Christmas activities...

As usual, this time of year is incredibly busy.  It seems that something has been on the calendar almost every day.  As crazy as it is, it's also a lot of fun. 

 

Our church has put on a gingerbread house party for the past two years, and it is a BIG hit.  Toothless Sam actually put some candy on his house this year instead of eating it all.  Alex, on the other hand, put more candy in his mouth than on his house.

 

 

On the way home, we swerved to avoid what we thought was a dog.  Turns out it was a possum.  Anyway, Sam's house fell apart.  Anthony ran up to the church, got some more icing, and we put it back together as best as we could.  We did the best renovation job we could. 

 

Sam was in two Christmas pageants this year.  He came home from school one day to tell us that he was "someone very important."  He was cast as Joseph, so I guess he was right!  Anthony I believe he was type-cast. :) Everyone knows Joseph was Middle-Eastern, right?

 

 

I had a really hard time getting a decent picture.  It's the best I could do.

 

  

 

Sam wasn't very cooperative taking pictures post-play.  He's not very cooperative taking pictures at all these days.  

 

 

His teacher sent out this sweet card from his class. 

 

 

 

 I love it.

 

 

My shepherd at our church Christmas pageant.  Still no teeth.

 

Thanksgiving festivities...

Both of the boys had sweet Thanksgiving festivities.  Alex's name was "Elan" which means "friendly."  I think it's an appropriate moniker.  The child is nothing if not friendly.   

 

 

And as you can see, the 3 things he's thankful for:

1) Mama, Daddy, and Sam

                                                     2)  His baby (No, I'm not pregnant.  "Baby" is what he calls his stuffed animal.

3) Treats.  Pretty good list.

 

Daddy and I went to have Thanksgiving lunch with Sam.  Per usual, he acted extraordinarily silly. 

 

Anthony went to "Flying Eagle's" Thanksgiving party.

 

We had quite a crew gather at the Shermans for Thanksgiving day.  My in-laws, my parents, Anthony's grandmother and aunt, my brothers, and my little brother's new girlfriend.  It was her first time to meet all of us, bless her.  She held her own. 

 

Anthony and I declined a trip to Oxford for the Egg Bowl. It was an incredibly wise move on our part.  Not at all the outcome we had hoped for, but we are "thankful" (ha!) for a fantastic, fun-filled, football season.  Anthony and are headed to the Orange Bowl for the New Year, and I'm looking forward to seeing Miami. 

I'm thankful for an incredibly loving and supportive family, two beautiful, healthy little boys, a husband whom I love more than anything, and a wonderful group of friends. 

Halloween...

This year both of our children picked out what they wanted to be for Halloween.  Sam wanted to be a Star Wars Storm Trooper, but honestly, I didn't want to spend the money.  It was much, much cheaper for him to be Obi Wan Kenobe, and he was pleased with that.  And why wouldn't he be?  A Jedi Master is way cooler than a Storm Trooper.  Alex wanted to be Cookie Monster.  He spotted it at Target one day, and that was that.  I bought a 3T, which fit more like 24 months.  Disappointing, but he wouldn't let me take it off once we tried it on.

 

 

And Cookie Monster took his love of cookies SERIOUSLY at his school party.  Do not even think about touching his doughnuts.  Or his cookies.  Or his candy.  Or his Rice Krispy treat. 

 

I managed to dig out my Snow White costume for neighborhood trick-or-treating.  Sam got a huge kick out of that. 

 

Candy is good, but thumbs are better.

 

Love our sweet neighborhood crew. 

A smattering...

So the flu has hit our household.  Sam came down with it Monday, and I came down with it yesterday.  What better time to update a blog than when you're in bed?

We have had a busy, but wonderful fall.  School is going so well for both boys.  Sam has settled into 1st grade--as cliché as it is, I can't believe he's halfway through his 1st grade year.  And as usual, Alex is full-blast.  He's been participating in a little soccer class at his pre-school, and he's loving it.

Sam was "Star Student" a month ago, and boy, did he love it.  He got to be the line leader all week long, we ate lunch with him, we sent a special snack, and we went up to the school to read to his class.  He had to fill out a special poster, which he thoroughly enjoyed. 

 

As you can see, his favorite food is chicken and dumplings, his favorite song is "Call Me Maybe," and his favorite book is "The Dangerous Book for Boys." He has refined taste when it comes to music. Can you tell?

 

The kid also doesn't have a tooth in his head...the first front tooth fell out, and then it seemed that all the rest just kept coming out.  He currently looks like Dracula.   

My cat, Lucy, died earlier this summer.  She was fourteen.  Say what you will cat-haters, but I have always had a soft place in my heart for felines.  I waited several months before deciding to adopt another.  Sam and I made the trek out to CARA in early October, and a particular calico followed us around the entire time.  She was relentless.  Sam and I decided that she had chosen us (which I think is key when dealing with cats--it has to be up to them.)  The shelter had named her Marilyn because she has black "eyeliner" a la Marilyn Monroe.  I had full intentions of changing her name when we brought her home, but Sam put his foot down. So we now have a cat named Marilyn.  I laugh every time I think about it. 

 

She is a pretty little thing.  And she likes to snuggle.

 

Alex calls her "Merwyn."

 

 

She was a comfort to Sam when he had the flu.  This pic was taken before he gave it to me.  Yay!

 

Pumpkin patch...

Alex's school made their annual trip to the pumpkin patch at the Ag Museum.  If you haven't been in awhile, it's worth the trip.  They have a quick hayride, get milk and cookies, then get to tour the Ag Museum.  Alex loved the animals.  

It was hard to get him away from the pigs and ponies.  

He LOVED the tractors.  It took some serious bribing to get him off. 

Checking out the model trains