Six Month Hiatus

I've decided to break the awkward silence. Six months is a long time. I bet some of you thought I went MIA from the blogging scene never to return. My 3 faithful readers. Who I appreciate very much.

Well, turn on the dance music because I've decided to come back to you.

I hardly took any pictures and missed out on a lot of things I should have/wish I had documentation of over these past several months. I'm most upset over things Reece started doing and quickly grew out of that I did not get on video and such. His learning to finally respond 'yes' to a question by nodding his head was the cutest thing in the world. Do I have a video to remember it forever? No. He now straight-up says "yes" or "yeah" to answer so looks like I'll be forever kicking myself.

The first few months of the year (and really starting last summer), we were in over-drive preparing our house to put on the market. Those months were filled with my favorite tasks of decluttering, fixing, painting, pressure washing, staging, and cleaning every-freaking-thing. And by March we were finally ready to list it.

And it is still for sale. Been seen lots of time. Almost sold once.

This is SO not fun with young, wild children who only know how to destroy. 

The rest of the months were filled with a lot of difficulty for me, which would be why there is not much proof of our lives during this hiatus. Here is the little bit of what I did get:

Celebrating cousins Jack and Kate's birthdays. Did I get a picture of either Jack or Kate on this day? No. What I did get was this awesome cake! My sister's family loves the Up movie. And my sister is unfairly talented in every way.

Cade went with Grandma/Grandpa and cousins to see his very first play- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at Grissom Highschool. No one does a play like Grissom. NO ONE. They are always amazing.

Sometimes you just need a massive piece of chocolate.

Easter egg hunt at Grandma/Grandpas. This is the only Easter picture I have from this year. No kids baskets. No kids in their cute matching church outfits. This is it.

Random Sunday where they were the most adorable boys on the planet.

Reece's obsessions- walking around in Mommy's shoes and chapstick. We have had instances of mistaking sunscreen face sticks and glue sticks as chapstick. Mmm. This little booger is also talking up a storm now. You can have a full out conversation with the kid. He tries to say anything and everything.

Daddy wasn't too happy when receiving this text at work :) It was hilarious.

Day Out With Thomas in Birmingham. A boy's dream.

Train ride

Sir Topham Hatt

And Cade started and finished another entire season of soccer. Still loves it.

The only one of his goal's from this season that we got on video.

My poor Reecey decided to play in an ant hill. 76 bites counted on both feet and up his legs.

Cade performing in his end-of-the-school-year preschool performance.

Cade with his best buddy from his class- Nolan

Cade's teacher for the 2nd half of the year- Miss Stephanie. She was great!

When they stop the running, screaming, and whining, it is possible for them to be cute:

Strawberry picking with Grandma, Aunt Kim, and cousins.

My first time ever shooting a gun. I screamed and closed my eyes every time I pulled the trigger. Those things are scary.

Daddy turned 31!

Cade gave me a great idea to make Chase a golf cake. This is the best I could do. At least the oreo frosting tasted good.

The first time I switched the view on my phone so that Reece could see himself.

And that is all.

Bah Humbug

I know it's the end of January, but I'm still just so happy that December is over. The holidays are supposed to be a wonderful and magical time of the year, but it seems as though they are so crammed full of events and parties to attend/decorating to do/treats to make/shopping to do that in all the relentless hustle and bustle, I tend to forget about the wonderful part and am just left overwhelmed and exhausted. Tell me I am not alone in feeling this way! 

This December was no different. It was so chock-full in fact that I am vowing next year, our family is going to leave out some things and make it a less stressful and enjoyable holiday to spend together. And that we will get all our Christmas shopping done by the beginning of November because let's face it, running around everywhere to find everyone's gifts with children in December with tons of people everywhere is by far the WORST part. (Hopefully, this will not all be forgotten when the holidays roll around again.) 

We did have some joyous times together so let's take a look at some of the highlights from the month:

To start the month off, we had S.E.A.'s Christmas party (Chase's work) at the Huntsville Museum of Art. I love that they do it at the very beginning of the month. I may or may not look forward to it every year because of the really good food...

Santa at the party

They always have a balloon animal man who makes cool stuff for the kids.

This year the party also had ice skating! Cade's first time, and he loved it!

Then there was church activity #1.

Next came Cade's birthday. I still get all sappy and can't believe he is already 4.

The day before his big day, I brought cupcakes to his preschool class to celebrate.

On his big day.

And it just so happened that Papa was running his first marathon the same day. Which is not a big deal at all.

I seriously don't know how people do it.

And then we had a birthday party with the Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, and cousins:

He (and his daddy's) favorite gift- a remote control helicopter. He is not capable of looking in any other direction but the tv if it is on.

Insert another church activity here.

Then we went to Santa's Village downtown.

Next came the annual ornament party, and Cade's preschool Christmas program.

Then, a huge achievement- Chase graduated with his MBA!! So. Glad. This. Is. Over. And I let that be known all the time. It's really, really hard to go to school while working full time, raising kids, and fulfilling church callings. But, with hard work, sweat, and maybe some tears sometimes (on my end), it can be done. And done it is! Woohoo!

I couldn't be more proud.

Cade still refers to this day and calls it "Daddy's gradulations".

At Daddy's celebratory meal- a glimpse of the evil eye Reece gives everyone now. Unfortunately, the big cookie cake I made was not documented.

Then we had church activity #3.

Next, came a nice surprise for my sister, sister-in-law and I- we were sent to the Carrie Underwood concert in Memphis! I'm really bummed I didn't bring my camera, and I couldn't get anything good on my phone. Alas, it was an awesome concert.

Snowflake ornaments Cade and I made for his teachers and a few people he loves.

Other goodies were made

We had Cade's Christmas party at school. If only we knew that was the last time we'd see his teacher, Mrs. Nikki. She took a job at another school over the holiday break, and we boohooed big tears!

Then, we had an awesome (and I mean awesome) get together with some friends at our house. You know it's awesome when Dirty Santa and blindfolded snorting like pigs at each other games are played. And when someone knits a scarf to look like a piece of bacon. Sheer genius.   

And we still had our normal traditions of seeing the Botanical Garden lights, Christmas cookie decorating, and Christmas Eve dinner.

And Santa came.

And Cade got a "keykol" mask and a little "keykol". We couldn't figure out for the life of us what a keykol was when he asked Santa for it. Apparently, it is the noise that Darth Vader makes (keeeyyy....koolll). Thank goodness I brought it up at the preschool party, and Mrs. Nikki knew exactly what it was or we would never have known.

Aunt Kim made awesome capes.

Reece started going to nursery with absolutely no problems and no looking back! He leaves there every Sunday in such a good mood!

Cuddling with "puppy" and "monmey"

And my husband has become a redneck.