Christmas Morning

Ho Ho came to our house! Ellie was such a good girl & he ate some of the cookies we left out!!

Here is the scene as she saw it this morning.

It was so fun to watch her expression & excitement.

 Checking out her new kitchen

 A leapfrog scribble & draw ... just like Maddie's!!

 Seeing what Ho Ho left behind!

 The kitchen was defintiely a HIT!!  A friend told me of a blog she read & decided on what Santa would do for her kids. I had already prepared his letter & everything this year but thought it was a good idea. So, at their house every year he brings each child something she needs, something she wants, something she can wear & something she can read. Well, after all that... I pretty much had it exactly~ needed the leap frog learning tool, 'wanted' the kitchen (even tough she didnt know it, but she loves her friends!), a gap outfit to wear & a mickey book to read~it was perfect & I think we will stick with this tradition!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL FOR OUR FAMILY TO YOURS~ love & happy birthday baby Jesus!!

Christmas Eve

It is finally here!! Ellie is all about "ho ho" ~ she says she wants to sit on his lap, but never did. We tried twice this year with no luck.

Chad was on call at Holston Valley. We were going to stop by for a visit but he was too busy. Ellie & I had a few plans... we ran to Target (not for last minute shopping but for these white tights!). Then we were invited to The Clark's for before church appetizers.

Ellie girl before heading to the Clark's. I love this Santa outfit my friend Allyson found for a steal!

 She loves the Nativity Scene my mom gave her. It is little people & she has played with it every day! She even says "happy birthday baby Jesus" ~ so sweet!

 After church, we went to the Hall's for a little dinner. They knew we were alone & were so kind to have us over! We are so blessed to have such good friends as the Clark's & Hall's here in Johnson City!
                                Ellie & Barrett in their church clothes~ they are such sweet friends!

 We got home & were ready for bed!! But Ellie was such a big helper to put cookies out for Santa!

 CHEESE!! She was so proud, even though I don't think she really gets it...

Hope everyone had a blessed day!!! & just a little side note for myself for the future... at church tonight, right after Communion, Ellie signed & said out loud, "all done" hahaha! It was SO funny & some of the people around us giggled. She also said "Peace' at the sign of peace & AMEN!! The girl just warms my heart every day!

Christmas Card mini session

With Lauren Clark... Captured by Clark Photography... LOVE her!!

 We went with this one on the card!

 Lauren liked this one!

 I made copies of this one for family of Ellie

 Wish she would have smiled here bc i love the colors!

 Like this too ...  just not ellie's smile

Merry Christmas, from our family to yours!!!

Visiting Santa

Well, this year isnt much better than last..

Here are barrett, ellie & maddie waiting to see Santa at the Carnegie

 She was all happy about seeing 'ho ho', she even said she would sit on his 'lap'. It was all fine from afar, but not so interested about sitting on his lap! So, I held her & we took a picture together.

 The girls were a little more interested about grabbing the candy cane!

 Still thinking about this whole deal... but liked the candy! & looked pretty sweet in her outfit!

 Mommy & Ellie by the tree... Daddy had to work.

Ho Ho Ho!!!

Tree Farm

This year, I decided we should go to the Christmas Tree Farm to pick our tree! Chad did not understand why, but I had this great idea of cute pics!! & as you can see I was RIGHT! Ellie had so much fun wandering around & picking our tree. I of course wanted Chad to cut down this huge 10 footer, but he was more realistic & we went with a 7 foot tree. Here is our fun afternoon at the farm!

CHEESE!

 Can you tell she likes the camera?!?

 Following daddy around to find the perfect one

 He cut it down all by hm self!

 This is the one!!

Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season~ we sure are!!

Mullins party of 11!!

wow... our already big family is multiplying!! Michael & Ryan are with us now (Ryan was actually in the picture last year, just no one knew it!).  Our Christmas card photo session went unbelievably well!!

Here is a little peek of the pics... the card turned out GREAT!!

the whole group... Ellie & Ryan looked so CUTE in their matching ourfits. Ann says Ryan will be mad at us one day for making him match his girl cousin but...!! Mom decided to go with greys to compliment their red & it turned out good.

 We always take a sisters picture~

 & Now the sisters have babies!! Ellie & Ryan are so wonderful! Makes us think, how it was before they were here?!?

 YaYa & Pops with their grandbabies~ they love them SO much!!

Ellie now says that Yaya is her best friend!! So sweet :)

Hope everyone is enjoying this holiday season!!

Update...

... after 2 weeks of sleeping on the floor, last night Ellie slept all night in her big girl bed!! Praise the Lord!!

One happy girl!!

Now if tonight will be the same... we will see!?!
We are enjoying our beautiful Fall day~
We had a very fun weekend! My in laws were in town. We went out to eat Friday night, shopped Saturday & us girls went to a 'favorite things' party. Sunday after they left we went to Knoxville to watch Ellen play.
I am looking forward to recieving the proofs from our Christmas card min session with Lauren Clark!! We went to downtown Kingsport & took lots of pics in 20 minutes. I am a big fan of Lauren with Captured by Clark!!
We have a play date planned tomorrow &a first birthday party this weekend. LOVE~

Happy Halloween

We celebrated Halloween all week! Ellie had some cute & festive clothes, found out she loves candy corn & enjoyed herself at all the parties!

Aunt Neen came for a visit the weekend before. Ellie wore her dress out to eat!

 Saturday night we attended a halloween party & Ellie wore her Ballerina costume

 Happy girl with all the kids at the party~there was a cow girl, scooby & a turkey!

 Sunday, Ellen had a home game so we went to Knoxville! Ryan & Ellie matched & the perfect shade of ORANGE for the Lady Vols!!

I love these 2 babies so much~

 Aunt Maggie, Ellen & Rie with the cousins!! They are so much fun & enjoyed cheering aunt Ellen on to VICTORY over SC

 Ellie holding her favorite cousin Ryan aka Ry-Ry

 Little Halloween play date with Katelyn!

 Ellie's first door to trick or treat at~not sure why the finger is in the nose... It was so cold here, she could not be the cutest ballerina... so we went with plan B, a warm Pumpkin!!

 Daddy & Ellie trick or treating!! We went around with three families here in JC~ 8 parents & 7 kids... we had wagons & strollers & ergo carriers! We had such a fun time.

We ate a quick crock pot dinner then headed out to trick or treat ~6.  Chad actually was off, YAY! He enjoyed getting the candy as much as Ellie did :) Once we made a big circle, it was getting cold so we wrapped it up. Once we got home, Ellie was wired! She played for a hour before we got her to bed. & brief sleeping update... she still gets out of bed & sleeps on the floor right inside her door every night. I put a quilt & pillows down for her. Hopefully, she will realize her bed is more comfortable & warmer, but for now we aren't fighting that battle! Hard to believe it is November now & Thanksgiving is right around the corner ~ we have a busy month ahead. Chad just switched roatations, back to Kingsport.

PLAY TIME

We love playing with friends & here are a few shots~

Maddie & Ellie

 RUN!!!

 Lunch time with Zach & Maddie

 Helping me make dirt cake for our visit from cousins Abby & Ashlyn

(I guess I know why this Polo dress was on sale... she can unbutton it too easy!)

 Enjoying the Cool Whip top

 (excuse the beer bottle in the back ground... I was not drinking during the day, promise it was empty from the night before!)

 At Hadley Gray's 1st Birthday Party~ Ellie's owl shirt was perfect for the little hoot theme!! She was checking all the kids out!

 Multi tasking... lunch & blackberry! She loves talking on the phone now. She brings me the phone & says "Yaya" so of course we call my mom & she LOVES it!!! It is so funny, everyitme the phone rings she thinks it is Yaya (do we talk that much?!) & everytime I say bye she says 'byebye Yaya'!! SO CUTE! 

Ellie wants to know where everybody is now. She goes through all the names she knows & says 'where daddy' or 'where Pa'? I tell her what everybody is doing at that particular time! & she likes to tell you whose item it is... mommy's & points to the bed), daddy's &points to his car. She is a mess & when I call her a mess, she says 'mess' :) love her~