Grandparent's Day

Today was Grandparent's Day at Alex's school.  Alex invited Pop and Nana to join him.  They got to have donuts, juice, and coffee together and then the grandparents were invited to the classroom to see where all the magic happens.  Mrs. Rhine, the biggest blessing for Alex, had a little project for the grandparents and kids to do together.  It was a poem about growing older and how important grandparents are.  Then they all traced their hands inside each other.  Alex's was in the the middle, Nana's around his, and Pop's around hers.  It was just precious!  Alex is so lucky to have grandparents that live here locally to join in fun activities like this!

Sleepover

Since returning from Chicago, the kids have wanted to sleep in the same bed again.  They said it was like a sleepover.  So tonight was the night!  We have always had pizza and movies on Friday nights when Brad is at work.  It's just something fun the kids and I do together.  Sometimes we make our own, sometimes we buy it.  Tonight we made our own and watched Despicable Me 2.  We also pulled out the hide-a-bed from the couch so they could lie down and watch the movie.  Then, of course, they wanted to sleep on it.  Even Aubrey tried to have a sleepover!

Once we read our bedtime stories and brushed teeth, it was lights out.  They weren't too sure at first.  The strange shadows and different sounds kept them from going right to sleep.  Alex finally conked out and Abby came to tell me she needed her songs.  So I got her music box from her room and put it on the endtable.  That did the trick!  It was so sweet to see them asleep in the living room.  I'm sure it'll be the first of many "sleepovers" with them in the living room.  

Thoughtful

Alex had basketball practice tonight and I just wasn't feeling up to going.  I was exhausted and Aubrey had been fussy and just off for most of the day.  Brad offered to take him to practice and to take Abby, too, so that I could relax and focus on just Aubrey.  Soon after they left, Brad called.  He said that they were looking at the most beautiful sunset and Alex said that they needed to call me so I could look outside and see how pretty it was.  He said he wanted me to see something beautiful to make me smile. I went outside and it was just gorgeous.  God really painted the sky pretty tonight!

Syrup

While we were in Chicago last month, we met my mom's Uncle Bill from Wisconsin.  He has a lot of maple trees and has started tapping them for syrup.  He has created his own label and he bottles and sells quite a bit of syrup!  He brought several bottles with him and passed them out to us while we were there.  I couldn't wait to get home and try it.  Pancakes are quite the Saturday morning tradition at our house so we cooked our pancakes and got to use Uncle Bill's pure maple syrup.  Oh em gee.  It is the one of the most delicious things I've ever tasted.  It only lasted for 2 breakfasts at our house!  I really hope we can get some more!  

Christmas Jammies

My kids are the kids that don't care what the temperature is outside, they will wear winter PJ's in the heat of the summer.  I mean the fleecy, footed kind.  They just don't care!  So I didn't debate buying them extra PJ's at Christmas time.  I just know they will wear them until they are too small, no matter the weather.  

I really had a hard time getting a cute picture of all of them together.  I wanted to get a shot where everyone had their eyes open, where you could actually see the front of their shirts, and I wanted a shot without this strange scary grin they've been giving the camera lately.  

Alex chose Santa, Abby chose a gingerbread baby, and I chose a reindeer for Aubrey.  My sweeties. 

Stanhope Family Pictures

Mike, Trish, Paige, and Walker came to town (from West Virginia) this year for Christmas.  One of the days they were here we had family pictures taken.  Here a couple of the snaps I got that turned out cute but the real treasures are here.  Go take a look!  They are very special pictures to have with Jimmy and both his sons, daughters, and grandchildren.