15 Months!

Carter turned 15 months over the holiday!

He is loving all the Christmas decorations...especially the singing dog...

His current talents:
*Trying to get into the cat food and water dishes...
*When you are getting him dressed and he is laying on his back you can say, "let's put on your socks..." and he will put one leg up at a time...it's hilarious to us! He understands so much even though he can't talk...
*He loves my cell phone...I accidentally left it out the other day and he called a friend during a business meeting...yikes! I have to make sure I know where it is at all times!
*We think he added "kitty" to his list of words this weekend out at MiMi and PaPa's...he has 4 words now...we love to listen to him talk in his own little language...he has a lot to say...we just aren't sure what! :)
*He is a great sleeper and I often think of the quote when I pick him up out of the crib..."the bigger the hair, the better the sleep!!!" (you can see his after nap bed head in these pics!)
*He would love to be outside every second of every day...he kicks those feet and fusses like crazy when it is time to come in...

He is everywhere and I get a lot of pics like the one below...he is getting faster and faster and harder to catch on film! :)

We love our little guy so much and can't believe he is 15 months old!

We are Ready!

Finished our Christmas chain during Carter's morning nap (she and Daddy started it yesterday while I was at the grocery store) and we are ready to rip chains off starting tomorrow! It is so fun to have a child old enough to do these things with!!! We drew pictures on the rings that reminded us of Christmas...M drew lots of baby Jesuses...the last 10 are plain bc she was "over it"... :)....And we have our Advent calendar all ready to open a door a day and discuss at dinner! I can't wait!!!! :)!!!!

Grace and Peace

Thanksgiving 09 is in the rear view...we had a great time with family and have so much to be thankful for!

Mallory reading to "Christmas friends" she tucked in on the couch as MiMi, PaPa, and Auntie Lu listened in..."Jesus and the Stepsisters had to get to the ball..." It is so fun to hear the story lines she comes up with...and they go on and on and on....

Snacking with the fam...Carter gets excited and waves his arms a lot nowadays...

Time with the kittens...Gus Gus is so patient with M and lets her cart him here there and everywhere....

And C is getting better with "gentle touch"...

Craft time with Auntie Lu...

So many fun things in the kit Laura gave her for her B-Day...we plan on making a Count Down to Christmas Chain today after naptime... :)

Playing ball...Kayla always has to get right up in the mix...

It was a great break full of memories! (See footage of one of the dance parties below...one of my favorite memories from the holiday!)

I have been thinking a lot about the fact that Paul starts off a lot of his letters in the Bible with the words "Grace and Peace to you"...God wants grace and peace for us that is why it is repeated so many times in the books of the Bible...and we want that for our family. I think 3 is going to be harder in our house than 2 was...a friend said that "3 yr olds are just 2 yr olds with experience!" I think that is true! It's going to be a yr of lots of learning and lots of growth and lots of discipline...but we hope in the midst of the highs and lows to have "grace and peace"... :) That's what this holiday felt like...it wasn't perfect (our 3 yr old still needed to be disciplined...Carter fell during the Tree Trimming and got a big goose egg on his head...), but life isn't perfect! And that's the whole point...if life was perfect we wouldn't need Christmas... :)

The Wise Men are starting their journey to the nativity...(it will be a "Christmas Miracle" if we get the room painted and the blue tape down by Dec. 25th...hahahha) :) ... just another reminder that life isn't perfect and we embrace that! :) And another quote that has been going through my mind this weekend...

"We may not have it all together,
but together we have it all!"

Out with the Princess in with the KING!

The first time we walked through our house before we bought it....this is what I pictured...little people looking over the balcony at Christmas time! I love it!!!! :)

"Our stockings are hung by the chimney with care...." Thanks for all your hard work Grandma! We love our matching stockings!!!! And we will enjoy putting them out each year!!! :)

We moved all the princess paraphernalia and made room for the KING!

"For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace."
~Isaiah 9:6

The Hap-Happiest Season of All!!!

As is our tradition Mike went Kris Kringle on the house today just like last year! It was so much fun to go through the bins with the kids...each year gets better and better! We made sugar cookies while we worked and this is what happens when Mom gets excited, runs to the other room to get the camera, and you have already given your 3 yr old the "go ahead" on the sprinkles...not sure we have enough there! :)

Carter enjoyed inspecting all the Christmas-y items as they came out...

A bit of the action...

Full of THANKS!

There is so much to be thankful for!!! Mallory had a feast at school yesterday and had fun playing around the house afterwards in her Thanksgiving outfit!

I'm thankful for after nap snack time with these guys...

And for the kids who come and love on my kids each day and help me be able to stay home with my little ones each day...

The list could go on and on! I'm so excited to eat yummy food with family tomorrow and just relax...and Meeks gets home @ 11 today to start the holiday off right! Yeeeehhhh yah!

M and I gutted our second pumpkin this morning and the seeds are roasting! My fav part! And M helped the whole time this time getting the seeds out! :) Have to get ready to decorate for Christmas so the 2nd pumpkin needed to make an exit today...

I love this time of year and I am so thankful for friends who point me to the truth each day! And I am so grateful for God's grace (I will not set it aside!) that is always there for me when I mess up!!! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!!

"I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"
~Gal. 2:21

Houston.....We have a Walker!

It's official! We have a walker! (Here is M when she was official!)

It is so fun to see him tottering around the house...his chest all puffed out and his legs all stiff...I love it! He is here there and everywhere and usually finds Momma and grabs onto my leg and wants up! He is a bit clingy these days...we are working on it! :) He is getting 3 molars all at once...so crazy to see his 4 teeth on the top and 4 on the bottom and then a space and the molars poking through...I don't remember if M's came in like that or not...it's cute though! Can't believe my little baby is going to turn 15 months on Friday!!! Crazy!

A ROYAL Celebration!

We held a Royal Celebration for M's 3rd B-Day...her first official party with friends and family! We invited the 2 playgroups that she plays with...some of these children she has known since she was a baby!

We made crowns...they didn't dry in time to wear @ the party! We had fun though!

This girl gets serious about her crafts! :)

It was so fun to have people playing in the different rooms downstairs...

We made royal necklaces with fruit loops....

The children did more munching than stringing! :)

Yum! Sugary goodness!

Always fun to have the other Morins in the house!

Then we headed outside for a little play time on the palace "grounds"....

Such nice weather for Nov!

Some spectating...

More time chilling outside of the smallest palace in all the land... :)

Giving our lawn troll a ride...

Time to sing Happy Birthday!

Make a wish!

Chow time!

Then Mallory got to open gifts!

So many new fun things!

Thanks to all who made her B-Day so special!!! :)