This semester

We survived the first semester of Lydia's first grade. We dropped dance this fall thank goodness. Lydia has homework every night or I at least make her because this learning to read stuff is hard work. We did try out soccer again. I ended up coaching Sadi and Jon helped coach Lydia. Sadi was over it the first couple of times and says she just wants to go to school, and Lydia is not competitive but will probably continue to be with friends. Funny how your kids turn out so different from you.

We started the break out with nice weather. Winston thinks he's big like the girls and tries whatever they do.

He also loves shoes. Thank goodness here he chose Papaw's boots instead of some of Sadi's pink or cheetah print shoes (his normal preference).

We started the holidays earlier than normal because Jonathan worked almost every day this holiday. The kids didn't mind. They just enjoyed cousin time! Poor Winston is surrounded by girls. He even threw a fit because he didn't get a headband in his stocking.

 Winston serenaded us as we decorated the tree. He thinks he needs the songbook, too. He is very determined and expresses it loudly.

English Fam Chaos

So the girls took dance this year, Lydia's 2nd and Sadi's 1st time.  Maybe I am trying to live out my dream through them because I always wanted to be a good dancer and dance on Broadway or something. Anyhow we are moving on to some other extracurriculars. Going to dance class became a "Whine Fest." It is way too expensive for that nonsense. They looked cute, though.

Dance Recital...last one for a while...too much complaining!


Sadi had a Pinkitastic Birthday as you can tell by this grin. It was filled with pink treats from pink pizza to pinkalicious cupcakes. I love doing fun theme parties no matter how exhasuting it is. I hope I can keep it up. I feel sad for the kids that never get parties. It's makes them feel so special!

 Winston makes the funniest faces. This could be him fussing or waiting for a bite...the faces are pretty similar. You have to really pay attention when feeding him because his nose-sniffing position causes his eyes to shut and he just waits for you to put in the food. Well it's that or he feeds himself and coats every surface imaginable within food-slinging distance.

Nother bite please!

 And Winston turned 1. Our little musician had a music party with lots of instruments and dancing. In the next video he is dancing and amazed by his Great -great uncles (? Jon's uncles) playing in their bluegrass band.

 This summer we have also been able to spend a little time with English cousins. MiMi got all matching Mini Mouse shirts. They had a blast. This was the zoo trip after playing in the fountain.

Well much more has happened since last post, but I don't have my camera right now to upload pics. Other than the normal chaos and what I mentioned we had Katelyn's shower and wedding, jon's and my Mexico cruise, my lifeguarding at YW camp, hanging with Brett's wife Courtney and baby Austin, Jon's Residency Graduation, Riley's court of Honor .....uhhhh guess that's about it. There'll be more pics to come.

Family Talents

Here are the girls and a neighborhood friend "getting down" to Taylor Swift songs. Lydia discovered her at school in gym class. She calls her Taylor "Smith". She also heard Justin Beiber songs but she and esp Sadi decided that they don't like him because his pants are always falling down.

Winston loves the piano. He can bang and make loud sounds which are his favorite things to do except drink momma milk!

HUM DRUM

Nothing much going on here other than the normal everyday silliness. Somedays there are other ways I would describe this life as a parent such as "driving me nuts." It's funny that these pics are all from dinnertime, which is the time my blood pressure is probably the highest (other than getting Lydia dressed.....all diva!). There is always drama, complaining, messes! UGH!

Busy, Busy!

Oh man, the holidays were so busy for us. We usually, and did again this year, hit all the parties both sides of the family...it's good and bad (ok not bad...tiring) to be from the same city. Luckily we are only an hour away the families so if needed we can always drive home. But we mostly stayed there to help with Reed's wedding.

We squeezed in our 9th Anniversary celebration by going to our favorite Thai food place and staying at Goldstrike. It's just nice sometimes to not be on a kid schedule and relax so we did!

Winston has really been growing. He's hit a few milestones since last I blogged. Here's his favorite pastimes.

Looking handsome.

Jumping, jumping, run run...jump

And standing AND bath time (multi-tasker...takes after his mom)

Oh, and I had to add this pic of Lydia with Nana in her poodle skirt she wore at her Kindergarten "Jukebox" Christmas program. She did the hand jive and got to be on the front row since she was only one of 2 who actually wore the suggested attire (overachiever on my part I guess or actually Nana since I roped her into to doing it...Like I tell Jon all the time I don't sew and don't really want to add that to my list of things I'll never get to...so Nana better stick around! Mending is enough sewing for me, which btw I hate) Too much rambling...better stop now!