Phone pics

They've gotta go somewhere.

Isaac swells up so much from mosquito bites!

My little dude

At Chuck E Cheese for little man's 2nd bday

oompa loompa, anyone?

Playing in the leaves!

They really love each other! :)

Like father, like son

overall pockets are handy little snack holders!

Merry Christmas, Layla.

Bathtime. 

After-bath hair.  Cute.

Legos!

Layla ALWAYS lays like this when she's playing w/ her toys.

Playing at Kid Zone!

My friend's baby - Gabriel :)

So many boys!

My cheesin' cheeseburger

Laney's rendition of Jett.  Pretty close.

Laney at horseback lessons

Elijah is 6!!!

I feel like a broken record at times, but how did this happen?!?!  I vividly remember the day that we found out we were going to welcome a son into the world, and now that precious baby is 6!  The day he was born, (on 1-11 at 4:00pm on the dot...doesn't that sound like Elijah?  Everything in proper order :P) he came out without a sound, he just looked around, as if taking in the entire world.

As the doctor placed him on my chest, I remember being in disbelief that I had a son.  Until he peed on me.  in my mouth, to be exact.  Then I believed it.  Girls can't aim that well...not at all, actually.

As I type this, my biggest little boy is sitting in school eating the cupcakes I took him and his classmates to enjoy.  He's so grown up.  He's the sweetest little man in the whole world and I love him more than life itself.  When I ask him "Elijah, you're mommy's what?"  He answers "Your dream come true."  He's right.  He is.  I always, always wanted a little boy.  He really is my dream come true.

I love you so much, Elijah Scott!  Happy Birthday, son!

The fastest year ever

Is it just me, or did 2011 go by faster than any other year in the history of mankind?
I remember things that happened in 2010 and, I swear, I think they happened just last year.   I can't believe it's already 2012.
It's like I was sleeping all of 2011 or something.
So, for the sake of my sanity, I'm gonna go ahead and do a month by month post of all last year.
Let's see if I remember this stuff.

JANUARY:

Jett had a poopy explosion  Do I remember it? check.

Elijah turned 5.  Star Wars party at g-ma's house.  remember? check.

Played in the snow alot.  remember?  check.

FEBRUARY:

Mike got a new job.  remember?  check.  for sure

We started with our new connection group at church.  remember?  check.  We love it.  We love everyone in our group and we've gotten to know them all so much more.  We have 33 (when our friends' little boy comes home from China it will be 34) kids in our group.  It's extremely, extremely loud when we're all together.  I'll leave it at that.

We were stuck inside our house for 2 weeks straight with the flu.  remember?  um, yes. check.

MARCH:

Took this most wonderful photo of our sweet babies.  Remember?  Why, yes, check - and as of last night, is the centerpiece on our fireplace mantle.

We got the ducks.  remember?  quack.  I mean, check.

will we ever have live ducks living in our home again?  negative.  they poop. like a whole lot.

APRIL:

We made the decision that, as soon as possible, we are hoping to go through the process of international adoption to bring home a child with Down Syndrome.   Remember?  check.  We still talk, think and pray about it all the time.

The boys started swimming lessons.  Remember? check.

My baby boy turned 18 months old.  Remember?  sorta check.  This is why my year is fuzzy.  I feel like I missed all of Jett's second year.  It just went by way too fast!  

MAY:

Easter at Independence Events center.  Remember?  check.  It was amazing!

I joined Weight Watchers.  Remember?  sure.    I lost 23 (although WW only shows 18.8...I lost a little more after I weighed in the last time) pounds from May to August, when Mike's work got a little crazy and I couldn't make it to the meetings anymore.  I just rejoined with my bestie who has lost about 50 pounds total through WW before, and who just had a baby.  So when she was all Weight Watch with me, please?  I was all YES Ma'am!  I took like 4 months off at the end of the year.  I ate everything in sight and didn't exercise. My last weigh in was August 30th, so when I went back on December 30th to rejoin and weigh in for the first time in 4 months, after eating anything and everything, I was clearly concerned with what the scale would say.  I gained a whole...brace yourself....10 ounces.  Seriously.  Not even a whole pound gained.  Go me!  haha!!  It was so nice, because I know I'm not totally starting over.  Sure, if I would've been doing it that 4 months, I would probably be at my goal weight by now, but I'm not looking back.  I can't go back and undo it, so I'm moving forward.  

We decorated our bedroom after 10 years of not doing it.  Remember?  check.  

JUNE:

My husband turned 32.  Remember?  check.  sort of.  I can't remember what we did.  Wow, I need to make his next birthday special. 

Mike's parents moved closer!  remember?  check.  We get to see them so much more!  =)

The boys got their bunk bed.  remember? check.  And we haven't had any broken bones from it.  yet.

JULY:

4th of July with the Vanderpool clan.  Remember?  check.  

Family visiting.  Remember?  check, but it's getting fuzzy.  Sheila, we're all suffering from separation anxiety!

Chloe turned 8!  Remember?  check, but I keep thinking she's nine.  weird. 

AUGUST:  (August was a full month)

Laney started horseback riding lessons.  Remember? check.  She still loves it!  That will never change.

Laney also turned 10!  My baby firstborn is in double digits!  Someone make it stop!  Remember?  check, but I don't like it.

Elijah started Kindergarten!  Remember? check.  Don't like this one, either.  

We got a new puppy!  Remember?  check.  every time I hear her collar jingle-jangle at 3am because someone can't hold their bladder for longer than 10 minutes.  oh I remember.

SEPTEMBER:

The boys took the most precious pictures with Layla.  Remember?  Check. 

Mike's work schedule started going haywire.  Remember?  Check!  

Chloe started ballet, but soon changed to gymnastics.  Remember?  check!  She loves it!  She's just been doing the recreation (aka fun and not a lot of strict training) side.  This coming Monday, she'll be joining the team (aka still fun, but more strict Olympic-type training).

I started babysitting only 2 days a week.  Remember?  check.  It's still nice to be able to get my boys out of the house once in a while!

I turned 31.  Remember?  fine.

OCTOBER:

Pumpkin patch.  Remember?  check.  I vividly remember taking the kids on the hay ride by myself because Mike was indisposed in the porta-potty.  

My Isaac (aka Ike the Spike, Iggy, Iggle puff, Ikey) turned 4!  Remember? check, although, I can't believe it.   

My baby turned 2!  My B.A.B.Y.!  We took him to Chuck E. cheese, and he danced on stage with the animatronic Chuck. Remember?  check, but I'm not happy about it.  Seriously, not happy.

NOVEMBER:

I fell in love with Fall.  Remember?  check.  Come back, Fall.  Now, please!

We put up our Christmas decorations way too early.  Remember?  check, but it really wasn't way too early.  Maybe for a pack of Scrooges.  But not for me.

Thanksgiving at Michelle's.  Remember?  Burp.  

DECEMBER:

I kind of went crazy with the Christmas music and decor.  Remember?  Blissfully check.  Mike would like to forget it, though.

Took the kids to see the Christmas lights at Longview, listened to Christmas music and ate Girl Scout cookies the entire time we were in the car (remember when I completely forgot ignored that I was on Weight Watchers?).  Remember?  check.  I heart Christmas.

Sheri came to visit and we decorated Christmas cookies, watched movies and drove around looking at more Christmas lights.  Remember? check.  LOVE!  

CHRISTMAS!  Remember?  CHECK, of course!

Okay, so maybe I do remember the important (and some not so important) things through the year, but it still went by entirely too fast.  

Can we all agree that 2012 should go a tad bit slower?  Yes, please!

All Christmasy and festive

We had a fabulous Christmas.  Really. fabulous.
I like to use the word fabulous.  It's fabulous.  And delectable.  That's a fun word, too.

Okay.
So back to Christmas.  The fabulous one.
We were lucky this year to be able to spend Christmas with almost all of our family.  It didn't snow, in fact, it was like 55 degrees on Christmas day.  Holla!  That's my kind of Christmas!
There was lots of Bing Crosby, lots of food, lots of family, lots of fun and lots of love!

Christmas Eve Eve was spent at my aunt and uncle's house, exchanging white elephant gifts and eating.
Christmas Eve day was spent opening stockings and letting our kids get high on sugar and pop.
Christmas Eve night was spent at my sister's house exchanging more white elephant gifts (which we re-gifted from the first party) and more eating.
Christmas day started bright and early at 6am.  We woke the kids up to open their gifts and Isaac sat up and said (groggily) "um, it's still dark outside."  Once he came to a little more and figured out that it was Christmas day, he was cool with waking up before the sun.
The kiddos opened gifts, played with them for a while, then we headed over to my mom's.
We ate a delectable breakfast there, opened more gifts and headed back home.
Christmas day, Mike's parents and sister Sheri arrived and we opened gifts with them.
I've always wanted to host a nice Christmas dinner, complete with candles and our nice dishes.  Done and done.
Christmas night, we shared a wonderful dinner with my mom, my grandma, Mike's parents and sister Sheri. Everything turned out nice (or nicely)...whichever.

Pucker up.

Let me show you.  Like thith.

Layla opening (or inhaling) her present.

Decorating Jesus' birthday cake

Elijah's present for us :)

Decorating cookies with Daddy, Mommy, and Aunt Sheri! :)  

Elijah's snowman cookie.  He wanted to hold the snowman's hand for the picture :)

Oh Chloe.  Oh my sweet, sweet Chloe.  (shaking head)

Not Christmas themed, but still cute.  He wore himself out playing Zelda.  His daddy almost cried, he was so proud.