Christmas 2011

This was the best picture I could get in their Christmas outfits. Macie is happy to be posing for the camera, Aiden, not so much.

This Christmas was a little different from most. This was our first Christmas in our own home. We were suppose to go to Idaho but with Paul's work schedule and the price of plane tickets, we just couldn't make it work. Instead we stayed home and Paul's family came and spent Christmas Eve with us. Aiden is finally getting it this year so we tried to fill the month of December with activities to get us in the Christmas Spirit. We drove around and looked at the lights almost every night. We found a few large displays that we would frequently visit. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures. These are some of the other things we did to get ready for Christmas.

We decorated the tree.

This was the first time we saw Santa. There is a house near our church that changes their garage into "Santa's Workshop" every year. It is really nice but we probably won't be going back next year. (We will leave that story for another day)

Grandma Kathy and Aunt Heather helped Aiden decorate a gingerbread house.

Santa came early Christmas Eve and brought Aiden and Macie's gifts

I love the Christmas season. I am grateful for the opportunity to focus on Christ's birth and the spirit of Christmas. I look forward as our family grows to carry on old traditions and to start new traditions. While I did miss being with my extended family for Christmas I am grateful that we were able to spend that time with the Butler family.

Macie 6 months

Although Macie is 8 months today I did write somethings down on the day she did turn 6 months. (I can't believe how much has changed already)

This was the day she turned 6 months

Here are some things about Macie

-You are very social and love to smile at anyone who will talk to you

-You roll all over the floor and get to where you need to go. You even know how to maneuver your body around to change directions

-You have such a laid back personality and are very "go with the flow." You do however, hate your car seat and cry about half the time you are in it.

-You like to see everything going on around you which makes you a not so cuddly baby.

-You do not take a paci (although with a little practice I think you would) You are still trying to decide if you will be a thumbsucker. Mommy calls you a closet thumbsucker because it is hard to catch you with your thumb in your mouth unless you are in your crib asleep.

-You give the best kisses. Mommy, Daddy and Aiden all love getting Macie kisses, especially Mommy.

-You already have 2 teeth and with all the chewing you do, mommy is sure there are more on the way. Which mommy does not look forward to because you are quite the biter already

-Anything and everything you can put in your mouth, you do

We love you so much Macie and can't imagine our family without you in it.

Family pictures 2011

My talented friend Lisa took our family pictures for us this year (oh and the past 2 years before that) We are so grateful that she was willing to do this for us. I love how they turned out!

What we have been up to...November 2011

Here is one of Macie, just cause she is so cute!

I got to spend a week with my beautiful mom

He is a little goofy but I love this kid. (He picked out his outfit)

Macie started being able to support herself sitting up. (kinda)

Aiden loves spending time with Poppa Darrell

Aiden wanted to read daddy stories while he was sleeping

Aiden loves being a big brother! (and no, her big ole headband is not suppose to be in the middle of her head. Looks a little silly, I know)

Thanksgiving/Trains

This year we spent Thanksgiving in Richmond. While we were there we were able to go to Blackstone, VA where at Bevell's Hardware they had this huge train display set up. Aiden LOVED it. It was quite impressive for a small town hardware store. The pictures just don't do it justice. There were so many small details and moving parts. You could tell a lot of thought and work went into it.

This was the carnival area of the display. It had everything including an operating roller coaster

This represented the "Golden Spike Ceremony" when the last "golden spike" was was nailed into the tie, completing the first US transcontinental railroad.

I just thought this little scene was cool. The boy is playing with the remote control airplane which was actually flying. It just shows how much detail was put into everything.

Here are all the switches that control the entire display

This was one of my favorite scenes. They have a "fire" that starts and the firetruck comes and puts the fire out. The buildings even had smoke coming out of them.

Grandma and Grandpa let Aiden pick out a tractor before we left.

What we have been up to...October 2011

Here is the rest of what we were up to in October

Aiden and I went on a Mommy/Son Date "Knight" at Chick Fil A. It was actually a double date since our friends Lisa and Will joined us.

We had a cardboard box that was waiting to be recycled so one night while Paul was at scouts I build Aiden a little car. It was a shoddy build but not so bad for a quick 10 minute build. He did tear it apart about 5 minutes later. There goes my mom of the year trophy.

Love this girl!

Aiden's remote control car's battery was dead so he went in the drawer and got a butter knife and said "Aiden fixing his car"

I caught Aiden sitting here and I asked him what he was doing. He said, "Aiden reading Thomtas (Thomas) a story"

Aiden loves Grandaddy's fourwheeler

Aiden and Macie with Emaw

My little cowboy

Halloween 2011

The last time I updated my blog, I promised myself I would not get as behind as I did and here I am again playing catch up for the last 3 months.

Halloween was kind of a bust this year. It was cold and raining on Halloween and one of the kids (I can't remember which one because it was all the way in October) was fighting a cold, so we decided just to stay in and hand out candy. Aiden is still young enough that he didn't really know what he was missing out on and I think he probably had more fun anticipating all the knocks on our door so he could hand each kid a piece of candy.

We did however make it to the trunk or treat a few days before so Aiden was not completely deprived.

I must confess, I took this picture in January. Turns out I forgot my camera the night of the trunk or treat and did not get a picture of Aiden and Macie in their costumes. It is not the best picture but I was testing some set ups for a session I was doing a few days later and I thought I would take advantage of the mess I made. Unfortunately a 7 month old baby and a tired toddler were not at their best so I was happy with whatever I was able to get.