I seriously am sooo behind on the blog and I am sick over it. I have been so diligent with the blog since the day James was born and I absolutely LOVE to go back and read it from years past. I read things that I had totally forgotten about (things I thought I would never forget - but I have) and I'm so glad I have so many stories written down. So, I'm really trying to catch up and do better going forward. I'm going to try and give the blog 15 minutes each day - not that I'll post every day but just add pics, write a little bit and try to keep on top of things.
Once again this post is going to be all over the place. Since Jeremy got me an Iphone recently I take most all of my pics on my phone and then post them on instagram or facebook so if any of my "readers" follow me there my blog probably won't be so exciting anymore (because for years I know all three of you have been on the edge of your seats as you read my posts - ha!) but I want to make sure I get all those cute moments on the blog too. So, I'm basically just posting a TON of pictures and writing as I go. I have a separate Christmas post coming up :)
The month of December was busy busy busy around here. I did our Christmas countdown again. This year it was a mix of fun things to do and special Christmas themed devotionals. I'm really trying to incorporate old and new traditions in to our family each year. This year I think I did too much and I'm really going to have to pray about what to keep and what to not repeat again. I want my kids to have fun and love the Christmas season but more than that I sooooo want them to know the true meaning of Christmas and while we talked about it being Jesus' birthday a lot I'm still not quite happy with how the focus shifted through out the month. Anyhoo - all that to say our Christmas traditions are evolving.
On to the pics:
My two big boys!! I can't believe these boys are 4 and 5. I feel like just yesterday they were tiny like David and Benjamin. They really are such awesome boys. I adore them more than words!
Usually every December we make a new batch of play dough for the year. This year I had lots of help :)
This little guy wasn't able to make or play with the play dough but he was still happy to be here :)
Making play dough Christmas cookies
A new jumpy place opened near our house and one day we went to check it out. The kids had a blast!! It was like a gerbil amusement park for toddlers. All sorts of tubes, tunnels, slides, and ball pits! I don't think they spent five minutes in a bouncy house; instead they were exploring every thing else.
Um, this picture is random but it cracks. me. up. This is how Benjamin eats. everything. Eyes closed, mouth open wide. It's a little barbaric but hysterical :)
My precious last baby all bundled up one cold morning. More about him in an upcoming post - he's almost 3 months!!!
My sweet and sassy girl in one of her new Christmas outfits from my mom. As much as she loves to run around and climb trees with her brothers I love that she LOVES to dress "girly" as she says it. She's super fun to dress up! Put her in a dress and she'll be spinning and dancing like a "princess" all day. Love it!
This is our third year to do Community Bible Study. Oh how I love it. Not only is it a great bible study and time of fellowship for me I absolutely love how they pour in to my babies. This is a pic from their Christmas show. They sang several songs and quoted several verses. So thankful for this.
Cutest 15 month baby boy I know! I am obsessed with babies in overalls. I think it's the cutest thing!
James is the BEST big brother. He's always willing to help me when I need a few extra hands.
Some of our sweet friends moved to Atlanta earlier in the year. We were all so sad to see them go. We had fun when they came and hung out a bit. (Our Christmas countdown bags are hanging on the window. I went for the more minimalist look - brown paper sacks and hand colored numbers :)
This girl LOVES "her" babies. So much so she rarely plays with her baby dolls. Who needs them when you've got live ones in the house :)
This wild man thinks he's 3! 14 months and climbing in to the play house all by himself and so proud!
This was the first year I let the kids make gingerbread houses. It actually wasn't as stressful as I had feared. They LOVED it. I did it on a night when I knew Jeremy would be home to help me in case it got too crazy. Here he is serenading the kids :)
The three finished products - do you think they had fun!?!
Um. seriously, have you ever seen anything sweeter than this!?! These two can be so sweet together. She loves to have him sit in her lap and he usually likes to as well. This day she was "reading" to him.
This was our third year to take the kids to a local churches walk through nativity. This is ONE of my FAVORITE traditions that we will be keeping. The kids remember it too and it opens up to soo many great conversations about Jesus. So thankful for all the people that work so hard to do this for the community. Here James and his buddy Beau are watching the scene where Jesus heals the man that was lowered from the roof by his friends.
We went on our first home school field trip this past month. We went to American Village's Christmas. I thought it was super cute and fun for the kids. They got to see a replica of the Liberty Bell and the Oval Office and learn lots of fun stuff. They also got to meet "George Washington" and his grand daughter. Jeremy stayed home with the babies so I could go with just the big kids. We had a great time followed by lunch AND ice cream.
My future world shakers!!!
At one point on this trip some one asked me if these three were triplets?!?
James playing dress up as a colonial soldier
Gracie dressed up as a little lady
John-Mark was a "gentleman"
This is one of those places where they people stay in character all the time and never acknowledge that it's really 2012. I LOVE it. When I "retire" I think I'll work at a place like this. So fun to pretend all day!
We got to learn some of the popular dances of the time. For some reason the boys were playing shy or too cool and didn't want to learn but of course my Gracie girl was all about it!
This is my new return address labels I ordered for our Christmas cards. How CUTE are these. I think it's official that our family is full - I don't think I could fit another face on our label :)
Another Christmas tradition we did that we will keep is making and decorating sugar cookies. I mean, what is Christmas with out lots and lots of sugar cookies!?! :) The night we did cookies James started not feeling well. The reason he's not in this pic is because he basically felt so bad he went and put himself in bed :( You know your kid doesn't feel well when they skip cookie decorating and eating. He woke up around 3 am and was ready for his cookie but we waited a bit :) This was the start of a bit of some crud that went through our house. No one got really sick but at one point or another everyone had a cough and runny nose. I had plans to make lots of goodies to take to family and friends which had to be postponed until almost the end of the month. I wanted to make sure everyone was healthy before we started spreading food and cheer :)
Yummo!
Two words for this boy. A. Mess!!! But he is so stinkin' cute that he gets away with too much :) For a while he was totally not interested in bananas. J and I were slightly concerned since ALL of our children have inhaled bananas at his age. Finally he took a liking to them and in true Allen fashion he can finish one off in about 2.2 seconds :) He loves to "ride" around the house on one of these little cars we have. He cracks me up - eating his banana and cruising through the living room. He's at that age where he so badly wants to be able to communicate but can't quite get the words out yet so he's resorted to yelling whenever he wants something. I honestly can't think where in the world he got that yelling is any way to communicate :(
He's also at the age where his kisses are big wet full open mouth slobbery kisses. LOVE IT.
This is a text a got from my friend Taryn. Made me bust out laughing. I guess if you have to be "known" for something having lots of precious babies is as good as anything :)
One night we went to our local Bass Pro Shop to see Santa and enjoy all the fun crafts and games they have. This year they added a carousel. So fun!!
I seriously didn't think we could fit another kid in the tub after Gracie but we can. I wonder if David will fit too!?!
Other highlights from the month sans pictures:
On one of the nights during our devotional I was trying to talk to the kids about darkness and sin. I asked if they had every been some where that was really dark and felt scared. John-Mark quickly replied, "no mommy because God is with us where ever we are". Good point my 4 year old son. Good point.
This year was the first time we took the kids to our local zoo for what they call Zoo Light Safari. They basically just decorate the zoo with lots of lights. Since we're members it's free so it was a fun family night. The weather was super mild so it was a great night to get everyone out of the house.
Every year I take the kids and drive around to look at Christmas lights. Last year we saw a couple great houses and one even had Santa and Mrs Clause there and passed out treats to everyone. Usually J is working when we do this but this year we waited until a night he could go with us. I didn't plan too well and didn't make sure the kids had naps. We were in the car no more than 5 minutes and the big boys were passed out and another 10 minutes and Gracie was complaining she wanted to go home :( Operation Christmas Light looking 2012 was a bust.
Poor Benjamin and David probably feel like they have 2 moms and 3 dads! Benjamin hears "no sir Ben" from every person in this house. Lucky to be so loved :)
Ok - that really WAS all over the place. Sorry for any spelling or grammar errors. I'm out of time and don't have time to read all this randomness again :)
Be back soon!
