banana split

Just before Christmas break, Logan earned the coveted banana split for earning 100 AR points (part of the school reading program). Now, keep in mind that he HATES bananas and isn't much of a sweets guy, but he was still so excited to be the 2nd person in class to get it! His sweet teacher was kind enough to text me these pictures.

Keegan -- Age 3 1/2

Loves: Trains, Thomas, Cars, School, Pot Stickers, Pizza, Dylan, Papa

Hates: Meat(!?!?!)

Kinderschool Christmas Party

Kinderschool's annual Christmas Party is a much-anticipated event. The kids get to play outside, eat junk food, and wait for Santa to arrive. Usually, they are terrified and overwhelmed by his presence, but all it took this year was one brave soul to be the first to sit on his lap and the rest was history! Because everyone knows, if you want your present from Santa, you have to sit on his lap and let your mom get a good picture first!

Gavin's such a big helper, pushing Keegan on the swing.

Logan on the other hand...

Big brother assures Keegan that Santa will not harm him.

Mom's perfect picture...

...and he is all smiles when he opens his present!

Winter Festival - A Tally Tradition

The downtown Winter Festival continues to be a Tally Tradition. This year, the Tilden family came to join us again and we all enjoyed the visit. Logan and Gavin marched in the parade with the Den (Logan's second year in a row).

Gavin ran into a football friend at Decent Pizza before the parade.

Enjoying a little snack before the parade begins.

BFF's

Runner Girls.

Bird's eye view

Sugar high

After the parade, Gavin ran in to his Kindergarten girlfriend, Chloe.

built-in best friends

Rick and Pam joined in the tradition this year!

My sweet baby.

Wordless Wednesday: Just fun times

Wordless Wednesday: Sugar is our drug of choice

my life.

should I be worried?

cooking with Gram

O' Christmas Tree

It's that time of year again. This marks the 11th tree that I've put up in this house, and I'm reminded of Christmas memories from the past. Like the time the dogs knocked over the tree and all our ornaments crashed to the floor. Cranky ol' Jay was so mad that he declared Christmas to be "cancelled" for the remainder of the holiday season. That lasted for about 10 minutes. Or the time our toddler, Gavin, knocked over the tree breaking most of my glass ornaments. A piece of ornament became lodged in his foot and the night before he was scheduled for surgery to have it removed, Daddy came to the rescue and performed the surgery himself. I have countless memories of late night talks with Jay by the fire, excited pitter-patter of little feet down the hallway to check out the loot from Santa, and lots and lots of smiling faces and laughter. It's a little sad knowing that this is the final Christmas tree we'll have in this house, but I look forward to creating many more memories around the tree in the new one.

We did it!

Counting my blessings. I have three of them right here.

Thankful

Logan

2nd grade

Age 7

I am thankful for many things. I am thankful for my family because they make me laugh. And I am thankful for the world I live in because it is a nice place. Finally, I am thankful for trees because they help me live. And these are the things I'm thankful for.

Where does he come up with these things?

While getting ready for bed tonight, Keegan disappeared somewhere in the house. I could hear him chomping on his frozen Go-Gurt, but couldn't quite figure out where he was.

ME: Keegan, where are you? What are you doing? It's bedtime.

Silence. Then, suddenly...

KEEGAN: (yelling) Where are you, you miserable coward!?!!??!"

What?