a hero in training

ordinary days, Fredericksburg edition

Where was C while P, Daddy A, and I were in Asheville?  He was with his Grandma Paige and Poppa Fred in Fredericksburg!  C spent a few days with his grandparents.  They went looking at Christmas lights, shopped at the mall, and had a lot of fun times together.  We missed C, but loved hearing about his adventures when he got home!

ordinary days, Asheville edition

The last week in November, P had his annual appointment at the eye doctor in Asheville.  Daddy A took the afternoon off, and the three of us spent some time in "the big city".

Santa was already out at the mall!  P and the man in the red suit had a nice chat, and he was sweet enough to ask for some things for his little brother and "all the other kids in the world".

P was in such a goofy mood!  He happily posed for a picture with this paper hat.

Of course I felt the need to do just a bit of shopping.  :)  P found this fedora and assured me that it was "very awesome", and that if I would purchase it, he would wear it "lots".  Just look at him in this photo, wearing the fedora.  The fedora that he has worn exactly one time.  Yes, the one time in the store that you see captured on film.  It's a good thing he's so adorable and he has such good taste in hats.

We enjoyed our evening with our oldest.  We make an effort to spend time with each of the boys individually, and we always have a blast!  And where was C?  Stay tuned for my next post!

Christmas {part one}

The Saturday after Thanksgiving, while Grandma Hen and Granddaddy Rooster were visiting, we celebrated Christmas with them.  The boys decided that we needed a new tree topper, so they got to work on our decor.  I love love love this angel!

We exchanged gifts with Grandma Hen and Granddaddy Rooster.  Each of the boys received an ornament for our Christmas tree.  C was extremely excited about his Ariel ornament!  (She did not last long on the bottom branches... we had to move her out of C's reach.)

We were so blessed to start our Christmas celebrations with family on such a great note!  We had a wonderful visit and enjoyed our time together.

fun in the kitchen

One of the boys' favorite things to do is bake, so while Grandma Hen was visiting she made sure to spend some time in the kitchen with P and C.

The boys had a blast baking and decorating Christmas cookies.  (I especially enjoyed the baby Jesus cookies... the boys made several cookie Nativity scenes.)

Thanksgiving!

I love Thanksgiving.  I just love the idea of people taking the time to appreciate their blessings... of course, that shouldn't be limited to one day or one time of year, but it is a nice reminder of how important it is to be thankful for all that we have.

We started off Thanksgiving day with turkey pancakes.  The boys helped me make our festive breakfast.  P wouldn't eat the banana feathers on his plate, but at least I offered fruit... right?

Grandma Hen and Granddaddy Rooster arrived on Thanksgiving afternoon.  The boys couldn't wait to curl up on the couch with a good book and a willing narrator.  :)

We had a delicious Thanksgiving dinner together and enjoyed time with our family.  I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving day as well (and yes, I realize that my wishes are several months late!).

delicious Thanksgiving decor

The Pilgrims Sailed on the Mayflower

As our family prepared for Thanksgiving, C donned his "Pilgrim hat" and the boys collaborated on an adventure with their Mayflower playset.  I love watching them play together, and I'm so glad they still enjoy Fisher Price Little People figurines.  This is one of my all time favorite "Thanksgiving" pictures!

P's first cheer competition

In November, P's squad competed in their first cheer competition of the season.  After an evening at Disney on Ice and a night at the hotel, we met up with our friend "Marfa" for breakfast.

P got dressed and ready to go.  Upon arrival, I convinced him to pose for a photo with Haley.

The team did a great job at the competition!

Marfa and P showed off their best cheerleading moves.

P's team placed in the competition, and they took a team picture before we headed home.

We are so proud of P and his teammates.  Their dedication and hard work is impressive!

Disney on Ice!

P's first cheer competition of the season was in Greensboro.  We found out that the night before the competition Disney on Ice was at the Greensboro Coliseum, so we decided to head to the city early and enjoy some entertainment.  (P and C were excited to spend the night in a hotel, too.)

We picked P up from school and headed to our hotel, where the boys changed into their Disney shirts.

The show was excellent, and there was a little something for everyone.  C, our mermaid lover, said his favorite part of the show was "seein' Ariel".

P, who's a bit more traditional, enjoyed watching Lightning McQueen and his friends race around the ice.

The boys split a bag of cotton candy, which came with a "free" hat... P voted for the Lightning McQueen hat, while C wanted this fairy hat.  P told C that he could get the fairy hat, because he knew C really wanted it and likes to dress up so much.  It was such a sweet reminder of what a great big brother P is!

We had a blast at the show.  The boys were so excited at the end of the show that it took them until after 11pm to fall asleep.  I'd enthusiastically recommend the show to families looking for entertainment.  We had a blast!

C gives thanks

a playdate with Colby

The Polar Express

In early November, Grandma Paige and Poppa Fred came to visit and the six of us headed to the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad to take a trip to the North Pole!  The last time we rode on the Polar Express P wasn't two yet and I was pregnant with C, so I was looking forward to enjoying the train ride with both of the boys.

The boys were super excited to don their new "candy cane pajamas".  Right after they took a photo with Santa, we met up with the train conductor.  He had packs of tickets and a punch - he was adorable!

They've got it - hot, hot, hot, hot chocolate!  C chose this hat in the gift shop and couldn't wait to put it on.  P and C both enjoyed their sweets and cocoa.

We all had a blast on our trip.  Our trip to the North Pole was a great way to kick off the Christmas season!

close of the soccer season

P had a blast playing soccer for his school team last fall.  (If you're just starting to read, you may not be aware of how far behind I am in my blogging.)  This picture of P and his friend Noah was taken in November, at the last game of the season.

For P, soccer was a great blend of fun and exercise.  I'm so glad he enjoyed his season - I have a feeling we'll be back for more next fall!

Happy sixth birthday, P!

P, I can't believe you are six years old!  With each birthday, I exclaim, "{Insert new age of son here} seems so old!"  And this year, I say, "I can't believe you are six!  Six seems so old!"  Six means that kindergarten is almost over, and is my yearly reminder that you are not a baby anymore.  You are still my baby, just as you will always be my baby, and C will always be my baby, but you are no longer the tiny little one I brought home from the hospital who fit into my arms with ease.

You still climb into my lap to read and cuddle sometimes, and I cherish those times more than ever as they grow less frequent.  Now when you climb into my lap your feet hang down almost to the floor, but I love it just as much as I always have!

I'm so glad I have the pleasure of watching you grow up, P.  You are becoming a focused and determined young man.  For a six year old, you employ advanced logic to so many situations.  You can make a case for almost anything.  Just Thursday night, your teachers told me you will make a great lawyer if that's the career path you choose!  :)

This year your relationship with God has continued to blossom.  You share some amazing prayers, especially at the dinner table and at bedtime.  You are unashamed to pray in front of others - in fact, you love to sign up to pray at church dinners on Wednesday night, even though most of the other volunteers are adults.  You often choose to read your Brick Bible for fun, and you love to discuss our morning devotion in the car on the way to school.

Your selflessness is such a gift.  You often say that your favorite thing to do is make people happy.  You look out for your brother, and you willingly share your belongings with others - friends, family, and even people you don't know well.

You are becoming a great reader!  We just started reading the Frog and Toad books, and you enjoy being read to and reading to me.  You laughed and laughed as we read "The List" the first time, and I am so glad to see you reading for fun - I hope you love reading as much as I do!

At the moment, you love "tiny Legos", especially Ninjago and Chima sets.  You are finishing up a season of competitive cheerleading, and when that's complete you are already geared up to give Tae Kwon Do a try.  I think you were hooked from your first board break at Parents' Night Out!

 

I'm so proud of who you're becoming, and I can't wait to see you continue to grow into the man God wants you to be!  Daddy, C, and I love you so much, P!

ordinary days