September Through December
We all adjusted to Olivia's presence and are enjoying her sooooooo much! She is a really good baby. Here are some cute shots of her and the other kids.
This is one of my favorite pics of Jake and Addison.
Olivia with her baby! She loves to have really soft things next to her face. I don't care if it is 90 degrees outside, when it is time to go to sleep, she wants a fuzzy blanket, her baby or one of her lovies, and of course, her binkie.
Go Pirates!! ARRRGHH!!
Because sissy is so "active", the only way I can get pictures of her and Olivia laying together is after Caroline has had her nighttime medicine and is sleepy. This one below is one of my favorites. It looks like Olivia is thinking
"Oh *#$#$*, are they gonna leave me in here with sissy all night?"
"Oh *#$#$*, are they gonna leave me in here with sissy all night?"
Olivia really loves Caroline and Jake. Whenever Caroline cries, Olivia cries. She does NOT like for Caroline to get upset.
And she laughs and smiles at Jake!
And she laughs and smiles at Jake!
Caroline went with her class to Hillridge Farms before Halloween.
Also before Halloween, we....or I should say Jeremy, carved our pumpkin. We all just watched and took pictures. I bought a pumpkin carving kit this year so we could have a cool pumpkin....took 2 hours to carve!!! Sorry Jeremy :(
And those of you who know Jeremy, know he is a perfectionist. It has to be perfect!!! He says he gets that from his dad. He says Tuan taught him if you are gonna do something, do it right!!!
Mommy and daddy went away for the weekend
right before Halloween for some much needed R & R
WITHOUT THE KIDS!!!!!
We went to Busch Gardens Hallowscream with Cal and Liz. We all had a blast. The weather was not the best....but it worked out because since it was misty and cold not as many people were there!
We went to Busch Gardens Hallowscream with Cal and Liz. We all had a blast. The weather was not the best....but it worked out because since it was misty and cold not as many people were there!
I took Jeremy and Cal's pictures with one of the nurses from the show we saw.
Jeremy and Cal braved Mach Tower. I still cannot believe Jake rode that ride.
It was a little more than Cal expected!!!
Poor Cal has always been afraid of clowns and there was a scare zone in Italy that consisted of nothing but evil clowns!!!
I found a picture of a bib Cal probably wore as a baby!!
By the way Cal, there is a clinical term for your fear...
Coulrophobia - fear of clowns.
and pointed her head at the floor while we drug her through.
I found a picture of a bib Cal probably wore as a baby!!
By the way Cal, there is a clinical term for your fear...
Coulrophobia - fear of clowns.
So, over the 2 nights we were at the park, we drug poor Liz though all of the haunted houses. I am not sure she saw much more than the floors
because she just closed her eyes, held onto us,and pointed her head at the floor while we drug her through.
So, since she had been in ALL of the haunted houses, it was only fair that Cal go throught the evil clown scare zone.
He was cured by this clown who chased him around!!!
It was the funniest thing I had seen in a while. After that he was able to take his picture with a couple of the other clowns.
He was cured by this clown who chased him around!!!
It was the funniest thing I had seen in a while. After that he was able to take his picture with a couple of the other clowns.
I think he can now say he has conquered his fear!! Good job Cal!! :)
and Olivia was just dressed in a cute pumpkin outfit.
We have been lucky for several years always having had great weather.
We were due!!!!! And boy did we get it!! Caroline, Olivia, and I lasted about 2 houses and headed home to hand out candy. It was freezing!!!
Jake and Jeremy braved the cold and rain for 2 more hours
with friends from the neighborhood.
This is Jake and his best friend Noah.
They were soaking wet when they got home, but they had a good time!
The weekend before Thanksgiving we headed to the mountains to the Christmas tree farms to find our tree. I say farms with an "s" because we went to 2 different ones. The first one was nice and we got 2 trees - one for us and one for Caroline's classroom.
We took a hayride, and saw the live animals before we finished up.
After leaving the first farm, I decided the tree we got for us was not big enough....and if Jeremy is truthful, he will admit he agreed. However he insists that it was all my ridiculous idea to stop at a second farm. Jake and I went to the very tip top of the mountain to find the perfect tree while daddy stayed in the car with Caroline and Olivia whose tummies were not feeling too well.
We found the perfect tree and headed home. We stil did not spend too much money because one of our trees from the other farm was free. I had called before arriving to be sure Santa would be there.
I was told yes and when we arrived he was not there.
The man felt so bad that he told us we could have a free tree.
We left a trail of dirty diapers on the side of the road
from Deep Gap NC to Greensboro!
I was told yes and when we arrived he was not there.
The man felt so bad that he told us we could have a free tree.
We left a trail of dirty diapers on the side of the road
from Deep Gap NC to Greensboro!
Caroline felt much better!!!
We got the tree set up once we were home so the branches could fall throughout the next few days.
Later in the week we decorated it. This year, we were much more careful about not having Christmas Vacation, with Chevy Chase, playing on the TV. As we discovered last year that Jake pays attention to things more than we realize. I think I would call it "SELECTIVE ATTENTION" because he doesn't seem to hear anything else we tell him!!!
I am still mortified about him reciting the lines with the bad words in front of my brother and his family last Thanksgiving.
Billy, I know you must think we are terrible but I swear we dont let our kids watch bad stuff!!!! :)
The next weekend we went to Amma's to put up her Christmas tree.
When I heard she was only going to put up a table-top tree, I was upset and insisted that she put up a regular one!!! So she insisted I come and help!!!!
Below is Caroline's favorite chair at my parents house.
She attacked Jake when he sat in it!!
We were there ALL day. I think Amma and Grandaddy were ready for some peace and quiet after a day of my 3!!!
When Thanksgiving rolled around I had been on my diet for a few weeks
trying to lose some of my pregnancy weight.
Wouldn't that be nice?
I had been doing really well, and come November 24th,
it all went down the drain!!!
Corn pudding, green bean casserole, cookies, cake, banana pudding, fudge...you name it, I ate it!!!
We celebrated Thanksgiving with Jeremy's family that morning.
"Me and my aunt Kee...one of the few people I dont cry with!!!"
Both Jake and Caroline were in daycare from a very young age so we never really dealt with the whole stranger anxiety thing. But Olivia stays home with daddy and I guess that is why when she is around new people she will cry if they try to hold her until she warms up to them.
This is usually not until it is time for us to leave !!!!
Caroline and Ammie had fun riding the scooter
while we waited for late arrivers!!
Check out the video of them riding!!
Below are all the kids together and sitting still of course that is probably because all the adults were singing and
dancing like fools to get them to smile!!!
For those of you who don't know everybody....From left to right - Olivia, Jake, Caroline, Carson, Addison (Keesha and Jeff's girls). In back - Blake (Brandy and Chris's son) and Shae (Nikki and Todd's daughter).
That evening we had dinner at our house with my family - Mom, Dad, Roger, Billy, Jessika, Me, Jeremy, Caroline, Taylor, Jake, Caleb, and Olivia.
Olivia loves Granddaddy!! He makes all kinds of funny sounds for her! Come to think of it she really hasn't ever cried with him either!
I know my kids hate cameras!! I always make them pose for pictures. This time we bribed them with cool stuff!!!
I challenged Billy to a little "Just Dance". He, of course, insisted he would win or at least outlast me. We danced for about 2 and a half hours because neither one of us wanted to admit we were tired and let the other one win. I will get a call later after Billy reads this gloating because I said I was tired.
Don't fool yourself Billy, you were about to fall out too
especially after our midnight trip to Walmart and Target!!!!!
Here is a video of me kicking his tail in Just Dance 3!
After 2 days around my brother, Olivia was happy to sit with him.
We had fun activities for the kids including making cookies
and decorating a gingerbread house.
Poor Jessika did a lot of the work because about the time we started, Olivia and Caroline started getting whiny and sleepy.
Thanks for taking over Jessika! :)
The kids enjoyed making and decorating cookies. The proof was in the icing and decorations everywhere - somehow even on my blinds in the kitchen??
We finally let them open a couple of Christmas presents. Billy and his family were not going to be here for Christmas.
My 37th birthday was Dec 9th. Jeez I am getting old! Jeremy got me a cake from Edible Art - my favorite!!! Thank you Jeremy, you are the best!!
I ate most of this by myself :(
We got together with Kee and her kids to do our annual Christmas crafts.
I bought all the kids Rudolph noses!! Aren't they cute??
Of course we did our footprint reindeer shirts. Kee and I decided this was important to do each year we don't care how old they are!! So kids, even when you are 16 get ready to tell your friends that one weekend in December you will not be available because you will be with your moms putting your footprints on shirts and decorating cookies...whether you like it or not!!! :)
Aunt Kee putting the final touches on their shirts.
Olivia hung out with Poppie
Caroline's class had their annual Christmas party. This year Santa came!!
Caroline and Poppie took a picture with Santa.
Caroline and daddy doing Christmas crafts.
Jake's class also had a Christmas party.
We celebrated "Christmas around the world".
Below is GiGi...Jake's girlfriend!!
The funny thing is, she looks just like Kristen who used to live next door to us. They moved this past summer. He must miss her!
Jake being silly with his 2 best buds.
Now that daddy is Mr. Mom, he can always go on field trips and to parties.
It's really nice! We will be going roller skating with Caroline's class in a couple of weeks! All of the other kids in her class are in wheelchairs so the parents will have the rollerskates on and will skate around pushing the wheelchairs. However, with Caroline, she will have on the roller skates and Jeremy and I will keep our shoes on and help her skate!!
Should be fun and interesting!!!
GiGi and Jake were first in line to try to bust the pinata.
Here is Ms. Graham with the basket I made for the teachers.
And this is Mrs. Johnson.
We celebrated Christmas with Ammie, Poppie, Keesha, Jeff, Addison, and Carson a few days before Christmas.
More fun Christmas activities!!!
Here is a video of the kids decorating the gingerbread house.
Don't Jeremy and Jeff look excited to help?? :)
Olivia enjoyed opening her Christmas presents.
Poor Ma. It took Olivia a while to warm up to her and let her hold her.
My 2 neices, Christina and Sara came down for Chirstmas
Here is Christina enjoying that Hot Chocolate that I told her was fat free!!! The girl is a toothpick and is trying to lose weight!!! I would give my left boob to be her size! Well maybe not. But I would like to be as small as her!
More Just Dance videos!
Even Roger and Missy got in on the action! Billy, I think he has you beat!
Mom and Olivia were dancing too. I have a video of it but figured mom would kill me if I posted it!!!
We went to Ammie and Poppie's to celebrate Christmas eve with the rest of Jeremy's family.
Look at the love birds!
Christmas eve at home.
Santa came!!!
Santa had just come Christmas eve and Jeremy and I were sitting on the couch at about 11:30 having a "tasty beverage" and we heard Jake coming down the stairs!! Jeremy met him at the steps and told him to go back to bed. Jake was peeking around Jeremy and excitedly said "Santa already came?" Thank goodness Santa wrapped everything this year!! Jeremy told him he had just missed him! He went back to bed... so we thought. About 10 mins later we hear noises upstairs. Jeremy went up there. Jake had gotten up turned on his light and told Jeremy he was "gonna just stay up"!! Jeremy had to sleep in his room with him to get him to stay in the bed. And even then he woke jeremy up several times asking was it time to get up!
Jake and Olivia got up early.
Caroline slept in because she had not been feeling well.
Olivia on her first Christmas morning!
Jake helped Olivia open her presents.
When Caroline woke up, Jake helped her open her presents too.
It was neat to see Caroline actually interested in playing with her toys. Usually she runs back to her room!
Christmas night, we opened gifts with my family.
I for one am glad the holidays are over. I am looking forward to a little snow (hopefully) and then springtime. Life is a lot easier since Jeremy is staying home with the kids. He is awesome at it. When I get home house is straightened, homework is done, and dinner is ready! Don't get me wrong I think there are days he wants to pull his hair out...especially when Caroline and Jake are tracked out and he has all 3 or when one of them is sick.
But overall, its going great! We are going to start doing some repairs around the house to get it ready to put on the market. Not really anytime soon. We have been in this house for 10 years and there is a lot to be done!!! Plus we have to save some money for a down payment so we dont have to finance too much. But we definately need a much bigger house and one with a different layout. We have talked about having another baby in a year or so....maybe.... so as they all grow up
we are not gonna keep fitting in this house.
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