Jones Center

Jack and I spent a Mommy and son afternoon at the Jones Center today. We went ice-skating and swimming. Whew! We were both very tired after it all. Jack loved swimming so, so much, but was not tall enough to go down the big slide. He was pretty bummed, but got over it! I think he liked ice-skating, but I don't foresee a future in figure skating for him. He spent most of the time falling down. What a great day! We sure are missing Ella, though! She will be back tomorrow from staying with my parents.

Christmas Morning

This is the closest thing I could get to all 3 looking at the camera! Too much excitement. Santa brought Ella the Tangled tower, squinkies and Gogo (a little dog that walks in front of you via a remote control/leash). Santa brought Jack hot wheels criss cross and color changing monster, pokemon and a blaster game. Cole got a ball pit (below) that he loves, a motorized mickey mouse car and a block tower. What a great Christmas!!

We will call this picture "Merry F$#%^*@ Christmas!" Got to love that about Jack!

Christmas Eve

We celebrated Christmas Eve by going to the carol and candlelight service at church, then going to CiCi and Papaw's for dinner and presents. We ended the evening with reading the Nativity Story and The Night Before Christmas, putting our cookies out for Santa and sprinkling the reindeer food outside for Rudolph and his crew before going to sleep so Santa could come! So exciting!!

More Christmas!!

The kids and I went caroling around with our neighbors-the Blakes. The kids had so much fun! Here is Ella-all dressed up and ready to sing.



Making cookies for Santa!!!

Ella really likes icing. She is licking her lips!!

Cole just watched the action from his highchair. I am sure he will get in on it next year!

Christmas!

Whew, December has flown by without any posts! Can't believe it is almost 2011! Here are some pictures from our Christmas festivities. Above is the family lighting the advent candles at church.


Here is our gingerbread house that I (I mean the kids and I :)) worked on. Lots of fun and turned out really cute!

Here is Ella singing her part in the play at school. She was a princess doll and sang trio with a couple of buddies. The play was called Gingerbread Christmas.

This is at the square on the pony rides. Jack was actually having a really good time, just does not look like it!

Jack got a YELLOW belt! Jack did his first karate belt testing and got a new belt. Such a big boy! He loves karate and works really hard at it. He did several drills and then broke a board! Kevin got to hold it for him. He was very proud of himself!

PARTY at the Garton's house. The Garton's had a halloween party for all the kiddos and drinks for the adults! Here is Jack getting a "bloody bandage," and Jack and Kevin taking a break from the games.

This one is also a little late, but I really loved the pictures. We went to the Ozark Corn Maze, which is a huge corn maze carved into the shape of a Razorback. This is the kids walking through the corn. They also had corn cannons, a petting zoo and a little cow train ride for the kids. They had so much fun. Oh, and there is a pumpkin patch, too. Fall Fun!!

Here we are trick or treating at the square. I am a little late getting this posted-over two weeks late-but, oh well. I wanted to have the kid's Halloween costumes on here. Ella was the snow queen, Jack was a power ranger (that day, he was actually Optimus Prime for Halloween), and Cole was Yoda. So cute!!

Here is my sweet man. Jack and I were just taking some pictures outside. Earlier that day, we went to Blockbuster Video-his ultimate favorite place to go. Got us a new Pokemon video. While we were walking out and going over the rules for church that night, he told me how good he was going to be. I told him, "Buddy, I love you so much. You have such a good heart." He said, "I have a lot of love in my heart for you Mommy." So sweet!!! He topped off the night by saying his bible verse over the microphone in front of everyone at church that night. It was "Do not be afraid. For I am with you. Isaiah 41:10." Good to remember when he is scared at night!

Today was Ella's first cheer clinic at Woodland Junior High. She just walked out into that big gym and started dancing. Check out my big girl getting her groove on! I could not believe the emotions of seeing her out there, so brave and grown up. I teared up and had to leave the gym to compose myself! Not sure what came over me. She is just so amazing!

Ok, so I have wanted to start a blog for a long time, but have never had the sudden urge to get it going until today. I left Cole alone for a few minutes upstairs to load the dishwasher and came upstairs to discover him in the middle of this mess, and I realized that I never want to forget anything my children do. So, here I am starting a blog and here is the picture that started it all. With all of the amazing things that have happened to us over the last few years, bringing babies into the world, countless firsts (first words, first steps, first days of school), starting our own business, it is funny that this-a playdate with toilet paper-was my call to action.