1st Christmas Program

Last week the boys had their Christmas program at school. This is their first one, as the 4/5 classes are the only ones that put on a program. Andy and I bet that our kids wouldn't even get up on stage once they walked in and saw all those people there. Much to our surprise, they did come in and go up on stage. No crying!! Then it started down hill. Don't get me wrong we are very proud of them because they did stay up on stage the whole time. They even picked up their instruments and put them down when they were suppose to. That is all they did and I mean all they did. No motions, no singing, no jingling, and no kazooing. That's all ok because they were not sitting with Andy and I and were not crying. Andy is a very shy person and as a child I was very shy and still am at first, so they do get it honestly.

They are in the matching white sweaters (Carter on the left and Cale on the right).




Here everyone is playing the kazoo except our sweet boys.

Once again, everyone is bending to touch their toes except ours.

They are at least standing and holding the bells.

Baby's First Christmas

I loved taking these pictures of Cale and Carter when they were babies. It was our Christmas card picture that year. The one I used for them was actually on my film SLR, it was that long ago! Hard to believe what can change in four years. Mack is just so photogenic! If I wasn't so scared of him picking up something from the photography places then I would take him to get his picture made. I may do it in January when it dies down some. I feel kinda guilty because the other ones had monthly pictures for awhile, but I try and make myself feel better by saying that at first it was summer and there was no swine flu epidemic. Hopefully Mack won't care and will think my photography skills are better anyways.

At the bottom is one of Cale and Carter in the same pose and hat. They were a little older too. I do think that Mack favors them, but I think he looks different too. One main difference already is that C&C had very blue eyes for a long time. Whereas Mack's eyes are already dark either a brown or greenish brown, it's hard to tell.

Well here are some pictures from my handy work as a photographer.

This one is Cale and Carter (obviously). They were almost 7 months old in this picture.

The Finished Product

I realized after my last post that it didn't include any pictures of our tree decorated. Well, here are a few. The first couple are of the day we decorated it. I was able to let the boys help some. I had the lights on and half of the ornaments up when they woke up from their nap. Then I let them help me do the rest. This is a big step fro me since I have OCD and all the ornaments have to be in just the right spots. I resisted rearranging and only moved a few that were all on the SAME branch. When I noticed that we had to go over one ornament per branch. I still walk by and find two or more on a branch and know that they must have been messing with the tree. I do have a lot of ornaments that play music or light up and so it is rather hard to resist, but after about 100 times of seeing or hearing it they don't mess with it any more. Andy and I got a new ornament this year and it is the good ole RV from Christmas Vacation and you press a button and it says a couple of Cousin Eddie lines from the movie. That is a classic.




The shirt says it all for this sweet baby

Christmas PJs-- I wanted to get all matching, but was too cheap.
Cale and Carter are wearing the ones from last year and Mack is wearing some that Andy's secretary, Amy, gave him.

O Christmas Tree

While in Sparta for the second half of Thanksgiving we visited a Christmas tree farm and picked out a tree. I absolutely love doing this!! Growing up we always had a crappy artifical tree. My parents wouldn't even go to a lot must less a farm to buy a real one. So we always have a real one and every couple of years we journey to the mountains to do a choose and cut tree. It is a really fun experience and I think everyone should do it at least once. The farm we usually go to added a little hay ride this year up to the trees. It was a lot of fun!! The weather was great that day too!! Sunny and just right for picking out a tree.

Happy Thanksgiving...A Little Late

It has been a crazy long time since I have posted anything! We have been really busy around here with the boys and Christmas shopping and then there's all the normal everyday stuff. Life is really busy!! I can't imagine having any more kids, because I feel like I barely have time for three. This is very strange to me because I didn't even feel this busy when the boys were babies. I just felt very very overwhelmed. Now if feel like there is a never ended mound of laundry and cleaning all the time!! It feels like the whole 3-4 hours the boys are at school everyday is gone before I know it. I don't know how, but it seems like I have errands to run everyday. What do I do?! It is probably that I forget stuff and have to make another trip out. Yes I do make lists, but I always seem to forget to put something on my list. Then when I get the the store I realize I might have a coupon and decide to wait until I find it. Now I have just given up on the coupon. If I am at the store then I buy it so I don't have to come back. One day after getting the baby strapped in the Bjorn I realized I forgot my list AND my coupons. I went ahead and shopped and forgot many items that day.

The big boys are doing really good. They still amazingly love the baby and always want to talk to him. They are beginning to read even better now which is so cool! they read a card yesterday and knew all but a couple words. It is still really cool to hear them play together. They play so nicely and love each other so much.

The baby is doing good. His jaundice FINALLY cleared up! I really thought he was going to be yellow forever. At his 2 month check up he weighed 12 lbs 6 oz. He is definitely a big boy! His night time sleeping has gotten better. I guess it was never terrible, although he did have his bad nights every once in a while. He has slept through the night several times, but mostly just wakes up because of his pacifier and gas or to have one little feeding at 3 or 4. He is totally sleeping in his bed all night long. No more trips to the swing!! He still sleeps great during the day. Which is something the other ones never did. I read the other day where they should sleep at least 5 hours during the day and Mack actually does that if not more. Cale and Carter maybe slept 2 hours total during the day and I am not exaggerating!! Mack is just really laid back and only really cries if hungry or gassy. He loves playing on his activity mat thing and is laughing and smiling a lot.

Here are some November pictures. I will try and get a slide show made with more and try and be better with posting.

An attempt at a Christmas card picture.


Mack at 2 months

Thanksgiving