Whew, I'm all caught up! Many a blog follow! =)

Finally... Santa!

Christmas morning bed head. =)

Among her favorites... her very own lipgloss! And bubblegum machine...

hence the big wad in her mouth!

Her very own camera. Oh how I love to hear her say, "Cheese," then pop out from behind the camera and say, "Boo!"

A cash register... I had the 1982 version!

Christmas: Take I'm loosing count.

Christmas at Grommie and Pop Daddy's in one word. Chaos. The 2 that started it all... 4 kids and their fellas... 8 grandkids... throw in Grandmother Goff and Lizzy. My oh my! I took TONS of pictures but I'm just hitting the highlight.

All the grandkids got a ride!

Brantley cruising in her Mustang.

All the older grandkids got one of these doo dads. Everyone had to take a turn... I didn't get a picture of it but Bessie loved riding with Pop Daddy. She would stand on that little platform and Daddy just cruised her around.

Christmas: Take Two.

Christmas at Mama'ts is something that I look forward to ALL YEAR! It's the FISH FRY that I'm a sucker for! =) Mmm. Mmm. Mmm. That's just the icing on the cake... we always have such a good time with family and get in some good belly laughs!

How many kids does it take to open a present??

The Shumpert boys.

The Shumpert girls... with our newest official addition... Katherine!

My cousin Lee and Katherine just got engaged!

Christmas: Take One.

Christmas at Dee's is always always tons of fun with LOTS of presents! Dee definately knows how to spoil everyone!

Of all her presents... leave it to Bes to crawl up in Nannie's lap with a book!

Cousin Lydia being silly.

The grandgirls... Lydia, Ella and Bes.

And don't forget Baby June!

I am SO behind on blogging...

The kids at church had their Christmas party at the skating rink and Bes LOVED it! They have a whole indoor play area and I thought that was where Bes would play but oh no, she's a skater! She gets it honest... I think for 10 years or so of my childhood Saturdays (from 2-4) =) were spent at the skating rink and from what I hear Brad was the kid that convinced all the others to lay in the middle of the rink while he jumped over them! She even got her very own skates from Santa!

Bes and her buddy Meg.

Day One: Mission Impossible.

Today was a big day for my big girl! No more diapers for us! I must confess, day one of potty training didn't go quite as well as I had hoped for but tomorrow we will just have t0 try, try again.

Watching Daddy work under the carport. She's such a Daddy's girl!

Close up of the cutest little wedgie that you ever did see!

Katie McCrary Photography

My friend Katie... who took our fabulous Christmas pictures is having a give away! She's willing to travel... check out her blog (just click on her logo) and leave a comment!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Bes made today's paper!

Bes’ birthday boosts Toys for Tots Christmas drive - The Dispatch - Columbus, Starkville & The Golden Triangle

Lunch with Santa... kinda sorta... not really.

Today after church we headed over to the Country Club for lunch with Santa. I thought this just might be the day Bes sat in Santa's lap. Not quite. She is very vocal about not really liking Santa a whole bunch. She'll talk about him all day long but she is not interested in getting up close and personal with St. Nick... no, no, not at all!

This is as close as she would get... I have to admit, it's much closer than I thought she would!

The CCC has the real deal Santa!

Santa let her pick out a toy from beneath the tree... she picked a tiny tea set.

Jack, on the other hand, wouldn't touch Santa with a ten foot pole! When he found out Santa had toys under the tree he didn't even hesitate... he just told his mama to go get him something!


Another prize from Santa... a huge peppermint stick!

I see you mama!

Yet another photo for their wedding table. =)

Allow me to introduce...

... the newest member of our family... Shawn. I picked up The Elf on the Shelf and I asked Bes what she wanted to name her elf. She thought and thought and decided on Alex. I was tickled to death with her choice. You see, I have a dear friend Callie Stone... whom Bes decided to name Alex. =) Callie led a Bible Study with me and she would come over to study and Bes would get in some good lovin' from sweet Callie/Alex. So Alex it was... until she quickly decided that it wasn't Alex... oh no! she wanted to name her elf Shawn. Which is just fine by me... because Shawn is my 2nd favorite member of the Stone family. =) Shawn is Callie's husband! Every morning she wakes up and looks around to see where Shawn has decided to sit for the day. Then at the most random times she'll look up at her sweet little elf, wave and say a very enthusiastic, "Hi Shawn!" She is just THE most fun!

Good times with great friends.

Last weekend the Sumralls and the Parsons headed to the Birmingham area to ride The Polar Express... here is a look inside our trip. =)

Happy Birthday Bes!!

Party! Party! Party! Bes has been one party girl! She had not one, not two, but three parties this year!! We have been talking about her birthday for weeks so she was one excited girl when it was actually her time to party! I just am not believing that my sweet Bessie Boo is TWO!!

Party #1 was at her Dee's house in Collierville while we were there for Thanksgiving. She had the best time playing with her cousin "ydia" (Lydia). Now we are affectionately called "mommia" and "daddia". =) She really got into opening her gifts... and she had plenty to open! She got so many fabulous things... so far the cleaning trolly from cousins Lydia, Ella and June has been the most played with... if only all those cleaning supplies actually worked! =)

Party #2 was at our house Sunday afternoon with all of my family. She always has the best time playing with all of her cousins! She LOVES singing "Happy Birthday Bessie" so we sang it, and then we sang it again... and again...and she was just as excited when we sang it the third time as she was the first! This birthday has just been too much fun!

All her cousins (minus Tanner and Blake)... this pic was taken before they arrived.

Her most favorite gift... a case full of shoes from Mama't and Aunt Muh! The Pretty Pretty Princess game from Rah Rah is a really close 2nd though!

She immediately starting trying them all on... but was having trouble seeing them...

so off came her britches!

Now, that's much better. =)

Party #3 was at our house this morning with all of her friends!

It was a full house but oh so fun! The kids decorated cupcakes and got to ride on Bes's new toy... a Step 2 Up and Down Roller Coaster!

This year I decided that I wanted to do something a little different for her birthday. We are truly SO blessed so instead of bringing a gift for Bes... a gift was brought for Toys for Tots!

Her invitation read:

It's going to be one big hullabaloo...

Bessie Boo is turning 2!

Bes is so blessed and loved so much,

and she's got plenty of toys and such...

This year we thought we'd spread the joy

so it's for them you'll bring a toy!

Now turning 2 is a big ta-do...

So come eat cake and celebrate!

But remember... Bes is loved lots and lots

so the gift you'll bring is for

Toys for Tots!

We are so blessed with such amazing family and friends! This birthday has been so much fun for Bes and it's one I'll =) never forget! Thanks to everyone for making her 2nd birthday so fabulous!