MERRY BELATED CHRISTMAS

We had a wonderful Christmas complete with snow! Someday I just might get around to posting some fun Christmas pictures. Seeing my recent  blogging track record, don't hold your breath. I thought I would share our Christmas picture from this year and the years before. Join me for a walk down memory lane...
Christmas 2012.

Christmas 2011



 

Christmas 2010. I didn't actually send out cards in 2010. This is just a picture from that year. Ironically, the outfit Tyler is wearing, Zach wore for Christmas this year, and the outfit Zachy is wearing Carter wore for Christmas this year.  Love those hand me downs. :)

 Christmas 2009.

 

 

 



Another Soldier Arrives Safely Home....

Yesterday my Grandpa Bailey passed away. My heart hurts so much for the entire family, but especially my Grandma. They were married 67 years.

I was thinking of the wonderful heritage my Grandfather has left behind.

1. He left a Christian legacy for us to follow. He was ready to go Home. What a sense of peace we have in knowing we will see him again.

2. He showed us how to be committed in marriage. Still in love after 67 years!

 

3. He taught us what it meant to be patriotic.

 

4. He loved all his family.

5. And, he loved those great grandbabies, too. A picture is worth a thousand words...

6. The Best Gift Grandpa ever blessed me with was my Dad. Thanks for raising him to be a Godly man, Father, and most of all a wonderful Papa for my kids.

Grandpa, you will be greatly missed! So thankful for the hope of heaven.

Wearing our Winter Woolies

We are loving this cold weather! It was fun to pull out all our "cold weather" clothes this week. We snapped a few pictures of the boys in their "woolies" after their baths tonight.

 They were enthralled with something, and it definitely wasn't the camera. Oh well, at least they were all looking the same place at the same time.

 

                                   Look at how much the boys have grown in 5 short months.

Tyler won  the student of the week award last Friday in chapel. His award was for cheerfulness. Jonathan and I were able to attend, and it was crazy to see him walking up on the platform. The same platform I walked on not too many years ago. Who am I kidding? I'm getting flat out OLD. I love the fact that he is able to attend the same school I attended as a young whipper snapper.

 

Missing Mom

 

Today marks the one year anniversary since Mom went home. Jonathan and I found a song that sums up the way we feel...

 

The Punkin Patch

We headed to the pumpkin patch tonight to catch a few pictures of the boys. When we pulled in to the patch Tyler said, "We came here when I was three. " He loves to remind us that he is a four year old boy now. A couple weeks ago he had a crazy 4 hour stomach bug. Truly 4 hours. He threw up around 10 times in that four hour period. After one such upheaval, he informed us that when he was a three year old kid he threw up in his bed, but now that he is a four year old, he throws up in the toilet. I guess he is living proof of the saying, "with age comes wisdom". :)
Not sure how I found that rabbit trail, but back to business....the pumpkin patch. Our good pictures were far, few and in between. Mainly in between. We did get a couple keepers though, and I thought I would do a few flashback pictures from the last couple years. My little guys are growing up WAY too fast.

 

 

 

 

                                       Tyler looks incredibly grown up to me in the picture. :(

                                              Where, oh where have those little boys gone?

 

 

The DINOSAUR hat STRIKES again!

I love comparing the boys at different stages and in the same outfit. Here is one that I especially love!

This is Tyler. Sorry, its a picture of a picture because all of my files for him are on the other computer. Unfortunately, said computer, is no longer functioning. Computer man here we come.



                                                                       ZACHARY

 

CARTER

 

 

 

AND I WILL CALL HIM MY SQUISHY...

For a fleeting moment the child lies very quietly. Savor the moment. The moments are very far, few and in between. Oh, how I love this squishy little guy.

And of course I have to include a picture of the littlest squishy. :)

 Needless to say, we like to live on the edge of danger. The wild side. Tupperware bowls on our heads...bring it on! What can I say, you haven't really lived until you've worn a tupperware "hat".

I was so excited to find these pictures today. Oh the memories they brought back. sniff. These are pictures of Tyler...a walk down memory lane.

 The blue blanket that is laying lying resting over him is extra special. Jonathan's Mom gave it to us as a shower gift for Tyler. It's our "Sunday" blanket, and all three of the boys have used it. When we had Carter dedicated a couple Sundays ago, it was one more event Mom wasn't able to attend. She was there for both Tyler and Zach's dedications, so it was tough to not have her there for Carter's. I decided that I would take a piece of her with us, so this was the blanket Carter used for his dedication day. Needless to say, this blanket is going to "live" with us a very long time. One that hopefully will be passed down  for generations!

 I always smile when I see this particular John Deere shirt. Anytime that Jonathan had to get Tyler or Zachy dressed this is the outfit he always put on them. (well, when they were in that size) I will let you know if he carries on that tradition with Carter.

          Speaking of squishy, his little cheeks look pretty squishable in this picture.

 Another memory, see I told you we were walking down memory lane, pictured below is Tyler's blanky that he still uses to this day. A few months ago, after I had washed his blanky, he came to me and told me his blanky smelled "disgusting". ha. He does not like me washing his blanky--strange, I know, but I guess he likes his own little smell on it.

 

Well, nighty night. Me and my squishy old self are going to bed. Sweet dreams.

Garage Sale Goodies AND A Precious Prayer

I thought I would start with a few random pictures of the boys.

 This picture just makes me chuckle. They both look like little old men. Tyler's pants and Zachy's hat.

 This was the day that Zachy decided to skip a few steps in the bathing process. The main step being removing his clothing before entering the bathtub. I'm sure he was just trying to save me from washing one more article of clothing. ahem. I'm sure that was it. :)

I went garage saling today, and found a few fun things. My favorite being my large framed chalkboard. LOVE it!

My beloved chalkboard is going to take up residence in Carter's room above his crib. For now, that is.  Once his little self can stand and erase said chalkboard it will be removed. My other garage sale goodies I will share below. I paid a grand total of $17.00 for these items. The 3 baby Gap onesies, sandals, and wet wipes case were brand spanking new. (Pay particular attention to the scooter and mower)

For memory sake, I wanted to write down Tyler's prayer tonight:

"Thank-you Lord for my scooter, and thank-you for Zachy's lawn mower. I love you Jesus. And, I love you too, God. And, I love all the people. Amen."

I love the fact that he is really beginning to pray his " own prayers" to God. We chose a song for Carter's dedication that completely sums up our feelings as parents. The GREATEST gift we can give our children is a life lived for Jesus. What an awesome responsibility! More than anything I want to pass this on to my boys!