCKS!

the afterbath...

and it is...

"cutest baby girl ever I seen in the whoooooole world".....so cute. thanks for playing along and good job E!

Today she's been saying funny things again but not on camera. When she's pouting and i'm joking with her (and she doesn't want to laugh) she says "Mom, that's too funny for me."

calling down the hall today to ask Celia a question it was "My sister, Celia, where is my mam?"

these are obviously written more for me to remember but it gives glimpses into her mind. i love how it works......

Interpretation

Two people in our house speak fluent Bennett.....Bennett being one and Celia the other. Dave and I can mostly pick up everything but every now and then she'll surprise us. Quickly her speech is getting clearer so while we enjoy these last weeks of Bennetteese I thought we'd play a game called "What's that she said?" Here's the first installment.....guess what Bennett says at the beginning of the video before it pans to Camilla. I'll let y'all know the answer soon.....

4 hole thanksgiving 08

Once again this year we headed south to 4 hole swamp in the country of Holly Hill, SC to spend the day giving thanks for where we are in life....we didn't get the best pictures this year (we were busy playing corn hole and cooking) but here are a couple of the ones we did manage to take...

cheez-it picnic with the cousins, the official salty snack of the Jacksons

Bennett readying the hay for the first hayride

this is mainly where Dave and Ben hung out....

my one of 2 games...I lost.

Camilla inspecting the hay with Daddy

our sweet little girls

the old fish house, I love this picture. I learned to cane pole fish here and we'd have fish fries and hush puppies here....this is the oldest pond on Grandmama and Granddaddy's land...

Celia and Dave had some great bonding time....she went hunting with him for the first time! The night before Dave had killed a 5 pt so he generously welcomed a little one in the stand with him. She was loaded down with layers of clothes, lots of snacks, books, and a pen and pad to help her stay quiet. She came back announcing "Mom....no luck." Oh well Cel, maybe next time!

Milla's first bite of turkey

Ben and Dave brought the table outside this year since the weather was so beautiful. It was great to enjoy even our meal outside! It was followed by lots of croquet and cornole.

Celia and Samuel eating Aunt Wizzy's awesome pumpkin pie. We had such a great Thanksgiving! We have so much to be thankful for.....

thankful

Just wanted to tell you all Happy Thanksgiving!  

Camilla is 8 months old today and she started crawling yesterday....big girl!  

We have much to be thankful for....a very full year....Camilla's birth, graduation, a job at Uptown, staying in Charlotte!, a new house, ordination, lifegroup, our church, our family, our dear dear friends who hold us up in prayer, we love you all.....to God be the glory!  Let us give Him thanks!

Bennett is 3!

Bennett turned 3 on November 5 and we loved celebrating the laughter of house! She continues to be so full of life and love and always surprises us by what comes out of her mouth- she's definitely very affectionate...lots of leg squeezes and kisses but also very independant (mommy please don't put your arm around me...we're reading) and insists she can do everything Celia can.....we love you B! we're so thankful for these past 3 years and the joy of you!

We started out the morning with breakfast cake (our version is a short stack with chocolate icing in between)

Bennett proudly displaying her 3 year placemat from E....now joining the ranks with the big kids

full of breakfast cake!

a date with E at the toy store....

and now time for the Fancy Nancy party!!

playing dress up on the porch...

Here's Dave pointing out that everybody is fancy except Shannon....then the search started to help turn Shannon into Fancy Shancy

and here she is! Fancy Shancy!

one of Ben's gifts was a tent and sleeping bag combo- that night the girls had their first camp-in and actually made it all night long! what a fun memory!