Christmas Card is Done!

Our Christmas card is done.  Hopefully it will bring a smile to the face of folks who know us.  It's no Kennedy family portrait, Jason and I aren't even in it, and Hardin is unimpressed.  To say it mildly.  But when I initially flipped through the disk from Shauna it made me grin Cheshire Cat style.  So it won.

And now I can share our favorites from last Sunday.  If I've learned anything, it's that no matter how many ice packs and and home remedies I use, Jason and I both have very poofy morning eyes.  And I need to lose way too much weight.

I sure do love this little family of ours though...

A HUGE thanks to Shauna for taking our pictures, especially with such short notice!  I haven't been a big fan of black and white over the past few years, but I love these.  Maybe Shauna changed my opinion of B&W all together :) 

ThankFULL

I'm down right overflowing with thanks.  The past 4 days we've been host to folks I haven't seen in WAY.  TOO.  LONG.  My bro.  And one of my besties, Mary Ellen and her crew.  To top that off we've had many favorites I do see a little more often.  I've literally had to wash sheets with people here, and have my guest help dress beds because the turn over rate here was so high.  IT WAS AWESOME.

I was able to play with a few photo's tonight to show B a an Action Set I purchased.  There are a ton more to follow.   We've given a lot of thanks around here this long weekend.  I've got 24 hours with my baby bro left, and plan on soaking up all I can when work allows. 

The reward for his troubles smiling.

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You have NO idea how much cuter the last one was in my head.  I should have held out a little longer on the sucker, because there was no way that kid was looking at me.  Oh well, at least he has a little memento of our first fall decor including a little tiny scarecrow in honor of the H man. 

Three Amigos

Hardin woke up feeling great today.  We've been meaning to bake some chocolate chip pumpkin muffins for the fire station right outside of our neighbor hood, and today felt like the perfect day.  I wouldn't let H touch anything during the prep, just in case of germs, so I let him go at the bowl before cleaning up.  He was in heaven! 

We talked all morning about what we were going to say when we got there.  About being thankful for the firemen and what they do.  Sure enough he pranced right in there and said thank you man, thank you fireman, thank you helper.  Then he FROZE when the nice firemen showed him the truck.  I think he was just taken with the size, or maybe the fact that he was so close.  He wouldn't get inside but LOVED when they turned the lights on. 

He talked about that fire truck until he fell asleep tonight.  And when we passed the fire station right before turning in our subdivision tonight he excitedly said FIRE HOUSE, thank you man!  It's so fun now that he's at an age where he really gets things. 

We ended up going to visit with Mimi and the crew after nap time today.  As usual the kids had a great time.  Sometimes I look at them and can't help but tear up a little.  I'm not sure why, or maybe I'm not sure why not.  Who knows.  All I know is there is something special there and I'm so glad I get to be a part of it. 

Oh... and we bought a bike.  A real one.  We took my car to the wash near Walmart, and walked over while we were waiting.  This was a big deal for both of us.  I rarely buy him toys, and when I do it's well researched online and never because he says MOMMY LOOK IT'S A_________ really loud in a store.  Not sure what got into me but I couldn't help myself.  Needless to say he loves it, although he hasn't figured out the peddling thing yet. 

Whew!

I literally feel like 10 minutes ago I sat down to upload the school pictures last Friday night, too tired to write much.  I feel the same way tonight.  Hardin, when you look back and see I went forever without writing it was not because we didn't do anything fun.  Quite the opposite.  We went 90 to nothing!

Well, until Thursday.  My sweet boy was hit with his first little stomach bug.  He woke up from his nap, got sick, and by 7pm he was over it and eating an huge bowl of chicken noodle soup before sleeping it off.  He ate like a horse today.  That kid.  He's the only one I've ever met that ate his way through a stomach bug.  Better than the alternative I guess.

The highlights of the last week were Austin's birthday party Saturday at Catch Air, family pictures with Shauna Sunday, a work event, Thanksgiving at school, and an uneventful Friday night.

Mimi flew up tonight to drive back to Ft. Myers with Cat and the kids on Sunday, and we planned to go see her tomorrow and then go to Mary Ellen's to spend the night.  We've canceled on Mary Ellen because her babies just now are feeling better and we don't want to take any chances.  We're playing Mimi & the cousins by ear. 

Jason already planed to go to the Dawgs game since we were going to be gone... SO... turns out Hardin and I might have all day tomorrow with NOWHERE to go and NOTHING to do.  I hate how it happened, and honestly hate missing everyone, but I won't lie and say that a lazy day at home wouldn't do us both a little good.

This little video cracks me up.  It's the first time on the dance floor at Catch Air.  Every so often the turn the lights out and have a dance party.  This perfectly demonstrates Hardin's approach to most things.  Freeze.  Soak in.  Evaluate.  Partake.  And done. 

And let me just tell you that this kid is no baby anymore.  He was ALL OVER the place.  He climbed in everything, slid down the tallest slides and jumped his little self silly. 

When Irish Eyes Are Smiling

We received the proofs from Hardin's first school pictures.  I'm too tired to think of anything clever or heart felt, but knew I had to document this little highlight of our week.  My word that kid gets to me. 

I'm not sure why, but his hair always photographs red in professional pictures.  I love how he looks like a little Irish boy who could be running the hillsides of clovers. 

On a side note.  I'm not to tired to take issue with the kid's hands being cut off in all three images.  Not sure what that's all about, but we'll be purchasing anyway to support his little school fundraiser and document this milestone.

My little photo-leprechaun.  Cheese!

Election Day!*

I LOVE election day.  I'll never vote early.  I love the waiting in line, being in an elementary school gym, guessing who's voting for which candidate, THE STICKER, all of it.  10 years with me (and 6 working for the government), and Jason is even glued to the TV biting his nails.  Hopefully our passion will rub off on Hardin, and he'll love this incredible gift of voting and responsibility to choose our own leaders. 

As exciting as it is, I also miss my dad a little extra on debate and election nights.   He lived for these nights and no man ever took voting as seriously as he did.  He'd be so proud of my bother and his 24/7 political rumblings over the past few months.  B had big shoes to fill, and dare I say it but I think he's even more into politics than dad.

Hardin loved wearing our stickers today, but not nearly as much as he loved wearing his rain boots from aunt Khaki.  We've got a big two year well check in the morning, and I feel much calmer about the outcome of that little visit than the election tonight.  What a difference a couple of years makes.  I remember praying my little heart out before those first few appointments. 

*Even though my guy in this election didn't win, I love election day just the same. 

Hardin's Wonderland

It hit me yesterday that we've lived here over two months and I haven't posted about Hardin's favorite thing at the new house.  The subdivision surrounding it. 

When we first came to view the house the seller insisted on taking us for a ride in his golf cart to show us the subdivision before we left.  We told him it wasn't necessary, we needed to get home to write up an offer, but he insisted more.  He was very nice, so we agreed. 

It's hard to say who was most surprised.  The girl who's done tons of closings here and never had a clue.  The guy who not-so-secretly thought he'd never love a subdivision so much further away from Athens.  Or the sweet boy with eyes as big as pancakes when we rounded the corner and he saw the ducks.  It's safe to say it sealed the deal, and that seller knew exactly what he was doing helping us fall in love. 

Our neighborhood shares a little 55 acre lake with two others, and surrounding the lake there are all kinds of fun things for little boys to get into.  None of it is new and none of it is fancy, but it is awesome none the less. 

The place is always bustling.  Kids, dogs, parents, teenagers, fishers, tennis folks, you name it.  We ended up buying the golf cart from our seller, and Hardin is absolutely convinced it is his.  My very wise mother decided she was not going to drive it.  Ever.  She saw how much Hardin asked us to ride it and knew if she let him know it was a possibility, she'd be driving in circles all day.  Jason and I like that it's our special thing.  As soon as we get home he comes running saying I wanna wide on the galk cart!  I wanna wun the bwidge!

We happily oblige.  You'd think he'd like the play ground, but he mostly just wants to run back and forth across the bridge and dig up rocks to throw in the water.  He'll stay for hours if you let him, and has been known to throw quite a fit if you try and cut his time short. 

We feel incredibly blessed and excited to raise our little boy here.  We have been taking advantage of as many afternoons and early evenings as we can before it gets too cold.  It may be a tiny little lake, but we all love it and the calm, peaceful, outdoor fun it brings. 

PS.  Please ignore his crazy hair.  I didn't realize how bad he needed a cut until I uploaded these :)

He's been rubbing his belly like this recently.  JUST LIKE his uncle Justin and Cawley.

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Mmmm. Candy and my words!

Other than it being scheduled on the last day of the month, AGAIN, Halloween was great.  I rushed home a bit early to get the boys and we headed to Jason's uncle Roddy's house.  This is Hardin's 3rd year in a row there, and our 5th.  It's become quite a tradition.  We'll be sad when their older kids age out of Trick or Treating and the little kids want to stay and hang out with their neighborhood buddies.

I picked up H's costume for 5 bucks after Halloween last year.  I thought it was alright, but I'd keep my eye out for something cuter.  That never happened and little did I know it'd be hard to find anything cuter.  It was perfect for our Poky Little Puppy.  

He was very timid at first, but once he caught onto the candy thing he was all about trick or treating.  He only said trick or treat at a few houses, but he was very good about giving each person an enthusiastic THANK YOU, BYE!  We ended up going way further than I thought we would with Hardin and Lillian.

This was the best one of all three...

 

I came prepared with jammas and we just KNEW after all the excitement he'd be asleep before we pulled out of the subdivision.  WRONG.  That sleepy sugar high boy made it almost home.  He only ate about two pieces of candy and one Oreo, but that's way more than he's ever had so he was quite silly.  He sang and sang and sang some more.  

We also caught these two clowns racing Stella and Olvia's Barbie cars...  We laughed so hard.  It was much funnier in motion.

Finally, my edible words.  I remember sitting at Stephanie's table holding my 4 week old baby when Julie (THE smocked mama) asked how long I planned on dressing H in traditional clothes.  I explained that I would dress Hardin in smocking and jon jons until he was two.  I said by then he'd be too old and big to dress like that.  HA!  Looking back I don't know how Julie bit her tongue so well.  I'm sure she was laughing on the inside.  I know it won't last forever but we are nowhere near done.  I'm thinking maybe Easter.  Maybe.  My friend Jill even gave me a lesson on potty training in longalls, and if she can do it with two boys at the same time, I know I can... not that we are anywhere near that either!

How long do you say?

We'd be done with smocking at two..... HAHAHAHAHA