Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas (Nate's favorite song)

The kids and Carl at Carl's work Christmas party.

This is what happens when you leave Owen for 3 seconds to go upstairs and get Caitlin dressed! He tried to transfer the sugar to a casserole dish but was not so good at it! OHHHH Owen

Well this is what Caitlin was getting dressed in, decided I had to take a picture after I cleaned up the sugar!

Carl made the kids baby gingerbread houses out of icing and graham crackers they just couldn't wait until the decorating party next week!

Nate made a bimini dog outside his house. How cute!

Caitlin helping rake leaves.

Okay Santa we are ready. We got two packages of presents this week one from Uncle Bob and one from Grumppa and Grammy Lucy! WOW will there be room for Santa gifts!!!! Thanks!

Fun Fun Fun!

Owen feel down our brick stairs today and well looks like they won! He is tough though so no big deal! I will just have check on him ten times tonight while he sleeps. My sweet angel! HAHAHAHA

Tis the season to wonder what season it is?

We started off Sunday morning with Christmas crafts. The kids love making crafts and some of you might find these in your mailbox soon. Probably not we do them every year and well the post office just makes me postal!

This is what its like doing crafts with Owen! He is always so much help!

Here is the picture of the tree we made for Owen to play with while we decorated the real tree. With the "tutu" that Caitlin made for it. He was interested for about 45 seconds.

Daddy and Caitlin start hanging the ornaments.

Here is Nate hanging ornaments, he was a big help this year. Finally at the end of the day I asked him why he didn't smile for any of the pictures you know the mom in me. Thinking my head" he's sad" " what could be wrong with him" " Why is he so down"..... his reply " my lips are chapped I can't smile" hahahahahah I have since bought him some chapstick!

On our way to Carl's work Christmas party. Owen was chasing squirrels.

Put on the Christmas pjs to get a good shot. I will do this no less than five times between now and Christmas to get the right one!

This is what its really like.

Or like this..... Okay we will try again soon!

Well its been anything but December like here the past week but the weather men say that the winds of change will blow. Its been too nice to bake cookies, write cards or even finish decorating it feels more like beach weather. Okay well on Sunday we turned on the AC and decorated the tree. Next week when it cools down Caitlin and I will hit the kitchen for some baking and well I guess I will do the Christmas cards this weekend.

Christmas Tree Tutu

Caitlin asked me if I could get her the scissors this morning. I said "Why do you need the scissors" She replied " I am making a tutu for my Christmas tree" She had a little Christmas tree that she was decorating for Owen to play with. She was making it a Christmas tree skirt. SO CUTE! I took a picture I will post it soon!

Thanksgiving Birthdays

Another year already! WOW they are growing up so fast. I am getting old ! I don't want to get old!!!!

Playing a game of UNO!

Uncle Jeff flew in from Japan to spend Thanksgiving and our birthdays with us. Owen really loves to play tackle with him.

Getting ready for the dinner!

Caitlin and Lindsay made us all our own Turkey napkin holders for the table! So cute!!!!

For her birthday Caitlin got to go on a horse ride! She was all smiles!

She loved it! Thanks Aunt Ali!

Owen just texting with Carl's phone. Oh boy this kid! WOW that's all I can say! He is so hard so so so hard! He is very cute! Trust me the only reason he is still here is because he is just so cute!!!!

Nathan is just so kind, gentle and caring with Owen. Caitlin is also very very good with him. The boys have a connection.

My cub scout. I know I need to put on all his patches and badges but I just never seem to have time! Or let me rephrase that when I head up to my sewing machine, Owen the destroyer always follows!!!!!

Okay well I guess I didn't post any birthday pictures. We had a great relaxing Thanksgiving. The weather was amazing and now we are getting ready for Christmas aHHHHHH. We get it all started with three parties this weekend let the games begin!!!!!!

TGIF

Caitlin just said to me " MOM I want it to be TGIF" I said " Oh yeah why?" She said that means " Oh boy its Friday"! To bad its only Tuesday! Now wonder where she heard this, could it have been preschool?

Caitlins 5th Birthday

Check out those horse cakes, they were so easy! Compared to creations of the past, these took minutes!!!!!

Caitlin had a great 5th birthday party at the gymnastics center. Why 10 days early you ask? Well next weekend is Thanksgiving and the weekend after her birthday the first weekend in December is filled with Holiday parties so we did it early so we kicked off the holiday week with a birthday party. All of her cousins and best friends Bryn and Maggie were there . Granny and Granddad helped all day with Owen as it was our second party of the day. The soccer season ended so mom was up on Friday night making soccer cupcakes and horse cakes. It was easy and fun! The kids got to do obstacle course which included a whale bouncy thing. There was gymnastics and fun fun fun!

Getting ready for some fun!

Sitting down for cake and icecream!

Make a wish Caitlin!

I wasn't sure if one would be enough so I made two cakes, so she got to blow out candles twice.

She loved all her gifts!

Jump Jump Jump

Run , jump , run, jump repeat = tired kids!!!!!!!!!!!

Everyone loved the rope lift, well except Caitlin, she must have her moms fear of heights!

Grayson loved to wiggle his toes!

Caitlin and Maggie BFF!

A perfect ending to a perfect day!

Girls Day!

We had a fun fun trip to Chapel Hill to see the Rockettes Christmas show. We left on Saturday morning and took our time, we stopped for pictures at the lake on the way up!

Caitlin loves nature as much as her mom!

My fun girl!

We spent time will Alice who was a Rockette from 1941-1943. She is going to the show next week and will be recognized.

Bob said " No one cares that I was a bomber pilot" Poor Bob!

Waiting for the show to start. Caitlin loved it and so did we. Ali got us awesome seats we were just a few rows back. Thanks Aunt Ali!

A picture at the hotel after the show! I didn't get a picture of us drinking at the Carolina Brewery on Franklin Street. Although given that Carl was still in the emergency room with Owen I figured taking pictures at the bar was not a good idea. Owen came down with Croup on Thursday of course and he was in bad shape. For the record I think Croup is the one of the worst childhood illnesses, this was our third time. Nathan had it twice. We did everything we were supposed to do, humidifier, hot shower, cold air, fluids , Ibuprofen. We held him the entire night Thursday night. On Friday night we alternated taking him on car rides at 1:00 and 3:00 AM. I must admit I felt guilty when I left for girls trip but I knew Carl would be able to handle it and boy did he do great! Although even when you know he will be in good hands when your husband calls you to tell you he is taking your son to the E.R. there is that knot in your stomach. So anyway he is doing much better today after a few rounds of steroids. Lets see its November 13, should be go back and read blog posts from the past . It is usually around January that I say I am packing the kids up and heading to an island in the Bahamas until Spring. Would anyone like to join me, It think its time to go now!!!!!! Please oh please let me sleep through the night. Oh and one more thing I WILL NEVER SHARE A BED WITH CAITLIN AGAIN! WIGGLE WORM!!!!! Cough, wiggle, cough, wiggle, kick, cough, wiggle , toss, turn, cough, wiggle , repeat!!!!