Giving Thanks 2011

So much to be thankful for!  Our Thanksgiving festivities started the Saturday before Thanksgiving.  My family met at my parents to celebrate...eight adults...ten children.  They have us outnumbered!  Grandchild #11 is due the first of January and Grandchild #12 is expected in April.  I just love seeing all the cousins play together.  They get along so well.  Here are a few of the boys checking out a parts catalog...haha...  Don't let this one picture fool you though, they know how to have a good time...pictures to come!  ;)

I am so thankful for a healthy family.  We had a scare with dad a few months ago, but all is well now.   I'm thankful for this little 30 pound one-year old.  And so is my chiropractor!  He likes to be held...a lot!  hahaha 

Miss MC is almost a year old.  She's so pretty and always pleasant...and so petite!  If Miss Elle keeps gaining like she is, she'll be passing some hand-me-downs to little Miss MC!

Here's the real picture of the boys and their fun...

For our family, getting together just isn't complete without YouTube.  It's really just too much fun to watch others make bad choices.

While the big kids played outside, the littles entertained themselves indoors...

and snuggled with the ones that matter most!

We hosted B's family at our house Wednesday through Friday of Thanksgiving week.  Twelve grands...twelve adults...we're almost outnumbered!!!  We had such a great time together.  Everyone arrived early enough on Wednesday to join us for church.  It was such a treat to let them all meet our church family.

Michael was my partner in crime this year and took as many, if not more, pictures than I did.  It was a great relief to me to have him just pick up my camera and start snapping...I think he got some of the best shots of the holiday!! :)

Lynden absolutely LOVED climbing in little cousin Benton's walker!  Oh, this child.

Thursday proved to be a fun, but loooong day.  So, to keep from getting cabin fever, the ladies and older children went to the movies.  We left the babies with the daddies!  We had popcorn and coke for dinner and it was great.

All the grands, minus two...

we welcomed THREE babies THIS year!

{two last year- 2010}

{three in 2008}

We had a great time playing cards throughout the three-day get together.  We created a new game of 8-person Spades, "Bobby".  And April, Amber, and I even figured out how to play 3-person Spades...it just took us a few hands to realize there were 17 tricks instead of 13!

We had a blast even to the very end...Raegen thorougly enjoyed letting the air out of the mattresses.

What a blessing to have such fun with family...and Christmas is just around the corner!

Ellison Lee - 5 months

Ellison Lee, you are five months old today!! My, oh my, how the time has flown by! You receive the same comment over and over..."she is such a happy baby"...well, you are and it shows!

You certainly have your moments where you fuss, but generally you're just happy. So easy. We are slowly getting a routine around here. You now go to sleep {still in the bassinet beside our bed!} around 9PM and wake around 7:30AM. {and on that note, you have taken a nap or two in your crib!}  However, the past three nights have been brutal!! Your father asked me this morning if maybe you were teething. Well, why didn't I think of that?! I think he's right. Lynden always slept well, unless he was teething. I was hoping you would make it to 10months like Raegen, before you started teething, but at least you didn't have two at four months like Lynden!! I ended up putting you in bed with me last night and you zonked out. How is that possible? You're not happy in your bassinet, right next to my bed, but move you two feet and sleep beside me and you're out cold. At least it worked...I could be walking the house to keep you happy!

I think you are just too cute and just want to eat you up!!! Oh, stop the cuteness. {but not really...I really do like it} You take several naps throughout the day. You stay awake for 1-1.5 hours then nap for about two hours, eat, and repeat. You are still exclusively nursing and probably will through nine months or so. Your Pawpaw Stain has been visiting often and the poor man gets used and abused while here. He barely makes it through the door and your daddy and I are putting three kiddos in his lap and we're out the door to a movie!! haha It's a good thing you're easy to please because he has his hands full with Lynden!

It's hard to see how much you're growing until I see you in pictures. You're really growing into your outfit from Ms. Heather, above. You wear an array of sizes...a few 0-3mo, but mostly 3-6mo, 6mo, and some 6-9mo. I noticed the other day that you have a "double-cankle" on your left ankle. It's adorable. You just have so much cuteness to squeeze in your little body!

You rolled over from your back to your belly the day before cousin Ashlyn's birthday. Uncle Mike and Aunt April were here to hear me squeal with delight. You haven't done it again since. ha

The past month you celebrated with family and friends at cousin Ashlyn's birthday party, wished a host of others happy birthday...Izzy, Daddy, Honey, Nana, cousin O, and Aunt Jenn. You experienced the play place with your cousins {Benton, Brody, Ashlyn} and Lynden. And "gobbled 'til you wobbled" at the Richardson and Bader-Stain Thanksgiving's.

You are such a good little model for me and don't seem to mind when I play dress up and take hundreds of pictures.  Though it is evident you were getting tired!

Thankfully you don't mind when Lynden tries to get your bow or just gets in your face because he's curious. You just grin.

You have gained 13oz in the past month and now weigh 15lb 13.2oz. You are 23.5" long and have a head circumference of 16". I just love all your rolls and you seem to enjoy them as well.

Of course it's your precious face that just melts my heart. Oh, how sweet you are...

Fall Festival 2011

The kids had a great time at the church fall festival this year. 

 

My cute cupcake...

 

Quarter-pounder with cheese...



and strong Iron Man...

There were four different bounce houses/obstacle courses, various indoor booths/games, laser tag, BB shoot, football toss, and a hay ride.  And of course there was food!

Our buddies, Kibs, K, and J joined us for the great food, fellowship, and fun.

B stayed busy working the different booths at the festival so it was a challenge to get around with three kiddos, but my trusty double-decker stroller was a big help!  Of course Ellison was too young to enjoy the festivities so she was happy to hang out in the stroller.  And I took plenty of snacks to bribe Lynden back into the stroller when needed!! haha

I'm thankful for a great church and great friends.  I knew there was NO WAY I was taking the three babes on the hayride all by my lonesome so I was very happy when my friend L said she would watch Raegen for me.  He had a great time...no shoes and all! ;)

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

Lynden had a blast!

And baby Elle caught some zzzz's.

 

Raegen had the perfect outfit for the super slick bounce houses...it made him lightning fast!

Even me and L got in on the action...

ZOOOOOOM!

We had a great time.