Catching up

I had a chance to catch up with some of my Georgia girls over lunch today. So nice to get to hang out with them and we try to get together every few months. These are my girls only friends, and we so enjoy our girls only trips together. We have been everywhere from the Mountains to Mexico and we have a blast. Melissa is my preggo friend and the one that has shared these last two pregnancies with me. Her son Anderson and my Mason are 3 weeks apart and this time her baby girl and my baby boy are due right around the same time...may even end up on the same day! So we had to get our picture since we have a picture with the other two precious kiddos in the womb! It was a fun day and I look forward to our next visit, which may include two sweet newborns!

BRRRR...

It was freezing temps and snowing outside but that didn't stop these two from testing out the new gator. I watched from the window...way too cold for me!!!

Christmas Morning

I thought for sure this would be the year that these two would be up at the crack of dawn to see what Santa brought, but somehow we got one more year of sleeping in a little on Christmas morn. Maybe next year it will start??? Mason was so excited to see that race track...the only thing he asked for!

Braxton, checking out his stuff

DS games

Braxton is reading the letter that Dustin left them...he also left them a little present.

Racing each other

A new bike...yay!

Braxton said his favorite present was his bike. Mason said that his was his race track but I am not convinced...I have never seen a child so excited over some gym shorts. He has not taken them off since Christmas Day. Seriously he wears them underneath his jeans, pants, pajamas or whatever he is wearing for the day. I am sure that when the weather gets warm enough he will be wanting to wear them everywhere. We better stock up on some hibbett shorts and under armour for the summer :)

The best part about Christmas is the time with family. I am so blessed to be able to spend all of this break with my boys! And next year we will have another little blessing to spend the holidays with! Merry Christmas Braxton and Mason, we love you so much and we are looking forward to this new year with all of your new adventures!!

Selma Christmas

We headed to Selma after we had breakfast with my parents and played with our Santa stuff. More family, food and presents! What could be better??? The boys do love some presents and have honestly played with everything single thing they received a million times. We appreciate all the thoughtful gifts for them from all the family. They are truely blessed to have so many people that love them so much!

Present time At Mimi and Papa's Braxton got his laptop and Mason got a Gator...so excited!!

Quick pic with Mimi and Papa

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve we always bake cookies for Santa. We have to wait until then otherwise we may not have any to leave him!!! It is always a fun treat for us and they enjoy any opportunity to get in the kitchen. Mason ate more than he decorated but he had a great time doing it :) Then we headed over to Nana and Papa's for some delicious dinner with the family.

Papa, with his Grands.


Me and the brother

Fabulous Piper family photo...so ready to get rid of some of that fluid :)

Baking more cookies for Santa for Avery Grace to leave out.

Present Time!!!!

Mason really enjoyed his present opening time this year...he didn't really care what was inside he just wanted to unwrap!

The kids had a blast together as they always do. They love to play together and are so WILD! But it was fun and it is always great to hear the screams and laughter of them enjoying each other.

Merry Christmas

Brothers

I pray they stay this close forever...well allowing a little room for one more!! :)

We Wish You A Merry Christmas

That was the ending song for both programs. The boys always enjoy any opportunity for family to come to "their" school and they will talk about it for days before and after! So of course we couldn't and wouldn't miss this special opportunity. Braxton's program was short and sweet, but I would not have missed it for anything. It was their Polar Express Day, and they all wore pajamas and I am so suprised that he went with it. He is so not like that and refused to participate in pajama day last year, but this year he was good to go as long as he could wear his Alabama pants :)

Braxton, about to do his little speaking part. So suprised he wore that Santa hat too...

How can you not love 100 little 3 and 4 year olds singing together. You never know what they will do. Mason sings a little and looks a little, then sings a little and looks a little more. He has learned so much already this year and we are so blessed that his Nana and Papa help out so that he is able to attend FBC.

Mason and his fabulous teacher...God bless her!! He really loves her and she is just what he needs...she runs a pretty tight ship, so they are perfect for each other!

Dustin

The boys love getting up in the mornings and searching for Dustin. They love the game hide-and-seek so this is right up their alley. Sometimes he (Dustin) gets into a little trouble but he has been pretty good this year...so far :)
In the fridge...
Playing in the marshmallows...

Hiding in the basketball goal...

Trying to hang some lights in the kitchen...

Guess he was going to brush his teeth...

These are just a few...more to come later.

Check, Check, Check

We have a busy fun last week of school! We spent the day getting everything ready for parties, and programs!
Teacher gifts ready...check
a thousand (it felt like it anyway when we were putting the goodies in and ribbons on) gift bags for the boys' friends and neighbors...check

Clothes washed and ready...check! Camcorder and Camera batteries charged...check.

We are looking forward to this exciting week but more excited about our 2 weeks off!!!! Can't wait!!

Buster Bear, Parade, Santa and Choir Program.

Busy, Busy, Busy...but I love it and this time of year. Mason started the weekend off bringing home his class mascot, Buster Bear. He had to take care of him over the weekend and take him everywhere he went. It was the perfect weekend to have him and we kept him very entertained.
Here is Buster Bear and Mason watching the parade on Saturday. The Boys before the parade began...this is in between tag-your-it and rolling down the hill.

Almost time to start...

Braxton loved catching the candy and toys and Mason hardly noticed the candy being thrown right at him...he loved looking at the floats, lights and people.

After the parade we wanted to continue with the holiday spirit and head to Bass Pro to see Santa! First year Mason has sat in his lap, he usually watches from a distance but he jumped right up there and was ready to tell him what he wanted. He wants a race track! Braxton on the other hand had his list ready in his mind and he was rehearsing the whole time we were waiting in line. He said that he wants a laptop, binnoculars, an ipod, a new wii game and so on. I believe he could go on all day...and to think a month ago he couldn't think of one thing that he wanted!

Sunday night the boys had their Christmas choir program. It was so sweet and hearing those children sing just warms the heart! They did a super job! Mason mainly looked around trying to find a familiar face in the that enormous church and I knew it as soon as he spotted his brother...and captured the moment! Huge grin on his face, and it almost looked as though he relaxed a little and enjoyed himself. He loves his brother so much!

One of Braxton's songs was Silent Night and they did sign language the whole time...very impressive! I even teared up a little watching them especially when the music stopped and they did the signing without music or singing. So glad that they were part of such a sweet service!

What a way to end an already fantastic weekend! We are looking forward to several more programs in the next few weeks. Have I mentioned how much I love this time of year?? :)

Oh Christmas Tree...

Oh Christmas tree...sat in our dining room for a few days bare as can be, until we had time to get its lights and ornaments on. Once the boys got started they moved pretty quick decorating. This was the first year that they really got to do most of the ornament hanging...the branches they could reach anyway. Some branches had multiple ornaments on it and it hung to the floor but that's okay because they were so very proud of their work. Braxton enjoyed seeing the ornaments that he had made in the past and I look forward to many many more to go with them.

We even got Lucy some holiday attire and she posed with the boys by the tree :)

The finished tree. It feels so good when it is all done and we can sit and enjoy it.

That night our elf, Dustin, showed up from the North Pole. He was waiting for the boys when they awoke...sitting on their "Bama" tree. Cannot wait to see what all he gets into this year!

We are looking forward to all the fun holiday festivities that come with this time of year. The boys will sing Sunday during church with their choir groups and I can't wait for that, what a way to kick off the "Reason for the Season".

Thanksgiving Break

We always enjoy any kind of break around here especially when it is an extended one that we can really throw ourselves off schedule! We slept late, went to bed whenever we got tired and played all day long. Sometimes we got a nap and sometimes we were just too busy for one and that was ok too. The boys spent some time with their Papa and cousin Avery Grace, who was here for a few days, and that is always a special treat.
We went to Emily and Jim's to enjoy our Thanksgiving lunch on Thursday and had a great time visiting with the "Selma" family!

Mason has become such a ham with the camera and always wants his picture taken so this was a treat for me...I have to hold Braxton down to get him to pose with me...I really can't blame him because I am the same way, but how could I say no to this sweet face...
We never go anywhere without some sort of ball in our car because it can always entertain the boys for hours!

We caught a quick photo of the boys with their daddy...this was Mason's posing spot, he wanting me to take numerous pics of him on this Mule! :)

On Friday we ventured to the Baker Farm to enjoy a day with friends and a "little" football game. Leah and I were the only Auburn Fans so it was a great game for us, but the others were a little depressed about the turnout!

Braxton and Hue watching the Tide control the first half!

A mother's duty never stops for a football game!! Evan is getting a quick change!

Mason didn't really care about the game, in fact I don't think he watched one second...he was too busy eating. (Mason and Charlotte)

And climbing trees...

And driving this sweet dog crazy!!

What a fantastic week and I am so blessed to have been able to spend it with my boys! We have so much to be thankful for and I am so greatful for it all! Looking forward to spending more time on our next break...in 3 weeks (but who's counting???).