prikazsky dynasty...

One of our favorite shows to watch is Duck Dynasty. I love everything about it, including all the camo! Over Christmas, Maggie, Annie Rice and Kaz all got camo for Christmas, so of course I wanted to take a few pictures! I just borrowed some of dad's camo. The girls looked so cute in there shirts...Annie Rice liked her's so much she wore it for a good 3 days! We didn't go anywhere so it was okay:) Every Christmas, dad and I make marshmallow treats..This year, I passed the torch off to Annie Rice. She enjoyed it so much! Below are a few of our family camo pictures and Annie Rice and my dad making our famous marshmallow treats!

christmas morning..

Happy New Year! I hope to be back to "normal" with blogging. These last few months have been a little busy:) 

I'm catching up on Christmas...We had a great Christmas. It really was so neat to see Annie Rice enjoy her presents this year, but also see her really want to know and learn about Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus. I really tried hard for that to be my main focus throughout December but I failed miserably most days. It was very hard in New York and the days leading up to Christmas not to want to buy Annie Rice everything I saw. I can only imagine that it will get harder each year. BUT I tried and repented over and over. Over December, the Lord kept laying the star of Bethlehem on my heart. I can only imagine how bright that star was. Oh the importance of it. It was a beautiful reminder that the Lord kept laying on my heart. 

Christmas was so fun. It was so nice being back at home and spending time with family. We decided that we would let Annie Rice sleep in the bed with us Christmas Eve. Between being over tired and excited, it took this little girl a long time to settle down and then finally a little over midnight, Annie woke up and we had to put her back in her crib:) Maybe next year will go better! 

Her big toy this year was a doll house and mini van. She LOVED it. From the first picture, we woke her up and she was a little mad[which isn't my Annie Rice in the mornings, but she was still tired and didn't understand what was happening]. She was so excited and loved all of her toys. The best part of Christmas was seeing Annie Rice yell, "Merry Christ-chris" to everyone she saw. It brought so many smiles to peoples faces, including mine. 

Here are a few pictures from Christmas morning. NOTE: There aren't a lot of pictures of Maggie from Christmas morning because she couldn't open presents yet:) BUT there are a few...AND the last picture is funny. Sweet baby girl didn't know what she was doing:)

hotel rooms and overpriced Santa pictures...

So this week, me and Annie Rice have been spending our days in the hotel room[it's a suite, which makes it a little bigger:)] while Kaz works...By Monday afternoon[the first day:)], I told him we needed to get out that night for dinner! A hotel room can get really small after a few hours with a toddler, only a few small toys, and no Disney channel:) 

 This is my make do high chair:)

So on Monday night, we decided to go to the mall...I'm not a big fan of studio/mall photos...That's just the photographer coming out in me BUT I really wanted a picture of Annie Rice with Santa Clause this year...I don't care about it every year but I did want one this first year. I have decided it will be the first and only year we have a picture with Santa! I'll tell you a little of the story...

So we get to the mall and start talking to the representative about the prices/packages. ALL I wanted was a digital copy of the picture. I didn't care one thing about prints...A cd WITH 1 PICTURE WAS $28! I almost fell in the floor...I won't even get on my soapbox about my views on photographers/prints/prices, etc BUT I instantly got in a down mood...and of course they wouldn't let you use your own camera even if you bought prints from them...I told Kaz nothing in me wanted to pay that much money for 1 picture BUT THE OTHER PART OF ME JUST WANTED THAT ONE PICTURE. Either way, I felt like I couldn't win....If we didn't get the picture, then I would be disappointed...If we did, I would be mad we paid that much money. I knew it would be that expensive at mostly any place we went give or a take a few dollars....So we ate dinner while I thought it over and I eventually decided to bite the bullet and get the picture. NEVER again will I pay that much $ for 1 picture. I really just wanted it as a keepsake of her first Christmas and seeing Santa with us for the first time....So here it is....