outside after days of nasty weather!

thanksgiving is when i say it is!

We were all set to have Thanksgiving on, well, Thanksgiving. We found out yesterday, however, that Tyrone had 24 hour duty starting at 9am on Thanksgiving morning. Yuck! I was upset for a few, and then we decided that we would just have Thanksgiving a day early! So, today was the day!

The boys set the table and made decorations for the table and around the house...


Including napkin holders by Kaleb!


Here's part of our spread, not pictured are the rolls and cranberry sauce, and the other pumpkin pie.



It was impossible for me to get one shot where you could see everybody, so these 2 will have to do :)

And now, Tyrone can take Thanksgiving leftovers with him to work tomorrow. I think the kids and I will have a pajama and cartoon day while also eating yummy leftovers!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

kaleb gets an award!

Kaleb got off to a rocky start this year, struggling with being in yet another new school, and just the new challenges of being in a higher grade, and he has a few blips here and there, but for the most part, he has really worked hard! We have seen a real effort on his part, and that was recognized today at his school assembly!

Kaleb received the Most Improved award, and you could tell from the look on his face that he was proud of himself and what he had accomplished by putting his mind to it!



YAY Kaleb!!!

smile for the day

surprise! baby shower!

This is my 4th (and last) baby, but I have never had a baby shower. I was a little sad, but, really, we are so blessed, so it was okay. Starting Friday (a week and a half ago) Tyrone started telling me that he had somewhere fun to take the kids and me, but he wanted it to be a surprise. He kept saying little things about it here and there, and getting me very excited!

Finally, this Friday rolled around and there were some secret, whispered phone calls, I just about couldn't stand myself! We all got in the truck, and I was really wondering what was going on when we pulled up in the community center parking lot. We walked in....and it was a baby shower! For me! I cried, which made people tell me it was okay and hug me, but I was crying because I was so touched and happy!

Unfortunately, I didn't know we were going somewhere so important, so I didn't think about bringing extra batteries for the camera. It ran out, of course. Here are some pics that we did get.

Everyone tore off a piece of pink crepe paper, guessing how big around the belly is. Tyrone was in charge of measuring and declaring a winner. Tosha got it!

Baby food tasting....no clear cut winner on this one, although we were all verrrry close!

Lots of silliness!

More than anything, I am just so thankful.....I couldn't believe that people took the time to come out and celebrate our baby and family. It was awesome, and my husband is amazing for having master minded it, along with a few of his co-worker's wives. Thank you!!!!

what to do when you have a half day from school

If you're Gabe, you take great delight in your new found hobby of harassing your baby sister before she has even been born. Especially when you make her poke out her heiny, that's worthy of laughs that make you fall off the couch.


If you're Kaleb, you build with blocks in the playroom for a bit, then settle down with a snack to watch some TV. It's hard to be almost 8, after all, and you need a breather!


If you're Shiloh, you continue to be cute as ever and revel in the fact that the bubbas are home almost a full four hours early, and you can play with/terrorize them to your heart's content.

34 weeks

Only 6 weeks to go!

Playroom

For the first time ever, we have the space to give the kids a playroom! From the moment that we realized we would be getting a 4 bedroom, I knew that it would be completely worth it to have the boys and, later, the girls share a room in order to have a space devoted to play and creativity! I have really been working at making it a comfortable, inviting place to be. I know with the new baby coming soon, it can seem to Kaleb, Gabe, and Shiloh that she is getting all the "stuff", so fixing up the playroom is a way to give something "big kid" to all 3 of them at once. The rug was a super find I was especially pleased with, and the futon I found on freecycle! Perfect, it doubles as a great reading spot where we all fit, and as a guest bed!





I have several projects in mind still, but I completed one this morning that I have been looking forward to and am so pleased with! First stop was the thrift store, where I found 10 different, totally beat up, picture frames for $.79 each. I printed out some of my fav pics of our family in black and white, and bought some paint in a couple of colors pulled from the room. I cleaned up the frames, painted them, added the ribbon for hanging, put in the pictures, and, voila!





What do you think?

gorgeous!

Look at the beautiful afghan that Aunt Cherri made for the littlest princess! I am over the moon about it! These are the colors from the bedding that I picked out, I couldn't be any happier about it!



In other news, well, there's not much news. I'm 33 1/2 weeks pregnant now, we're definitely getting there. I'll catch up with a belly pic on Thursday.

The boys are doing okay in school, Shiloh is growing like a weed, and Tyrone has been working hard! Mostly we've just been maintaining, as I am pretty exhausted these days! I am getting excited about the holidays and the extra time with my family that they bring (not to mention the new baby they will bring!), we are doing our Thanksgiving grocery shopping tomorrow, and just thinking about my menu is making my mouth water!

I will put up some new pics of the kids in the next day or two!

32 weeks

I am 32 weeks today! Only 8 weeks until my due date....wonder if this little one will be as prompt as Shiloh was?! Not to much going on, mostly just in a holding pattern while I wait on my appointments and for all the specialists to come together. Other then that, we have finished our Christmas shopping for the kids (except a few small things) and are trying to come up with an alternative Christmas plan....you know, in case this little girl decides that she would like that day for her birthday. After all, Gabe came 6 days before his due date, and Kaleb came 5 before his.....and she's due on the 31st, cutting it close!

I am definitely at the stage where rolling over in bed or picking up something I have dropped is somewhat of a challenge. A nurse at my Ophthalmologist's office earlier this week was shocked when I told her my due date, saying she thought that I must be due in a week or two, based on my size. lol, um, thanks?!

sweetness

So sweet this morning when I went in to get her that I had to take a pic with my cell. It's not the best quality, but I love this pic anyway.

yard work with daddy....big boys!