Thanksgiving and Christmas 2010

This will be an all holiday post. Since I'm incredibly behind in blogging.
Thanksgiving was at our house again this year. We find that it works best for Karter's schedule. Yes I have Karter on a very strict and don't like to deviate from it often. This year we offered to provide the turkey, ham (from honey baked ham I might add), mashed potatoes and apple pies. Austin was here to help with all of the cooking and Brandon was to keep Karter entertained while I cleaned. It was a great day. Karter enjoyed all of the yummy food but mostly we discovered the kid can put away some ham. We had lunch at 12:30 and Karter was down for a long nap by 1:15. Not too much of his schedule. Just the way I like it. Thanksgiving morning

Look mommy it's Santa

Helping mommy put up the Pretty Christmas tree

Putting his new ornament on the tree

Elmo ornament from Grandma

Christmas was CRAZY. We went to Welch on Dec 16th to spend a few days with Grandad and Meme. When we got there Meme had come down with a stomach bug the day before. We tried extra hard to stay out of her hair so she could rest. Then Grandad came down with the bug the next day. The very day our family Christmas was planned. So the celebration was moved to Brandon's aunt Vaughn's house. Which worked out perfectly except the fact that the two most important people weren't able to be there. We all had a great time but missed them a lot. That night Brandon and I decided we'd go ahead and make our way home. We knew Grandad and Meme need time to rest and recover and not worry about having to take care of company. So our trip to Welch was a VERY QUICK TRIP. We have plans to get out there this summer so Karter can spend some time with everyone out there and maybe take a ride on a tractor. If he's lucky.

By the way Brandon, Karter and I escaped the stomach bug that almost everyone caught.

Christmas Eve we spent the evening with Brandon's family. We went over right after Karter's nap. She had a great dinner made for us. We ate, opened gifts, visited with friends and went to see Christmas in the Park (Christmas Lights at the Yukon Park) Karter loved seeing the lights.

Eating a picnic supper with cousins

Gift from Grandad and Meme

Brandon's Family

Some of the girl cousins

Standing on my new stool from Grandad and Meme

Playing with his 4 wheeler

Our only picture together

Christmas morning I made our traditional Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls. I plan to do this every year until I can no longer get in the kitchen to do so. While they were baking we went in to get a very sleepy Karter. I think we were more excited than he was. I'm pretty sure this won't be the case next year. He walked into the living room to see what Santa had left him.

Santa must have decided Karter was a very good boy to bring him such a nice gift. We agree with him. He is a very good boy. Karter got into opening the gifts and had a blast doing so.

After eating a very yummy breakfast we played with new toys until it was time to eat lunch and take a nap. That afternoon we went to my aunts house for my family Christmas. We ate dinner, played Funglish and opened gifts.

We had a excellent Christmas and felt incredibly blessed to be with both sides of our families again this year.

Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas Sleepy Boy

It's so bright

Santa has been here

My new activity table

Ha Dog pajamas AKA Mickey Mouse

He hugged every gift before he opened them

I love my drum set

Shakey Shakey

I've got the hang of this

Thomas the Train

Playing with Thomas and Spencer

Elmo slippers

Opening his Stocking

Homemade Cinnamon rolls. Our Family Christmas tradition

Trying cinnamon rolls for the first time

What a Busy Month

Wow October brought so much excitement to our family. Karter was so young last year we didn't do much and I still felt like we did a lot. But this year Oh MY! It first started with the Orr Family Farm pumpkin patch. I still don't have pictures from that so it'll have to be a later post. Then it was Memorial Road's Trunk or Treat celebration. I had no idea this actually meant decorating the trunk or you car (I thought that was pretty cool). We dressed Karter as "Eldo" aka Elmo. Not my first choice on a costume but Karter loved it. We went from car to car collecting one piece of candy. Karter thought this was great. However we are going to have to coach him next year on the "correct" pieces of candy to grab.
Karter checking out the goods Waiting in line

Daddy teaching him the snickers are the way to go

I couldn't resist. I love that little fury toosh

Helping himself
Our next event was the Story Book Forest. We had lots of friends go last year and every one of them told us it had to be on our list of things to do with Karter this year. I must say Arcadia Lake recreated the nursery rhymes very well. They had the Three little pigs, Pinocchio, Rapunzel and many other stories. We went around to each of the stories and grabbed a piece of candy. Karter wouldn't stay still long enough for me to read the excepts from the stories. He could have cared less. He was there for the sugar. After the trail had ended we took him on a short little hayride where Karter let us and the other riders know he was DONE. It was time for bed.

About to go through the forest

Us at Story Book Forest

Karter hated Pinocchio

But he loved the three little pigs. We could've stayed there all night.
The next thing we did was dress up for Body&Soul. Rachel made goodie bags and "dirt" for the kids for Halloween. Karter loved everything in his goodie bag especially the stickers(we are really into stickers these days) He also loved the dirt. According to Luke, Karter had dirt EVERYWHERE. I later found out that Luke was helping Karter by feeding it to him. He's a big helper that Luke.

Karter and I at B&S

We carved our pumpkin.

Karter only helped long enough to cut the top off and get two scoops of seeds and he was finished. He'd rather play with daddy

He's not one for getting his hands dirty.
The last thing we did was take Karter trick or treating. Our neighborhood is too small and the houses are too far apart for trick or treating so the Soper's asked if we'd like to join them since they are in the same boat we are. So us and the Soper's went to supper at Panera (where Leta kept trying to take Brandon's bowl and would give him the best scowl I've ever seen because he wouldn't let her have it) and then to a near by neighborhood for a night of goodie gathering. Karter would let Luke go up to the door and get his piece of candy and then he'd walk off. He thought that was plenty of fun. But don't worry we'd collect for him.

Luke the cutest Toddler Monkey (because Karter was the cutest baby Monkey last year) and Leta by far the cutest banana I'd ever seen. And Eldo. Oh Rachel and Brandon are cute too.

Karter getting his candy

We ended October with Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease. I don't think there is a better way to end such a busy month.

About Dad and Mom

Believe it or not, Brandon and I actually do things for ourselves once in a while. Brandon started rowing for OG&E corporate rowing team in the spring of 2010. They have two regatta's a year. The first regatta was in June where they placed 2nd and the last one they just had was Oct. 8 where they placed 3rd. They were mere seconds behind boats one and two. They rowed a 1.51 this time. They do their practices on Friday nights, which I am not a fan of due to him being away during the evening. But other than that Brandon and I love it. OKC is building a bunch of new things on the river so it's actually become a really neat place to go and enjoy. I'm so proud of Brandon and his new hobby.
He is also going to be starting on a basketball league this winter while rowing in on a break.

As for me I have been working out with Body and Soul for over a year. I am so passionate about this group of women I get to go worship with and workout with. Everyone is so encouraging and uplifting. I don't know what I would do without it. I workout M/W/F from 9:15-10:15. My instructor approached me early this summer about auditioning to be and instructor. I told her I'd have to do a lot of praying about it. I am not naturally a leader or so I think anyways. Well she approached me again about a starting a class at the church I attend. So after talking to a few people and praying extra hard about it I finally decided it was the right thing for me and our family to do. So after submitting an application, having an hour long phone interview and a "video interview" I was excepted. I am now a Body and Soul instructor. My class will start on January 18th on T/F from +:45-10:45. I was just CPR certified and now I have to start studying for my ACE exam that I'll take in a year. (Never too early to start studying right?)

I am SO excited about the group of women I'll be working with. I can't wait to see where God takes this class and how many doors will be opened up for so many people. I can't wait to see Him work through this ministry. That's what's been happening with us along with work, managing a house and keeping up with a very very busy toddler.

Here is a link to the Body and Soul blog

http://www.okiepower.com/

Big Score

This year for consignment sale we did things a little differently. You see the last 2 consignment sales I have brought all the goodies home to show Brandon. I get so excited to show off all the great deals I had found, however; B doesn't share the same excitement. He doesn't like what I bought. Usually saying something like "it looks too worn" or "it looks like it's been washed a thousand times" So after hearing this one too many times I decided he was going with me. B really does like to shop so he wasn't uncomfortable going at all. Once we got there I noticed lots of men there shopping with their wives. So he wasn't alone.
We found so many great things. The one thing I noticed was Brandon's budget was way bigger than mine usually was. So of course we got some great stuff. I really like going with him so we may make this a twice a year tradition.
Here's the loot.
6 pairs of jeans
2 jackets
1 pair of pajamas
5 shirts
5 outfits
2 pairs of pants
1 sweatshirt
1 pair of boots
all for $161 This isn't his entire winter wardrobe. We still have a few more things to get to get him through "the not so cold" cold months.

God Gave Me You

I've been a walking heartache.
I've made a mess of me
The person that I've been lately
Ain't who I wanna be.
But you stay here right beside me
Watch as the storm goes through
And I need You
God gave me you for the ups and downs
God gave me you for the days of doubt
For when I think I've lost my way
There are no words here left to say, it's true
God gave me you.
There's more here than what were seeing
A divine conspiracy
That you, an angel lovely
Could somehow fall for me
You'll always be love's great martyr
I'll be the flattered fool
and I need you
God gave me you for the ups and downs
God gave me you for the days of doubt
For when I think I've lost my way
There are no words here left to say, it's true
God gave me you
On my own I'm only
Half of what I could be
I can't do without you
We are stitched together
And what love has tethered
I could baby, never undo
God gave me you, God gave me you, God gave me you.
I love you Brandon Hayes. You are my best friend and the best Daddy to Karter. Thank you for the last 5 years of marriage. Here's to 55 more.

recreation of our wedding cake. (top tier only)

My beautiful flowers

I Love You Through and Through

This has become one of our favorite books. We read it every night and many times throughout the day.
I love you through and through. I love your top side.

I love your bottom side.

I love your inside

and outside

I love your happy side,

your sad side,

your silly side,

your mad side.

I love your fingers

and toes,

your ears and nose

I love your hair and eyes,

your giggles

and cries.

I love you running

and walking,

silent

and talking.

I love you through and through......

yesterday today and tomorrow, too.

Learning everyday

I just wanted to jot down some of the things Karter is doing these days. He is now 14 months old and saying and doing so much.
Some things Karter loves are:
Peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, hot dogs, grapes, strawberries, watermelon, M&M's (thanks Brandon), milk, water, water bottles, shoes (anyone's shoes), hats, Elmo (he doesn't watch tv he only knows Elmo from his books and the song I sing when we spot Elmo), going bye-bye, dogs from afar, horses and cows, riding on the 4-wheeler with daddy every night, snacks, eating with a fork by himself, his "I can push or pull" (his baby 4-wheeler; he knows it by the song it sings), any ball, pulling things out of the bathroom cabinets, throwing things in the trash that aren't supposed to go in the trash, going outside, vacuuming, sweeping, putting wet clothes in the dryer.

Some things Karter does not like:
getting his diaper changed, getting swats for not obeying Mommy, walking in the grass(but this has changed in the last few days), touching sand, swimming, meeting new people, taking food from anyone other than Mommy sometimes Daddy, Mommy leaving a room, Mommy cooking or even being in the kitchen at all, Daddy going outside without him, loud noises, veggies,

Karter does or says:
dog, Mama, Daddy, Ball (for anything that is circle. We are working on that), boat, book, wall, door, Where'd it go, water bottle, plays basketball outside with daddy can drop ball in hoop, I got him to say "No More Football" 2 times

He can sign: all done, please and more

He follows simple commands such as:
go get your shoes, take one more bite/drink, let's go change your stinky(go to your changing table), time for night night (get in mommy's lap for snack,book and milk), lets go bye-bye(go to laundry room and wait by the door), get the ball, Karter's first Popsicle

He loved it

Playing in the sprinkler. On the sidewalk because he will not step in the grass

Waiting for daddy to get his I can push or pull (4 wheeler)

His newest pose. We call it his down hill skiing pose