Feeling the Love

Hope you and yours are Feeling the Love this holiday season!

The Butler

Thanksgiving Break-the middle

The middle-the best part of the sandwich right?! Well, our middle of Thanksgiving break was the wonderful!

Before we left for Charlotte, we all got haircuts...yes, even little Anna. Her first haircut and she LOVED it. We were nervous for sure about her sitting still but she ran to Tina, our hairdresser and gave her a big hug! It was hilarious. She did really well. We didn't do anything drastic just trimmed it up...Before, admiring herself in the mirror.

She especially loved this part...the hairdryer on her must have felt good. By the end of the haircut she was slumped to one side, half asleep!
Checking herself out in the mirror.


You can really tell the "after" shot here...
On Wednesday, we headed to Charlotte to celebrate Thanksgiving. I must say a huge thank-you to the Reynolds' side as this was the first year they didn't see Justin on THE day. So, thank-you for sharing him!

Doing a little coloring during breakfast.
Brice looked very handsome and kept himself busy building Legos and being the best help a chef could get. This kid worked hard all day long helping put out place cards, folding napkins, taking drink orders, and announcing the guests (I will try to load this video later, it's pretty long).
Anna in her "pitty dwess" (pretty dress)

Look at that beautiful turkey! We almost had a major mishap with the turkey but it turned out delicious!!!
The beautiful cook! Thankful to her for all her hard work and hosting us.
My place setting.
Brice's Thanksgiving picture that he drew that morning.
Josh used my camera to take some pictures.
Pretty girls.


And, then we came home to finish out the holiday weekend. Anna finally put on some headphones so she could watch Baby Einstein's "On The Farm" DVD on the way home. Until now, she just watched with no sound.

Hope you and yours had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day and were able to be with your loved ones. I, for one, do not thank God enough for all the blessings He has bestowed upon me. As a mom of little ones, it is easy to get caught up in the Groundhog Day-ish moments, the messes, the crying, only concentrating on the world that turns inside our own home. Justin and I slept with Anna while we were there and she is obviously not used to this. She kept going between the two of us, burrowing her head into our shoulders. I could feel her soft cheeks and she would reach out for our hands. I could smell her little head and just kept thinking, "I am so grateful for this." "For this child that I almost lost and for all the other big moments and small moments that I am able to experience." This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for the middle. This is the middle of my life... the meat of the sandwich... the best part.

Thanksgiving Break-the beginning

On Saturday we ventured out to Yellow River Game Ranch since there was no Georgia game (Wahooo! almost done). I'm sorry, did I say that out loud? Over it and not just because the Dawgs have had a rough season.
We saw lions, and buffalo, and bears. Oh my.
Anna thankfully didn't throw Carly to the bears. Just grapes.
Feeding the bunnies.
These donkeys were aggressive. Kicking the fence and each other out of the way! Also, I have discovered how to make Justin laugh really hard by doing my donkey noise. I may or may not do it at Thanksgiving.
And, the buffalo. Justin decided he could just feed the buffalo through the slats of the fence rather than the PVC pipe provided. So, we got to see what a buffalo tongue looks like! Only wish I could've captured it on camera. And, bragging rights to who can tell me what the Indians used buffalo tongue for.

The deer are really the reason to go to YRGR. They are usually roaming around and will come right up to you for a bite to eat. Well, it is mating season and so, the bucks are corralled together and not too happy about it! There was a little antler locking going on and I don't think it was over our okra.
Below is where General Lee Bauregard lives, the groundhog that predicts our weather every February 2nd. Very stately, don't you think?


The very last animal we saw was this sweet doe. Anna loved her and keeps talking about her. Right on cue when we were getting ready to leave, this doe went and laid down..."ni-ni, deer".

And, we made paper chains to count down til Santa arrives.
I had no idea how much fun he would have making these things and putting it together. He has already asked to do it again next year! Of course now my holiday shopping is on. the. clock. Or should I say chain?
Just a cute picture of Anna WITHOUT her ballerina shirt on! Nice to see her in something different.
This is how most mornings go. I make her a breakfast of her own. She doesn't eat it. Twenty minutes later, she is on my lap eating most of MY breakfast and I wouldn't trade these moments for the world. We head to Charlotte in the morning for Thanksgiving! Hope you and your have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

The Kid

Often times, I will call Brice, "the kid". I am pretty sure this is what my Great Uncle Bud calls him too! So, what has The Kid been up to lately? I feel I am always blogging about sister instead.

Lately, Brice has been all about catching some lizards. There are twin girls across the street and they seem to be able to find them in large quantities. (I think more than one=large quantities when it comes to lizards). So, they will bring him lizards to "play with". And, he loves it. So much so that he had to bring this one in and set it next to me while I was on the computer.See? Large quantities. Can you find all five?
Kissing Lizards. Please excuse Brice's dirty nose and long fingernails. God Bless school teachers for dealing with gross kids is all I have to say!
And, in his spare time when not catching lizards, he has apparently been using my camera to take pictures. I found the following when I uploaded a bunch today.


Interesting, huh?

He is proud of this one. "See mom? She is looking through the window right at me!" I do hope Brice can find a girl to marry that adores him as much as Anna does.

Apologies

My Apologies for not posting in a while. I have been in an emotional funk and if you look at the first two pictures, you will know why. This little girl has become just that. Sassy and whiny. I do realize that this time last week she probably didn't feel so well as her ear was still infected and we are now finishing up the third antibiotic. I am really praying that it works. In the mean time though, she has been voicing her opinions and exhibiting her independence. Can we say 2?? As in wearing her shoes to bed, changing her shirt three times a day, and wanting five million accessories on. I am dancing the fine line of "pick your battles" and "not letting your kid turn into a brat" Anyway, as far as blogging, I haven't really felt inspired. Brice has been a little whiny as well lately. Maybe it is all the Halloween candy working it's way out of their systems.

Do you see what I mean? Look at that face. And it gets meaner...believe it or not.
This is what I feel like doing to the two of them sometimes...
So, last night at the end of dinner, Justin made a comment about the way I was drawing up Anna's medicine and that was it. I could've marched out of the kitchen right then and there and taken a loooonnng drive, but I didn't. Instead, I have tried to adjust my attitude towards things and apologized for being short with everyone. And for the record, Justin has been super nice to me as well as helpful with the kids. He has a sixth sense about me and when I need some, or a lot, of back up! He swoops right in so that this mama doesn't eat her young. Thanks, sweetie!

This is the month of Thanks right?! Speaking of, I have had Brice write down everyday something he is thankful for. We are a few days behind but here is what we have so far...
1. crayons
2. fish
3. sweet potatoes
4. the beach
5. zoo
6. watching football
7. apples
8. art supplies

I am looking forward to spending Thanksgiving with my family in Charlotte and then coming home to open up the Christmas season!! I am not sure how I'm going to get Christmas cards done this year given that this happened a couple of days ago...Ouch, the concrete won.
Oh well...she still looks cute. Oh, and as for the princess chair serving as a booster seat, I just spent $40 on a nice "Cooshee" booster seat for her in a pretty raspberry color. She took it off last night and promptly put her princess chair up there.
Pick your battles, right?!