Kennedy is growing up so fast....

A White Christmas

Kennedy's first Christmas was white!  The last time it snowed on Christmas day in Georgia it was over 100 years ago.  We made a Christmas Bear with the kids...they LOVE playing in the snow.  We don't have snow pants or boots for them so they get very cold but don't complain. 
We do dinner on Christmas Eve so that Mommy can spend all day relaxing around the house like everyone else.  We all had a fantastic holiday season and we hope y'all did also!

Christmas Cabin

 Cheers!  We spent four days in the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg, Tennessee area the week before Christmas with family and friends.   Nana, Papa and Grandma all came with us.  Along with our great friends, Ben and Heather and their three kids.  We spent our days at an indoor waterpark and nights laughing and playing games at the cabin.  Chad even brought the wii up to the cabin with us....that brought a lot of laughs with the adults after the kids went to bed.  We all had so much fun that we are planning on going next December again!

 Kennedy playing wii with Daddy!

 The kids are "vegging out" in the media room after a long day at the waterpark!

Bryan LOVED the hot tub....he thinks we should get one!

November - Breakfast of Champions

 Drew was selected for the November "Breakfast of Champions" at his school.  Tyler and I went to cheer him on and have breakfast with him.  Drew was very excited to be a part of this again....yes, he was a "Champion" last year also.  Way to go Drew!

Drew's very proud of his medal!

Bryan's Field Trip to Petit Farms

 I had so much fun with Bryan's Preschool Class at Petit Farms.  They are such a great group of 4 and 5 year olds....and his teachers, Ms. Cindy and Ms. Shannon are wonderful!  They are very good with the kids and he has learned so much since starting school in August. 

 Bryan touching a baby boa.  He is brave...I wouldn't touch it.  I don't do snakes. 

 Now this is a big snake...and it is only half the size it is going to get!!!  He feeds it chickens mostly...and once or twice a year he will feed it a whole pig.  Yep, that is gross!! Oh, and it lives in his living room. 

Kennedy....talking and squeaking!

Tyler Plays Soccer with the Big Boys

A team didn't show up on Saturday to play against Bryan's team so the coach split the team up and had them play each other.  However, he needed one more player - so he picked Tyler.  Who was so excited!!  He is one tough three year old.  His little legs ran so fast, he kicked the ball and passed it and even scored!!!  We can't wait to sign him up for soccer this Spring. 

Washington DC

I went with Chad to D.C. October 21 and 22.  He had to work for a little bit on Thursday and then the rest of the time was ours.  We stayed at the BEAUTIFUL Gaylord National Hotel - incredible. We were upgraded to a suite (we are lucky!!) since our room wasn't ready and it was gorgeous!!  The hotel is made up mostly of a atrium that looks out to the Potomac River. 

Friday we got up early, crossed over the Potomac and headed towards our Nations Capital.  Amazing.  Amazing.  The architect and history kept giving us goose bumps.  We only had four hours to see what we could before we had to head to the airport.  (Boys have soccer on Saturday mornings and we can't miss that)  After about 40 minutes we finally found a parking spot by the National Mall.  We went and saw the White House first.  Breathtaking...just thinking of all the history that has happened inside its walls.  (We are going to take a tour next time!!) 

We walked towards the Washington Monument (1884) and couldn't stop looking at.  It is made up of granite, marble and sandstone and was gorgeous against the blue sky. 

Next we walked towards the Reflecting Pool and Lincoln Memorial.  The pool is undergoing a renovation ($30.5 millions dollar renovation) so the water was being drained and it was very dirty.  It was still gorgeous in the way the Washington Monument reflects off of it. The pool when full holds 6.7 million gallons of water. 
We couldn't wait to walk up the steps of the Lincoln Memorial (1922).  Chad has always wanted to sit on the steps - so of course we did!!  As you enter the Memorial there is a sign to "Please be quiet out of Respect".  Goosebumps, again!!  Lincoln changed the way we all live today...honor, I will!  Chad and I spent so much time looking at the statue and reading the  Gettysburg Address - we were in awe. 

We only had a little bit of time left before we had to leave for the airport ... so we stopped at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.  It is humbling....58,267 names are etched into the black granite that is reflective. 

There is so much more we wanted to see - Jefferson Memorial, the Capital Building, Smithsonian and all the other Museums on the National Mall.  We could have spent a whole week there.  And we plan on it - with the kids next time.  Drew was so excited when we told him we were going to D.C....he started talking about all that he has learned in school.  Love it!!!  Chad and I were in such awe the whole time we were in D.C.  What an amazing city...we can't wait to go back! 

Kennedy is 4 Months Old

Kennedy is growing so fast!  She is 16.5 lbs and 25 inches of pure joy!!  She loves to giggle from her belly and smile from cheek to cheek.  She can roll from her back to her belly like a champ....but gets so mad when she is on her belly.  She has rolled over a couple times from her belly to back but she forgets she knows how.  She knows someone will roll her back over, so why learn, right!??!!

Trick or Treat Village

 We went to the Trick or Treat Village again this year.  The "small" town we live in, Dallas, always puts on a great event!  The boys and Kennedy had a fantastic time.  The Village always gets them ready for Halloween and we get to practice or "please and thank you's"! 
Many local business decorate booths and fill kids' Halloween buckets with treats and business flyers.  There are many games, a hayride in a spooky forests, costume contest, and much more. 

 I just LOVE her tutu!