2 week catch up!

I meant to post these before Alley's birthday, but as you can see, that didn't happen:) So, these pictures just sun up these past two weeks of festivities and fun.

Two weekends ago it was Clemson's homecoming. Not coming from a school that did a whole lot for homecoming, we really were in for a wild ride:) The whole week prior to homecoming, the frats and sororities where building (non-moving) floats on the huge front field of Clemson's campus. the girls had I had a great time watching these monstrosities being built! It was great because this field is what we have to pass every morning to get the girls to school...and they loved it! So on Friday night we decided to take the girls up to walk around and see them...I now know that this is what everyone does...note taken;)

little MC out passed her bedtime and not sure what to think about it..

this fun "float" the girls got to go in and have a picture taken

the girls hanging out "at death valley"

"running down the grassy hill into the stadium"

hanging out with the tiger...not sure what's up with this pic...

riding on a tissue paper John Deer tractor...whaaat?! This was awesome!

I just thought this was some amazing work! All of the "floats" where done with just tissue paper...but this was incredible!

hanging out with the tissue donkey:)

We then decided to walk passed the stadium to check it out...how cool does it look:) The next day was our first Clemson football game and the girls LOOOOOVED it

This is the only tiger they aren't afraid of;)

After we walked by the stadium, we decided to see what the pep rally was all about. I mean, our kids were already up way past their bedtime, might as well keep going;) We thought it would be simple with basically the cheerleaders cheering, the band playing and the football team jumping around...um, yeah, not so much. It was completely scripted and had skits and everything...it was big time! Needless to say, we definitely didn't last long! They were getting frustrated that the cheerleaders hadn't come out yet and the band wasn't in yet either...I think it was time for bed;)

The next day we braved the tailgating (which is NO JOKE!) and part of the game. the girls did a great job for the first time ever being around that many people, let alone that many people in orange and purple! What an amazing experience! We were excited to get home because Mimi was on her way to visit for a few days!! YEAH!

Here's a family photo...

no I'm not pregnant for any of you who think I look like I am in this picture

Mimi and her girls! Oh they were so excited to see her! Of course, the next thing out of their mouths..."where's papa??!"

The next day Alley and Mimi made Fall/Clemson cookies to paint. Alley loves doing this, so she was in heaven

The chef and artist:)

The next couple days were a blur of fun and busy-ness! We sadly said good bye to Mimi and sent her off with the hopes that she and Papa can come down soon:) After she left, alley's school put on a Thanksgiving Stone Soup celebration. Sadly Andy was out of town, so I braved the celebration with 3 wild and hungry children;)

Here's Alley in her turkey hat

Sweet and sassy Kendall (she's like sweet and sour chicken but sweeet and saaasssssy;)!)

Indian Kendall

The full of life little ones waiting for their TG song and skit

I couldn't get a good angle for pictures because MC was not liking being away from sissy's...so these shots were the best I could do. They did an adorable turkey song with hand movements and then they did a little skit...

 Alley insisted on standing directly behind this kid...but I finally got a quick shot of her when the kid moved slightly:)

All-in-all we've had a great and busy two weeks! Next, we're off to Orlando and Disney World with the basketball team!! YEAH!
Happy Thanksgiving!!

Alley's 5!!!

My dear, sweet, empathetic, deep thinker of a first born is 5 today! Oh my how the years have flown by...I still remember the night I delivered this little one. She came so quickly and I fell in love with her even more quickly. She has been a wonderful daughter and I have been blessed by her compassionate, sweet heart.

such a sweet sweet moment...here she is snuggling in Granny's arms just hours after her birth. I just love this picture!

When did she turn from that small snuggly bundle, into such a big girl?!!!

Alley's birthday started off with a bang:) Due to Andy's work schedule, we could only celebrate (as a family) in the morning, so we crammed in as much family celebrating as we could:) When Alley woke up, she was greeted with a new outfit to celebrate her big day in. Now, she has a new obsession with cheerleaders. Thanks to Clemson, we now are entering this whole new world full of cheerleaders and pom-poms. So she insisted she have a "cheerleader party". Since I couldn't provide that for her, I made her a cheerleader birthday shirt and skirt instead...she was happy as a clam:) whew! 

After dressing in her "cheerleader uniform", we opened presents at the kitchen table.

Daddy reading her one of the cards

TWINS;)

check out Kendall's excitement

oh sweet little sassy pants...we love you so

thats more like the Kendall I know;)

a little family photo to start the day...not really the best time to try and get a decent picture;)

So, we've started a new birthday tradition in our household...birthday breakfast at Dunkin Donuts!!! Now,these girls love donuts almost as much as their parents. We've ruined them, and their teeth, I know...but, we'll just brush more often and harder;)

the birthday girl getting all sugared up before school:) Oh she is so incredibly excited about this donut and her birthday:)

yes, even the little one got in on the donut action...and boy can she put down a donut;) That's my girl!

I believe she is slightly happy as well;) I'm apologizing to her teachers today...

sugary, happy smiles

Oh, we were blessed by a visit from Mimi for a few days! We were al so excited to have her come down and play:) She even was able to stay for the birthday celebration this morning! We loooooved having Mimi visit!! MC is still walking around the house, looking into each room, saying "mimi?mimi?"...mom, I guess this means you have to come back soon;)

happy smiles:) Alley missed snuggling with Mimi

another sugary grin

okay, so I believe Kendall went into a sugar como shortly after eating demolishing her donut. 

Your birthday is not complete until you celebrate with a cupcake and candle:) So tonight, we had a girls night of celebration and cheers.

birthday girl enjoying our beautiful singing;)

blowing out her candle...

Ok yall, Blue Bell birthday cake ice cream...this is my kinda birthday cake...thanks, I'll just eat it out of the tub. No need to dirty up another bowl. It's mine yall, all mine!;)

After cake and ice cream, we needed to burn off some energy (calories for me!). So, we had a "cheer dance"...don't ask, please....I didn't take any pictures of this little adventure...I'm sure the girls will thank  me when they are older;) Alley did want me to take a picture of her cheer stances/poses. She has 5 poses, in honor of her turning 5....so drum roll please.....here they are:

#1

#2

#3...hmmmm, maybe she was watching the tiger cheering this weekend...

#4..."I'm tired"...

#5..."sometimes cheerleaders can cheer sitting down because they're tired"...;)

After all that fun, the older girls posed for a photo...notice the eyes cutting away from the camera...there seems to be a little terror on the loose that they need to keep tabs on...

So here we have it, live in action...the girls asked for me to take a picture of them in their cheerleader poses....this is what happened right as I took the picture...the blonde cheerleader seems to have been knocked out of her pose and the birthday cheerleader seems to be in the process of being knocked out of hers, as well as having her birthday sticker ripped off...the terror is at it again...oh my...

On that note, we are off to to take a bath and GO TO BED!! 

Happy birthday to our sweet sweet oldest daughter!! We love you so much and hope to have many many more birthdays to celebrate with you:)!

Happy Halloween

Today is the day that it's finally acceptable to wear costumes all day long. Whew, we've been waiting for a day that we (our circus of a household) are actually doing something that is normal;) If any of you know us, you know that the girls tend to hang around the house either in dress-up clothes or caught in transition from outfit to outfit. Sometimes this transitional period can last awhile, so please forgive our naked-ness if you happen to drop by...it's merely a costume change;) 

With that being said, if you've viewed the pictures already, you'll see totally different costumes from the last post, our Halloween parade. Yes, we had a little dress rehearsal and the actors decided they wanted to be different characters...so this director decided to go with the flow...besides, it's not a salvation issue right?! Noah did save two of every fairy, princess kitty and fairy ballerina, not just giraffes and cows...right?!;)

We had our biggest Halloween yet...we hit up 4, yes i said FOUR, houses this year! We beat our record of 2 last year. Woo-hoo!;) Sorry, I have to live it up now because I know pretty soon they will be running us ragged with all this house-hopping and candy grabbing. Who knows, next year they might want to go trick-or-treating downtown AND in our neighborhood...yikes;) Alright, enough of that growing up stuff...

Yes, our new neighborhood does it right, they hang out at the end of their driveway, in the cold, to hand out candy. The girls loved looking at the pumpkins and meeting everyone. Of course, in Kendall fashion, she walk right up to this elderly man and woman and said, "What's your name? I'ma Kendall." Yes, they got several pieces of candy for that little introduction:)

happy children;)

what is that face little princess kitty?!

Aaaaand it's dark already...off to bed;)

gathering some more candy...does anyone else's children look like squirrels gathering nuts when getting candy? Ok, maybe just mine, thanks y'all...

the little one even getting in on the action...she got one piece the whole night because she refused to let go of her bucket and that one piece of candy. She tried to grab other pieces while still holding on to everything else, but it just didn't work out for her;)

holding that candy like someone was going to steal it...

pausing for a friendly game of catch

 yes, I'm that mother, the 4th house we trick-or-treated at was ours:) 

all.most.there...whew...

Yes! The piece of candy made it to the end:)

satisfied little fairy

I hope everyone had a lovely, sugar high of a day yesterday! On to Thanksgiving!;)