My BABY is 4!!

Where in the world has all the time gone....it is such a cliche but they do grow up faster than you can blink!! He was soooo excited to be turning four and "catching up" with his sister....it still hasn't registered that she will continue to be 3 years older than him no matter what!!!

He wanted a Spiderman birthday so that is just what he got....everything possible was Spiderman....down to the "man" himself!! Good thing Peter Parker's schedule was not too busy Saturday morning!!

Of course McCain got tons of new fun toys and had a blast playing and bouncing with several of his preschool classmates and friends!! He ate his weight in pizza, Doritos and cheez-its.....all his absolute favorites!!

The night before his big day, McCain let me rock him to sleep like a baby....a tradition I've done with both of them up to their 4th birthday..after that it just isn't cool anymore!! So, as a I rocked him, knowing that would be the last time he willingly allowed it, I asked him not to grow up...to always be my baby!! Then he said what every mommy wants to hear...."no matter how many I am, I'll always be your baby!" music to my ears....and with that my 3 year old baby turned into my 4 year old baby and I couldn't do one thing to stop it!!!

My sweet McCain: You are such a joy and a blessing and mommy and daddy are so proud to watch you grow and learn. And I'm so thankful you will always be my baby!!

2010

Isn't it hard to believe that 10 years have already passed from when "everyone" thought the world was going to implode on Y2K!! wow...2010...that just sounds crazy!! We had a mini-celebration at our house on that cold new year's eve....basically for those of us that weren't cool enough to be invited to any of the major goings on around the city....we had a blast none the less!! Lots of food, lots of drinks, lots of friends add up to lots of fun!!!

Electronic Overload!!

Mallory and her cousins all got Nintendo DS systems or new games for Christmas and by mid morning on Christmas they all surely had lost several brain cells....technology....isn't it wonderful!!!

After a long winter morn......

these are the laziest pets ever!!! but so so cute!!!!

Santa paid a Visit!!!

Loves and Kisses and Happy Wishes

Christmas Eve is here....can you believe it!?!? The kids have been so cute today being so sweet to each other in anticipation of the big guy tonight!! They have been talking to Alex making their final requests and bidding him farewell until next year. They have cleaned the playroom in hopes of making room for new toys and they have stayed out from under my feet so I could enjoy my coffee and newspaper....that's an early Christmas present all on its own!!!

And speaking of newspaper....today a local company published a holiday ad with a poem that made me stop and think....and thank God for all the soldiers who are away from their families and homes this year. How easy it is to get "wrapped" up with Christmas and forget about not only the birth of baby Jesus that makes this holiday even exist but we also forget about the soldiers who make our existence as Americans possible. So, to all you who serve....past, present, and future....may God be with you and bless you and your families!! And may God Bless America!!!

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas......

Everywhere you go....la la la la la

Toys in every store....la la la la la

You know the song....and boy is it so true??!! Parades, parties, Christmas wish lists, singing carols, candy shaped like a hook (as McCain says), visits to the mall to see Santa's "dress-up" helper (as Mallory likes to explain to innocent little McCain...."the REAL Santa has to be at the north pole to make the toys!"), and my favorite sign that it's beginning to look alot like Christmas.....ALEX is here!!! Our very own Elf who comes to stay during the day to watch what the kids are doing...good and bad....the kids can talk to him but he can't talk back and you definitely can't touch him or the magic ends...then flies off to report to Santa each night while they are sleeping!!! He is wonderful!!! Moods are better....attitudes are good....they are sharing with each other like perfect siblings.....ahhhhh peace.....if only Alex could be our year-round elf......

As I point out to them roughly 3,579 times a day_
"ALEX IS WATCHING AND HE IS GOING TO TELL SANTA!!!!"

I've even caught myself talking to Alex....maybe I'll get my Christmas wish!!

I suggest everyone go and find their own little elf..... http://www.elfontheshelf.com/#/home

Final Fall Finale

Thanksgiving rounded out our fall and our tummies and behinds!!! It has become a tradition now that we celebrate at our house with mine and Brad's immediate families. This year we had a total of 14 adults and 4 children and 5 dogs crammed into our home....crowded but fun!!! We divided into 3 tables...one per generation which worked out perfectly! Way too much food and fun....but really, is there any such thing as too much of either of those!??!!?

Not only did we have 3 generations but we also had 3 coffee types....
unleaded, premium, and diesel!!! too funny!!!

Fall Finale! Part 2

Possibly our largest "production" of this fall has been Brad's mid-life crisis!!

He has always been a simple man....and that is such a great compliment....he enjoys the simple things of life and is typically an extremely frugal person (he gets these qualities honestly...right POPS?)

But recently he went on a "guy's trip" where they spent a few days proving their manhood to each other doing various things like white-water rafting, ATV off-roading and zip lining and possible other things that I don't really want to know about!!!......now don't get me wrong, everyone deserves a little fun in their lives from time to time but some of these were very dangerous situations!! So the kids and I sat at home each day and night waiting to hear from him that he had survived unscathed!! Thank the Lord!!

Before he left on the trip he gave me some greatly needed reassurance by saying, "I have never been one to succumb to peer pressure! So I won't start now! I know my limits and if I don't feel comfortable or safe, I won't participate in what they are doing!" See...he has such a good head on his shoulders!!

When he returned from the trip, I got to listen to all the stories while holding my breath...but being very thankful that no one was hurt....then it happened!!

He began to tell me how on the way home they all stopped at the Harley Davidson store to look around....several of the guys on the trip ride motorcycles...and thus began the next several weeks of talking non stop about these very dangerous, very expensive, very loud, and very shiny "bikes". You see....mid-life crisis!!

If I heard it once it was a hundred times...."ALL MY FRIENDS HAVE ONE!!" and so my simple, frugal, non-succumbing to peer pressure hubby turned into a leather crazed maniac and went and got him a new TOY!!

Fall Finale! Part 1

This blog has definitely taken a back seat lately.....along with all the crumbs and left over french fries back there!!! I can't believe the Christmas season is upon us....and I haven't even posted about Halloween or Thanksgiving....better late than never!!!

Halloween came and went quickly and was pretty uneventful....and that's always a good thing!!

Mallory was a beautiful Cinderella....




and McCain was the cutest pirate.....




....and Brad and I were the happiest parents ever considering these costumes were re-used from our Disney cruise in March!!!

The kiddos had a blast trick-or-treating and there still is plenty of candy to spare!!





Our neighborhood has a tradition of going door to door early in the evening and then all gathering at the clubhouse for a cookout. Fun was had by all!!

Race for the Cure 2009

During the month of October, which is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Tupelo hosts the annual North Mississippi Region Race for the Cure. So, just like last year, "TEAM NANA" got together for a weekend of family, friends, food, and fun and of resting, relaxing, racing and of course raising awareness and funds to help find a cure!!!

We had a wonderful weekend....here are some pictures.....

Our PANDA!!

Mallory's school mascot is the Panda. They have a slogan that all Parkway Panda's are positive, prepared, and polite. Each month they have a new character trait that they work on like: caring, truthfulness, honesty.....and every month they choose kids who exhibit these traits and award them with a "Certificate of Citizenship" during a school-wide ceremony called PANDA PRIDE. Mallory was one of the first grade "pandas" for the month of October!!! We are so proud!

I know the second picture is fuzzy but look at how proud she is!!! priceless!!

WE HAVE PINK EYE!!!

my poor baby!! and this picture really doesn't do it justice!! how pitiful!!

Grandparents' Day

Mallory always enjoys having "guests" at school. She would basically do cart wheels down the hall when I visit her for lunch if I would let her!! So you can imagine how excited she was on Grandparent's Day when all 4 of her favorite old people got to come visit her class. Every year the school plans this lunch date with the grandparents, of course around grandparent's day, but also on book fair day so they get suckered into buying new books for the teachers and kids....pretty clever if you ask me!!!