It's a Record...

...for the earliest that I've ever put my Christmas decorations up! We got our tree and our decorations all put up last night in record time...a little over an hour! The kids were definitely more helpful this year than they have been in the past. We had a great time together and now my house is all ready for Christmas! The only thing left is to put some lights outside and maybe a big blow up Santa for the kids...if we get to it all. We're going to get through Thanksgiving before we get to that. I'm usually a "wait until Thanksgiving is over" to start decorating at all for Christmas, but I was motivated last night to get it done...so we did! I'm excited! Now I can enjoy Ben being off for a couple of days for Thanksgiving and work on my Christmas shopping next weekend instead of putting up decorations. I'm starting to get in the Christmas spirit now! :)

Just in case you needed a laugh...

...this is one of the funniest pictures of my kids ever!

I was looking through old pics on Facebook and saw this one. I remember when I took it and I thought it was hilarious! We called Bailey "carrot top" during this stage...I'm sure by looking at her hair you can tell why. Just thought I would post it for old times sake. You can't help but laugh. :)

Then I saw this one from Abbie, Bailey and Noah's First Christmas.

I feel like I can hardly remember that time. I wonder why! :) It's strange, though, in some ways it seems like it was so long ago and in some ways it seems like only yesterday. They have changed and grown so much. It's amazing how they've gotten bigger and older, but their little personalities and temperaments are still exactly the same. I loved having babies, but I am definitely loving my babies being three years old!

Nothing too big going on around here...just gearing up for the holidays and the busiest, but happiest, time of the year. I'm hoping to get my Christmas tree and decorations up soon. I am so looking forward to Christmas with our kids. It's going to be so much fun! Hope you're all having a good week!

These are actually pretty good...

...Fudge Covered Ritz crackers! My mom had tried them and said they were pretty good. She gave one to the kids and they ate them up. I really didn't care to try it because the idea of chocolate on a Ritz cracker didn't sound too appealing to me. But, I tried one and was pleasantly surprised. They actually are good and my kids really like them! I guess they're a good mix of a little salty with a sweet flavor. I know they're definitely not a healthy snack, but I figure that they're probably a step up from Oreos or chocolate chip cookies. I have been giving one or two to my kids after they eat their fruit for snack. Others out there might not be a fan, but in my opinion they're a good treat...especially for kids! :)

Cooking With One

There are certain things that I probably don't do enough of with my kids for the mere fact that there are 3 of them and one of me...and with that kind of a ratio some things can be difficult to manage and not always a ton of fun. :) Cooking together is one of them. Today, Bailey stayed home from school. She has had a cough for the past week that seemed to be getting worse instead of better. I decided to keep her home and take her in to see the doctor. (It ended up being a sinus infection, so nothing too serious.) So, even though I ended up with a kid on my "free day" we had a really special morning just the two of us...cleaning the house a little, playing together and spending a little time in the kitchen. We made a Peanut Butter Pie just for daddy. It is his favorite! I thoroughly enjoyed our Mommy/Bailey morning. The one on one time with any of my kids is few and far between, so I savor those moments. It was so quiet and calm, which was really nice for a few hours, but we were both happy to have Abbie and Noah back and to return to our normal level of noise and chaos. :)

Helping Mommy mix up the pie

All finished...I had to taste it! :)

Here's my Peanut Butter Pie recipe if anybody wants to try it. It is delicious...and easy! :)

PEANUT BUTTER PIE

-1 8 oz. container Cool Whip

-1 cup powdered sugar
-1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
-3/4 to 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
Mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth, add Cool Whip and peanut butter, beating until smooth. Put in graham cracker pie crust. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. Before serving, sprinkle with mini chocolate chips or crushed oreo cookies. Keep refrigerated.

(And if you're like me, eat some quick before your husband eats it all!)

Buckle Up

As if I don't already have enough children to get buckled into their car seats...

...add baby Abbie and baby Bailey to the list. :) Anytime they bring their babies they want them buckled in the extra seat. I figure an extra minute to buckle the babies is not worth the battle. They do look kinda cute, too, sitting there together. While we're on the subject, we are sooooooo..... excited that we are moving Abbie, Bailey and Noah up to their new car seats around Christmas time. No more 5 point harnesses...seat belts here we come! It is going to make our life so much easier! Here comes our next big milestone!

Halloween Week

We had a busy week celebrating Halloween. The kids actually got to trick or treat and get candy 4 different times this week...at our church's Funfest, their Halloween party at school, visiting my brother's work at the end of the week and then the "real thing" Saturday night. If anybody is in need of candy, I would be happy to share some. I have put the kids into a period of sugar detox trying to get it all out of their little bodies. :) Here's our week....

FUNFEST/TRUNK OR TREAT @ church on Sunday
AUBURN cheerleaders and a football player...I actually decided to do something practical this year that we can wear more than once. :)

Our kids with the Bell kids

Painting pumpkins

The girls with Miss Sarah

Abbie and Bailey with their friend Jordan

A picture with Pop and Mimi

A picture with Grampie and Nana

Grampie and Nana with 6 of their grandkids

Our family

HALLOWEEN PROGRAM @ school on Friday
They look thrilled, huh? Abbie's excited...Bailey's somewhat excited...and Noah can hardly contain himself. :)
Abbie, Bailey and Noah with their cousin Caley

After the program

TRICK OR TREATING
This was the only picture I got. I think I was tired of taking Halloween pictures by then. :)

Hope you all had a Happy Halloween! :)

Little Miss Priss

Bailey is definitely the more prissy of our two girls. She is a girly girl and the "little mommy" of the bunch. When Abbie and Noah wake up, she hugs and loves on them and says "Good morning sweet Abbie" or "Good morning sweet Noah". It's too funny! She's heard me say it a million times. :) She loves to wear my shoes! I cleaned out my jewelry the other day and gave the girls some to play with that I no longer wear. They were so excited! Ben laughs because she is like me in more ways than one....poor thing!

Then there's Abbie. She has her prissy moments, but her sister has definitely got her beat. She's just too silly and easygoing to be a priss. She does love her babies, though, just like Bailey.
Cutie pie!
(Sorry the pics are a little blurry.)

Little Mommies in Training.

And there's Noah...just being a boy. He is definitely getting into "boy stuff" more and more, which Ben is VERY thankful for. It is getting to be a battle with him over clothes. All he wants to wear are his mesh shorts and Auburn t-shirts, like his daddy. I never would have guessed that he would be more opinionated about what he wears than his sisters. I know that that will change one day. :)

Pics from Halloween week to come...