Christmas Fun

This has been a very busy week for us. So this is a long post.

On Thursday, Allie had her Christmas program at school. It was called "Christmas at the OK Corral". Allie did really well. It was such a cute program. Here is our little cowgirl.

Grandma and Avery

Allie has been teaching Avery all the songs and the motions. Here she is putting on her own show after the performance.

Friday night, Allie got to cheer at half time of the girls varsity game at ACS. Then, Saturday morning we went to ACS for donuts with Santa. Avery loved Santa. She hugged him and waved to him. Allie on the other hand didn't want to talk or sit with him. They ate donuts and wrote a letter to Santa. They also got to shop at the Secret Santa shop. Saturday night Chris and I went to the church Christmas party, while the girls played with Grandma.

Here is Avery with Santa

Here is Allie not with Santa

Sunday, we had our children's Christmas party at church. Santa was there too!! He has been really busy in Atlanta this weekend. Allie still didn't want to sit with him, but she did stand by him so I could get another picture with Santa. The kids did a craft and decorated cookies. They had so much fun.

Chris helping Avery with her cookies.

The best part of decorating cookies.. eating them.

Allie and her cookie

Allie with her craft.

I usually like to have Christmas decorations up right after Thanksgiving, but not this year. I really don't get into lots of decorations so I really don't know why it took us this long to get it all up. We finally got the tree up and the girls started decorating it after church Sunday night. Allie brought in this stool so she could hang the decorations higher. I had a flashback to last year when the girls were playing by the tree and someone,we still don't know which kid, pulled the whole tree over. It didn't fall on anybody and nothing really broke. Maybe that won't happen this year. We still didn't finish the tree and the girls have small trees for their rooms that we haven't started yet. Maybe we will get it all done soon.

We also have a special house guest this year for the holidays. This is the first year we have had the elf on the shelf. He comes from the North Pole to watch the kids. He reports back to Santa every night on how they are behaving! Then the next morning he is in a different spot in the house and the kids have to find him. Sunday morning it was still dark when Allie got up. I came in the kitchen to find Allie looking for the elf. They really like finding him and hopefully we can get a few weeks of good behavior before he goes back to the North Pole. We named him Sam, but Avery keeps saying "Where is that shelf?"

The Pink Pig and Santa

It is that time of year again. Ever since Ethan was a baby, Mandy and I have taken the kids to see Santa and ride the Pink Pig. It is something we look forward to every year. We usually go during the day, but Allie had school this week. So, we picked Allie up from school and headed up to Phipps Plaza. Mrs. Charlotte was with us and that was so so helpful. It is not easy with four kids at the mall. It was great to have the extra help!! I told Mandy we needed one of those ropes preschool teachers use to keep the kids in a line. You know where the kids hold on to the rope and the teacher leads them. Except, I think we would have needed to tie our kids to the rope!

Here is my best attempt at a group picture of the kids.

My girls were both so excited about seeing Santa. I wondered how Avery would do but, she did great. I don't think she looked at him, but she did talk a little. Allie just wanted to take him the list. She kept asking if she had to talk to him, but when she got up there she did talk. She told him all about her list and told him about Avery's list too. Ethan and Nina were so cute. Ethan looked like he felt right at home talking to the big man. Nina cried at first and then she was laughing. She was so cute. Now that we had seen Santa, we tried to get pictures for our Christmas cards. What a disaster! Allie was trying to be good, because she knows it is just easier to smile and get it over with than to fight it. So, she stands there with a fake smile. Avery still fights it. She refuses to look at the camera. So after a while of trying to get a good picture we gave up and went to ride the Pink Pig.

The Girls with Santa

Allie is telling Santa that she is 5 years old.

Allie is making sure he understands the list!

Avery and Nina

The Pink Pig was fun. The kids were so excited about riding it and that we were not making them take pictures anymore. (Well, not many more.)

After a fun night, it was time to take four very tired kids home. It was going to be a long ride back to Newnan, so what did we do. The Varsity! Mandy had the idea to get the kids milkshakes on the way home. It made them happy and quiet. We will definitely add that to the tradition next year!

"Who wants milkshakes!"

Allie after a fun night. She fell asleep with her pink pig on her lap.

Halloween

TRICK-TREATING ON THE SQUARE

Newnan has trick-or -treating on the square for the little kids during the day. It is always fun with lots of cute little kids. We met the Thompsons for lunch and then took Avery and Hayden trick-or-treating. Here is Avery and Hayden checking out the costumes from the window of the restaurant.

Here they are ready to go!

TRICK-OR-TREATING HALLOWEEN NIGHT

The Brinkleys came over for trick-or-treating in our neighborhood. Allie also had a friend from school over. Allie wanted to be a cheerleader this year. It was great for me, because we already had the costume. I kept thinking she would change her mind, but she stuck with it this year. I couldn't believe it. We dressed Avery as a cowgirl. She really didn't care what she was. Jodi made Avery's little vest. She looked really cute and wore her costume all night. We went out early and stayed out for a while. Then we all loaded up and went to Chic-fil-A for dinner and free ice cream.

All the kids before we left.

Avery was a lot slower than the big kids, but she kept up pretty well. Sophie and Reagan were so sweet to help her.

CHURCH FALL FESTIVAL

Saturday we had our church fall festival. They had games for the kids and real horse rides!

Football and Pumpkins

This has been a fun week. Avery finished her Puddlejumpers class. She will really miss going. She got a certificate and was very proud of herself.

Reading a book.



Avery with her certificate and the fake smile!!



Homecoming


It was Homecoming week at Arlington. The girls played in a powder puff football game Thursday night. We went to watch Hannah. The teams tied and it looked like they had a lot of fun. Avery kept saying she wanted to go watch Hannah "be a boy" . This was the first year they have had a football homecoming. The weather was terrible. It was raining and cold. They had to do all the homecoming stuff in the gym before the game. But, we won the game!




Allie and the little girl cheerleaders got to cheer at the pep rally on Friday. They did a pom pom routine It was really cute. I tried to post the video, but I can't get it rotated. So you have to watch it sideways.








Saturday, we carved our pumpkin. Allie and Avery had a good time. They spent a lot of time digging around in the pumpkin getting out one seed at a time. Allie wanted it to have a mean face. I am not the best pumpkin carver, so this is as mean as it gets. But, I will say I am better than Chris. Last year he cut all the teeth out. So I did the carving this time. Do you think he planned that? Probably so! Anyway the girls had a great time!

Go Eagles!

Last night we went to Arlington's football game. They are doing really well this year. They won 6 games and only lost 1. They beat Heritage 42 to 13 last night. This year they have a little girls cheer squad for the elementary students. They practice once a week and they cheer at 2 football games and some basketball games. We signed Allie up and she loves it!!! Last night couldn't have come fast enough for her. She practices cheering all the time and has even taught Avery some cheers. They were really cute. I tried to put a video on here, but I can't figure it out. Maybe Chris can later.

All the cheerleaders. Allie is the first kid, on the first row.











This is what Avery does when you tell her to smile. Funny!




Avery actually loves this Eagle although in this picture she looks a little scared. She asked all night where the eagle was. When the eagle picked her up she said, "Take my picture".

Tagged

Rules: Each player answers the question themselves. At the end of the post the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blog and leaves them a comment letting them know that they've been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person that tagged you know when you've answered the questions on your blog.

10 years ago I:
1. was 21 years old!!!
2. just got engaged to Chris
3. was working at the YMCA
4. lived in Florence, Alabama
5. was in college at the University of North Alabama

5 things on today's "to do" list:
1. go to the bank
2. pick up Allie and Hannah from school
3. put away the laundry
4. start pulling out winter clothes
5. go to the grocery store

5 snacks I enjoy:
1. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
2. grapefruit
3. Cheetos
4. grapes
5. granola bars

5 things I would do if I were a millionaire:
1. buy a bigger house with a huge toy room
2. hire a maid to clean up the huge toy room and the rest of the place
3. get a massage every week
4. take my kids to Disney world
5. go to the beach with Chris

5 places I have lived:
1. Lithia Springs, GA
2. Florence, AL
3. Peachtree City, GA
4 Montgomery, AL
5. Auburn, AL

5 jobs I have had:
1. teacher
2. I was the Easter Bunny at the mall ( so was Mandy)
3. babysitter
4. worked at a restaurant
5 worked at a clothing store

The rules say I have to tag 5 people.So I'll tag: Sandy, Heather, Mandy, Jana K. Alexa