Welcome 2009!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

No, we are not letting them stay up till midnight. We'd pay for it tomorrow. And no, we probably won't stay up till midnight ourselves either. We are having a very grown-up, alcohol-free New Year's Eve. Did I hear someone say, "Boring"? We think it sounds relaxing. Something we don't get to do much of and something I plan to do more of in 2009!

Happy New Year to all our friends and loved ones. We wish you all the best in 2009.

We wish you a Merry Christmas

Lots of love from our home to yours. Merry Christmas to all our friends and family, near and far.

What does Ms. Tycia look like?

Logan has been dying to meet Ms. Tycia, Gavin's new teacher since Ms. Traci left. This probably somehow has something to do with Logan's crush on Ms. Traci. In any case, Jay has been promising to drop Gavin off first at school one day so Logan can finally meet Ms. Tycia and it's been the hot topic around our house for awhile now. This conversation ensued on the evening before the planned Ms. Tycia meet-and-greet:

LOGAN: Daddy's gonna drop me off first tomorrow.
GAVIN: I know.
LOGAN: So I can meet Ms. Tycia.
GAVIN: I know.
LOGAN: What does Ms. Tycia look like?
GAVIN: (after a thoughtful pause) Umm...she looks like happy. She looks like funny.

Fee, Fi, Fo, Fum

The Giant had his 6 month check-up today.

The Verdict:

clear ears (YAY!)

height -- 97th percentile (29 inches)

weight -- off the charts (23.5 pounds)

The doctor said he's "a healthy boy" (read: doesn't look like he misses many meals). Actually, according to the doctor, Keegan has "thinned out" some since his height is catching up to his weight. Then he mentioned that if Jay and I were fat people, he would begin talking to us about the importance of a healthy diet in children to try to prevent us from having an obese pre-schooler. Yep, he's huge. My right bicep is proof.

The Great Pumpkin Patch

Our annual trip to the Pumpkin Patch. I wanted to get pictures of the whole family together, but Keegan slept the entire time and I didn't have the heart to wake him. Of course, he woke up as soon as we were leaving!
Sleeping through all the fun.

Ugly Duckling

Daddy's boys..well, some of them.

two little cuties

saving $$$, week by week

I can't believe I'm saying this on December 2nd, but I think we have almost ALL of our Christmas shopping done! Thanks to all the pre-Thanksgiving sales coupled with Black Friday and Cyber Monday, we are all set to go! The sales at Publix this week were mediocre at best, and with all the Thanksgiving leftovers, we really didn't need much, but check out the CVS purchase! If you're not "CVSing" already, you should be. Here's a link to tell you how to do it:

How to CVS by Jenny at Southern Savers

Weekly Publix Shopping Trip

Total before sales/coupons: $84.06

Total spent out of pocket: $52.20

Total saved: $31.86 or 48%

CVS

Total before sales/coupons: $55.62

Total spent out of pocket: $1.75
Total saved: $53.87 or 96.9%

Best deal: new earbuds for my Zune (FREE)

pumpkins, pumpkins everywhere

Too cute not to post...even if it is December.

the stockings were hung by the chimney with care

Yesterday, the long-awaited, much-anticipated annual package from Gram and Gramps came in the mail. Since we average a new baby each year (2004, 2005, & 2008!), this package usually includes the following items:

1. Jay's birthday present

2. Jay's annual Hess truck (which the kids are not allowed to touch and they never understand why. Neither do I, but apparently the Hess truck is for looking at only.)

3. Chocolate Advent calenders (those are exactly as big of a hit as you can imagine...and then some)

"Can we eat these NOW?"

(10 seconds later) "NOW can we eat these?"

"Is it December? Then why can't we eat these NOW?"

This goes on and on and on until they can actually eat them...then they start asking about tomorrow's piece.

4. New Baby Stocking...a.k.a. FINAL baby stocking!

Mmmm....more food. Thanks, Gram!

Christmas 2008: The year our mantel was complete.

Good thing S-A-N-T-A has 5 letters! 5 letters...5 Allison's. Now we really can't have any more children!

THANKS GRAM!

"I'm good enough. I'm smart enough. And gosh-darn-it, people LIKE me!"

Fearless ninja warriors

Halloween was a month ago...I'm such a slacker!!! So, this is what the Allison's were doing while the Petro's were in labor...

We got all ready to go at Nana's house

The boys wanted to be Ninjas this year. Actually, they just wanted to be anything that came with a sword, as in: "Hey Logan, do you want to be a fireman?", "Does it come with a sword?" and "Hey Gavin, do you want to be Spiderman?", "Does it come with a sword?"

These were the safest and best swords I could find. From the Dollar Store of all places.

We practiced "Trick or Treating" at the Presbyterian Church by my mom's house. Baby Keegan was in a great mood and had lots to say. Here he is giving me some lovin'.

The boys went fishing for candy.

And took a break to eat some hot dogs. Everyone knows a ninja needs to eat some food so he has the energy to trick or treat all night long!

Then we went back to our house for the real deal!

And here they are holding their first baby captive by throat!

It was FREEZING, but Gavin was on a mission.

"Just one more piece of candy, Mommy!"

monkey see, monkey do

Gavin had to get blue hair too!