Owen Brown

Owen is growing up. Like for real.  He is not a little boy anymore, he is a big boy.  He is changing in his looks, the way he walks, talks, everything!  He likes video games and guns. He is becoming more and more like his father every day.  It is crazy! I tend to post more pictures of the girls and talk about them more, because he is just like every other guy...hates pictures, wants nothing to do with "girly" things and is just fine doing his own thing. I love that boy so much and am so proud of the big boy he is becoming.  Owen is so tenderhearted and always thinks of others. He wants to please and never wants to hurt anyone.  
On Thanksgiving, Shane pulled my last set of pumpkin pies out of the oven, had me check them to make sure they were done and then I went back to finish getting ready.  Owen was standing there and "his finger fell into one of the pies". Shane and Owen both panicked because they knew I would not be happy with a hole in my pie. They left it and hoped I would not see it. After I was ready, I went to the kitchen and quiclky and sternly asked "Who poked a hole in my pie?!". Shane quickly said he accidentally did it. I moved on after rolling my eyes. Well, Owen was so stressed and telling his daddy that they could not lie to me so he came in and told me the truth :).
Owen is also the funniest kid I know.
One evening, Claire was gone to a sleepover and we loaded up the other two kids to go grab dinner, eat in the car and run a few errands.  The kids did not even put shoes on. It was cold, so Owen grabbed his new robe from aunt Tara and put it on. Well we decided to stop by Shane's office and get out. As we were getting out, I noticed Owen was shedding the robe. I told him he did not have to and he said "but people will laugh at me!" I said they wouldn't and he followed up with "Well they will think I am Jesus in this robe!" :)
He calls Shane his "pro" as in "Hey pro!".  He means bro :).
I love that kid. He casts a spell on all of us :).  Here he is at his "Kindergarten Rodeo". He had a special part - he signed Jesus Loves Me :)...

I am a blessed mama to have another little Shane in my life :)

Turkey, Lights, & Family

So, life has been crazy lately.  To say that I am busy is an understatement.  I am loving my new job, but with it has come lots of extra hours.  Unfortunately, both of the blogs have suffered as I am trying to make the most of my time when I have any left :).  Thanksgiving break was much needed and I cannot tell you how great of a time we had!!  I feel so refreshed today!  So let me show you in pictures...

Tuesday, the last day of school for the kids was pj day.  They wore matching turkey pajamas and they looked adorable.  Claire was a bit apprehensive and I did not make her wear them. I can tell you that this will be the last time she ever matches her brother at school :).  One day they are going to hate me over these pics :)...

Of course Bree got some too and matched them that night :)...

Wednesday, Shane and I were both off work.  I took the girls for the day for Thanksgiving pedis and Thanksgiving grocery shopping.  We had a blast! This season of life we are in, is by the fast the best yet!!  

Thanksgiving day!!!

Bree is wearing "vintage Claire" attire :)

Friday, we began putting the lights on the house and in the bushes.  I also got the kids Christmas card pictures done (well Tara did :) ).  We love this day of the year to get bundled up, play outside with all the neighbors as they are putting up lights too.  Love these memories...

Christmas Card preview :)...

Saturday, we finished up the lights and I decorated the front door.  

So - I have been feeling the Lord press on my heart pretty heavy lately that I need to really enjoy my kids and spend more time at home.  We have made a commitment this year to enjoy them and to spend more time remembering what this season is truly all about.  Shane and I are busy, and the time we have with the kids has to be cherished and remembered.  Christmas this year will still be busy and we will still do lots of fun things, but we are going to stay home when we can, watch movies as a family, drink hot cocoa, pile up in the living room and laugh.  Laugh a ton.  We are seriously having the time of our lives and I want to soak up every second.  Here is the whole crew Saturday night, dogs and all, piled up in the living room on a movie marathon in Christmas pjs :)

Nafangle is back :)

The finished product - I love these three so much!!!

Here is the tree - the only tree I put up this year (look back at previous years to see my many others I usually put up :) ). The kids and I had so much fun putting it up together...lots of laughing :)

Sunday...

Hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving as well!!!

Trick or Treat is FUN!

Happy November!! As I listen to Christmas music at my desk, I am ready to post Halloween pics :).  
The kids are so fun at this age at every holiday, but Halloween probably takes the cake.  Bree finally gets all this hoopla and said over and over again "Trick or Treat is DUN" (fun).  So sweet!! 
First - Shane and I got to dress up this year.  Our good friends the Curtis' had a halloween party for the adults and we dressed as characters from Shane's fave tv show, Sons of Anarchy :)

We carved a pumpkin....well Daddy carved and we played around and acted goofy :)

Halloween Eve - Owen was playing dead :)

Halloween treats waiting on the kids after school on Halloween...

And finally, my two Geisha Girls and their Ninja :)...

 Bree was so good about letting me do her make up - She loved it!! I was a hot mess afterwards - Halloween is so exhausting for parents!!!!

 The pups were festive too :)

Now bring on the Christmas festivities!!!!!!!