Chinese New Year

We had a very modest celebration for Chinese New Year.  Parker headed up the lantern making and coloring Chinese zodiac pictures for each year of the kids birth.  We ordered food to be delivered so we could just spend time with the kids.  It turned out that the whole idea of having a party was much more fun than the actual event.  :)  I think we are all very tired, Carter is fighting a cold, Parker trying to adjust to the idea that he is growing up a little and Mom & Dad are just low on patience.  We did make it through and actually managed to get the camera out for this little celebration.  We are so very blessed with these three amazing little people who are wonderfully and uniquely created by God!  We are discovering though that it would sometimes be nice if they all came with their very own manual to teach us how to be the best parents we can be with each of them.  Sometimes its so completely tiring but the most incredibly rewarding job ever!!   We love these guys so much!! 

Day Out

We had a gorgeous day so decided to get outside a little.  The kids love to be outdoors and in the woods so Vickery Creek trail was a good place to get a short hike in.   Parker is in his element out there!  He is just so happy and leads the pack.  Grace right behind him has absolutely no fear and tries her best to keep up.  Carter mostly takes his time to take in every sight along the way - every stump, rock, bug...  

Carter saw this piece of a fallen tree leaning up the hillside and 

wanted to climb it so we defeated it together. 

After 'burning all of those calories' :), we had a fun, indulgent dinner out at Five Guys.  The kids all love the fact that we can sit and have peanuts while we wait.  By the end of dinner, Carter & GraceLin we just wiped out and melting.  Straight home to bath and bed and hopes for a late morning sleep!  

Kids who ate the Canary

The two big guys in the house did an amazing job of making dinner tonight and 'kind of' keeping and eye on the little people while I did some school work.  :)  When I was finished and dinner was in the over, John, Parker and I were just having a little conversation that quickly was swept away and never to be returned to because...  I suddenly realized that C & G were way too quiet!  I turned around to find them leaning over a chair in the family room.  When asked what they were up to, they both turned to look at me with such guilty faces - they tried so hard to play it cool and Carter even said, 'what Mom?!' When John asked what he had in his mouth, he just clutched his little hands behind his back even tighter.  Parker, who doesn't want to miss an opportunity to 'bust' them, walked over to find an empty plastic candy cane that, just moments earlier had been full!  John laughed at them and said, 'did you at least share with Gracie?'  While he answered yes, he slyly put his hand over hers and a moment later, she was popping and M&M into her mouth.  I'm certain that had he not been sharing all along though, she would have been the tattle tale!   Carter hesitantly made his way toward us with that hand behind his back and finally revealed the remaining 5 or 6 M&M's.   I'm only sad that I didn't catch this all on video.  Here are a few shots of the aftermath (mostly blurred because the sugar kicked in quickly:)!   They are certainly partners in crime!

Happy Birthday Jesus

'Mary had a baby boy, baby boy, baby boy, Mary had a baby boy and Jesus was his name!'

Carter loved practicing for his school program starting before Thanksgiving. (He was an angel but I didn't seem to catch a photo of him:(  He had such fun doing it! Our little man is so animated and fun loving.  In addition to really getting into the fact that Jesus had a birthday coming up and we would have a party, he started to catch on that Santa would come to his house and leave surprises.  He started singing Santa Clause is Coming to Town frequently.  He has been fun to watch as he realizes so many things.  The fact that we got so much time with family and friends was so much excitement to him!  What a blessing this little man is in our family and this world!

When we went to see Santa at our clubhouse, Carter just walked right in and started having a conversation with him.  Too precious!  He told Santa that he wanted a surprise - he never had any specific want which I was thrilled about.  He hasn't yet gotten caught up in the commercialism of that takes away from the true meaning of Christmas!

This man has a huge heart for children!  (I know, I know! But this Santa is special!)

Parker has been such an amazing big brother as usual this season.  He has kept the 'little people' entertained if need be when I'm trying to get something done.  He loves to have fun and be funny.   He has been sharing information about the birth of Jesus and reading stories to the them!  Parker did have a specific list for Santa and was just mater of fact that 'this was the first year that he didn't get everything from Santa that he asked for.'  He was very happy about the fact that he got some substitutes though.  The big thing I noticed about Parker this season besides his constant joy was that on Christmas Eve when it was time to open the one gift they get to open, he pulled gifts from under the tree for me and his grandparents.  He is such a giver and has such a big heart!!  

 Best gift of the season - duct tape covered tissue box filled with tissue on top and a little duct tape tab sticking out.  Pulling the tape reviled a roll of dollar bills ending with a $2 and finally a $5.  :)  Creativity from Nanannette.

GraceLin so got into the excitement of the Christmas season although she didn't really get it.  She is trying to hard to talk and keep up with the boys.  Her speech is getting better but her comprehension and knowledge of what she wants is pretty awesome.  She tries to keep up with her brother's every move.  She has also been singing lots lately - she copies Carter's songs and she just sings along with anything whether it's familiar or not.  She has enjoyed the ornaments on the tree and learned quickly to touch with one finger.  She also started spending more time focusing on coloring, reading books and any iDevice she could get her hands on.  Its such a joy watching her personality come to life!

 Grace didn't like Santa and of course, big brother was to the rescue as usual!

Amazingly blessed to be given the privilege of raising these three amazing wondrous works!

So thankful this season to be focused on the one true Light and not just lights and gifts and all that this world has made of it.  Thankful for the hope of that Light in the crazy world that we live in filed with uncertainties and pain.  Thankful to be home with three precious babes to help them keep their innocence a little longer and learn to rely on The Light of Jesus instead of themselves or anything man can do for them.  Prayerful that they all seek Him their whole lives long!  

Blessed Christmas memories! 

Thankful

This Thanksgiving we are so very thankful for many, many things.  Our Savior above is at the top of the list.  God placed John and I together to walk through this world.  The blessing of being entrusted with three beautiful unique children.  Being home with Grace one year.  Nanannette and Grandpa Marvin who add so much to our lives.  The rest of our amazing families who we wish we could see more often.  Having Michael and Quinn with us for celebrating this year.

We had a terrific day filled with way too much food and lots of fun.

Sous-chef Carter helping Uncle Mike with green beans

while Parker snuggled with Grandpa

and Quinn watched football looking very patriotic in the red chair

Grandma sampling the food before Thanksgiving meal is a tradition

Who me?  I'm not part of that!

Take a picture of me!!  

The buffet

Quinn must be telling us something interesting.

Grandma sharing piles of teddy bears with the kiddos

The bears were all stuffed into this tree so Parker helped Grace stuff herself in   :)

Halloween Fun for Kids

Just had a post a few adorable photos:

Tigger or Shere Kahn - you choose

Belle

Minecraft Steve

Running from the castle monsters I suppose

Growing Kiddos

Life is just so fun, crazy, chaotic and at times rough with these three kiddos.  They are all growing and changing in to such amazing little people!  We have had such a great fall learning how to do school and work together.  The freedom and slower pace that homeschooling has given our family is amazing.  We all have more time together and more of that time is focused on intentional growth plus more of that time is focused a fun together!  We are so incredibly blessed!

Parker is maturing so much, doing terrific with his school work, having fun with Lacrosse and loving his brother and sister.  He is just so happy with life and his sense of humor is really showing lately.  

Carter brings endless energy to this family - it's never dull.  He just seems to be growing up so much recently.  He can tell a complete story in pretty clear sentences.  It's so amazing.  He impresses me sometimes with his cleverness.  As much as Carter loves his brother and sister, he can turn on them in a flash if what they want/do doesn't coincide with his plan.  We are in the heart of the three year old 'learning what it's all about' period.  Oh, and this little man LOVES tractors!

Our sweet little one - Grace Lin seems so comfortable with her family after over a year together.  She is a very confident and determined little girl.  Her determination has helped her to excel physically with walking,  jumping, etc. after six months of PT.  Now she is really learning to speak after having help from our sweet speech therapist Ann.  She is starting to talk in three word sentences and wants to read constantly.  She repeats so many words that we say and even when I sing her a song, she repeats the last word of each line. Lately, she loves, loves to walk around with a bag filled with who knows what over her arm and either push her baby stroller or shopping cart.  She loves, loves her 'Mama' too.  :)  

We spent the day at Burt's Pumpkin Patch with our sweet friends Juli and Ella Claire.