It's Christmas Eve

Last week, we went to see Santa.  Molly gave him her note and they spoke for a few minutes.  She asked him how he was and how the reindeer are doing.  He asked her how she has been this year and that her elf, Baffy Jingle Bells, has been sending him good reports this month.

Baffy is her elf who's been visiting her since she was 3.  She chose that name herself and she is going to miss him tomorrow.  He is here from Thanksgiving until Christmas Eve, when he goes back home for the year.  But he'll be back next year, so we're trying to not be too sad.

She has written notes to Baffy and Santa to tell them how much she loves them and to wish them a Merry Christmas too.  Her purity in belief has strengthened my own.  There's nothing like a child to bring back the magic of Christmas time and memories of our own childhood.

This morning he was perched up in the outgoing mail holder on the back of the door to the garage.  A perfect spot to spy on her throughout his last day here with us.

Notes to Baffy and Santa.

To Baffy, You are my BFF.  That means best friend forever if you were wondering.  I will miss you. By Molly

To Santa, I hope the reindeer are being good, even Rudolf, and the elves work harder...and the sleigh has a lot of power.  I am so excited.  By Molly

These years of childhood Christmas magic are precious and way too few.  We're just trying to hang on to them for as long as they last.

Merry Christmas Eve to all!

Fall Colors and Fog

Fall colors are long gone now, but a few weeks ago, the colors were brilliant in red, orange, yellow, and maroon.

Molly trying to catch the fog and bring it in the house.

Halloween

This is how far behind I am on keeping this updated....Halloween.  Well, we had a great time over several days.

Here are some of our neighbor girls.  They were all dressed up with no place to go a day early.  They had their days wrong on the Trunk-or-Treat event....so instead, they surprised the people at the houses they know to do some Trick-or-Treating.  In so doing, they collected a kid at that house and went on to several, squealing, giggling and laughing the whole time.  They're good kids.

Our little jellyfish.

Her costume was fun and luckily came in quite handy, since on the actual Halloween night, it rained.  We were so ready!

A little Peyton Manning fan at Trunk-or-Treat wanted to see her costume up close.  A lot of people did.  She felt like a star, but eventually it came off so she could get serious about the games.

So strong!

Lined up for the haunted hay ride.

Finding a spot on the hay ride wagon.

Off they go...

Heading back home after a fun night.

Heading out for Trick-or-Treating on the actual and soon to be rainy Halloween Night.  

We met up with her friend a few streets away and had a great time....a little wet, but not too bad.

Fall Festival at the Primary School

Last month, we went to the Farragut Primary School Fall Festival.  It's a huge fund raiser at her school with lots of bounce houses, air slides, games, crafts and food.  We met up with a few of her friends.

Someone's happy to go the the Fall Festival at her school.

So happy to be here on such a perfect fall day.

Playing pumpkin tic-tac-toe with her friend Jane.

Getting her hair and nails done.

"Elsa" and "Anna" "Frozen" hairstyles.

Warm enough for sno-cones.

Karate kicks and breaking boards!

Tossing TP into a toilet!  What could be more fun than that.  Jane's little sister was enjoying it all too.

 Making pumpkin art suncatchers for the window.

Buddies with happy smudged face-painted faces.

They went down these slides 50 times.

Walking up the hill hand in hand.

Tra-la-la-la-la.......

The Beauty of Summer

Here is a collection of photos that I feel illustrate the beauty of a summer coming to a close and becoming fall.  We said goodbye to our beloved Redbud tree, painted birdhouses to put on a post near the old tree spot, made a fairy garden, went on long walks, and enjoyed flowers, birds, sunsets and sunrises.

Our fairy garden.

Our fairy garden.

Our fairy garden.

Our fairy garden.

My polka-dot birdhouse.

Molly's very own birdhouse project.

A birdhouse we painted.

Morning Glory.

Our Giving Tree stump.

Close-up of the Redbud trunk.

A sprout near where the old Redbud was.

Flowers in the flower tower.

The flower tower and bird bath.

Our garden.

Blossom on the tree...a hibiscus?

A cardinal at the bird feeder in the yard.

I camped out by the bird feeder for a long time to catch a photo of one of the many hummingbirds flying around.  They love the red flowers and balloon feeder.

Another trail near our house, just off of Old Stage, near the creek.

Another trail near our house.

It's a sign...can you figure it out?  :)

The entrance of our street.

View through the trees at the farmland near the trail.

On the trail near our house.

Walking into the wood on the trail near our house.

Sunrise from our upstairs hallway window.

Kid looking at that sunrise....it's a Saturday, let's go back to bed.