We WIsh You A Merry Christmas....

I know... but better late than never right????  I just refuse to give up the blog even though I cannot stay up to date.

We went to see the lights at Opryland with Ninnie, Poppy, Clint, Kristen, Tripp, and our best friend Aubree.  We looked at the trees, went for a ride in the boat, and ran around way too much.  We were very happy to kick off the Christmas Season!

Addie's dance class performed one weekend at a Christmas Festival.  She was so cute and loved giving us a present... a ballerina picture of herself.

Does this face say "I love Christmas!" or what???

Gingerbread house night.  The day my class makes Gingerbread Houses at school, we use the leftover icing and create our own little village for our home.  Drew really did enjoy creating his house this year.  He was covered in icing.  Addie is just a little professional house decorator by this point.

Christmas Card Photoshoot 2012

What is fun?  

Trying to get your children to look at a camera when you have a Christmas Card to create.  When you say... smile at the camera... no not that smile... don't hit the tree... stop playing with the ornaments... do we have Allie... and about a million more in the total of 20 minutes of trying to get a couple of pictures to send family and friends. 

I think we have a winner!

The year of the gymnast!

Addie's gymnastics class had their winter exhibition.

She is so cute in her uniform and is so proud to "show what her body can do" ~ her words not mine.

Addie's crew for her Christmas party.  

It is such a blessing to have great family to step in when I cannot make the big days at school. 

 

The Sanders/Primm/Illyes families came together for some food, presents, and fun at our home.

Kyle made a super yummy brunch for us.

The kiddie table

Addie 5 years old and the kid in charge

Drew 2 years old and the life of the party

Hayden the only one that will actually eat.

This year Drew "gets" opening up presents and loved to pile them on top of him.  

He would say, "What is happening to me?" from under his pile.

Addie loved Molly's new winter outfit from Aunt Kellie and Uncle Jason

Poppa loved his photo book... as always!

What a crew...

Off to Lexington we went for Christmas with the Sanders/Woods Crew.  Poppy had a breakfast for dinner meal to welcome us.  Addie and Drew ate about 10 pancakes between the both of them and could not wait to open presents.   We had fun celebrating Tripp's first Christmas and stayed up till midnight opening presents, playing, and laughing with one another.

Nothing like Mr. Bear photo bombing Tripp's picture.

Addie searching for one.more.gift.

The kids at Nanny's house... I think Drew is out numbered.

Back home in time to set cookies out for Santa and get in bed for the big day.

LiLi and Poppa stopping by to see us on Christmas Morning... Drew was still in bed.

Fun times with our new dream lights.

We hope you had a great Christmas and did not have to walk the plank.

Merry Christmas to all!

Daddy's got a deer...

Kyle has been hunting a lot this month and the waiting in the fields has finally paid off.  He got a really pretty buck at my mom and dad's house.  Talk about being proud!

 

 

Drew is ready to be a little hunting buddy.  He was so cute looking at the deer... almost makes me forget about the dead carcus in the back of the truck with its tongue sticking out at me.  Kyle is getting it mounted.  Addie has told him that it is not coming in the house... my kind of girl:)  Drew on the other hand does not understand why it takes so long to get a deer mounted.  Everytime Kyle puts on hunting clothes, Drew says, "Going to get your deer?"

Gobble, Gobble... Thanksgiving 2012

OnOne of my favorite holidays... Thanksgiving... all of the family, friends, and food without the hustle of buying presents.

 

 

November Ordinary Days....

Kindergarten Field Trip to the Renaissance Center to see

 Alexander and the Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. 

Kyle was the best Dad chaperone. 

Playing upstairs after dinner... cake anyone???

Practiced our civil duties...

Late night nap = wild hair

Our new toy bought with her piggy bank money.

They have been watching Toy Story in aftercare at school and Addie is in love with Jesse.

Addie loves studying about Thanksgiving.... even though it is her least favorite holiday because it is about all of the food she does not like.

Rockin' Robin and the Twist...

Something that is special about being a teacher and having a kindergartner at the same time is getting to do the "fun" school things together.  We celebrated the 50th day of school by dressing up like it was the 1950s.  We wore poodle skirts... wore our pearls... drank root beer floats... hula hooped... listened to Chubby Checker... and watched Leave It To Beaver.  Addie is sold on the idea of having glasses.

The Kindergarten Teachers looked pretty retro that day and the children loved it.

BANEBOW...

Every year we celebrate a sweet little boy's birthday with a party and 5K.  

It is bitter sweet but AMAZING all at the same time.  

I just stand in awe of my friends and their strength to help others through the unimaginable.  

If you do not know about BANEBOW, please checkout 

www.banebow.com

It's So Spooky....

It's So Spooky was Drew's Halloween slogan this year.  On Nick Jr. there is a show called Bubble Guppies, and the characters have a little song for Halloween... so of course Drew sang it all.the.time.

Halloween was a lot of fun this year.  We went with a Disney theme with the costumes.  Addie has planned on being Alice in Wonderland since July... then switched to Dorthy from Wizard of Oz for about two weeks... then switched back to Alice.  Addie was convinced that Drew needed to be the Mad Hatter to go with her Alice but Drew had other plans.  I had gone to Goodwill looking for the Mad Hatter digs and looked high and low at Target to round out the outfit... it is not easy finding two year old clothes like the Mad Hatter:)  

Well as you can tell from the above picture, Drew was not the Mad Hatter.  When I tried to get the costume on Drew, there was a revolt.  He did not like the jacket... the hat... the shoes... or the scarf. He just kept saying, "I DON'T LIKE IT!"  So when I asked what he wanted to be for Halloween, he said Mickey.  So with four hours to go until the Halloween Event on Main Street, I was trying to figure out a way to turn Drew into Mickey Mouse.  What can a mom do with big white buttons, Addie's bloomers, old black dance tights, and black mascara??? Turn my little boy into a pretty cute Mickey Mouse!

We walked up and down Main Street collecting candy and saying trick or treat!

Then we went to LiLi and Poppa's house to get our packs of Starburst before hitting the neighborhoods around town. 

We collected about 46 pounds of candy... Kyle and I ate about 2 pounds after the kids went to bed... and the rest went into the kids treat jar to disperse throughout the year!

Happy Halloween!!!!