Happy Birthday Reece!

Today our Christmas baby is 11! We hosted several of her friends last weekend for a sleepover instead of having a big party this year! It was the birthday girl's choice! We ate, giggled, crafted, giggled, played hide and seek, giggled, sang Happy Birthday, giggled, stayed up WAYYY too late and yes, giggled some more! haha!

There were nine kids in our house at once. To most it would seem too much. For us, it felt right. What does that even mean?!?!

The kids had so much fun! When everyone was gone Reece said she had lots of fun but she was ready for some alone time! hahaha!

I believe she said we are eating Mexican tonight! yay!

Happy Birthday to you, my forever baby girl and best friend!

Oh hey

 

Here I am, with another catch up post. Since my last post we had a fun Halloween...

 

 

 

 

 

The day after Halloween I drug the hubs with me for his first trip to Christmas Village! He loved it! New tradition for us!

 

Reece's cheer squad ended up with a second place finish in competition. I'm so proud of my girl!

 

After Thanksgiving lunch we headed to the beach for the rest of the weekend. Griffin got to fly down with PawPaw. We literally drew names to see who got to fly! haha! He loved it, of course. He's my child that can't wait to sky dive with me when he is old enough!

 

I recently took a field trip with Reece to Calloway Gardens! It was a fun but LONG day!

 

On December 2nd we celebrated my sweet hub's birthday!! We had to get labs for Mia that day so we ate at The Cheesecake Factory.

 

Last week Griffin and Peyton had their Winter Band Concert! Seeing them in tuxes all grownish makes me melt!

 

We also had Mia's Christmas program last week! She cried the entire performance and then posed at the end like this! #thatkid

 

We saw Santa!!!! I feel bad for those who don't live in Tuscaloosa, because the real Santa is here!

 

Last week(no wonder we are all so tired) we also had Reece's Cheer Banquet.

Last thing for today! On Sunday we decorated our gingerbread houses. We do this every year. It's always either really fun or a complete disaster! haha! One of the boys was super busy on his xbox when I interrupted and told him it was time to decorate. #eyeroll He was asking whyyyyy he had to do this. I responded with, "Because I said so and it's tradition. We will do this until the day I die and then you will carry on the tradition or I will haunt you." Mia quietly piped in and said, "Mommy please don't die." #whoops #momfail

Football and Cheer

We are well into this year's football season! Peyton is playing JV and Varsity football. Well, they only had one JV game :( He was able to start and play that entire game and had the best time! Unfortunately for him, he got the rough end of the deal when it comes to football. Last year, when he was in 8th grade he would have been able to start all the games with it being his last year in middle school. Well, the team was dissolved due to not having enough players. We had a not so great coach at the time and people didn't want to play for him. Last year he was bumped to varsity and it was good for him but also sad because he had put in so much to not be able to play. This year has been better for sure! I really love our coaching staff! They care about our kids. They pray with them and they strive to teach them. They are what I think coaches should be! I've seen our head coach put his arm around Peyton's shoulder more than once to just talk to him. I'm thankful. And, our team is better because of it! We have a very young school and the football team has had to grow from nothing. So far we have a winning record this year and school spirit is really on the rise in our community! :)

Reece is cheering for our youth league again this year! They just finished up their games and they are preparing for cheer competition!

Catch up!

Time for another catch up post! haha! All I have time for!

I mentioned in the last post that we have moved! Hubs was feeling cramped in the old house. Everyone had their own room except for Mia and Reece who shared a room. But we just needed more space! We found a house not too far from where the other one was and it has TONS of space. Everyone has their own room, the littles have a playroom and the teenagers have their own den AND THEIR OWN WASHER AND DRYER! AMEN. We are pretty much moved except for the animals, y'all know they are coming with me anywhere I go! The chicken coop and goat pen are under construction and hopefully they can join us soon!

I WILL DIE IN THAT HOUSE. NEVER moving again!!! Josh agrees.

While packing for the move Brooks decided to slice his thumb wide open with a pocket knife. He snuck and got it from Josh's things. We were about to leave to head to one of Peyton's football games, Josh wasn't even at home. It was so bad I could see bone. I threw him in the car, sat Griffin beside him to hold pressure and got us to the doctor as fast as I could. I forgot my shoes in the process. oops. Josh met us there. It took 4 people to hold him down. He got himself 6 stitches. This is the second time he has had to have stitches. But, who is counting.

We recently celebrated Big Mama's 90th birthday!! We had a party for her and there ended up being 100+ people there! We only invited immediate family and church family! She is so loved! She loves so many people!!

Happy 16th Birthday Griffin!

On October 14th, we celebrated Griffin's 16th Birthday! Holy cow, we have a teen driver. Everyone always says that time flies but it really does! I can't believe he is old enough to drive.

We moved the day before his birthday(whole other post for THAT lol) so we didn't party until this past weekend. We did our usual family dinner on his actual birthday, Japanese was his choice! This weekend he invited friends and family over to hang out, eat pizza, watch football and eat cookie cake! My kinda easy peasy party!

I'm not sure if I posted or not about his car. Probably not. We bought him a car back in June so that he could get some get practice on it before hitting the road alone. It turned out to be the best thing. He can drive it much easier than mine or Josh's vehicles so it worked out well. He was completely surprised when we gave it to him which made me SUPER happy. Surprises are my fav!

Since his birthday was on a Sunday we had to wait until the next day to take him for his driving test. I took him first thing that morning and he passed with a 93! YAY!

Happy Birthday Mia!!

Yesterday Mia turned FOUR! I mean, we don't even have a baby anymore. :( We spent the day celebrating our girl! She wanted a Frozen party at our local trampoline park so that's just what she got! Then she wanted cheese dip for dinner so Mexican it was! Even though when we got to the restaurant she changed her mind and wanted to eat somewhere else. UGH! Too bad, so sad! haha! She was just SUPER tired from the party! :) It was a fun day!

Saturday night I was SUPER sad. I couldn't get Mia's birth mom off my mind. Josh reminded me it was already her birthday in China so that was why. I was thinking of how four years ago she may have already been in labor. She loved Mia first...she knows what time she was born, how much she weighed, how she liked to be held, nursed her I'm sure. She loved her for nine whole months before she made the ultimate sacrifice to give her up so that she could get the medical care she needed/needs.  That hurts my momma heart so much. And at the same time I KNOW she was meant to be ours. It's weird if you haven't been in the situation.

Anyway, time for some party pics!

 The candles caught the cake on fire! Whoops.

As you can tell, she was PUMPED to be turning four!! Happy birthday sweet girl!!