What will we be doing today?

For the very last day in 08 I will doing what I always do..... Cleaning up a pile. But I must say this is one of the largest by far I have had in a while. Madie said she is going to help me!
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The aftermath

We made it back from Memphis late last night and unloaded the van. Good thing we have a van, just look at all this stuff. Here's what my day will be full of.....finding places for all this STUFF! (bonus: dining rooms and dining room tables are the single best thing to have when you have multiple kiddos. Instant catch all the crap spot, craft table, family meetings and oh yeah, good family meals.)
Here's the mess we had after Santa's visit Christmas morning. We didn't have time to organize it before we left...so it's was still here waiting on our return.
Perhaps my favorite of all, the countless swords my children have received this year...yes, that's 12 total swords. No, Elizabeth doesn't believe me when I say girls weren't knights. And yes, Madie gets in on the action too.

I think this Christmas shall be remembered as the Years of The Swords. FaBulous!

Thanks for the present!

Mawmaw got the kids this neat scooter for Christmas. The kids love it and have been riding on it non-stop since they got it on Sunday. You make it go by turning the wheel right and left, almost like pumping on a swing....anyway, it rides well on the hardwood and Madie loves hitching a ride with one of them as well. So on Monday they finally convinced me to try it out, lucky for me it holds up to 200 pounds.

Scenes of what's to come.....Caleb driving mommy!

Saturday fun

Madie loves playing under the bathroom cabinets. She gets every tub, bottle and can she can get her hands on. It's gotten so bad that we've had to remove everything so she won't eat what she finds. (she likes to use her two bottom teeth to pop open the lotion top and eat the lotion, I know she's the 3rd but that's not a good thing to do even for #3)

she made the most of the empty cabinet Saturday morning. That is until David installed the knobs so now we can tie it closed....

The kids opened Saturday's present to find 24 tubs of play dough! (Caleb's guess of a toolbox of telescopes proved to be wrong, he wasn't that upset!)
They put it to good use and made a park, with a road, trees, trucks, pond....such good imaginations!

What we do everyday at 230PM

Curious George. Snack. All three kids at the table. 30 minutes of peace for me!
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Tuesday mystery package

So this package is the one neither Elizabeth nor Caleb could figure out what it could be. A package of air? A box with no sides? What's moving inside? Fabulous!

Its our art project for today... Some of you might see it later on...!
Madie just watches as she scoops yogurt with her spoon. She is learning how to feed herself with a spoon. Key word learning.
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The Annual Gant Family Christmas tree hunt

Every year we journey way down south to cut down our Christmas tree. David's Family has been going to Worthington's tree farm for years....and now we do too. Last Saturday we took the annual hour long drive to get there and frolic among the many fields of Christmas trees in hopes of finding the best one.
Caleb found this lovely tree twig and thought it would make a perfect addition to our living room...a little Charlie Brownish I think.
Elizabeth and I got lost trying to remember which one we thought was the best. We'd look at one and think it's grand then look left and find another one, then right, then up the hill and where was the first one we liked again? ...on and on it went...glorious madness!
Madie enjoyed the view from her Cousin Cody's arms,
And Mawaw's too. We tried to let her walk but there were too many stumps for her to fall on.
We have to measure any tree we intend on purchasing now. Last year we got a fabulous deal on a 14 ft tree, $25. Couldn't pass up a deal like that? Sadly, 5 of the feet had to be cut off, we found out we didn't have as high of ceilings as we thought we did.
Caleb wanted to use the saw so bad....
Instead, they got to help haul it to the car!

What we are doing today

Its Monday which means its laundry day, so the kids and I are hanging around the house. I've been baking cookies and the kids even helped me make fudge! Madeleine learned to climb into yet another chair today. I will have to do a post of pictures of all her various climbing adventures at some point. Elizabeth found a new talent of peeling hard boiled eggs and Caleb is playing with tiny lego guys. I think they're in a war or something like that. I keep hearing Caleb make loud bombing and gun shot noises. Oh and the kids have a present to open everyday till Christmas so I will be posting more about that as the days continue. Today was paper airplanes and 3 Berenstain bears Books.
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sorry..

So I got a new camera, and I have some great pictures to post, but I don't know how to load them onto my computer yet!!! So as soon as David shows me how I will have lots to post and share.

For now here's what's been going on...

Thanksgiving was great! Visiting family in Memphis was fun. The kids really enjoyed it and were really good on both the drive down and back. Black Friday was an all-time high for David and I.....He was first in line at Target! Monday....after returning on Sunday...I washed 10 loads of clothes. Only downside of traveling. Sadly, I had already washed a few loads while we were gone! I am trying to get use to teaching again. I must confess I am really looking forward to the Christmas break. Teaching 4 nights a week is tough. The kids are back at school, Caleb is reading "at" words....fat, cat and the like. He is super excited about that. Elizabeth just has a few subjects to finish up before we can break from school till January. Right now she is reading "the BFG" and loving it.

Today we made the first batch of fudge and pumpkin cookies for this holiday season. We also decorated the house. Elizabeth's new phrase is "It's like we've moved into a new house" With all the updates we have done since we moved in, she's convinced it's a new house! Saturday we plan on going to Worthingtons and cutting down our Christmas tree. I'll have lots of pictures from that I'm sure....

I also tried to take the kids holiday pictures today...tried being the key word....

My new cool shoes!

They came with purple laces but I just didn't think a mother of 3 should do that. Though I bet I could pull it off! These shoes are a tribute to Emily Seibert, my crazy tennis shoe inspiration!
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Happy Thanksgiving!

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Top 5 reasons I like Thanksgiving

5. an excuse to be a pig and go back for seconds

4. visiting with family and friends

3. jellied cranberry sauce

2. shopping with David the day after

1. time off from teaching!!!

Sunday night fun

Daddy reads to Caleb and Madie, yes Mawmaw, its on of the Bernstein bear books you have us. Yes, Caleb is in love with these books. And Caleb and Elizabeth have decided to be rappers! They dressed up like this on their own! I wish you could hear their raps, too funny!
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Good thing you are sitting down

Caleb just sounded out his first word tonight. Job. It made me cry and he is beyond proud of himself!
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So glad it is Friday!

This week has flown by! After last week's floor project, it was nice to have a semi normal week. Here's some highlights.

Madie as figured out she can use her teeth to bite things. but not just food. her dad's toes, cardboard brick blocks and candy bar wrappers or as seen here, she uses her teeth to remove tops from plastic containers!

Caleb is learning his letters and can write his name. He is also has become quite skilled at sliding across the wood floors!

Elizabeth had a tooth pulled on Thursday, cavity on a baby tooth. She was super brave, got a milkshake and a tatoo as shown here!

I hope to post some videos soon of the party...hopefully this weekend...
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The aftermath of a good school day

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The end is near!

Just a little update on how the floor is coming along. As you can see we just have a little bit it finish in the hallway. I can't tell you how beautiful it looks and how thankful we were when all the boards matched back up!!! We were so worried the dining room and hall wouldn't connect back up correctly after they branched off of livingroom!
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Kids always make the most out of any situation

I go crazy when things are out of place but the kids just see the fun of it. Caleb is using the table as his hideout as he shoots imaginary bad guys. Love it!
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Look what the dynamic duo completed last night

Whoever said laying laminate wood flooring is easy has never laid it. My body is so sore from just this little bit we laid last night. But doesn't it look amazing? The cut under the door almost got the best of us!

It is a keeper though, pal puppy dog and the kids can slide across it in their socks. Madie just wants to sweep it, what a good kid.

(child with broom in picture does not come with floor purchases of $100 or more.)
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Madie turned 1 and this is her favorite present...

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Theme of our marriage

While working late into the night this weekend, David and I came up with the top 5 phrases that could be considered the theme of our marriage.

5. Birth givers

4. Change you can see

3. People who love ripping things up/out

2. The ultimate weekend warriors.... Or weekday or the whole week...

1. Most likely to start a Major project at 9pm at night.

Would love to hear which statement you think fits is best!

(supporting material)
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David's journey to Sunny California

Here's some pictures David took while on his business trip to San Fransisco. He got to go over the golden gate bridge, see the Pacific Ocean and some Amazing trees....I must say, I was jealous, 'cause you all know how much I love trees!
A Coast Redwood. David said most of the trees were so tall you couldn't see the top of them
this tree was born in 909 a.d.
amazing huh?