Happy Thanksgiving 2011

Alaska

Nooo...David and I did not get to go to Alaska.  But my brother and sis-in-law did.  We got to keep their kids a few days while they were gone!  We spend quite a bit of time outside - something about having 5 kids 5 and under will make you decide to do that!  I did have help too - a couple of the ladies who live close to us came over and gave me a hand during the day.  Maybe I should specify - they cam over and held Tay!  Bud I didn't mind - that meant I got to actually play with the other kids and not have to worry about Tay putting something in her mouth when I wasn't looking!

Tay did, of course, get lots of attention from Lia.  She even got a few toe kisses.  Lia is in looove with "My Tay".  Sweet girls - they're going to be great friends when they get older.  I just know it.

The 4 Big Amigos having a great time out in the back yard.

Princess Tay and her Court Jesters.

Just to make you go "awww".

The oldest and the youngest.  The first and the last.  The sweet to the other three's spicy.  And all five make our world's go 'round.

And now for a little something you didn't know  you didn't know...David and I were going to take a cruise to Alaska for my 30th birthday.  We had an 8 day old baby boy instead.  The cruise would have been less expensive - but the baby has brought us more joy than any trip would.

Celebrations

The month of September is FULL of birthdays for our family.  Labor Day weekend we had a birthday bash at my parent's place to celebrate.  Well, we had several small bashes actually.  Friday night we celebrated Trace and Trevin's birthday.  They were turning 4.  Just in case you couldn't count the candles or see Lia holding up 4 fingers. ;)

What a cute little group of kids!  Oh my!

Sunday we celebrated Lia's 3rd birthday.

Lia in all her glory.  Cute little monkey cake - pretty appropriate for her!

You can see in the top R photo Adam got to join us by then.

Lia LOVED her gifts from Aunt Lesha and Scooter (Uncle Brad).  Aunt Lesha always gives the BEST gifts!  Adam and Jacob enjoyed a dip in the pool.

Pinata time!  This was part of Trace & Trevin's celebration - but we waited until Sunday night to do it so Adam could participate too.  The kids thought this was the best thing ever!  We did over fill the pinata so Scooter and Papa had to do a little improvising when they hung it.  The kids sure didn't complain about all that candy!

Monday was cousin Dennis' birthday so we had to celebrate his birthday with a cake too!  In our family we believe in cakes on THE day.  Even if you've already had a cake earlier, you get one on the actual day.  It's almost a part of our religion.  Except not really - but it IS pretty important.

Just look at this sweet little family would ya.

My Babies

Sooo...in my last post 2 (!) months ago I said I'd be posting some "official" 3 year photos of Lia. I just didn't make any promises as to when that would be. ;) And at the time I really had no intention of it taking this long to get done. However, I've felt a bit "computered out" lately and just didn't have the heart for updating. And for those of you whose blogs I used to comment on regularly. So sorry I haven't been around. I promise to get back in the swing of things. ;) I get kind of bogged down sometimes looking at everyone else's posts. Many of you write much better than I do. You have such interesting things to say and a beautiful way of saying them. And I feel like I say "here are pictures of my kids", "here are more pictures of my kids", "and in case you were wondering, here are more pictures of my kids". But then I snap back to reality - I started this blog as a way for our family and friends in FL to keep up with us and watch the kids grow. So, I guess I'm being true to what I really want out of this. In the mean time I've been fortunate enough to "meet" new people, make new friends, and learn a lot from you. And I LOVE to look back through old posts and see how my kids have grown and remember when they were much more babies than they are now. This is my little on-line journal of our family, it's ups and down, it's twists and turns. And I'm glad that there are still a few of you who are kind enough to comment, pat me on the back, and encourage me. Thank you! ;)

Without further ado....here are more pictures of my kids. ;)

Lia's official 3 year portrait.
I will be hanging a large canvas of this somewhere in my house - probably in our bedroom.

There's something that just speaks to my soul when I look at this. I see pure beauty.  It takes my breath away that I get to call this little lady my daughter.

But just so you know...not ALL of the photos did she cooperate so well!  She's at an age where she prefers to NOT have her picture taken thankyouverymuch.  Unless, of course, she can ham it up.  And I don't mind.  I get some pretty cute shots that way.  But sometimes I want to pull my hair out because could we PLEASE cooperate for 10 seconds.  The answer is usually no.

You didn't think I'd do a shoot with just Lia did you?  No.  I had to get my sweet little Mr. Jacob in there too.  He's old enough now he usually cooperates for a little while.  He's my Mr. GQ.  I could be just a wee bit biased since I'm his Mom and all...but I do think he's one of the most handsome little boys I've ever seen.

And now for the two of them together - this is what I get mostly.  They make me laugh. 

But then somewhere in my pile of photos I can find some gems.  And it makes all the hoopla worth while.  I will be having these three portraits printed large and hung in my home also.

And this just makes me melt.

Ohhh...

I am sore displeased.  Dissapointed.  Distressed.  Depressed.  Disheartened.  Dismayed.  Downcast.  Dispirited.  Why?

As a reward to the fist person who checks this blog and can tell me why I'm feeling all those lovely feelings, you get a $5 gift card card.