It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Almost here, can't wait...
Madi is always excited to put the angel on top of the tree.

A little help from dad...

Telling Santa she wants 4 My little ponies...Clay wanted no part of Santa. We put him on his lap, he threw his head back, scrambled to the floor and made his escape.

New member of the family

No, I am not pregnant, but yes, I have a new child. Meet Gabrielle, Baby Alive. She eats, drinks, pees, poops, talks, sits on the potty. She is a lot of work for all of us, but we are getting used to the new family member. She wet 5 diapers today and pooped on my leg this morning when I picked her up. The most important thing is that Madi loves her and she tells me I'm a good grandma :)

Clayisms

Clay is hysterical. If he is quiet, he has crawled on top of the counter in the kitchen and is eating butter. If he is really quiet, he has found my lipstick and is rubbing it into his hair. We all get the biggest kick out of him.

If he is eating, it is everywhere.


If he is poopy he will bring a diaper and powder to me with this look on his face.

Ruthie Toothless at Thanksgiving

Madi didn't seem to have any problem eating turkey this Thanksgiving, even with her 2 front teeth missing. We travelled to Missouri to spend time with family. My grandpa is doing great and my cousin was a saint, playing with Madi and Clay all weekend.

Soccer Dad

The Dolphins soccer season has come to an end, we only lost 2 games, to the same team (they are secretly awesome) but a great season none the less. We had an after party at our house. The girls had fun on the four-wheeler and we played a game Corby invented called "egg drop." All the kids had a shot at dropping an egg on the coaches head, from the upstairs catwalk, it was hilarious.

Zoo, Zoo and more Zoo

Clayton and I sneak off to the zoo everytime the weather is nice during the week. This fall has been awesome, the animals are all out for viewing. Too bad Madi has to go to school, that sounds weird, but I am just used to having her for at least half of the day, all day school is different.. she is doing very well I might add. If your kids like to play on the computer, Starfall is awesome for all levels of new readers. She has really taken off this year in reading and math, always with her nose in a book.

Clayton's first haircut

Clay really needed a real haircut. My stylist was nice enough to chase him around the salon to get the job done. He looks so cute now!!


Before, when mom cut my hair...honestly mom!


After, how handsome am I?


Calling my girlfriends to tell them how cute I am with my new hair...

Weiner Roast

My aunt and uncle have a cookout every fall, here are some pics of my family by the campfire....it was cold, perfect night. Clayton sat in my lap for more than 2 seconds!! That has only happened about 3 times..very exciting, he never wants to snuggle so I was eating it up.

Ready for Christmas

I am already ready for Christmas, I am shopping today, it will not sneak up on me again!!!!!!!!!!! (I stress and procrastinate Christmas every year, and I am determined to not do it this year) This is my vow to now let the holidays take me down :)
PS BOOO to the time change, love it in the morning, hate it at 6pm when its dark and I want to go to bed at 7pm every night, it also cuts into the "let the kids run off of their energy outside" time, I need the sunshine as much as they do.

No more vampire for me!

So Corby and I did a lot of soul searching and made an executive decision that I do not need to be working nights anymore. So, last night was my last....now I get to work days like every other living mortal being. I am excited to join the land of the living and to be SLEEPING at night with my family instead of being up at the hospital working. I will just pick up one weekend day and work 2 days during the week, which gives me more time at home for all of Madi's activities during the week. I think this will be so much better for me and all of us. No more red eyes and fangs!!!!

What I looked and felt like after a typical night shift.

More Halloween pics...

The turtle got into some chocolate M&M's

Trick-or-treat!

Clayton riding in style.

Halloween

We had a good Halloween, Madi was Snow White and Clayton a turtle. Madi was very hot and cold on the wig, it was on and off, she looked like Jan Brady with blonde hair poking out sometimes :) We went trick-or-treating, the kids liked to fight (Halloween meltdowns is what I call it) over who rang the doorbell and Madi spent half the night tattling about who didn't say thank you. The funniest thing she said was, "Let's go to this house, they are giving out FREE candy!" We laughed...

The little mouse...



Clayton getting his first taste of candy, now he points to the candy jar and screams for more, I had to hide it from him!

The lovely Snow White, that tooth is now gone, no front teeth!

Em's Shower

I ventured to Lawrence to go the Emily's shower. She is a super cute pregnant girl and got about 8 million presents at her shower, I think she is good to go. Can't wait for little boy Clothier and all of the good times he will bring to Emily and Matty. It was awesome catching up with old friends too. This last pic is a relly cool building in Ottowa I think, I took it while I was driving SCARRY. I am proud to say I didn't get lost going there OR coming home...even though the scary round-a-bout tried to do me wrong. What is up with Kansas and round-a-bouts, in a not so round-a-bout way, I hate them.

Redbud Valley

We went hiking in Catoosa at a trail in Redbud Valley, we have been outdoorsy lately!! Clayton actually cooperated for 95% of the hike, happy to be in the backpack with daddy. Daddy's back was not so happy with 30 lbs. of big ol' boy, but we had fun.

Shepherd's Cross Pumpkin Patch

This is a pumpkin patch just north of Claremore, it is acutally someone's farm and they open it up to the public each fall. We went to a birthday party and had so much fun. They had a hayride, pumpkin patch, petting zoo, hay maze, story telling and face painting. Clayton had fun relocating all of the pumpkins of course :)

Zoo

October is the BEST time for the zoo, the animals were all frisky (or "crispy" as Madi says) and the weather is perfect. We had a good time monkeying around with Mimi.

Neil Diamond

Corby and I went to see Neil at the BOK center, awesome place by the way. He was pretty good for an old dude :) We saw him about 6 years ago when Madi was in my belly. We did feel a little out of place at the concert as we do not need a walker, wheelchair or cane to get around....and yes, Corby wore a concert tee to the concert, but it was back when Neil had a hairy chest so several years old to say the least...