The Highlight Reels

I intended to do a Christmas post much earlier. It seems so long ago now. Even though we did celebrate for 6 days straight! Instead of a play-by-play post of our weeklong festivities with family, I'll just give you the highlight reels of Christmas morning:

We had a wonderful time celebrating the birth of our Savior. We had a little "birthday party" for Jesus. Cupcakes for breakfast?! Yum...

Anagrace "camped out"under the tree Christmas Eve. Christmas morning she discovered her room makeover...

Anderson had a blast opening the presents...some that weren't even his! He was really excited to get "Mack" from Disney's Cars to hold the matchbox Disney Cars.

They were all super excited to get the John Deere Gator, although I think the video portrays more shock than anything.

I hope you and yours had a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! The Prevette Family is definitely excited about the possibilities of 2010....

Wordless Wednesday

SWEET

Spent some one-on-one time with my SWEET girl.

Baked, decorated and ate some SWEET treats together.

Then, went to see some SWEET works of art. We had a great time just the two of us. Picking out our favorite gingerbread houses. Talking about Christmas...

Laughing. (Nice "dragon face")
SWEET memories!

Christmas Traditions

I just thought I'd share some of our Prevette family traditions. Some began the year Justin and I got married and others we've started somewhere along the past 8 years...

We always put up our nativity after reading the Christmas story. My dad got this one for us our first Christmas as "The Prevette Family". Anagrace and I did it this year along with her schoolwork.

I think that the "Countdown Calendar Tree" is probably Anagrace's favorite decoration. Shortly after she wakes up she has to move the stocking and count down the days left 'til Christmas.And a close second in the running for her favorite Christmas decoration, is the pink tree in Anagrace's room. She has had a small tree in her room since she was born (I'm pretty sure). But this pink one is new this year.

Our newest tradition is making a gingerbread house. This is actually the first year we've attempted it; I thought that it was the first time Anagrace could really "help" and enjoy it. And we did have a great time with it. We took it easy being our first year...we bought the premade house. It was already assembled, with roof and walls attached, all we had to do was mix the icing and decorate. I know that is kind of like cheating, but we'll increase the difficulty as the years go by!

So, those are just a few of our traditions. What traditions do you have? I'm always looking for fun and creative ways to make memories!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot (well, a little) Like Christmas....

I've "decorated" my blog.

And I've decorated my tree.

But that's the extent of my decorating so far. I've still got to put up the nativity scene and decorations on the mantle. We sold our computer armoire, which is where we usually display our Christmas village. So, I'm not sure if we'll have the village out this year. The absence of the computer armoire has also affected our tree. Two years ago we bought an artificial "pencil" tree to save money and floorspace. I love the look of the tree, but without the furniture around it the tree does look pretty skinny.

I thought I'd give a little tour of our tree and some of my favorite ornaments. Most of our ornaments have a story or special meaning attached to them. It's like a really tall and beautiful scrapbook!

Ornaments representing our first Christmas as a married couple(from 2001) :

One of Anagrace's first Christmas ornaments (from 2003), a gift from my grandmother, whom she is named after. It's kind of hard to see,but there is a cherub on it:

A few ornaments from my childhood:

One of the ornaments that my great Granny West made:

Although the orange doesn't "match" my tree, I couldn't leave it off...an ornament from our church commemorating our first year there(2007):An ornament made by one of the special education students in my class from my very first "real"job:So, those are just a few of my favorite ornaments. Here is the tree in its entirety:I can't really do an angel or a star because you can view our tree from 2 angles, from the front door and from the living room. I wouldn't know which way to face the angel or star! So, a bow, berries, flowers and pinecones work nicely around the top of the tree, I think. The tree topper:

I'm hoping to do some more decorating this weekend!

I am Thankful!!

I am thankful for friends and family.

Thanksgiving was spent with some of my family at lunch and with some of Justin's family for dinner.

We spent the day before Thanksgiving with our good friends, the Helms. Here are the little pilgrims and indians just before enjoying their feast. They made their own hats...so cute.
They also made butter (with heavy cream, marbles and mason jars...shake,shake, shake) There's always an opprotunity to learn, which leads me to....

I am thankful to have the opprotunity and priviledge to be at home with my kids and homeschool Anagrace. Truly a blessing!

After the Thanksgiving festivities, my in-laws kept all of the kids to decorate her tree the next morning.

I am so thankful for a restful night's sleep (no Black Friday shopping for me). We didn't get out of the bed until after 10 a.m.! I can't remember the last time that happened!

Then, off for a quick brunch date with my hubby before picking up the kiddos.

I am so thankful for Justin, for the moments we can share just the two of us, for our relationship that continues to deepen and sweeten with time!

Wordless (and Toothless) Wednesday

Cupcakes!!!!

Anagrace and I made some cupcakes a few nights ago. Here is a cute video of all the kids enjoying the yumminess...

Homeschool Journey

It's funny how when mommies start friendships eventually we share our "birth stories" (or at least that's been the case with me). Well I have met a group of some new friends and we not only share the commonality of motherhood, but also the commonality of homeschooling. So, when 3 of us were hanging out a few weeks ago we shared our "homeschool stories" with eachother. I shared our homeschool story here in case you missed it.

So, we're about 3 months into our homeschool journey now. I get the question often "How's homeschooling?". I usually give a pretty short answer, especially if the person asking isn't a homeschooler too. I guess I still fear that I am being judged or possibly that the person asking thinks they are being judged by me. But I know in my heart that we made the best decision for our family, and I know that is all that truly matters. Anagrace is doing great! Most days she really enjoys the schoolwork. Honestly, I think she loves the focused attention on her that schooling requires. After Ashton was born, most of my attention was focused on caring for the 2 boys. I knowingly or unknowingly expected Anagrace, being the oldest, to be as independent as possible. Homeschooling has given me and Anagrace the opportunity to spend some one-on-one time together and it has done wonders for our relationship. I think that is what I am the most excited about with our journey so far.

Overall, homeschooling is going great and I am so grateful for the opportunity. Sometimes I still can't believe that this is the path we've taken. Definitely an unplanned trip. But, usually those are the best ones!

I just had to share this picture...aren't they so cute, so focused doing their "work"?!

Christmas Lists Already?!

I can't believe that Christmas is right around the corner. It is officially this close! It seems that all of the marketing and media people just skip right over Thanksgiving. (What a shame! Thanksgiving is my personal favorite as far as holidays go.) There's even Christmas music on some radio stations already! The excitement has already begun in my daughter. She has asked when we get to make our Christmas lists. Last year we went to Target and created a wishlist using their gift registry system. It was really simple and she loved using the scanner gun. It was great when grandparents asked "What do the kids want?"; I didn't have to rack my brain or worry about returning duplicate gifts. Well, this year there seems to be only one thing Anagrace is hoping for....

Happy Halloween!

3 BUSY bees and 2 beekeepers had a Happy Halloween! We hope you did too!

What a Big Boy!

Anderson is turning into such a big boy. His language has just exploded. He makes me laugh all the time at the funny things he says. Like when he sneezed today, Anagrace said thank you and he responded "Thanks, babe"! And then when we picked him up from the church nursery today the volunteer said "Anderson said the funniest thing"; she explained that when asking if he needed his diaper changed he said "No, I just got gas"...You never know what he's going to say these days!

He is sleeping in a big boy bed now, too. He looked so big in his crib. It was time to make the switch, especially since he had figured out how to escape! Now, he looks so small in that big bed. We used the top bunk of a disassemled bunk bed that we've been storing in our attic. It was great because it already had the rails on it to keep him from rolling out. Thankfully, it was a pretty easy transition. He hasn't been getting out of the bed and leaving his room as I had feared. In the picture below you can barely see my little man in the new bed, under the blankets and in between all his stuffed animals!

(Yes, I did sneak into his room while he was sleeping to snap those pictures!)

Anderson got a big boy haircut to complete his transformation! My grandma has trimmed his hair with scissors several times, but I took him to Doolittle's to have it cut with the electric clippers. He wasn't quite sure about that buzzing so close to his head, but thankfully the police car chair and movie playing right in front of him distracted him. I couldn't transfer the photo of him getting his hair cut from my phone to the computer. But, check out the photos of the finished product:

Food For Thought

Grocery shopping. It is not the easiest task with my three. It's a "two man job" because I can't push the cart (or buggy as we say in the South) and the double stroller, and there is really no way to secure the boys in the buggy and still have room for the groceries! I have thought about using a hip carrier for Ashton and fastening Anderson in the front seat of the buggy, but I don't know if that would work well or not.

Well, yesterday Grandma Joyce and I went shopping at ALDI. I love me some ALDI! You can save so much money shopping there. And I get in and out so quickly; I don't get "sucked in to the vortex" the way I seem to at Wal-Mart. Maybe it is because they don't have an abundance of brands competing for your attention? I'm not a "brand-aholic". There are a few things that I prefer to have name-brand. Heinz ketchup, Diet Caffiene-free Coke, Dunkin Donuts decaf coffee, Colgate toothpaste, and my various hair and beauty products; pretty much everything else I buy the cheapest I can find! And ALDI is pretty doggone cheap!

Anyway, I bought our basic breakfast and lunch items, plus everything I need for dinner for the next week or so. I am constantly trying to think of new things to cook for dinner. It seems like I always do the same ol', same old! The fall weather has inspired me to cook some new/old dishes that we haven't had in a while. Thought I'd share in case someone out there was thinking "What should I do for dinner?" like I often do. So, here's our upcoming meals, in no particular order:



Chili beans and Cornbread muffins

Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans

Spaghetti with Italian Sausage, Salad, Garlic Bread

Loaded Potato Soup and Salad

Baked Pork Chops, Rice and gravy, Green Beans

Vegetable soup, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Seasoned Fries

Chicken and Dumplings with Salad

(Did you notice that Green Beans and Salad are my usual vegetable side? My husband is a picky eater, hates most veggies. Those are the two he will eat. I do sneak some extra veggies in sometimes , like adding pureed carrots to my spaghetti sauce. Anyone got anymore sneaky recipe ideas?)

Another thing I plan to make this week is Apple Crisp. We've got some leftover apples from our trip to the apple orchard, that if they don't get used soon will be completely inedible. Apple Crisp just has that great "fall taste" to it!

And my last food for thought...I think food occupies my thoughts far more than it should! I have been trying to eat better. I really want to lose some weight, but I am lacking in the self control department! I try to eat lean during the day and have a typical meal with the family at night. Having a picky husband, I can't cook "diet meals". Well, during the day I pick at the kids food too. If they don't finish their PB& J sandwich, I will. If there are a few goldfish crackers on the table, I won't let them go to waste. And then there are the fun treats we make or get that I know they'll enjoy...the pumpkin face cookies with icing, the jell-o jigglers with whipped cream and the soon-to-arrive Halloween candy, well, I share in the fun. I'm just going to have to get my "mind over matter" attitude when it comes to eating.

So, there is my food for thought. Random, I know.

My Fantasy Shopping Spree

Justin and I went to IKEA on the busy weekend date I mentioned in a previous post. Well, that trip spurred me on to want to redecorate and update some of our furniture. Lately, I've been browsing IKEA's website and I've decided on the styles and fabrics of new living room furniture that I would like to buy.

Red L-shaped sofa to add seating and style:

Blue checked Chair and a half, which folds out into a bed:

And the pillow that would tie the two fabrics together, of course I'd need several of these in different shapes and styles: What do you think?

Maybe my wishlist will become a Christmas list!

Wordless Wednesday

Wonderful Weekend With Friends

Friday: Trip to Windy Hill Apple Orchard. Disappointed and Discouraged. Called ahead to see if we needed reservations for 4 mothers and 14 children (wow...I know). "No" they said, "just let us know when you arrive". They did not tell me that they no longer do hayrides, tell the Johnny Appleseed story in character, or give out samples of fresh apple juice and a donut. We learned that upon arrival. Anderson didn't understand why we didn't ride a big green tractor. Anagrace didn't understand why a pet pig was not a good idea. The baby piggies were very cute, but I assured her that they would grow up to look like their not-so-cute mother! Picked apples, looked at the farm animals and had a picnic lunch. Although it wasn't the trip we had envisioned, it was still a fun time with friends.

Dickson and Anagrace ready to fill their bags with apples

Anderson contemplating taking a bite

Anagrace reaching high for her apple Gracie and the goat showing their best profile for the camera

Gracie and Emma, aot sure what those expressions are about?!

Obviously a heavy bag of apples! About 31/2 feet tall this Fall!
Cute baby chicks

Cuter baby pigs

Saturday: Justin and I ran the 5k Race for the Cure in downtown. We ran it with our friends from church, Mandy and Byron. (didn't take my camera to get a picture of the 4 of us, bummer) Now, I do not consider myself a runner. I did run track in high school, but the longest event I competed in was 400 meters. We finished in about 36 minutes. Justin definitely could have finished quicker, but he waited on me. It was his idea for us "to do something together". We spent the rest of the day just the two of us (The kids spent the day with their Grammie...thanks, Grammie!). We enjoyed the gorgeous fall weather by riding all over Charlotte in the Jeep. We stopped by a church Fall Festival in the Mountain Island Lake area to look at their car show, then ventured over to IKEA in Concord for lunch and shopping.

A post race photo

A photo of Justin's Jeep with the kids' jeep. (I guess you're never too old for toys)

Sunday: We went to the best church ever! If you are looking for a church in the Charlotte area, visit Elevation! We've decided to start attending the Uptown location. We have been going to the Providence location for 2 years now. Although I feel that the move to Uptown is the right choice, it didn't feel like "home" at the new location. I'm sure that will come with time. During the sermon, the guest pastor said something along the lines that God will call you to the unfamiliar to reach your true potential. UmHmm!

We ate lunch with our dear friends, the Helms after the service. It was a gorgeous fall day, so we walked a few blocks to Fuel pizza. The kids had a great time playing with the dough and hanging out on the patio. Then we were off to our other dear friends, the Massey's house to celebrate their precious baby girl's first birthday! I can't believe our littlest ones, our babies, are one!

The mommies...Amy, Dawn and MeThe mommies with all the one-year-olds...it was a difficult photo to get!Ashton hugging on Mallory...can I get a collective "Awww"Gracie and Jordyn, friends forever

The beautiful birthday baby, Jaelyn!

What a wonderful weekend with friends!