Many thanks!

Just want to give a shout out to the B Family and thank you guys for the bag full of dress up princess dresses. Allie is in princess heaven and has been living in these dresses ever since she discovered the bag. (Currently has on this purple one).

Thank you! THANK YOU. Thaaaank Yooooouuuuu!

Bye Bye Blondie

I've been threatening to go brown for years...



I've had anxiety about finding a new hairdresser up here...and have had dreams about getting horrible cuts. Well, a slight miscommunication between me and my new hairdresser left me as a brunette.


I was thinking about adding in some low lights and darkening my hair color just a bit, but leaving my natural color as a highlight. I knew my original plan was caput when the first slap of goo went on my hair...and on all of my hair, with no foil. It turns out...darkened I did.....and a lot!

I like it???, but I don't like the haircut. I just don't know if I will keep it this dark....or maybe a better haircut will help it out? Maybe it will just take some getting used too....or maybe I just am not a fan of myself as a brunette??? ??? ???

Regardless, it's only hair and can be changed. What do you think?

White Chrismtas 2010

Pics from our snow-filled-family-fun Christmas Day yesterday.

We ended up with 6 inches on the ground. We found a triple hill on the 16th fairway that we have been sledding on this morning along with other neighborhoodians.

We're having so much fun with the snow. Trees are covered...just beautiful.

It's a Marshmellow World....

For those of you waiting on the edge of your seats to hear an update from The Pattons, we are having a very Merry WHITE Christmas here in Hickory.



4 1/2 inches of snow recorded so far and expecting another 3-5 tonight and into tomorrow afternoon.

We have taken full advantage of the snow and have been outside playing/sledding all day. It appears my family is snowed in with us....one more glorious day with them.

Lots of fun snow pictures to come...

Merry Christmas to all.

Santa's lap

Well, since I got blasted in the comments section of my last post (aren't you people suppose to be my friends?????!!!)....

....Let's move on to something a bit more cheerful shall we?



Our visit to sit on Santa's lap went well this year.

In years passed, we have left with either a screaming child or a peed on Santa. This year....both kids did so well.



This little guy was in line waving hysterically while yelling, "Santa, santa, santa".



In Allie's (almost) 5 years of Santa experiences....this is the first that she did not cry.



Both kids sat willingly on Santa's lap. Gabe had enough after a few short pictures and quickly hopped down. Luckily, his big sister was there to fill Santa in on his wish list (choo choo train track, gumballs, and stickers).



Then she proceeded to tell Santa she wanted princess dresses, real diamonds, and a hamster.

Little does she know Santa has a surprise up his sleeve. It might not be a diamond or a hamster (I'm rooting for a new dog myself)....but I have a feeling the kids are going to go nuts when they see their Santa surprise on Christmas morning.

The Proposal

Allie received a very important phone call last night via skype...



It was from this adorable little fella.

The phone call went a little something like this...



G: Hey Allie, will you marry me?
A: Yes (and runs off)
Me: Okay, G, now all you need is the diamond ring.....and a job.

Seriously, this little guy and Allie LOVE each other. G and his family came up to for a visit last weekend. We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends!



Little sister.



Charlie, still bitter? I'm waiting on our rematch.

Mr. E

Meet Mr. E.

I took these photos back in Oct when E was just one week old. I was originally suppose to meet him in the hospital and take hospital photos, but he decided to come into this world 5 weeks early while I was a 12 hour drive away.

Please say a prayer for Mr. E. He had surgery yesterday in Philadelphia to remove a mass in his chest a young 5 weeks old. I understand the surgery went well and E is doing okay. Please pray for this little guy and his family and their safe return home.

Merry Christmas

Our Christmas card photo this year.

Most of you have seen this in your mail box.

For those of you who have not.....

TIS THE SEASON TO BE MERRY, LOVE - THE PATTONS

Old photographs

(dad don't cry......)

I love photographs.

I love taking photographs.

And for this very reason. Memories. Photographs help capture those special moments and those special people in your lives....some that you may not have ever known.

I was beyond thrilled to get an email from my dad today, with a slew of old family photographs.




My dad ( in the middle) with my grandparents.




My grandma. Better known as Momma Logan.

I was a jr. in high school when my grandmother passed away. I miss her. I wish I could go back over to her house and work a puzzle with her as we watch Wheel of Fortune. Such a sweet lady.




I never knew my grandfather. But I know he was an amazing man with an amazing voice. My parents say that's where I got my voice and musical talents. In the photo above is my grandfather, Otis, leading singing.




What a fun walk down memory lane....even though I was nowhere in the picture yet!

I only hope, one day (when we get settled into our new home), I am able to capture photographs of families that one day they will look back on and smile.

Lights Out

We lost power in Allie's room last week, and were stumped what on earth happened.

The breaker in Allie's room is connected to our hot water, so when one goes, the other goes. Poor little Allie has been living in a dark room for the past week while we get an electrician out to help solve the mystery.

Well....



I soon located this.

And below this electrical outlet spotted........





......This......

And lastly, our final peice to the puzzle was found yesterday.....





This!

I cannot believe A.) Nobody (ahem Gabe) got hurt, B.) Our house didn't burn to the ground.



When I showed Gabe the burnt up night light he said, "it's broken", and when I asked if he did it he replied, "Yes".

At least he's honest.

Rewind to last night. Allie and I are having a moment on the couch talking about Christmas while sitting in the dark looking at our colorfully lit Christmas tree.

Me: Allie, what do you want for Christmas?
A: For the lights to work in my room.

O Tannenbaum O Tannenbaum...

We had the brilliant idea of driving 40 minutes to a cut your own Christmas tree farm this year hoping to have a little family fun picking out the perfect tree.

I was pretty disapointed. This particular tree farm only had white pines, leyland cypresses, and a few puny blue spruces.

Turns out the only thing purchased at the tree farm were 2 bags of popcorn for the kids for the ride home.

The next two photos are at the tree farm.







We stopped on our way home to the little stands with the already cut fraser firs.

We did find our perfect tree here.



We were only home 5 minutes with our tree when it started snowing.



What perfect weather to decorate our Christmas tree.






We got the tree decorated just in time to sit down and watch Auburn beat SC Gamecocks for the SEC Championship. War Eagle! And Merry Christmas.