Christmas!!!

 We had a fun Christmas this year! It began with a Christmas party with our friends on the 22nd. It was sooo much fun having our friends over. (And I even managed to not be a crazy nut getting ready for it.) I forgot to get pictures of the party though. 

We don't have alot of decorations, as I just don't know where they were put after we moved. But the decorations we do have looked great.

These pictures were from Breakfast with Santa at Zoey's school. Breakfast with Santa was a bit deceiving though; we had breakfast and then we could go pay to have pictures taken with Santa. We were all disappointed about that.

Christmas Morning!!!

Unfortunately, mom had to work on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, which made for a bit of a bummer. But we made the best of it...

On Christmas Eve, we had the traditional dinner--pizza! Then we sat in the living room and talked about the reason for Christmas. Zoey and Kyler understand why and like to talk about Jesus being born. We sang some--off tune--carols and did the Night Before Christmas reading. Mom is a bit rusty, but she did pretty good. Then the kids opened the presents--PJ's!! They weren't very excited, but they weren't surprised either. We did, however, let them open another gift. Kyler and Zoey clothes and Jake opened a tactical gun bag. And they all went to bed--willingly--by 8:30!!

Christmas morning, we got up early--really early. Mom had to be at work at 6:30 a.m. and the choice was to get up early and open gifts or wait until mom got home from work that night--6:30 P.M. No way were the kids going to wait that long! Everyone was excited to see what Santa brought (I don't know where that picture went though.) 

Jake got the sling shot he wanted; Kyler got a couple of Halo toys he wanted; and Zoey got an EZ Bake oven that she wanted!! 

Then we started opening gifts!!!

Jake received an air soft gun and several accessories to go with it. He was very happy with it. Zoey gave him a watch and Kyler gave him game points for the X-Box. If you look closely, you can see Jake smile! He is so cute when he smiles! 

 

 Zoey had asked for Polly Pockets that hang on the wall--she got the whole set! She was very happy with it. She also got lots of clothes.

 Kyler got a few more Halo toys, but he didn't get the Pelican ship he was hoping for. He was trying to be a good sport about it, but he was really, really sad.

And then mom, brought out his last gift--the PELICAN!!! As you can see, he was really, really, REALLY, happy about it!!! He jumped up and gave dad and mom hugs immediately. Making kids happy is the bestest part of Christmas!!!

Russ and the kids and mom gave me both sets of Pampered Chef pans I wanted, and Russ is getting his bullet reloading equipment he wanted (I would have ordered it to open on Christmas, but I didn't know what  he wanted.)

We had a fantastic Christmas, but we missed being with our extended family. We love you all and are so grateful for all we have. 

Christmas Wish Lists..

Aunt Llew had a great idea to put the kid's Christmas Lists on the blog, so here they are:

Jake:
Computer
iPhone
Nerf Vortex Pyragon













Kyler:
Anything Halo by Mega Bloks

Zoey:
A baby doll
Polly Pockets
Items for the Easy Bake Oven

Funny kiddo's

There have been a couple of funny things happen with the kids lately, so here they are:

Kyler: Mom, we should have a talent show and invite all the neighbors to be in it and we will be the judges!

Mom: Okay, great idea Kyler. Kyler if you were in a talent show, what would your talent be?

Kyler: Oh, that's easy--I would speak British, because I'm part British you know.

Mom: (Giggle) Yes, you are, I know.

Kyler: That's why people don't understand me sometimes, because I'm speaking British and they don't understand British

Mom: Oh, that's why, makes sense now.

And then there was Zoey the other night...

I was in bed, asleep, and Russ was in the living room watching tv. Zoey got up and went into the bathroom, upon flushing the toilet, it must have gotten air trapped in the line and made a terrible noise. Zoey screamed; ran out of the bathroom and banged open the door in my bedroom. I, groggily, asked what's the problem and Zoey replied she was scared. In the meantime, Russ heard a scream, a noise, and running. He thought I was the one that screamed and someone was in the bedroom with me--he was partially correct at least. Zoey had big alligator tears running down her face, and once Russ and I figured out what happened, we were trying not to laugh. While we were snickering, Russ said, "I'm surprised she still has panties on, she moved so fast." I was telling my friend at work about the incident, and we were laughing about it, just as I tell him Russ' last statement, our new supervisor walked in. The only part of the story he heard was, "...she still has panties on." He didn't know what to do, and looked back and forth between my friend and I and decided the best thing to do was just walk away...which made me laugh more because it wasn't a dirty story.

Then finally, after I had gotten home from work, I was checking with Russ and asking about kid's homework. He had been busy running them to and fro and they hadn't had time yet. So Russ asks Kyler to get his out so he can check it. Kyler blew it WAAAYYY out of proportion and lost his mind. Russ told him he needed to do one problem he had skipped over. Kyler started crying as though he had been told we were going to cut off a toe. This progresses further and further and Russ ended up booting Kyler in the butt (with the side of his boot, not the toe) and Kyler fell to the floor hollering, "I can't feel any parts on my body! I can't feel my body!" A tad dramatic if you ask me...

Funny Kyler

The other day, Kyler and I were heading home from somewhere, and for whatever reason, Kyler thought we should have a talent show at our house. We would invite all the neighbors and have them do their talent and our family would be the judges. Here is how the rest of the conversation went:

Kyler: We would be the judges.
Me: What would your talent be, Kyler?
Kyler: (Very matter-of-factly) Oh, speaking British; because I'm part British, you know.
Me: (Trying to smother a snort) Yes, I know you are.
Kyler: Sometimes I just speak British, and that is why people can't understand what I'm saying sometimes.
Me: Well that makes sense.

He is adorable!!!

Calloway Gardens

Callaway Gardens is just over an hour from our home and we decided to go check it out for Memorial Day.

It was a neat area: great bike paths, beautiful flowers, big lake, and a climbing area. We didn't bring enough money with us to go the tree climbing, but we will next time. 

Terrific place to take pictures. 

At Christmas time, I hear they have a great light display and I would love to go and see it then.

Love to all!

Another video from Jake

Here is a commercial that Jake and his buddy made at the summer camp. They had alot of fun doing it. I think he may want to do another one next year.

(P.S. There is no virus with this video. They thought it was funny though.)

Jake's Summer Camp Movie

This is Jake's stop motion video he made while he went to the summer camp at Kennesaw State University.

We really appreciate Aunt Audrey and Uncle David having Jake stay with them while he attended. I know it was probably a crazy time because Audrey, Nate, and AJ had just gotten home from their trip to Idaho.

Enjoy the movie!

Finally a new post

We found it!

What we are hoping will be our new home!

It is a bit unusual for us, as it is finished and we don't have to do major work to it! It is ready to live in now!!!

It is 3 bed/2 bath on 2.5 acres.

Jake and Kyler will share a bed, but we are hoping that we can save enough money in a couple of years to add on a room or two.

I love this home!! I am really excited about it!!

The pool is beautiful! It starts around 4 ft and gets deep enough for a diving board.

Front entrance (above and below)

I was sad when I first saw the kitchen. Look how small...=(

Living room (above)



 Entrance and Dining Room

Enclosed front porch



 Upstairs boy's room





The following is the rest of the kitchen! It made me happy! (And then Russ was happy that I was happy!)



Some of the awesomeness of this home is a newer roof, windows, AC/heating, the pool is in great shape, and the furnace is newer. This home is ready to live in.

We have a purchase agreement, and will hopefully have a contract next week and then we will move forward with the other paperwork. It will be about 2 months before it's all said and done.

Hip, Hip, Hooray!!



New CAR!!

This is our new VW Passat!!

We love it!

Fun, fun, fun to drive!

(I even like it in white!)

It is a 2010, and still has 18 months of warranty left on it. The kids like it and fit in the back quite well.

WOO HOO!

Getting dressed

Zoey is a funny little thing. She dresses herself most days and she does a cute job. The first two pics are from Dr. Suess day at school--wear your favorite hat. First Zoey wanted to wear her Dora hat, but her hat has gotten too small for her to wear, and she was sad. But then she found a Santa hat and that was just fine!

Notice her knee high socks? Those have the Loc Ness Monster on them (and they are mommy's socks).

(The hat has to be just right for pictures!)

This is the poodle skirt mommy thought she could make cheaper than the ladies mass producing them. (Mommy was wrong though, but only because she added the rhinestone leash and flowered belt.) Oh, and mommy picked up a size 7 pattern and it was WAY too big. Was the headache worth it? Yes, I think it was. She still wears it every now and then too.

Camping

On Tuesday Zoey wanted to make a fort, but it was almost bedtime and I didn't want to get started playing so close to bedtime. Therefore, I promised I would make them one this weekend. Before Zoey and the boys arrived home from school on Friday, I had this fort ready for them. Kyler and Zoey were quite excited, and I believe Jake was too (he just doesn't want to seem impressed by things Kyler and Zoey like).

I solved the saggy middle problem by using some bamboo pole we have hanging around. I wanted to use our electric camping lantern to keep it lit inside, but the batteries are dead, so we used flashlights placed strategically around so it wasn't spooky.

And because we were camping, we needed to have roasted marshmallows.

After we put the fire out, it was time to settle down for bed. Kyler and Zoey had their sleeping bags and such ready, but then they became a little scared and decided to wait in my bed for me. I found this out by following the trail of lights left on and there they were--asleep. (I didn't feel like moving them, so I squished a pillow inbetween Kyler and I so I wouldn't get pushed out of bed.)