Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Kids learn something new every day!
On Sunday as we were driving home from church, T Jay noted some people in our neighborhood who were walking home from the pool. T Jay wanted to know how come they weren't at church. Jess explained to him that not all people choose to go to church. T Jay's response, "You mean you get to CHOOSE?!!" Jess told him that yes, when he was older he did get to choose. Jess also asked him what he thought he might choose. He said, "I think I'll keep going to church." Then he broke out in a Primary song. His quote is our family saying of the week.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Christmas Day
Before & After
Christmas Eve
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Craziness!!
On a different note, we had our Church Christmas party tonight and as we were getting ready, we got on the subject that I lived in lots of different places growing up while Jess only lived in one place. T Jay asked Jess, "Is that because you were (pause) just a little bit (pause) too lazy?" I don't know Jess, is that it?!! Craziness.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
A pretty Accurate Likeness...
Monday, December 15, 2008
What We're Planning
Thank you all for the great tradition ideas. I loved hearing about them. I thought I'd post what we are hoping to do this year. Here we go:
1. We made Christmas cards that we are going to deliver to the Hospice nursing home next Monday. We don't sing, so caroling is out. Cards will be our form of caroling. I bet the Hospice people don't even know to appreciate that! Summer pumped out some serious cards, I bet we have over 50!
2. T Jay named our tree "Timber" and Jess made up a story of how "Timber" got from the forest to our house. This is our first real tree as a family and it was kind of fun. Not quite as fun as going out into the forest and cutting your own down like they do in MT, but still fun. We are in FL after all.
3. We will dress the kids up and read Luke 2 on Christmas Eve. My goal for next year is to make actual costumes so they won't be wearing their bathrobes and towels on their heads.
4. We are going to bake a monster load of cookies and take them to all of our neighbors. If they are lucky, maybe they'll even get one of Summer's cards!
5. The kids are all going to get new PJ's for Christmas, which will be their one gift that they get to open on Christmas Eve. In order to make it more interesting, we are going to have a scavenger hunt for them. We love a good scavenger hunt around here. Thanks for the idea, Karen!
6. I want to try Rachel's suggestion while opening our gifts this year. I think it sounds really fun to use each present as they are opened.
7. Christmas lights, in fact, we may even try and see the lights at Disney Village. I did that in high school and it was really neat.
8. Cookies and milk, of course, as well as sprinkling "reindeer food" in the yard. T Jay usually insists on putting out some veggies too, "so Santa can be a little healthy."
9. We chose a family that needed a little help with Christmas.
10. I also want to try writing down a "gift" for Jesus. (something that we will work on) I think I will buy a white stocking and put them in there. The next year at Christmas, we can get them out and see how we did.
11. I think we will have Cornish hens for Christmas dinner. We did that one year and it was really fun. Fun that ya'll do it too, Nicole! We can pretend we are together!
12. I want to do some sort of family secret Santa service week. Something along the lines of drawing a family members name and doing secret acts of kindness and service for them the week of Christmas. Maybe when they are older, we will do it for the 12 days of Christmas.
13. The Christmas Elf always comes to visit on Christmas Eve. He brings them candy canes and reminds the kids to go to bed nicely.
I think that we had a few other things on the list that I now can't find, but that should keep us busy! I hope that you all have fun with your traditions this year.
1. We made Christmas cards that we are going to deliver to the Hospice nursing home next Monday. We don't sing, so caroling is out. Cards will be our form of caroling. I bet the Hospice people don't even know to appreciate that! Summer pumped out some serious cards, I bet we have over 50!
2. T Jay named our tree "Timber" and Jess made up a story of how "Timber" got from the forest to our house. This is our first real tree as a family and it was kind of fun. Not quite as fun as going out into the forest and cutting your own down like they do in MT, but still fun. We are in FL after all.
3. We will dress the kids up and read Luke 2 on Christmas Eve. My goal for next year is to make actual costumes so they won't be wearing their bathrobes and towels on their heads.
4. We are going to bake a monster load of cookies and take them to all of our neighbors. If they are lucky, maybe they'll even get one of Summer's cards!
5. The kids are all going to get new PJ's for Christmas, which will be their one gift that they get to open on Christmas Eve. In order to make it more interesting, we are going to have a scavenger hunt for them. We love a good scavenger hunt around here. Thanks for the idea, Karen!
6. I want to try Rachel's suggestion while opening our gifts this year. I think it sounds really fun to use each present as they are opened.
7. Christmas lights, in fact, we may even try and see the lights at Disney Village. I did that in high school and it was really neat.
8. Cookies and milk, of course, as well as sprinkling "reindeer food" in the yard. T Jay usually insists on putting out some veggies too, "so Santa can be a little healthy."
9. We chose a family that needed a little help with Christmas.
10. I also want to try writing down a "gift" for Jesus. (something that we will work on) I think I will buy a white stocking and put them in there. The next year at Christmas, we can get them out and see how we did.
11. I think we will have Cornish hens for Christmas dinner. We did that one year and it was really fun. Fun that ya'll do it too, Nicole! We can pretend we are together!
12. I want to do some sort of family secret Santa service week. Something along the lines of drawing a family members name and doing secret acts of kindness and service for them the week of Christmas. Maybe when they are older, we will do it for the 12 days of Christmas.
13. The Christmas Elf always comes to visit on Christmas Eve. He brings them candy canes and reminds the kids to go to bed nicely.
I think that we had a few other things on the list that I now can't find, but that should keep us busy! I hope that you all have fun with your traditions this year.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Traditions

Thursday, December 4, 2008
My New Mantra!
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Cross walks

Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Kindergarten Program
We are heading up to the pan handle for a Joyner family Thanksgiving! I am very excited as this is the first time I have had a Thanksgiving with them (as far as I know). I hope you all have a great Thankful day.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Enjoy the "Now"
I was watching the CMA awards last week and this song was performed. I got all teary eyed. It made me think about how much I love my little babies. I can't tell you how many poems and stories I have read that tell you to enjoy the zany-ness and the fingerprints that come from being a parent because they will be gone before you know it. They all bring a similar reaction-tears to my eyes and a swelling heart. Anyway, in the mist of all of Matthew's mischief, Summer's drama and T Jay's life as the oldest, I've decided to just enjoy and focus on them more. I've tried to laugh or at least document without getting mad Matthew's messes and spend time with all of them. Last week I taught Summer how to make cookies all by herself and she loved the attention. T Jay got his chance on Sunday night. It is so much more fun to spend their childhood doing those types of things, because before I know it, I won't be the coolest person in their life-although I can hope, right?!
So take time to enjoy whatever your "now" is, because chances are you're gonna miss it.
Monday, November 17, 2008
So, I guess No nap today...
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Time
Tonight we took the kids back to the park for a couple of hours of rolling in the sand. As we made our way home, it was getting dark. The kids went straight to the tub to wash away all of the sand that hitchhiked home in their hair. Matthew won that contest! Once they were done, it was completely dark out. They donned jammies, brushed teeth, said prayers and off to bed they went. As I got downstairs to begin my quiet evening I looked at the clock. It said, 6:34 pm! Oops! My kids usually go to bed between 7 and 7:30. It seemed like it was that late, but... I went back upstairs to offer them stories in their beds for a bit and I found Summer fast asleep and T Jay on the edge. He stirred when I came in so I asked him if he wanted to read for a bit. He did, so I brought him a few books. It's funny that even a week or two later, even I am having a hard time adjusting to the difference with the time change! I wonder what time Summer will wake up after going to bed so early? I hope that she at least sleeps in until 6:30 since it's my turn to get up! And yes, 6:30 is considered sleeping in around here, sad, huh?!
Friday, November 14, 2008
Happy's visit
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Trick-or-Treating
Halloween parade & Fall Festival
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Life with George...

Other skills Matthew has acquired are: climbing the book shelves, the toy room shelves, and the pantry shelves. He realized that he can haul his kiddie chair around to reach things on the counters or use drawers to climb. We had to turn the door handle to his room around to lock him in so that he will lay down and go to sleep. If he thinks he can escape, it's all he can think about! You should see how well he can hop over his crib gate!
He has also figured out that he is now tall enough to unlock the door that leads to the garage. I have found him out there quite a bit. I found that if I hang a step ladder over the door handle and put it between the wall and dryer that he can't get through that...yet. I have also since bungee corded the pantry shut. It's only a matter of time before he figures that out, but hopefully it will last us until we get our own place and I can lock every thing up properly!! It's a good thing that he has such an adorable smile and gives such great kisses and hugs. I'm not sure how I would deal with all of this with out them!
I voted!
Monday, November 3, 2008
The Things that Mary had...

This past week has been extremely busy for me. I didn't even get online the last half of the week. We had Jess' birthday, I planned and ran our church craft day as well as had a fun Halloween party here at the house. I have lots of fun pictures to share. I hope to get to them tomorrow. I just had to post this little story now though!
We were having FHE and Summer was "reading" from the scriptures. Now when I say reading, I mean she is looking at the open book, tonight it was the New Testament, and just says whatever comes to mind. It's funny how her ideas are scriptural, but in the verbiage of a 4 year old. It's very funny and we try to record it when we can. Tonight's was no different. She paused her "reading" and asked, "who knows who had Jesus please raise your hand?" T Jay eagerly told her that it was Mary who had Jesus. Summer then said, "Yep, and she also had a little lamb." Very matter of fact, in case we didn't know about that yet!! I couldn't hold the giggles in on that one. She just gave me a sheepish smile with an eyelash flutter and laughed.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Girls Weekend
Fountain Park
Park
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