What Did You Get For Christmas???

We had a wonderful Christmas. The anticipation for the upcoming years with the kids is just about to kill us! This year was so much fun that we can't imagine what it will be like when they can get more excited than their parents and speak of the joy for themselves! I can't wait!

I have a TON to blog about and lots of pics of all the festivities from last weekend (our trip down south) to Christmas Eve Church Service and the annual James' family Christmas party, to our fun filled and jam packed Christmas day!

But I don't have time. Why you ask? It has to do with a gift. Probably the greatest Christmas present I have ever received, from the love of my life and the greatest husband in the world. I don't have time because I have to pack and get to bed. Because we are getting up EARLY in the morning...and heading out of town.



Wanna know where? It is probably every girl, woman, mother & wife's dream trip. But I can't tell you just yet. You'll have to stay tuned til I return...NEXT WEEK!!! You know I will have plenty of pics (except with my old camera as my new one is already on the outs and right before we leave...uuuuggghhhh!) and I will definitely have New Year & Cotton Bowl highlights!

Until then...Happy New Year and GO HOGS BEAT MIZZOU!!!

Don't worry about the kids...they are in good hands!

An Early Christmas...oh I am going to drive yall crazy!!!

So this is what I got this year for Christmas...
If you know my family, we all love pictures and most of us love photography. I have always loved taking pictures and have always wanted to take it to the next level....so here we go! Luckily, I know an AWESOME photographer just a few houses down and she has offered to be my mentor. Thank you Allison!!! I can't wait to get started (as you can see below, I need the help)!

Now I will preface this by saying tonight was the first time I have picked up my camera so these truly are the very 1st pics for me to take. I wanted to play around with it tonight so I had something to look back at and laugh at how much I have improved (hopefully)! Enjoy these true beginnings and get ready for more pics than you know what to do with as I practice, practice, practice!

Elliot was not sure about this different camera I was messing with...

This is Keaton's mug shot. Doesn't it totally look like he just got picked up for a DUI? Looks like he's been scrappin' with someone!

Here is a new lash picture for you Suz!

Our post bath nightly routine....tackle daddy!

Done with Momma's new toy...

Stay tuned!!!

One More Pic & A Pick Pocket

Here is another classic pic of Elliot with Santa. Thanks Amanda for letting me swipe this from your blog!

So we have determined if the stripper thing doesn't pay the bills for Elliot she has a back up plan of how to make some extra cash.

Sunday night, I was getting the kids a bath before taking them over to Jason & Kyra's. I undressed Elliot, put her in and then proceeded to do the same with Keaton. I was sitting on the edge of the tub, took off his dirty clothes & diaper and put him in as well. I took their clothes, put them in their laundry basket & then headed back into the bathroom to put down the stopper so they tub would fill up. That's when I heard a noise. Something I hadn't heard from any of their tub toys before. I look down to first discover Elliot scratching a bobbie pin on the bottom of the tub. Where in the world would she have found that? Then I see what Keaton was playing with...MY CELL PHONE! It too is submerged in the tub and is happily being scratched on the bottom of the tub floor to make a cool noise that I am sure his tube happy ears are enjoying!

It then hits me...while I was undressing Keaton, my sweet little devil of a daughter has swiped my back pocket! I didn't even feel it! I had my cell phone and a bobbie pin in my back pocket and she lifted them like a professional gypsy in train stations of Florence! Wow...that is some skill for a 14 month old.

So needless to say, after a long drying out for my Razor over night and a small glimpse of hope yesterday when it came on, the battery slowing started to die and was to never come on again. Why does this happen at the holidays when we are all at our bank's end? At least my kids had a moment of enjoyment in the bathtub and I learned a valuable lesson...don't ever turn your back on Elliot!

For all my family that is about to encounter what is the Halford toddlers...get ready and hide your phones! Elliot is coming to town!

Happy Birthday Harry!

Yesterday was the kids 1st real birthday party for one of their friends (Elliot's boyfriend) Harry! What a great party! Keaton & Elliot had a blast and slept SO great last night.

Thanks to Harry's sweet mom, Amanda, the kids got to enjoy their 1st real party and their 1st encounter with Santa himself! You can see below how that went. We had Keaton with Mrs. Claus thinking he might like her better...guess not! Unfortunately during all the screaming, I failed to get a picture of the two of them together. Maybe next year! I can't blame them though as my parents have no pictures of me with Santa. I didn't (and still don't) do dressed up people. (Don't get me started about the creepy mall Easter bunnies!) I have in my older years warmed up to Santa but they need to have the real beards. I guess since having a love for "Miracle on 34th Street" from a young age, I am picky about my Santa's. I will one day go to Macy's after the parade and meet the real Santa and actually get my picture made with him!

Waiting for Santa...

Kathy, Todd, Emma & Jake were there!!!

Todd & Ryan trying to handle the kids (Ryan's face is priceless!)

Amanda let all the kids help open the gifts...

Check out how excited Keaton was about this gift!

Keaton was all into the balloons!

Elliot was all into the people!

We have more teeth coming in and Miss Elliot is going to give us a run for our money every time she teethes. No sleep, screaming, flailing on the floor...you name it. Tylenol, Motrin, Orajel & teething tablets all at once don't even seem to put a dent in the drama! For all of this, let's just hope she get 4 in at once because if this is all for just one more tooth, I don't think I can handle 16 more of these coming in!


Tooth count still stands at 4 each. I think we will be seeing more by the end of the week!

Until then, stay in and stay warm. (I know family, I promised some pics of the snow but it was such a downer (not even an inch) that there wasn't much to get excited about. And, by the time we got home from church yesterday, it was pretty much all melted! Next time I promise!)

Oh, last night we also went out to dinner with our bible study group and our neighbors kept the kids. They have three kids of their own who adore the twins. The kids did great and had a blast playing with Mary, Max & Jack! Here is how I found Keaton when we came to pick up the kids. He and Max were cuddled up on a bean bag watching the Incredibles! Is that the cutest thing or what? Max can baby sit for us anytime! Elliot was curled up in the chair with Kyra watching too but I didn't get a pic. She said they had been sitting their forever just snuggling and watching the movie. Now why won't they do that with momma & daddy???

A New Baby?

First just to let you know, Keaton did excellent getting his tubes this morning.

jujgbty6ohouvjy (That is from Keaton himself...at 9:30 PM, letting you know he is ok!)

We had to be at the hospital at 6:30 AM (I don't do mornings well) and got checked in with no issues. We went upstairs where Keaton got to put on his first backless gown. He was so cute with his little diapered tush sticking out! I think, like any man, he liked the freedom of the non-restrictive clothing!

After checking some vitals and attaching a few monitors, we headed downstairs. I got to ride on the bed with Keaton and this was by far his favorite part! Luckily the nurse that took him back was too sweet and Keaton went right with her and snuggled the whole way (she said she usually doesn't get too many cuddlers on the way to the OR). We went to the waiting room and before Ryan could even get through the front page of sports, Dr. Lee was coming out to tell us everything went great!

On our way back to recovery, we ran into our neighbors, Todd & Allison (see PHOTO ALLI link to the right!!!). Both of their girls were getting tubes, Eva for the second time as hers had fallen out. The girls were waiting to go back and Miss Avery was telling me how brave she was going to be. Praise God, they did great as well!

We headed to recovery and Keaton was back there with a nurse, one step from being swaddled and drinking a bottle! I hear of people going to the fetal position when they are frightened but he was taking reverting back to childhood to a whole new level. He was so confused and disoriented but otherwise, was glad to be back in his momma's arms, drinking his favorite blue gatorade! (The only real memory that will forever stick with me is how my sweet little baby smelled of Drakar Noir after surgery from being held by Gaylord Focker, male nurse! I really find it humorous that when I smell that now I will think of boys from Jr. High circa 1989 and my son getting tubes!) It took about 30 minutes for him to completely calm down but after that, he was great! He ended going through 4 oz of pedialyte, a big sippy cup of gatorade and another of apple juice in an hour! The nurse also let him have some jello and graham crackers while he watched Super Why! (his favorite show ever) so he was in heaven. I don't think he was actually ready to leave.

We got home and he took a bath all by himself, since Sis was still at Nana's, and he loved it. I swear that child at times wishes he was an only child! Although I will tell you, last night he was having trouble going to sleep and I finally got one of the extra blankets out of Elliot's bed and he snuggled with it and finally fell asleep. It was their first night apart so that could not have been sweeter to see from him!

Which leads me to my title for this post. Everyone told us, and keeps telling us, that Keaton will be a new baby. Well, sad to say, I liked the old baby. He is such a great kid that he really wasn't hard to deal with before tubes. We were just hoping that by this change, this would mean that he would FINALLY have a desire to go to bed on time. (As you can see from above, so far this isn't happening!) The only thing we can tell so far is he is say more consonant sounds tonight and it chatting alot more. I have a feeling it is about to get really loud in our house! He even said "No No" tonight when he stood up in his highchair!

Well, I think I finally hear silence in their room so hopefully he is down for a good nights sleep (Elliot has been out since 8ish). That means, since I had to get up at 5:45, I am off to sleep as well. Thank you all for your prayers today and sorry for such a late update.

Christmas Party and the Dreaded "T" Word

Last night, thanks to our fabulous neighbor Leslie, we were able to go to Scott & Cheryl's annual Christmas party. They have started making this a tradition and we LOVE going every year. They open up their home to all their friends and just take a moment to celebrate friendship and this year, giving. We all brought canned goods this year and they are going to take it to the food bank to help those in need this holiday season. What a great idea! Thanks Scott & Cheryl for setting such a great example for all of us! Y'all are the best!







Now for the "T" word. We went back to the Dr. on Friday and were told that Keaton would have to get tubes. I should have known this was coming because I am sure when I was little I should have had them. Anytime I get sick to this day it always starts off with an earache. Hopefully this will clear it all right up and we will have NO MORE double ear infections! Poor thing has been so sick this last week and on Friday had dropped a full pound. As you know, my little ones do not have a pound to give. I have been told that once he gets his tubes and feels normal for a change, he might just eat me out of house and home! Lets hope! We go Tuesday for our consultation and then hopefully we will get in for the procedure before the end of the week. If not, Ryan and I might not make it (last night was terrible)...I type as I sip my 30 weight coffee! We'll keep you posted and I am sure will have pics of the big day.

Finally, here is a pic of Elliot before we went to the Christmas party. Can you tell she was not in the mood to have her picture taken?

Quick Update

We went the past weekend to KC to visit Kyle & Erin and had a great time! Unfortunately the weather was crappy so we didn't get to enjoy the Plaza like we would have wanted but we can always go back. The kids did get to wear their new coats for the first time on Sunday. Poor things looked like the kid from Christmas Story, not able to move their arms at all! They were warm though!

Here is Keaton's new past time...BOOKS! (Much to his Nana's enjoyment)

What was Elliot doing??? Playing with a cell phone!

The kids LOVE their Papa G...especially all the tickles!