Welcome to OUR World!: November 2009

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Christmas Time has began....

We managed to find the time Saturday since everyone was feeling better to atleast get the tree up and decorated. We also have a few of our favorite Christmas knick knacks out and the stockings up too.... It must be close to Christmas. The kids are uber excited and the talk of the festivities has begun.

Daddy Assembling the Tree
(Adding the lights and star as well)

Before the Ornaments

The Bare Tree (except for lights)

The pile of Ornaments awaiting their special placement

Adding the Ornaments
(while watching Shrek of course)

Finished Product
(Up on the table in the corner, away from little hands and feet, but perfectly placed for viewing pleasure)

Stay tuned for a bunch more pics over the next few weeks. We always try to do one BIG present for each of the kids and then a few little things every year. This year the family decided that the kids are in need of a room makeover.... So stay tuned. I know we are suposed to wait til Christmas to tell them, but this one couldnt wait. There will still be the usual suprises under the tree, But ..... the kids are helping to mastermind a mural for one wall in their rooms (hand painted by yours truly of course) and helping to pick out new beds, dressers and desks as well as the color schemes. Time to get Big Kid furniture... Its long over due. They are excited at the prospect of new Big Kid Rooms. This should be FUN!!

Bad Mommy Forgot about the Play Photos....

Lexis class did a little read along play in class on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. She played a pilgrim wife. I was pleasantly suprised when I went in her class that I had just heard about the play the night before and she must have been working hard in class because she had ALL her lines memorized even though she had the script just in case she needed it.

Sorry the pics arent that good, I took them on my cell phone. But she was ultra cute. Enjoy!!!!

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Playing Baseball Indoors (More Thanksgiving Fun)

Videos for the Grandparents, Hope you ALL enjoy them too.... Drew is at that cute age where he is SO much fun to play with : ) I miss my babies at that age : ( I guess thats what God gave us neices and nephews for though.
DONT FORGET TO MUTE THE PLAYER AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BLOG!!

P.S. Drew and the Frankenstein Boots

Friday, November 27, 2009

Drew and Debi with the Light Sabers..... (Thanksgiving Fun!!!)

DONT FORGET TO MUTE THE MUSIC PLAYER AT THE BOTTOM BEFORE YOU PUSH PLAY!!!!

Thanksgiving......

Fun day with the Fam....
This year we spent Thanksgiving with the Blaylocks.

We had fun playing the Wii, watching movies, stuffing our bellies and hanging out.

Random Hanging Out Pics

Wii Scores

(First Game Bowling: Jennie, Grandma, Brandon, and Lex; Second Game of Bowling: Brandon, Jennie, and Lex)

Eating

Playtime with the Cousins (Neices and Nephews)

Drew took a try at taking pics... This was the result...

The end of the evening was a group pile for Aunt Debi

Hope you ALL had an equally great day!!! Now its on to the next adventure.... Christmas here we come : )

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Making Pies with Aunt Debi.....

While Brandon and I were on a date Debi made Chocolate Pies with the kids for Thanksgiving.....
Ignore my messy kitchen, I didnt have time to clean it before we left..... The kids and the pies are cuter than cute though.....

Thanks Debi for ALL your help this week, I really appreciate it.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING ALL!!!!

More About Us.....

Sean is doing AMAZINGLY well (considering), If you missed the last couple updates Sean has been diagnosed with Aspergers (High Functioning Autism)a year and a half ago. It was a tough road to get to that end result, but we are picking ourselves up and dusting ourselves off and moving on in the direction that is best for the little man.

Sean was able to be a part of a program this last school year that helped immensely with his sensory needs, coping mechanisms, language helps and keeping him on track educationally without the chaos of a "normal" classroom getting in the way. He made so many friends, friends that understand him and his quirks and LOVE him despite them. He was finally able to see that there are people out there like him and he is not alone in the world. We were SO blessed to have that oppurtunity. After a couple months of waiting for the new school year and homeschooling he is back in the program at a new campus and loving it (Pieceful Solutions) they are a God send for us. Check back to see how our Aspie survives the new school year at his new campus!!!

Lexi has had a rough school year last year BUT she is LOVING her new school and her new teacher, her and her BFF (in Florida) are enjoying being pen pals still. Miles cannot come between them, they are still forever friends and always have each others backs. Its nice for her to have a shoulder to cry on and an ear to listen from someone who is her "two peas in a pod" bud and will always get what she is going through. She loves her and misses her terribly, but they are making it through.

After a couple months of being homeschooled last year (which really turned out to be a great experience for both of us despite the added stress at times) Lexi is very excited about being back in a brick and mortar school. She is enjoying the cheer and dance club as well and chapel time on Fridays. Its been great for her to make new friends. She has also been taking a ceramics class (her bday present this year) that she has learned to love. She looks forward to see what this new year has to offer. Keep checking back for updates on her going ons at school and with her friends.

For both kids this new school year is a BIG change and an oppurtunity for them to grown in their own ways, It will be good for them to have much different experiences and growths. As much as they grow apart in some ways they are growing closer in others. Its been a struggle, but a good life lesson for Sean to be attending Lexis class for some parts of the day. Its good to watch her friends reach out to him, and to hear her want to stand up for him with the couple kids that dont understand him. Hopefully this trend will continue and they will remain close. As much as they get on each others nerves, they both know they have each others backs.

Brandon has been working hard and traveling ALOT (still, some things never change). We have been VERY blessed that he has been able to keep steady work this last couple years or so with the economy the way that it is. And we are hoping that it just stays that way.

As for me: I have been enjoying just being a mom and having the oppurtunity to help my kids learn and grow this last few months. I was blessed with the oppurtunity to give them all of me and everything they needed this last year. And they blessed me right back with a few lessons I needed to get out of life on perserverance and endurance. I love those guys to peices; and none of it would have been possible without the hard work of my loving husband. He is amazing, and although things arent always perfect between us he never gives up and always fights hard to provide us with everything we need. I love him more than words can describe.

I am looking forward to this school year and being able to take a more stand off approach. Still being involved but seeing how much they can flourish on their own. Still being there to help them with homework and attend their fieldtrips and events. Still helping occasionally in the class, but allowing them space to thrive. This should be a good experience for all of us. Cant wait!