The Chamblee Life

Happy Words

2012-01-30T21:40:00.000-06:00

Beau loves to laugh & often finds the most random things hilarious. Many times it's a word we say or sound we make that sets him off. Like the good parents that we are, we proceed to repeat it ad nauseam just to get a reaction out of him. One day last week, his laughter trigger happened to be the word "nope."

A Little Boy No Longer

2012-01-29T17:07:00.000-06:00

All three of my children have been very slow to acquire hair, at least at first. That's okay, I think my bald babies are pretty cute. But when Jake & Mallory did finally get hair, I was thrilled to see their gorgeous curls, compliments of their father.

To add to the gorgeousness of his curls, Jake was also a towhead. Anyone remember this blond beauty?

Since his first haircut shortly after his second birthday, Jake's hair has thickened up, gotten quite a bit darker & lost most of it's curl. It did still curl some when long, though, which is why I think I preferred a slightly shaggy look on him. This pic was taken about a week ago & shows "the mop," as we called it.

As of Saturday, the mop is gone. J took him for a haircut & had my approval to get it a bit shorter, but I was not prepared for this! Don't get me wrong, I think it's adorable. But I did shed a few tears out of pure shock when the boy who returned after a haircut was not my little three-year-old but a big boy.

As I told Justin, we might as well just send him on to first grade right away, because that's how old he looks to me.

My only consolation is that I'm starting to see a curl in Beau's hair that is coming in. Heaven help me when he starts growing up. I'll definitely be a basket case!

Dressed to Impress

2012-01-18T16:23:00.000-06:00

Whether they're dressed up for church, or wearing a silly concoction all their own, I think my crew is a great-looking bunch! Not that I'm biased or anything. Here's some random recent cuteness for you.

Beau ready for church in his handsome pirate outfit from Mimi

Mallory showing off her cute new dress from Aunt Rachel, as well as baby Sally's lovely pajamas

One morning before school, I tried to pose the kids for a picture since the boys had on their Christmas presents from Pa & Gigi. Beau was super cooperative.

Jake is a master at wrangling his little brother! Notice that Sally made this pic as well.

Jake & Mal were super excited to dress "goofy" for their friend Karl Mikal's goofy-themed birthday party. You can't see it here, but Mal had her hair in one pig tail & one dog ear, which she found hilarious.

Oh, how I love little ones in footed pajamas! And matching things!

Miss Priss in a new dress from Mimi

Beau looking dapper in his brother's hand-me-downs

And finally, pajama day at school!

Well done, Jake & Mallory!

2012-01-16T11:43:00.000-06:00

Several months ago, we began using an incentive system to encourage Jake & Mallory toward good behavior & doing their chores without complaining. We snagged this idea from a friend's blog, & it has really worked well for everyone.

Ideally, we sit down twice a day, morning & bedtime, to go over the rewards each kid has earned so far. When mornings are busy, we just do it all at bedtime, but it gets hard for them to remember the stuff from the beginning of the day. I need to work harder to fit in it at the right time. Each child has a large jar to fill with rewards from each of the six "task" jars.

A button is earned from the potty jar for a dry pull-up (Jake) or underwear (Mal) in the morning, & then another can be earned for a full day without accidents. A colorful bead can be earned from the bed jar for making their beds when told in the morning (to the best of their abilities). Two buttons from the toothbrush jar can be earned daily for completing that task without any resistance. One pom-pom from the toy jar is given to those who clean up well. Pom-poms from the mouth jar aren't necessarily given daily, but just whenever Mommy notices one of them being especially polite with what they say. The thumbs up jar, the most coveted of all, holds jingle bells, given at random times for good behavior that goes above & beyond.

When their rewards reach the first line on their big jar, that child gets to pick out a prize or toy of some kind from Target (or another store they like). Reaching the second line earns them a trip to the ice cream shop. When the top line is achieved, it's Chuck E. Cheese time! They usually earn rewards at a pretty similar rate, although it varies day to day, so we've been able to get by with group trips for ice cream & CEC so far.

This is by no means a perfect system, but it does help encourage & reward their good behavior. Good job, guys!

What's Cookin'?

2012-01-14T22:51:00.000-06:00

Jake & Mallory are becoming more helpful in the kitchen lately, & they're getting to an easier age for me to let them help. I no longer feel like I have to watch their every move in quite so hawkish a fashion!

One day recently when Mallory required more afternoon sleep time than Jake, he got to help me make taco soup for dinner.

Awkward self-portrait of me & my buddy

Serious about his mixing task

Mallory got to join in the fun for homemade pizzas another night. They really liked making one of their favorite foods & were very particular about only eating pieces from "their pizza" instead of the one their sibling made.

Cutest little chef's assistants ever! Thanks, Nana, for the awesome aprons!

Brotherly Love

2012-01-12T14:22:00.000-06:00

Sometimes I wonder if Beau will survive Jake's love,

but I'm excited to see how the special friendship that these two share grows with them.

Beau Harrison at 10 Months

2012-01-10T20:54:00.000-06:00

My baby is ten months old! Seriously, double digits? I'll admit that I'm not really ready for my littlest one to have a birthday, but I suppose I can't do anything about it. Despite wishing that time would slow down a bit, we are having a ton of fun with Beau at this age!

A little 10-month photo shoot for your viewing pleasure...

Developing quite the temper!

Beau weighs around 18 pounds & is growing like a weed. He keeps getting longer way faster than he gains weight, though, so he usually sports some saggy pants. Cute little thug. :) Here he is in the middle of one of his current favorite pastimes, pushing his siblings' plasma cars around. When he gets behind the car & pushes, he can really boogie!

My little man isn't ready to walk yet, but he cruises like a champ & has stood for a few seconds on his own a couple of different times. Beau loves to give high fives, plays peek-a-boo, fake coughs & sneezes, nods his head yes & can say a few words. His latest are "uh-oh" & "Papa."

This pic on the left was the first time he has ever "cheesed" for a picture. What heart wouldn't melt from that smile? Mr. Smarty Pants has figured out how to be charming & is starting to use that charm to test the boundaries a bit. He laughs hysterically when heading for the fireplace or stairs because he knows he's not supposed to. Dropping food off of his high chair tray is also a great joke in his opinion.

As I mentioned, my sweet boy can spark a nasty temper. He takes after his sister in that regard. His pouty lip it totally pitiful, he can scream louder than any kid I've heard & he has taken to throwing his head back in a full body arch when he doesn't like what you're doing. Good thing he's cute.

Beau continues to love food & will try anything. Here he is after his first spaghetti dinner. Favorites right now include bananas, green peas, broccoli, red grapes & anything with ground beef.

He has also come to love dill pickles!

We love our lively little boy!

Grandparent Adventures

2012-01-02T21:26:00.000-06:00

During our Christmas celebrations, we had a great time just hanging out with both my parents & J's. Here are the random moments I managed to catch on the camera.

Mal drinking soup from a straw at Nana's...

Fun times with the plasma cars in the gym of my parents' church...

lots of play time...

three cuties in a tub...

riding through Papa's pasture...

& checking out some cows.

Gift time with Mimi & Pops

& a baby in a box!

Mal listening to her storybook recorded by Mimi for the hundredth time...

& Beau cuddling up with two of his favorite things - a bottle & his Mimi.

Though much of our fun was not captured in these, we enjoyed our time with all of you!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-30T15:18:00.000-06:00

Santa left some pretty awesome gifts for our crew this year!

Those gifts were eagerly anticipated before heading down the stairs...

& then were excitedly received!

Nana & Papa stayed with us on Christmas Eve so they could join in on the fun.

Beau loved his snacks as much as anything.

Jake checking out his nano bugs

Oh my, the number of teeny tiny accessories that accompany seven princesses, a prince & a Barbie!

Family pic!

After church & a delicious lunch at home, we packed everyone up & headed to Paris, Texas to my parents' house. The kids were excited to see their cousins, Brody & Aubrey.

One more family pic

Kent, Joni, Brody & Aubrey

Nana reading to all of the kids

Papa, Nana & all their munchkins

Jake & Mal had a great time with Brody's new dinosaur, which can chase you & eat from your hand. Mal is modeling her superhero cape & her owl hat, which has since spent countless hours on her head.

We now own two of these plasma cars. They're quite loud on my tile floors but definitely a great gift!

25 Days of Christmas: 16-25

2011-12-29T16:12:00.000-06:00

Our December fun slowed down a bit when everyone was feeling crummy. I know that we did something on Day 16, but I honestly have no idea what it was. Day 17 was skipped because the sickness was at its worst.

Day 18: The fun resumed with Christmas rice crispy treats!
!

Yes, they look very similar to regular rice crispy treats, but those sprinkles make them festive.

Day 19: Read The Legend of the Candy Cane & eat candy canes

This was a sweet story about the way that a candy cane can represent the story of Jesus.

Day 20: Snowman craft

Day 21: Hang out with small group & watch Michael Buble Christmas special

Day 22: Make red, white & green bead necklaces

Day 23: Look at Christmas lights

We found a neighborhood not too far from ours that had great displays!

Day 24: Decorate gingerbread cookies...

read the Nativity story...

leave aforementioned cookies for Santa...

& open one present! Jake & Mallory opened their gifts from each other. Mal was thrilled with the Strawberry Shortcake remote control car Jake had picked.

Jake was equally excited to find a set of cars from the Cars movie that Mal had selected.

Sweet thank you hugs

Beau opened Llama llama from Uncle Mark, Aunt Rachel & Belle. He snuggled right up with him at bed time.

Day 25: Christmas morning!

25 Days of Christmas: 11-15

2011-12-28T11:43:00.000-06:00

Day 11: Christmas Program at church

Our church put together a great Christmas program this year, which included the children singing a few songs at the end. Jake & Mallory knew the songs by heart & were super excited but were once again overwhelmed by the bright lights & crowd of people staring at them. This was pretty much how they looked the whole time:

Jake made his way through the kids to get to his friend Colby but still didn't join in the motions.

Lost in Mallory-land! Maybe next year we'll be ready to participate.

Day 12: Hand print Santa ornament

These ornaments made from craft foam & felt turned out really cute, but somehow I missed getting a picture of them.

Day 13: Make white chocolate popcorn

An annual favorite in our house!

Day 14: Read Mercer Mayer's Merry Christmas Mom and Dad

Day 15: Preschool Christmas party

Sadly, Jake didn't get to go to the party because he had by that point caught Beau's hand, foot & mouth disease. Grammy was sweet to watch the boys for me so I could party with Mallory. She had fun stenciling a Christmas pillow case, decorating sugar cookies, listening to a story & exchanging books with her friends. I brought all of Jake's goodies home for him, & he really wasn't too sad about missing out since he got to play with Grammy.

25 Days of Christmas: 6-10

2011-12-27T11:00:00.000-06:00

Day 6: Penguin Foam Ornament Craft

Easy & cute kit from Target!

Day 7: Visit Santa at Northpark

These pics are from our camera, but we also have a rather humorous professional one of all three kids that I'll have to scan in.

I was so proud of Jake that I think I was grinning from ear to ear as he had his turn. He has cried each of the last two years when he met Santa, but he was such a big boy this time. He walked right up, told him he'd been good & requested a pirate ship!

Mallory was very quiet but super excited to meet the big guy.

Beau seemed a little confused but certainly wasn't bothered by Santa, so I'll take that!

Day 8: Jake & Mallory decorated their little trees in their rooms. They were very particular about ornament placement.

Day 9: Daddy took Jake & Mal each to Target separately to buy a gift for each other. Beau didn't mind being left out. :)

Day 10: Ho Ho Ho Breakfast & Small Group Party

We started our day at our church's annual breakfast with Santa. The ladies in charge of this event always do an amazing job of planning & decorating. This year's theme was Let It Snow!

Santa, twice in one week!

That night, the Morses hosted our small group party. We enjoyed fellowship with friends...

wrote Christmas cards for residents of a nursing home...

& had our very own Santa, along with his elf!

Mallory, Charlotte, Jake & Emmie lined up waiting to trade gifts

The kids' book exchange was a hit with all of them.

Story time with Santa

The adults had a tacky gift exchange & traded some awesome stuff. Somehow, Jake ended up bringing home Mrs. Haylee's reindeer that pooped jelly beans. Nice. This pic shows our tacky Christmas sweater winner, Rachel. She went for a tacky on tacky layered look. We had several other great runners-up!

Recap of our Week in Georgia

2011-12-26T15:44:00.000-06:00

Before I move on to Christmas, here's a glimpse of the fun we had while in Georgia for Thanksgiving. I think this was the first trip to visit J's family in quite a while that everyone has remained healthy throughout. Always a plus!

Beau looking dapper in his pumpkin duds after church

The kids had a blast with their "uncles & cousins," as Jake referred to the family. Aunts, don't worry, they loved being with you too!

A special treat that week was getting to visit Uncle Mark's horse, Mr. Big. Uncle Mark plays polo, & after seeing him ride a horse, he's pretty much a celebrity with our crew. This is not Mr. Big, just a really big horse near the fence where we parked. Jake & Mal were excited & a little nervous to stand so close to it.

Belle riding with her daddy & stopping to say hello to her cheering section

Jake rode twice with Uncle Mark & even got to "go really fast," aka canter. He was in heaven!

Mallory chose not to ride, but did pose for a pic with Mr. Big & Uncle Mark. (Rach, I need to get that from you!) She also let Mr. Big eat a treat from her hand.

Jake, Mallory & Belle helping to walk Mr. Big back to the pasture

Silly cousins having so much fun just being together

Back at Mimi's house, Beau checked the ads to get ready for his Black Friday shopping.

iPhone, anyone?

Ella & Jake are good buddies & usually partners in some kind of mischief.

Jake & Mallory got to have a special breakfast in their pajamas one morning with Mimi & Pops at Waffle House.

Fun times with Pops...

& Mimi!

In addition to Justin's parents & siblings, we also got to spend time with J's aunt & uncle & their crew, & his grandparents. Here's Jake, Pa, Gigi, Mal, Beau & J.

We can't wait to see you all again soon!

25 Days of Christmas: 1-5

2011-12-20T22:07:00.000-06:00

When the Christmas season rolls around, I tend to have very high aspirations of doing fabulous crafts with my kids, having a beautifully decorated house, baking all kinds of scrumptious goodies & generally being the most awesome person ever. Unrealistic, yes, but can't a girl dream?

Last year, I started the tradition of doing something Christmas-related with the kids each day of December leading up to Christmas Day. I kept it pretty low-key & found some cute ideas online. Fun was had by all. This year, I planned to do similar crafts, activities & projects, changing a few things just for the sake of variety. Technically, we've done something every day except one, but a case of strep throat, three cases of hand foot & mouth & a rather hectic schedule have made it a bit crazier & somewhat less enjoyable. I've struggled a bit with whether I'm actually doing it all for the kids or if it's just for me (gasp!). If nothing else, this December has taught me to just roll with it a bit more than I normally do.

Day 1: Begin Elf on the Shelf

This is the Chamblee family's first year to have an elf watching over the affairs of our household & reporting back to Santa. We read the book that first night, & after much deliberation, the kids named our elf Gordon after our preacher. I still need to inform Gordon of his namesake. Every day, there is much excitement over searching the house to see where Gordon is hiding & watching. Jake was rather grieved to not get to hold Gordon in the first picture.

Don't worry, we keep things fair around here - he got his turn. Since these pics, we haven't been able to hold Gordon again. It takes away his magic!

Day 2: Christmas Tree Stickers

I found this sticker set at Target, which came with two tree stickers & a ton of lights, ornaments, presents, etc. for the kids to add to their tree. Fun & easy!

Day 3: Wooden Nativity Set

Jake & Mallory have had lots of fun with this Melissa & Doug set. It helps suppress their yearning to touch Mommy's nice set, which was my grandmother's & is definitely off limits! On day 3, we also received the gingerbread cookies that Aunt Debbie makes each year for their countdown calendar. Each kid (including Beau!) gets a cookie each day as we count down to the big cookie they'll get on Christmas. Today, Mallory excitedly exclaimed, "We're getting almost there!"

Day 4: Read The Night Before Christmas

They seem more into this pop-up version of the classic this year than they were last.

Day 5: Watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Daddy was sweet to entertain & care for the munchkins on this evening while I hosted my bunko group downstairs. He even agreed to work in a Christmas activity!

And here are a few cute shots of my sweeties in their Christmas attire before church one Sunday.

Beau Harrison at 9 Months

2011-12-18T22:55:00.000-06:00

My sweet, smiling boy is nine months old! Aside from a mild case of hand, foot & mouth disease, his doctor said he looked great at his check-up on Monday.

Here are Beau's current stats:

Weight - 17 lb 12 oz (10%)

Height - 28 inches (48%)

Head - 18.5 inches (90%)

After being quite the big boy compared to his older siblings at earlier appointments, I guess he's settling into being a true Chamblee & won't turn out to be such a big guy after all. Still, at 48% on height, that's huge for our family! He does need to gain a little weight to keep up with his length though, so his pants will quit falling off.

Beau crawls with impressive speed & now also pulls up on anything he can get a grip on. Just last week, he also started cruising around while holding onto furniture. We may have a walker before long - yikes! These skills are used to get into all kinds of mischief, including the tupperware cabinet (which is actually allowed), Jake & Mal's toys & of course the stairs. We haven't had to gate the bottom of the staircases yet, but it may be coming soon. For now, he just sits at the bottom step.

Beau is loving getting to have more "real" food. I'm only using pureed stuff for mixing into his morning oatmeal now. The rest of the time, he's a pro at picking up yummy bites from his tray. Favorites right now include bananas, green beans, cheese & bits of Aunt Debbie's gingerbread cookies. I really haven't found a food he doesn't like. No teeth yet, but he can gum anything!

Beau is a LOUD little man & has no problem making himself heard in our chaotic household. He babbles, shrieks & giggles all day long. I love those sweet sounds! So far, he has words for Mommy, Daddy, ball & up, even though they might not be recognizable to anyone but us. I'm having so much fun hearing him communicate back to me lately after months of one-sided conversations. A favorite trick we love to get him to perform is nodding his head to answer a question. If we ask "Are you a sweet boy?" he'll nod emphatically. He manages to nod with his whole body & it's hilarious.

Beau has started playing games more with us lately. He loves peek-a-boo & will now hold a blanket or lovie over his face for me to say "Where's Beau?" & then pull it away quickly with a huge grin. When he's in his high chair, he likes to lay his head down to one side so Jake or Mallory will say "Night-night Beau!" When we watched Happy Feet this week, we also discovered that he likes to dance. He was so cute bobbing his head & rocking his little body.

Beau has graduated to a big boy bath with no inflatable tub. Those little legs go crazy as he kicks & splashes.

Favorite toys right now include this jungle ball toy, his musical microphone, the Fisher Price crawl-through barn & any kind of ball. He's also a big fan of books, whether reading or chewing them.

Justin & I love this sweet boy so much & couldn't imagine our family without him!

Our Turkey Day

2011-12-17T22:19:00.003-06:00

I have lots more to share from our trip to Atlanta, but here are a few pics from Thanksgiving Day.

Beau takes his turkey eating very seriously.

Ella Grace, Mallory & Belle

The full cousin line-up: Belle, Beau, Mallory, Ella, Jake & Jackson

And the look alike pic: Jake, Justin, Uncle David & Grandpa

A very random assortment, yes, but that was about it for pictures that day. We took family pics the day before, which I'll have to share. It was a fun day of great food, time spent together & reflection on the things we're thankful for.

Where to Begin...Fall Program

2011-12-16T21:10:00.000-06:00

It feels almost silly to blog about the kids' fall program on December 16th, but I don't want to miss anything, so I'll have to play catch up.

Jake & Mallory were very pumped for their fall program at school, which had a "woodland friend" theme. The three-year-olds were raccoons, & we practiced their cute little songs endlessly in the weeks leading up to the show.

Here are my sweet little raccoons getting ready for showtime!

Jake & his buddy, Johnny

The two-year-olds led off as bunnies...

and then it was on to Jake & Mal's group. Jake enjoyed waving at Mommy & Daddy more than anything (3rd & 4th from left, bottom row). Of course, they didn't sing a single word of the songs they knew so well, but they sure were cute!

I think the adorable little tails may have been the best part.

Then it was on to the four-year-olds as owls...

and the pre-K squirrels.

Mallory & Jake with Mrs. Meagan

This was our first school program that didn't involve either kid in tears, so I think that's an accomplishment!

Quote of the Day

2011-12-14T22:12:00.002-06:00

Jake told me earlier tonight that "my whole self hurts." My poor baby is coming down with what I believe is a lovely case of hand, foot & mouth disease, generously shared by his little brother. He had a fever tonight & just snuggled with me on the couch. So sad, but I did like the snuggling.

For those Chamblee Life fans out there pining away for the details of our life of late, my apologies. I promise I'll give you a real post to read tomorrow. Maybe.

Showering Baby Andy

2011-11-30T14:14:00.001-06:00

So much catching up to do! After a fun week in Georgia for Thanksgiving & several days of busyness around here, I'm finally finding a moment to update the blog. I'll get to all of our Thanksgiving fun soon, but first, a baby shower!

I was recently honored to host a shower for my sweet friend, Cari. Little Andy will be here in a few short weeks! We did a polka dot theme for this shower, & everything turned out so cute. Here's the sign-in table, with favors done by Michelle. The boxes contained multi-colored M&Ms - edible polka dots!

Sausage balls, mini muffins, fruit & polka dot cake - yum!

Cake by Haylee Cakes, of course.

Hattie, Ashlee, Cari, Rachel, Jenn & me

Me with the beautiful lady of the hour

Cari, thanks for letting me be one of the first to spoil Andy. I can't wait to meet him!

A Day at the Zoo

2011-11-17T16:06:00.001-06:00

A couple of weeks ago, we took advantage of a beautiful, warm day & headed with some friends to the Dallas Zoo. I decided to purchase a family pass since it only takes three visits to make it worth your while. We're looking forward to lots more zoo days over the next year - for free!

My crew excitedly waiting for our friends at the entrance

Jake sort of bee-bops when he's excited. It's a quality of his that I really love.

Between Andrea, Anna & myself, we have a total of eight kiddos! Here's the whole gang: Hagan, Beau, Reid, Jake, Colby, Mallory, Karl Mikal & Heidi.

During our visit, we checked out some penguins,

stopped to see how we measure up to them,

rode an elephant or two,

& enjoyed a beautiful day with minimal crowds.

We got some up-close views of elephants,

zebras, gazelles,

& giraffes.

Thanks to Mrs. Andrea, the kids even got to feed a giraffe!

We oohed & aahed over huge lions,

lazy gorillas,

& pretty flamingos.

After a picnic lunch, we ended our adventure in the children's area & got to pet a few goats.

It was a fun day! If anyone wants to go to the zoo, let us know!

Beau Harrison at 8 Months

2011-11-14T22:28:00.001-06:00

The Beau Man is 8 months old! It's ridiculous that his pics for this months show him wearing shorts, but it was hot this weekend! Anyway, here's what he's up to this month:

I didn't weigh Beau this month, but I'm guessing he's around 17 pounds. He's wearing 9-12 month clothes & size 3 diapers.

We call this his Pac-man smile

Could he be any more handsome?

Utilizing his latest skill to leave our little photo session

In addition to crawling, Beau can sit himself up from crawling or laying down & can pull up to his knees or to standing. He definitely has a fondness for mischief & likes to see what he can get into that falls into the "not for Beau" category.

"Not for Beau" is the most commonly heard phrase around our house. Jake & Mal say it repeatedly any time Beau is actually doing something he shouldn't & also just whenever they want the toy he has. We've had many lessons on the appropriate use of the phrase.

My little man has gotten much more into his toys lately & will play happily by himself for a while as long as we're nearby. He loves his music table, any kind of ball & books.

This cutie is a loudmouth & babbles constantly. He can say "Dada" & also says "Mama" when he's fussing for me to pick him up. Today he said "Nana" twice, much to my mom's delight.

We're continuing to add finger foods to his repertoire, & he's pretty talented at getting most of them into his mouth. He loves veggies, toast, cheese & Cheerios.

As you can see, Beau is a man of many expressions & is full of smiles & giggles. I'm so thankful I get to be his mommy. Happy 8 months, Beau Harrison!

Halloween...again

2011-11-12T21:07:00.001-06:00

I know it was two weeks ago, but I didn't want to miss documenting the rest of Halloween!

I'm one of the room moms for Jake & Mallory's class, so I helped put together their fall party, along with my fabulous counterpart, Angie. We started off with a scarecrow craft, using the cute placemats Angie had made as a workspace.

Then it was on to snacks! The kids enjoyed making their own snack mix & eating rice crispie pumpkins. Mallory stayed at her table after all of the others were done to make sure she savored every last bit of her pumpkin.

Me & my cuties! I'm so glad that I get to do fun things like this with them.

Next up - pumpkin bowling! I love the dumbfounded looks here as the rules were explained. They all got really into it though & had a great time.

Class picture!

My trick-or-treaters were eager to hit the streets that night.

And backtracking to Friday of that weekend, we attended a Halloween story time at the library. Miss Molly leads story time each week & is beloved by all of the children. I promise Jake & Mal were excited to get their picture made with her, but the tootsie rolls in their mouths make it hard to tell.

And our trusty tag-along, Beau!

Okay, finally done with that holiday. I can't believe Thanksgiving is almost here! Where did my year go?

8th Annual Small Group Halloween Party

2011-11-08T22:27:00.001-06:00

Our Halloween activities continued last Sunday afternoon with jack-o-lantern carving. Daddy went hi-tech this year & used his drimmel to carve instead of a knife. MUCH faster!

Mal, ready to go with her scooping spoon

Once the scooping actually started, Mal wasn't such a fan. Miss Priss doesn't care for icky things on her hands. Jake had fun helping, though!

Guess who did most of the scooping?

Jake supervising Daddy's carving

As usual, Beau chilled & watched the action. He was happy with his rings.

Somehow I missed getting a pic of the final product, but they were great, I promise!

That evening, we hosted our small group party. Our group has evolved over the years as different families have moved away, formed other groups or joined us. The Halloween party has been a constant through those years & is always something I look forward to. Here are a few of the costumes:

The Powells - Christmas Past (Emmie), Christmas Pregnant (Cari) & Christmas Future (Logan)

Charlotte as a cute little Goldilocks with her bears

J & I went with the economical/lazy costume & chose to be an "e-male" & attachments (those are paper clips on me). Apparently our choice had dual meanings because each person who guessed what we were went with "eclipse."

Caroline as Snow White with Michelle as the Mirror on the Wall

Avery the little pageant queen with her #1 Stage Mom, Rachel

There were several others that I missed getting pictures of. I blame Justin. Thanks everyone for continuing a fun tradition!

Trunk or Treat

2011-11-07T11:30:00.000-06:00

I can't believe I'm so behind in blogging about our Halloween fun, but a week late is better than never! We started our weekend with Trunk or Treat at our church. Here's my adorable little Toy Story cast.

Our friend Charlotte, aka Goldilocks, arrived right when we did, so we snapped a quick pick of the kids together, & then it was off to the candy!

The flash battery on our camera died right after we got started, so this is the only shot I got of the action. I love the look of pure joy on Mal's face, though. They definitely got the concept this year & were pumped about getting a bucket full of candy.

I snagged this pic of our crew from Hattie's blog. We had a fun evening & definitely scored big time on the candy.

Up next, our small group Halloween party!

Blessing Beau

2011-11-03T21:34:00.000-05:00

On October 23rd, we got to participate in our church's baby blessing for Beau. There were 29 babies blessed that morning! How's that for being fruitful & multiplying? We received a faith box for Beau, which included a book to record his journey of faith & a letter that we are to open on his twelfth birthday. We feel so fortunate to have such a wonderful church family in which to raise our children.

Beau Harrison, we are certainly blessed by your presence in our family, & we pray that the Lord continues to bless you in all that you do.

Lock Up Your Daughters...

2011-11-01T22:25:00.000-05:00

...because Beau is on the move! The little man officially started crawling last Wednesday, & he is oh, so proud of his new skill. This video was from Thursday, & his speed & coordination have already improved drastically. Hello again, baby proofing!

Three Little Pumpkins

2011-10-25T21:27:00.001-05:00

A more appropriate title might be "Two Stinkers & a Cooperative Baby," but here are this year's pumpkin pics from the Arboretum!

We got a lot of far-off, dazed looks from Mallory.

Sweet Beau was just happy to play with some hay!

There's just not much to say about trying to get good pictures of Jake. He is a three-year-old boy.

Enough said.

"It pains me to even think about cooperating!"

When in doubt, bust a move.

This look of Beau's cracked me up! He's probably wondering what his crazy siblings are up to.

We got tons of basically this exact pic of Beau. Don't you just want to squeeze him?

What you talkin' 'bout, Willis?

A rare gem! All three looking & smiling!

My beautiful big kids pretending they were this angelic the whole time we were there

"Playing in the hay bale maze is much more fun, Mommy!"

Happy Fall from the Chamblees!

Friday Faves: Kid Proof

2011-10-21T21:49:00.001-05:00

Gotta love those child lock settings on the washer & dryer. They can push buttons to their hearts' content!

Sweet Caroline

2011-10-20T22:06:00.001-05:00

Caroline is probably the best buddy Jake & Mallory have & has been since they were born. She's just eight months older than they are, & since her mommy & I are friends, the kids have spent a lot of time together. Many of our outings to the zoo, the mall, parks & lots of other fun places are with Caroline, her mommy & her little brother. Ty is seven months older than Beau, & I hope they develop just as special a friendship as their older siblings have.

Here are the three musketeers giggling over their cookie-covered faces at small group last week.

Big Girl Stuff

2011-10-19T21:53:00.001-05:00

Today was a big day for my big girl for a couple of reasons. First, she's officially done with nighttime pull-ups! Mallory has been potty-trained since January, but she was still wearing a pull-up at night "just in case." She's been consistently dry in the morning for a while, so last night we gave those pull-ups the boot! What could be better than more time spent wearing princess panties?

Second, my big girl had her first haircut today! I know it's hard to believe she hasn't had one before now, but her curls have hidden the unevenness well, so it really wasn't necessary. She's been feeling a little left out of the club, though, when Jake goes to get haircuts, so it was her turn. Here are her before shots, which Jake insisted on joining.

Her curls hide the true length. When we comb it out after baths, it reaches almost down to her little hiney!

I wanted this to feel like a special experience for her, so we headed to Sweet and Sassy for her cut. She oohed & ahhed at all of the sparkly, pink things in the store when we entered. Here's my sassy diva getting ready for her trim. There was a monitor playing the movie Madagascar right in front of her, which kept her still & Jake occupied while he waited.

Having so much fun!

Mallory LOVED the end result, complete with a twist on top & glitter spray!

Beautiful girl!

Here's her after shot! The glitter hearts she got on her cheeks were quite the hit with Miss Mal.

She keeps informing me that she's a big girl. I can't disagree. Where did my baby go?

I'm a Big Kid Now

2011-10-18T22:22:00.001-05:00

Whether they're eating a meal, playing with toys or having some TV time as in this pic, Beau loves to be right where Jake & Mallory are.

Camping Trip Crashers

2011-10-17T12:02:00.001-05:00

If anyone is planning a camping trip & would like to add in a little excitement, just call us! Last weekend, J had to be gone Thursday-Saturday for a work retreat. I'm usually a trooper about doing the single parent thing, but I hate doing it on a weekend. As a solution, I invited myself & the kids to join my parents for some camping at Beaver's Bend State Park in Oklahoma.

Don't worry, there were no tents or primitive cooking involved. We'll do that kind of camping one day, but not yet. My parents have a motor home, & it was quite full with three adults & three kids, but we had fun!

Jake & Mal were so excited to arrive Thursday evening. They had told their teacher & all of their friends over & over throughout the day that Mommy was picking them up before nap time to go camping.

We fit a lot of exploring into our two days, collecting all kinds of pine cones, rocks, sticks & leaves.

Though I don't have pictures to prove it, we saw a good bit of wildlife as well: deer, raccoons, armadillos & a huge tarantula. Yuck!

In between treks outside, the kids entertained themselves in the floor of the motor home with Nana's alphabet & number cards.

Beau did a lot of chillin'.

We also found a fun, little playground that we could walk to.

When I was growing up, my family went with our church to Beaver's Bend each fall for a family retreat. We rode this little train each year with our good friends, the Beckmons. I babysat their girls when they were little & considered them my babies. The Beckmons (minus Morgan who's away at college) camped with us last weekend, & Mackenzie joined us for my kids' first time on the train.

Jake & "Miss Kenzie," as he calls her

Beau, me & Mallory

Mallory & Nana

Here's me with Morgan & Mackenzie, circa 1999, I believe

Of course, we had to recreate history! Here's Mackenzie with Beau, Mallory & Jake, 2011.

Beau cuddling with Nana before heading home. Papa was there too, but somehow he escaped all of my pictures.

Jake & Mallory can't stop talking about camping in "Hokahoma" & have pretended to be Mr. Greg, Mrs. Laurie & Miss Kenzie all week

Thanks, Nana & Papa, for letting us tag along!

Beau Harrison at 7 Months

2011-10-13T11:34:00.002-05:00

My baby boy is seven months old! I feel like the last month has come with lots of changes, & he suddenly seems so much older to me. Before we get to the details, this little photo series from his seven month pics with the hippo chair crack me up.

I am Beau! Hear me roar!

Louder, you say? Okay, how's this?

Now that the roaring is out of my system, here's my sweet boy face.

Oh, you wanted smiles? Why didn't you say so?

Here you go!

King of the mountain!

I save the best smiles for Jake & Mal!

I weighed Beau at home this week, & he's at 16 lb 10 oz. My long, lanky boy is wearing all of his brother's 12-month hand-me-downs, but can still wear his 9-month summer clothes on warm days. I have a feeling that his clothes this winter will all be rather baggy, because he's really not that big around, just long.

Beau has some new skills this month, one of which is sitting up unsupported. Just a week or two ago, it was necessary to keep a Boppy pillow behind him when he sat on the floor to play, but now he can sit for long periods on his own. When he does lay down, it's a bit more controlled instead of a crashing fall backward. As you can see here, he's a big fan of his lovies & pacis. He can put his paci in by himself when he wants to, which is very helpful!

He's almost ready to adding crawling to his repertoire, but hasn't quite done it yet. Beau can pull himself forward some with his arms while lying on his tummy & has mastered getting up onto his hands & knees. As soon as he coordinates the movement of those limbs to crawl, I think I'll have a hard time catching him. He's super fast, even when he's just rolling & scooting! I often find him like this, stuck under a piece of furniture, trying to figure out how to keep going.

Beau is an eating champ, & loves his meal times! I gave him Puffs for the first time this week. It takes him a while to chase them around the tray, but he has successfully gotten some into his mouth & thinks they're wonderful. He's also starting to sip water from a sippy cup at meals while Mommy holds it for him.

Beau loves the outdoors, whether he's feeling the grass on his toes or going for a stroller ride. Other favorite activities include being read to, playing with toys on the floor & pretty much anything involving his big brother & sister. Beau babbles loudly all day long, & has said "Da-da" a few times, so I'm letting Justin count that as his first word. To my credit, I distinctly heard a "Ma" when he was fussing for me to get him up from his nap yesterday.

Beau Harrison, you are such a ray of sunshine in our family! We love your sweet personality & your big, gummy grins. We thank God daily for blessing us with you!

South of the Border

2011-10-12T21:47:00.002-05:00

For any die-hard Chamblee Life fans, I apologize for my lack of blogging lately. I feel like life is just so busy these days that I hardly have time to sit down, much less blog. From what I hear though, that doesn't really change for at least the next eighteen years or so. I guess I'd better find a way to make it work!

A couple of weeks ago, J & I escaped the chaos for a few days of relaxation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. It was so beautiful, & just what we needed to slow down & relax for a bit. We took tons of pictures, but I've tried to select a few of the best & will let them do most of the talking.

The waves on the beach at our resort were insanely huge, & since the shore is lined with lots of jagged rocks, there is no swimming allowed. We knew that before going, so it was fine, & we enjoyed just walking on the shore & taking in the beauty when we weren't sitting by the pool.

Views from our balcony:

The resort at night

Cacti! I realize it's a bit ridiculous to be impressed by each cactus when in Mexico. There are lots! But they were all just so unique & pretty in their own way.

Amidst all the relaxation, we made time for some silliness as well.

See what I mean? The cacti are just cool!

This picture of me made me laugh at myself. When will the inner cheerleader ever die?

Thank you, honey, for an amazing vacation! And a huge thanks to my parents for taking care of our kids while we were away. They had a great time with you!

One Cool Dude

2011-10-01T22:26:00.001-05:00

Jake's Jabberings

2011-09-29T22:13:00.002-05:00

When I picked the kids up from school today, Jake asked if I would turn the DVD player on for him. I replied that we were only driving a few minutes to get to the frozen yogurt shop where we were meeting Daddy, so we didn't need to watch a movie right then. "Besides," I said, "I want to hear all about your day!" His retort? "Um, check my folder."

Little stinker.

Yummy to My Tummy: Lemon Icebox Pie

2011-09-29T16:03:00.000-05:00

*This is Justin's favorite pie. His mom shared the recipe with me when we got married, & it's always a crowd pleaser! My two kitchen assistants helped me whip one up for Daddy last week.

Lemon Icebox Pie

1 sleeve of graham crackers

6 T butter, melted

1/4 C sugar

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 C fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp grated lemon rind

2 egg yolks

Place graham crackers in a plastic bag, seal & crush with a rolling pin or the flat side of a meat tenderizer.

Mix cracker crumbs, butter & sugar. Press into a greased pie plate. Bake for eight minutes at 350 degrees. Cool completely.

Combine condensed milk, lemon juice, lemon rind & egg yolks.

Pour into cooled graham crust. Cover & refrigerate several hours. Top with cool whip & serve.

Lazy Day

2011-09-23T14:00:00.000-05:00

Papa & Nana came for a visit on Labor Day, & we all enjoyed having a lazy day spent outside. It was one of the first days with cooler weather, & we spent it at the park, in the back yard & eating meals on the porch.

Goofy grin from my big girl

Jake is always jumping off of something. It'll be a wonder if that kid survives his childhood without several broken limbs.

This one captures Jake perfectly - crazy man!

Me & my littlest sweetie

Silly boy trying to hide from the camera

Hanging out with Nana

Ta-da! Mal lives her life as if she's center stage in some grand production.

I just loved their determined expressions in this one.

Hooray for lazy days!

Gooberific

2011-09-20T15:54:00.000-05:00

"Gooberific" is a term Justin & I often use to describe the kids when they're being particularly silly. They think this label is hilarious & love to call us goobers in return. One day a week or so ago, Justin found Jake reading with his glasses on like this:

He snapped these pictures of Jake's silly behavior & then was hired by Jake as the official photographer for his little reading group.

At Jake's request, J took pics of Curious George,

Monkey, Lamb,

Foo Foo,

Llama Llama, Roarbert, the other monkey & Mal's doggie.

"Now just one of me," he ended with. If that's not a goober, I don't know what is.

Mal's Musings

2011-09-17T22:34:00.001-05:00

After dinner Thursday night, I let the kids each choose a small item for dessert. When Mal opted for candy, I held out a (bite-size) Snickers & a 3 Musketeers for her to choose from. "3 Musketeers!" she shouted happily. After I opened it & handed it to her, she gasped, "Oh no, only one 'keteer!" I guess she thought she was actually getting three pieces. Oops!

Beau Harrison at 6 Months

2011-09-15T21:11:00.000-05:00

Beau is half a year old! I can't believe how big he's getting so fast! Here are his stats, as of Monday:

Weight - 16 lb 2 oz (27%)

Height - 26.5 inches (55%)

Head - 17.75 inches (85%)

He had to endure four shots at his check-up on Monday, which left him with a foul mood & slight fever on Tuesday, but he's back to his smiling self now.

These sitting pics look impressive, but he's not quite sitting up on his own yet. We've been practicing a lot lately with either a boppy pillow or Mommy behind him, & he's improving daily. Beau thinks it's great fun to get to sit up to see all of his toys!

Don't you just want to pinch that cute belly? It's apparently useful, because he gives great belly laughs.

My big, strong boy is very close to crawling & can wiggle, scoot, pivot & roll his way to just about any destination. Chasing him may count as a workout for Mommy before long.

Beau eats cereal with fruits or veggies three times a day, nurses after each of those meals & then takes a bottle before bed. So far, he's tried carrots, peas, zucchini, avocado, yellow squash, mangoes, bananas, peaches & apples. I haven't found anything he won't eat yet, so hopefully that continues.

Our house is pretty much always loud, & Beau does his fair share to add to the conversation. He squeals, babbles & grunts a lot while playing or watching his siblings. This third child knows he has to speak up to be heard!

As you may have seen in some of the pics, Beau tends to lean his head a bit to his right side, which our pediatrician noticed at his visit. We're going to look into doing some occupational therapy to help correct this, but hopefully it won't be a big deal. Jake & Mal both had torticollis when they were younger infants, & it corrected quickly with therapy.

I left Beau for his first Mother's Day Out this week at church. He behaved well but only napped for about twenty minutes while he was there & was a bear the rest of the day. I'm hoping that was just leftover effects from his shots & not a trend we'll stay on for future weeks. Mommy likes her breaks!

Beau Harrison, your daddy & I love you more than words can express. We are so thankful that God entrusted you to our care & look forward to continuing to watch you grow.

Back to School - Finally!

2011-09-11T14:57:00.006-05:00

Jake & Mallory started their school year last week! While I've enjoyed all of our fun summer activities, I've also been eagerly anticipating the return of the school year & some free time for Mommy. School for older kids has been in session several weeks around here, but now it's finally school time in our household!

On Tuesday evening, we headed to school for a parent meeting & to meet their new teacher. In a rare, cooperative moment, they posed for me before heading out the door.
Jake was a little hesitant when we dropped them off in their classroom, but they both settled in quickly with a class full of buddies they already know. After our meeting, I wasn't sure if I would be able to convince them to leave. They were having a blast with a box full of animals. Mallory agreed to take a pic with Mrs. Meagan, but this was the best I got. Jake was not interested, so we'll have to try that again later. Mrs. Meagan is so sweet, & they both already love her.Thursday morning, school time had arrived! Ready to get on our way:
Jake went for a serious pose...while Mal smiled sweetly.She even came back for a full-length pose...unlike her mischievous brother!
He thinks he's so hilarious when he runs away from the camera.Walking into school, new backpacks & lunch boxes at the ready!We had no tears from either of them, & they didn't seem to mind at all when Mommy & Daddy left. Reports from the first day were good, although Jake did fess up & tell me that he & Tanner got in trouble for repeatedly flushing the potties in the boys' bathroom. Those two are often partners in crime.

Here's to a great year!

Lizard Lovers

2011-09-06T14:49:00.003-05:00

Jake & Mallory are very into observing wildlife of any kind, big or small, & there are usually at least a few things to see in our yard or the surrounding areas. Lizards are a big hit with both of them right now. Good thing Daddy is a pro at lizard catching. The kids are happy to let their little friends crawl all over them, but the cute little reptiles give me the creeps if they get too close to me.

Miss Mal, proudly showing me her "pet"
I promise that I usually clothe them, but Jake had just stripped down after swimming on this particular evening. For that reason, some of the pics we got of him with the lizard are a bit too revealing & will not make the blog. :)
Here's to hoping that my little nature-lovers keep the creepy crawly things out of the house!

Reliving a Classic

2011-09-02T14:47:00.004-05:00

Another event that I missed posting about this summer was Jake & Mallory's first trip to Chuck E. Cheese. Beau was there too, but I don't think sleeping in your car seat counts as experiencing the place. I had at least one birthday at CEC as a kid & attended numerous others. Strangely, it seemed much smaller to my adult eyes than I had remembered. To Jake & Mal, it was heavenly!

Jake grinning alongside Nana as we waited for our pizza. I was prepared for a sub-par meal just because most kid places seem to be that way, but the pizza was actually good!
See? I told you Beau came.
Jake checking out the tunnels & slideMal climbing up with a little boost from Daddy
And yes, Mommy got to go in the tunnel, too. Once Mal climbed up there, we couldn't convince her to come down. She wasn't upset, but I think she got a little lost & was just content to chill up there. We kept talking to her through the plexi glass, telling her to head for slide. Her response was a yelled "What you said?" I'll just say that I am way too old to climb in kiddie play areas. Those things are not exactly comfy.The kids also enjoyed all of the arcade games & racked up about 400 tickets. They left with some silly bands, a rubber lizard for each of them & some Smarties. High quality prizes, in their opinions. Thanks, Nana & Papa, for a fun outing!

Poolside

2011-08-29T17:15:00.003-05:00

With all of the birthday fun around our house in August, I realized that I'd neglected to post about some of our other summer fun. So before the summer is technically over (hey, it's not Labor Day yet!), I'll try to fill in the blanks.

Thanks to several sweet friends of ours with pools, we had our share of swimming this year. Jake & Mal were so much easier to corral in the pool this summer, partly due to age & partly thanks to their puddle jumpers. I love those things! Haylee hosted us several times, & my chaotic crew had a blast.

Me & my two little swimmers
Sometimes Beau joined the fun, sometimes he just napped on the porch. Either way, he was a sweet boy.Jake & Mallory loved having picnics on the porch after swim time.We also enjoyed a morning of swimming with friends one day at Sharon's neighborhood pool. It was such a great set-up for kids! They had a fun little wade pool with fountains that connected to the big pool. Mallory, off in Malloryland. Jake had fun being a bit mischievous with his friend, Sully.Me & my pool buddyWe also swam at Michelle's house, but I failed to get pictures that day. Thanks, friends, for adding to our summer fun!

Beau's First Bites

2011-08-28T21:11:00.000-05:00

Beau had his first taste of rice cereal on Thursday. I had been planning to wait until he was six months old to start cereal, as I did with the twins, but he has started waking up around 5:00 in the mornings instead of sleeping until about 7:00. He seems famished when he wakes up, & I can't get him settled back down without feeding him. Not cool. I'm hoping that adding some sustenance to his days will keep him full through the night (& early morning). We'll see!

He was rather messy but seemed to be a fan of his cereal. I've also tried oatmeal cereal since then, & he also likes it. I'm planning to ramp up his eating pretty quickly & try some veggies this week. Hopefully, we can get on some sort of a schedule before the big kids start school in a week and a half.
Yummy!J was out of town the day I began this venture, so I managed to feed him, take pictures & video the event all on my own. How's that for multi-tasking? Here's the video:

A Toy Story Birthday

2011-08-23T14:30:00.000-05:00

A week and a half later, I'm finally getting around to the kids' birthday party! Jake & Mallory have both been rather obsessed with Toy Story for the last several months, so it was the obvious choice for our party theme.

As all Chamblee family occasions do, this party had a Haylee Cake! Haylee replicated this cake idea I'd found perfectly, & it was oh, so yummy. The kids had been rattling off every character of the movie each time they talked about who would be on their cake, so this was a great solution. The figurines allowed us to have fifteen of their "friends" included in the decor. Much to the dismay of a couple of their guests, we didn't serve the cupcakes because I wanted Jake & Mal to get to keep the characters. What is it that kids love so much about a cupcake over a piece of cake? Oh well.
Here's the whole table setup. Thank you, Mimi, for your decorating ideas & help! We went with movie-themed food & had several theater candies out for sampling. All of the kids in attendance were hilarious once they found the candy. You could tell by the look in their eyes as they stuffed their mouths that they were wondering how long this bliss would last.
I managed to entice them away from the candy with some fun games. Everyone took a turn pinning the badges on Woody & Buzz.Then they tried their hands at Toy Story 3 Memory. Jake was a wee bit eager, if you can't tell.This station was supposed to be Potato Head races to see who could put the pieces in the fastest. The kids ended up just playing with them instead of racing, but everyone was happy with that. Everyone except for Jake, who didn't like sharing his Potato Heads.
Jake didn't hold back in letting me know when he was ready for cake. Here's the birthday boy being sung to.Make a wish!And here's the birthday girl enjoying the spotlight during her song.Make a wish!
All of the kids were so cute huddled together at their little tables. Sugar rush!Our friends who are a bit too young for the big kid table enjoyed some sweets as well. Emmie & Charlotte are sweet friends to the twins, & I know they'll all get even closer as they get older & the age gap isn't such a big deal.
Finally - presents! We asked Jake & Mallory's guests to bring toys to be donated to patients at Medical City Children's Hospital, & everyone was so generous. I can't wait to take the kids along to deliver them soon! There was still a lot of loot from family members & friends for the kids to open.Once the crowd left, Justin & I gave the kids their gift from us. They each opened a basket of new sand toys & then were directed out to the back yard where they found a new sand box. Their party day happened to be the only nice day we've had here in a long time since it had rained a bit, so they got to play for a long time without getting hot.

After the party, their cousin Brody stuck around with Nana & entertained them for a while longer. They follow him around like little puppy dogs!Little brother was in the action, too! I love this pic of him & Brody.Pops & Mimi had flown in for the birthday weekend, & we enjoyed getting to spend a few days with them. Here are the kids reading a new book with Mimi while holding new toys & a new pair of princess panties. Mal is very into her new panties & marvels at their awesomeness often.
Jake insisted on having "the collectors," as he calls them, join him for snack time that day.
These floor puzzles from Uncle David & Aunt Debbie have also been a hit!
Their actual birthday was on Monday, & we headed to the mall to spend some birthday money they'd received at the Disney store. They each proudly lugged a huge Disney bag through the mall after picking out three new stuffed animals/characters each. Jake chose Lotso, Wheezy & Mr. Prickle Pants, all from Toy Story. Mallory settled on Ariel, Woody & Bullseye. Then we enjoyed lunch at their favorite spot & had a low-key family dinner that night.
I can't believe my big kids are three! I'm hoping to put together a post about each of them & what they're up to at this age soon.

Jake & Mallory are 3!

2011-08-16T21:14:00.007-05:00

Wasn't this just yesterday? Shouldn't they still be tiny babies? Though there have certainly been days in the last three years that felt like they would last forever, time really has flown by.
I've blinked & my babies have become walking, talking, hilarious little individuals with personalities & opinions.
Happy birthday to my two favorite three-year-olds! Your daddy & I couldn't be prouder of the big kids you're becoming.We hope that this birthday held all the wonder & excitement you both deserve. We sure had fun celebrating it with you!These last two pics were taken on their actual birthday yesterday as they enjoyed yet another cupcake after dinner. More on the festivities to come!

Beau Harrison at 5 Months

2011-08-11T13:32:00.000-05:00

My sweet boy is five months old! He is growing & changing so much each day, & we're having so much fun with him. Here's his studly, contemplative pose with the hippo chair.
And there's that charming smile!He had fun trying to sit in the chair, but he needs some work on his balancing skills.
See what I mean?
Beau continues to be quite the big boy! He now weighs approximately 15 lb, but his length is what really makes clothing a challenge. Depending on the brand, cut & style of the clothes, the sizes in his closet range from 3-6 months to 9 months & 6-12 months. I don't know what I'm going to do when cold weather comes & we actually have to cover those long legs!

He has really changed in the last month in the way that he plays. Beau is now much more adept at grabbing & pulling on toys, bringing things to his mouth & rolling to get something. Sometimes, he hangs on just for fun, like he's doing here in his swing. Silly boy!Steam rolling is in full force, until he hits a piece of furniture. :) One day this week, I saw him draw his legs up under himself while laying on his tummy. He then scooted forward just a tad. I'm crossing my fingers that those pre-crawling skills don't develop too quickly. I'm not ready for a mobile baby!Despite the look on his face here, he loves his jumperoo & is learning how to bounce more on his own.
Handsome dude all decked out for church! He has become very attached to his lovies, especially the monkey he's holding here. It has made sleeping without a swaddle much easier. Beau usually goes to bed around 9:00 & sleeps until 7:00 or later. We have to go in once or twice a night to give him a paci when he wakes up, but he usually goes right back to sleep.
My ticklish boy loves to giggle, & gets cracked up by the littlest things! The other night, I was reading him a bedtime story, & he laughed as I finished each page.
Beau has outgrown the infant tub & is now using the duck tub. He loves to splash!
We've started practicing our sitting, but he isn't really close yet. He's plenty strong enough to hold his upper body up, but he doesn't like to bend in the middle.
Having fun trying!
The last month has also brought a lot of changes in the interactions between Beau & his older siblings. Jake in particular has started to enjoy playing with Beau much more, & I think Mal is finally starting to find him interesting. They're thrilled when Beau smiles or laughs at them, & they like to make him happy for me when he fusses.
Oh, how I love this chubby-cheeked boy!

Yummy to My Tummy: Chicken Elegante

2011-08-08T15:04:00.002-05:00

*I've made this recipe from Confessions of a Kitchen Diva a couple of times & just love it. It makes my mushroom-loving husband happy!

Chicken Elegante

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 T butter or margarine
1 small onion, diced (1/2 C)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 pkg (8 oz) mushrooms, sliced
1/2 C dry white wine
1 can (10 oz) cream of chicken soup
1 C sour cream
2 T chopped green onion tops

Pound chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap until 1/2-inch even thickness. Season with salt & pepper.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat & melt butter. Add chicken breasts & brown all over. Remove chicken to a 9x13-inch baking dish that has been lightly greased or coated with nonstick cooking spray.

Add onion to the same skillet & saute until clear & limp. Stir in garlic & cook for an additional minute, being careful not to burn. Add mushrooms & cook until mushrooms release their liquid. Add wine & stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits. Remove pan from heat & stir in soup & sour cream until mixed thoroughly.

Pour sauce mixture over chicken. Cover with aluminum foil & bake at 350 degrees 20-30 minutes until sauce is bubbly & chicken is done. Sprinkle with chopped onions & serve over rice.

The Grass is Always Greener...

2011-08-07T15:58:00.003-05:00

...from the vantage point of a bumbo seat. As Beau continues to move through stages of baby gear, Jake & Mal are constantly wanting to try out his stuff. They're fascinated when I tell them that most of it was once theirs when they were babies. They each pretend to be the baby & find this joke endlessly hilarious.

My big babies:

And the rightful occupant of the bumbo seat He loves sitting up to see his toys! This contraption that we borrowed from Charlotte is beyond his skill level right now, but he loves to watch as Jake & Mallory make it work for him.

Nice Shot

2011-08-05T19:30:00.002-05:00

Not so nice for Daddy, though.

Yes, I'm the mean wife who grabbed the nearby camera before coming to my husband's aid. You can't recreate priceless moments like this!

Happy Birthday to Me!

2011-08-02T22:04:00.003-05:00

I turned 27 on Sunday & had a great weekend celebrating! J told me a few weeks ago that he'd gotten tickets to see Brad Paisley for my birthday. We enjoyed a delicious meal at Seasons 52 & then headed to the concert Saturday evening. It was HOT since we were outdoors, but it was a great show by both Blake Shelton & Brad Paisley. Thank you, honey! Don't we look lovely after sweating it out waiting for the music to start?
My parents were here for the weekend & were kind enough to watch the kids Saturday evening. On Sunday, we all went to church & then out for Torchy's Tacos. I got several fun goodies, including these gorgeous roses from Mom & Daddy. Thanks for making my birthday special!

Beau's Favorite Game

2011-07-26T14:19:00.002-05:00

When you get giggles & a smile as sweet as this, it's hard to resist playing pat-a-cake over & over again!

Three Under Three

2011-07-25T22:18:00.002-05:00

Three under three. Our family will have this distinction for approximately three more weeks. I know that many mothers have experienced similar times with their young children, but for us, I can definitely say that these past few months have been more than a little crazy.

Before Beau's arrival, our household certainly had our fair share of chaos. Most families with even one small child have that at least some of the time, & it's probably a given for those with multiples. Even through that chaos, however, I considered myself overall to be fairly organized, productive, efficient & generally "put-together."
Moving to a family of five has challenged all of those things that I believed to be true about myself & has humbled me to admit often that I'm so not "put-together." As much as I love my life, & as much as it is totally what I wanted, I find myself feeling like my head is detached from my body a good percentage of the time.
I suppose it comes with the territory, & I would venture to guess that I'm not alone in my feelings. Still, since I'd prefer not to feel totally scattered for the next eighteen years, I struggle to achieve a good balance. Yes, I know it's not the end of the world if our clothes don't get ironed, or if we miss a night of tooth-brushing or even if I don't get to read quite as many books to each child as I'd like to every day. But the overachiever in me can't resist trying.
I know in my head, & am slowly beginning to learn in my heart, that I just have to turn it all over to God. He has blessed me with these three precious ones, & has charged Justin & I with the task of raising them up for His service. He doesn't make mistakes, so He apparently knew what He was doing in giving them to us. Now I just have to let Him equip me & lead me in this journey.

Blast Off to Cosmic City!

2011-07-22T19:19:00.006-05:00

Last week, the kids & I participated in VBS at our church. This year's theme was Cosmic City, & our stories each day focused on the wonders God has created. I taught a class of 4-year-olds with my friend, Holly, & had a great time.

Here's a few pics of our cosmic classroom:

The decorations in the rest of the building were pretty amazing! Here's the walkway where the "cadets" entered each morning.
Each day, our cadets had snack time...
craft time...

& music class.
In our classroom, they learned about God's wonders through stories, crafts & games. The two cutest cadets there!Jake & Mal with Miss Sydney, one of their great teachers
Beau attended VBS as well, & had a great time in the nursery. Regular VBS ran Monday-Thursday mornings, & then on Friday night there was a family celebration. Jake & Mal weren't too interested in performing one of the songs they'd learned for everyone. See them standing back to back on the stage while they're supposed to be listening? (yellow dress & blue shirt)
Their little group performing
The evening included a pizza dinner, games for the kids & free sno cones for all! It was a very busy week, but we had fun & I know the kids learned a lot!

Beau Harrison at 4 Months

2011-07-12T21:25:00.004-05:00

Beau passed the four-month mark on Sunday & had his check-up today. Here are our little man's current stats:

Weight: 14 lbs (25%)
Height: 25.75 inches (77%)
Head: 17 inches (90%)

Obviously, the little man is not so little any more! His percentage on weight came down from last time, but he's still gaining well, so I'm sure he's just evening out to the track he'll be on in the future. He is one long, tall Texan, though! No wonder he's busting out of a lot of his clothes. They all end up being too short in the stride.
Beau really is lots of fun these days! He gives me big grins all day long, laughs & talks, plays with his toys & is generally just a pleasant fellow. He likes his bumbo seat to help him sit up to see his books.
Love that glint of mischief in his eyes!He spends a lot of time on one of his two play mats, & can now pull the toys off if he wants to.The exersaucer, & more recently the jumperoo, have become favorites. He loves for Jake & Mal to push all of the buttons to make the music play & has started figuring out how to do this on his own.Last Sunday, July 3rd, he rolled from back to tummy for the first time, so he can now roll either direction. I see steamrolling as a means of mobility in our near future.
Beau is sleeping at least seven hours at night before waking up to eat, & many nights he makes it all the way through. The doctor said today that he shouldn't need a night feeding any more, so we'll be cutting that out, along with swaddling. I may have some long nights coming as we adjust!

Beau Harrison, we love you & couldn't feel more blessed to have you as a part of our family!

Chew on This

2011-07-10T18:51:00.001-05:00

Last Wednesday, I took the kids to McDonald's for the very first time. I know, what deprived children!

I had made it a goal to hold off on the golden arches for as long as possible since I figured we'd eventually end up eating many meals there in their childhood years. But it was the easiest option at the Galleria food court after some time spent in the play area.

They were quite pleased with their chicken nuggets, milk & apples, but Mal did ask,"Now where are the hot fries?". Next time perhaps.

Sudsy Siblings

2011-07-09T08:07:00.004-05:00

I know that eventually the twins will have to start bathing separately, but I'll be a little sad when that day arrives. They have so much fun together in the bath each night!

Modified Fourth of July

2011-07-07T07:37:00.004-05:00

For the past couple of years, we've chickened out of taking our kids to see fireworks on the 4th because we figured they'd be too cranky to enjoy it from missing their bed time. This year, I was determined that Jake & Mal would finally see fireworks, so we planned to go to the Richardson show Monday night.

We had a very low-key day on Monday, just enjoying the day at home together. Justin won the best Daddy award on Sunday when he built this kiddie car wash for the twins. (Thanks, Cassie, for the idea!)
Monday morning was spent playing in the water & having a grand ole time!

We continued our fun with snow cones that afternoon & burgers eaten on the porch for dinner.But in the end, we decided once again that the kids might not do so well staying up for the fireworks. Maybe next year! As a consolation, Daddy went & bought Toy Story 2 (we previously only owned #3), & the kids watched it in their pajamas while eating popcorn. Everybody wins!

Don't worry, this little cutie had plenty of fun, too!I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday, traditional or otherwise.

False Alarm

2011-07-06T15:22:00.002-05:00

My morning started off with a bang today. Actually, it was more like a slow beeping.

I wanted to get a shower before Beau woke up, so as soon as the twins were up & had gone to the potty, I parked them on the couch in my bedroom for a little Veggie Tales before breakfast. This is a pretty regular occurrence if I want them to hold off a bit on breakfast, & they're usually pretty well behaved.

Halfway through my shower, my cell phone, which was on the bathroom counter, started ringing. I assumed that it was Justin & decided I'd wait until I'd finished showering to call him back. When he called four times in a row, though, I started to worry that something might be wrong. I hopped out & snatched up the phone, dripping all over the tile in the process.

He asked if we were okay & then informed me that our alarm company had called to let him know that the medical emergency button had been activated on our home alarm. Since he hadn't reached me on the first call, he was now in his car headed home, & an ambulance had also been sent our way by the alarm company.

I didn't even hesitate to wonder who the culprit might be for pushing that button. In cases like these, this guy is pretty much always guilty:
I told Justin to turn around & go back to work because we were all fine, & I entered the code to turn off the beeping that I could now hear coming from the alarm box. But when I called the alarm company, I was too late to cancel the ambulance call. Thoroughly embarrassed, I answered the door in a bath robe & shower cap, with shaving cream still on one leg, when the EMTs showed up a few seconds later.

Needless to say, we had a long talk about the purpose of the alarm, what firemen, policemen & EMTs do to keep people safe & why we should never waste their time when we don't actually have an emergency. Jake has also been banned from sitting on my couch for the foreseeable future since standing on it is how he reached the alarm. Buzz Lightyear & Jake's bag of ocean animals are currently in time out.

Good grief.

Yummy to My Tummy: Sizzling Flounder

2011-07-05T21:34:00.002-05:00

*This delicious fish, from the March 2010 issue of Southern Living, was dinner tonight, along with Carmelized Green Beans. (Thanks, Rachel!) It was a crowd pleaser & was really easy. I used frozen flounder fillets that had the skin removed & were pretty thin, so I cooked it a couple of minutes less than directed. Enjoy!

Sizzling Flounder

1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp paprika
4 (6-oz) flounder fillets
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 C butter
2 T fresh lemon juice

Place one oven rack 5 inches from heat; place a second rack in middle of oven. Combine Parmesan cheese & paprika. Season fish with salt & pepper.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Heat butter in a broiler-safe 9x13 baking dish in oven 8 minutes or until butter is melted & beginning to brown. Place fish in hot butter, skin sides up.

Bake at 450 degrees on middle oven rack 10 minutes. Carefully flip fish, basting with pan juices. Sprinkle with lemon juice & Parmesan mixture. Bake 5 more minutes or just until fish flakes with a fork. Remove from oven; increase oven temperature to broil.

Broil fish on oven rack 5 inches from heat 2-3 minutes or until bubbly & golden brown.

Arts & Crafts

2011-07-04T22:14:00.005-05:00

On days that we're at home, the kids need projects to break up their day of playing, especially when it's just too hot to stay outside all day. So lately, we've been doing some paint with water...
making red, white & blue bead necklaces...& painting original masterpieces.

Jake informed me that his is a picture of a skunk:Mal's, in case you can't tell, is a portrait of her Daddy:

Fashionista

2011-07-03T20:40:00.003-05:00

You have to be really cute to pull off this look. Luckily, she fits the bill. And she's surprisingly talented at walking in Mommy's wedge heels!

Best Seats in the House

2011-07-02T16:49:00.003-05:00

I walked into the kitchen the other day to this scene:
My little rebels decided that they were plenty big enough to climb up onto the bar stools by themselves & enjoy their drinks from a higher vantage point. Obviously, they're almost three years old, so it's not surprising that they are able to do this, but up until now, they hadn't tried. Mallory already fell off once, mid-dismount. I see injuries in our future.

Is Your Green Light On?

2011-07-01T15:32:00.003-05:00

This is a frequently asked question in our household these days, & it all stems from possibly the best thirty dollars I've ever spent.

A couple of months ago, Jake & Mallory suddenly began waking up much earlier than they had been previously. They also shrunk their afternoon nap down from a solid 2-3 hours to an hour, tops. I know that I've been blessed with awesome sleepers & that not everyone is so fortunate, but their extreme crankiness led me to believe that they did, in fact, need those hours they were missing. When they showed up in our bedroom at 5:55 one Saturday morning, we'd had enough.

Enter the Onaroo OK to Wake alarm clock, aka "my little lifesaver!"It glows green whenever it's okay for the kids to get out of bed, either in the morning or after nap time. We have it set to 7:00 for mornings & use a two-hour timer on it for naps. Our explanation to the twins was that it was okay for them to be awake early, as long as they stayed quietly in their beds until the green light came on.

We've had our rough days, but this has drastically improved the amount of sleep they're getting & cut down on all of those early ventures out of bed. I think it just helps for them to have some tangible reason for staying in bed, other than just the fact that Mommy said so. Luckily, they're three-year-old brains haven't yet grappled with the idea that the green light's authority is ultimately determined by the time Mommy sets for it to light up!

A Weekend of Firsts

2011-06-30T14:48:00.004-05:00

Last weekend, Justin & I traveled to Atlanta, & Beau got to tag along for his first plane ride. Thanks to some upgrade points that Daddy had, he even got to sit in first class on the way there. What a classy boy!
Beau was a wonderful traveler & slept most of the flight there. Here he is waiting for our luggage. So helpful, isn't he?
The main reason for our trip was to attend the wedding of one of J's friends, which was Saturday night in Highlands, NC. Uncle Mark, Aunt Rachel & Belle took care of the little man while we went to the wedding with J's parents. Thank you!

We also got in some great family time while we were there, & Beau got to meet his great grandparents for the first time. Here he is with Pa:
And getting cuddles from Gigi:
As all of the kids do, he thought Pa was pretty funny!
On Sunday afternoon, we were able to attend our nephew Jackson's first birthday party. Thank you, Amy, for scheduling it so you could include us! Here's the birthday boy enjoying his cake.Jake & Mal were having a blast at home with Nana & Papa. Thanks so much for taking care of them!

It was a fast but fun weekend!

Sweet Giggles

2011-06-23T10:45:00.002-05:00

Oh, how I love this open-mouthed grin & sweet little chuckle!

Beach Trip Alphabet

2011-06-21T16:37:00.000-05:00

In an effort to limit the length of my post about our trip, here it is from A to Z!

At the pool (for Beau's first time)
Big boysCutenessDon't make me go in there!
Ecstatic!Fun in the splash zoneGirls' Night!

House to hold us allIgloo tent for the babiesJumping inKickin' back & relaxing
Loving on babiesMonster cookies - yum!Non-stop sand playOutrageous giggles!
Pretty dolphinsQuiet beachesReading with PopsSnack time
Toes in the sandUnderdressedVery big turtleWaves!
X-tra babysitters (yes, I cheated on that one)Yummy foodZzzzz..............

To Infinity...And Beyond!

2011-06-18T20:20:00.003-05:00

I'm still working on beach pictures, but first I had to share the latest accomplishment in our household. Jake is out of diapers! We decided that a cold turkey approach would be best for Jake, since he might never actually be ready on his own. In the weeks leading up to our vacation, we talked about the fact that he would learn to use the potty "after the beach."

Monday was D-day, so to speak, & he's really done surprisingly well. We haven't had a completely accident-free day yet, but he has improved greatly. We're so proud of our big boy & are enjoying only having one kid in diapers!

Jake is into quoting Buzz Lightyear's catch phrase lately because he's obsessed with Toy Story, & it captures how I feel about this transition. Once we master this, I really will feel that I've been to infinity & beyond!

Family Beach Pics

2011-06-15T14:01:00.005-05:00

I have over 300 pictures from our week in Gulf Shores, Alabama with the Chamblee family! For now, I'll start with just those from our "photo shoot." Now that I've started framing our family picture from the beach each year for my entry hall, I fret about getting the perfect one to commemorate each trip. I think we did well!

Our portion of the Chamblee clan - 2011
Ryan, Amy, Ella Grace & Jackson
Mark, Rachel & Belle
Gary & KarenPops & Mimi with their biggest fans
Just the cousins
My three sweeties
All together now!
Other favorites from the evening

Beau Harrison at 3 Months

2011-06-14T08:29:00.000-05:00

*My blogging hiatus has been due to our annual beach trip with Justin's family. More on that to come!

My sweet boy is three months old!

No check-up this month, but I weighed him at home, & he's about 13 lb 3 oz.
Beau is getting to be so much fun these days! He gives the sweetest, gummy grins all day long & loves to laugh.
He is wearing size 2 diapers & mostly 3-6 month or 6 month clothing. Our big boy is very long, so he usually outgrows things in length before filling them out fully.
Beau's last feeding of the day is at 8:30 pm, & then he sleeps until at least 3:00 am. This morning he made it to 4:45! We still swaddle him to sleep.
He rolled over once for Daddy last week, but Mommy still hasn't witnessed this skill.
He's starting to get a bit more sensitive to things that scare him, like a stern tone of voice (directed at a disobedient preschooler, not him) or one of his siblings running by unexpectedly. His scared cry is the most pitiful thing ever!

We love you, Beau Harrison, & are so blessed to have you in our family!

Back Porch Sittin'

2011-06-04T13:38:00.000-05:00

Spring is pretty much over here in Texas, but we enjoyed it while it lasted! We haven't used our porches as much as I would have liked since we bought our house because we didn't have any furniture out there, other than Jake & Mal's stuff. A couple of months ago, we found a dining set for the porch downstairs & a loveseat & chairs for upstairs. Now we can actually relax outside! We've eaten quite a few meals on the back porch, which I love to do. Hopefully we'll be able to continue that some in the summer, even though triple digits are just around the corner.
Jake & Mal still prefer their picnic table, but they like having Mommy & Daddy at the next table over.The upstairs furniture is great for snuggling up with some books. Mal likes to squeeze in & share a chair with Daddy.

Danger is His Middle Name

2011-06-03T14:15:00.003-05:00

Justin & I have joked that it will be a miracle if Jake survives to adulthood unscathed. The kid is just a wee bit accident prone. From the time he learned to walk, he's pretty much had a big bruise somewhere on his head or face at all times. In many ways, his fearlessness is a good thing, but it comes at a price.
Case in point: A few weeks ago, Jake fell down an entire flight of stairs at church. We were all heading downstairs after class, & the toe of his boot caught on the edge of the carpeted stairs. I was just a few steps behind, holding Beau, but I was unable to get to him when he started to stumble. I've gotten so used to Jake's antics that he really doesn't scare me too often, but I just had a sick feeling as I watched him tumble head over heels several times before reaching the bottom. It looked like he easily could have broken something from the way he fell, but after many tears, his only battle scar was a carpet burn between his eyes.
Just one day later, he managed to get his finger caught in the car door when we were arriving at school. Again, I feared that something would be broken, but he ended up with just a nasty looking cut on his finger.Jake has recently developed a love for jumping on the couch or his bed, even though this is obviously not allowed. When Justin was explaining to him why we don't do that, he told him the story of how he broke his arm when he was a little boy after falling from the bed he was jumping on. Jake's response was indicative of the challenge we're up against. "I want to break my arm!" Oh dear.

Back Yard Fun

2011-06-02T19:10:00.006-05:00

Monday evening at our house was just one of those great evenings where everyone is in a good mood & having a good time. The kids played forever in their little pool in the back yard, & the weather was nice enough for me & Beau to be comfortable watching them from the back porch. J captured some great pictures of their play time. I love days like that!

Love this series:

Summer's here! Clothing optional.

Weathering the Storm

2011-06-01T21:05:00.003-05:00

Like many others in DFW, we had an eventful evening last Tuesday as we kept an eye on the tornado warnings around town. Justin was actually in St. Louis that day, but our prayers for him to make it onto an earlier flight & arrive home safely were answered. I'm so thankful for that, because his original flight ultimately ended up getting canceled. He got home about fifteen minutes before a tornado headed to our part of town, so we roused the kids from their slumber & gathered in our little half bathroom downstairs to wait it out.

Thank goodness for the iPad! It kept these sleepy & confused munchkins well entertained until it was safe to go back to bed.
Our classy weather watch station
Daddy multitasking
For us, it was just a crazy & somewhat humorous evening. For so many others, those storms were very serious & life-altering.

As a kid, I distinctly remember being so annoyed when my mom woke us up & herded us into the closet, covering us with mattresses. (Love you, Mom!) I was a heavy sleeper, so if it hadn't been for her, the storms wouldn't have bothered me a bit. Now I'm the one doing the herding, & it's very humbling to feel powerless to keep my little ones safe. We said many prayers of thanksgiving that our family & house escaped any harm that night!

Popeye Smile

2011-05-30T20:29:00.001-05:00

Penguins, Tigers & Oh No!

2011-05-28T20:01:00.005-05:00

Justin has been out of town a lot lately for work, so my mom planned to come down for a couple of days this week to give me a break. I decided it would be the perfect time to head to the zoo since I had an extra pair of hands. Mal had come down with a stomach bug in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, but after a day full of napping, she was back to normal & ready to go.

Excited to be at the zoo!
Pretty parrots that Mal foundShowing me how they measure up to the penguinsPlaying in the children's zoo area

Little man along for the fun
Unfortunately, our zoo trip took a turn for the worse during lunch time when the stomach bug chose Jake as its next victim. Yes, I got the pleasure of being the mom who has to inform someone that her son has just gotten sick all over the patio & that it needs to be cleaned up. I then got to wheel him out of the zoo shirtless since he'd soaked his shirt. I was very thankful that we made it home before his next episode!

J set up his iPad in the kitchen so Jake could watch movies while staying on the tile floor. We tried to convince him to lay on the pallet we'd made, but he preferred the cold tile. How pitiful is that?
That nasty stomach bug quickly claimed me as well that day, & then took Justin last night. We're all feeling better now & are hoping we've seen the last of this illness. Hopefully our next zoo trip will turn out much better, & we'll actually get to see all of the animals!

Jake & Mal helping Daddy rest & recover today
Sweet kids, feeling much better This little cutie is the last man standing, so to speak, & we're praying that this one passes him by. He's way too little to be that sick!