We saw Santa... again!

"Have you had your picture taken with Santa yet?"

It's a question we get asked many times.  I just haven't had the courage to try recently.
A few weeks ago we had our first encounter with the Jolly Old Soul - we were playing in the castle at Memorial City and paid a visit as we were leaving. We walked by, gave him high-fives and hugs, then left.  Didn't want to put the kids on his lap quite yet... just wanted them to SEE Santa.  Great first visit.

Well, yesterday morning we were all in the van headed home from errands, and received a phone call from Grams. Santa was paying a quick visit to the YMCA! The kids were used to the location since they've been swimming there before.  I didn't have my camera, but we thought, "why not"...

We arrived to find a sweet Santa ready in the lobby, a line that wasn't very long, and several tables set out for Christmas activities for the kids!  James was happy to be amidst the crowd, but the girls were clinging to my pants as they tried to figure out what all the noise was about!  The kids made their first stop at the cookie table! Then off to color a picture of Santa... I decided to avoid the "glitter" craft table at all costs!

Finally - it was OUR time to see Santa. 
James jumped in his lap before we had time to grab him! He gave Santa high-fives, told him he wanted a train and a digger... even gave him 2 kisses before he left! We were ALL surprised - thought for sure he would be the one to shy away... we were SO wrong.

Madison was next in line. During James' visit, she spent the majority of her time hiding behind me (who was sitting on the floor next to Santa with Morgan in my lap).  She was shy, had her back to the camera, and mumbled the entire time.  I DID hear her tell Santa she wanted a baby crib :)  About that time, the camera lady said, "Say Cheese!"... and so she whipped her little face around and gave the camera the biggest, cheesiest smile she could - pretty cute, if I do say so myself.

Time for Morgan - and she was NOT going to be leaving my lap for ANY reason --- so I decided to sit a little closer to Santa so they could at least be in the same picture.  Meanwhile, James, who thought the photos were all finished, was headed for the door... we called him back over to join the group, and he did so in protest.  Not being a very happy boy, he flopped his body over my right shoulder.  The sweet camera lady asked if we wanted to try moving him, etc... I just told her to take the picture - this was a great shot of a typical day ... but this day just happened to be with Santa.

So here is the group photo - complete with uneaten cookies and business cards from Santa (not to drum up business, but explain a little about the true meaning of Christmas).

On the way home, I asked Morgan if she liked Santa, and she said Yes! She also said she wanted a baby crib, too!

Love you lots, Santa! We look forward to seeing you again!



Happy Halloween!

The night was perfect.

The kids knew the drill.

Trick or Treat at every door!

What were we this year?  We had 2 princesses (same as last year) and a Thomas the Train! Started the evening at 4:30 knocking on doors - and were very surprised when the kids weren't scared of the neighbors on the other side!  Treat were collected by 5:00, then off to eat dinner.  My favorite part was AFTER the meal.  The kids sat in the front yard and passed out the candy to OTHER trick-or-treaters!... well, the girls did. James was content to sit in the dirt and play with his train. The girls gave LOTS of candy to the princesses and other not-so-scary costumes, and very little to the "yucky" costumes!  I was proud of the fact that they GAVE candy--- not kept it :)

Bath/Bed was easy - and they all slept like logs!  They're still talking about Trick-or-Treat, and it is difficult to explain that it won't happen again for another year... but I'm sure once they see the Thanksgiving treats and Christmas Candy Canes, they'll be fine :)

Princess Morgan - the crown lasted about 2 minutes :)  Glad we got a shot...

Princess Madison - she actually tried to pose for this :) Crown stayed on FOREVER...and I have a feeling this will be a part of her daily wardrobe...

James, the train conductor.  He wears his costume as long as he can... and as often as possible!

Neighbors, the Gibsons - one of the first houses we hit... at 4:30 in the afternoon!

Trick-or-Treating at Maw-Maw's house.  Good thing she gave us some candy from the "good" basket (containing real chocolate) and not the "other" basket (containing tootsie rolls, Dots, and lollipops!)

Grams helps James into his chair so he can see his candy from the night (and I am hoping he didn't notice the Butterfinger that has mysteriously disappeared since this photo!!!!!)

SURPRISE, MORGAN!!!!!

Uncle Jon helps James get a little closer to the airplanes!

Madison relaxing by the pumpkins - and trying to figure out how to reattach the pumpkin stem!



Our best TREATS EVER!!!



Waiting for next year....

Pumpkin Carving!!!

Last night, we had our very first pumpkin carving! What a blast!  Kids LOVED it!!! Here are a few shots from the evening.

Madison watching Dad !

Morgan reaching in and grabbing seeds - we were surprised she did it! She usually isn't fond of getting dirty :)



Madison cleaning out the pumpkin.



James reaching in for seeds.

Although James liked the pumpkin carving, he was REALLY interested to see if the pumpkin could be hauled by his trains, Thomas and Bill.  (the trains did go through the dishwasher that evening).

Happy kids - happy dad - all looking at their first Jack-o-lantern!

Earlier in the day, we spent time outside enjoying the amazing weather. Madison found a toad by our tree and CAUGHT IT!  I was amazed that she was so quick ... and showed no fear!  The toad was not harmed and hopped away as soon as he got the chance :)

Madison peeking from around the tree - gotta love the dirty face!!!

James - lately he is fascinated with airplanes flying overhead!!! 

Morgan eating goldfish.

Let the Slumber Parties BEGIN!

Well... the day we NEVER thought would arrive has finally come... the day all the cribs are gone!
James received his big boy bed back in June - he mastered the art of climbing out of the crib and disturbing his sisters!  Our guest room was transformed into his bedroom, and the girls shared their original room.  We knew the girls would "escape" naps as well, so we ordered their beds.  After measuring, ordering beds, remeasuring, canceling the original order, and ordering a second set of beds, our beds finally arrived.  The girls' cribs were disassembled.  I cried just a little.  We rearranged the room and took away everything that could get in the way of sleep... and waited... waited for bedtime.
Once baths were over, Maw-Maw and Paw-Paw waited in the hallway with the kids so I could sneak in the room and get the video camera ready... I just had to capture their reaction on film. SOOO glad I did!
See for yourself ... and feel free to press the stop button whenever you need to! Although the laughter, jumping, and giggles last less than 4 minutes on tape, they last MUCH longer during what we ONCE referred to as "nap time"...

Hello Again, Mr. Sandbox!

With the incredibly high temps this summer, we have spent much of our time indoors - not much fun for any of us.  Thank goodness, we've had some beautiful weather for the last few days! We were reintroduced to one of our favorite items - the sandbox!
James enjoyed digging/covering things, Madison enjoyed patting sand to make hand prints, and Morgan sat on the side to blow some bubbles (she's not a fan of getting dirty).

Here are just a few pics from this morning...

Yea, Sandbox time!!! 

Morgan blowing bubbles!

Madison making hand prints

My sweet boy and his dump truck!

Shelby watching over her crew

And the race is ON!

Madison

Morgan playing peek-a-boo

James got a head start on his sisters!



A boy after my own heart - feet on the dashboard, letting someone else drive :)

Back to School?

Hard to believe it is time for school already --- back-to-school sales, teachers decorating classrooms, team meetings are well underway.  AND ... for the first time in 21 years, I will not be a part of it.

Will I miss the teachers.  No doubt.  I love the friendships formed, the way we always were "there" to listen, the great ideas shared, and the professional growth.
Will I miss OKE? ABSOLUTELY!  I can never thank Malynn enough for my support while we established our new little family.
Janet - how will I ever be able to survive without your humor and subtlety? (especially your "special" b-day treats during planning time) 
Taylor - Will I be suffering from ADM withdrawal and creating my own "football fields" in my sleep? (hmmm...let me think about that one)
4th grade team - will I miss your lunch conversations - and catching up with boyfriends, weddings, & babies?  You bet! Guess I'll just have to come back to visit sometime and catch up on all the good gossip!

Will I miss the paperwork.  Nope - sorry! That's an easy one to dismiss!

Will I regret staying home and being a teacher to these 3 little guys?  NEVER!  Seems like the Lord gave me 21 years in the field of education so I can apply what I have learned to my new small group.

Here's a little bit of our latest lessons at home:


Anatomy - we often sit together on the floor and have "surgery". Everyone giggles as I reach into their tummies and pull out trains, Veggie Tales, dirty diapers, and anything else they suggest.  I ABSOLUTELY LOVE having everyone looking up at me and laughing --- wish I could record the giggles and play at the same time... you'll just have to use your imagination!

 

Rest time! After a busy day with our new coloring books and a snack of Cheerios, we all settle down for a quick rest while watching Bubble Guppies!!! It also gives me a chance to change diapers while everyone is still (quiet moments are few and far between!).

Make believe - we were all hiding under the table when Daddy got home! Everyone was so excited to see him that we couldn't stay under the table for long, but once in a while, we had everyone together for one picture. Notice how Morgan has already managed to get Daddy's cell phone - good thing Dad can lock the keypad!

Hide-and-Seek - Lately we have discovered fun uses for laundry baskets. They can be used as boats, as "private spaces", as platforms from which we can jump (yes, I know, not the safest choice)... and in this case, the basket was used as a place for 5 people to hide! Uncle Scott and Cousin Rebecca joined in the fun, too!

Community Pets - I guess many elementary classrooms have pets.  We have 2 frogs (thanks, Becca) and our beloved Golden Retriever, Shelby. For those who are wondering if she gets along with the babies, YES! I had to take QUICK pictures as the entire crew decided to sit on the dog! After a BIG lick across the face, Shelby decided to stand and leave the fun. She sleeps really well at night and gets as many power naps as possible.

I have to leave you with a video clip. I was in the kitchen trying to recover from a dinner when I heard giggles and belly laughs coming from the front room.  I had to grab the camera, and thank goodness, caught some of it on film.  James has recently discovered that his sisters are very good at playing and interacting!  Words can't replace the sound of laughter... ( for 1 1/2 minutes).  I don't think I've posted a video for a while, so if you haven't seen us in action lately, enjoy the show!

Summer Happenings!

Yes, it HAS been a while since I've posted anything! We've had a very busy summer so far! Fun, but very busy!
Since school has been out, we have let Andrea -- our day helper, friend, angel, and sanity -- move on to help anther triplet family.  WE MISS HER!!!! Gone are the times when I could run errands while she watched the kids for me!  We decided it would be a good time for them to start a toddler school. We found a toddler program that we absolutely LOVE at our church.  The kiddos attend twice a week, giving me time to clean house, go grocery shopping, and run various errands.  They seem to enjoy school - and they are given opportunities for crafts (painting, using glue, etc.) as well as socializing with other kiddos.  The teachers said they couldn't believe that our crew had never been in daycare before because they adjusted so quickly.  I reminded her that we practically LIVE in a daycare - always other students around as well as constant supervision by an adult :)

I thought this post would be a good time to add some photos and give you a glimpse of our summer so far.
Enjoy!

This was our family photo from April. Folks have asked if I still did photography for other families - nope - no time. I hardly have time to take pics of my OWN family!  For our bluebonnet pics, we called on the help of Claire Hill - a mom with twins who does a fantastic job!

Here is the gang visiting Grams and Pops. They LOVE to watch the koi in the pond -- and I love their outfits!  The outfits were bought in support of a triplet friend, Linus, who is dealing with major health issues. The clothes remind me every time I see them just how very blessed we are!



The girls enjoy some time together - I love watching them swing their feet in unison!



James discovered a Girl Scout CLASSIC - THIN MINTS! Believe it or not, this mess was created by just ONE cookie!  I also love the stick that was brought in the house from an outside adventure :)



The group LOVES the family piano! This was the piano that Grams used when growing up!  How sweet it is to hear these 3 "playing" away! (and I'm glad they don't mind all sharing the same bench!)



Summertime means POPSICLES! Here James enjoys his very first one! Of COURSE he liked the stick best :)  After a few minutes, he discovered the tasty treat on the other end!



Madison enjoys her Popsicle as well as the sprinkler!! 





Morgan enjoys her Popsicle... and her water bottle... and her watermelon... (and a bath later!)





James building a "tall tower" in the kitchen during a rainy day!



Morgan entertains her with a pair of socks! They were originally a gift for me - but they look much cuter on the kids!





Madison and Shelby both watch the rain outside. She was gently feeling Shelby's ear - very sweet...

The BIGGEST news of the summer is the transition for James from his crib to his Big Boy Bed! This photo was taken on a day that he was wiped out from a virus... and the same day the bed was delivered! He was so tired, we didn't have time  to put on the sheets!  It is a trundle bed, so we pull out the mattress for his "step".  We started the transition 5 days ago, and we think he is doing a great job! Last night, it only took 10 minutes to get him settled and ready for bed!
Side note - Our trio has shared the same room since the day they were first brought home from the hospital.  They are used to the sounds made by each other, and never had a problem sleeping trough each other's cries.  Well, on the night that James slept in a DIFFERENT room for the first time, he wasn't a happy camper.  We did the "tuck him in, leave and let him cry, tuck him back in bed, leave and let him cry, tuck him back in bed" routine for at least 45 minutes.  During this routine, Morgan was heard crying in the other room. I went in to check on her, and the first thing she said to me was, "James?" I reassured her that he was fine, just sad he had to leave his sisters -- I gave her a kiss and tucked her back in the blanket.  From that point on, she was fine :) I do love the way they will always have each other!

We'll keep you posted on the rest of the summer when we can!