Holiday Lights

We waited until later in the year than we usually do, but we finally made it tonight to see the lights display at James Island County Park.  This year we decided to go with good friends and that was fun for everyone. 

Since we went to dinner first and that took a little longer than planned, we ended up arriving later than we should have and then we were with the masses.  Usually the boys love riding the train around the park (it’s like a small tractor pulling small wagons of people), but by the time we arrived all of the reasonable time slots were filled (I think the earliest slot available was 9:30 or something).  Luckily the boys were with their buddies and they didn’t seem to be all that disappointed.

Not the best picture of Thomas, but doesn’t Lily (with her missing tooth) look adorable!? 

The boys were quite okay with hopping on the carousel.

And then we heading over for marshmallow roasting.  Look at all those marshmallows!  That’s what every small child needs at 7:00 at night!

Taryn and I tried to show the little ones how it is done…

Sarah Ellen just wanted to give them a taste.  I think that stack of marshmallows is as big as her head!

 

Parker felt he was up for the challenge…

Is it possible to get a picture of them all looking at the camera at once?  I think not…

Rarely does anyone take a picture of the moms.  Not the best picture, but since it never happens, I felt I must post…

We had a great time sharing this night with our good friends and it certainly helped put us in the Christmas mood!  Merry Christmas!

Santa’s pilot

Since Thomas’ first Christmas, we have gone to the Air Force Base in December and enjoyed the opportunity to see Santa fly in on a C-17.  Then we get on the plane and the boys are given a gift by Santa.  We look forward to it every year and usually bring family and/or friends along with us. 

This year was a little different.  This year, when that plane taxied down the runway…

Santa was on the plane, and that was great…

But the person of the most interest to my boys was one of the pilots…their Daddy!

It was so sweet to see how even though they were so excited to see Santa, that paled in comparison at how happy they were to see their very own Daddy driving the plane. 

They had to wait awhile for their turn, but finally it came and they were happy to sit with Santa and tell him what they want.  Well, sort of.  I’m sure Thomas told him all about the Nerf Double Blaster gun he wanted (which I had already told him that I wrote Santa a note and told him Thomas is not ready for guns of any kind!) and Parker I think couldn’t come up with anything specific.  Santa promised wonderful surprises!

Then it was time to check out the cockpit.  As the boys were up there, the “mini-C-17” crossed the runway in front of the plane.  So cute.   It’s a great replica…but it only drives (not flies).

I hope Trey didn’t leave the keys in the ignition.  :-)

It was a great day and it really warmed my heart to see the boys beam so brightly with their love for and pride in their Daddy.

Perhaps not the best family picture…but it will do.  Love those boys of mine…

Downtown Christmas Parade

Every year since the boys have ben born we have thought about taking them to the Christmas parade downtown.  But, it’s always on a Saturday afternoon and it seems like I never wanted to sacrifice naptime…or someone was sick or something like that.  But this year, no one needed a nap and it was a great time for us to go. 

I still couldn’t manage a non-silly picture of the boys where they both would look at me with a normal face.  Oh well.  And we dragged out the double stroller for the first time in a long time (just to give them somewhere to sit), but I guess they are getting a little big for it!  And pushing around nearly 100 pounds of little boys is no easy feat!

From the start, the boys were interested.  How could they not be when it started with police motorcycles?

And then there was this dog club with more dogs than I could count.  Man, there were a lot of short-legged dogs, doing their best to make the long walk of the parade!

There were a lot of random cars in the parade – newer, nothing-special cars with various riders representing groups, businesses, whatever…  But I much preferred to see the older cars that seemed at home in a parade.

There were several older fire department vehicles.  Loved them.

There weren’t enough traditional floats either…so ones like this one (Snoopy and the Red Baron pulled by a tractor) were especially nice to see!

And this one – a space shuttle and moon for a kids’ dentist’s office:

The parade was fun, but perhaps I was wrong about one thing.  Remember how I said we could go this year because no one needed a nap?  Well, maybe someone did…

Another favorite of ours were all of the local bands who marched and played. 

And finally, all Christmas parades must end with Santa Claus…and this was no exception!

We had a great time.  Thomas really wants to BE IN the parade, and from the looks of it, it doesn’t take much to enter.  :-)  But even if we are merely spectators, we look forward to the next one!

My momma

Please indulge me while I brag on my momma for a moment (she will probably be horrified at me for doing this!).  I’ve always wished I could draw or have an ounce of creative or artistic talent…but I don’t.  I can hardly draw a straight line and my stick figures are no more impressive than what Thomas and his classmates can do.  But my mother has long been talented (with art, sewing, flowers, gardening…whatever).  I wish it had rubbed off on me.

When Pete and I were little bitty, she was a mom and an artist.  But when we got older and Andrew went to school (kindergarten), we tease her that she got a “real job” and she stayed there (from 1986) until she retired a few years ago (has it really been almost three years?  Or is it two?).  She worked so hard (and was quite good at that too), but between the job and being a mom, the art fell by the wayside.  Luckily, the talent did not. 

In her retirement she has started painting again and I know she is enjoying it and I love seeing what she does.  She took some pictures of the boys last year (summer 2010) when we went to Edisto one day to visit my Aunt Jane.  In one Parker was playing ball with a dog on the beach.  Anyway, she ended up painting it and finished it recently.  We now have it hanging in our front hallway and I cannot wait for her to do something else for us (hopefully a portrait of Thomas)!  I have to share it (though the photo doesn’t do it justice):

Click on it to make it bigger…  The only way I could possibly love it more would be if that dog was ours…but even so, I love, love, love it. :)  Thank you Mom!

Thanksgiving 2011

This year it was time for Thanksgiving in Pinopolis.  My brother and his family came down from Canada (and my other brother and I (and our families) made the long trip from Charleston).  The boys are always so excited to see their cousins.  It’s so great to see how they all just kind of pick up where the left off and they are great buddies.  Sadly we only all get together about once a year, but we try to make the most of the time we have!

It’s so funny how much time the children spent on iPads, iPhones and laptop computers.  My how times have changed!

We had two 14 pound-ish turkeys (and organic at that…ha ha). Because that’s what eight adults and six children need – two pounds of turkey each.  :)

While waiting for dinner, the kids were entertained by rides on the golf cart…

Instead of taking a picture before we ate, I only took a picture afterwards.  There was a little bit left…

After dinner, we headed outside to ride bikes, play and make room for dessert…

And then it was time for the dessert that has become a much-expected and thoroughly enjoyed tradition….Taffy’s Banana Cake (yes, it deserves caps as a proper noun).  I scream, you scream, we all scream for BANANA CAKE!!!!

Yum, yum…it’s so delicious.  I could almost eat this picture. 

It took a serious amount of marching to work that off.  Ha ha.

Soon it was time for a bedtime story… and Thomas was able to read the stories to his cousins.

The next morning it was the day of the Carolina/Clemson football game.  We didn’t go, but we prepared to watch it that night (after the kiddos were in bed).  But to get in the spirit, I pulled out some old pom-poms I had saved from past football games years and years ago (the small free kind they used to hand out regularly).  I never dreamed those would be such a hit (and a source for distress!), but the kids had fun with them.

After everyone got dressed, it was time for more outdoor play.  It was a beautiful weekend.

Parker & Katherine decided to try and let go of the training wheels and ride on two tires.  They both had success!

Sweet Lauren cheered from the sidelines…

The boys were dressed and ready in support of the Gamecocks (and they won, for the third year in a row…by the way). 

Katherine was working hard on that bike riding!

Parker finally managed to look at the camera…

It was a great weekend, but the time passed far too quickly – as usual.  The boys can’t wait to get together with all of their cousins again.  Perhaps we need to get passports for the boys and head to Canada (though let’s wait for the snowy season to end first!).