Merry Christmas

Heavy picture post below... We have been busy since my last Toy Story post. Was getting ready for Christmas, making cookies, going out of town. It is always a whirlwind in December. Jordan went with me to Vaden's for Cookie Fest 2010. She had fun playing with Vaden and they even helped with cookies a little bit.

The kids had a great Christmas Eve and Christmas. Jordan wanted a MP3 player and Austin wanted a DS. They both got them and Dylan got a race car set and puzzle block. He has really enjoyed it. We went out of town to Mooresville for a few days and saw the first snow on Christmas that NC has had in a long time. We still have snow at home. I think we got 10-12 inches but also a promise of 60 degree weather this coming weekend. The kids have been at daycare the past two days as Dan and I try to dig out from under everything. We still have a long way to go. I have made several Goodwill runs without the kids' input ; ) They will be home tomorrow for New Year's Eve. It is so hard to believe another year has come and gone. I can't believe I am on the verge of having a 2, 6 and 10 year old. Time just flies so fast.

Jordan and Vaden helping with Cookie Fest 2010

My sweet babies on Christmas Eve

Such a little man

Christmas Eve with Monkey

So excited to get DS games for his new DS

She loved the Tangled movie and was surprised to get a DS game

How to Train your Dragon Viking

Cousins on the trampoline at Uncle BJ's house

Great Grandma Williams reading a very speical story on Christmas Day

Being silly- best present ever

Rocking out on his guitar from Aunt Christy/Uncle Jason

Playing with Cousin Ethan

Favorite words during all this "Oh No, Snow"

So much fun sledding

Toy Story on Ice

I took the big kids  to Toy Story on Ice Sunday afternoon. It wasn't as good as the Princesses on Ice or My Little Pony but they still had a good time. Here are a few shots of our time there.

What Disney on Ice would be complete without Mickey and Minnie? The kids were so suprised!! Donald and Goofy were there too.

Mrs. Potato Head

Jessie and Bullseye

Buzz and Woody.. Buzz wasn't the greatest. He fell during his first solo.

The little Aliens and The Claw

Slink and Ham

Whether the movies or Disney on Ice, we have to have popcorn..

Lotso Huggin Bear

Barbie and Ken.. suprisingly, Barbie's big part was my favorite.

Austin's Christmas Play

Time to Decorate the Tree...Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas~

The long title comes from a cute little play Austin just had with the Kindergarten at PTA the other night. Everything went well but I was sure Austin was going to go to sleep up on stage. He is usually in bed by 8 and it didn't start til 7. He sang well on the first song and then started yawning and missing every other word.. it was all still cute. I took a video but it is too long to post here.

Everyone here is just wrapping up work/school to get ready for Christmas. I am off tomorrow to finish shopping and wrapping with Dan and then I have one more week plus a day until I get off til Jan 3rd. I am so looking forward to the time off. I am taking the big kids to Disney on Ice Toy Story on Sunday afternoon. They don't know about it yet.. it is part of their Christmas and I didn't want them to be asking every day. We might go to the Clayton Christmas parade Saturday afternoon but only if it isn't too cold. I have a make-up photo shoot around 11 or 12 and then the parade would be at 3pm.

I bought a Rocket ornament- from Little Einsteins because Dylan loves them.  The ornament was taken off the tree and "flown" around the house. I have no idea where it is now but he loved it!

Our Tree minus the Star on top. Not sure how we forgot that but there was a little bit of craziness with 3 of them decorating this year. The star is on now but I am too lazy to get my camera out.

Snow Day!

We just had the first snow of this winter. It wasn't a significant event but the flakes were huge. The kids loved going outside for a few minutes. Dylan's kept running around saying "snow, snow, wow". The last time it snowed, he was in his playpen looking out the window at the big kids.

Happy Thanksgiving!

A few days late but I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. Things are nutty around here as usual. Austin spent the day home from school saying he didn't feel well. He did get sick one time today. He doesn't have a fever.. not sure what is going on. I am hopeful he is better tomorrow but who knows. More to come later - I do have Christmas tree pictures to post. I will leave you for now with my little turkey!

Where has November gone!?!?!?

Well gosh, what have we been up too? We started the month celebrating by 35th birthday. Dan and the big kids worked to bake me a cake. The big kids had a couple big school projects we worked on. Both of them ended up getting a picture of a turkey to disguise. They both made their turkeys Christmas Trees.

We have collected toys and made mothers' gift baskets to donate to Interact. We have collected shampoo, lotions and toothpaste to donate to a retirement community. We have cleaned out all our closets to give to others needing warm clothes this winter. If there is one thing I can leave the kids it is that we need to be grateful for all we have and give to others in need. I am thankful the big kids understand that this year.

Dylan continues to grow and say more things. He is learning his colors and shapes. His new words this week were rainbow and pineapple. He also said "good job Dylan" and "good job Jordan" one time this week. He continues to grow his own little personality and makes the cutest/meanest face when you tell him something he doesn't want to hear.

Jordan and Austin are both doing really well in school. Jordan just got an award for being on the A/B Honor Roll. Her teacher said she was doing great and she had no concerns. She did just get a recorder to practice on at home. I joked that they waited to cold weather and now she can't practice outside.. or she needs a thicker coat. ; ) We just went to Austin's teacher conference and he is doing great as well. He is testing at a 1st grade level after just 2 months in Kindergarten. His teacher said that he is the one everyone goes to when they have questions. He is trying really hard to read and can spell a good many words now. We are very proud but hope he doesn't get bored with the second half of school.

We are putting up our Christmas tree today and have Thanksgiving coming. We are looking forward to spending it with family.

Austin was very excited about cracking his first egg.

Helping make Mom's birthday cake.

Meet Running River- eventually got the right pillow case... I think we spent $20 until we finally got what we needed.

He definitely loves this outfit. He was running around this morning in his Indian garb.

Complete with ketchup all over his face