and then...she was 5

I began my blog when this girl...was 6 months old...and now, just look at the young lady she has become..

We celebrated her 5th birthday on Feb. 1...manicures, icecream, cupcakes, new clothes, hugs, and lots of giggles...I can't believe she's 5 now.

My word, when they say the years fly, they surely do.

Even Reese(y) baby got in on the fun as we made our own versions of balloon animals that turned out more like balloon blobs.

Nevertheless, it was enjoyable.

And then we partied...Rock-n-Roll style, that is.

With some special guests & lots of friends & family 

a magic show and puppet show 

lots of yummy goodies from popcorn and rock candy, to veggies

a homemade birthday cake...because I'm loving this tradition

(I mean hey I'm no Ina Garten or Martha Stewart...but its all in fun)

a party just isn't complete without handmade, girly tutus

(seriously, easiest thing ever to make)

homemade chocalate and vanilla cupcakes with personalized cake toppers

And the birthday girl..

I love these little girls..

Christmas parades and marshmellows..

Holiday festivities make us smile.

And so does...

Horses galloping.

cuddling up to stay warm..

ginormous parade floats/balloons..

post parade food devouring

ok, we attend Tanglewood's Festival of Lights every, single, year.

Yes, its the same 2.2 million lights every single year.

Yes, its the same long line of cars waiting hours to get through.

But it's a Christmas Tradition...

My sister and her hubs joined us for a fun filled evening of dinner and lights..

baby, its cold outside.

And my coat makes me look like I'm stashing 4 kids inside it. hmmph. not cool.

now all we needed was snow.

but marshmellows, hot chocolate and apple cider will do..

my family roasted marshmellows...

and for the first time ever in my life...I roasted marshmellows...

I'm not a good "marshmellow roaster"...(these babies have not a hint of golden color)

but Mike is a marshmellow burner.....yowza!

how Christmas-y and fun..

May the spirit of Christmas bring you peace,

                                                  The gladness of Christmas give you hope,

                                                  The warmth of Christmas grant you love.                    

please tell me you've seen this...

This is the funniest. movie. ever.

And my favorite holiday movie.

I couldn't even name my favorite part...so I thought I'd quote a few lines from the movie...

"We're kicking off our fun old-fashioned family Christmas by heading out into the country in the old front-wheel drive sleigh to embrace the frosty majesty of the winter landscape and select that most important of Christmas symbols." ~ Clark

"The most enduring traditions of the season are best enjoyed in the warm embrace of kith and kin. Thith tree is a thymbol of the the thspirit of the Griswold family Chrithmath." ~Clark 

"Can I refill your eggnog for you? Get you something to eat? Drive you out to the middle of nowhere and leave you for dead?" ~Clark

S@!tter was full. ~ Eddie

                   

"Where do you think you're going? Nobody's leaving. Nobody's walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas. No, no. We're all in this together. This is a full-blown, four-alarm holiday emergency here. We're gonna press on, and we're gonna have the hap, hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny Kaye. And when Santa squeezes his fat white ass down that chimney tonight, he's gonna find the jolliest bunch of assholes this side of the nuthouse"

Trust me, this is a must watch...
what's your favorite quote??

a giveaway...ahhhhh!!

Do you wanna win one of my blooming necklaces?!

Well, my sweet friend, Ashlyn over at My Unrehearsed Life is hosting a giveaway!

 So head on over there and see what you gotta do to win!!

BUT HURRY!! Ends Monday at midnight!!

And tell your friends!!

Just in time for Christmas!! Who doesn't love something free!!??

turkey & shopping...

Thanksgiving was a fun time with the Mackey bunch....

being little Reese's first Thanksgiving, we had to make sure it was extra special.

First things first, "PawPaw" carved a delicious turkey....

Our little Rylee girl anxiously awaited to dive in...

Then we did a little family visitin' at my dad and Grandma's house...

Ofcourse, PawPaw Johnson oooed and ahhed over 'lil bit"

My sweet little Grandma (who keeps the heat on what I swear feels like 934 degrees...even when it's 72 degrees outside). Nonetheless, she's precious.

Lil bit cares about nothing else is thankful for....her thumb.

loving this little mini me and thankful for her...

onto the next Thanksgiving meal....

with candlelit chatting and shop ad gathering...

with new faces (Reese) meeting old faces (Grandpa Sam)....and then staring at them.

children played....babies got stuffed in the ball pit..

cousins reunited....and became "best friends" again, because being "just"cousins isn't enough...

Thanksgiving was everything I'd hoped for...

Then...came Black Friday Shopping...

Here, our driver, Mr. Mackey himself, keeping up with the rush of traffic....because there isn't a minute to lose when it comes to Leapster games on sale for $14.99, board games for $3.88, dish sets for $25, and DVDs for $1.96....

that smile, the smile that says "this is freakin' awesome!"

yes, sales so amazing that you totally wig out....

traffic so ridiculous that you just crank up the Christmas Music or old school 90's rap music and jam out...

laughing so hard that you nearly pee yourself while waiting in line which would be ok because Kohls has jeans on sale for $13.99, buy one get one....

 and ofcourse, seeing the look on your husband's face that says "YES! ALL NIGHT SHOPPING? PSSHHH, GIRL, I'M IN!!"

waiting in lines wrapped around buildings, meeting new friends in line only to find out that they are after that same $7 fleece pajama set you are, and yelling "Go Team" while forming a small huddle at the opening of each store...

and freezing...because for some reason the temperature has dropped 10 degrees while waiting in line...and dreaming we had brought a turkey plate with us...eh, McDonalds will have to suffice...

I hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Black Friday!