Birthday!

The big 3-3, I came, I saw, I kind of conquered.  Cheers to this life and 34, I am looking forward to a big year with my boys and GIRL!  These are the good ol' days.

An early birthday lunch celebration in Wilson. 

Ahhh, birthday pedis with my sister sisters!

Birthday brownie cake with my boys.  Dab on that yo!  They also got me a card and 2 bags of M&M's, simple love at its best.  Coming up in January... a trip to the spa... Calgon take me away.

Post birthday dinner with mi familia at Crook's Corner.  Happy Happy!

Deck the Halls

After a morning of Santa presents, we loaded up the car and headed to Goldsboro.  All of my grandparents and extended family live there and I have been having Christmas lunch with the Winslow crowd and dinner with the Frederick crowd my entire life.  We only see some of these people once a year, so I really enjoy this time.  

About 1/6th of the crew.  This is my favorite Holiday lunch of the year, lots of casseroles and side dishes and sweets.  I skip out on the turkey.  The boys love the... rolls.  

Mr. Cheese loves having his cousin Brooklyn around to play with and others his own age.  It is rough trying to keep up all the time.

Then we headed over to Papa's house for a few.  We didn't have time for dinner but did get in some good Christmas hugs with everyone.  And football.  Always have time for a quick game.

Papa giving some football tips to Jackson.

And after that, we rolled on to Wilson to see our Farris family.  More presents, a delicious dinner and silly reindeer shenanigans.    

And this.  Maybe my favorite picture ever.  Charlie, age 4.  If there was ever any doubt about who is Nash's dad.  Cutiesssss.

And then we gave it a day and waited for our California cousins to arrive!  MAS CHRISTMAS!  

                                       
                                       

All the cousins piled in at Tat and Will's house for some presents and supper and serious playing.  I am tired, apparently they are not.  

Christmasingggg

Christmas is going on full force around here.  A few pictures from Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with my sweet boys.  Happy Birthday to you Jesus!

Christmas Eve lunch at Jersey Mike's.  Dad always works so that others can have off so we make sure to visit him.  Fa, La, La, La Laaa!

Made some cookies for Santa.  'I think Santa is gonna be really glad we are doing chocolate chip.'  Yes indeed, I think so too Nash.

We made it to and through Christmas Eve candle light service at chuch, with bribes of present opening when we got home.  After a quick dinner we opened family presents and then got ready for bed and SANTA!

He came!  And brought chocolate candy!

And a tablet!  Jackson was surprised.  I told him he was not getting an IPAD... Santa found him a tablet and uploaded his favorite games and left a personal note about sharing.  :)

Snoopy Snow Cone machine!  We all had an icee for breakfast and now I need to buy more supplies.  

sleepovers!!

Nash and Theo were out all week for Christmas break, while Jackson was in school all week - 1st grade is rough.  They have been wanting to have a sleep over at Tat & Will's house but I won't let them do it on a school night.  I told Nash he could but Jackson wouldn't be able to come.  I did not think he would do it without his BFF.  Sure enough one day he asked if he could do it and much to our surprise headed on over like a big 4 1/2 year old boy.  Tat said he was a little quiet and nervous but embraced doing exactly what he wanted.  Like Kanki, do NOT tell Jackson about that part...

Friday night they both got to stay with Nat & Zack for a pizza, ice cream sundae, Grinch movie sleepover!  Theo got to go to a little cocktail and hors d'oeuvres get together with his parents which he equally enjoyed.  And I enjoyed only having one kid crawl into our bed that night.

Holiday Partaysss

We have had our fair share of Holiday get-togethers.  The only thing I want to get-together in the evening are my very large pajama pants, a t-shirt and big bowl of ice-cream.  I have powered thru a few times and stayed out talking to actual adults till 9:00pm, but after that I turn into a hermit.  This party was more my style - kid friendly, 4pm, gingerbread houses, hot chocolate and all the fancy candy you can imagine.

The neighborhood crew does Gingerbread Houses.  Best we could get...

My boys, we tried...

Elf on the Shelp

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow, 

Gave a lustre of midday to objects below, 

When what to my wondering eyes did appear, 

But a naked elf with a cute little rear...

A real, live, Elf on the Shelf.  Because our elf has never moved, whoops.

The Innkeeper

Last week Nash and Theo had their pre-school Christmas performance.  I was one proud mama watching my boys stand up on stage and sing and smile and praise the coming of sweet baby Jesus.  Theo sang a few songs and Nash was the Innkeeper in the Christmas story.

Can't think of a better role for my Nash.  NO room, sorry Jesus, no exceptions.

Proud brother, Theo!

School Pictures

Oh how I love dorky school pictures.  Especially, when haircuts are way over-due.

Jackson, 1st Grade, Creekside Elementary

(he told me they had re-does the next week, I told him heck no, this is perfect in every grubby elementary school way)

Nash, 4's Class, Resurrection Pre-School

(stud, he couldn't take a bad picture if he tried, he tries a lot)

Theo, 2's Class, Resurrection Pre-School

(he refused to smile... literally clinched his mouth shut, bah, ha, ha)

'Sick' Days

The Holidays alway seem to bring on the coughs and runny noses and fevers and dare I say it... upset stomach.  Last week Nash had a 'sick' day and today it is Theo's turn.  Both were from a nasty all night cough fest and prayers up, that is all.  They seem to happen on a morning when they should all be in school and I have been waiting for a little mom time to get things done.  Instead we snuggle and I drink a lot of coffee and make a to-do list for when they nap.  But they don't nap, and I may have been played for a fool, so I embrace the extra snuggles and catch up on Dinosaur Train.  We rarely sit still and in these moments I sometimes feel a little baby girl grooving in my belly.  It is my absolute favorite thing about being pregnant - and maybe the only thing I have enjoyed this time around.   A little reminder that, Lord willing, next year we will have six stockings on that fireplace.  How joyful.  How terrifying.  

Holiday Happenings

Decorating Gingerbread Houses with Grandmama.  And dabbing, stay dabbing.

Tarheel basketball with Dad, Grand-daddy and Farris.

Painting Christmas ornaments and watching Elf with Tat, while mom and dad are out on the town the ADULTS.

The Neighborhood Kids Holiday Market.  Silly putty and bath balls and cookies and other random things to break me of all my $1 bills.  But they cute.

Neighborhood Cookies and Caroling.  'That was a good party mom!' -Theo  

He consumed approximately 16 donut holes and 4 cookies and washed them down with some hot chocolate.  

Cousin Brooklyn is almost 3! What the what?  We celebrated with an early party because December birthdays are hard, sorry B.

A Sunday choral concert at Duke Chapel and dinner at Local 22.  And a big ol belly to go with it all.

HoHoHo!

We talked to the real Santa Claus this week!  Fitch Lumber hosted their annual 'kids night' and the boys were pumped that we could finally make it.  First we made an ornament and ate pizza while Theo warmed up to the idea of Santa.  Finally, he looked at me and said 'It's ok mom, Santa is nice.  I give him a high five.  I not gone cry.'  We all walked right up there, told him something on our wish list (Pokemon binder and a Snoopy Icee Maker - score) and even got a picture.  Success for mom!

I'm just gonna sit right here and eat my pizza ya'll.

'It is the real Santa mom.  Look at his belt!' - Nash 

Oh Christmas Tree!

The Farris Festivus Celebration.  The annual pissin of the Christmas tree.

jk-jk-jk

Sweet Greta

Our sweetest girl, Greta went to heaven yesterday.  We will miss her some kind of bad.  She had a seizure, and has never had one before. Charlie took her to the emergency vet and she came home the next morning but was completely out of it.  There was no tail wagging or acknowledgement of me, she was walking in circles, wouldn't eat, it was pitiful. After a few worried texts from me, Charlie came home and just took her in to the NC State vet clinic. They were great.  We decided to have an MRI done and found out it was inoperable brain tumor and she already had lots of bleeding.  It all happened within 24 hours and I am so thankful for that. We were just walking around the pond 2 days ago.  If I had of known what was to come we would have walked a little longer and had pot roast and chocolate chip cookies for dinner and I would have rubbed her wiggly booty while she licked my hand raw.  But all dogs go to heaven, that I am sure of.  No one loves and forgives as hard as they do. Thanks for a wonderful 9 years sweet G-Funky-Monkey, we love and miss you.

bragging

You are looking at the face of the 1st grade class spelling bee champion! He had a list, we did a little bit of practicing and boom he did it.  He did not get this from his mother.  Next up is the grade level, then the school, then the county, the Washington DC and it is on ESPN!  He has very high hopes.  

Football Sunday

Tis the season.  Some are getting their trees and decorating for Christmas, for others football still dominates on Sunday.  The neighborhood boys (dads) were going hard.

Gobble Gobble

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!  For his mercy endures forever. -Psalm 107:1

Happy Thanksgiving to all my crazy turkeys!  We were grateful to be able to make our rounds and see lots of family on Thanksgiving day.

1st stop, Grandmama and Grand-daddy's house for a serious grubbing lunch and some fresh air.  Obviously, these dudes did not eat as much as I did. 

Next up, a visit with Papa!

And finally we popped in on Chally & Billy-daddy - who happens to have the coolest chair ever.  On our way out Billy-daddy reminded us to count all our kids, he didn't want us to 'accidentally' leave any behind.  Ha!

Tar heeling

We got some spoiled Tarheels around here, living all of 5 minutes away from UNC we get to see our fair share of sporting events.  Saturday we got to partake in a Tarheel football victory and today a Tarheel volleyball domination.  ACC champs!

One of our favorite families came up for a visit before the game.  I mean really, the cutest Tarheels you ever did see.

A few of my favorite things - my boys, ice-cream, and Tarheel football.

'Go Taw Heels Bollyball!' - Theo

Had to get their picture taken on the real volleyball court!

I don't actually know what is going on here.