Gingerbread Village

I got a cute little gingerbread village that came with 4 different houses. It was so cute and perfect because I wanted to do one, too. The kids had a cold that lingered for a few days and we stayed inside away from other people and I kept the big kids (the sickies) away from Reagan, who stayed in my bedroom. The week was rough. The kids didn't feel well, were cranky, and no one got as much attention as normal. I was going back and forth between a gate I had set up to divide Reagan's space and the sick space (even Chris was sick and I made him sleep on the couch). Our gingerbread house party became the perfect activity to spend some one on one time with the big kids and relax and have fun.

This picture cracks me up. I'm pretty sure we are all related and have the same crafting faces. I'm sure crafts come out better with your head tilted a little and this expression. Right?!

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Ice Ice Baby

An ice storm came to Texas and we got "snowed" in for a few days. School was cancelled, lots of places were closed, several people lost power, and things were a little crazy. Luckily, we had power and so we stayed nice and cozy at home... except for all our little adventures.

It was pretty much a skating rink right outside our door and the kids had fun slip-sliding around. Uncle Garrett spent a few nights with us, which was great for Wyatt because they could venture outside more often than when I went out. The boys had a blast playing in the back yard and spent hours kicking icicles and blocks of ice.

 

Here's Kenley the first morning before I dug out her snow clothes. She couldn't wait to get out so I threw a few things on her and let her check it out.

 



This is what Wyatt walked out in at first. I had to send him back in to get more clothes.

We save movies on our DVR and we had to replace it this year and lost all the kids' movies. Wyatt waited and waited for Frosty to come on again this year. He asked me just about every day if it was the day Frosty came on. So we had a hot chocolate, popcorn, and movie night.

When the kids went to bed Chris and I played the new game that Elfie brought us. He won! I'm sure he will want that documented because it doesn't happen often. He won the 2nd night, too. :(

Reagan loved the "snow" days, too.

And so did Cope! Well, maybe not so much, but he made it work.

Our poor trees got so weighted down by the snow. Luckily, we didn't lose any.

We went sledding in our neighborhood where we have a pretty good hill. It was so much fun. Everyone bundled up in snow suits and lots of layers and out we went to play. Reagan was in her snow suit in her carseat covered with blankets and then the carseat was covered with blankets. She was super cozy and slept through all the excitement. (See her in the wagon.)

We also pulled a storage bucket for the kids to ride down the hill in. They loved it until they figured out the cookie sheets were faster and then they stepped it up to those. Chris and I may have had just as much fun as the kids flying down the hill!

By the end of our snow days we were ready to get OUT!!! What better way to kill some energy than to go play at McD's with friends.

And another of my cute snuggle bunny.





The ice melted slowly. Uncle Jeff works for NTTA and they were so busy working overnight shifts for DAYS that I got to keep my sweet niece, Peyton, one day. I took this picture of the kids loaded up in the "bus" so we could take Wyatt to school.



Our chilly little week was full of great memories. Now we've decided we need to buy a real sled and are hoping to get some real snow so we can build a snowman.

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Thanksgiving

I was determined to get pictures on Thanksgiving this year and I still did a horrible job. We get so busy and things get crazy and I never get very many. But we had a wonderful day. We went to Pap and Stacy's house for lunch, family, and football. Everything was amazing and just hanging out was great. Wyatt calls his construction worker vest a fireman vest and so we were well prepared in case the turkey caught on fire. Luckily, our fireman didn't have to put out any fires.

Wyatt ran off to play with Uncle Garrett, Reagan was snoozing in her carseat, and Kenley was hanging out by the food so she is the only one that got Mommy and Daddy pictures. 

We had dinner at my mom and Jerry's. My dad and Michelle didn't get to come this year because they had awesome suite tickets at the Cowboys game (where they were served a whole Thanksgiving dinner and didn't eve have to clean up... score!). We hung out, ate more, and watched more football. Then Chris took the kids home and it was time for the annual Black Friday shopping. Here's the deal... I'm really good at buying things on sale and finding great deals. The week before Thanksgiving I ordered things from Old Navy with free shipping and 50% off the entire order FROM MY COUCH. So Black Friday shopping isn't really about the deals for me. Especially since I'm not throwing myself into any fights over saving any amount of money and my kids aren't wanting any toy that's selling out in 5 minutes. But the last few years it's become a fun little tradition. And the best part is getting to finish my Christmas shopping when my kids are in bed! This year it was just my mom, little Sarah, and me. We should've gotten a picture, but we didn't. We had a blast. We all talked and talked and laughed and laughed. I totally think that for those reasons we will keep this little tradition going.

I am so thankful for all the people in my life and all the blessings we have. I'm thankful for the best times and thankful for all the challenges along the way. God has a wonderful plan and I'm always trying my hardest to trust His plan.
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Catching Up {Kenley}

This sweet little girl has been every bit of 2... cute, mischievous, sweet, and into everything. I really love this age. I love watching the curiosity and learning that's going on in a 2 year olds mind. You can totally watch them and see their little minds working. So, check out what Kenley's been up to...

 

This girl loooooooves makeup. Loves it. If I don't know where she is for 30 seconds she will have mascara (which is now on lock down) all over her face or nail polish (also on lock down) all over her hands. Here is her work from yesterday morning..

 

Wyatt kept explaining to her how much trouble she was in.

Our Elf on the Shelf, Elfie, brought these little mosaic crafts where you put sticky foam squares on the colored squares on the picture. Kenley worked so hard on hers. I even facetimed Chris while he was at work so he could observe the difference between boys and girls. At this age, Wyatt would have gone super fast and just stuck things. Kenley, however, took her time, pulled off ones that weren't done well enough for her, and wanted to put the colors in the right spot. Love my kids' concentration faces.

The kids found a teeny tiny barrel of monkeys I have in my old teaching bucket of prizes. Here Kenley is attaching all the monkeys.

This is my absolute favorite picture of Kenley ever! The girls and I went shopping while Wyatt was in school. At Old Navy Kenley found this headband (for a big girl) and carried it throughout the store. I checked out and then she realized we weren't getting it and was so sad. I decided to let her get it and she was sooooo proud. I told her to smile and show me her new bow and this is what I got...

I got new blush and let Kenley have the old one to play with and here she is all dolled up by herself with blush (pretty sure all over to face), chapstick, and her heels. Boys are born knowing how to make a gun out of anything and girls are born with a passion for makeup and shoes.

Wyatt and Daddy went hunting one weekend (that post is coming soon from Chris). The girls and I hung out all weekend. We rode the carousel and she got 2 more princesses from the Disney store to add to her collection.

 



That same weekend Kaleton was in town and we got to go to dinner with them.

 



Kenley brings me stuff all the time and says "Here you go, Mommy," and it's the sweetest thing ever. She says it so cute and gets so excited. Here she is bringing me her homemade soup.

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Catching Up {Reagan}

I have so many pictures on my phone and got totally overwhelmed that I hadn't blogged in forever so I decided the best way to catch up was to just post tons of overly-adorable pictures of my sweet girl who is growing so fast. I can't even believe she is 3 months old already.

She still loves her sleep, but we've been getting more and more playtime in and lots of smiles and laughs. Her newest trick is mimicking us when we stick our tongues out at her.

Wyatt and Kenley both still takes naps and one of my most special times of the day with Reagan is during nap time. We get lots of cuddles and snuggles in. 

She loves to watch the kids play. Here's Wyatt and our friend, Kendall, building a log house.

We gave Reagan a toy to hold on her own. Wyatt and Kenley LOVE to give her toys and can't wait for her to be able to play with them.

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Pretty girl.

We sent this picture to Bunny to say "Hi" and hurry up and get to Texas. (See the bunny on the shirt.) Bunny, Big Daddy, and the girls are back in Texas now! We waited and waited for their military orders to see where their next duty station would be and they got TEXAS. Woohoo!

My friend, Helen, snapped some great pictures after Stroller Strides one day. I love this. She does so well in the stroller.

Her first time in the exersaucer. This was about a month ago. She still needs a blanket, but can sit up a little better. I try to keep her "up" because is the big kids see her on the floor they want to lay with her, which turns into cuddling and rolling and makes Mommy super nervous. She's going to be tough like her sister, I'm sure.

Blurry but sweet.

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Halloween 2013

Wyatt and Kenley were super into Halloween this year. They loved looking at decorations as we drove through neighborhoods, practiced dressing up as all sorts of things all month long, and asked every single night if the next day was Halloween. Wyatt was VERY into carving pumpkins and was teamed up with Daddy. Together they cut, cleaned, drew a face, and made a very good looking jack-o-lantern with triangle eyes, nose, and a crooked smile with teeth. Kenley was VERY into WATCHING her teammate, Mommy, do the dirty work. She would not touch any of the messy stuff. Not even a seed. But she was very proud of our jack-o-lantern with triangle eyes and nose and a straight smile with teeth.

Wyatt changed his mind every day about what he wanted to be for Halloween, but settled on a Texas Tech football player (as I had planned). Chris got him special football player black stripes for under his eyes and that made his costume even more exciting. Kenley was a Texas Tech cheerleader in the cutest outfit ever that I scored on a facebook site from a lady that had handmade it.

We tried to get them to pose and all they wanted to do was go get candy!

So we did...

Cousin Peyton was the cutest bumble bee ever. She was also way too busy with candy to pose for me to take pictures. 

My mom makes chili every year and after we eat she gets her spot all set up on her front lawn to pass out treats (this year they did balls and slinkies). Here's Papa hanging out with the neighbors passing out candy. 

And after the kids made their rounds trick or treating, checked out their loot, and ate as much candy as we would let them, they were pooped. They ended the night watching a movie.

We dressed up the day before for Stroller Strides and I got this super cute picture of Kenley as Snow White. Wyatt was a fireman that day and he wore a construction worker vest with a fireman hat. 

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