Farm Fun

We normally go every year to cut down our own tree, but since the selection is crummy and kids end up melting down, we decided to take it to the farm instead. Good choice.

Caden and Nolan enjoyed the barrel o toys. Weapons are always a big draw and a reason to grab.

I think Caden likes what he sees. Ok...a little inappropriate, but I couldn't help myself.

On the way out to the farm, we saw this lady walking with her child and invited her to enjoy the day of fellowship with us.....

Apparently she felt comfortable enough to nurse her 2-year old in plain view. We applaud her for her utilization of the freedom to nurse as long as she wants and wherever she wants.

Sweet Mallory....don't you want to squeeze those cheeks!

Caden fell...a lot...and almost always close to poop.

I'm celebrating looking really good. You know I do.

eat up!

stare-down between Caden and Lefty. Lefty won.

All of the "big kids"

You would make a face like that too if you peeked over the fence and saw a horse driving a tractor backwards while singing Jingle Bells. It really happened. Caden was there.

Never too early to start hauling hay.

pinch!

My sweet tiny love. Tate is such a happy, easy baby. He LOVES being outside and is pretty content if he has a full belly and enough sleep. I told him to look innocent here. Pretty good interpretation, I think.

Giggling with grandmother

Grandaddy taking his two little men on a tractor ride.

One reason Tate loves the outdoors is the proximity to free food. Leaves, grass, sticks....you could eat for days and never crawl more than a foot or two.

Christmas Tree oh Christmas Tree

I can't believe it, but I'm pretty sure these are the only pictures of i have of our tree...so you will never know just how beautifully random it looked when we finished decorating. :) We made the trip to Home Depot this year and picked out the loveliest tree....

Caden had to give it the "hug test"

We let Caden do the honors of cutting off the netting. He's up for anything he can do with a pair of sharp scissors.

Angle is everything.

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Who doesn't love a good tutu

While I'm catching up on Christmas posts, here is a recent one. Janelle, Drayton, Caden, Tate, and I got to spend some time in Mt. Pleasant playing with the Deans, and it was a "magical" play date....one of those where the kids behaved, we got to sit, eat, and talk, and it felt like we'd played instead of just wrangled when we left. Caden had quite a bit of fun with Norah's dress up clothes. I see a future camper/staff costume.

Some people only have figurative "thinking caps." Caden's is literal.

Tate apparently asked Norah for a puppy to ride on his head. Good girl was happy to oblige.

Busy little cousins. More and more people have said that Caden and Drayton favor each other. I'm starting to see what they're talking about.

Norah got a bounce house for Christmas, and they had SO much fun playing. Wore them right out.

Drayton also loved the bounce house. hehe. To be fair, he missed a nap and had trouble going down in a strange place, so he was a bit out of sorts. Tate the compassionate felt his pain.

Two if the little buddies together

Los tres amigos!!

Caden truly loves to read...even more when he gets to read to his beloved

I am also easily entertained by a wipe box.

weo weo wo mah mah mah (that's my best effort at the Western standoff music)

We had so much fun playing. It was a brief couple of days of wellness before our next round of crud. I've never been so ready for a season to be over. Winter, you are not my friend. We're through.

Tennessee Thanksgiving

We went to Nashville/Rogersville for Thanksgiving this year, and it was a lot of driving, but totally worth it.

Caden is really into "cooking" lately, and he got to help Cookie with quite a few dishes.

Both Caden and Tate got a little time with my mom's sister, Aunt Kay.

Caden with my cousin Bryan's son, Brady.

This was a stroller that my mom rode in when she was little. I LOVE things like that.

We left on Tuesday and drove to Rogersville, TN where my dad's parents live. That's where we grew up spending Thanksgiving, and it's always a nice break from "life." I remember playing with these waffle blocks when we were little, and Drayton had so much fun riding back and forth since the weather was GORGEOUS!!

Customary hike down by the old cabins. Always a good picture taking spot.

Welcome. The cabins are reportedly haunted. This may be one of the ghosts of the original settlers. She looks inviting, I think.

Hope you got your tickets.....for the GUN SHOW!

Looking at some deer tracks.

This is one of Tate's favorite faces. He's going to have jaw problems later if he keeps opening his mouth that wide.

Cousin Ben played with Caden for hours, and later on so did Cousin Andrew. Caden has some new heros.

Meh.

What poor taste.

After Thanksgiving dinner, we always sit in the "pit" and sing for however long we all last. I appreciate it more now that I'm older.

4 generations: Caden and Tate, me, my dad, and his parents

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I know I'm behind.....

So, until I get my act together, here are some pictures that make me smile....

Stay tuned...big things coming....or maybe not. Just stay tuned.