A New Tradition

We started a Jesse Tree with the boys this year.  You can google it to find out more info.  Basically there is an ornament for every day starting with December 1st and leading up to Christmas day.  It starts at the beginning of the old testament and shows how all the stories and events led up to the birth of Christ.  We really wanted to slow Christmastime down so that it would be enjoyable and not stressful.  We want it to be fun and "magical" but most of all we want the boys to always understand the true meaning of why we celebrate.  We want them to be grateful and not greedy.  We have had nights where the ornament didn't get added for that day but overall it has been a success.  I do hope that this is something the boys will grow to want to do each year and look forward to.  I want them to be able to tell us the stories instead of us telling them.  Carter has been able to do a few this year.  It has been good to sit after dinner and enjoy time as a family.  And to be real, that usually includes Aidan running around like a crazy person!

Lenox and The Pink Pig

On Monday we went to "the city" as the boys call it to see Santa and ride The Pink Pig.  Poor Aidan tried so hard to be brave to see and talk to Santa this year but when it was their turn he completely froze and just couldn't do it.  Carter had a good chat with him though! After the Santa visit we got our tickets to ride the pink pig.  I knew Carter was a bit old for it but Aidan loved it!!  Then we ran some errands and went to a sit down lunch at Another Broken Egg.  It was so good and the boys were awesome!  A fun morning spent in the "big city!"

Carter's Christmas Party

Luckily Carter's Christmas party was scheduled an hour after mine!  His class performed a Reader's Theatre to How The Grinch Stole Chirstmas.  I took my class with me and we all watched.  They did a great job! 

Aidan's Christmas Program and Party

I was able to take the morning off to go to Aidan's Christmas program and party.  The program was sweet with the 3's, 4's, and K-5 classes singing songs and saying verses.  Aidan was good for the first half then he was done.  He spotted a guitar pick across the stage and spent the last part of the program trying to get it.  He was so excited when his teacher got it for him! After the program we went back to his room for his party.  It was a fun morning spent at his school.

Unexpected Fun!

A few Saturday's ago we had some errands to run and weren't quite ready to go home yet. It was a beautiful day so we decided to go down to Dauset Trails. The boys and I went a few weeks ago but this was the first time that Ryan went. It was perfect weather and all the animals were really moving around. After that we stopped at Fresh Air for some amazingly good bbq! It looks like a shack on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere but its been there forever and it was pure yum!! Then we ended the day with driving through the light display at Atlanta Motor Speedway. It was neat because you actually drove under the grandstand at the racetrack. It was not planned but a very fun family day!

Merry Christmas!!

Thanksgiving Feast

Aidan had his Thanksgiving Feast last week at school. I was so thankful that I was able to leave in the middle of the day for an hour so I could be with Aidan. Bless his heart, he does not like it when things don't happen according to his usual schedule. The whole party and parents being there really threw him off. He did enjoy showing me around his room, reading some books to me, and eating their feast. He was also a fan of the cupcakes of course!

November 21st, 2011

was spent with Carter doing some of his favorite things. Spending time with a friend, feeding the horses at Nana and Papa's, hiking through the woods, and a surprise trip to Toys R Us to pick out his own gift. Carter says "it's great to be 8!"

Carter, We are so extremely proud of you and all you have already accomplished! You are so kind and always willing to help. You are adored by your little brother and a great friend to many. You work hard and always look on the bright side. You recently committed your life to Christ and we can't wait to see where God takes you! Parenting you so far has been humbling, hard, exciting, and so much more. What a journey these 8 years have already been! We love you so very much!!

8 Continued..

What better way to celebrate your 8th birthday than go to your first Falcons game with Uncle Tim!?! My mom won some great tickets to the Falcons/Titans game on Sunday. So Tim surprised Carter with a new Falcons shirt and told him they were going to the game! Carter was so excited and could not wait to spend some time with Uncle Tim. He came home talking about the cokes he drank, and the popcorn and dippin dots that he ate. He said that he was still an Auburn fan first but now he was a Falcon's fan second! He also has barely taken off his new Falcons hat that Tim got him at the game. He definitely lived it up! Thank you Uncle Tim for spoiling Carter!

Party Day!

I can not believe Carter is 8! I say that with every age but it's true. Carter wanted a mountain climbing birthday party. What better place to do this than Stone Mountain, right! We took Carter and 4 friends along with Papa and Uncle Tim for a little climbing adventure. It was a lot of fun and the boys did great!

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