Thanksgiving Weekend!

We traveled over to Tennessee for Thanksgiving to see the family. We haven't travel for Thanksgiving for several years now because we have always lived so far away. Since we are now a one day driving distance we took advantage of it this year. We really forgot what holiday travel can be like...way to much traffic.

Happy travel companions. Also, I think Katie was excited to be able to have the DVD player all to herself since Breanna was already in Tennessee.

One evening we went over to Kevin and Brandy's new house they just bought. They were literally moving their stuff in two days before Thanksgiving. Matthew and the girls were hanging out at the house being silly.

Samson and his girlfriend Olivia. Olivia is Brandy and Kevins boxer. They ran all through their house and played in the backyard until they were pooped. Sorry for the glow eyes but my camera would not take the photo without my flash so they have ghost eyes. :)

On Friday night Mom and Dad and the four of us went to a place in VA that has a natural cave and you can take a chair lift down to the bottom. They have it decorated with lights. Trying to get a photo before we headed down on the chair lift. I can never get a serious photo anymore....as you will see in photos below.

Down at the bottom. Can I just say the chair lift ride down was a little terrifying for me. Katie rode down with Chris and I on the lift. I was trying my best to stay calm because Katie was a little nervous and I didn't want to make it worse for her, but this was a steep drop down and I am so not a fan of heights. The chair lift actually stopped at one point. I mumbled low..."Oh Lord, please get this thing moving" Katie must of heard me because when it started moving again she said "Thank you Jesus". Ha! It was beautiful once you were at the bottom.

Back up at the top Santa decided to stop by. The girls were excited and went straight up to him. Bree spouted off a couple things she wanted.

 Katie on the other hand drew a blank on what she was asking for. I think she was a little shy.

I have to add in a short conversation Chris and I had with Katie about what she wanted for Christmas. It was classic.

Us: Katie: what do you want from Santa

Katie: that glow ball thing you can move around

Us: Huh????

Katie: you know...it glows and you move it around

Us: (still really confused) Can you show us what it is?

Katie: Sure, once Santa brings it I'll let you see it

Us: (Chris and I look at each other, not sure what to say)

Chris: Katie, why don't you show us before Santa brings it so we can see if it is a toy you should have.

Whew!!! Glad Chris came up with that response. I wasn't sure what to say on that one. :)

Got the girls some cozy jammies when Chris and I went out on Black Friday.

Since Bree had a week and half of one on one time with Nana and Papaw, on Saturday she had a one on one day with Mommy and Daddy while Katie and some alone time with her Nana. I guess we wore her out cause on our way back to Mom's she was out.

One of the other great things about being close is that we finally got to be around for my Dad's bday. Well, his bday is actually this Friday but we partied a little early. Dad with all the grandkids. Again with the silly faces. :)

Aunt Brandy, Uncle Kevin and the kiddos

Me and my bro :)



Operation Christmas Child

One of our favorite things that we love to do for the holiday season is make shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. If you haven't heard of this before, or haven't every particpated in this project...please, please, please go to this link and check it out: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/. I promise if you particiapte in this you will be so blessed by giving to these sweet children.

The organization takes these shoesboxes and delivers them all around the world to children who really have nothing. It helps bring them stuff they need and also share with them the love of Christ. Chris and I hold a very special place in our hearts for children who are less fortunate and especailly those in under developed countries. So we always make this a family project and one we look foward to.

In the years past, all of us always go and shop for the stuff to put in the shoeboxes but this year the way things worked out Chris and I ended up doing the shoppping on a date night we had the other week.

All the stuff laid out and ready to pack. When I looked at everything I thought I bought way to much stuff and we won't be able to get all of it in the boxes.

Since Bree is gone Katie was my big helper and she put everything in the boxes.  We had to call Daddy in for his packing expertise. He has an amazing ablilty to pack a lot in a small box. :)

Still working on getting everything in there. We didn't want to have to leave anything out.

Yay for my two awesome packers!!!! Chris and Katie got all of in the 4 boxes we had. We sent 2 to girls and 2 to boys.

This Sunday was the dedication service for the boxes before they were shipped off. Between now and Christmas we as a family will be praying for the 2 girls and 2 boys that will recieve these boxes. Pray that God will be seen in a big way and that Jesus will be shared with all of them. I smile just thinking of the sweet little faces and smiles they will have when they open their box of goodies. 

Big Moment!

According to Katie, last Sunday was the biggest moment of her life...at least up until age 6. As Nana and Papaw left on Sunday with Bree, Mom gave Katie some money to spend. Katie asked if we could go to the mall to her favorite store, Claire's. We headed up to the mall and when we went into Claire. Katie looked at me and said can I get my ears pierced. I was in surprised because Katie hates anything that would cause pain, but awhile back she asked how old she needed to be to get them pierced. I told her that once she turned 6 she could do it, but only if she was ready. I told her I didn't want her to do it unless she was ready. She asked me then if it hurt and I said yes it will hurt for a little bit but then it is over. She never mentioned anything more about it...until last Sunday.

She kind of caught me off guard and I asked her if she was sure and she said yes. I told her we needed to ask Daddy...well daddy wasn't as sure about it as she was but it didn't take much convincing for daddy to say okay. 

Here is she is all ready to go...she has a big smile but man she was nervous.



Daddy holding her hand as they were getting everything ready. I think Chris was more nervous than her.

The lady here was so good about keeping her calm. She could tell Katie was really nervous, so she kept asking her all sorts of questions to keep her mind off the pain that was about to happen.

 

They did them both at the same time....that was the only way I would let her do it. She did great though...a few tears shed and a little panic over the fact that she thought there was going to be lots of blood. :) After I assured her that there was no blood she calmed down and was checking out her new bling

One happy girl....now that it is over

Soccer Season Is Done!

I am a little behind on my blog post and will try to catch up over the next couple of day. Have several things to post about. Last weekend my parent made a quick trip over to see us and mainly to see to the girls play one of their soccer games this season. It was the next to the last game. The girls were really excited to show Nana and Papaw their soccer skills.



Getting ready to head over to their games. Bree showing off her new gloves. She has worn then nonstop she she got them the day before.



My dad brought his fancy camera, which takes amazing pictures, he got some great ones of the girls.






Giving their congrats to the other team....they beat us...but all the kids were happy because they get treats after. :)



Bree giving Coach Ryan good bye hug. This was her last game cause she is going home with Nana and Papaw until Thanksgiving.



Katie in her ready stance.

Keeping an eye on the ball and trying to go for a goal.

Any another congrats to the other team. Katie's team also lost. They just had their last game yesterday and they did win that one. So they were happy to go out with a win. :)


As of last Sunday we have been a one child household. Bree went back home with my parents and has been living it up in Tennessee. We are headed there in a few days for Thanksgiving and will bring her home. It has been strange to only have one kiddo here. Katie has loved it and says she is not ready for Bree to come home....she says that but I believe they are both missing each other. We have enjoyed our time with Katie but our ready to have our family all back together. :)

Am I Missing Something???

I completely forgot to blog about this, it is a few weeks late but here it is anyway. About a month ago Katie discovered she had her very first loose tooth. She was beyond thrilled that she FINALLY had a tooth loose. All of her friends had either lost one or more than one so she felt left out. The excitement soon turned to a little concern as she kept asking about how we get the tooth out. She asked if we would have to pull it or if it would just fall out, if it would bleed, etc. I told we may have to pull it but not until it was really loose so that it wouldn't hurt. Every day we checked the wiggle factor, but it wasn't ready to come out yet. One day after school she was eating an apple and I was working in my office, she came running in with BIG EYES and holding her hand out and a paper towel stuff in her mouth. She said "Look, Look!!!! My tooth just fell out" The excitement in her face and her voice was a memory within itself. I think mostly because it came out without having to be pulled. It was even bleeding and she didn't panic. You have to know Katie and at the thought of blood she flips out. So the fact that she calmly got up from watching TV to go get a wet paper towel to put on her mouth before she brought the tooth to me was a big accomplishment within itself. We put the tooth in a baggie so we could put it under her pillow for the Tooth Fairy to stop by. She was really worried it would get lost in her bed but I told her the TF had her ways of finding a tooth anywhere in the bed. So that night the TF fluttered in and took her first tooth away and left $2.00.  And at around 4am in the morning I heard footsteps coming into my room to let me know that the TF had made her visit.and the money she had left :)  Now almost everyday Katie asks if anymore of her teeth are loose, I think she is doing the math on the number of teeth left to come out x $2 bucks a piece. :)

Happy Halloween!



Meet our Chia Pumpkin.



She is the cutest pirate I have ever seen.

It's Spidy Girl!!!!!

I told Katie to give me a scary priate pose and told Bree put out her spidy hands.  This is what I got. I love the look on Katie's face and Bree's attitude!



And they were off to trick or treat.  They saw all the kids coming in the streets so picture time was over and they were running down the drive way.

After about 45 minutes they all came back to the house to empty their buckets so they could go back out. Bree stayed home and just asked them to get her candy for her. HA! She is one smart girl. Why do all the walking when others are going. :) Katie and Chris came back about 30 minutes later with another bucket full of candy. We have one big bucket of candy, which they love but is not good for me. Being at home all day....it will be calling my name.

 

The girls were really into Halloween this year and had a lot of fun. I hope you all had a safe and happy Halloween! Now on to Turkey Day!