This year's Christmas parade was the 75th anniversary and it was fantastic! The children love watching and listening to the bands and some friends of ours have a great house and front yard to watch it from. If you haven't been to Greenwood's Christmas parade you need to come down the first weekend in December and visit! Below are a couple cute pictures of Bennett and his best buddy William enjoying the parade.

We had the pleasure of keeping Schatze during the Christmas holiday while his parents were in California and loved it! Parker and Bennett couldn't get Schatze out of their mind when he first arrived but then Parker's interest waned and Schatze kept eating Bennett's sticks so then there was Lulu. She loved playing fetch with him and he was incredibly patient and gentle with her. Sometimes she wouldn't through the toy right away or at all and he would just sit and wait. Here are just a few of the many pictures that we took of them. I also have some video I will post.
When she came for the toy he would just drop it and let her pick it up. If it were Clif or I we had to make him let it go....it was pretty amazing.

He never took his eye off of the toys!

We really enjoyed keeping him and look forward to it again!

You have to love how children love to play in boxes! We had a huge box from Christmas that Lulu found quite amusing as you can see below. I also posted a video. After laughing a lot she gets the hiccups just like her big sister.

Where's Lulu?
Here I am!

Let's do it again! and again! and again!

Until Parker and Bennett destroyed the box!

Lulu having too much fun playing in a box. They always say children love the box more than the toy and this proves it!

Christmas morning was so much fun! The children slept in until 8! Lulu was the first to wake up even though Bennett fell asleep at 7 on the couch. See the beautiful picture hanging in the top right corner...that is my Christmas picture!

As you can see Bennett got a four wheeler! You might think we are crazy but he rode one at a friends house and loved it. It only goes 5 miles an hour at top speed!

Parker go the new American Doll "Lanie" who loves the outdoors. She also came with an entire wardrobe!
We've already enjoyed many hours on the four wheeler even though it is 30 degrees outside! See Schatze in the backgroud...he is loving Greenwood!

First ride on the four wheeler.

We hope that everyone had a wonderful and Merry Christmas with family and friends!

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Luke 2:13-

Happy Bowling trip! While we were in Natchez for Thanksgiving with all the family we went bowling. The kids loved it! Below are the pictures I took from Thanksgiving and they are in no particular order.

Aunt Lauren and Crosby learning to bowl
The 3 year old boys had a blast. Only Taylor had been bowling before. I couldn't resist posting these smiles

Parker and Coco enjoying some quiet time reading

The weather was unseasonably warn on Thanksgiving day and the children loved playing outside with the neighbor.

The Parkers come to town!

Lulu loved it playing outside too!

Uncle Shannon and Schatze! We get to keep Schatze over the Christmas holiday...don't worry Shannon and Sarah we will take great care of him!

Parker and Cannon coloring. Great idea to get the paper Coco!

Bennett made friends with the neighbor's grandson Jack.

Can Can Man!

Our brown eyed girl!

Budding photographers

Coco reading a book -- what's new!?

Uncle Michael and his God Daughter

Uncle Crosby and Aunt Lauren enjoying the family time.

These are pictures from Bennett's school program. Parker's best friend Ann Gerard came along too. I knew he would like it because he has always had a little thing for her.

Bennett and his best buddy William at their Thanksgiving program

I'm so behind updating y'all on what's happening. While loading these pictures I realized that I hadn't posted Thanksgiving so they will be next. Below are some pictures of the Barnes grandchildren getting together to decorate sugar cookies since Brian, Beth & Ruby will be in New Jersey for Christmas. This seems to be the best of many funny pictures of the four of them.

Lulu really enjoyed eating her cookie she decorated

I'm going to post all the pictures I took a few Saturdays ago because they are just too funny as you will see below but here are a few of the good ones. Bennett won't stop saying cheese so that he can actually smile. Lulu has the smile thing down!
I almost sent this as the Christmas card because it makes me laugh out loud!

This was one of the better ones

At Parker's school Christmas party they decorated cookies and she took her time icing her's just right

Bennett and I at his Christmas party. He wanted to wear the Santa hat.

Every year at Pillow Academy the 4K & 5k present a live Nativity. Parker is the lamb on the bottom left. It had gotten cold on her day but many of the costumes are really warm so they didn't seem to mind.

Clif and I went to a tacky Christmas party. It was a lot of fun. I wish I had more pictures to post of the other guests.

Can everyone guess who Clif is?

Random fun December photos! Parker and I decorating the tree.

Lulu loves this stacking game.

Family Elefun!

Doing the dishes. Ladies eat your hearts our!

Beware the pictures below might be a little strange but Parker and Bennett have been enjoying walking around and taking pictures....I think Santa has an idea. Below are some pictures that Parker took. There are a lot of them but I'm only posting a few....they make me smile.