God bless America

This is Zeke's own rendition of the song. Let me make this clear...it sounds NOTHING like the original, but I'm 300% sure he's trying to go for it. He's been singing it since we picked up Alissa from the airport. He changes the words often, but usually there's always the word "city" and "praise the Lord" in there somewhere. I love the throat clearing at the end.

We heart costumes

This has been a fun day. We went to see Grandaddy, Di, and Ya Ya Yee (Alissa) and then to a Fall Festival with friends, and of COURSE Zeke's been talking about dressing up for the past 24 hours. I secretly ordered a Buzz and a Spiderman costume, because he kept going back and forth on what he wanted to be. Looks like someone's getting a Spider Man costume for Christmas! Zeke was in hog heave in his costume. He really wanted to wear it to church, but we draw the line, oh yes we do. I'm sure he'll be in the thing all week long. Zeke was bummed when he realized Hannah was going as a flower, he protested that she was supposed to be Jessie, as in the Yodeling Cowgirl. Nope.

That's hystarious.

This is what preceded this face: "Zeke, make your best Buzz Lightyear face." Hmmm, looks like What choo talkin bout Willis/Evil eye = Buzz Lightyear. Who knew?

Somebody's excited about candy!!! And velcro chin straps!

Sweet little Hannah is good at pulling her face, especially at picture time.

Happy happy Zeke, I mean he's dressed in an awesome Buzz outfit, has a cup filled with non-watered down juice, just ate vienna sausages and cotton candy with his bff coleman (yes we eat viennas and sometimes cheer for them, shame me if you must), rode a hayride, and finished the day off with a ride home in his very own rocket seat.

Welcome home seester!

We had a welcome home party at my mom's house just recently for my sister, who just came home from being in Uganda since January of 2009. It was such a fun time, my mom and dad have such a great backyard. She and her friends made it glorious. She has outdoor lamps and white lights hanging up and a firepit...it was so cozy and nostalgic and just delicious to me. Good times with good friends, ahhh.

Here's something that should make a comeback in mass proportions...Big Wheels. It's tricky to find one, I tell ya. There's just nothing quite like a Big Wheel, especially on a slanted driveway with an older cousin to give you a good starting push. And check out the backdrop btw, isn't that background beautiful, thumbs up to a great backyard Di.

Hannah was rocking her handmade Ugandan dress and propeller bow

The eldest and I had a knock down drag out about the outfit. He has like four really cool African outfits but he REFUSED to wear them, I wrestled him to just try them on. Then my lightbulb went off that he could just dress up as an African animal. Ha. I still dressed him festive and he didn't even see it coming. Boom. Roasted.

Fall Retreat and Reunion

We had such an amazing fall vacation/reunion with friends last week. Chris' college friends have become my friends, too, and I just love them all. It was so much fun to veg out with them last week at Lake Hartwell just minutes from the Clemson campus. Zeke had a playmate all week long which felt magical, Hannah was a ham and supplied much entertainment, I got to hang out with girlfriends that I don't get to see nearly enough, Chris got to play ball in Littlejohn and golf with his buds, what else can I say? We laughed hard and ate a lot of Break and Bakes. Good times. There were way too many pictures from the week so I picked a few to highlight the fun times that were had.

If only Uncle Zuk could throw him higher

The Botanical Gardens in Clemson are SO, MUCH, FUN. Even if you don't like Clemson, crazy as you are, you would like this. So much to see and explore. And so many good pictures to take!

MY SISTER CAME HOME FROM UGANDA!!!! Woo hoo! After almost two years we welcomed her home, not to mention she met that dear niece of hers.
See what I mean, what a great week we had!

We ended the week with a tailgate reunion in Clemson with Chris' buddies. So crazy to see your kids and college friends' kids playing together. My, how the years pass quickly. Sigh.

I even got to see a few of my college friends and their offspring, look at this cute little Ellie playing in the Liriope with Belle. That's Monkey Grass for all you who didn't take that Horticulture class.

Sesame Street Live

"Heeeelp. I stuck." literally her words, verbatim.

Sooooooo, excited to see Elmo!

"Elmo, wherw aw you?" I really like three year olds, they say and do funny things.

Look at Hannah Belle, she's looking at Zeke like, "How are you so calm and happy?" I asked her if she wanted to sit with Zoe and she said, "Nope." She reluctantly gave in to peer pressure.

The look of sheer delight and squeals of excitement made me so happy, it made us laugh out loud to see them in such bliss!!!

EVERY time Elmo would come on stage, she would point like this and stick her legs straight out like boards and squeal like a high pitched dog whistle.

I was BEAMING ear to ear the whole show, myself. It was as much fun as I remembered having as a kid. I had a "senior moment" as Prairie Dawn came out and Zeke leaned over and asked, "Who's that? What's her name?" Come on! She was big stuff back in the day!

I love these two pics! Look at that happy face! When we were leaving, I asked Zeke what his favorite part was and this is what was said,"Danshing wif Pweh-wie Dawn. What was on her head?" "That was a headband." "Oh. She looked like a pwincess and I was special." So, he felt chosen by a princess, that's stinkin' adorable.

Waving goodbye. Look at that curly head.

Dress up

Lately we are wild, hee hee, about dress up. Zeke is LOVING superheros. We recently went to a friend's birthday party where you were to dress up like your favorite animal. Hannah was a tiger by default, but Zeke did choose to be a leopard. Seemed kinda random to me at first, but then again he is a big Tarzan fan. Nothing says animal like homemade animal shirts.

The little tigress

They both had little tails, I wish you could see them in this picture. Can you believe my mom found a leopard/cheetah tail and mask!? Who knew?

Nothe.

Zeke was loving being able to freely RARRR whenever he wanted

Daily Life

I just realized I've had back to back gross posts. Sorry about that, maybe things will get less disturbing around here, but not likely.

What is.....is that what.....yesh.Yes, it is poop.

That particular day Hannah had a super sandy hour in the sand box and was getting her scalp micro-dermabrasioned, I mean her hair washed, and apparently was so relaxed she left a little fecal matter in the tub. So, here's where it gets funky. We got home that night and were going upstairs and I noticed a stanky smell, but figured Zeke forgot to flush. To the bathroom we go and start to brush Zeke's teeth and I look around to the tub and say, "Why is there POOP in the TUB?! Who put that there?" (Oh, the things you say when you're flustered) And Zeke answers, "Hannah did it." "When did she do it?" "When you was washing her hay-yer." Glory. I should be used to this with her, this ain't her first tub poop, yet every time it's just as gross.

A handful of dizzie dummies; in reference to WipeOut, not slamming three year olds

Jessie: "I told you if you climb up here again I'm gonna stick my fingers up your face. Next time it'll be this here red crayon."

Woody: "Are you just gonna stand there?"
Pretty much. Look. I feel like a broken record most days. We get plenty of battles around these parts, sometimes they just need to work it out and walk it out, DJ Unk. Natural consequences, that's what we'll call it.