Thanksgiving Pictures: Grammie edition

We took a few minutes to snap some pictures before heading out to Thanksgiving Dinner this year.

I was so excited about seeing them.

Then they disappeared.

Couldn't find them anywhere, on any card.

Guess what  I finally found?!

All us girls...we have to stick together!

Two of my very best friends!

Me and My Momma
I ADORE this picture!!

Grammie and Blake

Grammie and Hunter

Grammie and Silas

Grammie and Graysen

Grammie and Spike

Graysen's ponytail

Graysen learned how to do a ponytail all by herself!  

See how proud she is?!

My New Book Slings and Valances

 My awesome sister just made these for me!  

Book Slings:

My valance.  It's a terrible picture, but they are super cute!  

I need to get a new rod (ha ha), hey, one thing at a time, right?

Tooth Pulling

It was a family affair to get Hunter's most recent tooth out...

Blake finally succeeded...with a Q-Tip!

Lego Airplane Picture

You know how I told you I've only taken 5 pictures?  It's true...I'll share them!

Hunter's Lego Airplane 

He's not been too keen on following the actual Lego instructions to build things, but he's been making some awesome creations on his own!

Alright, already.

I'm here.  We're all alive and doing fine!  I've now had two requests for a new blog post, so I guess it's time.  I don't have much to report on...seems like we've just been going through the motions of life.  Here are some recent thoughts:

• Me working and having 3/4 of our children in the public school system really sets our schedule for us.  I am normally a "schedule" kind of person, but I don't know how I feel about these limitations.  I've been craving time to explore life with them...and there's very little time left for that after our 730-400 school day.  Seems like all we do is read, go over spelling words, eat dinner, and go to bed.  
• On Tuesdays and Thursdays my boys stay for after school tutoring until 445.  This seems like a crazy long  school day for them, but I have seen such strides in their reading and literacy since they started.  I am grateful that our public school system offers these kinds of (free) programs.  
• Hunter was the second child in the entire Elementary School to reach his AR Goal!  He also had a crazy high AR goal for a 1st grader...12 points (compared to his brother's 5 point goals).  He tested at reading at a 2nd grade, 1st month - third grade, 1st month reading level.  I'm (obviously) very proud of him.  
• I am now 31 weeks pregnant.  No, I don't have any recent pictures to show.  I'm a slacker...and this is the 5th child.  I'm sorry Baby Boy.  Really, I am.  
• I've developed choleostasis again...this time much sooner than I did with Graysen.  We'll almost surely deliver at 37 weeks.  I started medicine yesterday that should make waiting that long possible.  Praying it works.  I'm not too nervous about that, just hard to believe that I'm down to only 6 weeks left before we add another blessing to our family!!
• I've started several blog posts, but haven't hit publish on any of them...mostly because they all seem to be overly analytical, overly sensitive posts about subjects that no one wants to read about.  I guess that comes with pregnancy hormones, right?
• I've taken probably 5 pictures in a whole month.  Sooooo unlike me.  Not sure if it's from the monotony of life, or my exhaustion level.  It makes me sad, either way.
• Basketball season is a little more than half over.  Praise God.  Seriously...it's on my thankful list.  It's been a bit more taxing this year than I'm used to...maybe because of the pregnancy...maybe not.  
• I leave for Created For Care on Friday.  I can not tell you how much I am looking forward to this weekend.  God, Girlfriends, Adoption, Mothering, Rest.  Everything about it sounds fabulous to me!  I hope to have some fun, uplifting, exciting posts to share after I get home...
• But...be assured that in about 6 weeks you'll get some fun posts with pictures of our beautiful son (who's name we have FINALLY decided on!).  

Lessons learned {From One Thousand Gifts}

"So - more of what?  The face of Jesus flashes.  Jesus, the God-Man with his own termination date.  Jesus, the God-Man who came to save me from prisons of fear and guilt and depression and sadness.  With an expiration of less than twelve hours, what does Jesus count as all most important?
"And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them..." (Luke 22:19 NIV).

 - Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts

When looking for "more" in life who better to look to than Jesus...the man who lived his life to the fullest?  What did he do when He knew time was running out?  He GAVE THANKS and GAVE to others. 

I'm pondering what this looks like in my life.  

Created For Care Gear...For Everyone!

Created For Care...those words just calm my heart!  I've talked a lot about it and I can't WAIT to go in just 13 days!  I had to share these awesome items here in case any of you wanted them!  They will be an awesome way to share about adoption, God's calling for all moms, and a great way to help fund raise for this retreat so that costs can continue to stay low!

To order, go HERE.  If you want me to pick them up for you in just 13 days when I head to Atlanta I'd love to do that for you (and you get free shipping!).  Just click "Free shipping, will pick up at retreat" and let me know what you ordered!  I'll bring it home with me!  

Isabelle

Look who came to live at our house!  

Introducing:  Isabelle

 Yes, a huge horse that Graysen can literally sit on is now living in my house.  

This lovely gift came via my sister...whose kids will some day get lots of lovely gifts from me!

This horse neighs, moves it's head, and "eats" when food is placed in it's mouth.  

She also gets dressed up quite often....

Real Frustrations

As much as I despise them now, I want to remember the bedtimes like tonight. I let the kids stay up 30 minutes late...in turn Hunter is being extra slow making his bed, Graysen has stolen Hunter's stuffed animal and is refusing to give it back.  She is also throwing her stuffed animal off the bed and when I tell her "no" she acts as if she is going to do it again.  I told her I would smack her hand if she did...her response?  "It won't hurt!"  After assuring her that it would, she said it again, so I smacked it...it stung my hand, but she kept a smile on her face the whole time.  During all of this Mommy is freaking out and totally losing patience Blake is laughing his head off in his bed.  There is absolutely NOTHING funny, but he can't stop giggling.  Usually the sound of his laugh fills my heart with joy, but tonight...it's just annoying.

Whew.  I know someday I would choose a rough night like tonight over the silence that will fill my house...but tonight...I just want the silence.  Oh - or the help of my husband.  (Who, for the record is coaching a basketball game, aka working hard and earning money for our family, so really, I'm not bashing him although I know it sounded that way.  And for another record he did a fabulously smooth bedtime all by himself last night.)

They won't be staying up late for quite some time.  

Treasures

I just found some old pictures of my kiddos that their fabulous babysitter took of them.  This girl is so much more than a babysitter.  She has been with our family for years and I completely trust her with my kiddos.  She's the kind that calls and wants to come over just to hang out with the kids if it's been awhile since she's seen them.  We all love her dearly.  Somehow I totally missed these pictures and found them hilarious!  

Ally, Ashley, Graysen, and Hunter

Hunter and Gray...yeah, she took them for ice cream!

Graysen in Daddy's hat

Graysen, Ashley, and Hunter

A Year Later {Photo Comparisons}

We're not that different...one more blessing on the way...and maybe a little more tired!  

2010

2011

New Years Eve 2011

We got to spend New Years Eve with these cool kiddos!  

We played games...

and ate super yummy food!

We drank out of fun, special cups

We had poppers for midnight

and noise makers

We're so blessed that they all get along!

the girls...

Mommy and Mya

Me and my boy

 

Happy New Year!

The Daddies helping the kids with poppers

Party in the street!

I'm not generally a superstitious person, but I've always bought into the "what you're doing at midnight will shape your year", so I'm blessed that my husband is willing to stay home with the kiddos and I and celebrate each year!  (You can read about our 2010 celebration HERE).