Kate & Gabe

Downtown Disney

2012-01-08T23:22:00.000-05:00

We checked out of our condo this morning and decided to make one final stop in Orlando....to meet up with Kate's kindergarten teacher for lunch at Rainforest Cafe!!! We love Mrs. Cobb and were so glad it worked out to meet up with her family today! Pictured below is Kate with Mrs. Cobb and her daughter Abby. We'll see you back at school in the morning!!! :)

Condo Day

2012-01-07T23:00:00.006-05:00

After so many days of fun, we were all a little exhausted and ready for a lazy day at the condo today! But, we weren't going to let the whole day pass by without at least a little bit of fun!

We slept in for the first time all week and then headed down to enjoy some of the condo amenities. Our first stop, Swan Lake! This was a bit more of a workout than I realized it would be, but so much fun!

........

Next on the list: Thomas the Train!!!

Finally, our "old" friends from Atlanta showed up to play! We haven't seen Angie and the girls in years...actually we had never met the baby Zoie....so it was really nice to see them again and catch up a bit. Unfortunately, Angie's husband Nick couldn't join us today; maybe next time! Once the kids were all "introduced," we decided to try out the dino putt-putt course. Our kids have never played putt-putt before so it was kind of a mess, but they sort of had fun. Next time we will have to take them to a bigger course and show them how to jold a club!

The kids saw one of the playgrounds in the distance and decided to ditch putt-putt after a while and go play! I loved how crazy Samantha's hair got every time she came down the slide! :)

...................

Last but not least, our time together was almost done, but not before ice cream!!!

Thanks for coming out to play today!!!!

Universal Studios - The final day

2012-01-06T21:57:00.006-05:00

Today is our final day in the parks! We have had so much fun this week, but I am exhausted. :) We started out our morning waiting in a line of people to enter The Islands of Adventure. As soon as the gates were open we took off on a mad dash with hundreds of others from the entrance to the very back of the park to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter! We jumped into the castle ride line and only had to wait about 30 minutes!!! Yippee!!! :) We were all worn out and trying to catch our breath during those 30 minutes in line, but it was worth it! We really wanted to ride this one again but we were not going to wait through another two hour line. Afterwards we made our way back to the front of the park...taking a few pictures along the way.

Next, we left Islands of Adventure and entered Universal Studios.

Today was sort of our day to do again all the things we loved and get to the things we have missed. Jon and Kate went off one way and Gabe and I headed in another direction...and stopped to see Dora and Diego!

................

Then, while Jon & Kate were off riding rides, Gabe and I headed to the Looney Tunes area to play! Eventually Kate joined back up with us to meet and ride Woody Woodpecker's rollercoaster and to see Barney LIVE!

....

Fun on the ropes coarse!

After lots of Looney Tunes fun, we went to the animal show

where the kids were able to meet the dog from the movie "Men in Black!"

So professional.....

Terminator Time!
Gabe did NOT like this show, but we survived it without having to leave and afterwards he was all smiles again. :)

It wasn't all that hot, but who can resist a giant coke mister?!?

The sun was setting and our night was quickly coming to a close.

Jon & Kate ran off to ride more rides while Gabe and I spent our final 45 minutes riding Woody Woodpecker's rollercoaster over and over.

Universal Studios closed and we had one last hour to run over and enjoy Islands of Adventure!

We tried to pack in as much fun today as possible! It felt like we spent most of the day running, but we fit everything in! We planned to try and ride the castle one last time, but when we got to it, we discovered it was shut down for the night due to a mechanical error. So instead, we spent an hour riding The Flight of the Hippogriff over and over and over again! Kate and Gabe both loved this little rollercoaster so it was great! I think we were able to go 5 or 6 times in a row. Unfortunately, they made us get off and run around and through the line each time instead of just getting to stay on. Maybe that was better though or we would have been on it closer to 10 times before the park closed! :)

**********

Once the rides were officially shut down for the evening, we took our time enjoying Hogwarts at night...and wth so many less people roaming the streets!!!! We were actually able to see all the window displays and buildings! This place is truly incredible - can't wait to see how they maybe someday expand!

........

It was finally time to say goodnight to the theme parks. The kids wanted pictures on every photo prop possible, but I'll only post a couple because there are so many! :)

............

Islands of Adventure - Superhero Day!

2012-01-05T21:58:00.008-05:00

Yesterday was all about Kate and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Okay, I'll admit it, Jon and I were just as excited as her! :) But, today we change gears, put on our superhero capes and head to The Land of Marvel Comics!!! Gabe was very excited to see the real superheroes!

For a little boy, being on this street is amazing!!!

Gabe spent most of the day as "Super Gabe" but later decided to transform into "Super Spidey!"

...........

So, we got to the park right when it opened, headed straight to the Spiderman ride, and discovered that it wasn't open yet for some reason. :( We were a little disappointed, but have no fear, we found more fun! The kids and I got on this spinning vortex while Jon took off to ride The Hulk rollercoaster. But after a couple dizzying turns, I was glad to see Jon! He took the kids for a couple turns and then we all needed a break!

We headed back towards the Spiderman ride but still not open, we saw a small line forming to meet Spiderman!!! He was so great with the kids! I was amazed with how much time he spent talking to them before the picture...discovering that Kate is a great wizard and Gabe's super power is his super strength!

...........

The ride is OPEN!!!

Gabe got his 3D glasses, passed the height test (thanks to Kate's boots!), and we boarded the car to help save the city with Spiderman! Gabe was a little scared, but overall he loved the ride!!!

When we got off the ride there were villians in the street...!

.........

A few minutes later, alarms started sounding, the streets were cleared, and in rode the X-Men and SpiderMan on 4-wheelers! After their grand entrance we started going from line to line to meet each of the superheroes.

Captain America & Wolverine

.............

Storm & Rogue

Then, the coolest thing happened! Just before heading off to meet Cyclops, an employee came up to us and invited our family to have a special one-on-one meeting with all the Super Heroes at the same time!!! Really??!? I was soooo excited! Kate got "chosen" by Ollivander yesterday at the wand shop and now today Gabe (& Kate) were chosen for a special meeting with the X-Men....Amazing!!!! We were led off behind the buildings where we got to watch the Super Heroes ride up again on their 4-wheelers. Then they got off, walked up to us, and spent about 5-10 minutes talking with the kids! So cool!

Special Photo-Op with the whole gang!

We had a great time in the Land of Marvel Comics, but now it's time to explore the rest of the park. Along the way we saw Popeye and Olive Oil. I got the kids to take a picture with them, but they had no idea who these guys were....do these cartoons still come on tv?!? Guess maybe I'll look them up and show Kate and Gabe if I can....

Lunch and storytime with Dr. Seuss & the gang!

...................

We also went to Jurassic Park to see the discovery zone. I was NOT impressed with this out-of-date building and mostly broken/neglected exhibits, but just before it closed for the evening we did get to see a baby dinosaur hatch. Kate especially loved this, but was so confused as to whether or not it was real....

On the way out she did catch a really real "dino," a baby lizard! :)

Now, despite the crazy crowds, what would a day at the Islands of Adventure be without at least a quick trip back into Hogwarts! I loved this picture of Kate with the castle in the background!!!

We tried Butterbeer yesterday...time for some Pumpkin Juice today!

I definitely preferred the Butterbeer, but the Pumpkin Juice wasn't bad...sort of interesting.

Students at the castle for the Tri-Wizard Tournament!!!

Another amazing day!!! Beautiful weather and lots of family fun....what more could I ask for! We have one more day left in the parks (tomorrow) to do anything left and do again everything we really loved! Then, I think we might all crash from exhaustion. :)

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter!!!

2012-01-04T22:28:00.013-05:00

We are staying in a one bedroom condo with a pullout sleeper sofa coach in the living room.

Well, somehow last night Jon ended up in the bedroom by himself while the kids and I slept on the not-so-comfy sleeper sofa! However, since I wake up in the middle of the night almost every night now (thanks to the pregnancy), I got up and moved to the bed. When the alarm clock when off a few hours later, this is what I found in the living room! :) How do kids sleep like this?!?

We were all a little sleepy this morning, but once up and going we were excited for what was in store today:
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Islands of Adventure!!!!

.............

Jon and I love the Harry Potter book series, love the movies, and now Kate too is in love with Harry Potter! She has seen all the movies, and we hope will oneday read the books too. She plays "Harry Potter" with her friends at school on the playground and was then so excited when she discovered we were coming to Hogwarts for vacation! We bought both kids their own robes and accessories and gave Kate a collection of gold coins to use on the trip to buy her wand from Ollivanders wand shop! Needless to say, we were all really excited!!!

Once we walked through the arches into The Wizarding World we were a bit overwhelmed by all the people! I can't even begin to descibe how crowded this area was...we are NOT the only people who love Harry Potter...WOW! You could hardly walk down the streets, bumping shoulders every step of the way, and this is the off season....??!? It is busier today than any day at Disney in the summer! I can't imagine this place in the summer!!! The first thing we came to was Ollivander's wand shop. The wait time: 75+ minutes. Now remember, this is NOT a ride, this is a shop! It's a pretty awesome shop though with the hope that once inside, you will be picked from the crowd by Ollivander as "the chosen one." So, we get in the long line and begin to wait and wait and wait. And before I forget, it's freezing! I think the high today is only getting into the mid 50s, but right now it's still in the 40s. :/ We managed to successfully work our way through the line and finally made it in!!! Now, what are the chances Kate will get picked?!? I was so hopeful, but in everything I read it sounded like they don't often pick little kids. Ollivander looked around the room, stared at Kate, and then asked her age. She responded with, "I'm 6." He then said, "You've got at least 5 more years until you can go to Hogwarts." I thought that was it, he was moving on to one of the older kids. But, he kept talking to her! He told her he saw something special in her and called her forward!!!! She was chosen! Kate was a litte nervous, but did awesome! Ollivander picked out a wand and when Kate pointed at the flowers, they instantly wilted. He chose another wand, but this time you heard clashing and banging...still not right. He thought for a moment, looked on his shelves filled with wands, picked out something and said, "Hmmmm. I wonder..." He handed the wand to Kate and magical music began playing and it was clear, this wand had chosen Kate! :) Amazing!!! This was definitely worth our long wait!!! We were then escorted into the unbelievably crowded store side of the wand shop where Kate was able to buy her unique wand, not available for purchase by anyone not "chosen." What a special moment for Kate!

...........

Kate got her wand and also picked out an owl from the Owlery. :)

..............

This day is mostly all about Kate, but we knew we needed to do something Gabe would enjoy too since he had to sit through that long line at Ollivander's. Our next stop: The Flight of the Hippogriff! This line was also nearly an hour, but along the way we were able to see Hagrid's Hut...and the sun was beginning to peak out a bit too!

We all got on the roller coaster and were ready for our first ride.
But first, you must bow to the Hippogriff!
We all loved this ride...we'll have to come back later tonight!

........

Now it's time for the real test of patience...The Castle!!!

The wait time: 2 HOURS!

And the real issue, Kate is 46.5 inches, and the height requirement is 48 inches! But, how could we let her miss out on the most amazing ride in the park?!? Not going to happen! :) Thanks to boots and some socks, Kate will magically grow. We were still a little nervous. What if we wait in line for 2 hours and then they turn Kate away?!? I was so nervous! The first hour in line was brutal. The kids were bored and there was nothing to entertain us or them. They did get lots of compliments along the journey on their outfits and lots of foreigners sneaking pictures of them as we snaked through the lines. Then finally, we made it to the castle! We still had another hour to go, but at least now we have cool things to look at!

.............

Now it's time for the official height measurement. Kate is taken to the ruler....and she's in!!!!

Gabe and I went into the "parent swap" room where we watched Kate and Jon get strapped in and then waited for their return! Several minutes later a very excited Kate came in and said the ride was awesome! After confirming with Jon that there were no crazy twists or turns, this pregnant mama swapped places with Jon to experience the ride with Kate. At least she got to go twice for her two hour wait...all thanks to Gabe! I must say, it was every bit as amazing as I had read online!!!

........

After so much waiting in lines, we all needed a break! We wanted to try the famous "ButterBeer" so we fought our way through the crowds to Hogs Head Brewery!

...............

We ordered two glasses of frozen butterbeer...and it was delicious!

........

Poor Gabe, he was so exhausted from all the lines that he slept through our time at Hogs Head and missed out on the Butterbeer. But, he is sooo picky that most likely he wouldn't have tried it anyway. :)

Leaving HogsHead, it was time for The Frog Choir! These Hogwarts students, along with two giant frogs, sang several fun songs. Kate was so curious about these frogs...are they real?!?

........

Kate is ready to enroll at Hogwarts!

After so much "Harry Potter," it was time to head outside the gates for lunch in Seussville. We all needed a small break from the crowds for our sanity! :) Gabe stayed asleep through all of this, but Kate enjoyed the characters and their little performance and book reading.

.............

Back to Hogwarts..... This time we got to meet the train conductor of the Hogwarts Express!

..............

Just like everyone in Hogwarts, this guy was awesome! He talked to Kate for a while then told her to point the wand at his neck and say a spell. He had it timed perfectly! The moment she said something he screamed and steam started flowing out the train! Kate loved it!

Before we end the night, it's time to spend more money!!! We went into Honeydukes candy shop and Zonkos trick store. Again, sooo crowded, but lots of fun and tasty things to look at! We already had some Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, but the kids did choose some candy and we got a Chocolate Frog with hologram Dumbledore card. Kate also picked out an inflatable tongue from Zonko's!

............

The castle at night....amazing!

Aside from too many people, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was everything we hoped it would be..and more! It was all so real, just like in the movies. I can't wait to see what they dream up next....and see how they hopefully expand in the future!

Pirate's Dinner Adventure

2012-01-03T22:40:00.004-05:00

Today was sooo cold in Orlando, so we spent the day relaxing in our condo! Then just before dinner, we headed to the mall...because Jon forgot his coat! Fortunately, we found one we liked before going back out in the cold and driving over to join with The Pirates!!!!

The last time we came to The Pirate's Dinner Adventure was when Kate was 3 and Gabe was 1. We loved it then and were so excited to go back now that the kids are older!

Pirate Princess Kate & Captain Gabe!

After a fun preshow in the lobby, we entered the dining room surrounding the pirate ship.

We were in the Orange section...cheering on the Orange Pirate!

Do we look scary or what??!? :)

............

The show was great, food was yummy, and towards the end the kids were called up onto the ship to take the Pirate Oath. At 3 years old, Kate went up on the ship and stood on the front row surrounded by strangers. At 4 years old, Gabe looked at me like I was crazy suggesting he go onto a pirate ship with his nutty sister! Such different kids!!! :) Kate jumped right up from her seat and marched up onto the ship with the other kids. You can't see her in the picture, but she is somewhere in the middle of that bunch of little pirates...

After the show, we were able to meet the Pirate who saved the Princess as well as the Princess!

...............

The Orange Pirate

Okay, so we loved the show and the kids had a blast, but I do have one major complaint about the evening. You see, there was a group of pretty, young women ...who happened to be sitting right next to me!...and they were all flirting with our pirate. Our pirate loved that of course, and flirted right on back! It sort of felt like he did his entire performance just directed at them, making eye contact mostly only at them and involving them wherever possible. It was a bit annoying! Thankfully, the show is more than just one pirate, but I was glad that our pirate didn't win all the challenges...mostly because the women didn't help him like they were supposed to!

After the show, back in the lobby, everyone was invited to join in on a dance party with the pirates! I knew Kate would want to dance, but was pleasantly surprised when Gabe also joined in on all the fun!

Universal Studios - Day 1

2012-01-02T22:41:00.005-05:00

We arrived in Orlando yesterday afternoon, got settled into our resort, then got ready for a fun week! This morning we began our day with a time share presentation...only to gain access to free amentities (we bought into timeshare last year...we are NOT buying more!). After that was finished, we headed over to Universal Studios!!!! We have never taken Kate and Gabe to these parks, but we were all excited!

Once in the park I was excited to head over to Amityville for the final day of JAWS! After today, this ride is being shut down forever to build something new. Gabe was a bit nervous about riding in a boat that was going to be attacked by a giant shark, butb he did great. Both kids ended up a bit nervous, but I was so glad they were able to experience Jaws. :)

JAWS!!!!

You weren't allowed to take pictures or video during the ride,
but I was able to snap one quick picture before our boat launched....

We rode a few things as a family, then Kate & Jon headed off to ride "big kid stuff" while Gabe and I went to Fivel's Playland for our own fun! The next set of pictures are not exactly in order. Gabe and I spent a couple hours here, and Jon & Kate joined us for part of that time.

I can't wait to take the kids to this movie...it looks so cute!

This little roller coaster was Gabe's favorite! We rode it many times today. In fact, I think Gabe would have just stayed in his seat for hours if they would have let him! He called it, "The Train!"

.........

Gabe and I rode this many times, then many times more later on with Jon and Kate.

........

We love Curious George!!!

The kids had so much fun on this "water slide!"

After a long day in Universal Studios, we left the park when it closed and had 90 minutes to enter and enjoy Islands of Adventure next door. We didn't have time for much, but we did enjoy lots of rides in Seussville!

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T23:59:00.004-05:00

I can't believe it, 2011 is coming to a close!

It's been a fun year, but I must admit, I am really looking forward to 2012!!!

Tonight we gathered with family and friends to celebrate 2011 and ring in 2012.
There was lots of yummy food, fun times, sparklers, and Dick Clark of course!

..............

Most everyone left before midnight,
but we still had fun ringing in the New Year at midnight with my parents and Dave & Bonnie!

Mmmm...Oysters....NOT!

These slimey, bacteria infested, disgusting looking creatures should NOT be eaten, but someone decided to bring a huge amount tonight to smell up the entire back yard! Kate decided she would try one so Jon helped her fix it on a cracker. But, she only ate a tiny bite of the cracker...I don't blame you Kate! You are much better off! :)

..............

Fun with Sparklers!

These were banned this past year for the 4th of July (not enough rain),

so it was nice getting to play freely with them tonight!

......................

Gotta dance a little too!!!!

Happy New Year!!!!

I've never been one to set resolutions, but I am definitely looking forward to 2012! Our year begins with a fun family vacation to Orlando tomorrow and then we fly through the final few weeks of my pregnancy before meeting Grant in March!!!! I know 2012 will have its share of ups and down...and sleepless nights!...but I am excited to get the year started and plan to enjoy every moment!

Time to toast in 2012!!!

We all had sparkling grape juice...Gabe opted for chocolate milk.

..............

Let's Party!!!!!

The Stompeez Story....

2011-12-31T19:41:00.002-05:00

Okay, so it's time to vent! Actually, it's probably good that I am writing this post a week after this picture was taken....I'm not nearly as frustrated as I was a week...or two...ago! Everyone loves a good jingle. Attach a catchy little jingle to a cute product directed at kids and play it over and over two months before Christmas...and you can probably bet one of my kids will see it, love it, and want Santa to bring it! This happened to us last year and the kids ended up with Pillow Pets from Santa. A year later, there is a new "must have" product....Stompeez Slippers! But, unlike the Pillow Pets, Stompeez are not yet available in stores. Realizing quickly that Kate was falling in love with these and was already beginning to put them on the top of her Christmas wish list, I called the company and placed an order for the Perky Pink Puppy Stompeez on November 22...plenty of time to arrive before Christmas! Not only did that allow plenty of time, they also guaranteed Christmas delivery online and over the phone. No worries! Along with the Perky Pink Puppy, I decided to also order the Growling Dragon for Gabe and the Unusual Unicorn for my little cousin Hannah. All was great. I kept checking the Order Status and there were no updates. But, I wasn't getting too worried yet because the Christmas delivery guarantee was still on the website for all orders placed before December 5...ordering two weeks before that date I felt fine. Fast forward to just over a week before Christmas. Now I'm beginning to worry. Our Stompeez still haven't arrived and there is no change on the order status. I decided to call the company and of course can only reach an overseas call center where I am speaking to someone who does NOT speak great English. Oh joy! The guy assured me that my Stompeez would still arrive in time for Christmas. I wait about two more days....still no updates or tracking info...panic is beginning to set in. You see, if this were just going to be one of many Christmas presents it wouldn't be such a big deal. But the fact is, the Perky Pink Puppy Stompeez are the ONLY gift Kate has asked Santa for this year! She has drawn pictures of them in her letters to Santa and told him that's what she wants every time she has seen him this season...the only thing she has asked for! It's now 6 days before Christmas and guess what, I got a tracking confirmation!!! There is no delivery date available yet, but at least our Stompeez have shipped! I was so excited, feeling certain that being shipped FedEx, they will actually arrive on time! I checked the tracking number all day with nothing new appearing. The next day, there it is, the estimated delivery date....December 29th! WHAT??!?!?!? Are you kidding me????!? The 29th? FOUR days AFTER Christmas??? I immediately got on the phone with yet another foreigner. Now, I was angry! And what does he tell me, "I understand what you are saying, but your order will arrive by Christmas." Huh? I explained over and over what the tracking information said and he insisted that date was an estimated date, but the slippers would arrive on time. I don't ship often, but that just didn't seem right. Then, to "make up" for any inconveniences and as an apology, he actually offered me a free duffle bag if I would pay shipping. This is the same "free" duffle bag that I could have gotten when I ordered the stpid slippers! If I wanted the bag, I would have gotten the bag then! He was seriously try to get me to spend more money! I hung up very annoyed and decided to call FedEx. Of course, they confirmed what their website said, my package was shipped the slowest method possible, from California, and would arrive to our local post office on the 29th and possibly not arrive to my house until a day later! I called Stompeez customer service back. This time at least the guy seemed to believe that my "guaranteed Christmas delivery" wasn't going to happen, but there wasn't much he could do. He apologized and refunded my shipping. I got off the phone with him but was still so mad. What was I going to tell Kate? I called Stompeez again, this time getting a lady. And clearly, I was not the first unhappy customer she had talked to today. She was NOT friendly like the guys and with all the info, and having spoken to FedEx, she actually told me my information was wrong and that my Stompeez would arrive by Christmas. She said, I guarantee you, I promise you they will arrive by Christmas. But, she did NOT say this in a friendly tone...she was just as annoyed with me as I was with her! I was beginning to go crazy...just wanting to speak to an American! Finally, after searching multiple online forums filled with angry Stompeez customers who were all also not getting their slippers in time for Christmas, I found the hidden number to the American call center! I was hoping for a number to upper management, but at least I was going to speak with someone who speaks good English! I got a lady who again, had definitely talked to many frustrated customers today, but she was friendly and very apologetic. She said there was absolutely nothing that could be done at this point, there are no more Stompeez to ship me overnight, my fight is over. She did offer me a free Stompeez blanket as an apology. But, I was prepared to jump through the phone and attack if she asked me to pay for shipping...she didn't. :) So here it is, two days before Christmas and I have to come up with "a story." What will I tell Kate? How will I explain that Santa didn't bring her the one thing she asked for this year? You see, had kate asked for something extreme, I would have put an end to it weeks ago, explaining that what she asked for was not something Santa could bring. I am sure there will come a day like that, but this was not supposed to be that day. I wracked my brain and came up with a plan! The Perky Pink Puppies fell out of the sleigh! I worked on a picture, piecing together Mrs. Claus and the Stompeez using Paintshop, wrote a not from Santa, had it printed, and knew it would just have to work. I also knew Kate would have to open this letter/picture first because I wasn't going to be able to watch kate hope with each gift that it was going to be her Perky Pink Puppies! Fast forward to Christmas morning and you can see the letter. It worked perfectly! Kate fully believes that Rudolf pulled her Stompeez out of Santa's sack! I am still annoyed, but at least Kate isn't disappointed! Then, just as promised by FedEx, my package arrived to the post office on December 29th and then to my parents' house on December 30th. They brought them to me late that night, I repackaged them with another note from Santa and had the box waiting on the front porch for Kate to discover. She was sooooo excited!!!! Finally, her Perky Pink Puppies have arrived!!!!!!

Super Siblings

2011-12-29T22:24:00.001-05:00

For whatever reason, Gabe has been really wanting some "footy" pajamas. Tonight I went out with my friend Nicole to dinner and shopping, so when I saw these footy Superman pjs, I just had to get them! Of course, when I got home at 9pm the kids were still very much awake in their rooms, so I let them out and showed Gabe what I brought him. He was soooo excited and changed into them immediately....and then added the cape and mask he got for Christmas! He is doing one of his kung fu moves in the picture. :) It took them a while to settle back down and go to sleep, but they were both so very cute tonight that it was worth it!

Happy Birthday Harper Mae!

2011-12-27T15:13:00.000-05:00

After resting all day yesterday, the kids were excited to get out of the house today to party!

We are celebrating with one of Kate's friends from school, Harper Mae, as she turns 6!!!!

Happy Birthday Harper Mae!

Harper Mae had a swimming party at one of the local hotels....and the kids had a blast!

..........

Christmas Evening at Grammy's House

2011-12-25T22:09:00.003-05:00

After a long and fun morning opening gifts, we rested through the afternoon and then loaded up and headed to Grammy's house for Christmas dinner! All the kids had fun playing together, we ate a yummy dinner, opened more presents, and then posed for the annual Bare family Christmas picture. :) We have had a wonderful Christmas and are looking forward to all the excitement that awaits us over the next few months!

Our family of four....for a few more months. :)

It's so hard to believe that next Christmas we will have a 9 month old baby boy!!!

My crazy Christmas cuties...who did NOT want to stand still for a picture.

They were being wild tonight with their cousins!

The cousins

Zane (3) ~ Gabe (4) ~ Kate (6) ~ Hannah (4) ~ Peyton (almost 8 months)

Kate LOVES baby girls! And Peyton seemed to enjoy all the extra attention too! :)

............

Kate and Hannah were trying to make mad faces

but were finding it hard because they knew they looked funny. :)

Christmas Morning

2011-12-25T10:24:00.003-05:00

My parents got to our house around 7am, ready to start the Christmas fun! The kids were still sleeping though and we actually decided to go ahead and wake them. I think next year we might just let them sleep as long as they will...because I was tired by the afternoon from a late night playing Santa! Anyway, once they were both out of bed, they were ready to find out what Santa left under the tree!!! And wow...Santa sure did fill up our living room! Kate & Gabe were ready to dig in to their gifts!

..............

Before getting to any presents, we had Kate notice the card stuck in the tree that read, "To Katelyn. Open First!"
She opened the card, got a very curious look on her face, then handed it to me to read....

Below is the note....

You see, the only thing Kate has asked Santa for all month long are the Perky Pink Puppy Stompeez slippers...as seen on tv. Knowing how much she wanted them, I ordered them in November. Well, long story short...because I plan to dedicate a post just to this topic...the Stompeez have not arrived. I didn't want Kate to think Santa ignored her one and only request, so below is what I came up with for a solution. Kate loved it, and is fully convinced that Rudolf pulled her Stompeez out of Santa's sack. :) And hopefully her Stompeez will arrive before New Years....we'll see.

We are so very blessed; the kids had an amazing Christmas as did we all.
After opening all the presents, Kate & Gabe were anxious to discover all the little prizes in their giant stockings.

.............

With all the gifts opened, it was time for breakfast!

.............

And finally, time to relax!!! :)

Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T22:15:00.008-05:00

It's Christmas Eve....and it's time to celebrate!

After finishing up our cookies at home, we got ready and headed over to Grandma & PawPaw's house for a yummy dinner, drive to look at Christmas lights, and then back to their house to open one present. The kids were sooo excited to open their present that they really didn't want to spend more than a few minutes looking at lights around town...we'll have to figure that out for next year. We usually have a few gifts under the tree for the kids to choose from, but this year we decided to have them open their gift from Jon's parents, WaWa & Packy.

....................

Look at those smiles!!!

Can you tell how excited they were when they opened their presents and discovered American Girl Emily and a remote control helicopter?!?! They were soooo excited!!!

......

Thank you WaWa & Packy!!!!

Once the initial excitement wore off, and we realized the helicopter had to charge for an hour, it was time to check NORAD and track Santa's progress! It was getting dark outside and we sure would hate to be up playing and miss his arrival over Georgia. ;)

We discovered we still had a couple hours, but that will go by quick!

Time to set out a little snack for the reindeer at Grandma's house!

Kate filled her plate and set it at the end of the driveway so that the reindeer could get a quick bite on their way to Griffin & Laney Grace's house across the street. Gabe decided his portion would be better off in one of the trees.

............

It's been an hour!!!!!

Look at Gabe's face! He was sooo excited to see his helicopter take flight!

Gabe is learning to fly!

We had lots of fun with Grandma & PawPaw,

but if Santa is going to stop at our house tonight, we better get home and into bed!
The kids made homemade reindeer food using carrots, shredded wheat cereal, M&Ms, and sprinkles.

We started to head out the front door and Gabe had a meltdown. It was hard to understand the problem at first, but we finally got him to explain that he wanted the food in the backyard. But, Kate knows we always put it in the front yard, so she wasn't changing this year. We ended up getting a second dish and spliting the food...some in front and some in back. Problem solved!

............

Last but not least....cookies and milk for Santa!!!!

Then, just before bed Kate wrote this little note to Santa all on her own!

Everything isn't spelled correctly, but I am still so amazed at her writing/reading progress this year!!! In case you can't tell, the note reads: "Can I have a Santa hat for my alligator. Dear Santa. Love Kate. Leave it under the tree." The alligator she mentions is her new stuffed Alligator, "Alli," that she got a few days ago at Okefenokee. I was so impressed with Kate's note that once she was asleep I searched the Christmas boxes until I found tiny reindeer antlers (used to be for our dog) that I left, with a note, in Kate's stocking.

Baking for Santa

2011-12-24T16:46:00.002-05:00

I love Christmas...everything about it! I love all the extra activities, I love shopping for the perfect gifts, I love all the extra excitement that fills the air, I love the magic of Christmas, I just love it all! I usually do my best to try and balance everything, sometimes staying up way too late to get it all done. But, it's just one month out of the year. I also do my best to balance the real meaning of Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ, with the magic and excitement of Santa. I have found this to not always be easy, but certainly worth trying because I love both! This year the kids and I have worked our way through The Jesse Tree and it's been great! I have to be honest though, we have missed the past few days and will start back up after Christmas. The devotions/stories are great and the kids will love finishing up....even a few days late. Anyway, the point of all that is to say that while I usually do my best to balance everything, there is one thing I don't usually have to factor in....pregnancy! This is my first Christmas pregnant, and my first pregnancy being exhausted! Maybe it's because I have two kids, or the fact that I don't get enough sleep because I stay up finishing projects and get up early to get Kate ready for Kindergarten, or maybe it's because my iron is low....or maybe all three. But whatever it is, this baby keeps me TIRED! I never felt this way past the first trimester with Kate or Gabe, but Grant sure wants me to sleep! I hope that doesn't mean he is telling me to sleep now while I still have a chance....Kate and Gabe were pretty easy babies so I won't know what to do if he isn't. :/ Back to today, it's Christmas Eve and the kids and I are in the kitchen baking together...for the first time all month! I feel terrible, but hopefully we can do some of our typical "before Christmas fun" next week when life is a little more calm...

***********

The kids helped make our sugar cookie dough, rolled it all out on the very floured table, and started pressing on cookie cutters. Then they made round cookies and loaded them down with M&Ms, kisses, and sprinkles! Santa will have lots of yummy cookies to choose from this year!

........

Time to put the cookie creations in the oven!

Everything might not have gone exactly according to plan this year, or right on schedule, but we have still had lots of fun this December and are very ready for Christmas!!! And next year, we will be a family of five making all new memories, and learning how to do everything with a baby in tow! :)

Okefenokee Christmas Train

2011-12-22T20:27:00.005-05:00

Tonight my parents and I took the kids out to the swamp to ride the Swamp Train! Jon was supposed to come along, but unfortunately, he isn't feeling well. Hopefully he'll get better by Christmas! With Okefenokee State Park/Swamp not being too far away, I can't believe we have never taken the kids before tonight. We will definitely have to plan a trip back during the day to see all the alligators!!!

The weather was perfect tonight, and the lights were beautiful!

We made it to the train depot. We heard the train whistle in the distance and the kids both got soooo excited!!!

"I see the train! I see the train!!!"

.............

All Aboard!

I asked a stranger to take our picture on board the train. Well, he couldn't see anything through the viewfinder because it was so dark, and he snapped the picture while I was telling him where to find the button...oh well. Not the best family picture, but not terrible either. :)

The train took us all around the swamp, enjoying the beautiful display of Christmas lights.
Back to the train depot, it was time to explore the grounds...

We walked around and spotted a few live alligators....and also this giant stuffed alligator on display!

We kept walking and found Santa. One last chance to make a request...

Kate once again asked for the Perky Pink Puppy Stompeez (more on that later :/)

and Gabe asked for a remote control helicopter or car.

Kate also asked Santa about Mrs. Claus. She has really wanted to see her more this year.

Santa told her that she was at home baking. :)

........

Final stop for the evening...the kiddie train!

Kate and Gabe rode this many times before we finally called it a night and headed back home....

Okefenokee Swamp....we'll be back!!!

Playgroup Christmas Party

2011-12-19T14:34:00.004-05:00

I seriously have the greatest group of friends! Wonderful moms, cute kids, and always lots of fun! What more could I ask for?!? :) Today we got together for a Christmas party/playdate hosted by Nicole, Emma, and baby Andrew. Thank you guys for having us over. We had such a wonderful time...and now we are ready for Christmas!!!

Such silly kids!!!

I had to take pictures of all the super yummy food!

......

...........

....

After eating, Mrs. Nicole gathered all the kids, split them into two teams, and instructed them on a Candy Cane relay race. Everyone had so much fun!!! And while the big kids competed, the toddlers just played.

........

And the babies just sat and looked adorable!!!

Our final activity was to make a donut snowman!!! :)

Henry decided it took too much time to build a snowman...
the donuts and cookies just looked too good!

Wedding Plans....

2011-12-17T14:18:00.005-05:00

Right after Henry's birthday party we headed over to my parents' house for a very special "meeting" with our friends Dave & Bonnie. They are getting married in February and planned a very special way of asking the kids if they would be in their wedding as Flower Girl and Ring Bearer. The kids LOVE "Uncle" Dave and have come to love Bonnie too!

********

While Gabe was out playing with their friend Griffin across the street, Kate was asked to come sit inside with Dave & Bonnie to read a story. They read a really cute book all about being a Flower Girl. I could tell Kate was getting a little nervous...and also very excited!

........

At the end of the story Bonnie asked Kate if she would be the Flower Girl in their wedding,

and Kate very excitedly said, YES!!!!

Next up...Gabe!

Kate was sent outside to play and Gabe came in to read a story.

I have to tell you how it all happened though because it was pretty funny...and SO Gabe! When Gabe was first asked to leave so that Kate could have time alone with Dave & Bonnie, he cried and got all upset, wanting to stay with Dave. Then, when he ran inside, as instructed by Kate, and was asked to sit with Dave and Bonnie for a story, he cried again! This time because he wanted to play and build a snake trap with Griffin. Some days you just can't win with Gabe! He may not be as hyper as Kate, but he sure can be more difficult! Anyway, I knew Dave & Bonnie didn't invision this, so I had to give in and let Gabe have an extra 10 minutes outside with Griffin while we waited in the house. Eventually he came running in and was ready to read. This time he was all smiles....
*****

Dave read an equally cute book to Gabe about a ring bearer and then they asked him if he would be the ring bearer in their wedding. I don't think Gabe fully grasps his role like Kate does, but he was still excited and said, "Yes!"

........

We are so excited for Dave & Bonnie and can't wait to be a part of their wedding on February 18, 2012!!! My parents are marrying them, Jon is a groomsman, Kate is the Flower Girl, Gabe is the Ring Bearer, and 3 1/2 weeks from my due date, I will be Shamu! :) LOL! It's going to be a great weekend!!!!

Happy 2nd Birthday Henry!!!

2011-12-17T13:08:00.008-05:00

This morning we got to go back to Beau's Barnyard...this time to celebrate with Henry!!!

Happy 2nd Birthday!

I took sooo many pictures this morning...199 to be exact! We just had so much fun, the kids were all smiles, and the weather was perfect! I did my best to narrow them down for this post. Thanks for letting us come be a part of such a fun and special day!

*****

The kids got to see, pet, and even feed so many different animals on the farm today, including this giant pig!

You've got to love the goats! :)

........

Kate is such a little country girl!

Gabe liked the animals, but didn't touch or feed many.

Kate, on the other hand, was ready to move in!

Feeding the baby cow....

The kids got to help carry the chickens from their chicken coupe to a larger fenced in area to play.

...........

....and put them on their head!

Gabe didn't want to hold his own chicken,

but he was glad Bryce was willing to pick one up for him to pet.

Our little farmers....

......

Time to bring out the bunnies!

The owner of the farm showed the kids the different colors of chicken eggs...

....then let them each hold one!

One more thing left to do.....The Hayride!!!

.......

Kate ~ Amelia ~ Finley

Gabe & Emma

Have a fun ride!!!!

Now that all the farm work is finished, it's time to eat!

The Birthday Boy!!!!

Our little Daisy

2011-12-16T19:33:00.000-05:00

Time for party #3!!!

This time though it's a different sort of Christmas party....a Daisy Garden Party!!!

***********

Tonight Kate will be officially inducted into Daisies!!!

I was a Girl Scout when I was a litte girl too....cookies, camping, sleepovers....let the fun begin!

Kate with her Kindergarten "besties" and first grader friend Mallory!

These girls always have so much fun together!!!

More Girl Scouts!!!

The girls were called up individually, inducted into Girl Scouts,

and then given the badges they have earned so far this year.

...........

Final step: Reciting the Girl Scout Promise

On my honor, I will try:
To serve God and my country,
To help people at all times,
And to live by the Girl Scout Law.

A very proud Grandma!

Christmas at SMES

2011-12-16T15:39:00.007-05:00

After finishing up at Happy Apple, I drove over to Kate's school for Christmas party #2!

Have I said lately how much I LOVE Kate's teachers and class?!?!

It's funny now when I think about how worried I was about making the leap from Happy Apple to public school...this year has been nothing short of perfect for Kate!

****

Merry Christmas Mrs. Cobb and Ms. Delaney!

We will miss you both over the next three weeks! Enjoy your break!!!

...............

I love these sweet girls!

Emma ~ Harper Mae ~ Kate ~ Anne

I hope they remain "besties" forever!

Kate & Matthew

Once everyone was settled and parents arrived, it was time to begin the craft!
The kids used their pattern making skills to follow along with the diagram and make a Christmas necklace.

Next up.....Musical Chairs!

This game got pretty intense....but LOTS of fun!

........

Kate made it to the final three, but in the end the adorable Felix beat out all the rest!

Last, but not least, time to eat!

......

Happy Apple Christmas!

2011-12-16T10:29:00.005-05:00

It is a party filled day today, and it all begins at Happy Apple Academy for Gabe's Christmas Party! We also brought teacher treats and Christmas cards to pass out to Gabe's teacher and all the other sweet teachers at the school. We love Happy Apple!!!

Merry Christmas Mrs. Lori!!!!

Mrs. Claus showed up this morning to talk with all the kids, listen to any last minute gift requests, and pass out wrapped books to all the kids. She was so sweet talking with everyone about the true meaning of Christmas!

Gabe & Mrs. Claus!

Time for the show!!!!
Gabe sang so beautifully....and LOUD....this morning! :)

........

Once the kids sand all their songs in the church, it was time to head over to Bailey Hall for the party.
Yummy food, lots of sweets, and great friends....it doesn't get much better than this!

Grandma & PawPaw partied with us too this morning!

Gabe & Ava

Apparently Ava asked her mom this morning if Gabe was going to be at school.

She then said, "If Gabe is going to be there then everything will be okay!" Soooo sweet!!!!! :)

Merry Christmas Ava! Gabe will miss playing with you over the break!

We "whisk" you a Merry Christmas!

2011-12-13T11:56:00.001-05:00

Kate was excited to go to school this morning to pass out her basket of teacher treats, goodies and Christmas cards to all the people at St Marys Elementary who have helped make her first year so wonderful! We bought lots of wire whisks, filled them with chocolates, and attached a tag that said, We "whisk" you a Merry Christmas! We had additional treats for her teacher and assistant, Mrs. Cobb and Mrs. Delaney. They deserve many thanks for all their hard work, time, and love for these kids that truly shows each and every day! We wish you all a wonderful Christmas break and hope that you can rest and relax and get ready to tackle the last half of the school year!!!!

Bye Bye Bailey....

2011-12-11T23:18:00.002-05:00

I have very mixed emotions about this post. And for all you dog lovers, please don't hate me at the end! :/

*****

8 1/2 years ago, soon after Jon and I were married and moved into our first apartment, we adopted our first baby, a sweet hyper 15 pound "Beagle" mix who we named Bailey. From that day on, Bailey has been an almost perfect dog. Our family has grown, and Bailey has loved each addition/change....even though his life has shifted drastically from being our very spoiled only dog living in Buckhead. :) The kids love him though and he is so sweet. HOWEVER...HE SHEDS LIKE CRAZY!!!!! He has always shed alot, even as a puppy, and I have tried everything to minimize it...though nothing works! I started to find it difficult to see Bailey's many great attributes because of his one major flaw! I needed a solution...and started thinking of options. I love Bailey, and he is certainly part of our family forever, but as our family grows, and while we are stuck in this tiny house, Bailey's hair just seems to multiply! Add to that the fact that we will soon be adding yet another sweet addition to our family and the hair was all I could think about. I would picture all the cute baby gear and how impossible it would be to keep it dog hair free. And then we come back to our tiny house for at least another 6 months....I was beginning to get overwhelmed. Then, on top of all that, this pregnancy has kept me far more exhausted than I ever remember being with Kate or Gabe. Perhaps it's the fact that I'm older, or getting up earlier since Kate is in Kindergarten, or the fact that we are so much busier now...or maybe all of the above! Whatever it is, once all the "have tos" are done, there is less time each day to clean before I crash! My mom and I started brain storming ideas, but nothing felt right. I didn't want to just give Bailey away. We love him and he loves us! But, I really couldn't handle the hair much longer! Then, an idea came to my mom: What about Granny Annie?!? I thought it was perfect, but would she??! Well, we asked her at Thanksgiving and she was just as excited to get Bailey as we were to make the change! Granny Annie lives nearby, is retired now, and needed a great watchdog/companion! The kids weren't completely sold on the idea at first, not wanting to say goodbye to Bailey, but after assuring them we would still see him often, they agreed to the move. Hurray!!!!! We were going to keep Bailey with us until New Years, but Granny Annie was anxious to get him, and asked if he could move in a little sooner. It definitley took a but more persuading to convince the kids to say goodbye before Christmas, but they finally agreed. So, it is with only with a little sadness that we enjoy this final day with Bailey. I am so happy knowing that it is sort of a win/win for everyone. I get to say goodbye to the hair that I just can't keep up with right now, we will still get to see Bailey as often as we want, Granny Annie gets a friend, and Bailey becomes a VERY spoiled only child again!!! Plus, he already loves Granny Annie....and her country cooking! :)

*********

To remember this last day, and last Christmas season with our sweet Bailey,

we went outside for fun family photos!

They sure do love this hairy dog!!!!

My four babies!

Gabe ~ Bailey ~ Pebbles ~ Kate

Bailey also got to enjoy an extra special last night treat...sleeping with the kids!!!

Happy Birthday Joshua!

2011-12-10T13:45:00.007-05:00

This afternoon we went to the park to become Jedi Masters with Joshua!!!

Happy 6th Birthday!

The kids had sooo much fun running around the park and training with Joshua's dad and brother, but before we get to that, I wanted to show some of the really cute food that Joshua's mom made for the party!

........

Let's play....Star Wars style!

First, Coach Jay explained to all the kids that they were going to train to become Jedi Masters. Then, with the help of Joshua's brother, the kids trained and completed several missions before earning the title of Jedi Master.

........

Kill Darth Vader!

My little Jedi was at another birthday party and therefore arrived late,

but he still looks pretty fierce with that sword...even having missed parts of the training!

Boys.......

Thanks for inviting us to celebrate with you today Joshua!

We all had a great time this afternoon!

.............

Christmas at the Barn!

2011-12-09T21:33:00.003-05:00

Beau's Barnyard opened up earlier this year, but for whatever reason (already packed weekends), we had yet to take the kids. I've seen pictures on Facebook and the place looks like so much fun though! Then, when I started seeing the pictures with Santa popping up, I knew I had to carve out some time! Tonight we met up with Grandma & PawPaw to explore the farm....and sit with Santa! The line was long, but Jon and my dad agreed to stand in line while my mom and I walked around with Kate and Gabe trying to find as many non-sleeping animals as possible! After lots of exploring, it was almost our turn! We returned to the line and waited for Santa!!!! This year Kate has asked Santa for Stompeez slippers and Gabe has asked for a remote control boat and transformers! :)

My mom had seen some kids getting to hold bunnies while on Santa's lap. Well, the bunnies were having to remain under the warmer lamp, but we were able to come back through about 10 minutes later for another picture with Santa...and the bunnies!

We weren't able to fully experience Beau's Barnyard because many of the animals were sleeping, but we did get to see a few!

.............

Kate especially loved chasing these poor geese around the farm.

The baby bunny!!!

Of course we needed a couple posed shots without the animals too.

...............

My mom relieved Jon from line duty so that he could join the kids and me on the hayride!

We had a wonderful time tonight and look forward to coming back during the day next weekend for Henry's 2nd birthday!

Happy Birthday Grammy!!!

2011-12-04T20:48:00.001-05:00

We started our day celebrating one special little lady, and ended our day celebrating with another very special lady....Grammy!!!! The kids "surprised" Grammy tonight when she walked in the house. We had a cake full of candles and started to sing as soon as they opened the door. Kate and Gabe love their Grammy and so do I of course!!!! Happy Birthday Grammy!

Kate wanted to make Grammy a special milkshake to go with her cake. :)

Happy 1st Birthday Laney Grace!

2011-12-04T12:12:00.002-05:00

It's so hard to believe that we are celebrating Miss Laney Grace's 1st birthday today!!! Wasn't she just born a few weeks ago?!?! I can still remember being in the dance studio watching Kate practice for her Christmas performance when I learned that she was born! I also remember being filled with so many mixed emotions, many of which I was confused about, but excitement and concern were on top of the list. For the next few weeks, we would embark on a wild journey with lots of twists and turns! From the day of her birth, fast forward to New Years two weeks later and I remember texting my friend Jennifer to say Happy New Year and also to wish for her a "Newborn producing New Year!" Move forward one more week, and this sweet little newborn, Miss Laney Grace, was getting ready to be that very newborn! It's amazing sometimes to see how God puts friendships together and has us in just the right place at just the right time. The birth and adoption of Laney Grace is certainly proof of that! She is a very loved little lady who has forever bonded families and friends together in such a way that would have never happened without her!

*******

Laney Grace, you certainly hold a very special place in my heart!

We love you so much and wish you a very Happy 1st Birthday!!!

Laney Grace had a "Winter Wonderland" party. I loved seeing all the kids dressed for Christmas!

Kate & Gabe with their friends Griffin & Amelia!

...........

Doesn't Gabe look so proud to have his arms around the always adorable Bryce & Ava!

Gabe loved the big bounce house/slide at the party!

Thanks for taking care of him Amelia. :)

For whatever reason, Kate decided that she didn't want to bounce today,

so instead she brought over a coloring book and crayons...

........

We had so much fun at the party today!

And upon leaving, the kids were given reindeer food!!! We can't wait to put this out on Christmas Eve!

Christmas in the Park

2011-12-03T20:29:00.005-05:00

After the Christmas parade in Brunswick, the kids and I headed back to St Marys for their annual Christmas in the Park!!! This event is always so much fun....and this year the weather was perfect and there weren't any gnats!!!

Photo Op in Santa's Sleigh

The first thing we did...watch friends dance!!!

Walker and Carter did an amazing job break dancing on stage!

Then we got to see some of our favorite girls!

Perry, Ava, Bryce, and Amelia

........

Once the dancers were finished, it was time to play games!!!!

Kate & Gabe went around to every station playing games and earning lots of candy!

........

It was a little creepy seeing these guys at first...until I realized they were characters from "A Christmas Carol." The ghost of "Chrstmases yet to come" was still creepy, but at least it made sense why they were here!

We saw some fun...and not so creepy....characters too!

..........

Our day of fun is almost over, but not before heading for face paint with Amelia!

Gabe didn't want his face painted, but he did want a picture!

The line for Santa was soooo long the whole day. We finally decided to get in line at the very end of the night. But, after standing in line for about 20 minutes, and with only about 5 families in front of us, Santa was done for the day. :( But, he did walk down the remaining line and pass out stockings to the kids. We also waited in line with one of Gabe's sweet classmates, Ava. The three kids all played while we waited in line for Santa.

.........

Brunswick Christmas Parade

2011-12-03T13:11:00.005-05:00

The kids and I woke up early this morning to head out to the Christmas parade in Brunswick! We have missed this parade the past couple of years because of conflicting activities, but I was excited to be able to make it this year! Kate and Gabe brought their scooter and bike to play on the sidewalk before the parade began.

Now we're ready to see the floats and catch some candy!!!

..............

We found a great spot near the front of the parade route.

The kids were so excited when their favorite "float" came down the street.....

Grandma & PawPaw with The Lighthouse!!!!!

Hi Grandma!!!!

A couple more favorites....

I'm not exactly sure what the truck covered in animal skins was for, but it sure was interesting. :/

........

A very friendly Grinch and Pirates!

........

We saw a giant ape too!

Santa...driving a motorcycle....pulling a train = Gabe loved it! :)

And last but not least.....an amazing Santa who was sooo Jolly!
Kate yelled out to ask where Mrs. Claus was and he yelled back that she was stuck baking at the North Pole. :)

Handmade Advent

2011-12-01T21:28:00.000-05:00

For several years now I have had packed away with all my Christmas stuff a "Make your own" Advent Calendar kit. I love Advent calendars and was excited to one day do this with Kate...and this year just seems like the right time! I think she is finally old enough to make everything on her own, and also seems to now share my love of Advent calendars! We were probably supposed to save the star for last, but Kate wanted to start with it instead! :)

St Marys White Lighting

2011-11-30T20:31:00.004-05:00

Santa comes to St Marys tonight....and lights up downtown!

We waited with excitement for Santa to make his way to where we were waiting.

As he approached, the Christmas lights began to turn on!

.......

Santa's horse drawn sleigh stopped briefly right in front of us

and Santa reached out to shake Kate's hand....she LOVED it!

We followed Santa down the road for about a block and then hurried on in front of him to meet up with our friends at their apartment overlooking the big tree. All the lights were off in the apartment so that the kids could see everyone/everything better, so that made for a grainy (but still cute!) picture.

Santa has made it to the waterfront!!!!

We went outside on the balcony to watch Santa and Mrs. Claus magically light up the big tree!

Kate, Caroline, Riley, & Gabe

........

Our little town......

Later in the night, Cooper made his way up to join us on the balcony, and then Mallory!

...........

Kate's 1st visit from the Tooth Fairy!

2011-11-29T13:58:00.001-05:00

Kate was finally able to take her first two lost teeth to school yesterday to show her class, so last night was the magical night we have been waiting!!! It's Tooth Fairy Time!!!!!

Before getting ready for bed, I told Kate I had a special gift for her for this very special night.

When she opened the bag she was excited to find a new Fairy nightgown! :)

Ready for bed, now it's time to install the magical Fairy door. Obviously the Tooth Fairy can get in with or without this little door, but we though she would love her own special fairy sized door. :) Kate did a great job designing/painting it and was so happy to help her daddy install it too!

Time for the magic...........

Kate was given this little pillow at my baby shower (for Kate) by an old friend whose little boy was in my preschool class years ago. I wish I could find her now to tell her it is finally getting used!

The teeth are waiting for you Tooth Fairy!!!

This morning I snuck into Kate's room with my camera to take a picture before waking her for school. She was pretty sleepy when I woke her up, but immediately excited when she remembered that the Tooth Fairy had come to visit last night!!!

........

Look at all those surprises!!!!

Losing your first TWO teeth on the same day must be a really big deal in Fairy Land!

........

Notice the teeny tiny letter in the picture below on the left. I attached a blown up version of it on here for you to read. We almost needed a magnifying glass to see the words! Below right is a charm bracelet with Kate's first charm: a tooth with fairy wings!!!

.................

The Tooth Fairy Letter

Kate also got a whistle because on Little Bear that's what the Tooth Fairy brought, and Kate just knew she would get one too. ;) She also got a Fairy ornament, a dentist Barbie doll, two $5 bills made to look like a butterfly, and a Dinosaur Train book about losing a tooth to read to Gabe. Oh, and there was Fairy dust EVERYWHERE!!! :)

**********

Since Kate lost her teeth, Gabe has told us all day that he sees and feels his big teeth coming in too! I can't tell you how many times he has already had me look into his mouth to "see" his new teeth. :)

O Christmas Tree...

2011-11-28T21:12:00.002-05:00

It was late when we finally got home from the Jekyll Island tree lighting and Gabe fell asleep in the car on the way home. But, Kate & Jon still had a job to do....bring in the Christmas tree!

............

They brought in the tree and got it set up in its stand last night, but it was definitely too late to decorate. The kids waited patiently all day while we worked on other projects around the house, but they were so excited when it was time to sort the ornaments!!!! They each got to pick out a "first on the tree" ornament, but Gabe wouldn't stay still long enough for a picture. :) But, he chose one of Santa riding a bike. As you can see, Kate chose a ballerina....because she really wants to get back in ballet classes! Maybe next Fall......

My crazy Christmas cuties in front of our almost finished tree!

We need a new tree topper so Gabe and I will be on the hunt for one tomorrow.

While Jon and I hung some of the more breakable ornaments, and earlier tonight while we strung the lights, Kate & Gabe decorated their own little tree in the playroom!

Jekyll Island Tree Lighting

2011-11-26T21:31:00.001-05:00

After picking our perfect tree, we drove out to Jekyll Island for another favorite Christmas tradition....the Jekyll Island tree lighting! But before Santa lights the tree, Kate & Gabe got to see him and tell him and Mrs. Claus their Christmas wishes! Santa asked Kate if she wanted her two front teeth for Christmas, but she said no. :) She instead asked him for Stompeez Slippers! Gabe asked for a remote control boat!

........

The kids made a few crafts and then found a spot around the giant tree. Santa & Mrs. Claus then went up to the top balcony of the house, raised their hands, and magically turned on the lights!

...........

As soon as the tree was lit, the sky was then illuminated by a beautiful display of fireworks!

Kate & Gabe loved this part and sat motionless under the treethrough the grand finale.

You can see them watching the fireworks in the picture below on the left.

...............

Jekyll Island Tree Lighting

2011

Picking the Perfect Tree

2011-11-26T16:38:00.006-05:00

This afternoon we were excited to get in the car and head to Jesup to pick out the perfect Christmas Tree! This is our third year going to Days of Creation tree farm to pick out and cut down our tree...and we love it! The kids have a blast running around and I love this Christmas tradition! A shedding tree might be a bit more work than an articial one, but I wouldn't trade this for anything!

*****

When we arrived at the tree farm, the kids were given a big wagon and pointed in the direction of the trees...and they were off!

But first, the kids wanted to stop to pet and feed the goats. Gabe was a little nervous at first, but after realzing they weren't going to eat Kate, he too loved getting leaves off the tree for the goats.

With the goats fed, Gabe hopped in the wagon for a fun ride out to the Christmas trees!

Thanks Kate!

Next stop, the tools!

Now we hunt for our perfect family tree.

Sorry Kate, this one is adorable but might not look right in the living room. :)

Maybe it will be ready by next Christmas!

We had to say no to a few "Charlie Brown" trees before settling on our final choice.

............

After looking down lots of rows of beautiful trees, we finally found it!

Our 2011 Christmas Tree!!!

Time to cut her down!

........

Gabe helped for about 30 seconds, but then decided to just supervise instead.

Kate, on the other hand, wasn't going to stop until our tree was on the ground!

She did it!

(With only a little help from Daddy...really!)

We loaded our tree into the wagon and began the haul back to the car.

The kids loved watching the tree on the shaker and then getting bagged for the ride home.

.............

And finally, loaded onto the van!

Thank you Days of Creation tree farm for being one of the Christmas traditions I most look forward to each year!!! We will see you again next year......

CCHS Football!

2011-11-25T22:02:00.001-05:00

Tonight we did something we don't do very often...take the kids to a football game! High School football is insane here. The whole town seems obsessed with it, and admitedly, the team is really good. Being my Alma Mater, I enjoy cheering on the Wildcats, but Jon isn't so much into crowds...and these games are just crazy! We decided to go tonight though since it's a playoff game and the weather was nice. But when we arrived, traffic getting in was horrible and then we realized it's alot more expensive than we thought! Who knew that seeing a high school football game would cost more than going to the movies...and only take cash! Jon was clearly overwhelmed and we almost decided to just leave and go back home, but after some discussion decided to give it a try. The bleachers were packed but we fortunately found a good spot to watch the game. Kate & Gabe were of course just excited to be here and didn't pick up on the craziness of trying to get settled. They were ready to cheer on the Camden County Wildcats!!!

I have no clue who they were looking at when I took this picture....probably a crazy fan sitting above us. :)

Let the game begin!!!!

Camden played a great game. The score went back and forth all night, but in the end the other team won by 1 point. :( Camden had a great season, and maybe we'll go to more than just one game next season...maybe. ;)

........

Gabe snuggled with me most of the game (and fell asleep before it was over), but Jon was able to get him to sit with him and talk football for a few minutes. Jon would love for Gabe to play this crazy game someday.....but not if mommy has anything to do with it! :)

Kate was so excited when Bonnie (Dave's fiance) came to sit with us to watch the game. Sometimes Kate is shy around Bonnie and only let's Dave in on her crazy/fun side, but not tonight! These two were best buds and Kate loved that Bonnie explained every play to her. Kate was a football expert by the end of the night!

........

Welcome back, Sprinkles!!!

2011-11-25T10:58:00.003-05:00

This morning we woke up to something very exciting....our Elf on the Shelf is back!!!!

Kate & Gabe were so excited to jump out of bed and see if Sprinkles came back to us...and he did!

And wow, look what he brought with him this year! :)

Silly Sprinkles!

Hmm....why does he have a red paintbrush?!?!

Our yummy doughnut Christmas tree!

Oh my. Looks like Sprinkles had fun painting last night. Hehehehe.

We are so glad to have our Elf on the Shelf back in our home again.

Hopefully his presence will cause Kate and Gabe to fight a little less this season. :)

........

Kate loses her first TWO teeth!

2011-11-24T23:48:00.001-05:00

After losing her first tooth tonight after Thanksgiving dinner, Kate was determined to lose her second tooth too! The tooth that wasn't out yet was actually the one loose first and the one we thought would come out first. It too was just barely hanging on by a thread with Kate's new teeth pushing up and wanting more room! Kate started playing with the remaining tooth, brushed her teeth, then started twisting it in the mirror. She twisted it all the way around at one point that it seemed stuck sideways. :/ But, she just couldn't grab hold of it and get it out. Looking at it, I really thought it would probably fall out during the night while she slept. I asked Kate if she wanted me to get it out and she said YES!!! I barely touched it and tooth #2 came right out! Kate said she didn't even feel it! :) She was sooooo excited and kept looking at herself in the mirror. She still wants to hold off giving her teeth to the tooth fairy until she shows her class on Monday. But, this is still a very exciting night!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T19:39:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our wonderful family & friends!!!!

We are truly blessed to be surrounded so many amazing people! We are thankful for our families and friends...near and far....wonderful teachers for our kids, a healthy pregnancy and soon to be new addition to our family, for Jon's job at Lockheed that allows me to stay home with Kate & Gabe, for all the little "things" that are not needed but that we are able to enjoy, and for each other! As we continue on through these next few very busy weeks, I hope that we are all able to slow down and remember all the many blessings we enjoy and especially remember to celebrate the and honor the true "reason for the season."

************

This afternoon we headed to my Aunt Deanna & Uncle Lane's house

to enjoy a yummy Thanksgiving feast with our family!

Granny Annie joined us today too!

The "Bare" Family Thanksgiving!

Can we stop taking pictures now and just play?!?

While playing in cousin Hannah's room, something amazing happened.
Kate lost her first tooth!!!!
Her bottom two teeth have been loose for a couple months now, but one fell out tonight!
Kate was sooooo excited!!! But, she doesn't want to leave it under her pillow tonight. She wants to wait until Monday and take it to school first to show all her classmates and teachers. :) And mommy is very happy about that...because the tooth fairy is not ready...and everything is closed for Thanksgiving! :/

.................

Easy Bake

2011-11-21T20:39:00.001-05:00

Kate was soooo excited when she got her very own Easy Bake Oven for her birthday from Grammy, Aunt Deanna, and cousin Hannah. We have been waiting for a time to open it...and that day is today! The oven came with the mix for cookies and red velvet cake....Kate chose to make cookies! She mixed the cookie powder with water and made teeny tiny little cookie dough balls. Once everything was finished, she placed them in the oven and set the timer!

They're ready!

Yum! Once Kate was finished eating her cookies, she told us that now she can start making her own dinners! Maybe Santa will bring her some new mixes to make pizza. ;)

Happy 3rd Birthday Zane!!!

2011-11-19T14:13:00.000-05:00

Today we were excited to celebrate with little cousin Zane on his third birthday!!!

We love you Zane! You are so sweet and adorable! We wish you the very best year yet!!!!

Unfortunately, Zane was not feeling great today. :(

But, he was still a trooper and tried to have fun with all his friends and family. We hope you feel better soon!

Cousins Kate, Gabe & Hannah on the see saw....as well as a couple of Zane's friends.

Happy Apple Thanksgiving

2011-11-18T11:29:00.003-05:00

Yesterday we celebrated with Kate, and today we head to Happy Apple to give thanks!!!

Notice my crazy haired boy below...?!? Well, he really wanted to do his own hair yesterday, but since that was his sister's party day, I told him he would have to wait until today. He woke up, headed into the bathroom, and began the transformation into a porcupine. :) When I do his hair he always tells me that I don't know how to spike the back and sides...but obviously he does!

Parks looks like he thinks an actual porcupine is attacking him!

I love watching Gabe during assembly. His personality really comes out on stage....and he LOVES to sing! On the right, he is shouting the lyrics to the song, "Big Big House...It's My Father's House!"

............

I also love how reverent he can get during the Johnny Appleseed prayer.

Time to eat!!!

Gabe is never as excited about the food as he is finding out what is in his treat bag!

We are so Thankful for Gabe's wonderful teacher, Mrs. Lori!!!

Ava & Bryce

2011-11-17T14:53:00.000-05:00

After Kate's Thanksgiving feast, Gabe & I headed over for a playdate with two of his favorite girls: Ava & Bryce!!! Gabe still doesn't mind that most of his closest friends are girls....and he loves that they love to ride bikes and power wheels!!!

........

Time to ride bikes back from Grandma's house to the girls' house so that I can go pick up Kate from school.

Thanksgiving at SMES

2011-11-17T11:23:00.001-05:00

It's time to have a feast!!!

This morning Jon, Gabe, and I met at Kate's school for the Kindergarten Thanksgiving Feast! The kids were all adorable in their painted Indian costumes!!!

We were especially thankful that Jon was able to take off to meet us today!

The menu....Yummy!

The food was great, and we all had fun!

Thank you cafeteria ladies for all your hard work today!!!

........

Indian Princesses!

Kate's last game...

2011-11-12T12:42:00.000-05:00

After watching Gabe finish out his soccer season, it was time to walk over to the bigger U6 fields to cheer on Miss Kate! The kids all played hard this morning and did their best, but unfortunately they ended their season playing the best team in the league, and lost the game 8-3. :( But, we were still very proud of how well they did this season, only ever losing to this team. But, to our credit, our team of 6 have 3 kids new to U6 soccer and only 3 "veterens" while their team is made up of 6 great returning players....and several of Kate's closest friends!

........

Thanks Coach Jay for leading our team again this season!

We are moving Kate up to the U8 league in the Spring with Coach Jay and his son Josh. We can't wait to see how Kate does with the bigger kids...and with the addition of an actual goalie!

We are very proud of our little soccer star!!!!

Gabe's last game...

2011-11-12T11:37:00.002-05:00

This is it, Gabe's final soccer game of the season!!!!

I'm not so sure Gabe will grow up to be an award winning soccer player,

but he sure did always look cute out there on the field! :)

Gabe did his best today, but he just doesn't like to focus on the game...

He kind of just wants to run around and have fun. I mean, that is all that really matters right?!? :)

The game ended, and with it, Team New York finished out the season with a perfect score....of losing every game! LOL! :/ But, these six boys had lots of fun, and who knows, they could get better by next season right??? I think we have chosen to let Gabe sit out from soccer in the spring and try out t-ball instead. Perhaps the slower pace and minimal contact is more his style.

After his game, Gabe chose to go to his team party with the other players and his coach. We stayed at the soccer fields to watch Kate's final game...coming up next! Thanks Coach Nikki for taking Gabe to Chick-fil-A with the team and for his awesome new trophy! Gabe kept making silly faces at me and telling me, "Mommy, my trophy rotertates!" :) The trophy has a rounded bottom so it spins, or as Gabe says it, "rotertates!"

Little Chef

2011-11-11T11:21:00.001-05:00

What were we doing on 11/11/11 at 11am???

We were learning to cook eggs!!! :)

*******

Gabe really want to make his own "brunch" this morning. So, aside from spray the pan (because I was only willing to risk so big a mess), he did everything! You think he's too young to learn to make me breakfast in bed?!? LOL! :)

..............

Showtime

2011-11-10T22:10:00.000-05:00

Kate and Gabe will try just about anything to stall bedtime, but one of their favorites is with a performance. They always ask us to get the cameras, sit on the couch, and be ready for a show!

They usually sing lots of crazy made up songs that last until we make them stop. :)

One day we will look back and miss these little performances!

.............

Riptide Soccer Party

2011-11-10T20:54:00.001-05:00

Instead of heading to the fields for soccer practice, our team met at Chick-fil-A for our end of season party!!! Kate loves soccer and has enjoyed another great season with Coach Jay and Team Riptide (a.k.a. Kansas City). I have to be honest, I was worried that we were going to struggle this season with so few teammates and half of those being only 4 years old, but we held our own and ony lost to one team! Great job team!!!!

Kate, we love that you are so competitive, athletic, a great team player, never give up, and strive to do your best in everything you do! Keep those qualities and you will do well in all you do!

NAS Jax Air Show

2011-11-06T16:34:00.000-05:00

After so much fun at Conner's Amazing Acres yesterday, we were all excited to wake up this morning and get ready for another fun filled day...at the Air Show!!!! Gabe has been looking forward to this for days! But what we didn't plan for was Kate to wake up sick! :( She had a bit of a cold yesterday, but she looked so sad this morning. She woke up with a fever of 101.5, puffy red eyes, a stuffy nose, and just not wanting to move. And on top of all that, she scratched her eye on the pig cage yesterday and today that scratch looks slightly infected or at the least very irritated. So now what??? My parents leave in a few hours to head down south for their trip on The Music Boat cruise so we were kind of left without options....and Kate was definitely not making it to the air show! After some quick thinking and a need for another option, we found the perfect Plan B! My parents could watch Kate until they left and then Granny Annie could come over and stay with our baby! In Kate's 6 years, we have never left her with Granny Annie. Sorry we picked a sick day for you to "babysit," but we sure are grateful that you could! Kate was able to rest and watch movies all day. Thank you Grandma, PawPaw, & especially Granny Annie!!!

Today was very cloudy, freezing, and even a slight drizzling rain....not the best day for an Air Show. But, despite the conditions, Gabe was a very happy little boy!!!

While some plans were flying overhead, we first walked around to check out all the planes on display.

.......

Gabe loved all the planes....and especially getting to sit inside this helicopter!

Gabe even convinced his daddy into buying a toy airplane!

After looking at all the choices, he wanted this B-52. :)

Time to find the perfect spot to watch all the planes!

.........

Unfortunately, due to all the low clouds, many of the planes were not able to perform today.

But, we still got to see lots of fun stunts...and Gabe didn't know what he missed.

........

We even saw mock bombings.
Notice how close the small plane flew to the explosion!

Gabe's personal favorite from today: The Jet Truck!
He wants to build one of these with his daddy some day...not sure mommy will approve that one!

And last but not least....The Blue Angels!!!

........

Gabe had a blast at the air show today, but was so exhausted by the end.

He fell asleep in my arms about five minutes before the Blue Angels landed.

He thankfully stayed asleep in the stroller for the walk back to the car and beginning of the VERY long wait to get off the base. I think it took us 30 minutes just to leave the parking lot! But, we finally made it back home to a still sick/sleepy Kate who was very well cared for by Granny Annie! We missed you today little princess!

Conner's Amaizing Acres

2011-11-05T16:13:00.014-04:00

Every Fall we look forward to taking the kids to the farm! Conner's Amazing Acres is filled with activities from the corn maze to the corn box...and everything in between! And this year, we happened to go during "The Redneck Olympics!" As you can probably imagine from the name, this meant even more fun would be in store for us today!!!

........

Conner's Amazing Acres

2011
I can't believe that next fall we will be a family of five!!!

The Pig!

Our first stop....The Corn Maze!

The corn was definitely better/thicker than last year. We even got lost a couple of times!

But, we managed to find ourt way through and found a couple pieces of corn along the journey too!

..........

Time to play on the giant pile of hay that was shaped like a tractor.

I think the kids could have spent most of the day here if we would have let them!

........

We saw lots of animals, but somehow I didn't take that many pictures of them.

We also got on the hayride where we were able to feed lots of cows!

........

This is one of Gabe's favorite activities....The Cow Train!

........

And the cars were a hit with everyone!

.............

Who doesn't love playing in a giant pool of corn?!?

..............

It was sooooo cold today that Jon & I really didn't want to stay in any one place for long. Our hope was that if we kept moving, then maybe we would be warmer?!? Not sure that really worked...we were frozen! Anyway, we didn't want to just stand around at the playground area, but of course the kids wanted to go play! So, while Jon and I froze in line to get lunch, the kids got to play!

Gabe spent the whole time pushing a variety of cars up this little dirt hill and then flying back down.

........

I mentioned earlier that today is The Redneck Olympics.

Well, let the games begin!!!

You could sign up for all sorts of activities from egg toss, tug-of-war, toilet seat toss, chicken catching, pie eating, pig chasing, Fear Factor, and several more. Kate would have loved to try almost everything, but unfortunately I didn't realize it was the Olympics and only had $3.00 in cash with me. That was enough to pick one game....and Kate chose pig chasing!
******

First we got to watch all the other games, including the nasty Redneck version of Fear Factor. A drink was made using milk, cottage cheese, cow brain, chicken feet, liver, and a bunch of other blended up cow parts. It looked aweful! In addition to the drink, each contestant also had to eat a portion of cow tongue.....the whole thing was disgusting!

I was so impressed with this kid.....though I'm not sure impressed is really the right word. He held his own quite well in this contest and it really came down to him and the guy wearing the beer box cowboy hat. In the end, the other guy won, but this kid deserved a medal too in my opinion!

...........

Now, the moment we have been waiting (and freezing!) for all afternoon....The Pig Chase!!!

Kate was one of the youngest signed up in her age group, and one of only two girls!

When the whistle was blown the kids all took off after this poor little pig. The aggressive boys were certainly tough competition, but Kate took advantage of a moment when the pig escaped their pile-up. We couldn't believe it...she leaned in, grabbed hold of the pig, and WON!!!!

........

Kate was sooooo excited and we were of course so very proud....of our little Redneck! LOL! Let's never call her that again after today please!

Kate was given a winner medal and a ticketr for a free dessert....she couldn't have been more excited!

............

Kate and her pig. :)

After getting her brother off the playground,

the kids raced over to the pumpkin patch to pick out Kate's dessert!

Homemade chocolate chip cookies!!!

Aside from it being a bit too cold,

we had a pretty perfect day today at Conner's Amazing Acres!

All bundled up...

2011-11-04T07:47:00.001-04:00

Gabe took one step outside, felt the brisk 55 degree air, and decided it was too cold! We had to go back inside to find his warmer coat, mittens, and even a scarf! It's a good thing we live in the south! :)

The Thankful Tree

2011-11-03T19:15:00.001-04:00

Each year I try to come up with a way to help our family remember all the ways we are blessed. We get so busy around the holidays....shopping, parties, tree lightings, decorating, gifts....the list could go on and on! I feel like we move in "fast forward" from Gabe's birthday to New Years, and then life finally slows back down again. Of course this year, with the baby due in March, life will only be slow for a short time! Anyway, back to being blessed. It's so easy to get wrapped up in all the holiday "busyness" and fun activities, and forget to take time out to be thankful. Thanksgiving often becomes the forgotten holiday that falls between Halloween and Christmas. Last year the kids and I made a "Thankful Tree" out of paper that hung on the wall. This year, while Kate was at school, Gabe and I decided to get a little more crafty. I saw a cute idea for a tree using sticks and thought it looked easy enough. Gabe collected the sticks in the backyard and I arranged them in a vase. We then used several of the pecans he has been gathering at school and put them in the vase to keep the sticks in place. In the end, I think it turned out great! Now, each day we will add to the tree something or someone we are thankful for. It's going to be fun to see what all the kids and I can come up with....but as you can see, Gabe started with "Toys!" :)

Fall Pictures

2011-11-01T21:55:00.000-04:00

After a couple weather related failed attempts, we were finally able to squeeze in the kids' Fall pictures....and I literally mean squeeze! A huge storm was rolling in again, but Kate & Gabe did amazing and in 15 minutes we managed to get lots of great shots....and got off the "farm" before the sky started falling!

........

I know I am totally biased, but gosh these kids are cute! :)

.............

My sweet girl Kate!

And equally sweet and charming boy Gabe!

................

Trick - or - Treat

2011-10-31T23:22:00.005-04:00

As evening approached, we said goodbye to Griffin and the rest of our friends, hopped on the golf cart, and got ready to head out into the neighborhood to Trick-or-Treat!!!

Last year Kate loved going door-to-door, but this year was even more fun because Kate and Gabe were both soooo excited! They couldn't wait to start filling up their buckets with candy!

.............

Trick - or - Treat!

We went to so many houses and had such a great time tonight!

Aside from the gnats around before the sun set, the weather was perfect tonight too!

Trying to run up to each door, Gabe ended up falling and spilling his candy

3 0r 4 times before the night was over. We have got to work on his coordination! :)

We even spotted a few celebrities along our journey.

Gabe couldn't stop giggling walking up to this house to see Robin. He was so excited!

............

And Kate was thrilled to see someone dressed up like Hermione Granger!

We stayed out until about 8:30....until their buckets couldn't hold much more candy!

I think Kate & Gabe made out pretty good tonight!

Happy Halloween!

........

Happy Birthday Griffin!!!

2011-10-31T19:22:00.005-04:00

Today is not only Halloween....It's also Griffin's 6th Birthday Party!!!!!

Happy Birthday Griffin!

We wish you the very best birthday yet and hope it's a super spooktacular year for you!

Griffin's beautiful family....and his first birthday with little sister Miss Laney Grace!

All the kids were so excited that Griffin chose a Halloween themed party this year!

They spent the early evening running around the yard, playing,

and couting down the minutes to Trick-or-Treat!

Below are lots of pictures from the party.
We ate yummy/spooky food, had fun with friends,
and enjoyed a great evening celebrating Griffin!

........

My Beautiful little Ladybug!

.............

I loved that Walker & Henry both looked at me with the same sideways stance when I told them to smile for a picture. They may have different personalities, but they are definitely brothers!

..............

Painting Pumpkins

2011-10-31T16:57:00.004-04:00

I learned a couple years ago that carved pumpkins don't last long in south Georgia. Within just a couple days they are covered with nasty black mold on the inside and attracting lots of little bugs. Oddly enough, only a few hours north in Atlanta, we didn't have this problem. How does five hours make that much of a difference??? Anyway, last year we decided to wait to carve our pumpkin until Halloween so that it would look good that night for all the Trick-or-Treaters. It worked fine for us last year, so I figured we would do the same this year. There was just one major problem....there aren't as many pumpkins in the stores this year! Had I realized this, I would have bought several large pumpkins weeks ago and just kept them until this weekend to carve. Instead, I waited until several days ago and began our search for the perfect pumpkins....and discovered that not only are there no perfect ones...there are just NONE! How could there really be no big pumpkins in any of the stores the week before Halloween...seriously??? Well, there was one place in town to get a big pumpkin, the traveling "Pumpkin Patch" on the side of the road, but spending $25 for just one okay looking last minute pumpkin seemed like a huge waste of money. So, I had to sadly switch to Plan "B." the kids always paint pumpkins to go along with our carved ones...this year they would only paint pumpkins....but I was determined to not let this spoil our fun! The kids and I had a blast getting out the paints and trying to get a little more creative than usual with the designs.

**************

Kate picked out some witch stickers for her pumpkin.

I then let her spray paint the pumpkin by herself...which she loved of course!

Kate also had a little pumpkin that she turned into a spider.

Gabe wanted his pumpkin to be a car...no big surprise!

..........

Kate's finished pumpkins......

........

Gabe's "car"

Our Pumpkin Family

Halloween 2011

Happy Halloween - At School....

2011-10-31T15:08:00.006-04:00

It's Halloween....and it's a Monday! That means, time for school before getting too excited about all the fun we have in store later tonight! The kids helped me make these little "Boo Bags" for their teachers, complete with spooky chocolates and a gift card.

Kate was very excited to give her Boo Bags to her teacher, Mrs. Cobb, and class aide, Mrs. Delaney. In fact, she insisted that Mrs. Cobb open the bag right away in hopes that the spooky candy would scare her! :)

..........

Gabe was also excited about taking his bag to Mrs. Lori. He even insisted on bringing a snack, picked out these little cakes for his class, then stuck each one with pumpkins and a spider. BUT, as soon as we walked into his school, I told him to give the cakes to his teacher until snacktime. Gabe was so upset! I had no idea he would react to that or I would have made sure he knew that was the plan. He apparently thought he could hold on to them until snack time, was so proud of what he made, and was then so upset when all that got messed up. He was happy again after school and said he got to help pass out the snack to all his friends. :)

Since Kate's school doesn't let you acknowledge Halloween, I decided I would have lunch with her today....and bring something extra special....and SPOOKY! :) Kate knew I was coming today, but had no idea what I was bringing. She loved it...and so did her classmates!

........

Gabe got to bring a snack to school today, but I certainly couldn't make a fun/spooky lunch for Kate and not also do one for Gabe. I had his lunch waiting for him when I picked him up from school....he also loved it! :)

.........

Time to go back to Kate's school!

I loved that the girls all happened to match today!!!!

They are so cute...and sometimes a little crazy! ;)

..........

The boys looked pretty cute too! :)

My Boy...

2011-10-30T23:38:00.000-04:00

Gabe got to pick out a new tool when he went shopping with his daddy at Lowes.

He chose a socket set...and loves it!

Well, this is how I found him tonight at bedtime...asleep snuggling his Loveys and his tools. :)

I just love this sweet boy!

Agape Fall Festival

2011-10-30T21:47:00.000-04:00

Tonight we picked up Grandma and headed to her church for their Fall Festival!

The gym was filled with LOTS of kids, games, and more candy than we could eat in a month! Kate & Gabe loved all the games....especially Angry Birds! If the line for this one wasn't so long (it was the most popular), I know the kids would have loved to play it over and over!

........

In fact, all the games were lots of fun!

........

At the end of the night, the kids spotted their friend Amelia

and ended the festival on the giant inflatable obstacle course!

St Marys Methodist Fall Festival

2011-10-29T14:36:00.005-04:00

It's almost Halloween.....and the festivities continue!

This afternoon we met our friends Ava & Bryce at the church where they go to preschool for their Fall Festival.
The kids had fun playing games and of course getting candy and prizes!

Kate insisted on a picture of her reading this little kitten book...and Gabe was just being silly!

..............

Just before heading home, Gabe's friend Curt arrived!

Gabe's Soccer Pictures

2011-10-29T11:12:00.002-04:00

Gabe's soccer game has been cancelled for this morning because of the heavy rain that came through last night, but his team still decided to meet for soccer pictures this morning. This season has been Gabe's introduction into team sports....and it's been an interesting ride! First of all, we have learned even more than ever that Kate & Gabe are NOT the same kids! Kate is competitive...Gabe is not! That might not seem like such a big deal, but in team sports, it IS! I think most Saturday mornings have ended with some level of frustration because Jon and Gabe just can't seem to see eye to eye on the soccer field. Gabe gets out on the field and plays around, dances in circles, and does just about everything but try to kick the ball toward the goal. In fact, he usually doesn't even try to kick the ball! Jon is not the most athletic guy, but he also doesn't understand not giving 100%. So, we often have a battle of wills and a roller coaster of emotions! It also doesn't help that Gabe happened to get put on the Bad News Bears of soccer! They managed to lose every single game this season...pretty impressive! :) Obviously Gabe is not the only non-focused kid on the field, but in contrast to Kate, it can be a little frustrating. Gabe has had fun though and will play soccer again...just not next season. We've decided to try T-Ball instead in the Spring and see if maybe the slower pace of baseball is a better fit for him. We still have two soccer games left though....so hopefully Gabe can still score a couple goals this season!!! Go Team New York City!!!!!

Happy Apple Halloween

2011-10-28T12:56:00.008-04:00

It's a Happy Apple Halloween day today!!!!

Gabe was sooo excited to put on his astronaut costume and head off to school this morning!

Here he is with his sweet Orange Apple teacher, Mrs. Lori.

Gabe showed off to his classmates all the cool features on his helmet...

then posed for a picture with some of the boys.

........

Two little Space Buddies......Gabe & Jack Jack!

Once Gabe was settled at school, I left to go get things ready for the party. I was in charge of the mummy pizzas and had to rush off to cook them! When I returned a couple hours later the kids were all ready for their parade!

Unfortunately, the rain had also arrived and the parade had to be cut very short.
The kids were able to quickly go see the sweet people from Magnolia Manor who came to pass out candy to the kids before heading inside to sing.

........

What a cute group of dressed up Happy Apples!

Gabe sang and did all the motions....and was adorable of course!

But, I just had to snap a picture of this grumpy little pumpkin. He sat like this the through the whole program....too funny! I guess he doesn't like to sing. :)

Once the program ended, the kids led us all in the Johnny Appleseed prayer.

I love when Gabe takes his prayers so seriously and looks so sweet!

At the Orange Apple table, Parks and Gabe are ready to eat their spooky foods!

........

Hi Mrs. B!

The Orange Apple Boys!

Parks ~ Max ~ Brendan ~ Sam ~ Gabe