It's SANTA!

This morning our neighborhood had it's annual Christmas Breakfast. Since this is our 1st year in the new hood, we were excited to go! Everyone brought breakfast foods. I signed up for doughnuts. Helpful tip... Harris Teeter clearances their doughnuts out around 7pm so we went last night and got 3 dozen for $9. Score one for mom. I cut them in halves and we were good to go! We went for quantity instead of quality since some of our previous neighborhood meals have been lacking. At Easter, if you weren't in the first half of the line you were left eating garnish. Thankfully, most people thought like me and there must have been hundreds of doughnuts, cinnamon rolls, eggs, casseroles, and muffins! More than enough... even for 2nds!

The kids were dressed in their Christmas duds and we strolled down the street!

The kids ate their weight in doughnuts (even Parker... we let him cheat the wheat restriction and he's doing fine) and then played with all of the other neighborhood kids on the hill. Parker rolled down the hill a few times and through a mud puddle, thus the muddy pants in the next few pictures.

Santa arrived on a firetruck and Parker surprised us by actually being excited!

We were certain that Parker would be afraid of Santa as he has been in the past years but he actually got giddy! Santa handed out candy canes and then went to his chair. We starting talking to Parker about how he had to tell Santa what he wanted for Christmas so when it was his turn he stood 3 feet from Santa and yelled "A Thomas Play Set! Thank you!"

We convinced him that it only worked if you sat on Santa's lap and surprisingly he obliged!

Note the muddy pants.

The next strand of pictures are my favorite! Every kid needs a set of these. It's the "You are CREEPY and I will NOT sit on your lap Santa shots....

Avery recovered with a candy cane that her face really enjoyed:

 

We had a wonderful breakfast with Santa! It got us in such a Christmas spirit that this evening we put on our Christmas PJs, made some peppermint coffee and drove around looking at lights and inflatables. Ho Ho Ho! 2 1/2 weeks until Christmas!!!!

Neighborhood Halloween Party

This is our 1st Halloween in our new neighborhood! We were excited to go to the Halloween party and haunted trail the social committee put together Saturday night. They went ALL OUT! Parker dressed up as Buzz Lightyear and Avery was a fairy. I was hesitant to buy her a costume in case she wouldn't wear it so I just got fairy wings and everything else I found in her closet. I thought she was SO cute! Parker was happy to be Buzz but as usual, not happy to have proof on camera.

I think she looks 5 in this picture. So grown up!

What did I think would happen if I gave her a wand? Straight to the mouth!

This wagon has been worth its weight in gold! Best mode of transporting kids around a neighborhood ever!

Avie eventually jumped ship and pulled her brother. Strongest 17 month old EVER!

We have amazing walking trails through the woods and the social committee converted a small portion of it into a haunted trail. They let the little kids come through at 7 and didn't spook them (even though it was still pretty creepy!) and then ramped it up with zombies and people jumping out at you at 8. 

Parker staring at a "dead" kid.... like I said... still a bit too scary for the little kids! Whoops! We didn't know. Thankfully, no nightmares!

After the haunted trail we all went to the clubhouse for yummy food and one of the Charlie Brown movies. Parker and his friend, Jonathan, sat for the entire movie but Avery... not so much. We decided she must have thought she was dressed as a social butterfly instead of a fairy because girlfriend worked the room over and over! 

Parker and Jonathan were content to watch the movie together

I'm not sure if you can see Avery's face but it is CLASSIC. She was pretty excited to see "A DOG!" (Snoopy) 

The kids had a great time and we were really impressed with the detail that went into planning the party. I'm so glad we took the kids to this because actual Halloween night is supposed to be in the high 40's! BRRR!!!! Plus it's a Wednesday and who really wants to keep their kids up late and sugared up on a school night anyways? I think Halloween/trick or treating should always be the 4th Saturday of the month of October. Who's with me?!

I hope you all have a fun Halloween week filled with pumpkins, costumes and candy... but only the good stuff worth blowing all those calories over!!!

A hodge podge of subjects

What a BEAUTIFUL week! I have loved the chilly, pumpkin spice coffee worthy mornings and sidewalk chalk in shorts afternoons! Of course, this weather doubles my laundry which we already know I'm ALWAYS behind on. The mountain is back.... or maybe it never left. 

Update on my last post: The Dr. called and I'm still cancer free!!! WOO HOO! My remission date is officially 1/31/2013 so get ready for a party 2/2/2013! I may already have a pinterest board dedicated to it. God is SO good!

Parker is STILL sick.... worse, in fact. Even though he's 3, those preemie lungs still struggle to ward off any sickness. What starts as a little cough, ends with 2 weeks of congestion that lands in his lungs. Welcome back, RSV season. :/ I kept him home from school this week because we're scheduled to go to the Great Wolf Lodge Wednesday and Thursday. Thankfully, despite his coughs, he still feels pretty well so we're still going. (Sorry other parents... I HATE to be THAT mom but he's had it for 2 weeks, no fever.... at least he'll be around chlorine).

Avery is now only getting up once a night which is a HUGE improvement from the 4-7 times she was getting up the last 2 months. I'm starting to feel like a new woman. 

Today was picture day at Parker's school so I did swing him by to snap a shot then we skedaddled. (I've never typed that word before... I kinda like it). Afterwards, we went to early vote which apparently the rest of Waxhaw also decided to do so we once again SKEDADDLED (I promise I won't use it again this post... but seriously.. such a fun word). We'll try again tomorrow morning on our way to GWL with daddy in tow to help wrangle the lovies. 

{Quick jump on a soapbox} Go vote... I won't tell you who for... just do it. It's it's a privileged many of us take for granted. Local friends... you can vote early almost any day of the week so NC, local friends.... no excuses not to! {Off soapbox}

Because Avery is sleeping at night, she's having a hard time with naps (Heaven forbid she do both) so we headed outside to walk the trails in our neighborhood with camera in tow. Parker forbid me to take his picture politely so I respected his wishes (sort of) "No pictures, please, mommy." So here are a few cute shots of Little Miss who is, despite taking a walk, still fighting her nap in her crib. She will loose but she'll put up a good fight. Feisty little red head!

Love them! I'll be back soon with a Great Wolf Lodge update!

4th of July (only slightly late)...

I love America... I love red, white and blue.... I love food... not so much fireworks but I tolerate them this one day a year... I like parades... I love my friends... any excuse to dress the kids in coordinating outfits...INDEPENDENCE....  so basically I'm a fan of the 4th of July.

This year we choose not to head up to the lake with the rest of Charlotte and stayed close to home, celebrating with our new neighborhood friends. We started the day with coordinating patriotic outfits and a fruit flag.

We tailgated for the city of Waxhaw parade which I had NO idea was a big deal but man, people love parades. Right as it was about to start the 10am train came through town much to the delight of all toddler boys...

...Except Parker who thought it was too loud and was disappointed that it wasn't Thomas or Percy.

The parade was filled with local politicians, dance teams, boy scouts and businesses... the registrar of deeds even got her own convertible... the typical cute, small town parade.

My favorite "float":

How cute is that car?!

And my least favorite float was covered in boys with water guns. Can you see my displeasure?

 Princess Taylor in full effect right there!

Avery was SUPER difficult to get to sit still and Parker spent pretty much the entire parade in the wagon covering his ears and closing his eyes... I don't think we'll do the parade for a few more years.

After the parade we went home, put Avery down for a nap and quickly decorated the wagon for the neighborhood parade. I thought the wagon was precious!

I Parker was really into it, can you tell?

I had to bribe Parker with my phone just to get him in the wagon. He heard the word "parade" and was totally uninterested! These kids; however, were ADORABLE and loved it!

In the afternoon, we went to the pool and Daniel tried to get the kids involved in the "prescot summer Olympics" but lets be honest... my 14 month old is an impressive swimmer for her age but certainly is no gold mentalist compared to a 9 year old! haha. Oh but bless her heart she tried. Daniel brought home the silver in the water balloon toss because he ditched me as a partner in favor of an athletic man.... I'm so proud... haha

Daniel and the kids in the "opening ceremonies!" So cute!

This 4th of July celebration was a bit too much for the kids at their ages. They were exhausted and asleep by 6:30. I had a good time but I learned my lesson.... I drug the kids from event to event that I thought they would like but it was really more about me forcing memories on them and fitting too much into a day too early. You know what I mean? They were tired, cranky and overwhelmed... SENSORY OVERLOAD! Next year I think we'll just do the neighborhood parade and play by pool in patriotic swim suits.  Easy Peasy :) Happy Birthday, America!