Thankful

We've had the best week and have seized the opportunity to realize how much we have to be thankful for! We spent a very relaxing Thanksgiving at home this year which was just what the doctor ordered. We missed seeing all of our family on the holiday, but it was so incredibly nice just to be still. I've been convicted lately of being way too busy and on-the-go to stop and enjoy everything around me. Family, friends, life in general. As a result in taking a little time off, my timliness in my work has suffered. But I know it will be alright. The verse "be still and know that I am God" has gone through my head repeatedly, and it's not just coincidence. So Thanksgiving was a special time for me. I fully enjoyed J and the girls, and I'm one happy lady.
Something else that makes me happy...

The other night as the girls were going to sleep I caught Towns playing the loving sister role to Cate, which was quite possibly the most precious thing I've ever seen...

Here she's telling me how sweet Bug's little hands are...

She totally disregarded the fact that Buggy was sound asleep and thought a bottle was exactly what she needed...

We've had to come up with fun, new ideas to keep the girls entertained with Bebby gone all week. J is the king of crazy fun and came up with this one which provided hours of laughs...

A battery operated vehicle, a box, and some rope...and voila! Instant (dangerous) fun!

Everyone still has their limbs in tact, so all is well!

The church service this morning kicked our Christmas spirit into high gear. I get chills every single time I read the Christmas story in the book of Luke. The sermon was on the Gospel according to Mary, which is the first in a series for December. And I'm never any less amazed by it all. Bethany and I were showing each other our favorite verses in the Bible not too long ago, and we got on the subject of the birth of Jesus. She asked me to show her where it was in the Bible, so I did and I read it to her. We all know the story, but there's just something about reading it from Luke. Wouldn't you agree?

After church, we had lunch and went on the search for a Christmas tree. Our tree always comes from the same spot...we love tradition! We take the same pictures every year which makes it fun to go back and look at how much everyone changes from year to year. And J wonders why we have to have 10,000+ pictures on our computer! HA!
It was meant for us to have this tree...

It was the first one we picked up, and I almost caught myself missing the 45 minute heated discussions that ensue every year when we all have our own opinions on what our tree should look like! :)
It was way too easy this time around!
Speaking of easy...pretending like she's 16 comes easy to Bethany! It won't be long, B!

And two little girls went into hysterics because they thought she was leaving them. When she got out, they both ran full speed to her like they haven't seen her in five years...


I believe they missed you a tad bit while you were gone, B!
We've got to be the only people in history to turn buying a Christmas tree into a family picture extravaganza...


We follow a strict dress code when shopping for a Christmas tree. Can you tell? J sweet talked his way out of wearing a gray dress...he's lucky I like him so much!



I'm the only person in the family who likes pictures, and since everyone was ready and willing to cooperate today without the wailing and gnashing of teeth I couldn't let the opportunity pass!

We clowned around in the car while J paid for our tree...

Cate was giving me her best fake smile ever, right before she found out how much fun it is to make faces at herself in the mirror...

As soon as we got home, Towns and I headed to Mary Reese's tea party to celebrate her 5th birthday...which was just as fun for us moms to watch as it was for the girls to participate in!

The girls were so fancy...quite the little ladies!

Thanks for having us, MR!
And I'll end on a Christmas-y note...after major furniture rearranging, the tree is up! It's in a new spot this year, and we'll wait and see how well we handle the change. We're creatures of habit! The girls really wanted it in the window by the piano where it's always been, but the computer got in the way this year. I told them Santa wouldn't have nearly as far to take their presents since the tree was right beside the chimney...and that has satisfied them for now!

We're already planning a tree decorating party for Tuesday night...J and the girls are voting for the massive colored lights, and I'm a fan of classic white. I already know who's going to win.
And it isn't me!!
Whatever makes them happy...

Pre-Thanksgiving Festivities

Last Wednesday, Towns had a Thanksgiving Feast at school which was a special treat. The whole family was invited, but since J was in Destin for work I had to go alone...he was sad about missing it and Towns was equally as sad that he wasn't there. But she has performed Five Fat Turkeys a million and one times since then, so he definitely feels as if he were there! When I walked in, I was directed to my spot. There were two families to each table, and thankfully we were sitting with Towns' good friend Emma. Her mom was the only one from their family able to come, too, so we had a big ol' table for just the four of us!

This was what was on our table...

And I couldn't look at the whole 'Marvelous Me' book because I was tearing up after the first couple of pages. There were questions they had to answer about all of their favorites. I loved reading all of her answers, and when I got to the line where she put her favorite person was Mommy I just had to close it and tell myself that in order not to look like an emotional disaster, I'd wait until I got home to finish it!
The whole class sang Thanksgiving songs on stage...

And then Mrs. Glenda went down the line and asked everyone to name one thing they were thankful for. Towns said rainbows! They studied Noah a while back and I guess she had it on her mind!
We had a nice lunch followed by everyone running around like wild Indians...


Love this one...


And Cate's class had a little Thanksgiving party, but with this crew it takes major effort to get them all together for a picture to commemorate the event...

Brock never has to worry about being taken care of when he's at school. He's got three ladies who adore him and treat him like a king!
Friday was B's birthday and little did she know she had a surprise in store for her! It's so hard to pull anything over on her and she says she doesn't like surprises, but I beg to differ! We headed to B'ham for lunch at Tavern at the Summit - she thought we were stopping for a quick birthday lunch before I dropped her off with her mom for the weekend. But her mom met us there and surprised her! We made mental wish lists at Saks before seeing a New Moon matinee, and after being dead set on never thinking I'd like it, I have to admit that I loved it! I never saw Twilight and thought the whole idea was ridiculous. But since it was B's birthday I went in with an open mind and was determined to enjoy it. And I did! So for the record, B...you were right and I was wrong! I'm wondering how I came home with not a single picture from the whole day. Hmmm.
We spent most of the weekend outside...




The ice cream truck paid us a visit Saturday morning right before lunch...the ice cream man must have known that our children would prefer massive popcicles over a real meal any day.

J built a fire late Saturday and we roasted marshmellows...


Surprisingly, the girls just liked roasting them and not so much eating them. J & I took care of that, though. You can't let things like that go to waste!

Sunday was rainy and cold, so after church we played hard indoors...


And now we're finally and officially on Thanksgiving break...loving this time of year!!

Today's the Day!

We've counted it down for what seems like months. This time last year we had done the same, and it's always just as much fun and special because of this sweet 14 year old who's one of a kind...

We started the morning off with (me waking her up to my beautiful singing - she'd rather have had an alarm clock I'm sure) homemade cookie cake, presents, and Panera Bread that J surprised her with...






And just like last year, we had to continue the tradition...

Here's the birthday girl at 7:47...the very minute 14 years ago that she made her grand entrance!
Happy birthday, Bethany!
I hope your big day is just as fabulous and special as you are!
We love you!!!!!!

Ok, I Give...

I don't prioritize like I should. That's no secret. So when I decided that sitting in front of the computer telling you every move we make wasn't the best use of my time, well, I was just kidding myself. I enjoy it way too much! Who knew one could be this attached to a blog? I think it's because I know that one day this could be what my children look back at to know what life was like when they were little. So for now I'll just have to find other things to cut out of my day to make more time for blogging, right?? Or I could just stay up until all hours of the night to fit it all in. That sounds more like it...

Last Wednesday all the girls were out of school for Veteran's Day, so we got dolled up and went to the Skate Castle to meet all of our friends. On the way out the door, I gave it my best shot to get a picture of them. Have I mentioned before how hard it is to make that happen?
Prime example:



And the other morning before church I was making the same attempt. I told Cate to lean towards Bethany and Towns and here's what she did...

She's something else! She didn't want to participate in the photo op, but these two did...

Towns has really been learning a lot lately, and takes every opportunity possible to practice her writing...

Can you tell what it says? Cate's learned to spell her name, and I have to get that on video pronto!
I'm rather behind since taking a break and I don't believe I've given a recap of our trip to the pumpkin patch. It's been a tradition for us to go to the Grand Ol' Pumpkin Patch in Clanton, and this year we tried a new one for the first time in at least four years. It had more to offer than what we were used to, but it just wasn't the same. We all agreed that we'll be back in Clanton come next Fall!
Never the less, a good time was had by all...





Everyone was content with trains, horses, etc. until they spotted the cool thing in the top left corner of this picture...

And that was all she wrote! We had to go get in line immediately!

Towns and Bethany waited patiently for their turn, but Cate was none too thrilled that she wasn't big enough to jump. So between B letting her wear her sunglasses and J showing her that her pockets could be stuffed full of dollar bills, we kept her occupied and out of meltdown mode!


Who knew money in your pocket could be so funny?

Towns got harnessed in and ready to go...


While B was waiting ever so sweetly for her turn...

She flipped like crazy once she had a shot at it...


Towns couldn't leave the pumpkin patch satisfied until she had her face painted (by the woman with the biggest ring in history)...

One happy chick...

We're getting into the holiday spirit these days...surprise, surprise! We kicked it off with the Polar Express and hot chocolate a few weeks ago...

We would have been watching the 3D version had the glasses not been made to fit a head the size of a basketball! :) The regular version did the trick, though. If I remember correctly Cate and I were the only ones still awake to see the end of it. Every party needs a pooper, right girlies??
We tried it again the other night by taking a family trip to the movies for A Christmas Carol. Big mistake. B had her eyes closed the whole time because it was a little scary, Cate and Towns were scared out of their minds so they, too, had their eyes closed and eventually fell asleep, I was in and out, and J was the only one who watched the whole thing! Other than the last 5 minutes of the movie, it was the worst one I'd seen in a while. Bummer! But we gave it a go!
Don't want to end on a depressing movie review, so let's talk about the fact that B will be the big 1-4 in three more days!! Party time!!!!!