Reindeer Games Party

First of all, Happy New Year's Eve!!!

Don't forget...this starts tomorrow!!!

Tuesday morning I woke up, drank my coffee, watched Kelly and Michael (it was a commercial), and witnessed the kids wrecking my parents living room!!  hahaha!  They were happy, so I totally let it happen.  Don't worry.  We cleaned it up!

Then family started arriving for the Reindeer Games...(Family...that is what I'm calling it.)

My cousin's wife, Morgan...isn't she pretty?

Ebby Lee did a little piano recital for everyone.  Music people, I'm sure that's not the best way to teach them, but we just had a couple days.  She got a keyboard for Christmas and will start lessons soon!

Bowen just woke up and my funny cousin, Ty, was trying to make the exact same face.  Think he nailed it!

Sometimes I wonder why Nixon's so rough??  hahaha!  He was eating up all the attention!

My parents made a DELICIOUS meal and after eating WAY too much it was time for the games to begin!

 These games were SO much fun!!  They'd be great for a New Year's Eve party or any party for that matter.  We had 15 people playing, so we split into three teams.  For the first game, we only had one softball so we timed each group and the fastest team won.  We all lined up and passed the softball from person to person without using hands.  It was hysterical!!!  It was also fun to get to see everyone play (instead of us all going at once).

 The next game was just as fun to watch.  We did it again one team at a time and just used a stopwatch on a cell phone.  Each person put Vaseline on their nose and we had to move five cotton balls from one bowl to another without using hands.  

Last game was balancing a popsicle stick in your mouth and at the same time stacking four dice, then passing everything to the next person in line.  First team through won.  I don't want to rub it in or anything, but guess whose team won???  :)

If you have any questions about those games, e-mail me.  (alittlebitofeverything83@yahoo.com) They were a blast and I'd highly recommend giving them a try at your next party!  

Then the kiddos got "giraffe" rides from Ty.  He's way too tall to call them horseback rides.  :)

I helped the kiddos come up with a little Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus play.  They were adorable!

Bowen was playing "Baby Jesus".  Nixon was trying to get his attention to run over and lay down.  He knew his part well. :)

Play #2 Nixon wanted to be a donkey instead of Joseph.

We ended the night with Uncle Tim playing Christmas carols.  The kiddos got comfy cozy and loved it!

Photobombed by a Giraffe...hahahaha!

Looks like the boys were behaving themselves...doesn't it??

Tab and I stole a selfie with sweet Emory.  I would have brought this girly back with me if her parents would have allowed it.  Sweet sweet girl!

I looked over and at the EXACT same moment this was happening.  Bowen was taking a selfie with Ty and Morgan.  hahahahaha!!

This little dinner/party with family was so much fun!!  It's so nice to go to Missouri for Christmas and be surrounded by people we don't get to see much during the year.

Christmas Parties, The Nutcracker, and a BBQ Date

First of all...look what's happening in just two days!!!

Andrea and I are at it again with a new Instagram photo-a-day challenge.  These are the "themes" for each day.  Simply post your pic about the theme and use #thephotochallenge2015.  EEK!  Can't wait to get started!!

Ebby Lee and her sweet friend, Claire

On Friday, we all attended Ebby Lee's Christmas party and it was FUN!!  They had stations set up in the gym.  They got to make a craft, play games, and have a snack!!  All I remember about my elementary parties were chips and sodas!  ha!

Saturday we got to watch these beauties in The Nutcracker!!  I know absolutely NOTHING about dance, ballet, or tap.  I've never even seen The Nutcracker, but these girls were amazing!!  I was so proud of them!  In the picture, Kensington was giving me a model pose.

Sweet friends :)

Wasn't it cute??  The theater was packed.  Ebby Lee definitely has my personality (and not her father's in this kind of situation).  She was super nervous, but I was so proud of her for getting out there and dancing!  The girls had performances on Saturday and Sunday.

On Sunday after the performance, we went to M and G's house for our Christmas with them.  M had Ginger Ale for us to toast to Christmas and the New Year.

Ebby Lee got an art desk painted JUST FOR HER by M!  She loves it!!  It has leopard print, chevron, flowers, and rhinestones.  It's so cute!  This year Marla had hidden the presents around the house and we had to figure out the clues in order to find the gifts.  The kiddos loved it!  

If you look closely, Santa had her presents shipped to Marla's and you can see the Barbie Dreamhouse in the background. EEK!

I think she liked it. What do you think?  haha!

Someone found a new Ninja Turtle Bike in the closet!  I think this was his turtle face?

Bowen, Tab, and I were there too, but I have zero pictures of us.  Christmas #1 was a success!

On Monday morning, Santa and I loaded up the sleigh to head to Missouri.  :)  Tab was very adamant about Santa not coming early.  He can ONLY come on Christmas morning in Tab's opinion so our option was to get a little U-Haul.  It actually worked great and we had a TON of space inside the car.

The kiddos did fabulous in the car.  I have NO clue how we survived on a long road trip without a DVD player.  It saves us in the car!

We unpacked and left the kiddos with my parents so Tab and I could meet up with the Tarbuttons.  They live about thirty minutes from my parents.  Greg and Tab knew each other growing up.  We all went to Arkansas State, and Katy and I had a few classes together.  Total small world!  We've been talking about getting together forever and it finally happened!!  We met them at a delicious barbecue restaurant.  They decorate the walls with Christmas paper.  It's super tacky and over the top, but I love it!

We were night owls and shut the place down.  hahaha!  I think it closed at 9:00.  :)

When we got back to my mom's house, we found Bowen like this.  Asleep on the floor in the middle of Barbie and her accessories.  Actually...that's a NKOTB doll I think.  ha!

2014 Highlights

2014 was a fabulous year for the Slaughters. Thought I'd share some of our highlights...

January:

Half of the girls in my family (we were missing 6) traveled to Houston, Texas, to participate in Beth Moore's Siesta Sisters conference AND do a little shopping.  

My Mizzou-cheering family came to Dallas to watch Missouri in the Cotton Bowl.  We love having family in town!

February:

We watched the Super Bowl with our old small group from church at the Smith's house.

Marla helped Ebby Lee make a fabulous box for her Valentine Party!

And we all celebrated Valentine's Day in our red and hearts.

March:

We made a big trip to the Dallas Zoo with lots of our friends.

Nixon and Coach Tab had their very first tee-ball game of the season.

April:

Ebby Lee turned FIVE and we partied down at her painting party.

Our handsome Nix turned FOUR and we celebrated with friends at Main Event.

We celebrated that Jesus is Risen!

May:

We took an amazing trip to Disney World with my family.

Ebby Lee graduated from preschool!

June:

I tagged along on Tab's business trip to Boston and we experienced our first Red Sox game.

Toward the end of June, we loaded up for family vacation #2 with Tab's family to San Antonio.  This is also the trip I discovered Ebby Lee had HEAD LICE!!  EEK!!  I shared all about it!  Probably TMI...hahahaha!

July:

We had a blast celebrating our freedom on July 4th with friends, our town's parade, and fireworks.

The kiddos and I loaded up for a Missouri road trip to visit family and friends.  *I realize my New Year's Resolution should be to NOT wear my hats so low!!!  hahahahaha!

On this business trip the entire crew tagged along to Austin.  At breakfast this morning, Ebby Lee pointed out that we were the loudest table in the entire restaurant.  Thanks for reminding us!!

August:

We soaked up all kinds of summer fun before school started.

EEK!!!  Ebby Lee started kindergarten in August.  Major milestone!

September:

These crazies BOTH started preschool in September.

Shay and I took a girls-only trip to Nashville, Tennessee, for the DotMom Conference.

October:

Tab's football crew got the Texas/University of Oklahoma football game, so we had a crazy fun weekend with dinner, the football game, AND the fair!

Jake the Pirate, Donatello the Turtle, Belle the Princess, and I trick-or-treated with friends.

November:

We celebrated this big guy turning 2 and Thanksgiving with lots of guests on the same day this year.

We hosted a group of sixth grade girls for Disciple Now at our church.

December:

We hit up all our usual Christmas traditions and even made some new ones like the Polar Express.  Well...scratch that, Tab is never going back.  hahahaha!!

The Slaughters ended 2014 with a bang by having a fabulous Christmas!  We hope 2014 was good to you as well!

Bring it 2015!!!