Christmas 2015

Hard to believe Christmas has come and gone! It was a great one and now get ready for photo overload! The days leading up to Christmas were busy with Norah going to a glow in the dark painting class...

getting a haircut (she looks so grown up!)...

Norah enjoyed an art kit she got from our neighbors...lots of pictures were drawn...


Cookies were made...Norah did it all...measured all the ingredients, etc. and basically all I did was put them in the oven!


The dogs enjoyed having us home...they did their usually...laid around! :)


Then came Christmas Eve and we went to the 4 pm Church service and it was like 80 degrees. So we scrambled to find clothes that were appropriate and that we wouldn't sweat to death. Jeff wears a red golf shirt and khaki pants. We are leaving Church and Norah out of the blue says "Dad, you look like Jake from State Farm." We laughed about that for days! Hilarious!

My mom and Denny came over along with friends to our house for some bites of food, drinks, social time, and then presents for this one...


Norah got this jelly fish thing that hangs from the ceiling from my mom and Denny and loves it!! I must admit that it is pretty cool! It is hanging in her playroom...she was so excited about getting it!



Christmas morning came and Santa had been to our house!!







And the pictures could go on...she was one happy girl! After presents and breakfast were eaten...Norah went to work on lego sets galore and games were played. Then family came over for lunch. I was super proud that I said we would eat at 1 pm and I had everything hot and on the table at 1:10! Jeff said it was the best turkey he ever had...so I would say that it was a success! More family came for dessert and then the rest of the day was enjoyed by watching Norah playing with all her presents! It was a great day!
Now that Christmas is over...we started today packing the Christmas back up for next year...gonna work on taking down the two trees tomorrow...

 and watching lots of Harry Potter on ABC Family channel!

Christmas 2015 was awesome and now we are gearing up for the New Year!!

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Christmas 2015

Catching up...

The holiday season has been busy around here at the Hoppe house. We had Norah's 3rd grade play "Humbug" at her school, Jeff's work party at our house, gingerbread house decorating, end of school parties, I got to sub at the sweet preschool a good bit over the last month and it was so cute, plus movie time, holiday shows, friend time, etc.! Whew! But it has been so much fun...so here are some pics to catch us up on the ole' blog!

Norah at her school play

The night we had Jeff's work party at our house...Norah got to go to Brookgreen's Night of a Thousand Lights with friends...so pretty!! Hope to go with her next year!




The dogs needed a pic too!

Alice invited us over to her house to decorate gingerbread houses...she went all out! Norah loved it and playing with all the kids! I enjoyed meeting some new peeps too!


We had a breakfast party at Norah's school for Christmas and the parents did a great job...the kids loved it! Norah and I then headed out Friday afternoon to get lunch and see the new Star Wars movie.
The movie was great! It had the old school jokes and totally felt like I was watching the one in the theater in the 1980s. It was just a fun movie. Norah had never seen any of the movies (but was the one who wanted to go!) and she loved it too! Already ready for the next one!

Jeff went out of town this weekend so after we got back from the movies...a couple of friends came over and we just hung out. (There was a little cheese and wine involved.) :)

Saturday Norah and I headed to the Carolina Opry and watched the Christmas Show. It was so good! I was really impressed and Norah loved it too. This is definitely be a new tradition and to go each year...highly recommend!


While we were there...Jeff was in Charlotte...he had a fun time too!!


Saturday night we went to a friend's house where they treated us to a delicious dinner! It was yummy and we got to meet their new dog!

Sunday came and off Norah and I went again...I know...we were busy!!

We headed to see "The Nutcracker" put on by Coastal Youth Ballet Theatre. We saw this one last year too. It is really sweet and cute. Next year we talked and I'm going to find a big production of Nutcracker to take Norah too...any recommendations? I love that she loves to go to these Christmas shows and ballets. So fun to do these things with her!


We ended Sunday with dinner out (Norah's choice!) Now we are here on Monday with 4 days left till the BIG DAY! I felt really behind this year in general with things getting done...but it still has been so fun! I love having Norah home and the Christmas movies, lights, cards, etc....excitement is high in our house!

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Catching up...

Books...

Well got checked out since last post and bronchitis it is for me...but feeling better already!

I've read some great books lately. The first one is "The Marriage of Opposites" by Alice Hoffman. I really enjoyed this book a lot. It was one of those books that I wanted to sit in a quiet room and read slow to savor it so it would not end. I found it fascinating.


Next was "After You" by Jojo Moyes. "Me Before You" is one of those books that sticks out in my mind and really was so special to me. So this is the sequel and I knew going in that it would not be at all like "Me Before You" which was definitely under its own genre in my opinion. But I love Jojo Moyes' writing and I enjoyed this book too. There were moments that it made me teary and reminded me how much I loved "Me Before You." Definitely read if you read "Me Before You."
The one I just finished is one that has gotten a ton of hype lately..."The Nightingale" by Kristin Hannah. It has a ton of amazing reviews, etc. I liked this book and it even at times made me teary eyed. However, I thought it was as good as other World War II genre books that I have read before so it did not wow me as much as I thought it was going to but a solid, good book.

Hmmmm....what is going to be next?

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Books...

Lately...

Last week we headed to Charlotte for Thanksgiving. We got into Charlotte on Wednesday and grabbed a late lunch at Chipotle and then we hit the movies!


We saw "The Good Dinosaur" which was a sweet/sad type movie. It was cute.

We got to see some friends and their cute twins that night (Hey Carrie and Toby family!) and then we headed to the hotel.


Thanksgiving morning...Jeff and I both got workouts in and Norah swam in the indoor pool. She loved the breakfast bar at the hotel! We headed over to Jeff's brother's house. Here is Norah and her sweet cousin Allyson and Jeff with his mom and brothers.

We had a feast and then stayed to watch the Panthers game...it was a long day!


Now...we got back to hotel and Norah who was sorta sick...seemed to get worse and was up all night which means I was up all night with her. Poor thing. We got up the next morning and headed home early. Norah laid on the couch all day feeling yuck so I stuck with her as Jeff went hunting.

Saturday came and she said she felt better so we headed to visit my awesome friend Julie who was in town. I hate that I barely got to see her but so glad to actually get to see her at all! I hope to see her for a longer stint soon...so fun to catch up!! Then we went to a friend's house to watch the Clemson/Carolina game (Jeff went hunting so met us there) and the set up, the house, and company were perfect! I started feeling odd during this day and was afraid I got Norah's germs. I'm still iffy so a doctor trip might be in my future.


Yep...we WON!! Go Tigers!


Sunday was Church, more hunting for Jeff, and Norah and I trying to make sure we rested some. Then Monday came and it was time for back to reality! Snapped this pic of Jeff and Norah eating breakfast before school! So cute!


It is 23 days till Christmas...WHAT?!! I'm so excited but feel a little behind on all things Christmas that need to be done. Jeff got our real tree on Sunday and this year I also picked up a fake tree so we have two trees! I got both decorated so we can now just enjoy them!



Oh and Elf Charlie is back this year...yep this sums it up!

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Lately...