All I want for Christmas is...

A BOX....

We are loving the wagon boxes that their smaller cousins got. Maybe Santa should save money and just bring really BIG boxes... ;)

Christmas fun

I have been so excited about this time of year coming and doing so many fun things with Shepherd and Spencer. I love watching their eyes as they see Christmas lights and all the decorations! They have loved all the activity around Christmas so far!

We put up our tree at the end of November. They were very intrigued by it. They would crawl up to it, sit there and just stare up. It was precious! They love to touch it, so the bottom of our tree has no lights or ornaments.

Can we help Mom?

The finished product

One problem...they like to throw their balls into the tree...

I made ornaments for our tree with the boys handprints. Their little hands are so precious. I know I will probably tear up every year I reach into the ornament box and pull out their hands from their very first Christmas!

What are you doing Mom? I'm so proud of myself!!

I can do it! I did it!

We love our hand ornaments!

We went to the Galleria to go see Santa and to ride the carousel. The boys didn't cry at all when they sat with Santa. We didn't get great pictures, so we may go back sometime in the next 2 weeks. Spence loved him, but Shep was a little unsure. They have switched personalities on me (AGAIN).. Shep doesn't like new things or sounds. It will probably be Spencer again next week.

They LOVED the carousel!!!

I love this one because of Shepherd and Matt's faces! Precious!

I spent last week turning our guest room into a toy room. I had to find a place for all their future toys from Christmas and birthday. It has been so great to have a place for their toys! Nana and Papa are getting the boys a bookshelf for Christmas and I can't wait to keep adding things to organize it. We love playing in there and spend most of our days reading and throwing balls!

HO HO HO!

The boys love looking out the window in the toy room and watching for Daddy to get home from work!

Playing in the toy room

Last Pic...

WAR EAGLE!!!!! We have cheered on our Auburn Tigers to be SEC champs... now onto NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!!

We have so much going on over the next couple of weeks that I probably won't post again until after Christmas and then I will have a TON of pictures to post!! EEKK so exciting!

Here and There

We have been so busy the past few weeks. I have needed to update so much, but just haven't had time to sit down and do it. We have been on the go a lot. We have been having playdates, shopping, and playing at home. The boys are loving to be around children more and more! They love to go and do, I guess they get that from their mama! We usually go somewhere every day and I love that, but sometimes I ask myself "Why am I doing this?" But it is better to go and do and be tired, then sit at home!!

We went and met Daddy at the park on the day we turned 10 months old!

To run errands we usually leave in between their morning and afternoon naps. That give us from 11-1:30 or so. When they wake up I have to change diapers, make sure they are fully dressed with shoes and socks, then I have to feed both of them a bottle. This takes anywhere between 15-30 minutes. Next I take one to the car, usually Spencer because he will follow me out the door crawling. Buckle him in and come back to get Shepherd and go buckle him in. Take a double look in mirror to make sure I am decent enough to walk out the door, check to be sure diaper bag is in car (I have already restocked it while they were asleep), get keys, take a deep breath and go on our way. I guess I don't really think about all it takes to get out the door until someone is with me and asks me "Why I am always on the go because it is so much to do?". My boys love being outside and looking around and I love to go and do! I just don't think about all the work and just do it! It is a blast!

Anyways..the boys have changed so much the past few weeks! Quick update..

Shepherd

-cruising around the room. He hasn't gotten the courage to take a step by himself yet, but he is so close! We were so glad that Matt caught his first "cruise" on his phone! I love how proud of himself he is!

-Can now go from his belly to sitting up. This was such a hard concept for him but has finally got it.

-Is pulling up on everything (if you are sitting close to him beware!)

-Is crawling everywhere

-Is working on his 6th tooth

-is eating more table food, but on his terms! Will eat macaroni and cheese, bread, some ham (sounds like his Daddy), but when I try and give this to him at home, he refuses. He likes it better from a restaurant. (sounds like his mama) HA!

-laughs all the time

-wants constant attention

-loves to play with his brother

-says "Beau" for everything, but we have finally gotten him to translate that into bye bye; says Mama and Dada occasionally

Spencer

-pulling up on everything

-can sit down from pulling up with ease

-is crawling and climbing everywhere

-loves to crawl into rooms where he isn't suppose to go-laundry room is his favorite

-says DaDa every minute of the day...is saying mama more, and has said Nana this week! (YEA NANA!) I even think he said tractor yesterday while we were reading a book! Yes I know, genius!

- Minds so well! He listens when I say No No, and even gave the ball he was playing with to Daddy when I asked him to

-Has 2 teeth on the bottom that are taking forever to come in

-likes most table food; lima beans, mac and cheese, bread, and even some chicken

-waves bye bye

-is a tough little boy, can fall and just continue crawling or pull back up

-is happy all the time, unless he is around strangers and then he is more subdued

Just one extra picture this time. We went to Toomer's Corner after Auburn's big win over Georgia. This was Shepherd and Spencer's first time to go. They were taking it all in and not quite sure what to think about it. Shepherd and Spencer are so excited that Auburn has done so well this year! Keep it going!! WAR EAGLE!

Next week is Thanksgiving. I have so much to be thankful for this year! We are going to Houston to be with Matt's family next week. We can't wait to see everyone and especially their new cousins Brooklyn and Bryce! When we get back it will be time for CHRISTMAS!! I love this time of year and am so anxious to begin our own family traditions for the holidays! Since we will be gone next week, we are going to decorate the house this weekend! I know it is a little early, but I want the house to be done when we get home. I can't wait to see the boys' expressions when they see everything! HOW FUN!

Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving!

Fun with the grandparents

Last week, I went up to my parents house to just get away. The boys love spending time with up there and playing with Nana and Papa. They love to play all the time, and when we are up there they always have plenty of people to entertain them.

Nana and Papa always are there to play!

We always spend time with Caroline and Jackson when we are there. This time, the boys really are playing and love to watch Jackson. Before long they will be chasing him.

Our attempt at a picture with our boys! ;)

Nana bought the boys their first pair of big boy shoes. They are pulling up and I know they will start trying to walk soon, so I wanted to go ahead and get them used to shoes. Matt and I are going to have to start a savings fund just to keep these boys in shoes. Thank you Nana!!

Dee Dee and Ron came to visit us for a weekend! I am so glad they got to spend some time with the boys! We had a blast with them.

We love Dee Dee!

Uncle Kyle and Aunt Kelli came too. Thank you Uncle Kyle for reading us a book!

We have had a fun couple of weeks visiting with friends and family, now on to the holidays!!!

I heard Christmas music in the store the other day and teared up thinking about my first holidays with my sweet boys! I can't wait!!!! They make everything so MUCH MORE fun!

Update and Halloween

We had a great October! The past few weeks have been so busy with us all getting sick at some point, having friends visit from Tampa, Halloween, Dee Dee and Ron coming from Texas, and then spending time at my parents while Matt was sick. So much to update on. This post is just on Halloween. I will post later this week on visiting with all the grandparents.

A quick update on the boys before we get to ALL the pictures!

Shep has had a big couple of weeks. He now has 4 teeth and is officially crawling.. YEA! He is already so much happier now that he can get toys he wants. I think life just got easier for him.. I am not so much certain for me! ;) He still isn't a big fan of table food. He still just holds out his tongue until it falls off.

Spence is getting a lot more vocal. He is still my laid back one, but is starting to come out of his shell a little bit. He is constantly saying "Dada" and crawling around everywhere fast. I think he is going to be my climber. He is already trying to climb into the bottom of the raised excersauser.

My precious boys are going to be 10 months on Thursday!! I can't believe it!!! Since they are almost 10 months, I decided to start them in bible class yesterday. They did great and were so intrigued with all the songs and manipulatives!

Now on to Halloween...

For Halloween this year, Spence was a lion and Shep was the scarecrow. Matt and I had planned on dressing up as Dorothy and The Tin Man, but we weren't able to go to our Halloween Party, so we just didn't bother with it!

They were both very intrigued by the carving of the pumpkin. I always remember how special and fun carving the pumpkins was as a family. I can't wait for the boys to be able to dig in and get all messy next year! I love how they look so proud of what their Daddy did!

We went up to Birmingham to trick-or-treat with Jessie and Woody!

Shep and Spence kept looking at each other trying to figure this whole thing out!

Trick-or-treating with Papa and Nana

Riding on the hayride

We also went trick-or-treating in downtown Auburn with some friends from church.

Shep and Spence are so lucky that they are going to grow up with so many great christian friends!