Graham's 6th Birthday

Friday, the day after Christmas, was Graham's 6th birthday. Marty took him and his kindergarten friend to the Kennedy Space Center. Graham has wanted to go for a while and he loves to get to have "boys only time" so it worked great for his birthday. Marty has some fun pictures from this day that I will share when I get them. But here is a picture of the girls playing with Graham's lightsabers while he was gone to the Space Center.

When the boys got back I had put out all of Graham's presents, some balloons and some Star Wars plates. Graham was surprised and thought it was special, but I forgot to get a picture of it. We had some good Godfather's pizza and chocolate cupcakes and then opened his presents.

Graham with his birthday presents.

Graham with his green flame.

Blowing out his candle. 

So hard to believe that it has been 6 years since you surprised both your daddy and me coming so early.  Graham you have brought so much good into our lives.  I am so proud to be your mother.  You have such a sweet heart and strive to follow the rules.  You are such a quick learner and a great friend.  I love your desire to spend time with us, especially how much you love having one on one time.  You are the best big brother that Abbie and Molly could have. Always looking out for them. I know that you will continue to become a wonderful man of God and continue to teach us also.  I thank God that he gave us you, which is exactly who and what we need in our lives!

Christmas - the part I forgot

On Christmas Eve day, the kids and I went to the Christmas Eve service at Northland.  Marty was able to sit with us also.  That morning Graham had been complaining that his ear hurt which I just thought maybe he had gotten some water in it or something.  He didn't seem to bothered by it at the time, but when we got to church he kept complaining and asking to go to the doctor.  And last time he went to the doctor, just a few weeks ago, he had to get a shot so I figured his ear must have really hurt.  During the service, Marty got Graham some tylenol from my car and took Graham backstage where there was lots of food.  Graham seemed to be feeling better after that and I couldn't decide whether or not to take him to The Little Clinic since our doctor was closed.  I decided not to take him since he seemed to be better.

That afternoon we made our Christmas cookies for Santa but when we were going to decorate them Graham said he just wanted to lay down and rest. He went and laid down in his bed and fell asleep for a little while.  But he woke up right before bed time and was so upset that he didn't get to decorate a cookie for Santa. He was better when I told him that I decorated one to give Santa and that he could decorate more tomorrow.  

When he tried to go back to sleep, he was miserable.  He couldn't go to sleep and when he came downstairs and told me he had liquid coming out of his ear I decided he definitely had to go to the doctor. So as soon as Marty got home from service around 9:30pm, he took Graham to the After Hours Clinic.  The poor boy ended up having a bad ear infection AND strep throat (yes that's what he had right before Thanksgiving also). I was so sad for him and didn't want him to be feeling bad on Christmas.  

By the time they got home, it was around 11:30pm.  Marty went back out around 12:30am or so to get Graham's medicine.  Thank goodness for 24 hour Walgreens. When Graham woke up again at 2am, Marty gave him his first dose of Antibiotics and some pain medicine.  He woke up again around 4am and then slept until about 7:30.  Well, it was amazing how much better he felt Christmas morning.  He had actually cleaned up his room completely before he came into our room:)  I had told him that we needed to clean his room to make room for his new toys, but we never got around to it since he was so sick.  God definitely helped him feel better sooner than he should have.  Marty and I were so thankful that he got to enjoy Christmas completely!!  Really, I mostly forgot about it that's why I didn't put it in my last post.

Christmas Day

Christmas day was especially relaxing and fun this year. We got up about the same time as normal and let the kids open their stockings and one present. Then we ate a big breakfast together. Then this year Marty had the idea of us each taking turns opening a present while everyone watches, and it was great!  The kids did wonderful at waiting their turn and being excited for each others gifts.  It did take a while for 5 people to open presents one by one - but it was worth it.  After we opened presents we got to play with the presents for a while and then eat a small lunch.  Then we played more and had our Christmas dinner, Honey Baked Ham - yum. 

The kids waiting to open their first presents. They had opened their stockings already.  The girls PJs say "I'm Santa's best gift." I had bought Graham one's that said "I'm santa's coolest gift" but they were too small. 

Molly with her new teddy bear blanket from Memaw and Papaw.

Cinderella as a rockstar. 

Molly trying out Abbie's new guitar.

Daddy trying out Molly's new towel.

Ironman decided to try out the Barbie house. (Graham was upset today when he saw that I had taken a picture of him playing in the Barbie house - wow he is growing up to fast!) 

Graham was funny opening his presents this year because he kept asking "who is this from."   He was very sweet about it.  Molly got a surprised looked on her face every present she opened - so cute.  Abbie was especially sweet about her Princess Wii game.  She gave her daddy a big hug and said she wanted to play the game with him and that she loved it (in her sweet, sort of whiny voice).  It brought Marty and I both to tears.  It was just a wonderful Christmas spending time together as a family.

Maybe we should have used these

We got our family picture taken last week and I couldn't help but laugh at all the pictures we decided not to use. So I thought I would share some of my favorite:

Not sure what they are all saying but they are definitely saying something.

Abbie was doing her princess pose I guess.

Not sure what face this is of Graham. Notice Abbie isn't looking anywhere near the camera and Molly is just sitting there with no smile at all.

Molly was done at this point and trying to get down.

Molly sneaking back on my lap while Marty and I were trying to take a pic of just the two of us. Guess she wasn't really quite done:)

I could have posted many, many more. But we did get a good picture of our family out of all of the ones we took.  We also got a bunch of really cute pictures of the kids individually. I will post some of those later!

Doing something right!

Here is Graham's picture that he brought home from school yesterday.

It says "This Christmas I would like to give"... and he wrote "luov to God." (love to God) I had tears in my eyes when I read that.  I guess he really has been listening!  

He told me the picture is of him "handing" God his love.  He made his hair into a mohawk also.  I can always use signs that something I am doing is right with my kids, because as you all know lots of times it doesn't feel like it.  Just the other day, one of the many times we were in Target, they kept telling me all the toys they wanted and asking can we buy it.  And we were looking for someone else's birthday present!  I felt like saying "sorry no presents for Christmas this year - your being selfish."  I realize this time of year they(us) are bombarded with toys and commercials and all the worldliness of Christmas and it is just hard for all of us to keep in check what Christmas is about.  So hopefully we can remember to do what Graham wrote and "give luov to God" this Christmas and all year round!

Gingerbread House

The other day the kids and I were at Target, which we have done way to many times lately, and Graham saw some Gingerbread houses. He was so excited and kept asking me if we could get one and saying "I've never made a gingerbread house before." Well, we never had made one as a family and I myself have never made one at all. So of course, I decided to buy one (and they were on sale-even better)!  We worked on the house as a family and it was a lot of fun.  I am definitely glad that we didn't do it my way, which would have been just put icing on and let the kids put candy wherever.  Marty did amazing with the kids and also putting the icing on:)  The kids really enjoyed getting to put on one candy at a time and they especially liked doing their own pieces.  And Molly kept putting the candy in her mouth, so she enjoyed getting to eat some of the candy.

Working on the gingerbread house.

I guess I didn't know we were making silly faces:)

Graham, Molly & Abbie with their gingerbread house.

Marty finished it completely after the kids went to bed.

I think this will become a Christmas tradition. We all enjoyed doing it together and it made it feel a little bit more like Christmas (especially since it has been 80 degrees here).

Is it really possible?

Just in case your considering it, it's not a good idea to give an almost 2 year old a chocolate sucker. This was taken after only about 3 minutes and she barely had any of the sucker.



We went to the mall and they were handing these out or I never would have given the kids them. It was all over her hands and shirt also. Yuck!
And sorry Cassie - I know you hate messy faces:)

Birthday update

I wanted to blog about my actual birthday.  This birthday was especially fun because the kids (mostly Graham) were so excited about my birthday.  Marty had taken Graham and then Molly and Abbie together to pick out presents for me.  Graham was really excited to give me my present and I bet you'll never guess why.  Well if you have a 6 year old I bet you will - it was mostly a present for him to play with.  It was a nerf gun that shoots balls but Marty and Graham usually have nerf dart wars that I get caught in the middle of - so I am excited to finally be able to defend myself!  Abbie and Molly picked me out some cute pink pajamas (I guess they don't like my old t- shirt and old pants).  Then Marty let them go look at toys for a little and Abbie saw a little Care Bear and she really wanted to buy it for me also.  So funny, so I got a pink and a purple Care Bear also.  

Graham was so sweet Monday morning.  The first thing he told me when I woke him up was "Happy Birthday, Mommy."  Then at breakfast he told me that I could open my presents while he was at school.  He just really wanted me to have my present. 

Marty picked up Amigo's (yummy mexican) on his way home and we had a family dinner.  Then I had to go upstairs for a while and this is what I came down to - Marty did a good job didn't he. 

All my gifts nicely coordinated (the cake matched also)!

Trying to get a decent photo with the kids. (Abbie has really got to learn how to look at the camera:)

I had to take some pics of the kids in their matching pajamas also.  Again, this was the best we could get of all them together.

It's my sweet 16!

Today is my 16th birthday - of having my license. I remember this day so well. Of course when you turn 16 you have to get your license on that day. Well, my mom was going into the hospital that day and my dad was with her so my best friend's (Betsy) dad offered to take me to get my license. He was so incredibly supportive and had me practice parallel parking and driving before we went for my test. I remember how happy and excited Mr. Blundell was for me when I told him I passed. He had a huge proud smile on his face, hugged me and said congrats just like a dad would. The Blundell's were just like family to me and I am so glad that I got to share this experience (and many, many others) with them!

Myself and Betsy a few weeks after my 16th birthday. I took a pic of the photo since I don't have a scanner.  This was 1992 so don't make fun:) Please don't kill me Betsy for posting this photo. I love you and just wanted to remember how wonderful your family has been to me!

Trees

Graham told me tonight that if Christmas trees were people, he would be called a "Gristmas Tree."

What do you say to that ? He is so hilarious sometimes!

Christmas Tree

This year we were able to put up our Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving. I know this is a tradition for lots of people but it hasn't been for us.  I realized that Marty and I have celebrated 13 Thanksgivings as husband and wife (we celebrated our 12th anniversary in August) and of those 13 we have lived 9 of them in Florida. So needless to say we have traveled almost all those Thanksgivings. If I remember correctly, this year is only the 2nd time to not celebrate with our family. It was fun to get to put up our tree and not be traveling the day after Thanksgiving. (Although of course we missed getting to spend time with family) Memaw and Papaw (Marty's parents) bought us these Christmas stuffed animals that sing together and Molly absolutely loves them!  Here the girls are playing with them while we are putting up the tree.



I'm not sure what I was thinking letting them play with them because hearing "Jingle Bells" 50 times got really, really old.
We got our tree up, fluffed and the lights working and then the boys headed to the Car Show so we ended up decorating it Saturday morning. We had the kids line up so they each got one ornament and then Marty helped them hang the ornaments. They all loved being apart of decorating the tree. Molly definitely enjoyed helping but she needs a little work on ornament placement. This was her idea of where all the ornaments should go (this was after some of them were moved):



Here are all the kids proud of their Christmas tree:


Abbie thinks the tree is so pretty and keeps wanting to touch all the sparkly ornaments. On Saturday during her naptime, she came downstairs and asked me "Can I look at the tree? It's so pretty and sparkly." How could I say no go back to sleep right now?  She has been showing Molly every ornament on the tree and pointing out which ones she hung.  She also likes to point out the OU ornament and that Graham hung that one up:) So proud of our little Sooner!

Outside

Yesterday it was warm again so we of course took the opportunity to play outside.  I realize 60 degrees is not really that cold, but when you are used to it being 80, it feels cold.  All of the kids were playing so well together.  They tend to either do their own thing or only two of them are playing together, but yesterday all three played so nicely together. 

They thought this was so funny.  They took turns on who got to go first and then everyone else went behind them. They laughed and laughed doing this.

Later they were picking weeds that look like lily pads (I don't know what they are called) and making a "salad" together. 

Here they are mixing it all together in Bean's water bowl. Molly actually has a bat in her hand that she was smashing the weeds with but you can't see it. 

Abbie loves to pick "flowers". They are only weed flowers, but she doesn't know the difference. She loves to give me (and everyone else) flowers every time she is outside. 

Graham has done this a few times when I take his picture. He says here let me pose.  I guess he thinks he is a model:)

Not the best picture of Molly, but I had to include one of just her. She was laying on the hill in the grass to take her picture.

Graham's video

I couldn't get this to post in my last blog so I had to post it on YouTube first. Graham wanted to make his Daddy his own video. He sure loves his daddy and wants him to know it!

For Marty

Marty, the kids made you this video. They are asking everyday if today is when you come home. We are glad you are having some guy time though! 

This was what happened right after the previous video:) It is so hard to get a picture of all three of them together and a video is even more difficult.

We love you and hope you are having fun (as said in the video already)!

Change of plans

I was planning on posting pictures of Graham today.  Graham's school had a Thanksgiving program today.  Unfortunately, yesterday Graham woke up saying his throat hurt and then very soon after he threw up.  We went to the doctor and he has strep throat - yuck!  The doctor gave him an antibiotic shot, since he couldn't keep anything down.  He didn't throw up after that and his fever went down.  Unfortunately the doctor told us he was contagious for 36 to 48 hours which meant no Thanksgiving program for Graham.  We were both so disappointed to miss his first kindergarten program.  I know there will be many more to come though!  

When I grow up

Tonight the kids and I watched the space shuttle launch. The last night launch we drove over and watched it there which was amazing. This time was amazing also. The moon was huge and you could see the shuttle the whole time. The kids loved it.

I didn't take this picture, but isn't it beautiful. 

When Graham was going to bed, we were talking about the shuttle and I told him that someday maybe he could go to space in a shuttle.  He told me that would be cool, but it wasn't what he wanted to do.  He still really wants to work on Mythbusters (see previous post) and he told me tonight he also wants to be a spy.  Then he was asking if there are really spies and telling me that there are probably spies around here.  He then told me that one day at school he thought that his teacher was a spy!  I was laughing so hard, I tried to just tell him goodnight and leave, but he then asked, "she's not really a spy is she?" I have no idea why he would think that!  Oh to understand the mind of a kindergartner. 

Pajamas & Storytime

Two weeks ago, the Northland co-op had a pajamas & storytime night.  The kids enjoyed getting to wear their pajamas out.  We watched a puppet show, listened to some stories from a few teachers, sang some songs with Ms. Vonk (the music teacher at co-op) and had some cookies and milk.  The kids were crazy and wound up afterwards. I was trying to get another picture of all three together at home but they were all running around. Overall we had a really fun night.

On our way to PJ & stories

this was the best I could get because they were anxious to leave. 

Molly with her bear and blanket listening to the story.

Abbie and Graham with their bears listening to the story also.

I just think this is a hilarious face. I took this of Molly at home afterwards.

Graham's Green Meadows

I mentioned in my last post that Graham went with his Kindergarten class to Green Meadows. His friend Tristan's mom went with them and she took some pictures of Graham with his friends, Sebastian and Tristan. They have become quite good friends. It is so fun to see them together.

Graham was very excited to get to ride the school bus. But he told me he was really bored since it took an hour to get to Green Meadows and as he said "we couldn't play, we could only sit there."

Tristan, Graham and Sebastian riding the train

S, G, T riding the school bus

S, G, T in front of the pigs

Graham telling Tristan's mom that it stinks

Graham and Tristan 

Green Meadows Farm

On Monday, the girls and I went to Green Meadows Petting Farm with the Northland Co-op. Graham had gone with his kindergarten class last Thursday so the girls had heard all about it and were excited. At Green Meadows you go on a tour to see all the animals and you get to go in the pens with most of the animals. We saw turkeys, roosters, chickens, turkens (half turkey, half chicken), ponies, goats, lambs, wild peacocks, rode a train, rode a pony, went on a hay ride, and held baby chicks - I'm pretty sure that's all. Actually we got to feed the goats also, which I thought was totally gross cause they just slobbered all over your hands to get the food:) There were still other animals we didn't see this time. I know they also have donkeys, bulls and a zorse (half horse, half zebra). 

Abbie just seemed to be happy that Anna was there, but Molly absolutely LOVED all the animals. At one point we had to leave the chickens so Abbie could potty and Molly cried the whole time saying "chickens, chickens." She loves her animals!  I have so many pictures, but here are just a few.  We had a wonderful time and we have to plan another trip with the whole family sometime soon! (for some reason blogger posted these pictures all out of order and I'm not sure how to easily change them)

Abbie while we were having lunch (taken by Nathan Clark and he put it on Northland's blog)

Abbie after she finally came in to pet the goats. She wasn't interested in much all day.

Molly holding a duckling. She wanted to hold it all by herself, but not very gently:)

Molly went right onto the horse. I didn't have to convince her at all. She just laughed for the first half of the ride.

This was Molly's favorite - the goats! I wish you could see her face, but she did this to every one. She would look right in their face and then she would get a really excited smile on her face. She tried to pet and HUG every single goat. She also thought it was so funny feeding the goats.

Molly and I on a short little train ride. 

This is Molly grabbing her hands in excitement. I have a video of her chasing them around. I'll have to post at a later time. 

Abbie, Bradley, Anna and Brittani petting a turkey.

Anna and Abbie