The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

We're just over a week into December and already we are having the most fun! Check out some of the fun holiday events that we've done so far.

We got to start the month off making gingerbread houses with our playgroup...definitely something I'll not soon forget! We had a ball!

Jenna, Elyn, Audrey and Eric show off their masterpieces

We then got together for our annual playgroup Christmas party!

Eric continues to love school. I got this photo before we left one morning because he looked like he was about 10 going off to elementary school. Wow, is he growing up fast! Oh Christmas Tree!
Because Bailey never gets any love any more...look how pretty she looks!

Today we went and got pictures with Santa. This was our SECOND time visiting him. Last year we couldn't get Eric to look at Santa and this year he didn't want to leave. He must take after his mother and love all things Christmas. :)

Turkey Day

Yes, I'm very late in posting these, but we had a great time at Thanksgiving! We got to go to WV and see the whole gang, for which we were very thankful! Here are some of the best pictures...

Eric got to try his first Oreo and learned how to dunk it in milk!

He also got to play with Aunt Heattie at the science center - who's having more fun?
Help - we've fallen and we can't get up! On Thanksgiving, we got to meet baby Britton! Mama Jean was just a little glad to hold him :)

Is it time to eat yet?

Britton fast asleep...what an angel!
Best buddies - Ashton and EricEric loves his Mama Jean!

Watching the Hokies with Uncle Chris - hooray!
Grammy taught Eric how to strum the dulcimer
Happy Thanksgiving!

Take Me Home

Eric and I are leaving tomorrow for West Virginia, to go home for Thanksgiving. In honor of this, please enjoy the following! (Don't forget to press the pause button at the bottom of the page first!)

Great Performances

Eric is such a performer. Recently he has taken to standing on Porter (his podium?) and announcing "Ladies and Gentlemen, the Playroom proudly presents xx Song"..fill in the blank. He is making up his own songs and dances to go with them. This one is about orange flags that he was singing to Nana. To hear better, scroll down to the bottom and push the pause button on the music that is playing. Enjoy!

The Toddler Bed Trials

Yesterday,Tim had the day off and we decided to convert Eric's crib to a toddler bed. We plan on converting it to a full bed, but are going in stages. First let me say that I am extremely annoyed at these companies who had the genius idea to made cribs that convert but didn't think to provide rails on the toddler beds! We have tried every rail and none of them fit. And I'm not going to put him on the floor after spending hundreds of dollars for a crib that converts to a toddler bed! OK, sorry, enough ranting. :)

Anyway, yesterday Eric did great during his nap. He stayed in his bed and he called for us when he woke up. He was a dream. And last night he went to bed fine...but at 6:30 I found him sleeping in the floor! I have no idea whether he got out or fell out. So we'll see how it goes from here. All I know is that anyone looking to buy a crib and convert it should also make sure it comes with a rail!!

The new bed! All decked out in Thomas!

Eric was very excited to test it out

Before bed as snug as a bug. And yeah...we know there are a LOT of things in the bed and it doesn't look that safe...but have no fear, he throws it all out as soon as the light goes off! :)


Here's to some sound sleeping tonight! (In Bed!) :)

Football Friday Nights

Living beside a high school has its advantages! Over the last few weeks we've had lots of competitions and sports events going on at the school. Notably, we took Eric to his first football game! Actually, the first one we took him too it downpoured, so we stood outside the gates for about 15 minutes and that's all we could take! :) But then we got to this one and Eric had a wonderful time! He loved watching football, really loved watching the cheerleaders and really really loved watching the band!
On a side note, Dublin Coffman is an amazing high school and I hope E is lucky enough to attend. Just look at the number of football players and band members!! In my graduating class of 287, this was enough to make my jaw literally drop...

Compare the football sidelines...

Intent on the game
Yes, this is a high school band!

We also took E to a band competition and he loved it!

Our Little Monkey

I'm super late in posting these, but here are some of our best Halloween photos. We had a BLAST! We made cookies, carved pumpkins, had lots of parties, and of course trick-or-treated! Eric loved walking around and saying "Trick or Treat" and lasted a good hour. After he was done, he tried his first candy and of course loved it! As a special surprise, his good friend, Will, was dressed in exactly the same costume - Too Funny! Enjoy!

Making Halloween cookies - notice all of the orange sprinkles...we got a little carried away...
Eric's special pumpkin! E loved painting his pumpkin
When we were done we put them on the porch and E was just taller than the scarecrow

Later in the week E had his Halloween party at school

Halloween Night - "George the Monkey" holding a Curious George book
Our Little Monkey
Will and Eric
Eric loved holding his glow stick when it got dark Mmmmm....chocolate...

Eric Sings Songs from School

Today when E got home from school, he was FULL of energy, which is rare. He usually nearly falls asleep in the car. I asked if they gave him caffeine at school and he said "Yes". He does his best singing at the table so I got to capture some of it today (notice Bailey trying to eat his sandwich but he's too quick!). Here, he sings Skidamarinky-dink, 5 Little Pumpkins and God Chose Me. The words are a little hard to hear, but you'll get the idea. :) (to hear better, press the Pause button on the bottom of the page)

Mother Miami

This weekend I got to visit Miami U. and take a trip down memory lane. I have to say, one of the most beautiful sights (at least for me) is to be at Miami in the fall. Talk about an absolutely gorgeous campus! I don't know how anyone could visit in the fall and NOT want to attend. I was lucky enough to meet up with one of my very best friends, Jenny, and have lunch and walk around campus. It was enough to make me teary-eyed. I'm such a sap, especially when it comes to good memories.

After that, we got to go back to her house and visit with Jenny's kids, Chloe and Drew. They are such beautiful and well-behaved kids! Wow! It was so nice to be with them. And then we met up with 4 of our sorority sisters for dinner, most of which I hadn't seen since we graduated...10 years ago...I feel so old. Anyway, it was SUCH a nice evening and we can't wait to do it again soon!

Jenny and I on the slantwalk at MU

Gorgeous!
Chloe posing for the camera This is so cute - Chloe and Jenny were playing hide-and-go-seek and instead of covering his eyes, Drew covered his ears when he "counted"
Baby Drew is not a baby anymore!!

The girls at our first reunion dinner

The first and second of many Halloween parties...

I used to think that it was so silly to buy or make a Halloween costume and then only wear it once....maybe twice. Not the case any more! Thanks to all of the things going on in and around Dublin, Eric will get plenty of wear and tear out of his costume! It started with our Moms Club party that was held at a local retirement center. To tell you the truth I don't know who had more fun, the kids or the folks at the center.

Later in the week Dublin hosted "Spooktacular" where we met up with our playgroup friends and got to go trick-or-treating, make crafts and eat pizza. What a great event!

Be on the lookout for more to come - a party at school, Halloween itself and a party at Audrey's!

Introducing "George the Monkey" (aka Curious George)

Eric and Audrey, the bee The group singing a song to the retirees
At Spooktacular with Audrey and Elyn (Jenna was there too but didn't want in the picture)
Jenna the cat!

In the trick or treat line - glad he had a warm costume, it was cold!

E was in awe of the policeman and car

Running through the hay maze

Our little monkey
Doing arts and crafts with Audrey So proud of my crown! A balloon, candy, a crown and holding Daddy's hand. What more could a boy want?