Christmas in Holly Springs

Last year, we spent a very seasonably chilly day at the Thanksgiving Day parade in Charlotte.  It felt like a big city celebration.  This year, we are enjoying more of "small town" life although our small town is still close to a larger city.  Evan's Cub Scout troop was supposed to march in the Raleigh Christmas parade earlier in the season, but that day was so miserably rainy, we didn't want to subject him or the rest of us to those conditions.  The Holly Springs parade was on a nicer and warmer day and was just a much more pleasant experience for us all.  Brody enjoyed racking up lots of candy and treats while Evan and Daddy marched with the Cub Scouts.  Baby Mattox also enjoyed the parade and got a little treat.

Our local high school's band looked and sounded great.  I guess the Mayor has an anti-bullying campaign.  

Brody loved waving to the parade participants. 

Brody loved Sparky the fire dog.   The real fire dog was also present although he wasn't a dalmation.  

I love the floats representing the real reason for the season.  

Holly Springs Town Council and Citizen of the Year.  Brody loved those little race cars. 

I just loved these old cars.  They don't make 'em like they used to.  

Some Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops were represented along with the Santa and Elf cows from Chick-fil-a. 

My favorite Cub Scouts!  Evan didn't see us at first and then was trying to dig some candy from his pocket to bring to Brody. 

More local school bands and some more floats representing schools and businesses. 

Brody got his picture with the big tooth and toothbrush. 

Speaking of kids needing to brush their teeth.  Yep, I am the bad mommy who let her baby eat his first candy cane.  

I think this float was my favorite.  What a neat Noah's ark! 

Our church band was present along with another local school's mascot, a horse drawn sleigh, and another festive float. 

Santa and his reindeer hitched a ride on a local fire truck. I just love those shots of Evan and Brody watching Santa together.  I am so glad Evan joined us right before the end of the parade. 

After the parade, we took the boys to see the high school production of The Nutcracker.  Wow, there is some serious talent at that school, and they put a lot into this production!  Although they changed the story a little for the production, I think the boys still got a good idea of what the original is all about.  They didn't do all ballet in this production, and the dancing and costumes were so professional looking and fun.  

This Monday night, we all enjoyed our new church's big Christmas Eve service.  We have been attending the Holly Springs campus of Hope Community Church.  The Christmas Eve service is at the main campus in Raleigh/Cary area.  No, it wasn't technically Christmas Eve, but this church's program is such a huge production that it has to perform multiple services all week long to accommodate the crowds of people.  You also need to reserve seats online to insure you will have a seat at any of the services.  This year's theme was Hometown Christmas, and the area outside the worship area was set up like a cute and cozy little town.  The boys enjoyed playing in the toy store and drinking hot chocolate after the service.  The service was a wonderful reminder of the real reason for the season as we lit candles to represent Jesus as the light of the world.

They had a cute little backdrop set up for family photos before or after the service.  Of course, Mattox was knocked out, and we didn't want to disturb him.  I made Evan and Brody pose with their candles after the service before they blew them out. 

The boys loved playing in the toy store before the service, and Evan listened to a Christmas story being read to him.  

Merry Christmas from Our Family to Yours! {2015}

Hello, friends!  I am hoping to get our Christmas cards in the mail today, but since I am running behind, some of you may not get them before Christmas.  Hey, at least they do say Happy New Year too!  I know Christmas card sending seems to be a dying tradition, but I just think there is nothing more personal than a card in the mail, and I don't want to stop this tradition.  I definitely don't get as many cards these days, but I treasure every one.  I love receiving cards (and especially pictures) from our family and friends in the mail.  I especially love getting cards from my special blog friends.  I just want to wish every one of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I wanted our card to be a way to share some of our favorite pictures from the year.  It has been such a special year with our little Mattox with us.   In true "Sherry" DIY fashion, I made the cards myself and had them printed at Staples (way cheaper than Shutterfly).  Unfortunately, they did crop my card just a little in the printed versions, but it is still mostly the same.

I wanted to do a little year in review summary on the back of our cards to share what our family has been up to.  What a year!

These sweet boys did all the "work" of setting up this photo shoot.  

They tried out different poses.  Eddie didn't like this one where he blocked too much of the tree.  

What a special Christmas I am having with these 3 beautiful boys! 

I just love them! 

These two just adore one another. 

Picture perfection! 

Our Family ~ We actually forgot to get Cocoa in our family picture this year.  Boo!  I am glad Mattie's stocking is in the picture representing her. 

And Mattox says this photo shoot is FINISHED!  Haha! 

Christmas Fail #1 - Eddie and I both seemed to forget to get a family picture with this little cutie this year.  I guess wrangling three kids and a dog for a family picture was just too much.  Sigh.  I did get this picture of Cocoa with her stocking. 

Instead of the plain green stocking I made for Cocoa last year, I decided to use this one that was Evan's first stocking.  I painted over where I had written his name on the little star and wrote Cocoa's name.  I think it is much cuter. 

A Capitol Christmas

Our family has really been enjoying starting some new traditions in our new town. Since we live close to Raleigh now, I thought it would be neat for the boys to see the Capitol building at Christmastime. The governor lights a special tree in front of the Capitol, and then everyone can move inside to see the decor and meet Santa. Afterwards, everyone is also welcome to visit the Executive Mansion and see all of the beautiful decorations there. The boys and I even got to meet our governor at the mansion. It was actually a chance meeting as he was coming in as we were leaving so I didn't get a picture. We greeted him, shook hands, and talked to him about how we "followed" him from Charlotte. He was our mayor in Charlotte before he was elected governor. And yes, I do think he has done a pretty decent job as governor. Things were kind of a mess from our previous governor so he has really been trying to be more fiscally responsible.

The Capitol and tree before the tree lighting began.  There were also luminaries all along the pathways around the Capitol building, but I didn't take a picture until later in the night when many had burned out.  The military presence with their mascot, the bald eagle, was a sweet touch. 

Evan got his picture with the Durham Bulls (minor league baseball) mascot and the Carolina Hurricanes (professional NHL team) mascot.   Brody flat out refused.  He did cooperate a little for a picture with me. 

The streets were lit up for the holidays, a band played festive Christmas music, and it was a gorgeous night to be outside. 

Making memories with Baby Mattox for his first Christmas.  We had to hold Brody up for this picture. 

A beautifully lit NC grown Frasier fir, the only "real" Christmas tree.  Evan, Brody, and the other children actually got to go on stage with the Mayor and Santa, but I wasn't able to get a picture of that because of the crowd.  Sigh. 

We had to get individual pics with the tree because we didn't want to ask someone to take our whole family picture.  I know I should have, but I just always feel like I am encroaching on strangers when I do that.  I let people if they offer though. 

These were darker shots, but I think the tree looks better. 

The inside of the Capitol rotunda.  A statue of George Washington as a Roman legionnaire sits in the center.  I am not sure why Washington is in the state capitol building except that it is modeled after the U.S. Capitol.  The tree was beautifully decorated with ornaments from all parts of North Carolina.   

And there was surprisingly a very short line to see Santa and Mrs. Claus. Brody seemed to prefer Mrs. Claus.  Mattox says they are fine as long as they don't try to hold him.  Ha!

Brody, Evan and I went upstairs to explore.  Daddy didn't want to take the stroller upstairs because it was very crowded with very tight spaces.  That picture of Evan looks like he is sucking his thumb (which he used to do), but he wasn't.  

This room contained the old State Library.  I could not believe that this room was the only state law library back then.  Law libraries like our NC Supreme Court library are huge now.   Even my little law school's law library was a whole lot bigger.  It wasn't nearly as "pretty" though.  I love all the woodwork and wall sconces. 

The outside light displays were gorgeous at the Executive Mansion. 

Beautifully lit trees and lamp posts look like a winter wonderland. 

Okay, so if I ever get my dream front porch (I have sadly never lived in a house since getting married with a large rocking chair front porch, but my "forever" home will have one), I am going to steal this idea of the "drapes" made from fresh green garland and lights.  I also love the countless chandeliers in every room of the mansion.  I can only imagine the work it takes to keep them sparkling though.  

The men's parlor was decorated with a large traditional red tree.  

The ladies' parlor tree was more feminine with decorations of gold and shades of pink.  Brody would not cooperate for a picture with me. 

There was another large tree in the ballroom (I don't know what the room was for but it was mostly empty with a grand piano so I am calling it that) that was decorated for children.  

The tree in the sunroom was decorated with handprint ornaments and children's picture ornaments from school children in the state. The very long formal dining room table had a massive floral display that covered nearly its full length and some little trees on the mantle.  I really do love those gorgeous blue drapes on the massive windows. I think most people who know me know light blue is my favorite color, and I have been working on slowly decorating much of my house in that color. 

Eddie and the boys pose for a picture in front of the grand staircase.  Like the White House, the Governor's family only lives on the upper floors in a large condo.  That was one remarkable looking gingerbread house.