Christmas Craziness!!

We just got home from 2 weeks of Christmas vacation. It was so great to see family and friends, but it was also nice to come home to our own beds! We started our vacation in Cookeville, then went to Ohio, then back to Cookeville. It was alot of traveling, but thankfully we had plenty of time in both places, so it did not feel like we were on the road the entire time. There are lots of pictures to share because Mark was there to take them :) They are not in any order, so bare with me.

These first few are actually from before Christmas. We had a friend take family pictures for our Christmas card. I wanted to wait to share them until we mailed out the card. She did a great job and I am glad that we got them!










Santa come to the hardware store down the road from us. Both the kids did great and Taylor loved the candy cane Santa gave her.


Noah just wanted to pull his beard (I think he knew it was fake :))




When we were in Ohio, we went to an indoor pool. Taylor had a great time, but Noah took a while to warm up to the water. He finally started having a good time right before we were about to leave.


Taylor went down this slide over and over and over. She spent most of the time on it.


Taylor had a good time with her cousin Brooke. They played well together and Taylor liked to color with her.


Noah actually left these on while we were opening presents. He did not really get the hang of opening presents this Christmas...maybe next year.


Noah's got his first haircut while we were in Cookeville! He was not a huge fan, but overall he did pretty good. It has already grown back, so I think I am going to have to buy some clippers!


Noah is CLOSE to walking. He has already taken a couple of steps, but he is still a little wobbly. I would not be surprised if he was up and going in the next month or so.


Tacky Christmas sweater party...


Taylor and Noah opened their presents from us at my parents house. Taylor liked her books more than anything else.




We always read "The Night Before Christmas" at my Grandma's before we open gifts. Taylor wanted to help.


My mom bought all the grandkids matching outfits. Here are the boys in one of there's.


Taylor was Addie's shadow. She did EVERYTHING that Addie did. It was pretty cute.


Not sure is Noah is happy of mad here, but we will go with happy.


When Tay would open gifts, if it was clothes she would hold it up to her chest and say "cute". We are in trouble :)




The 4 grandkids and their matching pj's.






I think this kid is always smiling. I love it!


Taylor and her 6 month old cousin. She wanted to "hold" him. Not sure how well it worked considering he weighs almost as much as she does.


Grandma and Noah...what a sweet picture.


Uncle Chad had an ice cream cone, so Tay went and found a pretend one and "ate" it with her uncle.


Again...smiling :)


Taylor always wants to line everything up. We think she might be a bit OCD.


Taylor got several dress up outfits this Christmas. She loved her green sparkly shoes and wore them all day.


More Christmas pictures...




THE END!

Not many to post...

We have been capturing our kids lately, but it seems only through video. So there are not many pictures to share, but I figured I could post what I've got.

One of Taylor's Christmas presents was to go to a live Veggie Tales show. She loved it! She was entertained the entire time and spent most of the show dancing in the aisles. It was so fun to watch her!




We went to my grandma's house on Thanksgiving day. There were 5 great-grandchildren and here are the youngest 2'; Noah and his 2nd (?) cousin Caroline.


We attempted to get a picture of the great-grandkids, but this was the best we could do. Well at least the best of our 2 kids.


We went to Cookeville for the weekend and the kids always have so much fun. Taylor loved to push Noah around on this airplane. He laughed most of the time, but inevitably he fell off a couple of times.


We decorated my parents house for Christmas while we were in town. Taylor was in the living room playing with Christmas decorations when she walked out with these on here feet. She thought they were socks :)


This is actually from a few weeks ago, but I thought I should brag on Taylor. She actually drew this bird. Quite impressive if I might say so myself!


I do have more pictures to share, but they are for the Christmas card. Once I get it sent out, I will post all of them.

Fall Fun!

We have been busy, busy, busy with lots of fun activities. Everything from a 5K, to Halloween, to botanical gardens. We have had some good times!

This was taken the morning of our 5K run. It was in the 30's that morning, so we were COLD! We bundled up the kids and headed downtown to run a 5K for Mercy.
Doesn't Noah look cute in his toboggan?!?!


You can tell in this picture that the kids are bundled up. They did not seem to mind. Noah could not move, but I think he had fun.


Taken before the race.


There were bounce houses and inflatable slides for the kids after the race. Of course we took full advantage.


On Saturday afternoon our neighborhood had a get-together. We dressed the kids up in their costumes and all the neighborhood kids played out back in the common area.


I just think Noah looks funny, I mean cute, in this picture :)


On Sunday (Halloween), we went to 2 parties. One of Taylor's friends turned 2, so we went to his birthday party first. Luckily the other party was in the same neighborhood, so it worked out for us to go to both.
This picture is from the Johnson's Halloween party. We attempted to get a group shot of all the kids. This was the best I could do.


Taylor had it made. She was pulled around in a wagon and then pulled up to each house to get her candy. She did not even have to get out. Someone made the comment that "this is the McDonald's generation" :) BUT once Taylor got the hang of the whole thing, she was out of the wagon and running from house to house. Her basket got so heavy, she had to hold it with 2 hands. I asked if she wanted me to carry it, but she insisted on doing it "by herself". I think she was scared I would not give it back :)


This morning we went to Cheekwood with some friends. They are having an event called Chihuly and today it was free to the public. Of course we jumped on that. The glass sculptures were beautiful, however, I am pretty sure that Taylor could have cared less.




I liked the background here, but could not get the kids to look. As soon as I put Noah down, he immediately found some grass and tried to eat it. Always with something in his mouth...