Saturday we did our Mississippi Christmas with Austin's family. We woke up early Saturday so we could make the drive there. It was a gross day and rained on us about the entire way there. We arrived around 10:30. The kids played for a bit with their cousins then we opened presents. Its nice now that the kids are getting older although sad at the same time. But atleast now I feel like I can relax and visit and not chase a toddler around. The kids are growing up so fast...now 3, 6, 8, and 10!! Colby and Maggie still play really well together I guess b/c they are the closest in age. Shelbi is more like a mini teen now but she does do well with Lindsay and I think Lindsay enjoys the attention of an older girl. We all opened presents and got some more great things! The kids loved their new toys!
We ate lunch shortly after which was delish. The kids all ate outside with paw-paw. It was again nice to be able to visit more. Lindsay is finally old enough we really didn't have to stress about her naptime. She was very well behaved the whole day. That afternoon we played another gift game. That was a lot of fun! Colby ended up with a flashlight and Lindsay with some Frozen playing cards so they were both happy!
We stayed and let the kids play and visited until about 5. By that point we knew everyone was tired and we should go start getting the kids settled down. They have had so much excitment since getting out of school! We had chicken for dinner and just enjoyed some quiet. The kids were hard to get to bed. That happens when they share a room.
The next morning we slept in a little then went back over to his parents house for breakfast. It was nice having a little more time to visit with everyone. I think the kids hated to leave! They love going up there! It had been since September since we had been. This fall was just SO BUSY! We hope to get up there again by early spring and spend a little longer.
Monday, December 29, 2014
Sunday, December 28, 2014
Family New Orleans Day!
Friday we decided to have a fun family day after Christmas. We knew the kids needed some fresh air and to get out of the house! We decided on City Park. It had been awhile since we last visited so we thought it would be fun. Plus since Christmas in the Paks was such a bomb with the crowds. We did Storyland first since that seems to be what we always miss! The kids had a blast and were able to play and move about freely since there weren't many people there. It was so fun to see Lindsay really getting into it this year. The last few times we've been she has almost been too young but she loved it. They spent the majority of time on the slides. This is the first year since Colby was about 2 that he was brave enough to do the Dragon slide and Jack and Jill. Lindsay also did both! Lindsay liked seeing all the different houses and guessing which fairytale they came from.
Since we finished that up pretty quick we decided to also let them play on the playground across the street. They loved that as well. It was pretty crowded but big enough that they were able to still run around and climb. Then they fed some ducks. It was just nice being outside and letting them run and be kids!
After we went to lunch at Dat Dog. It was again fun just riding through different parts of the city then having a family lunch out. We have been spoiled with all this and it will be strange getting back to reality soon! I think the kids really loved their day out! We have a week left of vacation and hope to do some more fun things!
Since we finished that up pretty quick we decided to also let them play on the playground across the street. They loved that as well. It was pretty crowded but big enough that they were able to still run around and climb. Then they fed some ducks. It was just nice being outside and letting them run and be kids!
After we went to lunch at Dat Dog. It was again fun just riding through different parts of the city then having a family lunch out. We have been spoiled with all this and it will be strange getting back to reality soon! I think the kids really loved their day out! We have a week left of vacation and hope to do some more fun things!
Christmas 2014
Well another Christmas has come and gone! I am so sad to see this season go. Christmas has always been my FAV time of year and with kids its just so fun and so special and each year just gets more and more fun!
Christmas Eve was a pretty relaxing day for us. We splept in and ate breakfast then got the kids dressed and we went to the park. This has sort of become a Christmas Eve tradition for us. There isn't much else to do and we want to wear the kids out for that night! The kids wanted to go back to the one in Gretna that I brought them last week. We had a great time just playing together as a family. The kids are at such great ages. They can play alone but we can also interact with them without having to hover. It was a beautiful day and I think we all just enjoyed the outdoor time. Once we got home we ate lunch and just hung out that afternoon. We worked on present wrapping and getting things ready for Christmas. That evening we went to my parent's house. Again our tradition. We always have a big dinner (this year it was fajitas). We enjoy all the visiting and the kids just enjoy the playtime! After dinner we did Happy Birthday Jesus cake and singing. Another favorite tradition. Afterwards we spend some time singing Christmas songs and reading the Christmas story from Luke 2. We also added Santa Comes to Louisiana to our mix. We hung out for a little while longer then it was time to get 2 little ones back home and off to bed. We did a quick bathtime and got them in their pjs. We had to do cookies for Santa and reindeer food. They were both really into it all! We did our Advent story and then they were off to bed. They were both so good and fell asleep almost right away.
We were done playing Santa by 10:30 or so I think! This year we didn't buy any really big gifts:
Colby got: a pirate ship, some CARS, PLANES, angry birds stuffed and a game, MineCraft and a slinky dog.
Lindsay got: Ariel doll, Ariel, Belle, and Elsa Barbie type dolls, Ariel's Castle, some gowns, a Doc McStuffins Game.
Christmas morning I was shocked that we all slept until 7! The year before Colby was up at 5:30! It was nice to have "slept in". We did our family Christmas. The adults this year got an iPad, suitcases, kitchen accessories, a Kitchen Aid Mixer. The kids had a little time to play while we got ready for the day.
We went over to my parent's house at 9 to do our traditional breakfast and opening of the presents there. Again another fun time to just visit and enjoy family. We opened presents after but our presents have shrunk drastically over the last few years. We mostly just let the kids open a few things and that's it! Its mostly about spending time with one another now! We hung out until about 11 or 11:30 before heading home. The kids were anxious to play with their toys again. We got home and started the preparations for that night. We had my parents over for Christmas dinner. We usually cook and either invite them over or a friend for Christmas. Since my mom hosts all the other holidays we try to do our part by having this one ourselves. I think it made my parents feel really good to be invited over for dinner and not have to cook. We enjoyed our time with them and then took a family walk after dinner to look at Christmas lights. Another fun memory made!
Christmas Eve was a pretty relaxing day for us. We splept in and ate breakfast then got the kids dressed and we went to the park. This has sort of become a Christmas Eve tradition for us. There isn't much else to do and we want to wear the kids out for that night! The kids wanted to go back to the one in Gretna that I brought them last week. We had a great time just playing together as a family. The kids are at such great ages. They can play alone but we can also interact with them without having to hover. It was a beautiful day and I think we all just enjoyed the outdoor time. Once we got home we ate lunch and just hung out that afternoon. We worked on present wrapping and getting things ready for Christmas. That evening we went to my parent's house. Again our tradition. We always have a big dinner (this year it was fajitas). We enjoy all the visiting and the kids just enjoy the playtime! After dinner we did Happy Birthday Jesus cake and singing. Another favorite tradition. Afterwards we spend some time singing Christmas songs and reading the Christmas story from Luke 2. We also added Santa Comes to Louisiana to our mix. We hung out for a little while longer then it was time to get 2 little ones back home and off to bed. We did a quick bathtime and got them in their pjs. We had to do cookies for Santa and reindeer food. They were both really into it all! We did our Advent story and then they were off to bed. They were both so good and fell asleep almost right away.
We were done playing Santa by 10:30 or so I think! This year we didn't buy any really big gifts:
Colby got: a pirate ship, some CARS, PLANES, angry birds stuffed and a game, MineCraft and a slinky dog.
Lindsay got: Ariel doll, Ariel, Belle, and Elsa Barbie type dolls, Ariel's Castle, some gowns, a Doc McStuffins Game.
Christmas morning I was shocked that we all slept until 7! The year before Colby was up at 5:30! It was nice to have "slept in". We did our family Christmas. The adults this year got an iPad, suitcases, kitchen accessories, a Kitchen Aid Mixer. The kids had a little time to play while we got ready for the day.
We went over to my parent's house at 9 to do our traditional breakfast and opening of the presents there. Again another fun time to just visit and enjoy family. We opened presents after but our presents have shrunk drastically over the last few years. We mostly just let the kids open a few things and that's it! Its mostly about spending time with one another now! We hung out until about 11 or 11:30 before heading home. The kids were anxious to play with their toys again. We got home and started the preparations for that night. We had my parents over for Christmas dinner. We usually cook and either invite them over or a friend for Christmas. Since my mom hosts all the other holidays we try to do our part by having this one ourselves. I think it made my parents feel really good to be invited over for dinner and not have to cook. We enjoyed our time with them and then took a family walk after dinner to look at Christmas lights. Another fun memory made!
Thursday, December 25, 2014
The Week of Christmas!
We have had a wonderful Christmas week here. Austin has been home and its just been so nice having him and the kids around! We've had no major plans just time with each other!
Monday Austin wanted to take Colby out by himself. He's been wanting to start this new tradition of taking each kid out alone the week of Christmas to hang out and shop for the other one. I had to go grocery shopping. Poor L got stuck with me =(. Anyway we had fun and then had a quiet day around the house. Colby and Austin enjoyed Lakeside and other errands and a lunch out to Buffalo Wild Wings. We had a quiet evening at home.
Tuesday we had our annual breakfast at Parrot Pete's with my family. This is how we now celebrate the entire month of December. Now with 3 December birthdays it just got too hard to celebrate each one individually. So we do this to kick off Christmas. Its always a sweet time. The kids are older now and really enjoy it and its easier for mommy b/c they can pretty much handle themselves now at the table. After was Lindsay's time with daddy so they took off to Target which left Colby and I to do a few last minute errands to Barnes and Noble and Walgreens. I enjoyed just hanging out with my boy like that. That afternoon the boys got back out to deliver the Christmas presents to our adopted family. I had really wanted us all to go but we were waiting on a package and it was looking like bad weather and Lindsay was still napping. So us girls stayed here. We had another relaxing evening at home. We even broke out the Wii to play with!
We are so excited about Christmas and having a 3 and 6 year old! They have been super excited all month!
We will do our usual Christmas traditions here then our Mississippi Christmas on Saturday so look for some more exciting posts!
Monday Austin wanted to take Colby out by himself. He's been wanting to start this new tradition of taking each kid out alone the week of Christmas to hang out and shop for the other one. I had to go grocery shopping. Poor L got stuck with me =(. Anyway we had fun and then had a quiet day around the house. Colby and Austin enjoyed Lakeside and other errands and a lunch out to Buffalo Wild Wings. We had a quiet evening at home.
Tuesday we had our annual breakfast at Parrot Pete's with my family. This is how we now celebrate the entire month of December. Now with 3 December birthdays it just got too hard to celebrate each one individually. So we do this to kick off Christmas. Its always a sweet time. The kids are older now and really enjoy it and its easier for mommy b/c they can pretty much handle themselves now at the table. After was Lindsay's time with daddy so they took off to Target which left Colby and I to do a few last minute errands to Barnes and Noble and Walgreens. I enjoyed just hanging out with my boy like that. That afternoon the boys got back out to deliver the Christmas presents to our adopted family. I had really wanted us all to go but we were waiting on a package and it was looking like bad weather and Lindsay was still napping. So us girls stayed here. We had another relaxing evening at home. We even broke out the Wii to play with!
We are so excited about Christmas and having a 3 and 6 year old! They have been super excited all month!
We will do our usual Christmas traditions here then our Mississippi Christmas on Saturday so look for some more exciting posts!
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Christmas Parties & Grammy's B-day
This past Friday both kids had their Christmas parties. Its very busy when they both fall on the same day. I actually preferred last year when they celebrated on different days. This year has been so busy I decided to not really go all out like I usually do well by go all out I really mean baking sugar cookies for the class. I decided I would do Olaf string cheese for Colby's class and candycanes for both. With Lindsay's school you sign up for 2 parties a year and I signed up for Thanksgiving and Easter so I actually wasn't committed to her school although I would love to go to each one of her parties. I had asked Colby's teacher earlier in the week if she needed parent help and she said yes. Last year it was low key and no parents were really even invited but this year I looked forward to hanging out with him. I get a lot more time with Lindsay right now then him so I thought it would be special. We had a rocky start to the morning but things ended up going well. He really seemed to enjoy all the stuff they did at their party. They were split into 3 differnt groups 1st-3rd. They rotated through the 3 classrooms and the teachers had different games or crafts for them to do.
Afterwards they went back into their room for a movie and snacks. This time was a little crazy with all the food that the kids had brought. It was very overwhelming! I was glad I brought string cheese b/c there were SO many sweets. After the movie and they passed out their class treats I brought Colby home early. There was still another hour left but I couldn't imagine staying there that long...plus we had to pick up Lindsay.
We went to Lindsay's school and hung out with her for a few minutes. It seemed like she had a really great time at her party and left with lots of goodies! I just cannot believe our 3 year preschool and 1st grade year are half over!
That evening we looked forward to our night at home. We did our usual movie. The kids have become obssessed with Home Alone so that is what we watched.
Saturday was my mom's b-day. My new goal is to always visit my parents on their b-day. We don't really do gifts anymore or even cards so I figure a visit from their grandkids is the best present anyway. We got over there around 10. The visit was to also make sugar cookies. Since we weren't able to do this for school I still wanted the kids to get to make and decorate them. It was a fun family day. We were over there for a few hours and Randall and Elizabeth also stopped by. It was nice just having us all together like that for my mom.
We rested that afternoon and that night went to the Pelicans Game. Austin got tickets from work so we thought it would be a fun family night. The kids had a blast! Colby has really gotten into sports lately and loved watching the game. I think Lindsay was just happy with a night out on the town. We left the game by the end of the 3rd quarter. We decided while we were out it would be fun to take the kids for icecream. We went to Creole Creamery which was a treat for everyone. Loved our little family outting!
Sunday was a big day. Colby was debuting in his first Christmas play. He was chosen to be the last inn keeper in the Christmas Story. This play was put on by our children's ministry. We had to be there early and stay for both services. I taught during the first service but was able to sneak over and see him for part of it. We had a good morning with the preschoolers. I was glad to be back after missing a couple of weeks. During the second service we brought Lindsay in to see her brother. We only stayed until after his part then left since it had been such a busy/long morning. He did so good though and we were so proud! All the children did fantastic! For lunch we went to eat with my parents to continue celebrating my mom's b-day. It was a wonderful day! So enjoying the first few days of Christmas Break!
Afterwards they went back into their room for a movie and snacks. This time was a little crazy with all the food that the kids had brought. It was very overwhelming! I was glad I brought string cheese b/c there were SO many sweets. After the movie and they passed out their class treats I brought Colby home early. There was still another hour left but I couldn't imagine staying there that long...plus we had to pick up Lindsay.
We went to Lindsay's school and hung out with her for a few minutes. It seemed like she had a really great time at her party and left with lots of goodies! I just cannot believe our 3 year preschool and 1st grade year are half over!
That evening we looked forward to our night at home. We did our usual movie. The kids have become obssessed with Home Alone so that is what we watched.
Saturday was my mom's b-day. My new goal is to always visit my parents on their b-day. We don't really do gifts anymore or even cards so I figure a visit from their grandkids is the best present anyway. We got over there around 10. The visit was to also make sugar cookies. Since we weren't able to do this for school I still wanted the kids to get to make and decorate them. It was a fun family day. We were over there for a few hours and Randall and Elizabeth also stopped by. It was nice just having us all together like that for my mom.
We rested that afternoon and that night went to the Pelicans Game. Austin got tickets from work so we thought it would be a fun family night. The kids had a blast! Colby has really gotten into sports lately and loved watching the game. I think Lindsay was just happy with a night out on the town. We left the game by the end of the 3rd quarter. We decided while we were out it would be fun to take the kids for icecream. We went to Creole Creamery which was a treat for everyone. Loved our little family outting!
Sunday was a big day. Colby was debuting in his first Christmas play. He was chosen to be the last inn keeper in the Christmas Story. This play was put on by our children's ministry. We had to be there early and stay for both services. I taught during the first service but was able to sneak over and see him for part of it. We had a good morning with the preschoolers. I was glad to be back after missing a couple of weeks. During the second service we brought Lindsay in to see her brother. We only stayed until after his part then left since it had been such a busy/long morning. He did so good though and we were so proud! All the children did fantastic! For lunch we went to eat with my parents to continue celebrating my mom's b-day. It was a wonderful day! So enjoying the first few days of Christmas Break!
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Twas' The Week Before Christmas
So life is really busy with holiday stuff but I am trying to hold fast to my commitment to not get stressed. If it causes stress we don't do it. I am trying to focus more on the moments and not the fluff! So here's what's been going on since our stay at the plantation.
Saturday we picked the kids up around 11. We came home to unpack and eat lunch. It was refreshing to be home as a family. We ate lunch and watched football and rested. That afternoon we got some house stuff done. That evening we decided to take the kids to City Park. In the past we have gone on Lindsay's birthday but this year that just didn't work out. We knew Saturday would be a lot more crowded then a Thursday but we figured we would make it work. Oh we had no idea what we were in for. First traffic getting out there was a nightmare. But ya know the old me would have been so upset but we just took it in stride and sang Christmas songs while we waited to get there. We finally got in the park then finding a parking spot was CRAZY! We had to park forever away and again the old me might have complained but I chose to see it as an opportunity for exercise. We got to the park waited in line to get in. We finally got in and realized the crowds. We made our way over the rides hoping to get in the train line. I would have waited an hour but the wait looked to be over 3 hours long. We decided to take the kids to Storyland. It was still crowded but not nearly as bad as the other sections. The kids had fun and got to do most everything in there. About the time we were finishing up Lindsay said she had to potty so I took her to the nearest bathroom and ofcourse there was a line...so we waited...and waited. I could tell she really had to go. About the time we were about to finally go in she peed on herself. I felt so bad. I know she just couldn't hold it anymore. Luckily she doesn't flip out over stuff like that like Colby would have. We headed towards the gate but looked at a few more lights on our way out. I guess it was the signal that it was time to get out of there. Colby was a little sad but overall took it well. We enjoyed seeing the lights on the way out. It was just a good family night we weren't looking to see the whole park or anything just spend time together and the weather was gorgeous. I think everyone still left in high spirits. After we drove downtown and got to see some more lights which was fun.
Sunday we had church. It was Austin's first time to go with us in forever and our first time to sit together in months! After church we came home to eat then Colby had rehearsal. The kids are having a Christmas play next Sunday. That afternoon we just hung out after that.
Monday was back to school. I had the usual grocery shopping and getting the kids to/from school which makes for a busy day. That evening we thought it was Calvary had Chickfila night. We showed up though and were the only ones! Oh well it was still a nice break from the kitchen and the kids had fun. That evening ended up with some adventure though. About 2 hours after we got the kids to bed we heard crying. We thought it was Lindsay b/c she will cry over random things. Anyway come to find out it was Colby. He was crying saying his bottom hurt/itched. After almost an hour of dealing with him almost in a panic attack mode we thought to actually look at it and ended up finding out he had pinworms! OMG! I freaked out! Anyway though it turns out it is very common and my brothers had it and so did Austin! We talked to a nurse and finally put some cream on it and he ended up sleeping all night. I ended up turning off my alarm though b/c it was almost midnight by the time we all go to sleep.
So the next morning I knew a doctor's call was in order but I figured we wouldn't have to go in. I kept Colby home and figured we could just have a fun day. It was desperately needed anyway! We had a nice leisure morning of cinnamon rolls and cartoons. I loaded them up later and we went to Walgreens to get his meds and then to the park. We tried out a new local park and they had a blast! We stayed atleast an hour. We had the place to ourselves and the weather was gorgeous. It was just such a fun moment. We rarely get to take park trips anymore b/c life is just too busy. This was one of those moments we just needed unstructured play! If it were up to me kids would only go to school 4 days a week and one day would be a PLAY day. If I ever homeschool we will def have a once a week park date. I just think its necessary for child development. They need to climb and run and use their imaginations. I played with them for a good bit of time then found a bench and let them have had it! It was just such a wonderful moment! The rest of the day we mostly relaxed. Colby and I worked on some math and spelling. Again love my once in awhile homeschool time. I am still torn if I could do it full time but once in awhile is awesome. That night we had our Lifegroup Christmas party. I think it worked out well that we skipped school b/c it made going to the Christmas party more enjoyable. My parents were out of town so we brought the kids. Plus we figured they would love to go and hang out with the other kids. And since this is the week before Christmas I am not stressing over school work and early bedtimes! We all had a blast! I always love visiting with everyone and the kids love the Richardson's house. We stayed until 8 then came home and got the kids ready for bed.
Wednesday was back to school for everyone! I had some shopping to do at Target. I enjoyed my last official morning alone! I miss my kids but alone time is also wonderful =) That afternoon we had a low key time. Austin has been getting off work early with this new job so we ate dinner together then took a walk. We used to do this all the time with Colby and Lindsay when they were babies/toddlers. Now life just seems so busy we don't get around to it. I hate it too! I want us to get out and exercise as a family more. Anyway I hope we can go atleast 2-3 times a week. The kids loved it and it made them sleep well too!
Today (Thursday) my last girls day with Lindsay...we chose to go out to Lakeside and do some Christmas shopping and just have some girl time. We started out the day with coffee and beignets at Cafe Du Monde. This is a rare treat for us. But since we arrived early and really couldn't do anything else a breakfast stop was a must! Once the stores opened at 9 it took us 45 minutes to get everything we needed! Hallelujah! Now I am not done shopping but I did take care of all that I wanted to do today! Then we came home for some cartoons and playtime!! Its my last quiet day. Tomorrow both kids have parties. I am really going to only be at Colby's but hoping to see Lindsay for a few min if I can check him out early enough. Then will start our Christmas break!! Tonight the boys are going to Cub Scouts so I will be getting busy on my Christmas treats for them for school. Nothing fancy this year just candycanes and Olaf string cheeses =)
Saturday we picked the kids up around 11. We came home to unpack and eat lunch. It was refreshing to be home as a family. We ate lunch and watched football and rested. That afternoon we got some house stuff done. That evening we decided to take the kids to City Park. In the past we have gone on Lindsay's birthday but this year that just didn't work out. We knew Saturday would be a lot more crowded then a Thursday but we figured we would make it work. Oh we had no idea what we were in for. First traffic getting out there was a nightmare. But ya know the old me would have been so upset but we just took it in stride and sang Christmas songs while we waited to get there. We finally got in the park then finding a parking spot was CRAZY! We had to park forever away and again the old me might have complained but I chose to see it as an opportunity for exercise. We got to the park waited in line to get in. We finally got in and realized the crowds. We made our way over the rides hoping to get in the train line. I would have waited an hour but the wait looked to be over 3 hours long. We decided to take the kids to Storyland. It was still crowded but not nearly as bad as the other sections. The kids had fun and got to do most everything in there. About the time we were finishing up Lindsay said she had to potty so I took her to the nearest bathroom and ofcourse there was a line...so we waited...and waited. I could tell she really had to go. About the time we were about to finally go in she peed on herself. I felt so bad. I know she just couldn't hold it anymore. Luckily she doesn't flip out over stuff like that like Colby would have. We headed towards the gate but looked at a few more lights on our way out. I guess it was the signal that it was time to get out of there. Colby was a little sad but overall took it well. We enjoyed seeing the lights on the way out. It was just a good family night we weren't looking to see the whole park or anything just spend time together and the weather was gorgeous. I think everyone still left in high spirits. After we drove downtown and got to see some more lights which was fun.
Sunday we had church. It was Austin's first time to go with us in forever and our first time to sit together in months! After church we came home to eat then Colby had rehearsal. The kids are having a Christmas play next Sunday. That afternoon we just hung out after that.
Monday was back to school. I had the usual grocery shopping and getting the kids to/from school which makes for a busy day. That evening we thought it was Calvary had Chickfila night. We showed up though and were the only ones! Oh well it was still a nice break from the kitchen and the kids had fun. That evening ended up with some adventure though. About 2 hours after we got the kids to bed we heard crying. We thought it was Lindsay b/c she will cry over random things. Anyway come to find out it was Colby. He was crying saying his bottom hurt/itched. After almost an hour of dealing with him almost in a panic attack mode we thought to actually look at it and ended up finding out he had pinworms! OMG! I freaked out! Anyway though it turns out it is very common and my brothers had it and so did Austin! We talked to a nurse and finally put some cream on it and he ended up sleeping all night. I ended up turning off my alarm though b/c it was almost midnight by the time we all go to sleep.
So the next morning I knew a doctor's call was in order but I figured we wouldn't have to go in. I kept Colby home and figured we could just have a fun day. It was desperately needed anyway! We had a nice leisure morning of cinnamon rolls and cartoons. I loaded them up later and we went to Walgreens to get his meds and then to the park. We tried out a new local park and they had a blast! We stayed atleast an hour. We had the place to ourselves and the weather was gorgeous. It was just such a fun moment. We rarely get to take park trips anymore b/c life is just too busy. This was one of those moments we just needed unstructured play! If it were up to me kids would only go to school 4 days a week and one day would be a PLAY day. If I ever homeschool we will def have a once a week park date. I just think its necessary for child development. They need to climb and run and use their imaginations. I played with them for a good bit of time then found a bench and let them have had it! It was just such a wonderful moment! The rest of the day we mostly relaxed. Colby and I worked on some math and spelling. Again love my once in awhile homeschool time. I am still torn if I could do it full time but once in awhile is awesome. That night we had our Lifegroup Christmas party. I think it worked out well that we skipped school b/c it made going to the Christmas party more enjoyable. My parents were out of town so we brought the kids. Plus we figured they would love to go and hang out with the other kids. And since this is the week before Christmas I am not stressing over school work and early bedtimes! We all had a blast! I always love visiting with everyone and the kids love the Richardson's house. We stayed until 8 then came home and got the kids ready for bed.
Wednesday was back to school for everyone! I had some shopping to do at Target. I enjoyed my last official morning alone! I miss my kids but alone time is also wonderful =) That afternoon we had a low key time. Austin has been getting off work early with this new job so we ate dinner together then took a walk. We used to do this all the time with Colby and Lindsay when they were babies/toddlers. Now life just seems so busy we don't get around to it. I hate it too! I want us to get out and exercise as a family more. Anyway I hope we can go atleast 2-3 times a week. The kids loved it and it made them sleep well too!
Today (Thursday) my last girls day with Lindsay...we chose to go out to Lakeside and do some Christmas shopping and just have some girl time. We started out the day with coffee and beignets at Cafe Du Monde. This is a rare treat for us. But since we arrived early and really couldn't do anything else a breakfast stop was a must! Once the stores opened at 9 it took us 45 minutes to get everything we needed! Hallelujah! Now I am not done shopping but I did take care of all that I wanted to do today! Then we came home for some cartoons and playtime!! Its my last quiet day. Tomorrow both kids have parties. I am really going to only be at Colby's but hoping to see Lindsay for a few min if I can check him out early enough. Then will start our Christmas break!! Tonight the boys are going to Cub Scouts so I will be getting busy on my Christmas treats for them for school. Nothing fancy this year just candycanes and Olaf string cheeses =)
Monday, December 15, 2014
10 Years!
Wow 10 years!! How can that be? Well Austin and I have been thinking about this anniversary for awhile and what we would do. At first we really wanted to take a big trip since our 5 year was a cruise. We contemplated New York. The more we thought though and the closer it got it just seemed too hard logistically to do. Its hard to get away this time of year. With Lindsay's birthday and both kids in school full time and given my parents age I just hated to leave them a week. We finally agreed staying close to home would be better. We also wanted to save up for our next big trip with the kids. Family time is very important to us both and we want to make most of our big trips with our kids so that they have experiences and memories as they grow.
We decided on Nottoway Plantation and wow I am so glad we did. First of all it was a low key no stress trip. We planned 1 night away from home on a Friday. This way my parents could pick the kids up from school and keep them the one night. It happened to fall the weekend of the Santa Breakfast at Lindsay's school so they did take them to that.
So Friday morning I got both kids to school then came home to pack up our stuff. Due to a very busy week yes we had to wait until the last minute. So it took us about an hour to get everything together and be ready to walk out the door. We dropped the kids' stuff off at my parents then hit the road. It was so nice just to get out on a beautiful day and drive. We did so many things like that when we were dating and first married. We took our time driving to the plantations. We took the scenic drive along the river which was really neat. We got to Oak Alley right around lunchtime. So we went to eat at their restaurant first thing. The food was delicious and a meal without kiddos was truly a treat. After we finished eating we browsed the gift shop then set out to tour the grounds. We first toured their new slave exhibit. It was very interesting and very sobering. I am glad that they are starting to feature the slave history as well as the plantation owners. I felt like I learned a few new things. Next up was the tour of the big house. I had forgotton or learned new things there as well which was cool. The house was decorated for Christmas which I think made it even more special. After we finished inside the house we spent some time outside on the property. The weather was just gorgeous! Once we finished up we hopped in the car to drive down the road to Nottoway. Once again we took the scenic route. We arrived there around 4. We were able to go to our room freshen up and relax for a bit. We were given a schedule of events for the night which was awesome we had no idea so there was lots of activity and things to do! We walked around and enjoyed the grounds before dinner b/c we knew it would be dark afterwards. Everything was decorated so beautiful! We went to eat shortly after. They had food outside on the grounds but since it was our anniversary afterall we decided to go ahead into the restaurant and par-take there. It was a nice quiet, romantic dinner. We don't go out a lot especially by ourselves to a romantic restaurant so this was nice. Afterwards we went outside to the porch to see the lighting of the bonfires. We sat and took in the sights for a bit before walking around. We just walked and talked and enjoyed the scene. It was so much fun!! I really cannot wait to take my kids back and my parents I think they would all love it! We went up on the levee to get a closer look at the bonfires and to warm up! So romantic! I just loved it! Afterwards we made our way slowly back to our room. We were anxious to get in our pjs and just relax. We watched a Christmas movie and just hung out and went to bed early! Again so nice!!
That morning we woke up got dressed and went to breakfast. We enjoyed a leisure breakfast before hitting the road for home. We were anxious to get back to our babies!
We decided on Nottoway Plantation and wow I am so glad we did. First of all it was a low key no stress trip. We planned 1 night away from home on a Friday. This way my parents could pick the kids up from school and keep them the one night. It happened to fall the weekend of the Santa Breakfast at Lindsay's school so they did take them to that.
So Friday morning I got both kids to school then came home to pack up our stuff. Due to a very busy week yes we had to wait until the last minute. So it took us about an hour to get everything together and be ready to walk out the door. We dropped the kids' stuff off at my parents then hit the road. It was so nice just to get out on a beautiful day and drive. We did so many things like that when we were dating and first married. We took our time driving to the plantations. We took the scenic drive along the river which was really neat. We got to Oak Alley right around lunchtime. So we went to eat at their restaurant first thing. The food was delicious and a meal without kiddos was truly a treat. After we finished eating we browsed the gift shop then set out to tour the grounds. We first toured their new slave exhibit. It was very interesting and very sobering. I am glad that they are starting to feature the slave history as well as the plantation owners. I felt like I learned a few new things. Next up was the tour of the big house. I had forgotton or learned new things there as well which was cool. The house was decorated for Christmas which I think made it even more special. After we finished inside the house we spent some time outside on the property. The weather was just gorgeous! Once we finished up we hopped in the car to drive down the road to Nottoway. Once again we took the scenic route. We arrived there around 4. We were able to go to our room freshen up and relax for a bit. We were given a schedule of events for the night which was awesome we had no idea so there was lots of activity and things to do! We walked around and enjoyed the grounds before dinner b/c we knew it would be dark afterwards. Everything was decorated so beautiful! We went to eat shortly after. They had food outside on the grounds but since it was our anniversary afterall we decided to go ahead into the restaurant and par-take there. It was a nice quiet, romantic dinner. We don't go out a lot especially by ourselves to a romantic restaurant so this was nice. Afterwards we went outside to the porch to see the lighting of the bonfires. We sat and took in the sights for a bit before walking around. We just walked and talked and enjoyed the scene. It was so much fun!! I really cannot wait to take my kids back and my parents I think they would all love it! We went up on the levee to get a closer look at the bonfires and to warm up! So romantic! I just loved it! Afterwards we made our way slowly back to our room. We were anxious to get in our pjs and just relax. We watched a Christmas movie and just hung out and went to bed early! Again so nice!!
That morning we woke up got dressed and went to breakfast. We enjoyed a leisure breakfast before hitting the road for home. We were anxious to get back to our babies!
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Christmas Celebrations
This week has been filled with Christmas Celebrations already! Yesterday Lindsay and I went to Mrs. Doris' annual Christmas Brunch. I have been attending this probably for the last 10 or so years. I might have gone as a child and anytime I was out of school. Anyway Colby went with me a couple times and now its Lindsay and my tradition to go. Its so fun to dress her up and bring her. I might even continue this as she starts school it might be a special skip day for her =)
She did so well this year compared to the last 2. She used to scream and get really upset around all the ladies. This year she was still quiet and shy but much better behaved. I had fun visiting with all the ladies too. Also our pastor's wife always comes. I remember her when Colby and Ella were babies. This was my first time to meet her. Its fun to have that memory.
Today there was a parent Christmas Party at Lindsay's school. I thought it was really sweet of them to do this. Everyone brought cookies and we visited for awhile. It was good to visit with some of the parents. The kids also came in and sang Christmas carols. It was adorable! It brought back so many memories of Colby doing this! It was a sweet time! Gosh how I love preschool!! I want my kids to stay these ages forever!! Anyway afterwards we came home and just enjoyed our day! This week was a busy one. Lindsay was in school W-F. I sent her Thursday since she missed M and I also went shopping that day with Stephanie. It was nice to get some Christmas shopping done! What a fun week!! Love this season!
She did so well this year compared to the last 2. She used to scream and get really upset around all the ladies. This year she was still quiet and shy but much better behaved. I had fun visiting with all the ladies too. Also our pastor's wife always comes. I remember her when Colby and Ella were babies. This was my first time to meet her. Its fun to have that memory.
Today there was a parent Christmas Party at Lindsay's school. I thought it was really sweet of them to do this. Everyone brought cookies and we visited for awhile. It was good to visit with some of the parents. The kids also came in and sang Christmas carols. It was adorable! It brought back so many memories of Colby doing this! It was a sweet time! Gosh how I love preschool!! I want my kids to stay these ages forever!! Anyway afterwards we came home and just enjoyed our day! This week was a busy one. Lindsay was in school W-F. I sent her Thursday since she missed M and I also went shopping that day with Stephanie. It was nice to get some Christmas shopping done! What a fun week!! Love this season!
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Birthday Celebrations
Austin and I were pretty busy during those 3 hours. After we picked her up we went to pick up the cake and also got her chickfila for lunch (her fav). Oh and she had McDonald's pancakes for breakfast. Honestly I hated that we fed her all that fast food on her b-day but it was a crazy day and somehow I don't think she minded ;) That afternoon we rested and continued getting things ready for her party.
That night the kids and I had an event at church Merry and Bright. It was like a one night VBS type thing. I originally didn't plan on working since it was Lindsay's b-day but once I found out it was drop off I also didn't want to leave her on her birthday either. It all worked out fine and the kids and I had a blast! Colby was over with the big kids. He was grouped k and 1st. I worked in the 3 year old class with Lindsay. We had 18 preschoolers total but once we split into 2 classes we had 9 and 9 which wasn't bad at all. We have more then that some Sunday mornings =) I think we all had a very fun time but were worn out that night. It was quick baths and off to bed!
Saturday was PARTY DAY! We had to get started early since her party was at 10. Elizabeth came to help me get the food ready around 9. Austin's parents and mine got here around 9:45 and then it was time for GUESTS! We had 7 girls and then Colby and Nijel were both here so there was lots of activity! I thought it was the perfect amount of friends though! Kept it from being too overwhelming. Colby actually had a Cubscout thing that morning where they sang at a nursing home. I hated I couldn't be there for that but it was a nice thing for him and Austin to do together. It also gave him a chance to get out of the house a bit while we got ready for the party. They got back though right about the time the party started. Nijel and Colby played together in his room most of the morning. They did come out for lunch time and cake though. I was glad he was able to have his best friend here while Lindsay had her party going on. I think everyone really had a lot of fun. The girls did some crafts then had lunch (tea time) and then played and opened presents. I think they all loved playing in Lindsay's room. I am so thankful for her little group of friends. It was a very fun time! I think we had another b-day party success!
That afternoon we relaxed. We didn't do much the rest of the day but play outside and watch movies and play with her toys. It was nice to have a break from the madness of life!
Sunday we had church. I was able to switch with someone so I could go into church. It had been over a month since I had been in there. It was nice being with my parents and just having that worship time. They also had Baby Dedication and I always love seeing that too! Again that afternoon we had nothing planned so it was great to just relax and play with the kiddos!
Saturday, December 6, 2014
3 Years Old!
She is my very picky eater. She thrives on cheese, applesauce, yogurt and fruit! She does love Chickfila though! She also has quite the sweet tooth!
She is really into princesses and her favorite is Ariel. She also likes baby dolls and basically anything pink or girlie. She loves to dress up. She never makes a fuss over wearing a dress and stockings! So different from me as a child!
She is loving preschool which I really am so happy! She has so many sweet little friends and its so fun seeing her blossom! She goes 3 days a week for just 3 hours. I do still love our days together though! I will miss her so much when she goes full time!
She also loves church. I am her teacher and I love getting to hang out with her. She talks so much and can just about anything! I am not sure when we will start any extra curricular stuff with her. I have contemplated gymnastics. I am going to research it and see for the spring? I dunno our schedule is so full but I would like her to do something she enjoys! She's growing up so fast and I just want to treasure each moment with her!
I thought I would update from her doc visit:
She is 30 lbs and 36 1/2 inches. She's still little but def growing! She did very well at the doc. She still hates the being weighed and measured but she's making progress so maybe by 4? The doc said she's doing great. She had a little fluid in one ear but the doc said just to watch her. She also has molluscum. Colby had this as well. She's had it since about April but the doc said it will probably just go away on its own. It doesn't really seem to bother her.
Monday, December 1, 2014
Thanksgiving Break
So it has been so nice having the littles home so far. Yes there have been some trying moments already and I am sure more to come but I do miss having them around and its been lovely just being able to relax!
Friday night we had our weekly movie night. We watched Despicable Me. It was really nice to wake up Saturday morning and not have to rush out the house! First time in gosh I don't even know! Probably weeks! Anyway we had a low key morning around the house before getting ready and going to the park. My parents met us at the Terrytown Playground. The 2 of them played so well. We were out there for atleast an hour. I was glad to see them getting some outside time and exercise. Afterwards I promised them lunch at Chickfila. This was fun too and nice for mommy to not have to cook and clean!
That afternoon was relaxed. We hung around the house and they played. We did some phonics and played outside. Again not having to be anymore at night was awesome! We stayed in and watched football.
Sunday we woke up to rain and I almost backed out of going to church b/c the kids and I all have colds. No one has run fever though and Colby has had it for over a week. Obviously you can't keep kids home for that long b/c of the sniffles and cough! I taught the preschoolers. We had a small class of only 8. The kids were really well behaved too which made the morning go smoothly. I am glad we got out for church b/c we will be home the rest of the day. We will probably do some more school work and play outside. Colby has a F and a D in reading and math right now so I am trying to really catch him up with those subjects.
Monday has been a busy day. We had a slow morning then we all got dressed and I brought the kids to the grandparents. They have been wanting to hang out with them and today looked like the best day. I needed to go to the grocery store which meant nothing fun for me to do with them. Plus I had several of things to do around the house. I was thankful for a few quiet hours! I love my kids and I am loving this time with them but goodness they are tiring!! This has really made me think what it would be like to homeschool? Some days I am all for it and then days like today I am like HECK no! I mean I love having time with them but 365 days a year I am not sure! HA! Anyway they got home at naptime so now we are just taking it easy. Lindsay is still struggling with her cold so I am hoping the rest will make her feel better soon. We will do our usual outdoor time and maybe do some school work as well. Last night we watched Home Alone so we might try to find another good movie on tv as well.
Tuesday was a fun day. We were so happy to have Austin off and home with us. We had a low key morning then went to Lakeside for our tradition of seeing Santa and picking out ornaments. The kids wanted to start out in the Disney store to get ideas for Christmas. I just love seeing their excitment and magic of the season. Afterwards we went to visit Santa. I was surprised at how timid both kids were. Colby was really shy at first...usually he gets up there and talks Santa's ear off but I think he is getting to the age of ?s. He even asked me when we got home if that was the real Santa. He did finally warm up. But not Miss Priss. She cried again when it was time for the picture. We ended up all 4 getting in the picture but it turned out cute nonetheless. Just another memory! Life isn't perfect so why should we pretend? I loved the memory of it! Anyway after we went to PB Kids so they could look around and play with the toys. They really enjoyed this. After we went over to Panera Bread for lunch b/c the mall was starting to get crazy! It was a nice lunch just the 4 of us. The kids ate well and seemed to enjoy it too.
That night we had Lifegroup. It was our last session of this year so we wanted to go. We have missed a few lately just to being really busy and kids being sick. Even though the kids and I were still a little sickly we went ahead and went. I am so glad we did b/c the kids had a blast! They don't get to attend lifegroup often with us b/c of it being during the school week. There were about 9 or 10 kids there last night so they had a blast! They love all the toys at the Richardson's and just being with the other kids. The kids range from 10 years to 2. I helped watch the kids with Stephanie. Even though I hated to miss the lesson I knew Lindsay was the youngest plus she was still a little sick so I wanted to stay with her. I felt like the kids really behaved well though and played really well with each other and with the other kids!
Wednesday was a busy day for us. Austin was off again thankfully and we had lots of litte projects and errands to accomplish. We had our low key morning around the house with breakfast and hanging out first though! I am def loving this part of vacation! The not rushing out the door! Once we all got dressed though it was time to start the day! The kids and I left and met up with Colby's Cub Scout friends at the library. Each month they have to take a special field trip somewhere and one of the suggestions was a library to learn about your local city and state. It was a neat time with friends. We found some Louisiana books and talked about life many years ago and some important facts about our state. I think the boys all enjoyed it. Afterwards I let the kids pick out a couple of books to check out as well. After that we needed to order Lindsay's birthday cake. We also made a quick trip to Target. We then picked Austin home and went to eat Mexican for lunch. I had promised Colby a few days ago. It was fun eating out as a family. I love going out to eat this time of year. The rest of the day we spent working around the house. It was nice just to stay in and get caught up on a few things.
Thursday-Thanksgiving
Friday- I wanted to do something fun with just the kids and I. We decided on the Children's Museum. It was fun just hanging out with the 2 of them. I think they enjoyed the museum. It was crowded though! More adults then children. But we still had fun and they got to do pretty much everything. I think their favorite section was def the boats that's where we stayed the longest. After the museum Austin met us for lunch at Jimmy John's. We did this last year and it was a fun tradition to keep up. That afternoon we just rested and hung out.
Saturday-Austin was off yay! The kids and I had planned on meeting Elizabeth at Chickfila for breakfast. We had planned to discuss all the details of Lindsay's birthday and just hang out with her. With our busy schedules we don't get very many chances to just hang out with her. It was fun! Something I realized we should do more often! I think the kids enjoyed the change of pace. They also got to play while she and I visited =) best of both worlds. Afterwards we went to Michael's to get a few things for her party. Afterwards we came back and met up with Austin and went to get our Christmas tree. I was so glad to get that done over the weekend. That afternoon was spent putting away fall stuff and getting out our Christmas stuff. We still aren't finished but atleast we are closer. Austin and I are going to work really hard this week to have everything ready for her b-day party on Saturday!
Sunday was church. It was just the kids and I. I taught...we had a good crowd of about 10 kids. We had a lot of 2-3 year olds. Its neat that right now that is the biggest age group. I am glad Lindsay has a big group of kids to grow up with. That afternoon we had a short rest time then it was off to do Christmas pictures in City Park. Once again my friend Katie Hodas did them for us. This year she did Mini Sessions out there. This was really great b/c honestly 30 min is enough picture time for my kids anyway. And they both did great! I was so pleased and proud of them! It was a lot of fun too! Cannot wait to see how they turned out! Afterwards we ate at McAlister's. This used to be our weekly thing it was nice to go back! My how the kids have grown though! We were remembering the many meals we ate there especially with Colby! Anyway it was a perfect ending to our Thanksgiving break! I am thankful for all we got to do and all the fun family time we had! Despite our little colds we still managed to have a great time!
Its bittersweet sending the kids back to school. I mean I am looking forward to a little quiet time this week and being able to get some projects done around the house but I will miss them! I will also miss our lazy mornings and laid back schedule! Things are in full Christmas mode now and also this is Lindsay's birthday week so there will be lots to post about this weekend!!
Friday night we had our weekly movie night. We watched Despicable Me. It was really nice to wake up Saturday morning and not have to rush out the house! First time in gosh I don't even know! Probably weeks! Anyway we had a low key morning around the house before getting ready and going to the park. My parents met us at the Terrytown Playground. The 2 of them played so well. We were out there for atleast an hour. I was glad to see them getting some outside time and exercise. Afterwards I promised them lunch at Chickfila. This was fun too and nice for mommy to not have to cook and clean!
That afternoon was relaxed. We hung around the house and they played. We did some phonics and played outside. Again not having to be anymore at night was awesome! We stayed in and watched football.
Sunday we woke up to rain and I almost backed out of going to church b/c the kids and I all have colds. No one has run fever though and Colby has had it for over a week. Obviously you can't keep kids home for that long b/c of the sniffles and cough! I taught the preschoolers. We had a small class of only 8. The kids were really well behaved too which made the morning go smoothly. I am glad we got out for church b/c we will be home the rest of the day. We will probably do some more school work and play outside. Colby has a F and a D in reading and math right now so I am trying to really catch him up with those subjects.
Monday has been a busy day. We had a slow morning then we all got dressed and I brought the kids to the grandparents. They have been wanting to hang out with them and today looked like the best day. I needed to go to the grocery store which meant nothing fun for me to do with them. Plus I had several of things to do around the house. I was thankful for a few quiet hours! I love my kids and I am loving this time with them but goodness they are tiring!! This has really made me think what it would be like to homeschool? Some days I am all for it and then days like today I am like HECK no! I mean I love having time with them but 365 days a year I am not sure! HA! Anyway they got home at naptime so now we are just taking it easy. Lindsay is still struggling with her cold so I am hoping the rest will make her feel better soon. We will do our usual outdoor time and maybe do some school work as well. Last night we watched Home Alone so we might try to find another good movie on tv as well.
Tuesday was a fun day. We were so happy to have Austin off and home with us. We had a low key morning then went to Lakeside for our tradition of seeing Santa and picking out ornaments. The kids wanted to start out in the Disney store to get ideas for Christmas. I just love seeing their excitment and magic of the season. Afterwards we went to visit Santa. I was surprised at how timid both kids were. Colby was really shy at first...usually he gets up there and talks Santa's ear off but I think he is getting to the age of ?s. He even asked me when we got home if that was the real Santa. He did finally warm up. But not Miss Priss. She cried again when it was time for the picture. We ended up all 4 getting in the picture but it turned out cute nonetheless. Just another memory! Life isn't perfect so why should we pretend? I loved the memory of it! Anyway after we went to PB Kids so they could look around and play with the toys. They really enjoyed this. After we went over to Panera Bread for lunch b/c the mall was starting to get crazy! It was a nice lunch just the 4 of us. The kids ate well and seemed to enjoy it too.
That night we had Lifegroup. It was our last session of this year so we wanted to go. We have missed a few lately just to being really busy and kids being sick. Even though the kids and I were still a little sickly we went ahead and went. I am so glad we did b/c the kids had a blast! They don't get to attend lifegroup often with us b/c of it being during the school week. There were about 9 or 10 kids there last night so they had a blast! They love all the toys at the Richardson's and just being with the other kids. The kids range from 10 years to 2. I helped watch the kids with Stephanie. Even though I hated to miss the lesson I knew Lindsay was the youngest plus she was still a little sick so I wanted to stay with her. I felt like the kids really behaved well though and played really well with each other and with the other kids!
Wednesday was a busy day for us. Austin was off again thankfully and we had lots of litte projects and errands to accomplish. We had our low key morning around the house with breakfast and hanging out first though! I am def loving this part of vacation! The not rushing out the door! Once we all got dressed though it was time to start the day! The kids and I left and met up with Colby's Cub Scout friends at the library. Each month they have to take a special field trip somewhere and one of the suggestions was a library to learn about your local city and state. It was a neat time with friends. We found some Louisiana books and talked about life many years ago and some important facts about our state. I think the boys all enjoyed it. Afterwards I let the kids pick out a couple of books to check out as well. After that we needed to order Lindsay's birthday cake. We also made a quick trip to Target. We then picked Austin home and went to eat Mexican for lunch. I had promised Colby a few days ago. It was fun eating out as a family. I love going out to eat this time of year. The rest of the day we spent working around the house. It was nice just to stay in and get caught up on a few things.
Thursday-Thanksgiving
Friday- I wanted to do something fun with just the kids and I. We decided on the Children's Museum. It was fun just hanging out with the 2 of them. I think they enjoyed the museum. It was crowded though! More adults then children. But we still had fun and they got to do pretty much everything. I think their favorite section was def the boats that's where we stayed the longest. After the museum Austin met us for lunch at Jimmy John's. We did this last year and it was a fun tradition to keep up. That afternoon we just rested and hung out.
Saturday-Austin was off yay! The kids and I had planned on meeting Elizabeth at Chickfila for breakfast. We had planned to discuss all the details of Lindsay's birthday and just hang out with her. With our busy schedules we don't get very many chances to just hang out with her. It was fun! Something I realized we should do more often! I think the kids enjoyed the change of pace. They also got to play while she and I visited =) best of both worlds. Afterwards we went to Michael's to get a few things for her party. Afterwards we came back and met up with Austin and went to get our Christmas tree. I was so glad to get that done over the weekend. That afternoon was spent putting away fall stuff and getting out our Christmas stuff. We still aren't finished but atleast we are closer. Austin and I are going to work really hard this week to have everything ready for her b-day party on Saturday!
Sunday was church. It was just the kids and I. I taught...we had a good crowd of about 10 kids. We had a lot of 2-3 year olds. Its neat that right now that is the biggest age group. I am glad Lindsay has a big group of kids to grow up with. That afternoon we had a short rest time then it was off to do Christmas pictures in City Park. Once again my friend Katie Hodas did them for us. This year she did Mini Sessions out there. This was really great b/c honestly 30 min is enough picture time for my kids anyway. And they both did great! I was so pleased and proud of them! It was a lot of fun too! Cannot wait to see how they turned out! Afterwards we ate at McAlister's. This used to be our weekly thing it was nice to go back! My how the kids have grown though! We were remembering the many meals we ate there especially with Colby! Anyway it was a perfect ending to our Thanksgiving break! I am thankful for all we got to do and all the fun family time we had! Despite our little colds we still managed to have a great time!
Its bittersweet sending the kids back to school. I mean I am looking forward to a little quiet time this week and being able to get some projects done around the house but I will miss them! I will also miss our lazy mornings and laid back schedule! Things are in full Christmas mode now and also this is Lindsay's birthday week so there will be lots to post about this weekend!!
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