Video Clips

Here are a couple of links for recent video clips of the kids.

(Just copy and paste the link into your browser and it should take you right to it.)

This first one is of Halie.  We spent a couple of weeks learning about the seasons during her school time and I had her learn these little songs and use her artwork to do a skit for Daddy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Icrq_KL4PCk

And this one is of Burl pointing out the different body parts he knows so far.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajKH0KSz_EQ

Hope you enjoy!

January

Here's a skim through of the month of January.

Early in the month, amazingly enough, we actually had a day that was warm enough to go outside without risking frostbite.  The kids enjoyed the play time and fresh air.

Those chubby cheeks and mischievous blue eyes melt this mama's heart every single day.

Little Man was wandering around aimlessly one day while I was cooking dinner and I could tell he was bored so I sat him at the table and taped down a coloring sheet and let him go at it.

It kept him occupied for a good 15 minutes or so.

The little stinker found his old pacifier somewhere and was getting a kick out of making Halie and I giggle.

On days that we're staying home with no plans of going anywhere I let Halie dress herself.  She comes up with some very interesting and very colorful outfits!  : )

Mid-January found us inviting several of Halie's church friends over for a Snowman Party.  They had a great time and Halie loved having friends here to play with.  If you'd like to see more details and pictures of that party you can see that here: {Snowman Party}.

This picture captures two of Burl's favorite things right now.  He loves that book, and that picture in particular.  He carries it around everywhere and just looks and looks at that picture.  He's also at the stage of loving to put balls and other sorts of trinkets into bowls and boxes.  He goes around the house collecting treasures.

There's just something about overalls that I adore.  SO stinkin' cute!!

This is a pair of corduroys that I think came from a friend, can't remember for sure.

She loves her little brother!

I found this pair of Carhartt overalls at Goodwill for $2.  Again, SO stinkin' cute!  And, of course, Robert loves them.

Halie still enjoys dressing up as Pinkalicious a couple of times a week.  In this picture she's showing off her pink heart shaped ring.

Robert received a set of stick-on mustaches in his Christmas stocking when we were in Florida.  They ended up in Halie's dress up box and one day she wanted to try them out so we were being silly.

The kids are usually on their own to come up with some kind of entertainment while I'm busy cooking dinner most evenings and one evening I discovered them doing this.

Burl was squealing in delight as she pulled him around the house.  (That's the step stool that belongs in the bathroom turned upside down with Gretchen's leash attached to it).

Well, that pretty well sums up January.  See ya again soon.  : )

2nd Half of December

Since we were leaving to go to Florida on the 22nd, we had our own little family Christmas the weekend before.  So, on "Christmas Eve" we let the kids each open one gift.  (Christmas PJ's of course.)

You would have thought I'd given Halie the moon.  She was SO excited to have new Christmas jammies!!

Burl loved the tissue paper.  : )

Here we are attempting to get pictures by the tree in their new duds.

This one cracks me up.  It's like he's saying, "Oh no,  Mommy's taking pictures of me in my jammies.  How embarrassing!"  (He was actually playing peek-a-boo.)

I made Halie (and Emma) an "I Spy" Christmas ornament.  I found the idea on a blog and thought it was so cute.  It's filled with Epsom Salt and I bought little Christmas themed charms and miniature buttons and put in it for them to find.

Burl munching on a huge marshmallow lollipop he got in his stocking.

One of her gifts was a set of horse stamps.  She's just like me, she LOVES horses!

Of course, Gretchen had to get a stocking too.  : )

Me and my adorable little Butters.

You know he's serious about opening that gift, he's got his little tongue sticking out.

Again with the tongue sticking out, lol!

A fun play tent with a tunnel.  A present for both kids.

Woohoo!  Mommy gets the biggest present this year!!  For once, I had no idea what it was and was completely surprised.

A set of stainless steel pots and pans!  Yay!  I've been wanting these for awhile.

After presents were opened, the kids had a blast playing in their new tent.  Halie even spent her naptime in there.

We did Christmas on Saturday, then on Sunday afternoon we built a gingerbread house.  This is something Robert and I had never done before.

With these two around I'm surprised we even had enough candy and icing left to decorate it!

The finished product.

Halie had accidentally cracked the back wall and we had to "glue" it back together, so to cover it up Robert decided to put a Confederate flag there.  : )

The little yellow candy in the lower right corner was supposed to be Gretchen.  

We really enjoyed doing this together.  It might just have to become a new tradition.

Burl looked so stinkin' cute in these little overalls, I just had to take a picture!

Got her little suitcase packed and ready to head for Florida!

Man was it ever NICE to go from cold, overcast, rainy Ohio to beautiful, sunny, warm, South FL!  Here they all are feeding the fish at Meemaw and Papaw's pond.

Having fun with Papaw (and scaring Meemaw).

We were able to go to Dee Dee's house to get together one evening for pizza and playtime for the cousins.

Helping Meemaw make a pie.

Visiting Great Grampy and Grammy at the nursing home.

On the real Christmas Eve, we had Christmas at my mom and dad's house with my family.

Bestie cousins - Emma and Halie

Playtime with Papaw D.

 I think our stockings get bigger every year!

Listening to a new recordable book from Nana and Papaw - "Charlie Brown's Christmas."

Then, Christmas morning was spent with Robert's family.

We had enough time before church for them each to open their one big gift.

A little ride on car for Burl.

And a dollhouse for Halie.  She was SO very excited!!  Thank you Meemaw and Papaw!!!!

Then it was time to get all prettied up for church.

Our little family.  Oh how I love them!!

 Papaw and Meemaw with their grandbabies.

Both kids absolutely LOVED Uncle Brian!!

We even got to take the jet ski out.  Halie enjoyed it SO very much, and so did I, 'til Robert flipped us off and I had to swim for shore!  : )

Burl was so cute.  He was very intent and focused and spent a long time playing with Halie's dollhouse all on his own.  He was so good with it too, he didn't bang things around and destroy them, just played gently.  So cute!

Crazy dancing with Uncle Brian.

While we were there, we were also able to get together with Brian's boys, Jaden and Rocco for some great play time at the park.

Papaw and Meemaw SO happy to be with their grandkids!

Robert and Rocco taking a breather for some coloring time.

Jaden loved walking around the park with Burl.

Princess Halie.

So great to be with everybody again!

After we got back home to Ohio, Robert's other brother, Robbie drove over to visit us on New Year's Eve.  He even brought presents for the kids.

Halie and Burl both love the new Karaoke machine.

Always being crazy!  : )

So that's it!  That finishes off December.  

Now that we're halfway through January I guess I still have more catching up to do.

Oh well, I'll get there.