Charlie the Elf Arrives

Last year we began the magical tradition of the Elf on the Shelf. If you are unfamiliar with this it is a magical elf sent from Santa Claus to watch over the children to ensure their best behavior. He cannot talk to the kids, nor can they touch him, but he does listen to them and reports back to Santa each night. Each morning the elf has a new hiding spot and it is so much fun to watch Avery Reese search the house for him.

We named our special elf Charlie and this morning he reappeared bringing with him a North Pole breakfast, Christmas jammies and a letter for Avery Reese and Hudson.

Avery Reese's gift from Charlie the Elf

Hudson's gift from Charlie the Elf

Our Charlie 

Enjoying her North Pole breakfast of snow dusted donuts

Hudson eating his North Pole breakfast as well

(He kept pointing to Charlie and saying 'baby')

Video of Avery Reese waking up to Charlie and his surprise!!

Princess Tea Party

 Avery Reese has been talking about her birthday since Hudson's in October, so I wanted to make sure her fourth birthday was very special. Avery Reese is a very girly girl (not sure where this comes from.....) so I thought a Princess Tea Party was the perfect fit for my Princess.  Perfectly Fun Parties did all the planning, set-up, activities, and clean-up so Brad and I could sit back, take photos and enjoy watching Avery Reese.

Since the party was at our house we invited Avery's closest girlfriends. The party was not only fun, but beautiful. Avery Reese and her friends had a blast dressing up, getting make-up, listening to a story, making magical wands and of course having tea. Being a Princess is so much fun!

I can't believe my baby is 4!!! Happy Birthday sweet girl

Girls, I mean Princesses getting make-up done

The fairest Princesses in the land

Listening intently to The Princess and the Pea story

Avery Reese felt the 'pea' under the pillow....she's a REAL princess!

Kissing the frog.......will he turn into a Prince?

Bubble fun!

Learning how to drink proper tea

Tasting the poison apple

Happy Birthday Avery Reese!

The table decor and candy ideas were too cute! The girls did not know what to do with all the candy.

Her Princess cake, tiara and all

Party favors were filled with jewels, lip gloss and candy

My prince found a nice spot to nap

Falling for Fall 2012

Have I mentioned yet that I LOVE fall? The leaves around here the past couple of weeks have been breathtaking; the reds, yellows and orange trees are so vibrant. I have wanted to get some photos of the kids by the lake, but our weekends have been so busy. Well today was my lucky day....I got the opportunity to snap some photos (I just wish my subjects would have been a little more cooperative).  Here goes nothing!

My sweet Avery Reese 

My baby Hudson 

Running in the crunchy leaves (love those smiles) 

I am so blessed with amazing children! God is good!!

Halloween

This Halloween has been so fun; we have really been able to enjoy both kids dressing up. Avery Reese has squeezed everything out of Halloween this year. She has been to a Fall festival, a trunk-or-treat, a parade at school and trick-or-treating at three different locations. OMG! We have so much candy! Our little princess was Cinderella this year and Hudson had two costumes; a baseball player as well as a Razorback (he was just as cute in both).

a sliding Cinderella

unhappy Razorback

Yummy!

Sibling photo

bowling for pumpkins

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Ahhh! Fall

Fall is our favorite time of year!!! And for so many reasons: there's football, pumpkins, falling leaves, cooler weather, Halloween and Thanksgiving, and all of our birthdays (just to name a few). We have been busy.....

We usually attend most if not all of the Razorback home football games, but that just has not been in the  cards for us this year, but we have enjoyed being homebodies and watching our favorite team in the comfort of our home. Avery Reese's class took a trip to the pumpkin patch, we have plans to go as a family, but the weather has not been cooperating.

Last night was the perfect night to carve our own pumpkin and Avery Reese got to paint her smaller pumpkin.

Helping daddy clean out the pumpkin

Carving 2012

Avery Reese painting her pumpkin

I have been training for a half marathon the past 8 weeks. This was my way to get back into shape and to prove to myself that I could train and complete another half by myself......Mission Accomplished!!

Avery Reese cheering me on at mile 10

Family photo post race......couldn't have done this without them!

Hudson's 1st Birthday Party

Well, we made it through the first year! It was a roller coaster of a year with so many ups and downs for Hudson (and us). So we decided to celebrate big......sock monkey style.

Hudson was blessed to have all of his grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins attend. They showered him with some much needed and deserved boy toys. We served a wonderful cake, chocolate dipped pretzels, a popcorn bar, mini cheese pizzas, barbecue weenies, tortilla roll-ups, and cheese dip. The food was good, but the company was great! Hudson was not real sure about his smash cake, in fact he fed most of it to Brad. I made monkey munchies cookies as party favors, I can't wait to try them myself. It was a wonderful day! Happy 1st birthday Hudson Parker!!

                                                                       birthday cake

                                                                       popcorn bar

                                                             veggie tray and lollipops

                                                                  drink station
                                                   

                                                       Monkey Munchies party favors

                                                                      smash cake

                    
                                                                      Photo banner

                                                                       new toys

                                       
                                                                 Finally a car, mom!

                                                      one of three, new walking toys
                                                           (and he can go......fast)

                                                   He's so excited, but not really sure why

                                                            first handfuls of cake

                                                            sharing with mommy
                               

 
                                                                 can't forget daddy

                                                            Happy birthday Little Man!