Merry Marlatt Christmas, Take II

This past weekend, we packed up and headed into ATL for a whirlwind Christmas get-together with Mike's Marlatts. It was a packed house to say the least. This year, the kids decided to surprise Mike's parents with a new washer and dryer. They were much needed and his parents we surprised beyond words. (They really are nice! It's sad when we all stand around to admire appliances and long to create more work for ourselves! Everyone could think of something they wanted washed!)

Grammy and Poppy aren't fans of moderation. They LOVE Christmas!

Kensley got a tricycle for Christmas

Since Grammy and Poppy tied balloons on the kids' big presents, we did the same for them!

Very, very nice! (Poppy is probably thinking, "I will just be!")

No Marlatt Christmas is complete without a friendly game!

Marlatt babies

Y'ALL!!!!

Oh. MY. HEAVENS!!!! I just won something!!! I went to blog about our Christmas with the Marlatts this past weekend, stopped in to moderate my comments (yes, I censor!), and saw that I won something from TEACHING HEART!!!! I am toooooooooo excited! Here is the comment she left me. I am going to XXX her address for her privacy.
Hey, did you know you were the winner of the Teaching Heart giveaway? http://teachingheartmom.blogspot.com/search/label/giveaway


I need your shipping address. Can you please send it to
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It's a Merry Marlatt Christmas

We had the wonderful privilege of having Nanna, Pop, Mimi, and Uncle Rob travel to our house for Christmas this year. What a wonderful Christmas it was!

The only thing we could get Kensley to tell us she wanted from Santa was a candy cane. That was it. Fortunately, Santa knew Kensley would enjoy more. With that said, Santa left Kensley a candy cane, a seat for my bike, Mr. and Mrs. Potato Heads, a lawn chair, and much, much more!

We also took the opportunity to pose for family pics at our house and at the beach! We can honestly say that we have never had a Christmas picture at the beach. What fun! (brrrrrrrrrrr!)

Kensley and her candy cane

Dress Up

Wheeler Christmas

We three

brrrrr..take two - at the beach

Keep me warm!!!

It's Christmastime at The Marlatts!

I just couldn't stand it. I decorated the house the weekend before Thanksgiving. Generally, I would have waited. However, Mike was away, so I gave myself permission to crank up the Christmas tunes and knock out my decorating since we would be away for Thanksgiving weekend. This has been a great Christmas - already! Kensley just loves all of the lights everywhere from Main Steet to our home. She tells me often how "beautiful" our tree is and how much she likes it.

~Kensley helping decorate~

Our "one finger rule" was overturned this season when it came to touching the tree as I happened upon Kensley gathering my ornaments from the tree and putting them in her sand bucket. Uh, no! Later that evening when Kensley showed Nanna and Pop the tree over the phone, Kensley told Pop, "Do not touch the tree AT ALL!" This was a direct quote from her mother only hours earlier. Since then, Kensley has been tempted, but has been VERY good about not touching the tree "at all!"

Over the weekend, a neighbor informed us about the town's annual Christmas parade, which we absolutely flew by the seat of our pants to make it there. It started at 5:30 and we left here at 5:15. Mike's super-duper parking skills came in handy and he snagged an awesome parking spot right by the town Christmas Tree. Kensley loved the parade, the candy everyone threw from the floats, and BEADS! There was a sweet family who shared their spot with us to absorb some candy. Just the right attitude, especially for the holiday season. Ahhhhh. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays one and all!

Kensley and Daddy

We three Waving to the parade stars!

A sweet family shared their spot with Kensley so she could score some candy.

Say Cheese!

Aunt Marilyn and Aunt Judy came down for the weekend and came bearing Christmas gifts. Because Kensley loves playing with cameras and makes anything a camera, they thought giving Kensley her own camera for Christmas would be the perfect gift! They were right, however the jaws of our house are completely exhasuted from saying, "Cheese" this past week. Here are a few pictures of Kensley opening her camera. The unidentified objects are random things throughout the house - taken by Kensley. I think this is our carpet, which means she was just holding down the shutter button.

How does this work?

Cheese, Elmo. Elmo! Say Cheese!

Contemplating all of the pcitures she was going to take and waiting patiently for batteries.