Oh Christmas Tree

Topping the tree

 

She called putting on the biggest ball ornament before we even started.  And check out that hair.

 

So happy to be decorating the tree.  We love Christmas time.

 

Rockwell even pitched in.

 

Love those chubby little hands!!!

 

Love that face.  This is when I’m saying Rockwell come smile for the camera.

 

Oh, oh, too close, well he came and smiled right for the camera.  Such and obedient child :)

 

This is Eyla annoyed with me for asking her to look at the camera because she needs to hang that ornament.

 

Eyla is very creative and takes anything artistic very seriously.

 

They took a break for a moment to dance and pose for the camera.

 

I can not get over Eyla’s face and pose in this picture.

 

Yes, this is my almost 15 month old who still drinks his “ba ba.” I had him totally weaned when he turned 1 and then on a long road trip we had a relapse.  Turns out a second weaning is even harder than a first and that I am getting softer with each kid.  Can I even tell you how much of a momma’s boy cycle we are in.  He is needy for me, I love it and coddle him, so he gets even needyer.  I can’t help it he is just my favorite little guy, we still have time to “man him up” though……right?

 

The final product.

Being Thankful

So I know Thanksgiving was 2 weeks ago.  But I think the feelings of Thanksgiving and Christmas pretty much go hand in hand so you are finally getting my Thanksgiving post.  Which sadly isn’t much.  Through all the excitement I really didn’t take many photos.  However, it was probably one of the most memorable Thanksgivings I have had to date.  We had lots and lots of wonderful visitors.  Some we just met for the first time and others we got to know better.  All were entirely worth every moment shared.  So thanks, you know who you are. 

But the absolute very best moment for me, one that I will never forget, happened on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.  We went and played some indoor volleyball, just to get out and also to burn off some of that pie.  Anyway, we started off with a regular volleyball and then after a while us girls sissied out (because the ball was so hard) and the boys allowed us to play with Rockwells huge blue bouncy ball.  I figured with a big and soft ball like that Eyla and Raya could join the fun.  I didn’t really have to teach them how they had watched us play and boy are they good mimickers but I just reminded them to clasp their hands in front of their bodies and hit the ball upwards.

My photography capabilities are lacking, let alone action shots.

 

Eyla took it very seriously.

 

Raya just noticed that the camera was out and came and danced and posed for me.

 

I know this isn’t of volleyball but I felt like he was being left out of my post.

 

ANYWAY, I’m finally getting to the whole point of my post.  In the middle of the game, Eyla ran over to me threw her little arms around my neck and whispered in my ear “Thank you teaching me how to play ballyball.”  Okay, so if there hadn’t been so many people there with us I would have cried.  I can not believe I get to have these incredible little spirits around me 24-7.  Why am I so lucky?  I am just a regular mom, I don’t do anything more than any other trying to be good mom that reminds their kids to say ‘Thank you’ after they get dinner, or after someone shares with them, etc.  But really Eyla was so grateful from the bottom of her heart that she was playing volleyball and that I “taught” her how, because lets be honest, have you seen my volleyball skills?  I was just so amazed that she was so full of gratitude and that she shared it over something so simple.  If anybody learned anything over Thanksgiving it was definitely me!

Shutterfly

2 cool things about Shutterfly.  First, the 50 free Christmas cards promotion.  Second, the photo contest.

I have never used the site before but look forward to.  They offer a lot of great features like some adorable Christmas card templates. 

http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-cards

http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-photo-cards

 

Some other fun things like photo calendars.

http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars 

 

And my personal favorite, photo wall art.

http://www.shutterfly.com/home-decor/canvas-wall-art

 

Now if only I could afford a huge photo canvas of this adorable picture that I submitted in their photo contest.

 

If you like it.  Vote for me here.
http://contest.shutterfly.com/contests/showentry/681508

 

Oh, and one last thing.  I am trying desperately to send out Christmas Cards this year. I am so hoping that this 50 free cards will actually motivate/inspire me to actually get them out.  If you would like a card send me your address by either leaving a comment or emailing me at juliannamyers@gmail.com (email will be more private because I don’t preview comments before they get posted).  However, if Christmas comes and goes and no darling picture Christmas card comes in the mail, don’t let it ruin your holiday, it just means I didn’t happen to get around to sending them out this year.  But don’t worry I will save your address for next year. 

Better late than never…. Happy Halloween!

Carving pumpkins.

 

 

So last year Eyla would have nothing to do with the pumpkin guts this year she was so brave and dug right in.  She kept saying that,  “I am so brave, I clean out my pumpkin by myself.”   Then she got tired of it but I had to document some of her braveness so I had to ask her take grab a few more handfuls of goo while I took pictures.

This is her telling me she has had enough picture taking and she is done cleaning out her pumpkin.

And Rockwell of course had no problem digging right in.

   

Trick-r-Treat night.

Basically the cutest pumpkin, cinderella, and mermaid that you will ever see.

 

 

Our first trick or treat house, this is the stash Rockwell was able to nab.

Luckily it was Uncle Chayse and Aunt Chars house where we stopped first for pictures.

 

 

Raya mermaid showcasing the pumpkins, specifically her mermaid pumpkin. 

These were carved with no pattern (you could probably tell) Rayas mermaid and Eylas horse and girl.  I did this all in the time daddy did Rockwells 2 teeth smile pumpkin.  I am no Ray Villafane but I am rather  proud of them.

 

 

Our trick or treat buddy and sweet friend Kamay.

 

Off trick or treating.

Rockwell trying to keep up.

He carried his bucket the entire time and it got pretty heavy.  He is definitely the best 13 month old tricker treater you will ever find.  He would walk up to the doors and knock and everything.  It was adorable.

 

 

Here is good shot of Raya’s costume.  She was supposed to be a pink tinkerbell but changed her mind to a mermaid.  This is what I came up with.  I made these bell bottom things hoping they would look like a fin, and thanks to Aunt Char and Grandma for grabbing us sea shells from the beach in Florida this summer I made a necklace and glued them to a headband.  She pretty much looked like a disco diva with bell bottoms and gaudy jewelry, but she was convinced she was a mermaid and I am pretty happy with how it all turned out.

 

This was right after trick or treating and before we dug into the buckets of candy.  Sad it is only 4 of us, daddy is usually taking pictures and we are never able to snatch a picture of all 5 of us together.

Lets hope next year we get a picture of all 6 of us. :)

 

I wish I could do this….

Heather Stott photography.

http://photosbyheatherstott.blogspot.com/

She took some photos of my kids and I absolutely love them. 

She is awesome…  and not just her photography.

“Hata Birfday”

Rockwell man, my little man is 1.  He turned 1 on September 28th. 

We had a party at the park and couldn’t have had more fun. 

This is him at the park. Up and down up and down.  Up the stairs down the slide.  The absolutely cutest thing is that I have never put him down the slide on his belly, he learned that himself, he just likes it better, and does it every time.  Yes, I posted the entire picture slide show of him climbing the stairs and going down the slide.  I know you love it.

And this is just Rockwell being the cutest thing.

…

Picnic Dinner Time!!

Our Crew (minus and Grandma who is taking the picture and ShayKelly)

 

Enjoying his birthday cheetos.  Yummy, not only about the cheetos but about that adorable little face.

…

Present Time!!

Ok, so for some reason it was an unplanned CAT Tractor theme.  Rockwell now has more CAT’s than most construction companies.

The little CAT’s

 

The big CAT

 

The meltdown…

 

This happened when daddy took the big CAT away to get it out of the box.

I don’t know if I should be ashamed of this or not but in all honesty I thought it was darling, he just wanted his new tractor so bad.

 

This is Rockwell’s recovery face, Perry tried to comfort him while Grandpa and Chayse were prying the Tractor out of the box, it ended up being quite the ordeal.

 

Pry is exactly what happened… it was bolted to the bottom of the box.  They ended up cutting off all the box except for the bottom. Then they all took turns trying too peal the bottom of the box off the toy.  It took like 15 minutes and was hilarious.  They kept making jokes like, “If US 3 guys can’t do this how is the average mom getting this toy out of the box.”  Ah, you just had to be there.

Perry worked on it for a while.

 

Uncle Chayser attempted it.

 

Then grandpa (his face is priceless) took a whack at it. 

Literally, a whack.  He almost chopped his finger off, blood everywhere, but Rockwell got his CAT.

 

The 3 princesses.  Even ladies like tractors sometimes.

…

Cake Time!!

He was captivated by the flame.

 

I wish this pictures wasn’t so fuzzy, he was taking in a breath right before he blew out his candle.  Yeah, he is only 1 and can totally blow at things on demand.  I love it.

 

Us.

AKA-The awesomest family you will ever know.

 

His first dip.

 

About halfway through.  He is making sure you all know he not only just turned one but is number one.

 

 

In the end.

We had an amazing time.  I wish it never ended. 

I could throw a birthday party for one of my kids every week.  I guess I’ll have to settle for every month seeing as we’ll probably only have 12 or so.