It's That Time of Year Again...

Decorating for Christmas is one of my FAVORITE things!! We usually start on Thanksgiving night. So many people started early this year. I was feeling a litte behind :). We actually did it over a couple of days. Here are a few of my faves... Making sure that they didn't forget to mark something in one of the toy magazines!
Have I mentioned that this girl LOVES her brothers??? Every once in awhile she'll just jump in their lap and love on them. I just think it's precious! This is NOT staged!The next day...We brought out the small trees. I will have to buy extras at the end of the season. This was probably their favorite thing that they did. Ahhh...the pooping reindeer. This thing has been in our family for a VERY long time :). It poops candy...who wouldn't love it?!

This is our "peanut tree". I THINK my friend Amy named it :). This was the first tree that we had after we got married. We put it in the entry with my FAVORITE special oranaments (homemade). I will NEVER get rid of this thing!!! Zane putting the star on top. H makes sure that every tree has a star. My sweet little elf :). We got each of the kids one of those little trays that has the days of the month for December and you open the door and there's a piece of chocolate in each one. We keep them under our little peanut tree. If I can't find Lydia, I KNOW she's in there trying to pry the little doors open to get the chocolate. I owe the boys quite a bit of chocolate!!

123 Smile...Lyddie PLEASE Smile!!!!!

I was feeling ambitious last night so the kids had baths and we attempted to take our Christmas card picture. Jared wasn't home but I thought, "How hard can it be?" Well, it's alot easier with two adults, that's for sure :). I got several decent ones and one that was really good (considering the monkey in the middle). I'm not putting the actual card picture on here yet. I know that you are just dying with curiosity ;). I couldn't ruin it for the grandparents! Lydia was a mess (and I mean that very lovingly). She had the boys cracking up. When the boys would laugh she would say, "Lyddie's funny." Zane decided that she's now the funniest kid in our family :). "I just crack myself up!!"
I thought this one was sweet. She's up close to "Sarisson" (what she calls him alot) and Zane looks so serious.We liked this one but Lyddie was looking off.

IN LOVE!!!

So I'm standing in the kitchen texting a friend about a sleepover for Zane, when Harrison walks up to me. In a very serious tone and with a VERY serious look on his face, he looks up and says, "Is it ok if Elizabeth and I are in love because we are?..................(that's how it felt) We really are." Wow. He's SIX!! I try with everything that's in me not to laugh but I can't help it. I snickered. He asked, "What??" I told him that Miss Allison had texted me something funny and that I wasn't laughing at him. Later, when he was getting out of the shower he tells me, "I need to wear some provolone tomorrow ( I figure out that he means cologne) and some of that arm pit stuff." Oh goodness. Am I ready for him to have a girlfriend? I don't think so =). We did have a talk about not kissing and he assured me that he wouldn't do that! Mrs. Deweese, if you are reading this, feel free to keep me updated ;).

Lyddie Bug

Miss Lydia turned TWO on November 1st. I want to write down some things that she's doing so that I won't forget (since I NEVER write in her baby book!).
-She's got a very sweet and easy going personality (for the time being-I've had two other two year olds, so I know how this goes. HA!).

-She loves puzzles, books, coloring, and most of all STICKERS! They are everywhere. =)

-Playing outside (especially on our playset)

-PLAY DOH!!!

-Playing dress up and food

-RED fingernail polish (usually just on her toes!)

-She started laughing the other day and said, "I funny Momma. Silly Lydia!"

-LOVES her Bubba, Zane, and Daddy!! She snuggled up with Jared on the couch last night. She turned her head into his chest where she couldn't see me, waved, and said, "Bye Momma." (over and over again!)

-We say two prayers every night. I put her in bed and she immediately puts her hands together and says, "I pray." I say the first one and she always wants "more pray". On the second she repeats some of it. When I start to thank Him for our family, I'll start with one of the boys and she steps in and lists everyone (including a big "AND LYDIA").

-She's known her colors for awhile and is starting to get her shapes (she LOVES ovals =) ).

-She can count to ten with a few hiccups along the way (like 7 and 8).

-She talks ALL the time and puts together some great sentences.

-Yesterday, we were at Walmart and I gave her a Leap Frog toy to play with as we walked around (I really was trying it out for Christmas. Promise!). It was asking her to find certain letters and she knew MOST of them. I couldn't believe it. She proved it to Daddy tonight. We were in her room and he started asking her letters on her blocks. He just stared at her with his mouth open. On a few of them she would also say the sound that it makes (mostly S and H).

-She'll say, "I love you, Momma." and my heart just melts into a puddle.

This was taken on her actual birthday. So sweet.

And silly! Wouldn't trade it for anything!!

"Hmmm...let me think."

"I'm HOW old?" This is what she does when I tell her to act surprised.

Sorry Shell and Amy. She likes pickles. Don't y'all go eat the whole jar! I know your fridge is STOCKED! =)

Bundled up for the neighborhood bon fire.

I love her in dresses and boots. She just seems cuddley!

She like pilates...Ha! I call this her "move". She'll be dancing and then will stop and do this. It cracks me up! I swear I've never taught this girl pilates =)!

She's a big thinker. Can't you tell by that tongue sticking out?!

She loves to lay on her tummy and read books. When Jared walks to her room at night she gets so excited! She'll grab books or a puzzle and have him sit next to her. I think he would sit and play with her ALL day EVERY day if he could.

She's a hardworker... Seriously?! I don't think I've EVER seen him push her. She is ALWAYS pushing him. He's got her trained!

He does take care of her, though. She has such a sweet relationship with the boys. It's PRICELESS!

Random, I know. It's harder to get pics of Zane!!

Happy Birthday Zane and Lydia!!

We have several birthday clumped together on BOTH sides of the family. We celebrated Zane, Lydia, and Papa's birthday last Tuesday night at our house. It was a lot of fun!

Jared's sister, Alicia, made this apron for Lydia! I LOVE it!!She got a baby stroller from Great Grandma. Harrison was a little too rough on her other one!She also got this great four wheeler! She has had so much fun with this thing!!This is my niece Ashlyn. Her and Harrison look SO much like each other. I know this is what Lydia will look like when she is five!Zane on his 12th birthday!!!! I can not believe that he is that old!! It was mis match day at school. They were anxious to turn his candle to 21. I can't even imagine!Instead of a big party this year I let him have several friends over to spend the night. They had a lot of fun. Several never went to sleep (including Zane)!The next morning they went swimming to "prove that you were a man"! It was about 45 degrees outside!!!!

Halloween 2009

We had another busy but fun Halloween. Zane had cotillion and a party afterwards so he chose to do that instead of hang out with us. Can't imagine why =). He went as Jason. Since he was going to cotillion he decided to make his a "dressed up" version and added a tie. Very clever I thought! He walked downstairs and towards Lydia (trying to be scary) and she said, "Hi Zane!" She actually loves to play with the mask and knife! Harrison was my little, I mean, my tough gladiator.
Lydia was a bumble bee. I must say that she was the cutest little bee I've ever seen! I never did get a great picture of her in her costume. She was WAY to busy. She absolutely loved it this year. I wish we could have gone door to door all night. We had several stops so we only went door to door a few times in our old neighborhood.
Jason and the gladiator fighting before Zane left. I think it ended in a draw =).We got to see my nieces and nephew at Great Grandma's house. Ashlyn, Phillip, Lydia, Harrison and Bethany. They were so cute.
She LOVED this part!Her wings got a little droopy as the night went =). We can't have Halloween without Jared doing a LITTLE something. It's hard to see in this picture but he's got some hair pinned into his hat. It looked SOO real. Several people thought he had grown it out! VERY WT!Jared getting attacked and stabbed at the same time. Team work! Veggin out before bed. Not healthy!! H had to miss church the next day ;).