Christmas 2011

We had a very Merry Christmas this year. We weren't able to have our Christmas on Christmas Day, though. I actually had to work on Christmas Day for the first time. I didn't fight it...I've gotten out of it for 6 years and I figured it was time to pay my dues. I actually think it worked out for the best though. We decided to pretend Christmas Eve was actually Christmas Day. It ended up giving us more time to be together than it would have if we'd had been able to celebrate on the actual day since Christmas Day was on a Sunday and we would have to get ready and go to church and had plans to be in Rosebud later that day.

The kids seemed really excited to go to bed and wake up to their presents. However, when I woke up the next morning they were just sitting on the couch watching cartoons. I made coffee, got the camera ready, we made a fire and then had to almost talk the kids into opening presents! Ha!

Our loot...


First things first...we read the story of the birth of Jesus and then Elijah said a prayer thanking God for sending Jesus to us...

Once we said it was time to open gifts Sadie got really excited! Elijah was really sweet, he let Sadie go first and then said he wanted to let Sadie open all her gifts first. We talked him in to taking turns and had a great time watching them enjoy each gift...

She got The Beauty and the Beast (or "Booty and da Beast) movie...

Elijah got some new books...

Beau got Farkle, his favorite game...

And a rocking chair...

Elijah also got an ant farm...

Sadie added a tea party set and a Cinderella (Cinderrerra) doll to her loot and Elijah also got some dinosaur sheets. I was contemplating giving him sheets as a Christmas gift, thinking it was pretty lame, but it was actually the gift he was most excited about. He was SO excited to put them on his bed and pick out all the dinosaurs he knows. One more reason I love that kid.



Their stocking were packed with candy and new cups (Toy Story and Princess)

and Sadie got Cinderella bubbles...

and Elijah got a big toy dinosaur...

We had our traditional Monte Cristo sandwiches (I don't think anyone but me really likes them, but they are tradition!) and fruit. We ended the morning going to see the very fantastic (enter sarcasm font) Alvin and the Chipmunks. It was a great day!

Barber Shops and Books

I've been cutting Elijah's hair since he was about a year old and I'm tired of it. He hates getting the clippings all over him and I just don't do the best job. So I told Beau from now on he gets to take Elijah to the Barber shop with him. When I told Elijah his one question was "does he have something to cover me up so the hair doesn't get all over me." Yes, Elijah it will cover your whole body. "It will!!" He was sold. Beau made a big deal out of it and took Elijah out for a burger and sweet tea first!

He was very excited to get started...


I hear he did great and even got a lollipop afterwards...I didn't get an after shot. I guess that's what happens when Dad's in charge of capturing the moments.



In other news...Elijah and Sadie got another early Christmas present from Jannie and Larry.

It's Jannie and Larry reading Twas the Night Before Christmas!!

They have read it so many times we need to change the batteries already!

So precious!

Thank you Jannie and Papa Larry!!

13 MInutes of Special

The kids had their Christmas program and it lasted 13 minutes from start to end. It was precious.


In walks my handsome prince with his class...


My little princess wanted to take her time down the aisle...

Cousin Brooklyn came to watch the program. I think she had the best seat in the house...

Can you spot my little weirdos?...

Elijah got to hold the "Grace" sign...he did a fabulous job...

Trying to get a group picture never goes well...

Mimi came to our program too!!

The girls were too busy with their juice and cookies to smile for the camera...

But of course Elijah wanted a picture with his best friend, Koby...

Merry Christmas

A Very Alvin Christmas

We started a new tradition 3 years ago of going to Alvin the weekend before Christmas. That year was our first holiday season after we moved from Alvin. We wanted to go back to visit our Alvin family. Aimee and I had big plans that year to have a last girls weekend before her second son would be born a few weeks later. Well, it just so happened that the afternoon before we planned to go she called and said she was in labor. This year we celebrated Grayson's 2nd birthday while we were there!


As soon as we arrived to John and Bibby's we had dinner and the kids wanted to open their presents. They wouldn't even wait long enough for me to go get my camera so I had to snap pics on my phone.

They each got an outfit, a pair of pajamas and a toy. Sadie got a Barbie princess and Elijah got the Guess Who game.

The next day we spent the whole day at the Scogin house. We had a great dinner then let the kids open their gifts.

First we tried to get a picture. They were not cooperative...shocker.

Grant 3, Elijah 5, Grayson 2, Sadie 2.

Grayson went AWOL...

Elijah got a new movie...

Sadie got a princess puzzle...

Grant got a new helmet (he doesn't know he's getting a bike for Christmas)...

Ha! At least it fits!

Grayson needed a little help opening his gift.

It was a cute box filled with all sort of goodies like blocks, puzzles and so on. There are no pics of it because as soon it was opened we had to start refereeing the kids who were all fighting over the different toys inside.

Sadie wasn't fighting. Where was she? Playing with her puzzle...she LOVES it!

While we were there we also were able to go eat our favorite Indian food with our friends, the Welches!

Merry Christmas!

Leave it to JoCarol

The kids got packages last week. They were so excited to open them, but I had to snap a picture first. Even if I didn't already know who they were from I could have easily guessed. Only JoCarol would wrap a gift so cute! We saved the the Scrabble pieces and the kids think that's part of their gift too...

The next few pics were taken with my phone (not sure why I put my camera down). My living room is a little dark...sorry.

They each got an ornament for the tree. Sadie got a Tinkerbell and Elijah got a Curious George. They were so excited to hang them on the tree that I couldn't get them to stand still and look at me for a picture...

see....

Thank you J0Carol!!!

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Oh Christmas Tree...

The kids were super excited to put up the Christmas tree this year. We talked Beau into pulling down everything the weekend after Thanksgiving.


Not sure why this picture is so fuzzy...


This was Sadie's first year to really be into all the decorating...

Elijah is always into decorating anything...

Except for moving some things up higher (where they weren't able to reach) I left it pretty much as they decorated it.



Elijah hung our stockings. I hadn't taken down the fall stuff yet, but he wanted me to take a picture of our stockings...

I have always tried to make my tree pretty and color coordinated, but I'm really enjoying where its going now. The older the kids get the more the ornaments change from sparkly balls and baubles to hand-made ornaments. It means so much more when I open up all the ornaments and see the sweet things the kids have made...

Merry Christmas

Some one (who by the way is horrible about updating her blog, but has no problem telling me I need to update mine) reminded me I've neglected to put something on my blog...

I have always thought "oh, I'm not going to be like those other people who don't keep up the scrapbooks or whatever for their third child...I'm going to do just as much as I did for my first." Well, now I understand why that happens. It has nothing to do with the third child not being as important at all. Its just so hard when you already have two small children at home to take care of! I totally get it now! Whew...I'm tired!

*Note to my third born who may some day read this...I love you! I have loved you from the moment I watched that second line appear. I fell in love with you even more when I saw you for the first time on November 1st. My love grew deeper when I heard your heartbeat for the first time on November 29th. My love will continue to grow every minute of every day. Though there may be fewer pictures or less intricate scrapbooks please know its not because of a lack of love...its because you're big brother and big sister have plum worn me out! Smooch smooch...Mama*

Another thing the unmentioned friend has been hounding me about has been my lack of belly shots. I just haven't taken any. The times I actually think about it are when I actually get a minute to myself and those times usually don't bode well for pictures. I have one picture I took on my phone to send to said friend so she could see the beginning of my baby bump. It is a horrible picture since I took it in the middle of cleaning. It was taken on November 2nd. The day after my first appointment. I was 9 weeks and 5 days...

Notice anything in this picture to support my claim that I hardly ever have any time to myself? I am now 15 weeks and am feeling much better than I did for the first 7-12 weeks. I have now apparently decided to attempt the record for how much food can be consumed by one person in a single day.

I am looking forward to the next 25 weeks, but am not rushing it. I'm a little nervous about having a 5 year old, a 3 year old and a newborn by myself for much of the summer. Okay...I'm a lot nervous. Fine...I'm terrified. There...I said it.