The Spencer Family

Harper Grace Hale

2012-02-09T12:02:00.001-06:00

On February 2, 2012, my sister welcomed her first baby into this world. Harper Grace Hale weighed 9lb. 4oz. & was 22 1/2" long!! That's amazing! I am so proud of her she did great having her first baby. I am even more excited that she made me an Aunt for the first time! Katie & Will already love her so much & they were even fighting over holding her the other day. Congratulations Rebecca & Tyler, she is beautiful!!

Our First Cruise!!

2012-02-09T11:40:00.000-06:00

I don't know where to begin...we had such a wonderful time! We started our trip driving to Jacksonville, FL. Saturday morning. We had a flight but it wasn't suppose to land until 1:30 & it was pushing it too close & we were scared we may miss the boat! I was pretty nervous going into the whole process of getting on this massive ship & the fear of having motion sickness. I did pretty well though & never got sick, we did however feel the boat move quite a bit about the 3rd & 4th night. I couldn't belive how organized everything was & how all of the staff catered to you. It was nice being a little spoiled & having someone ask you if you needed anything everytime we turned around. We went on the cruise with some good friends of ours & we had the best time with them! The first night was by far the best but I will leave out the details ;). We took a 5 day cruise & the first day was at sea, docked in Nassau, then to Half Moon Cay, & another day at sea. I felt like we had been on there a week by the 2nd day but it was nice! I haven't been so relaxed in so long, it was by far the most relaxing vacation I had ever been on! I will let all of the pictures speak for themselves, the water was more beautiful than I could have imagined. I can't wait to do another cruise, we already started looking for next year!

I have to say a very special THANK YOU to Mimi, Papa, Gramps & Becca for keeping our "Sick" kids while we were gone. I hated leaving my little girl while she was sick & then Will ended up with an ear infection while we were gone. The day we got back Will had gotten even more sick with an allergic reaction to his meds & I had to take them to the Dr. & for a chest xray (NO FUN). After all of that Mimi & Papa ended up with a nasty cold & are just now getting over it! Now we are back to snotty noses at our house :( I am so ready for spring!!!

Katie's Birthday Party

2012-01-14T11:14:00.000-06:00

This year we had Katie's party at Tree Top. I can't tell you how nice it is to have a party away from home, where they do everything, & just a few minutes down the road. All of the kids had so much fun playing games, bowling & eating cake!! Katie was so happy that all of her friends could come to her party & we are so thankful to have all of you in our lives! Thanks for all of the gifts & to those of you who had to drive across town, I know what it's like :) Happy Birthday Katie!!

VACATION!!!!!

2012-01-12T13:03:00.001-06:00

We (Brad & I) are going on our first cruise this month! It is a much needed vacation for the both of us & we are glad to spend it with some of our close friends! We have never been on vacation in January, it will be nice to go to a warm destination like the Bahamas!! We are so excited & I cannot wait for the relaxation. Don't get me wrong I will miss my children terribly but I am long overdue for a getaway & quality time with my husband!! I know they will be in good hands!

4 Years Old!

2012-01-10T12:56:00.000-06:00

I know I say it every year but...4 years old !?! I can't believe it! The first picture is Katie holding the outfit she wore in the hospital, it was huge on her there & look at it now! Katie had a great birthday, we started the day at dance class, then we headed to the lunch & the movies. We watched Alvin & the Chipmunk's Chipwrecked with her best friend Braelyn. We really enjoyed it & we had the entire theater to ourselves, lucky us!! After that we headed home to eat birthday cake with daddy. Katie is gotten into Barbie's all of the sudden so that is what we got her. Happy Birthday to the "best" little girl I know! (She always tells me "Mommy, you're the best") I wish you many more HAPPY Birthday's & we love you very much!!

Rebecca's Baby Shower

2012-01-08T12:40:00.000-06:00

This past Sunday we had a baby shower for my sister at my dad's house. Everything turned out great, the food was great & baby Harper got a lot of cute things. Rebecca has a lot of people who love her & showed up for her baby shower it was a crowded house! I still can't believe I am going to be an Aunt very soon! I have to get my baby fix from my niece since I can't have anymore babies myself :(. I hope my kids & Harper are as close as me & my cousins were growing up. I can't wait to meet that sweet baby & praying for a great delivery & healthy baby for my sister & Tyler!

Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T12:32:00.000-06:00

Christmas @ Gramps'

2011-12-24T12:19:00.000-06:00

After Mimi & Papa's it was off to Gramps' house to open more gifts ask Katie said. The kids got more great gifts from Gramps. Katie got some new DVD's a make-up kit & so many other things I can't remember. Will got a race car track & the dog guitar in the pictures & several other things too. As you can see from the last set of pictures the kids decided to be rockstars on the stage (fireplace). Katie was soooo funny jumping off of there in her dress & tights & made some really funny faces, glad I got a few of those. Will finally got brave & jumped off too, but he just hit the ground, cried for a minute & went right back at it. We all had some pretty good laughs! Thanks Gramps for all of the gifts.

Christmas Eve @ Mimi & Papa's

2011-12-24T11:57:00.000-06:00

We spent the first part of Christmas Eve with Brad's family. We had a great dinner, then opened gifts. Katie was about to burst waiting to open gifts as you could imiagine. Katie got a new robe & house shoes, & an American Girl doll with her own canopy bed. The doll looks so much like Katie & even has pierced ears. Will got a tractor & was so excited until he pressed the gas & it scared him. (Just like Katie with her jeep). Thank you Mimi & Papa for ALL of our gifts we love you very much!

Pete the Elf!

2011-12-22T11:44:00.000-06:00

Pete made his appearnce again, glad he found our new house :)! Everyday Katie got up to see what Pete did & thought he was so silly. Will even caught on this year & he would look for him too. I think he may have even said "Pete" a few times. See you next year Pete!

Dance Christmas Party

2011-12-21T11:41:00.000-06:00

We finally got to see our little ballerina's & what they have learned so far in dance! I was one proud mommy too! Katie did so good except she is a little clumsy. I think she needs some practice on the balance beam she was pretty wobbly walking an imaginary straight line in her tap shoes ;) She did great other than that & was so funny making sure I was getting her on video, she said "did you get that?" I cannot wait to see her in the recital this year all dressed up! I know she will do great!!

House pictures

2011-12-18T13:46:00.000-06:00

As I am getting ready to update my blog that I am SOOOO behind on I found a few pictures of the inside of the house I never posted. Kitchen & kids rooms. I really need to take pictures of every room, when they are clean. It is so to keep it that way these days #1 it is a much bigger house than I am use to cleaning & #2 I have two children walking right behind me messing everything up! Maybe one day!

Can we say exhausted!?!

2011-12-17T12:00:00.000-06:00

She was sound asleep like this for about 10 min!

Helping Gramps with his tree!

2011-12-17T11:02:00.000-06:00

Katie was the expert tree decorator this year. She helped with everyone's tree...Gramps, Amanda, Mimi, & mine! I dropped the kids off with my dad & he had the afternoon planned to get his tree up. I think they did pretty good too.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-17T09:00:00.000-06:00

Here is our Christmas Card this year, I love the way it turned out! KT Thompson Photography took our pictures this year & I decided to share a few of my favorites.

North Pole Express & Lexi's Birthday

2011-12-17T08:00:00.000-06:00

We had so much fun on the North Pole Express in Calera, Katie was so excited to see Santa. My cousin's little girl Lexi had her birthday there & it was the perfect "Christmas" birthday party. Before we left I had to get a few pictures of my "silly" kids in their cute Christmas pajama's!

Iron Bowl 2011

2011-12-16T23:59:00.000-06:00

We headed to Auburn Saturday for the game & had so much fun tailgating! It was nice to have a break where Brad & I could enjoy the day together. We ate some great food & enjoyed catching up with our friends. We also got to go to the game, this was an Iron Bowl first for both of us! Thank you so much RJ & Jennifer!!! We had a blast, even though my team didn't win it was so much fun being part of the Iron Bowl atmosphere & of course Brad got to celebrate. War Eagle!

Thanksgiving

2011-12-15T09:48:00.000-06:00

This was our first Thanksgiving at our new home so we had Brad's family over. We had so much food that we had enough to eat for about 4 days! Everything was so good & we were miserable after eating! I have so many things to be thankful for this year! #1 having a Healty family! I am also thankful we finally have a house after months of moving!! I am VERY thankful that my husband has a job that allows me to stay home with our children everyday.

Popsicles!

2011-12-15T09:31:00.000-06:00

Last month, it was very warm outside for November. Well really the weather is so unpredictible in Alabama it is usually 80 one day & a few days later in the 40's & 50's with a chance of snow. Anyway this particular Sunday the popcicle man came into our neighborhood & we got the kids a treat! Now most of you know that this NEVER happend at our old house so you can just imagine how excited Katie was, I thought was going to explode ;) Will loved his bomb pop & spending time outside with mommy, daddy & his big sister!

Sick & Tired!

2011-12-15T09:21:00.000-06:00

One week Will fell asleep everyday not long after I put him in his high chair for lunch. I was beginning to think that his nap time had moved up. This is only 3 of the 5 pictures I took, it became a little silly after a couple of days. I didn't know it at the time but he was fighting some kind of viral cold. He didn't seem to feel bad & had no temp until the end of the week & then he was SICK! Katie also had strep that week. Poor babies!!

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-03T11:12:00.000-05:00

This is the first year since we have had kids that we didn't go to Lock 17 trick or treating. Instead we went to Mimi & Papa's neighborhood & went door to door. Katie & Will were Woody & Jessie from Toy Story. Katie had SOOOO much fun & Will even got into it. She would go to the door, ring the bell & say "trick or treat" & he would stand next to her & hold out his bag for candy. It was so cute & they looked so cute too! We had a great time & can't wait to do it again next year!

2011-11-03T10:47:00.000-05:00

Carving our pumpkins

2011-11-03T10:45:00.000-05:00

Katie had so much fun "cartering" (she says the craziest things sometimes) carving her pumpkins this weekend, well daddy did all of the work! They turned out so cute.

Pumpkin Patch

2011-11-03T10:34:00.000-05:00

Last week Katie, Will & I went to the Pumpkin Patch with Jennifer & Jax. The kids had so much fun playing on the slides, riding ponies, & picking out their pumpkins. All of them were so good & I'm so glad we got to spend time with Jennifer & Jax, thanks for inviting us!

A New Beginning...

2011-10-07T22:23:00.000-05:00

We are about to start a new chapter in our lives, in a new town & in a new house! After months of looking at houses & 2 moves we finally found a house! I am so excited to have room to put things for a change. I loved our house on the river but we were outgrowing it by the minute. We bought a 4bd/3ba. house with a huge backyard in Chelsea. I think Katie would play out there in the dark if I would let her. I am so ready to have a place to call home again & can't wait to have everything put in it's place. Here is a picture of the house that I took a few weeks ago. We are going to start painting this weekend & hopefully be completely moved in by next weekend. I will update with new pictures as soon as we are settled.

Family Pictures

2011-09-30T08:35:00.000-05:00

For some reason, I always think family pictures will turn out good at the beach. I give up! Thank you Amanda for taking these but trying to get everyone to look at the camera at the same time is a challenge! Will wants to look at me who is right next to him instead of the camera & I don't know who Katie is looking at half of the time, but at least she is sitting there saying "cheese". At least a handful of them turned out ok.

2011-09-30T08:27:00.000-05:00

2011-09-30T08:24:00.000-05:00

2011-09-29T10:35:00.000-05:00

Trying to recreate a picture from 2 years ago. I love both of these pictures of Katie, the bottom one she was 19 months & top 3 1/2.

Lunch @ Pineapple Willie's

2011-09-29T10:23:00.000-05:00

2011-09-29T10:22:00.000-05:00

2011-09-29T10:13:00.000-05:00

Dinner @ Dusty's

2011-09-29T10:11:00.000-05:00

After Mimi, Papa, & Amanda made it to the beach we all had dinner at one of our favorite places, Dusty's! The baked oysters are the best there & we have to go everytime we go to PCB! Amanda & Katie decorated a dollar & hung it on the wall, I hope it is still there when we go back!

First day at the beach

2011-09-29T10:05:00.000-05:00

Finally, after two long years we made it back to the beach! This was Will's first trip & Katie didn't remember much about her first trip so it was all new to her. Will wasn't a big fan of the sand & only stayed out here for a little bit. Katie on the other hand had it all over her everyday we were there, she LOVED it! We were there for 7 days & it was wonderful, I could have stayed another 7!

First football game

2011-09-29T10:00:00.000-05:00

We watched the first game of the year at my dad's house (which is currently our house). Katie's Auburn shirt just barely fit from last year & she was so excited to wear it. If you ask her which team is her favorite she will tell you, "I like Auburn & Alabama". I'm glad she will pull for Auburn because I am out-numbered on both sides of our family! Brad claimed Will as an Alabama fan before we was even born!

First day of dance!

2011-09-29T09:53:00.001-05:00

Katie started dance this year & has been so excited about it. She really wanted to take dance when Lynn gave her the Angelina ballerina dvd for her birthday, after that she was hooked! So we signed her up with Mrs. Lynn this year & she is also taking the class with her best friend Braelyn. Every week she wants me to call her mommy & see what color leotard she is wearing so they can match, so cute! We got to watch the first class & Will did so good watching his big sister, at the end of the class he gave her a kiss & sat next to her. I can't wait to see her all dressed up for recital & see her dance on stage! I am so proud of her already & happy that she is doing something that she really seems to enjoy! I hope she sticks with it!

First Haircut

2011-09-06T18:56:00.001-05:00

Will did great for his first haircut, I think it was because he watched his buddy Tate go first & he did so good! Or it could have been the fact that I was shoving a sucker in his mouth ;) I didn't want his curls gone but it was time for a cut, he looks so much like a little man now!

New Beds

2011-09-06T17:39:00.000-05:00

We finally have room for both of their beds in one room! Katie has new mattresses, & bedding but we are missing a piece to her bed that is in storage so maybe when we finally get settled it can all be put together. She has done great sleeping in there so far & luckily she doesn't have far to fall if she does roll off the bed.

Will FINALLY got to sleep in his crib for the first time, like I said earlier we have never had enough room to put it together, he has been sleeping in a pack-n-play since he was 2 months old. Poor baby, of course he doesn't know the difference! I was so glad to put his bedding all together, I love it & I am glad to see it being used.

Meeting Baby Byars!

2011-09-06T17:26:00.000-05:00

We got to meet the Lantrip family's new addition last week, Byars. He is so precious & looks a lot like his big brother. Katie asked me a few times if she could hold him, it was so sweet to see her holding him, I can't believe it has been a year since Will was that little. We enjoyed our visit very much, Coleman has so many toys, I don't think Katie or Will wanted to leave, too bad we just moved away :( Congratulations again Mandy, he is adorable!! We will come visit again soon!

Around the House

2011-09-06T17:22:00.000-05:00

Katie & Will really enjoyed riding the jeep in the back yard at the house in PG. Sadie enjoyed the company too, she turned 10 years old while we lived there! I can't believe we have had her that long. She has been a great dog she is very protective over the kids & anytime I play with them she starts barking at me, I guess she thinks I am hurting them. We moved this past weekend out of that house in with my dad because it sold. We still haven't found a house (the right house) for us glad we can take our time! We are living with my dad temporarily hopefully we can find something real soon, I am ready to be settled in our new home!!!

Splash Pad

2011-09-06T17:18:00.000-05:00

1st Birthday Party

2011-08-08T09:20:00.000-05:00

Will had a wonderful birthday party Saturday! We had so many friends & family come & celebrate his first birthday. We had a waterslide for all of the kids, we ate hot dogs & then had cake. I think everyone had a great time even though it was so hot outside. Thank you to everyone who came & for all of his birthday presents! We have the best friends & family & are so glad you could all be part of his special day!

Will's 1st Birthday

2011-08-08T08:51:00.000-05:00

August 2, 2011...we didn't do much for Will's actual birthday b/c I knew we had a big day planned the following Saturday! We went over to The Carter's house & baked cupcakes & let the kids play. After all of the cupcakes were finished we sang Happy Birthday to Will & watched him eat his cupcake. He made a MESS, just what I expected. I didn't get a picture of him before I cleaned him up because he was making a bigger mess pretty quick. He had icing in his hair on his arm, all over his face & a sprinkle on his eye lid! We had a great day & can't believe my baby boy is a year old!

We went to the Dr. on Wed. for his one year check up & Will 21.9 lbs. & is 31" tall. That is 2 inches taller than his daddy at 1 year! He is in the 50% percentile for weight & 75% for height. (Katie was 23.4 lbs. & 30 1/4") I also decided that he had to come off the bottle that day! I had been trying to give him milk in a cup for about a week & he still wanted a bottle so I struggled with it a little bit. I thought he would be taking a bottle for months to come but, I gave him a bottle at lunch that day & he hasn't had one since. He has done great with milk so far & hasn't missed the bottle one bit. It couldn't come at a better time, the house we are living in does not have a diswasher & I have been hand washing Dr. Brown bottles for over a month now. So glad I don't have to do that anymore!

Guess who's ONE...

2011-08-02T09:37:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday to our little boy! Will officially turned a year old today. His party is not until this weekend but we will have some cupcakes to celebrate today too. I cannot believe how fast a year can go by! I remember so well going to the hospital & having him & it doesn't seem like it was a year ago. Will is so different from Katie, he is into everything & wants to go everywhere & is so silly! He started walking about 3 weeks ago & is still a little wobbly but gets where he wants to go. He has his one year check-up tomorrow & I can't wait to see how much he weighs & how tall he is. He is a momma's boy & if I am in the room he wants to be right next to me. He is so sweet & will just let you love on him. I love having a boy & a girl & I am so thankful that they are two beautiful & healthy children.

Alabama Adventure

2011-08-02T09:17:00.000-05:00

Last week Katie & I took a trip to Alabama Adventure by ourselves & we had so much fun! The last few years I have had to stay on my feet the whole time because she was all over the place & last year I was 8 months pregnant. I didn't get season passes this year because I knew Will would be a handful. I was actually able to sit in a lounge chair & relax this time! Before we headed out Katie saw the Ferris Wheel & wanted to ride, I couldn't believe it! We rode it & she loved it. After that she wanted to ride the log ride, again, I couldn't believe she wanted to ride it & we ended up riding it twice! We both had so much fun, it reminded me of riding the log ride at Miracle Strip with my dad when I was little, it was my favorite & now I am doing it with her. Hopefully we will make it back again this summer for another mommy/daughter day! I really enjoyed it.

Happy Birthday Aiden & Austin!

2011-08-02T09:02:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago we went to Aiden & Austin's birthday @ Tree Top in Chelsea. We had so much fun! Katie loved riding the go karts & playing all of the arcade games. We had so much fun celebrating their birthday with them & I hope we make it back to Tree Top very soon!

After the party, they both fell asleep like that!

2011-08-02T08:43:00.000-05:00

Last day...

2011-08-02T08:30:00.000-05:00

These pictures were taken the last day we were all at the house together. We have so many wonderful memories there & I'm glad we thought to take one last family picture. I already miss having a place on the river but maybe one day down the road we can make it back to the water (hopefully to the beach) & probably after our kids are moved out! Until then I look forward to starting our lives in a new place, we still don't know where that is yet & I hope we find it soon!!

Time to start packing!

2011-06-27T16:54:00.002-05:00

We have finally sold our house & it is very bittersweet! We have been busting at the seams for a while now in this two bed/one bath house. We have made so many memories here & it's going to be hard to say goodbye! We have enjoyed every minute of having a house on the river & the piece & quiet that came with it. Brad bought this house 11 years ago & I have lived here almost 6 now. We got engaged in this house & brought home two beautiful & healthy children while we have lived here. I look forward to starting the next chapter in our lives in a new home, in a new city but still haven't found either of those yet. We will be moving back to our hometown of Pleasant Grove until we find the perfect house for us. We have a little under 2 weeks before we have to be out & it's time to start packing. I will try to update again before we leave but it may be a few more weeks.

My baby girl

2011-06-27T16:43:00.000-05:00

I didn't take her 3 year pictures because it is always too cold around her birthday to do them outside, I usually wait until Easter to take them but didn't do that either this year. So I will consider this some pictures I took while she was 3 :). I took pictures of a friends little girl a few weeks ago & took Katie with me, I had to snap a few of her & I'm so glad I did! I love how the black & white one turned out, she was looking at all of the buildings around Morris Ave. & asking me about them when I was taking these pictures. She looks so innocent, key word "looks". I think it is one to be framed! I will be going back in a few weeks to take Will's First birthday pictures! I can't believe how fast a year, or should I say 3 years have gone by!

Happy Father's Day!!

2011-06-21T13:49:00.001-05:00

We had an unforgetable Father's day this year. This was the last weekend we will all be at our house on the river because we have sold it! So we decided to rent a pontoon boat for the day & after we had lunch we spent the afternoon on the river. It was very relaxing for everyone & Will slept the first part of the ride. I'm so glad we got to make another memory at this house. We have so many here & I am really going to miss it! Happy Father's day to my wonderful husband, you are an amazing Father, & I hope you enjoyed your day!

Weekend @ Lake Martin

2011-06-21T13:45:00.000-05:00

Two weeks ago we were invited to stay with the Hughes Family at their lake house on Lake Martin. We had a wonderful weekend & the kids all played together very well, considering there were 5 of them! We got out on the lake Friday when we got there & Katie rode the inner tube with Jennifer, Jax & Aiden. I was a nervous wreck but she LOVED it!! Every time we hit a wave & her feet flew up in the air my heart skipped a beat. I knew she was fine out there but it was her first time doing anything like it. I got in there with her next & we rode it until she had enough. Saturday we rode the boat & had a delicious lunch at Sinclair's. We came back, got changed & were on the boat again headed to Chuck's, they have the best pizza & the atmosphere is even better. The kids loved hearing everyone sing karaoke & even danced on the tables. Thank you so much for a wonderful weekend, Lake Martin is beautiful & we hope to spend time with all of you again real soon!

I know I'm a little behind!

2011-06-21T13:25:00.000-05:00

These pictures are from Memorial Day weekend. We had some friends over & we all had so much fun. Katie & Braelyn played in the pool. Then we had a great lunch followed by some home made ice cream, YUM! Thanks Dana for the dessert!

Happy 90th Birthday Grandma

2011-05-20T11:58:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday was Grandma Spencer's 90th Birthday, she was so happy to see her great-grandchildren, I think they made her day that much more special. We are so glad we got to share another birthday with her!

Mother's Day

2011-05-10T17:08:00.000-05:00

I had a wonderful Mother's Day that actually started the night before. Brad arranged for his parents to keep the kids so I could have a night off. That was one of the best Mother's Day presents he could have given me! I have had 1 night away from both of them in the last 9 months so I was long over due! Thank you Mimi & Papa for keeping both of them so I could have a break. We had a great dinner & then went to a suprise birthday party for my long time friend. Sunday we had lunch with Mimi, Papa & Amanda on the river & then came back home & had relaxing afternoon outside. I am so thankful to be Katie & Will's mommy & I love them more than they will ever know!

April 27, 2011

2011-05-10T17:00:00.000-05:00

I don't need to explain what happened that day in my hometown of Pleasant Grove, I think it's a day no one will forget! The first two pictures are of us in the storm shelter at Tammy's mom's house in Rock Creek/Oak Grove, you can see the kids were probably picking up on our nervousness. After watching the tornado in Tuscaloosa on TV we headed to the basement to their storm shelter. I was pretty nervous especially when the guys were standing at the door watching for the tornado & bringing some of the debris that had landed in the yard. After we were sure it we were in the clear we went outside to see the damage, which thankfully there wasn't any! We could see the black cloud in the distance as the tornado crossed over 15th Street & headed to Concord. It was only a few minutes before we heard about the devastation that had just happened in Concord. It wasn't too much longer we heard about PG. The next day I think I watched the news all day. I felt so helpless & seeing Pleasant Grove destroyed & thinking of all of the people who were hurt or lost their lives just broke my heart! We went out there Friday to check on my grandparents & my mother, thank God they were all ok & their houses were spared. After we checked on the people we knew we rode by my old house. My dad, sister & I lived on 8th Street which is the road from Hill's to Highland Forest. The other two pictures are of that house as you can see there is nothing left! I am so thankful we did not live there anymore because we would have gone into the bathroom, where they always tell you to go & we would not have made it! There was nothing left of the house just the floors in my old room & the laundry room. Thankfully the current owners of the house were not at home that night & they survived!! I pray for all of the people affected by this terrible storm.

9 months old

2011-05-02T15:43:00.000-05:00

I was taking a picture of Will this morning & realized that the shirt he had on was Katie's so I found a picture of her in it to compare the two. Katie was 10 months old in her picture. Will is crawling EVERYWHERE & into EVERYTHING! I can't sit still because he is constantly finding something to get into. Katie was always occupied by her toys but not this little boy, he wants everything but toys. I cannot keep this house picked up because he is always pulling something out right behind me. He just cut his 4th tooth & I think he is trying to cut his 5th. He is finally taking two naps a day & still sleeping all night. He was just taking 1-2, 30 minute naps during the day. I can't believe in 3 months he will be a year old! This is going by way too fast for me.

Easter sunday

2011-05-02T11:29:00.001-05:00

We went to my grandmothers house & had a wonderful dinner & all of the kids hunted Easter eggs after we ate. Katie had so much fun & I told her before we went to try & find the eggs with money in them. I didn't know she was going to pick every egg up & shake it to see if there was money in them. She did end up with several that had money but she really wanted the ones with candy in them! We tried to get a family picture but Will just didn't make it, oh well it turned out cute anyway. After Granny's we went to Mimi & Papa's & ate again & the kids got cute Easter presents from them & Amanda. We had a wonderful day!

Easter Morning

2011-04-25T22:32:00.000-05:00

We had a great Easter this year & it is so much fun watching Katie get excited about any holiday. The Easter bunny left both of their baskets full of goodies! Katie got the Baby All Gone that she has been wanting since Christmas. Apparently Santa didn't get that on his list & she has been telling me since then that he forgot to bring her that baby. Glad the Easter bunny made up for that. She also got some candy, games, & a new purse. I love these two so much & it makes me so happy that God chose us to be their mommy & daddy!

Dying Eggs...What a mess!

2011-04-25T22:22:00.001-05:00

Little Ham

2011-04-25T22:18:00.000-05:00

He is such a cutie pie & knows it! Everytime I get the camera out he starts smiling at me, I love it!!

New Pictures

2011-04-23T09:17:00.000-05:00

These were some pictures we took last week of the kids modeling some clothes we will be selling. They turned out so cute & make the clothes look even better ;) If you are interested in seeing more clothes you can view them on our Facebook page. www.facebook.com/thewillowpatch

On the move...

2011-04-07T18:24:00.000-05:00

Will is officially crawling, pulling up & into EVERYTHING! I can't believe he is 8 months old already & I'm sure I say that every month too. He is such a sweet little boy, but also has a little temper. He cannot stand for you to take anything away from him, he will pitch a fit. He doesn't sit still now & is too busy for naps. I am lucky if he takes an afternoon nap at all & usually only sleeps 30-45 min. when he does take a nap. (I don't get any thing accomplished, ever!). On top of that Katie has slowly stopped taking naps too. Never a dull moment around here!!!

Daddy's Birthday

2011-03-24T17:54:00.003-05:00

Last Sunday was daddy's birthday & we celebrated by not doing anything! Katie & I sat in the yard & had a picinic & Brad & Will stayed on the porch & we all just enjoyed the beautiful day. Brad grilled ribs & Katie & I made his birthday cake which was a giant cupcake. I think she asked us 100 times if it was ready to eat. I did manage to get a few new pictures of the kids that I thought turned out pretty cute! Happy Birthday daddy, we love you very much!!

Happy Birthday Papa!!

2011-03-24T17:47:00.000-05:00

After John Thomas' birthday we went to Mimi & Papa's to celebrate Papa's birthday. We had a great steak dinner & then had birthday cake. Katie loves birthday's & we had to stop & get Papa a Diego balloon, she said it was his favorite :) We hope you had a great birthday Papa!

John Thomas' Birthday

2011-03-24T17:40:00.000-05:00

Almost two weeks ago we went to John Thomas' 3rd birthday. He had a great party with a baseball theme at an actual baseball field. Rickwood Field was the location of the party & it was one of the best parties we have been too! I loved watching Katie hit the baseball off of the T & all of the kids (and adults) playing on the field. We had hotdogs for lunch with cracker jacks, peanuts, & "Big Chew" bubble gum. Happy Birthday John Thomas I hope you had a great birthday party & I know it is one we will never forget!

Cuties!!

2011-03-24T17:30:00.000-05:00

This was one day before we were leaving in the house, can't believe I got a smile out of both of them!

Lazy days...

2011-03-08T10:40:00.000-06:00

Katie loves to pile up blankets on the floor & take all of the pillow off of the couch. This morning she asked me to lay Will down with her. They were so cute giggling & watching cartoons for a few minutes & then he was on the move.

My little man!

2011-03-08T10:34:00.001-06:00

Oh my gosh I can't believe how fast Will is growing up. I took these a couple of weeks ago after he was dressed & ready to go for the day. He is already 7 months old & it won't be long before he will be crawling! I will sit him up in the floor & as soon as I turn around he is on his belly & scooting backwards. He hasn't figured out how to go forward yet but I give it another week or two. He has been doing well on baby food, sleeps all night & overall is a great baby. I know I have said it before but he is crazy about his big sister! His face lites up whenever he sees her, even if she is napping in her bed, he smiles.

My Big Girl!

2011-03-08T10:24:00.000-06:00

I know I am way behind, these are from a few weeks ago, it was so warm outside I spent the day outside strolling Will & Katie rode her bike. She did so good & I was so proud of her & how quick she caught on! We still need to work on using the brakes, our driveway has a little incline & she thinks it is so much fun to go really fast down it. I think she may really be laughing at me having to chase her to keep her from running into our cars or the house! It won't be long & I won't have to help her anymore :( She is growing up way to fast!!!

Caught up for now...

2011-02-21T10:33:00.001-06:00

Saturday was Maddox's first birthday, he had a cowboy party & all of the kids had cowboy hats & badges it was so cute! Katie had so much fun playing with her buddy Braelyn. Maddox's cake was so cute & he did pretty good digging into the smash cake with some help from his big sister! Happy Birthday Maddox we really enjoyed your first birthday & look forward to spending many more with you!!

Happy Birthday Granny!

2011-02-21T10:25:00.000-06:00

Last Sunday we had dinner at Granny's house for her Birthday, we all brought a dish & had birthday cake for dessert. All of the kids played & entertained everyone after dinner, they were so funny! I am so glad we could spend the day with my grandmother & my family, I love them all so much!

Feeding Will

2011-02-21T10:20:00.000-06:00

Snow Day!

2011-02-21T10:16:00.000-06:00

We all really enjoyed the snow a few weeks ago, it started Wednesday night while we were out eating dinner & we ended up driving home it what looked like a blizzard because it was snowing so hard. By the time we made our hour drive home the ground was covered. Katie couldn't wait to play in it & there was even enough on the porch to throw at Brad & I. The next morning I bundled everyone up & we went out long enough to take a few pictures & make some snow angels. I love the snow & think it is so beautiful but I sure was glad when it was all gone & it warmed up to the 60's & 70's a few days later!

Sweet Baby Boy!

2011-02-21T09:49:00.001-06:00

He really is a sweet baby & he loves his big sister! Will has been sitting up good for a while now & he tries to scoot around the floor but doesn't know how to get where he wants to go yet. I can't believe he is growing up so fast & will be crawling before I know it. He has just started saying momma & it is the sweetest sound, I'm still not sure if he is saying it to get my attention but he does just like Katie did & says it when he wants someone to get him or is getting mad about something. I enjoy hearing it now but I know a day will come when he will wear it out!

Check ups

2011-02-03T18:27:00.001-06:00

Katie & Will both had check up's yesterday, overall it was a good visit, except Will has his first ear infection. He has been fussy for the last few days but I wasn't sure if it was his ears or teething. We had one of the best Dr. visits in a very long time, I like it when there is little or no screaming involved! Both kids were great, especially Katie, I can't brag about her enough. We talked about going to the Dr. the day before & told her how she needed to act like a big girl since she was 3 years old. She sat in the chair for her blood pressure check, & got on the scales with no problem. The Dr. checked her out & everything looked great. After both kids where checked out it was time to give a urine sample, Katie said "mommy, that cup is too little!" I couldn't help but laugh & wonder what she might have been picturing in her mind. The last thing was a finger prick, this is when I thought she might lose it, but she didn't even blink when they stuck her finger & she was so excited about the smiley face the nurse drew on her bandaid. I said to her when we were leaving, "Katie I am so proud of you I think I might cry!" she said, "MOMMY!, don't cry be happy!" Of course after she said that I didn't cry, I laughed. Here are both of their stats.

Katie: 3 years old - 39 lbs. & 40 1/4" (she was off the charts for weight & height)

Will: 6 months old - 17.3 lbs. & 27" (75% height & 50% weight)

Sitting up!

2011-01-31T10:56:00.001-06:00

Will, will be 6 months this week & has been sitting up over a week now. He still doesn't have all of his balance figured out & I'm not ready to let him sit there alone yet but it won't be much longer. Both kids have check up's this weeks so I can't wait to see how much they have both grown. I'm sure Katie is off the charts for both. If you haven't seen her in person she is very tall for her age, she is 3 years old & wears a size 5 in all of her clothes. She usually towers over all of the kids her age. I think Will is going to be the same way, he really has been gaining weight now that his reflux has gotten under control. I will post more after our appointment.
Oh & Katie has discovered my ipod, it usually stays in the car so she really hasn't ever paid it too much attention. After she listened to a few of my songs I decided to download her a toddler album of songs she knows & she has really been attached to it. She even took it with her to the grocery store (it really kept her quiet & occupied) with us & the lady couldn't believe she had her own ipod. Not yet, maybe one day she can have mine but it will be a long time before she has one of her own!!

Helping Daddy work

2011-01-31T10:45:00.001-06:00

Brad has been doing some repairs around our house so we can hopefully get it up for sale this spring, & yesterday Katie wanted to help. I don't know if my clumsy little girl really needs to be holding a hammer but she did pretty good when it came time to tear things down. It was such a nice warm weekend we all ended up being outside & watching daddy work yesterday. The house is starting to look so much better & I can't wait to finally get it up for sale & hopefully SOLD! We are running out of room fast!

Watching Big Sister!

2011-01-31T10:42:00.002-06:00

If Katie is around Will's eyes are glued to her. He is crazy about his big sister & I think she can make him smile & giggle better than anyone else. He really enjoyed watching her draw a picture of one of the clowns she saw at the circus, what an artist ;)

Circus

2011-01-31T10:35:00.001-06:00

Saturday we had our first trip to the Circus, first for Katie & first in a long time for Brad & I. It was pretty good, I know Katie had a great time! We went down on the floor before the show started & Katie got to see the Elephant paint a picture, but she didn't like the way it smelled of course. There were a few times during the show she seemed to lose interest & we actually ended up leaving a little early because she was ready to go. I think we will wait a few more years before we decide to make another trip to the Circus!

2011-01-31T10:22:00.000-06:00

Last of the Birthday pictures

2011-01-10T16:42:00.000-06:00

After Katie got up from her nap today we sang Happy Birthday & she blew out candles on her cupcake. She has been a little confused because her party was Saturday & today is her actual birthday. I think she thought she was having another party today. I have to say she has really liked all of the attention today & the phone calls she has gotten. She has been running to the phone everytime it rings today & has even gotten a little embaressed when they have sang to her. She has had a great day & it has been so much fun spending it with her.

A fun birthday

2011-01-10T16:29:00.000-06:00

Katie was so excited to wake up this morning on her birthday & see snow outside. Well it was more ice than anything but she didn't care she just wanted to play in it. She had fun throwing the snow/ice at me & her daddy. Look at our crazy dog! She makes me feel so bad when I look out the window on a cold day & she is out there shivering, boy she knows how to fool me! That cold water didn't phase her, I will remember that next time she makes me feel bad! I wrote in the snow for Katie & after I did it I remembered I forgot to put the date, when I got back out there Sadie had left her mark for Katie too.

Cutie Pie!

2011-01-10T16:17:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday!

2011-01-10T08:31:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday to our baby girl who is 3 years old today! I took this picture the other night of her in her 1st Birthday hat. I can't believe how much she has changed in just 2 years! I wish I would have taken a picture of her in this same hat last year but I just didn't think about it. Katie you are a beautiful, smart, & happy little girl & our lives changed the minute you were born. I thank God everyday for sending you to us! I look forward to so many more of your birthdays, we love you very much!!!!

Katie's 3rd Birthday Party

2011-01-09T15:32:00.005-06:00

Yesterday was Katelyn's birthday party, she had such a big day! We had a joint birthday party with Logan who was born 2 days before Katelyn. We had two inflatables one princess & one whale & they were a big hit with all of the kids. We had to set everything up & Katelyn was taking her shoes off before they were blown up all the way. Katelyn wanted a Cinderella birthday party with a Cinderella cake so that's what she got. Her cake turned out so cute & all of the little girls seemed to be impressed with it, there were even a few fingerprints in the cake. Katelyn had so many friends show up to celebrate her birthday & she was so excited! We sang Happy Birthday, had cake & ice cream, & they were all ready to go back & play again. Katelyn opened all of her gifts as soon as we got home & she got the cutest clothes & toys! I have to thank everyone who came & helped with the party, you all made my little girls day so special & one I'm pretty sure she will never forget! Tomorrow is her actual birthday & hopefully she will be able to build a snowman for her birthday, we will have to wait & see!

Katie & her baby

2011-01-09T14:21:00.000-06:00

This is Katie with her Bitty Baby, they are so cute in their matching pajama's & she loves taking care of her baby doll. Thank you Mimi & Papa!

Happy New Year!!

2011-01-09T14:18:00.000-06:00

We spent the weekend of New Years at the lake with the Hughes Family. We had such a great time, all of the kids got a long great & played all weekend. Not long after we got there Friday night we went outside for a fireworks show. Brad & RJ shot the fireworks & the kids would run up to them until they were lit & then take off running back to the house. They had so much fun running around the yard. They also had a few cans of silly string that Jennifer got them & loved spraying each other. Saturday all of the kids just played inside because it was raining & we had some great New Year's day food, hopefully it will bring all of us some good luck & money in 2011!! We had a wonderful time & Katie was exhausted for the next few days & it took her a while to get caught up on her sleep. Thanks again for having us & we look forwad to coming back when it warms up.

My Birthday

2011-01-09T13:57:00.000-06:00

I'm a little behind on blogging so hopefully I can get caught up today. Two days after Christmas was my bithday & in the two days after Christmas I was very sick! I ended up spending my birthday going to the Doctor & getting 2 shots. I was running a fever & felt horrible, probably the worst I have felt in years. Brad took off work to take me to the Dr. & sat in the car with the kids while I went in. After the Dr. appointment I felt good enough to go to lunch, we ate at Chuy's & I couldn't eat it all before I started feeling bad again. Hopefully next year I will have a good birthday, since the last two haven't been that great :(

Christmas Day

2010-12-28T11:48:00.000-06:00

Both of our families came to our house this Christmas, we cooked dinner & had ham, dressing, all of the sides & desserts. We had so much fun opening all of the gifts, I believe Katelyn was overwhelmed because of all of the presents she received, there were alot!! We even had to open Will's because he slept through it all. Brad & I also got some great gifts & we are so thankful to be a part of such great families. Thanks for everything you all did, we had a very Merry Christmas!!

Christmas Morning

2010-12-28T10:54:00.004-06:00

Priceless!

We had a wonderful Christmas this year with the exception that I was sick from Thursday until today. I felt horrible but made the best of it & of course Katelyn made it so much fun! She was speechless when we woke her up & told her that Santa came to visit. Of course she got the bicycle she wanted & couldn't wait to ride it. Also you can see she couldn't wait to dress up in her new princess costumes, check out those shoes with her pj's & her belly hanging out of her Belle costume. Will had a great first Christmas even though he slept through most of it. Santa brouhgt him some much needed toys!

Making sweets!

2010-12-28T10:06:00.001-06:00

Thursday night we made peppermint bark, white chocolate & candy canes, & Katie had so much fun beating up the candy canes. Then on Friday night we made cookies for Santa, I got to use my new plate from the pottery party I had made, the Christmas trees are Katie & Will's footprints, I love the way it turned out. Katelyn had fun rolling out the cookie dough & decorating with icing & sprinkles. Santa must have loved her cookies because he almost ate them all & Pete even took one for his long trip back with Santa. This is something I look forward to doing with her every year at Christmas, I can't wait for Will to join in on all of the fun!

Family Pictures

2010-12-28T10:00:00.001-06:00

We had these done a while back by Kristy Pruet Photography & I had to wait until after Christmas to post them. I think they turned out great, thanks again Kristy!!

Sleeping Beauty

2010-12-28T09:56:00.000-06:00

Aren't they so cute & peaceful while they are sleeping...(their) nap time is my favorite part of the day :) Just had to share.

Christmas with Granny

2010-12-20T10:06:00.001-06:00

We had our annual Christmas party with my grandparents (my dad's side)Saturday evening. All of the kids had so much fun, this was the first year we had it at a different location. We had the party at my grandparents church & of course we had access to the gym & all of the kids took full advantage of it. They all played until it was time to open gifts. My Granny buys gifts for every child, grandchild, great-grandchild & there is usually some extra presents for anyone who may have shown up unannouced. I can't remember the last time there was a tally of everyone but I think it was somewhere around 60 family members give or take a few. She does way to much for everyone every year but she wouldn't have it any other way!

First tooth!

2010-12-19T16:46:00.000-06:00

Katie was 8 months old when she cut her first so I was very suprised when I noticed Will had cut his first tooth already. Now I know why he had been fussy a few days before that, I just assumed it was from all of his reflux issues. It looks like the one next to it will be coming in pretty soon too.

New Pictures

2010-12-12T18:38:00.000-06:00

I had to get a few pictures of the kids before we left the house Saturday. We don't get out as much as we use to so I had to take the opportunity to get some pictures of them dressed up. I think they turned out pretty cute!

Fun filled Saturday & a visit with Santa

2010-12-12T18:34:00.000-06:00

We were also invited to a Christmas party after the birthday party so we headed across town to visit the Connell family. The kids had a blast playing with all of Daniley's toys & each other. Shortly after everyone ate we had a suprise visitor, Santa! The kids were beyond excited & were waiting at the back door for him to come off of the roof from his sleigh. I thought Katie would be a little scared but she was very excited. She was one of the last ones to sit in his lap, but finally got up there & told him she wanted a red bike from him. All of the kids also got a present from Santa & that made them excited too. We had so much fun & seeing them get excited makes me more anxious for Christmas this year, I can't wait! Thanks again for having us at the party I hope we can do it again next year!!

Lexi's 4th birthday

2010-12-12T18:19:00.000-06:00

We were invited to Katie's cousin Lexi's birthday party yesterday, she is actually my cousin's daughter. She had a party at a dance studio & the girls had so much fun! Katie was excited about being a ballerina for the day & I even bought her tights, a leotard & slippers. I really wanted to sign her up for dance this past fall but I didn't know where we would be living throughout the year & didn't want to commit to anything. (We are in the process of getting our house ready to sell) Hopefully we will be somewhere settled so she can start with Mrs. Lynn next year.
They started off the party with a dance class teaching them the basics of dance, my child just stood there almost like she was in shock, she didn't do anything! Hopefully she will do better if I sign her up for dance! After that they sang Happy Birthday, & then did face painting. Once Katie got a little sugar in her she was running all over the place. She had so much fun at the party & I thought it was a great idea for a little girls birthday party, maybe we can do that one year!

Look who's here!

2010-12-05T09:02:00.000-06:00

The Elf on the Shelf showed up at our house on Wednesday, we got home from shopping & he was sitting on the table in her room with his book. I read the story to Katelyn & then we came up with a name for him, we call him "Pete" or sometimes she still calls him "Elf on the Shelf". Katie has so much fun waking up every morning & seeing what "Pete" has done. The first night he was here he took all of the socks out of her drawer & threw them on the floor & was sitting in her drawer the next morning. The day after that he was sitting in her chair eating apple jacks, she cleaned them up out of her chair, put them in the bowl & then she ate them! He moved the next night & was sitting on the wreath & last night while she was gone to Mimi & Papa's he went into her room & was hanging from the light. She called me first thing & asked about him & I told her he was in her room because he was waiting on her to get home. I could hear the excitement in her voice when she found out he had moved. I'm so glad he showed up at her house this year, it has been fun for all of us. He has definitely helped keep her on the nice list this year!