Christmas with Papa and Dede

Papa and Dede came for a few days the weekend before Christmas. We had a great time reading books, eating good food, a little Christmas shopping, and wrapping presents.

This was so long ago I don't even remember what Maryn and Dede were cooking...


All of my children have been side sippers. They don't want to miss anything that's going on so they have to drink from the side.
























































Parker and Maryn dressed up as fire people when we had an unexpected visit from the fire department. Our carbon monoxide detector was going off which is attached to our alarm system. That automatically sends the fire department out. The kids were excited to see fire fighters and even got to go sit in their truck.





















A Christmas morning mess. It's just not Christmas without a picture like this!


Parker got the castle he had asked for.

Christmas with Grandma and Grandpops

Let's pretend that its December 30th rather than January 30th! Grandma and Grandpops had Christmas with us a few weeks early. The kids were really spoiled with presents from them, Mark's brother, sister, and brother-in-law, and Mark's aunts and uncles. Whew! I think Christmas would've been really overwhelming if we had not spread it out like we did. It gave me time to find room for new toys before the next overload came!

Emma really loved snuggling with Grandpops.




















Maryn's new favorite outfit from Grandma. I practically had to bribe her to get her to let me wash it.














Look at that expression! So cheesy.













Parker got a really cool dinosaur toy. He's been very into dinosaurs lately. More Christmas later...

Grandma!

I was going through pictures from Christmas- more to come later- and found this really cute one of the kids with Mary Sue. They always have so much fun when she's here. We love you, Grandma!!

Gingerbread House

I have never done a gingerbread house with the kids before. This is the first Christmas I felt like it was something I could try since the kids were older- and I have help! Mary Sue is here for the week!!

We iced the house. I think more icing was consumed than used on the house. Maryn is the queen of sugar!! (I guess she comes by that honestly...)


Parker hard at work.


Emma was really enjoying herself!


Sorry for the color but Mark was messing around with the camera.


Finished product. Not too bad!! I can't wait until the kids are old enough to do their own- mainly so I can do one by myself!!

Happy Friday

Kids in their Christmas pjs getting ready to decorate the tree.


Parker's Thanksgiving Feast. Our pilgrim is the one in the middle.



Maryn dressed up with her class too but she has a terrible scowl on her face so I didn't post her picture (also I had not rotated it and am too lazy to do so right now!) Happy Friday!!

Baa Moo Farms

A couple of weeks ago I went to Baa Moo Farms with some friends when the kids had a day off school. I was able to leave Emma with Nana (Emily's mom- Thanks, Nana!!) and take Cam. Baa Moo Farms would not have been the best place for a 16 month old along with a 4.5 and 3 year old. My friend Verna planned the trip for us, her girls, Lanigan and Adrianna, and my friend Ann and her two boys, Carter and Will. We had so much fun!!


The kids- Will, Parker, Maryn, Carter, Cam, Lanigan, and Adri


They had lots of calves that the kids could pet.


They were even able to feed one.





Group shot on a wagon


Climbing in an old tractor


They fed sheep.





Will with his egg. They were able to go in the hen coop and pick an egg from the nest and then put them all in a basket. Then they fed the chickens. Surprisingly no one freaked out with 15 or so chickens running around them.


My kids with their eggs.


They had a chance to milk a cow. This is Carter milking the cow. Maryn did it but Parker didn't want anything to do with it!


Cam


Then they found a kitten to pet. Kittens are so cute. I think if they didn't grow up to be cats I might get one!


Maryn and Lanigan


The boys


At the end we took a hayride around the farm. Cam's favorite part was the bulls. They did come really close to the wagon we were on. Fortunately the farmer was right there and our group was on the far side of the wagon.

We had so much fun and I would highly recommend it for a nice morning trip. You do have to make reservations in advance, but it was great for the kids to have such a hands on experience.

Please disregard...

this baby's bib!! She now wants to feed herself with a fork and its the only one we have that snaps. All you moms know how pointless a velcro bib is at this age! Someone please get Emma a new bib for Christmas!!


I saw this on another blog that I read... can't remember which one its been so long... its a geoboard. We used them some when I taught and Parker used one last year in school. Its a great thing for their fine motor skills. I bought some wood from Michaels,- I think its for making a plaque or something- (is that how you spell plaque in that case?) painted it black, and then I/Parker hammered push pins in a grid. I am fully prepared for the math dork jokes from my brother after posting this! And all you people from Auburn, no I didn't name Parker after Parker Hall, the math building!!


In other news our princess turned 3 at the end of October. More pictures coming soon. Dede sent this tiara to arrive on her birthday along with other pink, girly things. Since I was making cupcakes for her school party and her actual party I went with this lovely Harris Teeter cake with a princess stuck on top for the day of her birthday. She was thrilled!