Christmas pictures

I have to give credit to Amy B for all the outside photos...she came over and snapped these while Mills slept in the car!

Motherhood...

This was my dinner last night....

chicken tenders and broccoli...yeah not that bad of a dinner, but it's the manner in which it was comsumed that begs for sympathy.  Still on the pan I cooked the chicken tenders on, honey mustard squirted right there on the aluminum foil, and the broccoli dumped straight from the bag onto my "plate" (or rather cookie sheet).  (Lane and Bo were sitting at the table eating on plates)- As I was rushing around the kitchen checking backpacks, signing papers, packing Lane's lunch for the next day, giving Kate a few bites of food here and there, opening Christmas cards, checking my email to see how many packages were shipped today, and so on.....I would sneak a bite from my "plate" still sitting there on the stove.  I just started thinking in the madness....I wonder if this is normal?  (Needless to say Rob was at a coach's meeting)

The kitty who crawled backwards....

I think she is precious in these pj's....and she has realized how fast she can combat crawl (only backwards)on the hardwood...usually backing heself into the walls, or under the desk in this case!

What kind of parents let their baby get so tierd that she goes to sleep in the exersaucer??

Old fashioned or Gen X?

The real question is go to the store or cyber shop??  I have done at least 75% of my shopping online this year.  I was thoroughly dissappointed on Black Friday because I went to Walmart at midnight, got a few deals and came home..I really didn't have that much to do because I have so diligently searched for the best deals online.  But wait, are they really good deasl (I tell myself they are), but I have found that I search for online coupons and usually I need to spend just $20 more to get free shipping or spend $100 and get a $30 gift card, which causes more purchases...and so on.  I also have definitely spent more hours that I care to count in front of this computer hitting refresh on ebay to get the latest deals (on some used big ticket electronic items - (like nintendo DSI and ipod touch:).  I even bought Rob and I a new macbook on ebay at last night (and I will say it was definitely a bargain)....but I don't know, I have kind of missed saying "I need to go to Memphis Saturday and I dread that traffic."  Just wondering what you have done this year...store or cyber???

On a side note, as I  am typing this, here is the conversation going on behind me in the living room:
Bo: "Lane is that Justin Beaver" (on tv)
Lane: "Yes, but it's Justin Bieber, with a "B" Bo."
Bo: "Oh, do girls like him?"
Lane:"Yes"
Bo: "All girls?"
Lane: "Yes, some like him a lot and some just like him."
Just thought that was funny!

Atoka Elementary Fall Carnival 2010

What is more fun than playing carnival games, jumping in bouncees, eating hot dogs, face painting, buckets of candy and prizes?  ,,,,,,,, bringing home 5 goldfish! One of which is still alive...

gotta love free shutterly at Christmas!

I usually use Shutterfly.com for my invitation/picture needs...they have done my Christmas cards the last 2 or 3 years and I have always been very satistfied with the price and the quality.  I haven't printed our cards for this year yet, but Amy B came over and snapped a few pictures of us today (thanks so much:) and I can't wait to upload them to Shutterfly and see what I come up with.  They have some cute ones where you can tell stories or write letters that are different this year..maybe I will do that...I love a top ten list!   Christmas cards are so fun to get.  We keep them from every year and I love to look back at some of the old ones how kids we know are growing up.  It will really be fun when we are old and gray (and I think I am getting there sooner than I thought possible)....Anyway, Shutterfly is doing a free 50 card blogger promotion if you promote them on your blog...and I decided to participate to save a little cash and share some of my favorite picks from their website....so here they are!  Click the links....
· holiday cards

 Christmas photo cards
· calendars 
· personalized mugs
· birthday cards
· Christmas invitations
· Cards & Stationery

Summer Baseball

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Bo had a great summer ball season (he played spring and summer)...it was hot, but he didn't mind. We didn't know anyone really in the league where he played, but it didn't matter- he loved it!  He learned a lot and enjoyed getting to know new kids and learning the game.  Lane enjoyed being able to have free roam of the ball park and frequent visits to the concession stand (and a break from playing)!

Fall Break Project.....Clubhouse!

Our 3 kiddos are much in debted to us for the hours of labor put in on this!  (Actually it wasn't that bad....I love a project!)  We finished it just in time for the cold weather....

Lane - 6.5 years

 Lane is into being a big sister, watching ICarly (and other too grown up shows she probably shouldn't), reading (Magic Tree House) books, and has taken pride in her new gymnastics program.  She hates to wake up in the morning, loves to stop on Friday's with her daddy to get a coke (actually a strawberry or grape drink) "at the store with daddy", and likes tacos and pizza.  She still likes to eat healthy, but just can't resist things like m&m's and ice cream.  I love you  Lae Bug!

Here are some pictures from dance recital in spring that I never posted..

Rob and Lane had 70's Day for the 70th day of school today!

Bo- 5.5 years

Here is one handsome little guy.  He is soooo full of life.  (Just ask his preschool teacher:)  Here are some stories from lately

Lane was telling Rob and I what she thought she might like for Christmas (and her list is always much shorter than his- she usually says like one or two things, while he can't stop telling you things- every commercial he sees, he says, " mom can you get that for me for my birthday or Christmas"- mind you it may be February, June, or December....he's always making a list)....Anyway, He says to Lane, "Lane (in 2 syllables), Christmas is not all about toys!"  Rob and I looked at each other and smiled, and I said "What's Christmas about Bo?" He says, "It's about Santa!" Then when we laughed he said, "I mean Jesus.....well Jesus and Santa."

Lane has been asking Rob to go hunting with him (although she gets teary eyed when she sees the dead squirrels).  Everytime she asks him, Bo says "you don't have any camoflauge clothes, Lane, you can't go!"

He is so much like me; he doesn't like to be alone.  He will tell you that "Momma, I don't want to be by myself"  He crawls in the bed with Lane some nights and begs her to sleep with him, but she never will (such her daddies child....perfectly content in her own world).  The only way I have found that he is like Rob in that he gets upset if we leave a Tiger basketball or football game early....he wants to stay to the end! 

He loved show and tell Fridays at school and starts trying to decide on Monday what he will take!


He loves to hear us read "Ramona Quimby" books to him (and Lane).

Here is his first squirrel of the year (no he didn't shoot it, but "his dog, Tarzan" treed it!

Halloween 2010

In case you can't tell, Rob is a Memphis basketball player and I am a princess....to go along with Ben 10 Heatblast, Littlest pet shop monkey, and baby monkey.

                                           Trunk or Treat at Mt. Carmel Church

                                        One eyed monster cupcakes...with blue icing.

                                                 KK went trick-or-treating on the square with Bo's class

                                                                 Nanny loves Halloween!

                                                             Grandparents

                                                          Tootsie roll still in package is a great teether!

                                      Bo's friends grandma was a witch at his school.

                                                 Bo's class

                                            We ran into Ellie on the square