It is my mission....

.....to do all the things I mean to do with my children every year during the holidays that never seem to get done.....So, it may be a bit early, but here we go!!! The kids made the whole cake & then iced it & sprinkled it up good!! I did the writing, but that's it & I must say it is very yummy! I should have recorded them singing....it was so cute.

Flurries!

We enjoyed some snow flurries today! It has been unseasonably cold here for this time of year. It didn't get out of the low 30's today. I got some pretty cute pictures...some for our Christmas cards...hooray!!! Here are a few that didn't make the card! Hope you have a wonderful weekend. It sure feels like the Christmas season around here!

Christmas Card Practice

So, today before rushing out the door, I thought...hmmm....maybe we should start practicing for our Christmas card pictures! It is SOOO hard to get all 3 kids looking cute...plus, add in the boxer who would not budge & here you go.....I have much work to do!

Build A Bear...or a Dog

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday...we seemed to have run the roads quite a bit this year....I am thankful that I've done most of my Christmas shopping on-line & am almost done. I did go out with a friend for Black Friday shopping & got some great deals on several things we had wanted for the house, etc., Still need one Santa present for each of the boys, but otherwise, I am finished with shopping & am set to decorate the house this week & drink hot chocolate with the cute snowmen marshmellows I found today!!! Caleigh & I went shopping last week at the mall with friends while the guys went deer hunting...she had her first adventure at the Build-A-Bear store & she chose a "puppy dog". I must admit, I had never stepped foot into that store before, but she had so much fun...we'll have to go back some-time. Here she is with her newest "friend"....there won't be any room left in her bed for her soon! It's full of "friends"!!!!

Grandma's Things

Caleigh loves her "grandma" & absolutely loves all of her "pretty things" at her house! After school in the morning yesterday, we drove over & surprised her with a visit. The boys always have a blast because my mom keeps special toys for them there that we don't have at home. Caleigh had a blast since my mom had already set out all of her Christmas Villages & Music boxes. I am so bummed that a lot of my pictures blurred...I had it on the wrong setting the entire time! UGH!!! However, I did get a handful of precious pictures. Hope everyone has a special Thanksgiving week with family & friends.

Talking Up a Storm

All of the sudden, this little girl is talking up a storm!!! She's gone from 2-word phrases to 4-5 word sentences so quickly...seems like overnight. This morning while sitting at the boys' work area, she was trying to open the glue. She looked straight at me & said "Mommy, help please with the glue". I about fell out of the chair! She still uses phrasing a lot: "Play ball me?" "Me go to the store?" & Her favorite when I'm on the phone "Me talk to grandmama please!" (Or whomever I happen to be talking to at the time!) I do believe I have a very verbal child on my hands!!!! She'll fit right in with the boys! Here she is talking to my mom yesterday in the picture...

School At The Zoo!

Well, if you're on FB, you already know that we have decided to Home~School Blake & Bryce for now. There are too many reasons to go into here, but we believe it is in their best interest & will be wonderful for the entire family! We started our 1st day of school at home on Monday! They have been very receptive & positive & I am so proud of them for making an easy transition. We had our Reading & Science classes at the Zoo on Wednesday morning...it was so beautiful out, we just had to take advantage of the day. Here are a few cute pictures!!! I may start on homeschooling blog in the future with what we're doing each day, etc., but for now, I'm trying to get everything together & get a good schedule going! Maybe after the first of the year....right now, we are BUSY!!!!

Halloween Cuteness

Holiday In The Park

We spent our day on Halloween in the park! It was a BEEutiful day & I do mean that even the bees thought so & were out in full force. If James killed one I'll bet he killed 15! Luckily, good times were had by all & no kids got stung!!! I need a new beanie cap for Caleigh; the purple one is darling, but when it's windy & I pull it out of the car in a pinch, it just doesn't always match....so...please forgive me fashion police!!! Working on editing Halloween pics...will try to post them soon!

Before the crash....

Happily playing Sat. morning.....after picking out her 'clothes'

Then....the crash...

Caleigh ran a low grade fever Friday am & pm. I really thought it was just teeth & she has a new one about to pop through on the bottom row. She woke up a couple of times again on Friday night as she had the night prior...but this time with fever a bit higher...uh oh. Sat. am was alright...she had fun "dressing & accessoring" herself. Then, while eating her lunch...it came...the crash...as in the child literally fell asleep in her high-chair (which has never happened before; this girl is serious about her food!) So, checked her temp: 100....as swiper would say: "AWWW MAN!" so, a dose of Tylenol & bed for her...she slept for 3 hours! UH OH! That's wayyyyy to good of a nap to be "good". I was right. During the night last night, she spiked to 103.5. I know it's not the pig flu since she's already had that; must be fighting a fever virus, but will take her to dr. to have the ole ears checked just in case....

A Day in Jammies

Peek-A-Boo

...Still her favorite blanket!

A tea party for bears.

Sharing her snack with her 'friends'

Today was yet another rainy day...however at 4:00 I got to see the sun for a bit! Hooray! Anywho, we stayed in our jammies & got a lot of playing & housework done. One of the things I absolutely LOVE about Caleigh is she will play independently in any room of the house I am working in! So, I can change beds in the boys room & she thouroughly enjoys playing with their things! In the kitchen, we have her little table & kitchen, so I can work in here cleaning or cooking, etc. & she plays happily forever! Girls are so very different from boys...I am learning to appreciate the differences in each.

....and some cake at 9:00 in Jammies!

....and we finally celebrated with cake at 9:00 in Jammies! I only had to re-light the candles about 20 times so she could blow them out over & over & over! She's pretty good at it!

Birthday Celebration With "The Mouse"

Caleigh went to "cheese" yesterday to celebrate her birthday day. She likes it...she even got brave & went up the see the "mouse" that sings on the stage. She got the giggles watching him; very cute! She is now into putting the "money" in the games herself & LOVES when the tickets come out. The boys had a great time shooting things up on the big kid games while James & I followed C around. All in all, a good day! She has her 2 year check up this morning....hope it doesn't include too many shots! Wish us luck!