Nicky Toothy

Our little Elf on the Shelf, Nicky Toothy, keeps bringing little surprises... And it's so cute to see how excited the kids are to find him every morning!  Of course he brought the annual Christmas Pj's... and for the first time Chris and Addie won't match... I had to buy Chris adult jammies since he's grown out of gymboree and other kid's stores... He loves his "big boy" flannels.:)

 

 Of course every night is not filled with a surprise... Like the morning he didn't hide and left a note... Do ya think Mommy had a hard time at bed time and threw in the towel? Ha! 

Gingerbread Men!

We spent a night hanging out at the house watching Tech lose to WVU- Boo... and making gingerbread men...  I don't think we'll quit our day jobs... :)

Clear Brook Park 2012

We decided it was rather nice out once school night and ventured out to Clear Brook Park in Winchester... This is somewhat of a tradition- You walk through a large park with tons of lights, a light show, munch on cookies and drink hot chocolate, and visit with Santa in a real log cabin... There's something that is just so special about small towns and I love it!  This year they added special glasses for $2 that made all the lights appear as Santa!  The kids loved them and now wear them in our neighborhood when we walk around at night looking at lights.  The kids both said they wanted Ipads and Santa told them they have to do school work on them if they get them and use them to learn!   Brendan and I both enjoyed it, but wondered if in eight years when baby #3 is Chris's current age, if Chris and Addie will be happy to go on family outings like this when they are teenagers- or if it will be like pulling teeth!

 

LOL..

Addie:

Dear Jesus,  Please let the poor people know that when I'm older I will sell them my money.  Amen.

Ha!  Girls got the most caring spirit... but we might need to work on that one! :)

My Family xoxo

Sunday was a chillax day... We went to church, Brendan and Chris volunteered and did the church recycling, and I took Addie to a birthday party at Pump-It-Up- where she sat at a table full of boys while her girl classmates sat at another table... Hmmm little Missy! 

 

After that, we attempted to get Christmas card pictures... We got some adorable picture of the kids... but let's just say my Dad might need work on his camera taking skills- we either had a house in the picture, a head was cut out, ya or I looked like a heifer... so we'll try again.:) 

 Oh- and ya see this little monkey.,.,. Last night Addie woke me up at 3am... I just happened to notice a light coming from Chris's room.. BUSTED... he was awake playing video games.  He claimed he couldn't sleep- but he knew he was in deep doo doo- He hopped in his bed soooo fast and I could see the look of fear in his eyes...  Let's just say he was warned and if we ever catch him doing that again he loses his xbox in his room!  LITTLE STINKER... Oh- but he is really growing up- He was reading tonight and I couldn't believe how well...  It's crazy how fast these kids learn!

The terrible, horrible, no good very bad day!

Saturday was supposed to be a wonderful day... We had plans of going to hunt country- to see the Middleburg parade and then eat at the Red Fox Inn and be fancy...  Well, we never made reservations, but decided to head out to the 'burg to see the hunt run through town.  Nona and Papa got Mage and Jack and we got to Middleburg and hour early.  Unfortuneatly, they didn't have enough shuttle buses running- so we decided to follow some others lead and started to walk the mile and a half to town to catch the parade...

 

Note to self- Walking along Highway 50 with four kids is no fun.  At all...but at least they never complained- ONCE!

 The didnt' even complain when we got to town and the policeman told us we just missed the entire parade- that it headed to other way out of town... and we MISSED everything!  I'm not sure if the kids even comprehended... We walked the streets of Middleburg and the kids had fun dodging the leftover horse crap.  Oh the joys.

 We then decided to go more our speed and Nona and Papa treated us all to IHOP.  Uncle E and Janet met up with us and we had plenty of laughs- like when we looked up and Mage had the entire bottle of Strawberry syrup that sits on the table in his mouth and he was sucking on it... I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to eat at an IHOP again- because I'm sure that's not the first time that's happened!

And let's just say the day didn't get any better... Chris had a swim meet at George Mason- he did great... but on the way home, we were hit/rear ened by a car.  Brendan's bumper is hanging on by a thread and Chris and I had to be checked out at the hospital... Just a little whiplash and headache... We had the baby monitored for an hour and Thank GOD that everything was okay.... But let's just say this is one day we'd like to forget!:)

So sweet...

Not gonna lie... I love my little Addie Tay and LOVE the phase she is going through right now- She wants to be "just like Mommy"... wants to like everything I like, do everything I do, and tells me a hundred times a day I'm her girlfriend or her BFF.  I'm just loving it- and cherishing every second of it WHILE IT LASTS!:)

Friday Night...

Yep, our Friday nights are wild and crazy now-a-days... The kids were soooo excited for "Movie Night" at their elementary school.  We dressed the kids in jammies and met up with Danielle and the girls at Sycolin Creek to drag our pillows and blankets into the gym to watch the Lorax.  The kids each got popcorn and water, sat with their friends... and actually watched a movie beginning to end.  I have to admit I was dreading it- and never thought they'd actually sit for the movie- I pictured pure chaos- but it made for a really fun night!

 

It's that time of year!

Okay, I could only threaten the kids for so long that they weren't getting anything for Christmas and our beloved Elf, Nicky Toothy, wasn't coming this year... The kids were extremely fussy over Thanksgiving break- but we're back in school and yesterday they were angels.  They had friends over after school and we had homemade brownie sundaes... I hope the other parents aren't made if I spoiled dinner... oops!   Then at 7 at night, I HAD to get out of the house, so we invited Nona over for a walk... and armed with flashlights, we walked around the neighborhood and judged Christmas lights.... Chris likes anything with color, I prefer the classic look, Nona only likes lights that are perfect, and Addie likes everything I like... so I need to watch what I say- On more than one occasion, she looked at a house and said, "Mommy, that's tacky!" 

This morning, when Nicky Toothy was out, the kids were soooo excited and I realized I have another year where they truly believe.  Chris was so nervous Addie was going to touch the elf and it would lose it's magic, and Addie was so cute saying, "Nicky Toothy- Mama tells me McKenna is sold out- Can you please, please, please have the elves make me one."  It was precious... and I realized that maybe I'll get excited about this holiday season yet- seeing it through the kid's eyes. :)

 

Perfect Afternoon...

 

Today, the kids had an early dismissal from school for dental appointments... They both did great- Although the dental hygienist still remembers Addie from her first visit 3 years ago when she threw a total fit and wouldn't be seen... I think she left quite the impression.:)   Yay for no cavities... Let's hope they continue to have Daddy's solid teeth and not mine.:)

 

After their appointment, it was a gorgeous day, so we headed to Trailside Park... Chris was my sweet little boy but started off playing the "I'm getting to big to play at a park" card... I'm soooo not ready for that...

Kevin, Lauren, and Callan came to meet up with us and Callan was the center of attention- sooo cute!:) 

Chris continued to have a 'tude and I was getting fed up...

                                            Oh yes, he's going through that stage... making funny faces, talking in strange, annoying voices, and just being all out goofy...

 And doing things like messing up his sisters picture...

 Sweet Addie... Along for the ride- always happy and making friends... :)

 But as soon as Kevin and Lauren left- who now looking back on it, he was working hard to be "big" in front of... He found his inner kid... and we stayed for another hour. The kids made friends, played in the woods, and even knocked down and then rebuilt a tee pee.

 

 Dare I say it- Chris became my loving, sweet, little baby boy...  and

We ended up having a perfect day.  Yay for parks... and Chris and Add better get used to going... Baby #3 deserves to visit the park at some point in her life.:)

Made With Love

 

"Mommy, Why does Krysta always make me pretty bows?  Is it because she loves me and because I'm one of her girlfriends?" 

 

Yep, baby, she sure does... and it will never get old how Addie uses the word girlfriend... Like when she high-fives me and says, "High five, Girlfriend!" :)

 

If you're looking for the best priced, highest quality, and original bows, check out my cousin's website:

 

http://krysta-phillips.wix.com/littlepeepsbows

 

 

We're halfway there...

Yep, it's been a while... I just tried to update the Slog with a few posts... and promise to be better from here on out.  I love this blog because it's my way of remembering life with my kids.  They seem to be growing up before my very eyes. 

 

I got off track this summer when we found out we're adding a baby to our family and becoming a Party of Five!  During the first 12 weeks, I was sick, and would retreat to my bed and crash earlier than I ever have in my life!  I have never been sick when I was pregnant- and I literally thought I was going to die.  Luckily, the kids were so great, and some nights would just agree to watch t.v. and let me lay down- They totally "got" that Mommy was sick.

 

We are past 20 weeks and I can NOT wait for our little girl to be here!

 

I'm not gonna lie... It took me a little while to get to this point.  The first two weeks we knew we were expecting, I was giddy, and over the moon.  Then, I became sick, and I felt like a horrible mother because I just kept thinking to myself how easy life has gotten and how much I love our little family- Brendan, Shelley, Chris and Addie.  I was down because I FEEL older, I AM older AND heavier, and add pregnancy hormones and ya have one hot mess! Top that with the fact that we had it in our minds that we were having a boy... and then we received the news that it's A GIRL! and I felt even worse.  We paid for an early ultrasound to find out and when we left the exam room I asked a woman in the waiting room what she was having... When she said "boy", I looked at her and said, "I'll trade ya..." Let's just say it wasn't one of my finer parenting moments... and I felt even worse because here I am blessed with a child- a gift from God- when some dream and pray for one.  Yep, so let's just say I really think I was struggling internally with all the changes that are about to happen to our family...

 

Fast forward to now... I am giddy with excitement.  The kids can't wait for their baby sister, and I literally melt when I rehearse in my head things like, "Brendan you take Chris to baseball, and I've got the girls."  Yep, the Girls!  I guess I never had a sister and I didn't "get" what it will be like... But I know that Addie is going to be the best Big Sister in the world. 

 

Speaking of Addie- Some days she is in love with the thought of a baby... and then there are mornings like the other day when she cries and fusses, "No one loves me.  Everyone loves the new baby."  Brendan and I are both determined to let her know how special she is to us and to never have a middle child... Unless she's calling herself our little "monkey in the middle"... and she knows that comes with special perks- Like cuddling between us in bed, being an Addie sandwich, and getting all the attention in the world.:)

 

Chris is excited for the baby, but he's so cute- Sometimes he rolls his eyes and says "another sister."  He's just growing up too fast... and now that I know that I'm having another girl- I'm glad.  I'm pretty sure that no boy could be like my Chris.  He's always been my sidekick, my special boy, and we just have this special connection that I could never put into words...

 

So, there you have it...  after a roller coaster of emotions, we're on our way to having three children... and I'm sure our world is about to be turned upside down- At least now we're welcoming it with open arms.:)

 

 

And yep, I'm growing... Let's hope not too much- Ya know, every girl wants to be huge and then be in her brother's wedding six weeks after delivering!

 

19 weeks to go... and we can't wait to share it all.:) 

 

XOXO

LOVE...

Baby #3 is going to have a hard time fitting in... because these two really are two peas in a pod and love each other so much.:)

 

Halloween 2012

Yay!  Daddy was home for Halloween for the first time in years... Yep, he had to use vacation time to make sure, but he never complained... and even used a vacation day for the next day so he could take the kids to Donuts with Dad the next morning... LOVE.:)

 

We spent Halloween night in our Hood and loved it... The kids ran with their friends, we walked with ours, and Brendan even carried adult beverages. Such a fun night! 

 

And yes... Chris was sooo excited- We finally gave in and let him be Scream for Halloween... with a weapon.  We had denied this for two years... but don't let him know- We mainly gave in because he really wanted to wear a black morphsuit and he'd only fit into an adult size which ran 60 bucks... Scream was the smarter choice... at least for our wallets... Needless to say- he surprised us... and didn't even get in trouble with his machete once!  Hallelujah!!!