Pine Cone Feeders

December 20, 2008---We have lots of birds and squirrels that frequent our yard. You would think Shadow would chase them out of the yard but he couldn't care less. I have watched him just sit there while a bird walked across the yard and a squirrel dug a hole in the yard to hide his goodies in. We thought it would be fun to make pine cone feeders for the birds and squirrels. While Anna Catherine and I took a nap, Rick and the little kids went on a stroll through the neighborhood in search of pine cones. AC and I had woke up by the time they returned and were ready to get started on our project. Jackson didn't want to contribute so he played with his dinosaurs (big surprise!) and Chloe just wanted to stick her fingers in the peanut butter. Rick tied the string to the pine cones. Anna Catherine, Rick, and I put peanut butter on them and Anna Catherine and I covered the peanut butter with a mixture of seeds, nuts, and berries. Anna Catherine, not thinking, licked some peanut butter off her hand--forgetting that she had just put her hand in the seeds. She was spitting and gagging trying to get the seeds out of her mouth. It was so cute, funny, and gross all at the same time. Rick hung them in the backyard. This morning Rick and Anna Catherine saw a bird eating from one of the feeders.

Family Pictures at Portrait Innovations

December 12-14, 2008---Adam, Shaina, Ben and AJ came to stay the weekend with us. We were soooo excited. The kids had truly missed each other. AJ kept hugging and patting everyone. The kids played while the adults chatted and played cards. We had a great weekend just hanging out. These nights (or weekends) will be rare since we are not living next door to them anymore :(

On Saturday we all went to Portrait Innovations to have family pictures taken. It was a surprise Christmas gift for my mom. The kids cooperated much better than I could have ever imagined! The entire process (taking pictures--they took 66 pictures, placing our order, and having them developed) took about 45 minutes!! We are definitely HUGE fans of Portrait Innovations and will be going back for more photos.

Pajama Day

December 12, 2008---All kindergarten classes at MAE had pajama day today. A note had been sent home earlier in the week stating that the kids could wear pj's, robes, and slippers. Anna Catherine immediately knew that she wanted to wear her favorite monkey pajamas. AC doesn't have a robe so, of course, she HAD to have one because it was on the note. She also needed new slippers, really she did. The ones she has are so worn that they need to be thrown in the trash. They were not suitable to be worn in public. She requested a purple robe and wanted her slippers to be purple with white polka dots. I found the purple robe but couldn't find the slippers she wanted. I took her shopping last night and she found a pair of SpongeBob's that she just had to have (not my first choice). She was sooo excited about being able to wear her pj's to school.

Family Pictures in Sapphire Valley

While in Sapphire Valley, we took pictures on the golf course. There were some strong wind gusts as you can see by the series of pictures of Anna Catherine.

Thanksgiving in the Mountains

November 24-28, 2008--- For Thanksgiving this year we decided to meet PaPa Gator and Lady in Sapphire Valley, North Carolina. It is a beautiful mountain area located in the southern part of the state. We left home around 5:30 a.m. so we could get to our condo for dinner. We stopped at Discovery Mills Mall in Atlanta to stretch our legs and get some lunch. While there, Anna Catherine climbed the rock wall in the Bass Pro Shop (which is a really cool store, by the way. I would never have thought to go in one but the kids LOVED it--an aquarium, huge taxidermy bears, cougars, and other wildlife, and Santa's workshop which was an area for the kids to play with toys). We also saw Santa. Jackson ran up to him and immediately told him he wanted a blue brontosaurus. Anna Catherine had no fears and asked for a Frosty the Snowman movie and a digital camera. Chloe was really skeptical about sitting with this strange man so Rick held her. Then the kids enjoyed a ride on the carousel. It was a nice two hour break from sitting in the van.

We went shopping in the Highlands. It is a neighboring town with a cute downtown area. The kids enjoyed the toy store best. Anna Catherine and Chloe focused on a marble game (looked like fun but too much of a choking hazard for me to deal with on a daily basis). Jackson found some dinosaurs which he used to "take over" the train table in a Godzilla sort of way.












Rick, Anna Catherine, and PaPa Gator went hiking. Such beautiful landscape.











The kids had fun playing on the playground. Then we went over to the man-made snow hill. Anna Catherine and Rick went tubing down the "mountain". Jackson wanted to tube but he didn't meat the height requirement. So, he and PaPa Gator played in the snow. Chloe wanted to play but she had no mittens. I wasn't expecting snow.

We had a peaceful, relaxing week filled with delicious food, much needed naps, and cut-throat games of Texas Hold'Em. It was good to see PaPa Gator and Lady again.