Enjoying the Holiday Break and Starting 2014!!!!

Happy New Year!!  Since every year I turn the past year's blog into a book to keep this will be the first post to a new book.  We have really been enjoying our holiday break.  I am not ready for school to go back even though Cohen says she is :)  My little kindergartener loves school!  She has had a lot of fun over break though.  Since Christmas we have been playing with lots of new toys, getting to enjoy Keyes and Elliott's new 4 wheelers, , having playdates with friends (some were before Christmas), and I have enjoyed friend time of my own too!  Over the entire break Cohen has got to have Josie spend the night, this past week she had a sleepover at her friend Mylie's house.  She was very excited about this because this was their first sleepover together.  She had a playdate with her friend Cade, then one with Rylie and today we had a playdate with Brooke.  She also gets to spend a lot of time with Savannah either playing or when our families are together and she gets to play with Keyes and Elliott.  I would say she was not bored over break!  Kate loves all the play time too because that means she gets to tag along with the big girls or she has someone to play with too!  Last Friday I got to enjoy a day full of friend time myself.  I picked Cohen up from Mylie's house and we headed to my BFF Rebekah's house.  We all loaded up and headed to Commerce for a Chic-Fil-A lunch and some shopping.  The kids got to play on the playground while we talked and then they were good for us to go shop a little.  I love when we get some to time to catch up and I always wish we did it more often.  Life gets so busy!   Friday night I went out with several girlfriends to the movies to see Saving Mr. Banks.  We all had a lot of fun and enjoyed a fun Mom's night out!  The movie was good too :)
Over the weekend I have let Cohen have playtime with her friends since it has been so super cold.  Anyone who knows me knows I'm pretty much over cold as soon as Christmas ends.  If its going to be so cold I would at least like to see a good snow.  I can handle the cold but the wind is awful.  Its not good for the running schedule either.  I don't think any of us have a desire to be hard core enough to run in this wind!
Here are some of my favorite pics from the break and a little about each one....

Keyes and Elliott came over soon after Christmas ready to give the girls rides on their 4-wheelers that they got for Christmas.  Cohen jumped right on with Keyes and off they went.  Kate was very hesitant and wanted no part of it at first.  After a little bit, I asked Kate if she wanted to drive, thinking she could just sit in front of Elliott.  Well this idea she liked and stayed on when I sat her down.  It was over from there, she loved it!  Elliott was so sweet because he kept one arm around her as they rode.  They are too precious.

You can see Elliott's arm around Kate here :)

On New Year's Eve we spent that night at the Burton's with so many of our friends and family.  We look forward to this every year and we always love the fireworks show.  They really go all out.  Believe it or not, Cohen actually got out of the car and watched them this time.  She wasn't going to but Kelly went to check on her and she came on out and watched.  Progress!!  Sweet girl has never been a fireworks fan.  Kate on the other hand isn't bothered by them, in fact she fell asleep on me watching them.  Even as loud as they are, she was out!

Headed out on NYE!  One last family pic for 2013!!

Cohen & Josie 

On New Year's Day we had the great New Year's meals complete with lots of greens and black eye peas.  I actually eat a few greens and lots of peas and let Kelly eat lots of greens :)  Even Cohen had her spoonful of collards and ate them with no complaints!

Happy New Year!

Since Wednesday we have been enjoying those playdates with friends.  Thursday night is when Cohen had her sleepover at Mylie's and her mom was so sweet to send me a picture of them.  They had so much fun.

Friday we had fun with Cade and Nolan.  Rebekah and I were trying to snap a picture of all 4 kids playing at the lego table while we shopped.  This was the best I got.  I also got one of Cohen, Cade, and Kate on one of the ride-ons.  As always they serve as great bribing tools, of course no money is used we just let them sit on them and have fun.  haha!

And here is one from today...Cohen and Brooke were busy making bracelets in her room.  They had a lot of fun and just played so well together all day.  We have one more day left before school starts back on Wednesday.  I am so not ready but we will enjoy our last day and then get ready to get back into the groove of things.  Everyone keeps telling me that this semester will fly by so I know it will be summer before we know it.  Of course I am looking forward to all the fun we can have in between.  We have some big events coming up...it is one month from today before my sweet Cohen has a birthday!  I hope 2014 will be a great year with some great memories.