One Happy Baby....

 Ryan is one CUTE happy boy!!! I absolutely love it!

 Beauty Alexis out in our first snow....Church was cancelled and so was school this past Monday AND Tuesday!!!! I stayed in my PJ's and actually watched Christmas movies part of the day.  We also played games, baked, napped, read and just hung out.  It was lovely.  And I guess I did shovel the driveway too!!!! We got ice first, then 4 inches of snow with hail, sleet and freezing rain!  The temps were in the teens at night...BRRRRR it was sure FRIGID!!!!

Happy December....

Hunter's preschool went to a local chuch and sang lots of cute Christmas songs for them.  It was the sweetest thing.  Hunter then helped deliver the handmade ornaments the kids made.  Hunter has such a big heart.  The ladies just loved on him.  When I hugged him to tell him I was proud of him, he smelled like 'old lady perfume'....don't you love that! Well done Hunter!  

 The kids on the first Saturday in December...it's tradition to get our Christmas tree then! Ethan and I cut it down...mostly Ethan....he drug it to the van and away we went! 

 It's a perfect one!

 Ethan made A/B Honor Roll- Way to go!!! Alexis made straight A's...WAY TO GO!!!!! Keep up the hard work you both!!!!!

 Ethan enjoys Chorus.  Here is a picture of his Holiday Concert.  He did a great job!!!!

I loved having the kids tell me each ornament and what the 'story' is behind it! Here's the kids finished decorated tree...I love it! Great job kids!  AND it smells so good in the house! Turned out perfect!!!

New loves

Hunter new love is PUZZLES!!! This puzzle he has probably put together about 25 times so far in the last few weeks.  He loves it!  Sometimes he puts it together and then wrecks it and puts it together again.  It is a Scooby-Doo 100 piece one!  I love that Hunter loves puzzles....we just tried a new one yesterday.  He is really good at finding shapes and matching them up!  YAY Hunter! Great job buddy! I know what you are getting for Christmas!

 Hunter loves his little brother Ryan. He is always looking out for him.  He is always telling him that when Ryan gets big like him, he can't drink Momma milk and he will use a cup like the rest of us! Silly kid!  I love to hear what he has to say next and laugh inside!  These two I hope will be best buddies.  They are 4 years apart... Hunter is like Ryan's gentle giant...most of the time!

Happy Thanksgiving 2013

This year for Thanksgiving was very different from all the rest!  Chris was to come home, but plans changed somewhat last minute and he would not be coming home until the Saturday after Thanksgiving!  Ethan has been talking about going hunting with my dad for the past YEAR (since last Thanksgiving) and so Dad took him.  He got a 2 pointer!!!! Those two did not come home until right before we sat down to eat!  The sister missionaries from our church also came over...they did not have a place to eat and so naturally, I invited them over!  We had so much yummy food...all the Thanksgiving favorites!  It was a great day.  I did all cooking too...my first time.  The hardest thing about it all is to keep everything warm with only 1 oven....next house I must have a double oven!!! I did as much prep work the day before as I could.  We watched the parade in the morning!  Don't you just love to see all the floats AND JMU's marching band was there and opened up for the parade, which was completely awesome! GO DUKES!!!! The kids had an enjoyable time and Ethan and Dad came back with deer meet...so we are set for meet for awhile! Although Ethan came home in the same clothes he left in, he did tell me he brushed his teeth!!!! LOL! He said it was so cold, he just dressed in layers!  Here are a few pics...

 

Alexis' project

Alexis had to do a project for Social Studies.  She chose the Souix Indians from the Great Plains because she wanted to make a Teepee.  Pap-pap helped her.  We went to Salvation Army and picked up a leather purse for $0.69!!!! We cut it up as the 'buffalo hide' and it sure looked great with hot glue!!!  Alexis did an AMAZING job at her paper.  She loves to write and her writing is great!  She wrote this entire paper with very little help from me!  GO ALEXIS!!! I am so proud of you!  Your teacher is also!

 And here is a cute little Ryan supervising.... LOVE HIM!!!!

Saturday fun

I had a Saturday off with my dad helping our family in watching the kids...so we decided to go swimming.  There's a pool with a 'bubble' on the top to keep it warm in H'burg.  The kids were so excited! We actually were there for almost 4 1/2 hours!  This was Ryan's first time in the water...and I think it was a bit too cold for him....hence the sad face! So, he enjoyed hanging out with me getting a few pictures!!!!

 

 To say THANK YOU to PAP-PAP, the kids wanted to do something nice for him! Baking cookies and a note it was!!! They came up with the idea themselves and it was cute!  They also baked the cookies themselves ( I think they have helped me enough to know what to do!) WE are all so thankful to my dad becuase I would not be able to continue to work in VA while Chris is in SC!!! He is such a blessing!  THANK YOU DAD!!!! The kids love you and so do Chris and I!!!

David's 40th- SURPRISE!!!!

Next pictures...

 So, my brother in law David turned 40!!!  THE BIG 4-0!!!! And of course, to celebrate, my sister asked me to help throw him a party! It was fun! We came up Friday after school to mom and dad's.  Ethan enjoyed mowing the lawn to gather up all the leaves!  Ryan LOVED his bath!!! He just kicks and splashes CRAZY in the tub...and loves it!

 What a great bunch of grandkids my parents have!  I am so proud of all of them! They truly are a great group!!! Love you ALL!!!!

 Lil' Dave was so kind to share his 4-wheeler with my kids....and they loved it! Here is a picture of Ms. Alexis...enjoying herself!!!

 Ethan and Haley on the big 4-wheeler....

 Hunter and Haley enjoying themselves!!!!

 Well hello Ethan!  Having a great time, eh? Smiles.....

 Ethan really enjoyed this part.....The bow and arrow....he had a pretty great shot too!!!!  Haley came in the house saying Ethan did great at shooting! He was pretty excited!

 Alexis wanted to give it a shot too! Sweet girl!  She always talks about how she loves going to Aunt Christina's house with the cousins.  It sure is a blessing to get together as often as we can!

 Christina loving on Ryan....

 David and Christina!!!

 Happy 40th Birthday David...We love you!!! Christina wouldn't let me get Dave an over the hill cake from Costco....so I decided on this one! I sure was delicious.....chocolate with chocolate filling...just how Dave likes it! Hope you enjoyed your special day Dave...we do love you!!!!

November 12th....Happy 3 Months Ryan

Don't you just love this face!!! I sure do!!! I just love that Ryan has so many faces....and that he is our first baby that likes this kind of binkie...actually he's the first one to take any sort of binkie...and only when he's tired.  I almost forgot to take these and so Hunter helped me decorate Ryan's sticker.  Happy 3 months Ryan!  We sure do love you! Ryan was getting tired...hence the upset picture at the end!  

Hunter playing with the camera....

I just love to look at the things the kids take pictures of when they 'use' the camera....here are a few highlights from Hunter's perspective of the day!