It's beginning to look alot like Christmas

 Oh how I LOVE Christmas time! I start to listen to Christmas music exclusively in my car from the day after Thanksgiving until the day after Christmas. I love all the parties and fun activities for the kids with our church and all the fun at my work. 

I insist on getting a real tree from a tree farm. This year we went to Cedar Hill Farms in Hernando, MS.

 We took a hay ride out to the trees

Andy found this tree and said it wasn't that big!! I told him to stand beside it so he could see how big it was.

Before and after :) Andy watched a video on You Tube on how to put the ribbon on the tree. :) Hilarious! But he did a good job.

He also made this wreath! This is the sort of thing that happens when it rains and he can't work. LOL!!! But I do love that it makes the house a little more festive.

Our elves are back too! I'll have to post on some of their activities/mischief soon! ;)

4 year check-up

Carson had his 4 year check up last Monday. 

We love his doctor, Dr. Michael Lacy. He is so good with the kids. Carson and him are always in their own world during the appointments. It's like I'm just there to observe. :)

Carson weighs 48 lbs~off the charts

Height~44 inches~off the charts

He has NEVER been on the charts but Dr. Lacy said as long as he is consistently off the charts, then it's fine. :) He met all his developmental milestones. The only concern is that his voice is always raspy and it always has been. Lots of people say they love his "Godfather" voice. Dr. Lacy said we should see an ENT to make sure it's not vocal chord nodules that need to be removed. We have an appointment next Monday so keep us in your prayers, please. 

He got 4 shots and let me tell you, he was NOT happy. We could've waited until 5 but I felt like he was still young enough that he really didn't understand what was about to happen and maybe by 5 he would be more aware, which could be difficult. He laid there so sweetly until the first shot and then, Lord, he went CRAZY!!! He screamed so loud and so hard that he lost his voice. He got a shot in both legs and both arms. I took him to Orange Leaf Yogurt shop afterwards. He was sore. As we were leaving he said, "I'm sorry mama." I asked him why and he said, "because I can't jump anymore." (He has to jump a little when I pick him up because he's so big.) Sweet baby! I told him it was OK, I would pick him up anyway! Love that sweet boy!

This birthday was a tough one!

Carson is 4...ugh...that's so hard to type. Truly, I'm happy he's healthy and thriving and growing and all that but he's my last baby and he's not a baby anymore. Sigh...ok, enough of that. 

We celebrated his birthday Saturday at Bounz. He wanted a Paw Patrol theme, specifically Rubble, the dog with the "diggers." My cousin, Missy, made a perfect cake and my friend, Stacey, made some Paw Patrol cookies. Both were so good.

 The kids~and a few adults :)~had a blast jumping and sliding.

 Nate the Great

 Carson climbing up the slide wall

 Andy, Carson, & LG coming down the big slide together

 Bryson

 The rest of the adults

 Getting ready to blow out the candles

 His sweet little face while we were singing Happy Birthday

 His actual birthday was Sunday so we got up early and had "birthday donuts" before church.

 A few things he is doing now that I don't want to forget: 

He loves tractors, Paw Patrol, Ninja Turtles, and most every show that LG watches. He has the biggest heart when it comes to helping others. He loves to help his sister and he actually calls her "sister," which I absolutely love. He calls me his best friend and will say we're not best friends anymore if I punish him. ;) He puts a D in a lot of words, i.e., counder (counter), kendal (kennel). He still carries around his Pup Pup and sucks his 2 middle fingers on his left hand. I know I should be trying to get him to stop that but it's just so cute. Bad mama alert!!! I still carry him when he wants to be picked up and I will as long as my back can handle it! He can be so bad, which everyone chalks up to the fact that he's a boy. He gets mad when he doesn't get his way and tries to swat or kick AT the person. He never actually hits but he acts like he is. I kept telling him yesterday that he is 4 now and he needed to act like a big boy but every time I said it I almost choked. I would be totally fine if he stayed my sweet little baby forever but I know that's not possible...he's going to keep growing and one day he'll be a man...uh oh, here come the tears...but today he still lets me lay with him before he goes to sleep and sing to him and rub his back and cuddle with him so I'll focus on that...one day at a time.  

Softball and Pumpkin Carving

LG has ALWAYS wanted to play softball. She used to go out in our front yard when she was about 2 and see the boys next door playing baseball and she was hooked. Every time I would go to sign her up I had either missed the deadline or would be reminded that softball is a Spring sport. But this year her school sent a flyer home for a month long Fall ball clinic that the high school softball team was holding and I signed her right up. She has absolutely LOVED it! After her first game she said that she wanted to play competitive ball and college ball. I said, "Let's just get through your first rec season." :)

Practicing catching

 Practicing throwing

 First game and first run scored~look how EXCITED she is!!!! I can truly say she has been more excited about playing softball than any other sport she's tried.

 Her favorite coach, Callie. Callie made sure LG had #1 on her shirt because Callie is #1 on the HS softball team! We love her!

 Andy and the kids carving pumpkins. We had to wait until 5 days before Halloween because it's been so hot (80's) and we didn't want our pumpkins to rot before Halloween.

 Carson designed the face and Andy cut it out...kind of looks like him doesn't it? :)

 LG designed her pumpkin and I helped her cut it out. So cute!

 Pumpkins on the porch

 Just a cute pic to end on...too precious not to post. :)

Halloween pics to come!

Alabama/Ole Miss game

 This past weekend Alabama played Ole Miss in Tuscaloosa. Andy and I made the trip on Saturday morning to tailgate with my family in The Quad~half Ole miss fans and half Bama fans. We got there around 12:30 and the game didn't start until 8:15 PM. We had such a great time despite the heat!

 Missy (cousin) and I

 Jennifer (cousin) and her husband, Jon

 Aunt Penny, Uncle Dennis, and Cousin Kennedy

 Andy and I

 Love my cousins~more like sisters!!!

 Going on a little shopping stroll

 One of my younger cousins, Daniel, turned 17 so we had a little birthday party

Fan photobomb! LOL!

 The crew

 Almost everybody...my mom and our Clemson cousin, Emma couldn't make it :(

 If you look closely and a few rows up, you'll see Andy and I :)

The stadium was awesome! So much energy!!!

 Even though Alabama didn't win, it was SO worth the trip to be able to spend time with my fabulous family! Love them to pieces~they are truly the BEST!!!