Polar Express!

After Thanksgiving, we packed up for our first overnight trip since China... ready to go!

We headed to Grenada and then to the hunting camp for supper on Friday night. The kids had so much fun with all the other kids, and Samuel was not shy and jumped right in... 

Everybody actually slept well!  Samuel fell asleep in the car on the way home and went straight into Mimi's pack and play by our bed. We were a little worried he wouldn't sleep in the new normal environment, but he did great!  Then Saturday morning the kids and I tackled a big job... cleaning the boat for the winter!  I had three great helpers!

GG, Eleanor and Garnett arrived later that afternoon and we got ready for the Polar Express!  They were so excited (as were we...).  Mimi and her FIVE grands!

The Polar Express was wonderful!  It was raining outside, so a little chaotic getting on, but once we left the depot, it was simply magical! We all clapped and danced and sang with the elves. 

The looks on these faces...

And there is was: the North Pole!!

Santa boarded the train and we waited for our turn to talk to him and give him our lists...
(Samuel just took it all in... danced and clapped, but just watched...)

Even Garnett got in on the dance line!

Then it was our turn!

And Silas got his bell, meaning it was the "real Polar Express"...

Such a fun time.  Kudos to Grenada Polar Express and city of Batesville for this great event! I understand they sold over 30,000 tickets... and made it worthwhile for everyone.

We gave our lists to Santa, so I had to snap a picture to keep forever.  Lists for Avery and Silas, 2016:

Overheard

After a birthday party, from the backseat of the car:
Avery: "Silas, who is that boy in your class? He was messing with me. He was messing with me and snatching something from me. But I got it back..."
Silas: "Oh, Houston. Well, well I need to talk to him tomorrow. I'll find him. I'll talk to him."

Silas now calls Avery "Sweetie." This is absolutely hilarious... especially on days where Avery doesn't want him to... They really do act like they've been married 50 years some days.  Avery might be the chief aggravator, but Silas just calls her "Sweetie" and smiles.  haha!

Silas:  "Daddy, you don't need to work at the church anymore."
Bruce:  "Now why is that Silas?"
Silas:  "I have lots of money. We can buy lots of things. All that money from Mimi and the Tooth Fairy..."  (Mimi gave him some coins to roll which he loved)

Avery: "Mommy, why do I cough?"
Me: "well, sometimes..."
Avery interjects: "Oh, GERMS!  Okay I won't pick anymore".
Me: "exactly my princess."

Samuel is enamored with so many things (except chicken nuggets and pizza. Yes, even Chick fil A nuggets won't suffice), but one peculiar thing he does is close every door. Every single door. No matter whether he is going out, coming in, or however you want to think of it, he wants to close it.  Our shower door, bedroom door, the dryer door, the toy car door, you name it.  Maybe it's a control thing... freedom thing... or maybe it's just because he is two years old. No clue. Maybe he was never allowed to touch a door at the orphanage, or maybe he was used to having doors closed on him... or maybe he was used to looking at closed doors or through closed doors... I'll never know.

What I do want him to know is that while a closed door shouldn't be any reason to fear... or feel safe, doors are open in his life and through them hold bright and beautiful things. Samuel's mother didn't close the door on his life (nearly did, but didn't abort him or put him in a dumpster), the orphanage didn't close the door for him

It takes courage to close doors... sometimes even more to leave them open them.

Go Rebs!

The one game we were planning on this year was the Ole Miss/LSU game. We only had three tickets, but Silas and Avery were pumped up too!

We dropped Silas and Avery off in Grenada with a babysitter, and headed to the game.  It did rain a little, but this little guy loved it!  He loves crowds and loved being the only child for a few hours.

Future champion...  (he's already a champion if you ask me!)

Party in the Rebel Club. This little guy can dance. Oh my goodness, that music they blast (that Papaw hates)... Samuel just can't contain himself and starts by bobbing his head, then bending his knees, they the arms go up in the air (with index finger pointing all around)... LOVES a beat.  Hilarious.

The rain stopped just in time for the ballgame. It was BLASTING cold... and mom of the year left his jacket at home... but no one wanted to sit out and watch the game more than Samuel.  And when we score... he is just as excited as everyone!

We walked up to warm-up in the second quarter and Shepard Smith stopped him and talked to him. I told him Samuel was "six weeks a citizen" and he stopped us for a Samuel high five every time we passed.  Samuel has learned how to work it... 

with cheerleaders too... 

He loves his Papaw!

We loved seeing Roomie and Hardin!  Even if it was only for 5 minutes in rain and pre-game chaos...

We decided to get the tree up before Thanksgiving (eek! I know, I know... ) because Bruce's parents were coming all week and we wanted to have a head start on decorations.  Have you ever seen such cute little elves?!

And one more pic...our little minion.  He is too funny, always returning to the table and finishing what is on others' plates... dinner has turned into, Samuel will eat it...  (so far, anything but chicken nuggets and pizza)  Little man has gained 10 pounds since we got home!

Tooth Fairy...

It's about that time (or so I'm told... five years old seems young to me!)... and Avery has been wiggling this tooth for at least a month.  Her BIG tooth was actually already in behind her baby tooth. We were eating family supper at church and told Avery to go Dr. Susan her new tooth.  She walked over and proudly opened her mouth and Susan read our minds and took the opportunity to pull the old one out!  After a scream or two, she was showing everyone!

Then Susan gave her a dollar... so what does the Tooth Fairy bring these days?

The Monday before Thanksgiving, Samuel had to have a little procedure or two done at Batson... he was all smiles before surgery...

And all smiles after surgery... bless his heart! 

Then, lo and behold, the very next week, brother lost his tooth too!

It doesn't stop here... the day after Silas' first tooth, Avery lost her second one... 

Tooth Fairy is going broke...

Typical night when Bruce bathes the kids... yes, they all love their bath now... and might take after their daddy... let them stay where they fall... the clothes, that is... mercy.

For the holidays, we decided to make a few batches of Samuel's cinnamon rolls... since he likes to eat them... and he likes to make them too! Sometimes we still can't believe he is finally here to do this with us!

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His world might have been changed... but ours has as well - thanks to the grace of Christ. I cannot wait for this precious heart to begin to understand that grace he has taught us so much about.

Silas has a turn... holidays approaching!

Silas' class filled their "fuzzy wuzzy bucket" at school and celebrated with Pajama Day last Friday. We celebrated after school with ice cream!

This was Silas' weekend with Mimi and Papaw, so we left Avery with Daddy and I headed up to Grenada with the boys. Look what happens when sister isn't in the car to talk (keep them entertained)...

Papaw's boys. It's like Samuel just knows what to do with these toys. 

Mimi asked a friend over who was also 5 years old, and I had a blast playing with these boys.

Silas in heaven... putting together a toy with Papaw... fixing things with Papaw... going to the hunting camp with Papaw...

Samuel and I headed home Friday night and Silas spent all day Saturday at the camp with Mimi and Papaw - what a fun day!  He told me all about it... and about shooting the gun with Papaw... and about wanting one...

Meanwhile, back in Jackson, Avery came to Mommy to work Saturday morning... and the tech staff was quite cooperative...

And, then after Samuel went to sleep, our babysitter came over and Bruce and I went to have a late dinner... long overdue and quite delicious. But we had to pry our eyes open... haven't been to dinner at 9pm in years!

November means preschool choir sings in church... there's not much better than 5 year olds singing, "Wherever I go, God goes..."

This week, Samuel had a doctor appointment early afternoon, so I took off work. When we got home, he napped and I took Silas and Avery to see the Peanuts movie... this is how we weathered the storm threatening tornados:  Peanuts with popcorn.

"Tis the Season!  Look who flew in with the storms!!  This year, Santa sent a girl elf, Pippa.  Fred has been wonderful the last few years, but Santa said Fred was busy in the toy factory this year... (and the Warfs needed one more girl in the house)

Thanksgiving is next week... where does the time go?!  We are savoring every moment this fall as Samuel melds into our family and sometimes crazy routines. I'm sure he thinks we are crazy... but rolls with whatever comes his way. 

"Thankful" doesn't even begin to describe our sentiments this season.  

Rainy days

Our neighborhood decided to Trick or Treat on Friday night the 30th due to the rain forecast... these three were more than excited about candy a day early:

Samuel caught on to the Halloween thing quickly and had no problem following all our friends to each door. In our neighborhood tradition, we piled onto a trailer with hay to ride from house to house.  And, in keeping with tradition, we all ate waaaaay too much candy and stayed up waaaay too late (with tummy aches). 

It did rain all day Saturday... and what else were we to do but stay in PJs until noon and eat candy for breakfast and lunch... then play in the rain!

Avery and I went with friends for a pedicure pampering. Avery has been asking to go to the "toenail shop" since a month before we left for China and we finally went.

This girl knows how to enjoy a good pampering!

It rained the next several days too so we headed to Lowe's to get more "build it" sets. Two pirate ships were the choice today! 

Look at these masterpieces!

Mimi came one day last week and helped with Samuel while I worked - they picked up Silas and Avery from school (Samuel's favorite part of the day) and brave Mimi took them all to Rooster's - our fav after school lunch spot!

Silas' teacher sent me this picture from the playground at school. They might not be in the same classroom this year, but always know where the other is... and what they're doing... and even though they tell me otherwise, apparently they really do play together at school;-)