Eli's 8th Birthday - Sunday, December 1st

Another year has gone by and my baby boy is 8.  He is such a terrific young man.  I am so proud of him.  He is currently in the 2nd grade and is a leader among his peers.  He enjoys playing football every recess with his friends and has the highest reading grade in his class, and has nothing but "A's" overall.  He was chosen to be the first to speak at the Christmas play for the 1st and 2nd grade, and all of his teachers tell me how kind he is to others.  He rarely fights with his brothers and is extremely helpful to me around the house. Eli loves God and loves others and it shows.  What else can I ask for?

 

This first picture is my birthday boy with his birthday doughnuts.  His favorite is chocolate iced with multi-colored sprinkles.

 We measured him this morning on his growth chart.  He is 4 inches shy of being 5 feet tall.  I made this growth chart when I was pregnant with Eli.  I chose a Winnie the Pooh theme because I didn't know if I would ever have girls, now I wish I had made it sports themed.  Eli and Brady are way too old for Winnie the Pooh!

 Eli requested a football field cake with the jerseys of Seahawks quarterback Russel Wilson, and Giants quarterback Eli Manning.  Here are Eli and Brady lining the football field with chocolate chips.  And eating a few in the process.

 The end result of the football cake.

 It was such a beautiful day, we were able to have birthday lunch outside after church.  Eli requested hamburgers on the grill.  Excellent choice.

 Present time...

 Brady got Eli a jump rope.

 Papa and Nana (Rachel's parents) got him some brand new Nike shoes.

 Bill and I got him a pack of football cards.  To say he and Brady are obsessed with these right now would be an understatement.  They each have their binders and spend hours looking at them, talking about them, and making "sick, mad trades" with each other.  (Their words, not mine.)

 Before they open each pack, they rub it on their foreheads for good luck.  Bill says that his father used to do this with him when he was a kid and he always really enjoyed it, so he is passing it along to his own children.

 He got an Eli Manning card!

 Brady singing "Happy Birthday" to Eli.

8th birthday party details soon to come...Happy Birthday, my sweet boy!

Getting the Christmas Tree - Friday, November 29, 2013

The day after Thanksgiving is our day to get our Christmas Tree.  First, we go to Pizza Hut and have pizza (a tradition carried over from my childhood), then we get a tree and take it home and decorate it.  When my parents were in Michigan, there was a really cool Christmas Tree Farm we went to and chopped down our own tree and enjoyed some crafts and hot chocolate in the barn there.  (Many of my Christmas decorations came from this place, including Bill's and my stocking holders.)  But in Alabama, they don't really have that, so we had to go to a store called Lowe's to get it.

 Eli, Brady, and Major loved running around in the trees trying to find the perfect one.  Please disregard the pizza sauce all over Major's face and shirt.  :-)

 We found the perfect tree for our house.  It was the perfect height, and very full and fat.

 Daddy and Major put the star at the top of the tree.

 After mommy and daddy put up all the lights, daddy and the boys put up the decorations.

 Here is Major putting up his "baby's first Christmas" ornament from 2011.

 Next, we have Brady putting up his "baby's first Christmas" ornament from 2008.

 And then Eli with his "baby's first Christmas" ornament from 2005.

 Then Eli wanted to get a picture of Bill and me with our first Christmas ornament from 2001...12 years ago! Wow!

 This picture is Daddy and Major with our new ornament for 2013.  It says "2013 Montgomery" for our first Christmas in our new home.  Major absolutely loved putting up the ornaments.  I was trying to get a good picture, but he would never look at me.  He would not take his eyes off of that ornament, just waiting for the chance to put it on the tree.

 My three angels in front of a stunning Christmas Tree!

Thanksgiving Day and Turkey Bowl - Thursday, November 28, 2013

Thanksgiving break! One of the best school breaks there are! We get a week off of school, and this year we stayed at home with just the 5 of us.  There is a lot of time for playing and enjoying each other.  This year, Bill decided to help us out financially by working at a Christmas Tree farm, so it was just the three little guys and me a lot.  (As a side note, Bill got a speeding ticket in a construction zone his first day on the job, so he actually ended up making us no money.  Such is life.)

First, we have a photo of Eli and Major playing together.  (Brady was in the other room playing with his little football men.)

 Thanksgiving morning, I had the boys make a "thankful table" with drawings and words of all the things for which they are thankful.  And we started the day off with some chocolate chip pancakes.  The boys LOVE these things! Eli can easily eat 10 at one sitting.  Brady tries to keep up, but 4 is about all he can do.  :-)

 Before our Thanksgiving meal, we held our annual turkey bowl.  This is at least our 3rd annual game, if not the fourth.  The teams were Eli and Brady vs. daddy and mama.  Here are my Eli and my Brady before the game.  (And then we had to get another shot with Major in there.)

 The mean parents before the game.  We were team "Awesomeness".

 Since I was playing in the game, there aren't any pictures of the actual game, but here is Team Awesomeness after they put the hurt on Eli and Brady.  I don't remember the final score, but it was a lot to a little.

 Then, daddy and the boys played a little football on their own.

 Our family on Thanksgiving: Brady, Rachel, Bill, Major, and Eli

Major played on the swings and slide while we played some football.  I'm sure he'll be in there with us next year. 

 Major with a lady bug on his jacket (if you look really closely, you can see it), he loves to hold bugs!

 After football, it was time for our Thanksgiving feast!

 Of course, Thanksgiving Day would not be complete without watching a little football.

There is so much to be thankful for this year.  I am thankful for our new home and moving to Montgomery.  I am thankful that the boys (and Bill!) love their new school.  I am thankful for all the new friends we've made.  I am extremely thankful for my family, for a mom and dad that love me greatly, and three boys who are happy, kind, generous, and thoughtful.  And I am thankful that we have a God who is in control and has blessed us so richly.  Happy Thanksgiving!