We're Goin' on a Tree Hunt

Instead of a bear hunt, we went on a tree hunt!  Usually we just go find our artificial one down in the basement.  However, last year left a bad taste in our mouths.  Our prelit tree had to be stripped of its unworking lights, which ended up being about a 3 hour process.  So, instead of bringing up those memories, we just decided it might be time for our little ones to pick their tree. 

It was fun, messy, and I am guessing it will be something they will want to do over and over again.  We even decided to go all out and cut one down.  Tony and I have never done that because my favorite live trees are fraiser furs.  I wanted to give them the true experience where they got to see their daddy work and we got to scream, "Timber!"  We picked out a Green Giant on Jacks Creek Farm.  It was actually the first one we came to.  After looking over several more, we came back to the first one. 

And, once we got it home, I realized that all that hunting was in vain.  Any tree looks beautiful once you get it home and decorate it.  It is especially beautiful when you get to pull out the ornaments and tell your little ones the history of each one.  It's even more beautiful as you sit and admire the tree and talk about the symbolism -  its star and evergreen branches.  These are the traditions I want to keep.

 

So Thankful

Life a plenty, laughs so many

Food abound, luxuries all around.

One boy, one girl - who make our life a whirl

Thank you, Lord!  Into us you have freely poured. 

May we give back to You,

to thank You for all you do. 

Cam's class cake - 3rd place

When Daddy Carves the Turkey

The Indian Feast

The Indian and the Turkey

So proud to show sister around his school

Thanksgving Day Feast

Very Thankful for these Two

Even thankful for all of this sassiness!

Thankful for a rest and relaxation

Maeve's First Game at Sanford Stadium

Family Shot in front of the Hedges

On Saturday 11/19, we took a family outing to the GA vs. KY game.  Tony talked about taking Cam, and since I had not been in while and Maeve had never been, we decided it might be a fun outing for the whole family. It was a great day for Georgia football since this game clinched an SEC playoff position for our Dawgs. 

Maeve-  ready for her first game. 
Cam- ready to show her what it's all about. 

We layered ourselves in red and black and headed to breakfast at Strickland's first.  Then we made our way to the stadium.  The walk took a few extra minutes with little feet moving as fast as they could.  When we made it to our seats, the snacking began.  When Cam and Maeve think of football, they think of unlimited snacks.  It isn't the cool stunts from the cheerleaders, the Redcoat band, or Hairy Dawg.  They think of all the yummies they get to have.  They had apples, grapes, a banana, Pixie stix, popcorn, Little Debbies, suckers, Cheez-Its, and cotton candy.  I think I remembered everything.  Phew!  They consumed enough calories for the entire weekend for sure! 

I am not opposed to the snacks as long as it occupies them.  I was not intending on staying for the whole game, but the point spread was not enough to just pick up and leave.  For that I was glad for the extra snacks. 

Serious Popcorn Eating

Made it to the 4th Quarter

Instead of rooting them on, they ate them on to a win!  Go Dawgs! 

Super tired, but still all smiles! 

Maybe he did watch the game a little - he'showing off some moves he saw

Our Georgia Girl

"Cam say that word!"

Cam and Maeve, in true sibling style, love to tell on each other.  There is a fine line between love and hate tread on each night.  They can be SO very sweet and loving to one another in one minute, and then the worst of enemies the next.  Cam is a huge pesterer right now, and Maeve is a tattler.  The combination of the two can be nerve-racking to say the least! 

One of Maeve's daily tattles is, "Cam say that word!" if she ever hears him saying something she deems as ugly.  And of course Cam denies any infraction.  Then, sneakily he will whisper something in her ear to get her in trouble.  It is a back and forth interaction.  If we ever get on to Cam, Maeve will ask, "What Cam do?"  Just like a girl...gotta be in-the-know!

This, too, shall pass.  However, I think this will be a quality that grows with them in some form or fashion.  They do seem to find some time to enjoy each other's company, every once in a while!

Trick or Treat

 Usually the first chance to dress up every year is for the Hallow Him party at church.  Evidently I must have been hungry this year as I decided on costumes....Cam was a hamburger (or as we referred to him as Camburger) and Maeve was a cupcake.  They loved doing the trunk-or-treat and the cake walk.   They also got to dress us while we were in Amelia Island.  They went around to the different stores at the plantation and got some candy and also did some carnival-type games.  Both were very good sports for their costumes.  I think they actually enjoyed dressing up.

Then, on Halloween night, we invited the Meelers over to eat supper.  After that, we headed out for our first real trick-or-treating.  (Usually we just load them up and take them across the county to be able to see all the grands and the aunts and uncles....well, for everyone to be able to see them all dressed up.)  We decided to shake it up a little this year and make it easier on ourselves not to have to drive so far on a school night. 

We went to a nearby neighborhood and were a little wary of it since none of us had ever really done ther neighborhood trick-or-treating growing up. They had a blast! Although we only went to about 5 houses total, they loved riding around on the back of the truck and jumping off to go ring the next doorbells. It was quite comical as the little ones kept falling and lagging behind the bigs. We are thinking this is going to be our new trick-or-treating tradition.  We might have had just as much fun as they did! 

More great memories to add to our collection! 

Beach and Bulldawgs

Beach time came around quicker this year because I declared that we would be following the dogs to Florida.  We went a few years before Cam and Maeve were here, but haven't been back since they were born.  I really just needed an excuse to getaway to my favorite Amelia. 

Just steps away from the beach

My Beach Boy

They could not resist the waves...eventhough they were very chilly!

Family Foot Pose

My Beach-Loving Baby Girl

Kindergarten Kid (Part II)

Cam is having a great time in kindergarten.  He is learning so much already.  I am so glad that he likes school.  I never realized how much I would enjoy having him with me at school.  I love running in to him in random places throughout the school.  He still runs up and gives me a hug when I walk in to the cafeteria.  We have gotten used to our morning ride-in routine and the afternoons when he has to hang around while I finish up working. 

He recently participated in the Eagle Run/Walk where he tried to run as many laps in the gym as he could in 12 minutes.  He was able to complete 28.  I got to pop in and out during the running time.  He was really running hard. I think he has his daddy's competitive nature.   He also rode the bus for the first time on their trip to the pumpkin patch.  He talked about the bus ride more than the cool things he did at the patch.  While brushing his teeth on 11/8, one of his wiggly teeth feel out.  He came running in to report the news!  Then, the very next day, I pulled his other one in the cafeteria at school.  He isn't really a snaggle tooth because his permanant ones were already peeking through. 

He is growing up so fast.  I think the scariest thing to me is that when I started teaching, I remember having a few teaching friends who had kindergartners or first graders, and now those same little ones are big ones in high school.  Before I know it, my kindergarten kid will be an all-grown-up-one.  Trying to soak up every little part of him. 

One of my favorite rituals with him is lying with him every night and saying prayers with him.  He likes for me to lay with him until he's asleep.  We are trying to get him to feel comfortable just being tucked in and not having to have someone lay with him.  I haven't really pushed this goal because I know, all too soon, this nighttime moment will be lost just like those two front teeth.  Love you, Cam....my favorite little boy! 

Heaven's Best Girl

Never have I seen someone more excited or on a mission than I have when my daddy came up with his biggest advertising idea.  He is constantly researching new ways to cost-effectively advertise for his carpet cleaning business.  Well, what do you get when you have a professional photographer as an employee and a Shirley Temple-look-alike granddaughter?  The perfect combination for his best adverstisement investment yet! 

Now if you call Heaven's Best and need some cleaning services, you will see this coming your way.  You got it - in larger-than-life form - Maeve is the carpet model that is proudly billboarded on the carpet truck.  On its debut day, his customer asked him who that pretty little girl was on his truck.  He was thrilled to tell her it was his granddaughter and the picture was taken just a couple of weeks earlier.  And at that bragging moment, the cost of his ad was priceless! 

Doo has always had a soft spot for his girls.  Maeve, we are pretty certain (with this as proof), has the softest spot!