Giving Thanks

For Thanksgiving, Jeff, the boys and I headed to MS to visit my family. My grandmother is 95 years old and had never met Eli. So, Wednesday we loaded the Jeep and headed out. The trip was fine really. Having Jeff there to help made all the difference. We did decide that we need a bigger vehicle if we go on too many more trips.

Here we are heading out. We left about 4:30 PM hoping that we could stop once for dinner and then the boys would go to sleep. Our plan worked pretty well although we did have to stop one more time. We got to my dad's house about 1:30 AM.

At my dad's. Have trains, will travel.

Different toys are the best!

Nathan took advantage of having a willing reader.

Thanksgiving lunch. We had a buffet lunch at the Hilton and it was great. Nathan is checking out his huge piece of chocolate cake here, contemplating his attack strategy.

Eli with his great Uncle Doug and my cousin, Jeff.

Papaw, Jeff and Nathan

Luke, enjoying his lemon cake (he picked it out!). Luke really took to being the big boy and getting to do things the other boys could not do. It's really neat to watch him progress and mature.

Eli with Nannie.

Just like big brother.

An after Thanksgiving snooze with Daddy.

Yummy toys at Papaw's. Eli's hair has grown but is not long enough to cut so we have these pointy sections in front. I try to keep them brushed over but they keep coming back for an Eddie Munster look.

Taking a break with Papaw.

My sweet Nannie.

Luke and Nathan with Nannie. Sorry to say the boys went a little nutty at Nannie's house. The trip, little napping and a new place made for some rambunctious boys. Still, I was glad they got to spend some time with her.

This is unrelated but so funny to me. Nathan is sitting on our little potty and insisted on reading the paper while doing so! Wonder where he got that one?

So incredibly thankful for my many blessing.

Favorites and Firsts

I always know it's been too long since my last blog post when I have to really think about what my Blogger password is. This post started as several "firsts" I wanted to record but I kept coming across pictures that I wanted to post too so now it's favorites and firsts. I feel sure this will be a post only a mother would love.

First: Eli's first time to sit in a cart (used some diapers as bumpers just in case he fell over). Public highchairs and grocery carts still totally gross me out but I have learned that it's not likely they will get anything fatal from a cart so I'm trying to let it go.

First: Eli's first Thanksgiving and first time to sit in a high chair (more to come later).
First: This is Luke with Mr. Bumble. Luke's classes have a VIP each week, you know, line leader, dresses weather bear, holding the flag and other fun jobs. In his W/F class, when you are VIP, you also get to bring home Mr. Bumble for the week. You are supposed to do some fun things with Mr. Bumble and record them in his journal. Very cute! Having the last name Wilson, it's taken us until November to get to be VIP.

First: Nathan's first time to lay (lie? I can't keep it straight) on the couch with Eli.
Favorite: I'm named after both of my grandmothers (Celia Annell and Helen Elizabeth). I have the most wonderful memories of my Mamo's smile. In this picture, my Mom looks very much like one of those memories.

Mr. Bumble again.

Favorite: Playing outside on a fall day.

Favorite: Love this one of Eli.

First: This is the first time I ever saw Luke swinging himself (you know, doing the leg thing).

Pumpkins and Papaw

This past weekend my Dad came for a (too) short visit. It was great to see him and see him with the boys! Saturday we all went to the Pumpkin Farm in Celina. It was a lot of fun and not too crowded since it was after Halloween (and cheaper).

Neither boy was too interested in getting close to the animals. This is Nathan's version of feeding the goats. Just pour it out somewhere in their vicinity.

Papaw and Eli.



Nathan was saying, "Hey cow, how are you today?"

Watching Daddy be brave.

Oh to live in a place with plenty of room to run.

Something was very exciting. Maybe he actually saw a pumpkin. It was slim pickings so the nine pumpkins at home will have to do!

On the hay-ride...my handsome husband! If you don't know, Jeff and I met on udate.com. I told him some time after we met that when I saw him online, I thought he looked good "on paper" but the only thing he was missing was a goatee. What do you know, when we met he had one after all...sweet!

Playing on the hay-ride.

On the tractor ride.

My three boys, taking a break.

Brothers? How I love these little heads!

Papaw with Eli. The ugly bibs strike again.

Reading with Papaw.

Nathan has this thing about the camera. He always wants to see the picture. So, once he saw the camera, he was out!

I'm so glad you could come visit Papaw, even though it was too short!

Catching Up With Life

So, there have been some changes around our house in the past few weeks. Most notable, and requiring the most parental adjustment, is the fact that Luke and Nathan can now (and frequently do) climb out of their beds. It's ok really but is taking some getting used to. For example, as I write, Luke is awake and is playing with his trains instead of napping. Oh, and right now, Nathan just woke up and realized Luke is not in there. I'm sure I will hear a little climber any minute now! Anyway, just something I wanted to note about their childhood. We'll move both of them into their big beds in a week or two.

These pictures are probably not interesting to anyone but me but I wanted to get them into the blog. They are just shots of time spent with the boys.

At the playground, around the end of October, 2010.

He looks so big to me in this one.
No fear.

In the backyard, around the end of October also.

At lunch after church (O'Jeda's), November, 2010.

Trying to master the phone camera...not a good camera for moving targets. Jeff looks handsome :)

Both boys were "reading" their books. It was a great sight and sound.

Thursday nights are Jeff's night alone with the boys. While I teach, Jeff picks up the boys from school and gets them a Happy Meal. I found these pictures on the camera of their fun together. Thursday night is known around our house as "Daddy pick me up from Ms. Kelsey, go get a Happy Meal and ride in Daddy's truck."