Words of my 3 year old...

"I love you SOOO big!"
"I love you TOOOO much!"

To hear him say these things puts a smile on my face!!!!

LOVE my Lil' monster to pieces!

Traditions new and old...

Traditions are so important to me! I love old ones and embrace new ones! My most favorite one is our Christmas Eve party with my Italian family. We cook Italian sausage, drink wine, and enjoy family! My friend Jenn and I also take our boys to The Polar Express in Calera to see Santa! It is so much fun! Going to Atlanta for the Wiggs' Christmas is very important to me too. We missed it this year because Coop was in Destin. But I hope to work something out where we can go next year!
Christmas breakfast with Nonna and Papaw and Dinner at my house with Grandpa and Grammy Kim. Lastly, I enjoy going to Christmas mass with Bernard every year. Next year, we will probably attend A Church of Hope for their Christmas service.

A Tradition that I want to continue is FRUIT pizza for Christmas morning! That stuff is to die for!! Thanks James! Also, Going to shop Black Friday with Kim.

Ones that I thought of after the fact...
-I want to give Coop Christmas Jammies for his bday every year. That way, he will be ready for Polar Express and he will get lots of wear out of them before Christmas.
- To get Coop's pics taken the weekend of Thanksgiving. And have Christmas Cards sent out by the first of December!
- I want to start my shopping as early as possible next year. Maybe August???

We are so blessed!

Cooper is one the luckiest 3 year olds I know!! He has 4 sets of Grandparents that ALL adore him! The weekend before Christmas, C went to Destin with his dad and aunt ally to see RoRo and Papa. When we came home Sunday, he was loaded down with his first batch of toys. On Christmas Eve day, Coop and I went to James' families house in Elrod. Coop again received toys! To end our day, Coop saw his Nonna and Papaw. They showered him with MORE gifts! Our Christmas day was filled with lots of love too! Nonna and Papaw came over for breakfast. Then C and I headed over to GiGi's for presents and family time. Grammy Bobbie, Grandaddy, and "Ms.Ally" were all there to see Cooper. Then we headed home to visit with Grandpa and Grammy Kim. We cooked ham, chicken and dressing, green bean casserole, and ate our Birthday Cake for Jesus.
I would say that Cooper had a WONDERFUL Christmas!!!! The rest of the weekend was so lazy and so lovely! James', Coop, and I enjoyed a great service at A Church of Hope in Irondale. I think we have found a new church home and I am thrilled about that!

Christmas Day 2009

Happy Birthday Jesus!!!!











Grandpa and Grammy came over for dinner. James' made the BEST chicken and dressing! We had so much fun playing our new Wii that James' gave us for Christmas!



Christmas at GiGi's with Grandaddy, Grammy Bobbie, and Aunt Ally.
Grammy and Grandaddy got C a cool trash truck, books, clothes, and a scrapbook. I LOVE scrapbooks of my sweet boy!








Coop had a WONDERFUL Christmas!!! He got everything he wanted and MUCH MUCH MORE! Our house now looks like Toys R Us!

James' made a YUMMY Fruit pizza! That will defiantly become part of our Christmas Day breakfast every year! Nonna and Papaw came over for Christmas breakfast. This is also part of our Christmas tradition. They love seeing Coop with all of his new toys!




Coop's new "puter".



Cooper checking out all of the new toys that Santa brought him.

Lorino Christmas Eve Party!

This year was a bit different on Christmas Eve. Usually the PARTY is at my parents house. This year, we switched it up a bit and had it at Aunt Angie and Uncle Don's house. First, we went to church with Michael, Lea, Sam, Elena, and Papaw. Then we headed over to my parents to open gifts. Coop got so much great stuff. He loves his "Cheeseburger house" and tools. After gifts, we loaded up once more and went to Aunt Angie's. As tradition, we had Italian sausage, peppers, and onions. My family is Italian and I LOVE IT! We drank wine, an 89 year old women played the harmonica, ate TOO much food, the kids opened more gifts, and called it a night around 8:30. The weather was cold and rainy, So we had to get home so Santa could come!

Christmas '09 with the Reece Family...

James and I getting ready to go to Church with the Lorino family.




C loved his "city" with the firetrucks, police cars, and the jail that Mr. and Mr. Reece gave him.







Coop and James' nephew Keaton on Christmas Eve day.




Christmas at the Reece House in Elrod.

Cookies for Santa

Polar Express- Year 2

This was our 2nd year to go to the Calera Train Station with Jenn and Mack for the Polar Express! As tradition, we go to Mack's for chili. This year the boys exchanged gifts and decorated cookies! The boys had a blast and loved Santa! Can't wait to do it again next year!!

Christmas Memories 2009

Our SECOND tree! The first one lasted a week. Poor little thing!




Writing his letter to Santa. This year Coop wanted a Choo Choo train!






This year Sammy the Elf came to visit us the month of December. At first C was unsure about our new friend. But after a day or so, Sammy and Coop were friends. Coop was sad to see him go back to the North Pole.




Cooper's friends at Dawson Church. R,K,C, and J. J and Coop are best buds!