Sleepy Time...

James has proven to be a very good little sleeper...during the night that is! He takes one long nap during the day and a couple 15 min. cat naps...drives me crazy! He is a belly sleeper...even in his sleep he rolls to his belly...usually with his behind up in the air...so cute!
I nurse James to sleep and lay him in his crib...and he sleeps there most the night...most nights he wakes up one time to eat and cuddle. Jon and I didn't even bother to put the crib up before James was born because Elsie never liked the crib...so we just planned on co-sleeping with James also...but every child is different and he liked sleeping on his own from day one! He does sleep with us after he wakes up in the middle of the night...because every baby needs to cuddle! (okay, so does mommy!)

A few weeks ago Elsie and I made this little mobile to hang over the crib...it is made with embroidery hoops...a very easy project...and so simple and cute. James loves to watch it gently spin around when we twirl it. One side note...I don't decorate children's rooms with old pictures of Jon and I...the crib is in our room...that way he is close to us at night...and Elsie can still play in her room during the day while James attempts to nap...works perfectly...

Thanksgiving...

This is a super long post with lots of pictures of our Thanksgiving weekend...we packed a lot into the long weekend! We spent Thanksgiving day at my parents house...we had the traditional meal we always have...and Elsie finally got to eat her strawberry pie for dessert...yum!

James...lookin' all spiffy for his first Thanksgiving! He napped all during the meal...that made for a happy mommy!

The kids were very excited to be able to play in the snow...we had a bit of a snow storm the night before Thanksgiving...so they had lots of fresh snow to play in!

Shoveling snow...making snow forts...going on 4-wheeler and sleigh rides...what fun!

Elsie thought going on sleigh rides behind the 4-wheeler was the best thing ever! I remember riding in this sleigh and thinking it was the best when I was little...on to the next generation!

After the kids came inside they enjoyed a tasty treat of snow and cheerios...what is it about eating snow that kids love so much!?

I think Ana spent about 20 min getting Oliver ready to go outside...he played for 5 min and had to come in because he was freezing! Elsie is older this year and can stay out for a whopping 10 min!! When Elsie and Oliver had to warm up they stood on the couch and watched the kids on the 4-wheelers...

We all go to my parents house and literally trash the place! People are coming and going all day and half the night...they never know who is all coming or when (or if) people are leaving. It seems every time the whole family is together Jon and I get so busy visiting that the kids fall asleep and the next thing we know it is mid-night or later...so we usually just spend the night instead of driving the 4 miles home! This time just Elsie spent the night...and Jon had to make a 12:00 "Elsie run" because she wanted to come home...after getting there she fell asleep and slept the rest of the night with no problems...

Cousins...Oliver and James...could they be more opposite? Blue eyes and blond hair, brown eyes and black hair...So cute

Everyone minus my parents...what a crew! How my parents escape being in pictures is beyond me! I have to point out that Elsie was being a little poopie head girl and would not look at the camera for anything! Sometimes it is frustrating having a free-spirit little 3 year old!

More snow pictures...Oliver loved being pushed around in the giant snow shovel!

We did not get tons of snow...but there was enough for the guys to get wild and crazy on those darn 4-wheelers (and the little dirt bike!) At one point Colter was driving a 4-wheeler while pulling Jon behind...Jon was sitting on a saucer sled holding onto a water-ski rope attached to the 4-wheeler! After they had enough fun on the 4-wheelers they when out to the woods with several guns to do a little target practice...

Sunday night the guys decided to light the big brush pile...we girls all had to pile into the van with the little kids and drive down the road to get in on the fun...A picture of Jon and I!! We have very few pictures of Jon and I together...and of all days for me to look crazy...as we left the house in a hurry with the kids I just grabbed a hat from the top of the pile to plop on my head...I normally do not go about wearing bomber hats! Anyhow...good picture of Jon and I...very rare!

Laura, pulling the kids and Jon around on the sleigh...I must point out that Laura has a broken collar bone...I mean the bone was broken right off...but now that the doctor has told her it has healed enough to take it out of sling...she thinks she can DRIVE the 4-wheeler! She is not a fast learner...

All the guys by the fire...even little James! It was quite chilly out so James and I sat in the van for a while and just watched...but this little guy loves being outside...it is just a matter of time before this little guy grows up and being wild and crazy with the big guys...

Daddy and James...

In the end we had a great Thanksgiving...we have so much to be Thankful for...the most important thing we are thankful for is Family...and we have an amazing family!

Thanksgiving...

Thanksgiving is almost here...tomorrow evening will find us in the kitchen making pies, squash and caramelized carrots to bring to my parent on Thanksgiving day...my whole family will be together this year...and I am sure we will have a wild and crazy time as usual...and the day after Thanksgiving will find us shopping at the un-godly hour of 3am! (in 8' weather, I might add!)
Our house is decked out in turkeys...Elsie made some to hang up on the chalk board and a few to mail to people even.

Love this time of the year!We wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving weekend...

Turkey Bingo...

Every year for as long as I can remember we all go up town to the Auditorium and play turkey bingo...out of all the years we have been going we have only won one turkey...but we keep on going every year...
Maybe this picture captured the reason we never win any turkeys...I think Laura spent the evening on the phone texting her "friend" and not playing Bingo!

Elsie was so excited to be going to Bingo this year...she didn't remember going last year. Last year I was sick with morning sickness but still brought Elsie...this year was much better!

Papa Wayne, aunties Emma, Marissa, Lisa, Laura and Uncle Colter went with us...after the kids and I left Auntie Marissa won a smoke alarm! So the $20 we spent playing Bingo was not wasted!

Self-portrait of my little guy and I...James was so busy while there...reaching and trying to chew on everything...and everyone...even random people! At one point I leaned over to talk to my dad and James quickly reached out and grabbed the hair and hat of the guy sitting behind us...oops! The guy and his wife just laughed...thank goodness! I was just thankful James didn't decide to spit up on the guy...that would not have been so good!

We don't seem to have the best luck at Bingo...this is Laura's card after someone else called out Bingo...only the free space is filled in!

Papa Wayne and James walked around for quite some time...James loves to be standing and Papa Wayne loves to be mingling and talking to people so it worked out good!

We all had a fun evening at turkey bingo...and I am pretty sure next year will be the year we come home bearing a turkey...

Sleepy Boy...

We have discovered that James is a mama boy's...he does not like to be left with anyone so I can go anywhere alone! The only time I leave him is to go to the chiropractor...and he is not happy! On this day I left him home with Grammie and the aunties...and they said he was sleepy but would not give in so they put him in the walker and pushed him back and forth, back and forth...and he fell asleep!
I guess after working so hard to get the little man to sleep they felt it was best to leave him there...

Silly Girl...

Elsie and more of her funky style...I hope no one is getting tired of seeing Elsie in her funky clothes...because I can guarantee I will be posting many more pictures like these! Every time I see her in a funky get-up I can't help but smile, smother a laugh and take picture or two...I want to capture her style and free spirit as much as possible...I really think 3 is the best age...I am having such a blast with a 3 year old!
That said...she has plenty of bad and annoying habits! Her latest annoying thing is repeating and repeating herself...like saying over and over and over (7 times...I counted!) "I am hungry, I am hungry..." gets pretty old pretty fast! Persistence is her thing lately! And her sense of style does get her into trouble sometimes,too...One day she had a HUGE fit with tears and everything because I would not let her wear her princess dress up dress to Target shopping in 18' weather...yes, I am that bad of a mother! After being told we would just stay home if she didn't wear warm clothes she said..."fine, I will wear this boring stupid dress!" Just for the record it was not boring...it just lacked the sparkles and be-dazzled-ness she always wants to wear...and to her stupid is a a good descriptive word to describe anything that doesn't go her way! Could be worse!

Gotta love this three year old girl...her crazy and annoying ways and her fun, lovable and sweet ways...what would I do without my three year old girl to keep a smile on my face!?

Stylin' Girls...

You get Elsie and Auntie Emma together and it can be a dangerous thing...and this evening it was dangerous to the bedroom! These girls had practically every clothing item out of the closet...you see they were trying to find just the right outfits for the evening...
I think I now know where Elsie gets her style sense..."How many prints" must be the up and coming new fashion!

Love these pictures...Love Emma's outfit...and it fits her pretty good for being a 4t...and she is 8! And where did Elsie get those glasses...I think I need to get me some! Not sure what is with the gun...Emma's body guard maybe?

Two little fashion divas...love it!!

Barbie Boy...

With an older sister who loves Barbies...James has no choice but to love them also! A few days ago Elsie was giving James a barbie and telling him to "play barbie's" with her...
James was happy just to scream at the Barbie and chew on her arms...

Elsie just thought it was so funny to watch James "play" barbies...silly kids! I wonder if he will be so game to play with his sister when he is older and she wants him to play dress up, attend her little tea parties and play dolls?

*I just noticed that most of the pictures I post of James he is partially un-dressed...what can I say he does not like clothes! I dress him every morning but at some point every day either his shirt or pants and socks come off!

Embrace the Camera...

Embrace the Camera again today...these are pictures of my little side kick and I...Elsie is my cuddle bug...
My mom took these pictures again...we were having a family night last weekend at my parents house...and it was quite late so Elsie was being a cuddle bug while trying not to fall asleep! She did eventually fall asleep...and she was able to sleep in her aunties bed...how lucky is that!?

Dinner...

I had to take a picture of Elsie's dinner...this is her new thing...a clean fork for each item on her plate! Noodle fork, meatball fork, broccoli fork...did I mention we have no dishwasher!? Three meals a day, at least 3 forks at each meal plus snacks...good thing Elsie's mother loves nothing more than lovingly hand washing many, many forks every day! I love all the crazy things Elsie does...sometimes I find myself wishing she would stay this age forever... so innocent, creative and free...

I Give Up...

That is right...I give up! Some days it is just too hard to keep a cleaned up house...
All week I have been cleaning the house...from top to bottom...so the day after Thanksgiving we can decorate for Christmas in a nice clean house. I took the above picture on Monday...I was busy cleaning the dining room and bathroom while Elsie and James played in the living room...yikes! No matter how much cleaning I do one room always looks trashed out...all thanks to a certain little 3 year old! At least Elsie is more than happy to help me pick up when I have had enough...she is quite the little organizer!

Reading the Paper...

Last weekend Jon and James were reading the newspaper together...okay maybe Jon was reading it and James was eating it!
James was having a blast playing with the paper...he even ripped into a couple of pieces! Wish I could have at least read the paper before he ripped it up...maybe next week!

James is a very intense baby and he was screaming at the paper and shaking the pieces in his hands...it is so much fun to watch him discover new things every day...

The newspaper kept James quite happy for awhile...Jon had time to read the paper and I had time to eat breakfast and clean the kitchen...I might have to remember the newspaper trick for the future!