mama got some photography books for christmas,

and now i'm starting to learn how to operate my camera!! i haven't been this excited about reading since the baby-sitters club series in the 4th grade!

see those backgrounds?? who knew somebody that didn't get paid to do that could actually do that?!?

so, if you can't find me...i'll be curled up with a book and a camera!

go tell it on the moutain...

we survived this year's church christmas program and even managed to sing a little!

as the kids made their way down the aisle to take their place at the front of the church, wes spotted us and peeled off right into our pew. he sat down in honey's lap and forgot about singing.


until they started singing. and at that point, he made a mad dash for his spot next to mary elliott. i'm not saying he did much once he was up there, but at least he was up there!!


at the rehearsal the previous week, he decided it would be fun to pull his shirt up over his head and rub his belly. this got several of the kids around him doing the same thing. therefore, he has on a vest (albeit a size or two too large) to prevent him from causing that scene again!

and last year, william had a nose-picking episode during practically the whole program. so this year, i told him that if he could keep his hands in his pockets and just sing i would give him a surprise. i was just trying to stop the nose issue....i guess i should have mentioned that it would be ok to take his hands out of the pockets to cover up his mouth while yawning.

so, there was no drama, and i was only out two peppermint patties!

success!

age is no matter

whether you are 2 or 70 (ish)...there's just nothing like a good game of cootie!

dear santa,

a few weeks ago, i walked into the kitchen to find william with paper and a crayon.

"whatcha doin', william?"

"i'm finishing up my letter to santa."

"oh yeah, what do you want him to bring you?"

"a pogo stick"

"really?"

"yup. it will make me go really high."

i walk over and take a look at his paper. sure 'nuff...

that silent k is a killer. but i have to say that i was impressed he got that much on there!

i told him it wasn't going to do any good to send that to santa if it didn't have his name on it because santa wouldn't know where to bring it.

then he looked at me like i was stupid and flipped his paper over...

and after addressing his envelope, complete with a real stamp that he HAD to have, his wish was sealed and ready to go.


however, he refused to put his letter in the mailbox. he said he needed to give it to mr. danny so he could give it to santa. apparently, he thinks our mailman is a slacker or something.

so...instead of watching from the window while he (and wes, who wants trucks and cars, by the way but can't yet make words with the crayons) walks down the driveway and puts the letter in the mailbox...i pack everybody up and take them to the post office to find mr. danny.

and mr. danny said he'd get it to santa immediately.

and so now the wait for a pogo stick is on. i don't think he weighs enough to make the thing bounce, but we shall see.

and thankfully, we know a pretty good doctor who can tell us if an arm is broken once he bounces off his pogo stick that santa had to scour the internet to find. yeah...you just thought those elves could make everything!

we did it right this year!

last year, we went to the christmas parade. all 2.5, very cold hours of it. we said then and there that we weren't doing that again. but the kiddos love the parade, and we weren't going to disappoint. so, we showed up an hour late...they got their fill of the parade, and mama could still feel her toes by the end of it! that's a win-win in my book!! (and they never knew the difference!)

this is our 4th parade to go to, and this is the first one that we (the adults in the family) have been able to stand around and talk to other people. in years past, we have always had to chase one of our people to keep them from getting run over by a float full of boy scouts or get them to stop dancing in the middle of the street with some high school high-steppers in glittery tights!

but, this year was different! they sat on the curb with everyone else and waved at the floats, graciously accepted candy, and sang along with the bands' renditions of christmas hymns.



well, wes did have to get up and bust a move a few times, but at least he stayed out of the street!


reed didn't care one way or the other about the parade. but, he was warm!!


and, about an hour after we arrived, we saw santa...followed by the street sweeper!

then we left! and everyone else decided that next year, they were going to follow our lead and show up late! until one of our children learns how to tell time...we should be in the clear!! :)

(FYI to the grandparents: you can click on the pictures to blow them up and see a clearer version)

how old is he???

william makes me think, on a daily basis, about just how old he really is.

is he 2?
while tumbling on the floor, pulling hair and screaming over a paper napkin...
"no, wes! that's miiiiiine!"

like we don't have 800 paper napkins.

is he 4?
while taunting his brother because he picked up lightning mcqueen first...
"i got mcqueen. na-na-na-na-boo-boo!"

is he 16?
while looking at what i fixed him and wes for lunch one day....
"yes ma'am! that's what i'm talkin' 'bout!"

is he 30?
while we finished reading before bed one night...
"you know who we will get to see when we get to heaven? mary. and joseph. and we can ask 'em what is was like to be jesus' mama. and daddy. but not his real daddy. joseph was just his earthly father. but he was nice. because he let mary ride the donkey."

is he 70?
while listening to wes slurp the last bit of gatorade through his straw...
"you've got the drugstore blues - don't ya, wes??"

seriously...does he even know what a drugstore is?

sometimes i wonder about that kid.

mikey

reed's first bite of rice cereal...


i think he likes it.


of course, he also thinks his toes are quite tasty...


so, maybe he's not the best judge after all!