The Home stretch.

I read a blog today that had a list of things Moms with boys commonly say... I laughed so hard I literally scared Elise. :) Here are just a few of my favorites and seriously I have said several of these...

"Don't use the couch as a napkin."
"The cat doesn't wear your pants"
" Poop goes in the potty, not on the...."
"Leave your diaper alone."
"Stop licking me"
"That doesn't go in your ear."
"Do not hang things on your pee pee"
"No snack, You just ate"
"You are not a bird, and you cannot fly."
"That is not a sword"
"Stop hitting"
"Go wrestle in the other room."
"Quit climbing"
"Say excuse me"
"Stop farting"



 And seriously the one I say all day long..... "Quit playing in the toilet." I honestly caught Silas headed into the bathroom the other day with a straw in his hand...... My imagination tells me only one thing was about to happen... AAAHHHH!!!! UGGGHHH! Last week he threw an entire bowl of fruit loops into the toilet, and then he was so upset with me when I would not let him eat them out of it. I grew up in a home with two boys and I pretty much was a tomboy until I hit highschool. This still did not prepare me for the day in/ day out craziness of raising boys. :) They are definitely a different breed. :)

Which brings to our first picture... My sweet baby girl. :)


And the next photos go right into what life in our house is all about right now. :) Tackling, climbing......

 So a sad thing happened a few months ago.... Hostess went out of business. We love love love the mini donettes and yes, I am a bad mother and allowed my children to consume way too many of them causing sadness that they are no longer available. I took some photos of those last precious, little circles of goodness..

 Carson liked chocolate,th Silas liked powdered, and poor Elise will never get to know what they really taste like. I craved the powdered donuts this pregnancy so I know she was a fan. :( Ok... now maybe we will eat a healthier breakfast. :)

A few of our favorite things.

Next came Christmas time!!! Carson asked if we could go get a Christmas tree. It was still November and usually that is just not done in our house... Trees come in Decmeber.. but he so sweetly and so randomly might I add asked for one that we could'nt resist.

We decided to have lunch first and went into the Roadhouse grill. This was our first time and it was quite a shock to Carson that you are supposed to throw your peanut shells onto the floor. He said " No daddy, You're kidding me." 

He put his arm around daddy for this picture. :)

He put ketchup all over me

December just doesnt really stop... and really how can a mommy with little ones not take a million pictures and get as much joy as we can out of all the events and memories be made. So here goes ...

 Silas making messes, baby smiles!

I started out the month and was intending to do a "elf" on the shelf.... Well I used goofy and the first day was make a fruit loop ornament and learn how to smell Jesus.... Day 1 success! Day 2 never happened.. LOL! Maybe next year..

He is non-stop silly.

 We headed to Disney at Christmas time!!!! It was so wonderful!!!

 Here's a whole bunch of photos from the parade... just in case you've never seen the Mickey Christmas parade. These toy soldiers were so neat!

 Riding Dumbo! Elise's first time!

Meeting the Mouse!

 Bob's work put on a Christmas party for the kids at a local pizza place. So much fun! Carson had no idea how to treat Santa... He was so confused that Santa had no presents for him... :)

Just a usual Sunday afternoon.....

 We eat out too much!!! Their skills at restaurants are amazing

 And Silas doesnt even know what a refrigerator is supposed to hold...

 The lights on the Christmas tree had her so fascinated...uc She would lay next to the tree and coo and smile at the blinking lights.... Was such a bummer to see the tree leave.

 On Christmas Eve we went and delivered cookies to some of our closest church families...

Showing off that Santa Belly. :)

 And Christmas Eve we gave the boys a box with new pjs. a few books, and some new Mickey Mouse cups....

Next up Christmas morning....

 On each present this year I wrote a little special note... The sad thing is I didnt get pictures of each one and I no longer can remember them for the most part...
On the calendars I wrote... I love you every single day... On the Thomas toys- I choo- choose to love you!The movies said We love to watch you grow....  and on the skates for Carson I wrote... Never underestimate the things you CAN do!

Dream lite

outfit

 Carson asked specifically for skates this year... To tell you the truth I struggled with this request... It caused me tears... I asked him multiple times to see if there was a way that he might change to a different request and nope... each time he asked for skates... Well! We bought him skates! And by golly.. we are going to do everything we know to get those skates used. :)

Silas got a pair too, and well....

He decided it was easier to crawl in them

 Skates made me cry... You know why... Because they reminded me that something isn't how I think it should be. I think that all kids should be able to use their legs and skate.... That's what I think.... But thankfully its not important what I think. My definition of perfect is not the same as Gods. God is good, His plans are far greater than our own. He is powerful, loving, and knowing of everything we hope and expect. "Expect a miracle" is one of my many catch phrases...and although I have a sign that sits in my living room as a daily reminder I still forget. This journey with spina bifida has only made us more sure of who God is.

II Corinthians 3:4,5 " And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:  Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;"