Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving week started off with Carrington's program at preschool. The kids spent the month decorating their costumes and learning songs. We heard bits and pieces of the songs during November when Carrington came home singing them. The little number they put on was adorable! Imagine watching 30+ three year olds, standing in front of their parents, proud as peacocks, just singing their little hearts out. Precious, I tell you!

 Little Indians

 "Hopping Bunny" - Carrington's Indian Name

 

 

Thanksgiving morning the kids and Aaron watched the Macy's Day Parade while I cooked a few things for our feast. For lunch we traveled to Murrell's Inlet where my Aunt rented a house for the month. We had lunch on the porch overlooking the water, and then spent the rest of the afternoon playing outside, taking a boat ride, and looking over black friday deals in the newspaper. We covered all the things you are suppose to do on Thanksgiving!

 The discarded pictures from our Christmas card photo session...

 

The video was accidentally taken while Melissa was trying to snap photos. I love that it was captured because it's so accurate of what it's like trying to get a picture with all five of us - Craziness!

 

 Melissa, Katy and Kelly during their Christmas card photo session.

 

The rest of Thanksgiving break was spent around our house. The weather was beautiful so Aaron spent an entire day raking leaves and burning them. The kids played outside, making use of the leaf piles by jumping in them. It gave them hours of entertainment and in need of a good bath that night.

Hayden (our neighbor) and Carrington

 

  Carrington got a hold of my camera while I was taking a nap and took several pictures of me sleeping. I had no idea this was happening at the time. The next day I grabbed my phone to take a picture and scrolled back to find them. It was pretty funny to look at because she also took several other pictures and video of our Christmas decorations.

 

Saturday was spent doing our favorite Fall activity - watching college football all day!! The kids have been doing this since birth so it's second natural for them and something they enjoying.  

 

The last item of business over Thanksgiving was pulling out Christmas decorations, putting everything up, buying a Christmas tree, and decorating it. It took four days but everything is up - not all plugged in but at least out for viewing! I'll post about that later... 

Our Sugarbean turns FOUR!

Carrington,

Welcome to another year of your wonderful life! I typically want to slow down the fact that your are getting older and put you in a jar to freeze time. But, I love to see you get more amazing with each passing day so I am embracing your birthday this year.

 

Your sweet soul makes me smile. The love you show your brothers whether teaching them new things, helping them when they need a hand or cuddling them when they cry. Watching you run full speed out the door yelling daddy, daddy and jumping into his arms when he gets home from a long week. Waking up to your smiling face in the morning (sometimes the middle of the night) and being greeted by a kiss and I love you, Mommy. All just pure sweetness - exactly what you are!

 

Your relationship with Jesus is growing. I think you understand a little better who He is, where He lives, and the love He has for you. Often times you remind us to pray at dinner, before bed or in the drop off line at preschool. You teach us the new bible verse you learned at preschool chapel or church on Sunday. I love to hear you sing songs about God; there is nothing more innocent and beautiful. Especially, when your brother tries to sing them with you. My deepest prayer is that you know who God is and always walk with Him.

 

I can't get enough of your laugh. You are reaching the age where things are funny to you. I can hear your laugh now and I have the biggest cheese grin on my face. You are funny too. Sometimes on purpose and sometimes unknowing with complete innocence.

 

I love chatting with you - watching the wheels spin in your head, only guessing what you are going to say, and being in awe of how your little brain can know so much. You are so smart! I know that we are biased because we are your parents but you are a genius, you just are! Apparently, your teachers think so too! I thought they were being kind and figured they told all parents how smart their child was until I had a parent come up and tell me the teachers had told her, "Carrington is so smart. She could teach the class". Needless to say, I was proud and a little embarrassed since I had never met the mother. I've concluded you learn by talking because you NEVER stop talking. In fact, as I write this blog you are talking in my ear and haven't stopped even though I'm not listening and have told you to stop talking. The President is good at talking, maybe that's what you will be when you grow up.

 

You've experienced a lot in the last year...moving back in your house in NC, a new little brother(that makes two brothers in less than 1 1/2 years), and starting preschool. Change doesn't seem to bother you. In fact, I think you like it because it's an opportunity to meet new people and make new friends. Strangers you do not meet, just a new friend with a smile to greet them. I look forward to another year so we can keep watching you grow and experience the world with you, and so you can continue to amaze us with the little person you are. I will continue to thank God everyday for the gift of your life and the blessing he gave me four years ago. Happy 4th Birthday, Carrington!

Love,

Mom and Dad

 

Make a wish!



Sprinkles for breakfast are the best!

Proud to be 4!

Four year old check up came with four shots, major ouch! Stats - 37 lbs, 40 in.

Hudson - 3 months old

The scoop on Hudson at 3 months old...continues to be easy going although he likes to be on the move. It's hard to sit down with him without him fussing to tell you to stand  up and walk around. Wonder if that's because I didn't sit much while pregnant?!? The smiles go on and on when he is awake. He gives them out very generously to his family. He also likes to jibber jabber to anyone who will sit and listen. His sleeping has been all over the place the last couple of weeks. Congestion and the time change has him waking a lot during the night. We are toughing it out and know it will get better soon. He is a great napper; a long 2+ hour nap in the morning and the afternoon and then a few cat naps the rest of the day. He had his first trip to the ER when he rolled off our bed onto the hardwood floor. It was scary to come back inside and find him face down on the floor so I called the pediatrician to get her advice. Because of his age and the hard surface he fell on she told me to get him to the hospital for review. Ugh, six hours later which included a CAT scan and we were back home at midnight with a good report. Other first during the last month include; Halloween, celebrating sissy's birthday, sleeping through the night (although it was short lived), and first head cold.

 

I'm 3 months old and like to watch tv!

Reading time with sissy

Do you think I look like my daddy?

First Halloween!

Bump on the head and eye

 

Carrington's 4th Birthday Party Fall Carnival

Come one, Come All to Hugh Macrae Park and celebrate with us. That's what we did on Saturday, Nov. 3! Carrington's 4th Birthday and Party was a blast. The park location, sunshiny day, jumpy house, carnival games and food, and our friends and family together made it a wonderful time for Carrington.

 

 carnival games for all sizes

 redeem your tickets for prizes!

 goodie boxes with animal crackers and cracker jacks inside

 hot dogs, nuggets, nacho chips, and carnival cake

 the kids loved the jumpy house

 friends

 family

 Brett taking a turn at pumpkin bowling

 How many gumballs in the jar?

 grill master, Peeps!

 party of five!

 best buddies

 carnival cake, so stinkin' cute!

 Make a wish, sugarbean!

 loves dessert

 THE BEST DAD! He agreed to be creamed by the kids. For some reason Carrington did not want to throw a pie in her daddy's face. The older kids had no problem and stepped right up.

 just the beginning...

 again,

 and again,

What a great sport!

 and again!!

 rinsing off the sticky mess

 Hudson wasn't entertained enough so he spent the day taking a nap.

Our 4 year old!

Halloween with Charlie Brown and the Gang

I love kicking off the holiday season with Halloween. The costumes, pumpkin carving, and trick or treating are a lot of fun with little ones. Carrington is at the age where she is really getting into celebrations of any kind and Grayson is starting to understand a little of what's going on too.

 

We carved pumpkins the night before Halloween. I couldn't get Grayson or Carrington to clean out the pumpkin guts. Carrington said, "no way! I'm not touching that stuff" and Grayson said, "icky". (My kids don't like getting their hands dirty). I did the dirty work, the kids were the artist and told us what face they wanted, and Aaron did the carving.

 Observing.

 Artist at work

 pointing out the finished product

 i love that they are both puffing their cheeks while using the cookie cutters

 halloween themed pancakes

 

Carrington's preschool class had a small party during snack time. I signed up to bring a snack with a couple other moms. It was the first time I've been in her class and seen what she does while there. The kids are so cute and I can telling she loves going. She has two wonderful teachers that truly love being with the kids each week (one is a Clemson grad so she gets extra points from Aaron). Carrington wore her costume to school and went by the name "Lucy" for the day. She got the biggest kick out of that.

 circle time

 group picture with preschoolers, haha!

 snack time

 listening to a story

 

Halloween afternoon we got dressed in our Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus and Rerun costumes (I got out of dressing up for another year). The theme was picked a few months ago when Grayson started carrying around his blanket and sucking his thumb at the same time so we nicknamed him "Linus". It turned out great and Aaron went the extra mile with his paper mache head. He gets best adult costume!

Our neighborhood had the 2nd Annual Potluck and Trick or Treat Hayride. We all eat together in the driveway of a neighbors house, and then load the kids in the hayride trailer and take off trick or treating around the neighborhood. It is so much fun to get all the kids together and they love trick or treating as a group. There was a haunted porch at the end of the hayride this year. A lot of the little kids were scared but the adults got a big kick out of it.

 Linus, Charlie Brown, and Lucy

 The gang with Rerun

 All the kids with one awesome dad taking part in the fun!

 Trick or Treat Hayride

 Taking stock of their candy and watching It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown

 A treat to end the night...