Thursday, December 30, 2010

Photo Shoot with the kids

We had some time to kill today so I took the kids downtown to snap a few photos. They didn't cooperate for long but I did manage to get a few really cute pictures of them! I had lots of fun with these on photoshop.














Mae's First Manicure and Pedicure

I took Mae to get her first manicure and pedicure today. I knew the moment she got one that she'd be hooked and I was definitely right. She loved every minute of it. They gave her the full treatment - the hot towels, the massage, the foot bath etc. She had a hard time staying still while she was painting her fingernails but I guess that would be hard for any 2 year old. We left with a few nicks in the paint but Mae loved them regardless. She was officially a "princess" with her pink painted nails!

Ready for her first spa treatment in her own special chair. It even vibrated!

She is not sure what to think about soaking her feet in the tub

getting a leg massage

loving every minute!



getting the "hot towel" treatment

onto the fingernails


trying to file her toes by herself

soaking her hands


her pink toes. you can still see the blisters from wearing her princess shoes at Christmas.

now the pink fingernails!

she is trying her best to stay still but it was hard

drying her nails

one happy little princess.



Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Mae found my mascara

Mae found my mascara tonight and decided to take it upon herself to put it on. Unfortunately she didn't realize that it goes on your eye lashes not your lips. Thankfully it came off easily. She is a mess!





Tuesday, December 28, 2010

The kids' new ride-on toys

Sanders and Mae are loving their new ride-on toys that Mimi and Bop Bop got them for Christmas. We have bundled up many afternoons for them to go outside and ride them. They have as much fun riding them in the backyard as they do in the front. Sanders even likes riding with Mae in the Barbie car and believe it or not she is a pretty good driver!

Here are a few pictures:he loves his new "fast" wheels!

she loves hers too!


a rare moment - riding happily together!


teamwork!




Monday, December 27, 2010

Christmas in Mobile

We spent Christmas in Mobile this year. We had a fabulous time - especially the kids who had a blast hanging out with all of their cousins.

Here are a few pictures to recap the trip:

the night before Christmas Eve we made our annual visit to Ruth Chris' for dinner and had a ball as usual. Mary and Phillip had headed out to meet their friends when we took the picture.

Christmas Eve we went to mass at 4:30pm. The kids did great believe it or not. No one even had to go to the cry room. After church, we came back to the house and had Sissy's yummy gumbo for dinner and got ready for Santa to come!

A cute picture of the kids in their Christmas outfits

Mommy and Mae

our one family picture for the week but it turned out pretty cute!


they were not too excited about taking a picture together
'

family pic

Big E is loving life!

Baby Elle

Mae is pouting about something

Mary is busy making her squash casserole for Christmas day

all the boys are working REAL hard!

Sanders and Austin

Mae riding the train with her tutu!

Alex eating a yummy bowl of Sissy's gumbo


Mary and sweet Elle

all the daddy's helping the kids decorate their cookies for santa

Sanders loves decorating cookies!

all the children nestled in their beds . . .


and all the stockings were hung by the fireplace with care

Looks like Santa was good to Mae this year

and Sanders too!

Sanders digging into his presents

Maddie's new princess shoes


Mae seeing her new princess dresses for the first time

putting on her new make-up!

Sanders opening up his presents

Sanders stocking from Santa

Sissy soaking it all in!



Rudolph Sanders


Mae is in amazement of all of her new toys!

Princess Mae and Princess Maddie


Santa Big E handing out all of the presents

Phillip and Emil with their girls

Mae and Daddy

Emil and Grace opening up her princess CD

Alex got a remote control helicopter


Sanders opening up his new remote control airplane

Sissy opening up her watercolor painting

she loves it!

Princess Mae

Sanders coloring the car he got from Santa


such a little artist

the proud grandparents!

Ready for the party at Judy and Judson's

Pop Pop handing out all the presents

Judson, Laney and Shelby


Mae loves her new baby doll that Pop Pop got her

Opening up another present . . .

she loves the jewelry case Pop Pop got her too!

she is showing him her bracelet

Mary and Elle

Scott, Judson and Sanders


Mae and Sanders posing in front of the Christmas tree

Sanders and Maddie

sweet Mae

Pop Pop posing with all of his great-grandkids


Mae is having fun sitting next to Pop Pop

one of my favorite pictures from Christmas!

Back at the house now and getting ready for Christmas dinner. The boys are in charge of getting the turkey ready to fry!

Sanders loves baby Elle!

Everyone loves baby Elle


Mae loves baby Elle

Helen Marie's new bag we gave her for Christmas

The turkey is ready!

Helen Marie and Emil

Sanders and Helen Marie


Sanders carving the turkey

all the boys trying to steal a bite while Sissy wasn't looking

Helen Marie taking a swig of Pop Pop's liquor

Big E had to join in the fun!

Sarah is busy making her yummy salad

Emil and Maddie

Big E and Sanders

Sanders with Big E and Sissy

Mae agreed to pose for a picture with Helen Marie


Mae in her cinderella dress

dancing with Maddie

everyone in their matching pjs!

Emil and Elle

Sanders and Mae halfway cooperating for a picture

Mae and Grace disappeared at one point and we found them on the couch going through old photo books. It was too cute!

Mommy and Mae

Mae's blisters from wearing the "princess" shoes all over the house

we made them better by putting bandaids on. Didn't stop her from wearing the shoes though!

coloring time!


Grace pushing Mae in the baby stroller

Sunday night we went to the Graf Christmas Party at Katy and Emil Sullivan's house. It was a huge turnout!

Here is a picture of all the Graf cousins - it is definitely a big group!

this is one generation

with their spouses. . .

another generation

and their spouses

Phillip, Elle and cousin Clark

Sanders and Mae

He looks guilty!

All the young cousins - Gigi, Sanders, Helen, Emil, Clark and Phillip

Sanders, Emil, Clark and Phillip


this will probably be the last time she ever puts on a football helment. She is much more the tiara type!

Big E and Sissy

I think little Sanders had a crush on his older cousin!

Sanders and Helen Marie

Maddie being silly with uncle Sanders