10…9…8…7…6…

5…4…3…2…1…

Where will you be ringing in the New Year?

I will be kissing my true love at the stroke of midnight…
in the heart of Washington, DC.

For the past 13 years we have rung in the New Year
Celebrating with our Campus Outreach New Year’s Conference.

What better way to celebrate a great past year and the year to come…
than with 550 college students!

Carson was WAY too busy doing this...

...to be in our family photo
(taken by our 11 year old niece with her first digital camera..
hence the bluriness!  But still a great shot)



So how will you ring in 2010?
Do you like horns, poppers, glow sticks… fireworks? 
A little champagne toast?

What are your New Year’s Eve traditions?
Do you eat a traditional New Year’s Day meal?


PS-- don't miss our year in review a few posts down!

Mommy Bloggers Unite!

Are you a local (Triad) Mommy Blogger? 


Want to see what all of this mommy blogging is all about?

Head on over to Triad Smarty Pants to see the new list they are debuting of local Mommy Bloggers!  I look forward to hopping around the blogosphere to get to know some other local mommy bloggers this week!

Highlights from 2009

What a fabulous year!
it was so much fun putting this post together with my highlight moments and blog posts. 
Hope you enjoy this year in review!

Click on the highlighted links to read more about these special events!

So here are my highlights from 2009

I started this blog….
YES! Can you believe it, I just started the blog in 2009!
We’ve come a long way baby. 

Carson turns 2

Helen Ann is Born
Click here to learn more about her name

I learned about online shopping at Harris Teeter.
You are thinking "This made her 2009 highlights?” 
I am thinking… Uh, yeah… have you tried online shopping at the HT? 

We had a great early summer trip up to Grove City

We spent a month in DC in VERY tight living quarters!

Enjoyed 4th of July with the Charlotte Fam 

God’s Protection and Provision in a terrible Car Accident

 

We got one little boy out of diapers!

We enjoyed another great year at Preschool

Charlotte turns 4---
it was a great party that we will never forget

 I realized I am no longer 18…  mom jeans and a mini van.

7 years with this Hunk

I learned a thing (or 9) about the fruit of the spirit
To read the whole series, click here.  You’ll have to read from the bottom up to read them in order.

 

Spent a Holiday with the Texas Fam on Hilton Head
This is so special since we don’t get to see them EVER….
we just can’t wait so long next time to do this.



We Had a Fabuloso Christmas with all 6 Cousins!

Here’s to 2010 and all that the next decade holds! 
Happy New Year!

Hot off the Presses!

Thought I would let you in on a little exciting news!

If you subscribe to People Magazine, pick up the recent special mailout...

Yours truly (that would be me) is featured in an ad for Crystal Lite.   I wrote this silly little blog post this summer about my love for Crystal Lite and the folks there thought my mommy sippy cup was ingenious!  They used part of my post in an ad that is hitting your mailbox (if you subscribe) this week! 

Unfortunately, it was not featured in the issue of People that hits the national news stands...it is just being mailed to subscribers.

Exciting though, huh??

I am just a mom, bloggin' about the things I love....be it Carseat straps tight, Crystal Lite, or Christmas Lights. 

If you are visiting Little Llamas for the first time...Welcome to the Herd!  Get to know us here.

Oh, how the times…they are a changin’

I am leaving my 2 oldest today with my in-laws while we head to our annual New Year’s Conference with Campus Outreach.  
Taking the little Hen with us.

For the past 4 years, David’s parents have graciously watched our children so we could attend “sans kids” and fully be involved in the conference.   It is a nice break from the normal “preschool musical” life. 

The first year I left Charlotte, she was 13 months old.
I remember in detail the 5 page typed out instructions I left. 
5 pages ??
 
I explained everything necessary that Charlotte might need…
her sleeping, eating, discipline issues, favorite toys, how to put her down to sleep, what not to give her to eat.

It was the first time we had left her for that long. 
And she wasn’t the easiest baby.  But…5 pages of instructions?

Now… I leave my kids with a kiss and a pat on the back.
Unless the are on prescription medications that have instructions, I don’t leave any instructions anymore…

I also give my 3rd baby french fries and enchiladas.
I guess I am not too concerned anymore with what she is and isn’t eating! 
Yes, the times they are a changin’!

Has your parenting gotten more laid back with more children?  Do share!

Great family memories

 
Everything was just fine until mommy had to tell her “no”


Daddy and his girls

 
A little post holiday dinner banter…

Meet me under the mistletoe!

 

The Fam!

 

We had such great time celebrating with family.

*We love to hear from you! Please leave a comment , join us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter !

Trying to get ahead...

Some of you may have stopped by earlier and seen a
Happy New Year post!  HA!

No...you did not sleep through a week and miss something. 
Little ol' me is trying to get ahead on a few things and postdated that post to Jan 1, but maybe my computer just didn't know what to do with the year 2010!!

Remember when all the computers were supposed to blow up the world in 2000? 
Didn't happen. 
But this little house wife is predicting the big computer crash of 2010...

So, forget that "Happy New Year" ever happened and relive it all again on the real January 1st, 2010! 

And stay tuned for some more Christmas memories. 
  From 2009, not 2010.... since living in the future really isn't my cup of tea
(though now that I think of it, I would like a cup of coffee). 

I'm just trying to get through today.

 

A few of my favorite things…

Here are some snapshots of the present extravaganza! 
So much fun!
We don’t really do Santa,
but we still do stockings!

Little Helen had fun her first Christmas

Her Grandmommie gets all the babies a silver cup their first Christmas
And Helen kept looking for a snack inside!

  

By the end of the morning, she had this amazing little play gym…
And was more interested in this box.  HA!
But she LOVES that jungle toy!

Carson was thrilled when he got this Buzz Lightyear

But all toys were forgotten the moment he opened this…

 

And it took approximately .3 seconds for him to rip off those jammies and put the whole uniform on.

 

And he has been in that Panther Uniform ever since.  
Is it dangerous to let him sleep in a helmet?  

 

And Charlotte loved her Tag reader, her wooden play cupcake set, and cash register.

We also got the kids this great game…

It is called Animal Scramble and it is a ton of fun!
I got it on “lightening deal” a few weeks ago for only $8.99!  It’s now back up to $20…But if you find a deal like that, I definitely recommend this game. 

And me, you ask?
I got this great Jacket from Old Navy from David’s parents

And my hubby got me this yummy Burberry Brit Perfume


It was a great Christmas with presents galore and I think all were thrilled with their treasures. 

Of course, the greatest treasure if all is Christ Himself…
Who came to dwell among us! 
Emmanuel!

We kept “quizzing” the kids….
Why do we give Gifts again?
To Share God’s Love

So what were a few or your or your kids’ favorite things?

*none of these are affiliate links, as Amazon won’t partner with NC…so I am not getting paid to recommend these products.  I just thought you might be interested to know where to find them!

Christmas Day Glee…

Carson wondered why everyone else didn’t want to wake up at 5:50…
He waited VERY patiently until it was time to wake them up.

 

Finally getting to wake up Daddy.

Our 3 little Christmas Elves

And the littlest one is out of here…

Finally time for Birthday cupcakes for Jesus!
I love this little ornament set of the nativity scene I found years ago….fits perfect on a dozen cupcakes.

The only day of the year they get to eat cupcakes for breakfast.

Even Little Hen got to taste the chocolate cupcake
That whole “no chocolate before 1” rule is out the window with baby # 3!

This Picture is from Christmas Eve, but it was SO cute!