Three Month Blitz

Ok, so it's been a while.  Like almost three months.  I figured that, before the holiday pictures mount, I'd better get my act together and update the blog for October, November, and the first half of December.  (Meanwhile, my son's brain is turning to mush watching ABC Family Christmas specials ad nauseum.  But it's for the cause.)

The Rest of October...

Included some popsicle breaks in the gorgeous weather.

October also signaled the beginning of Sara's Cowgirl Boot-Wearing Season, which means this is what she will have on her feet until summer arrives and she wears flip flops every day.  

We went to a concert in Tuscaloosa with Mitchell and Gigi.

We enjoyed a walk or two.

Mommy and Daddy have been teaching Sara's Sunday School class every other week this year.  This gives her some good coloring time with Daddy on Sunday mornings.

We also prepared for Halloween, which meant Mommy and Brooks made a trip to the costume store.  He was waaaay too fascinated by the bloody heads and zombies.

We found our wigs!

And we became the Cat in the Hat, Thing 1, and Thing 2.

Jake's birthday is October 31.  Hallie got sick before the party, so Mommy took Sara and Brooks to Birmingham for the big celebration.  He was an adorable birthday boy, of course.

The next week was the Halloween Parade at Brooks's school.  The Cat in the Hat scored a lot of candy.

The Cat in the Hat also received a much-needed haircut.

And then came November.  And with it, a trip to the mountains with Gigi and Grumpy!

The kids LOVED this trip.  We went hiking...

We ate at the Apple Barn...

And we played in the cabin.

We were the pinkest horse back riders on the trail.

Brooks rode "Bertha" with Grumpy, Sara and Mommy rode "Mange," and Hallie rode "Miss Daffy" all by herself!  I was very proud of my little cowgirl.

Brooks fell asleep halfway through the ride, which meant Grumpy had to hold the reins and a dead-weight Brooks on horseback.  He is quite an impressive Grumpy.  We lost a boot or two (later recovered), but Brooks remained on the horse.

We felt victorious after our trail ride.

We hiked some more.

"Fighting Creek Nature Trail."  Aren't they clever?  :)

We loved this cool tree.

A.J. is such a good sport and doesn't really seem to mind all the "love" he gets from his older cousins.

  

We also went on a picnic.

Where Brooks tried to decapitate all of us with large sticks...thankfully he was unsuccessful.

We attempted a "cousins" picture in the cool tree.  A.J. was not interested.

 Ditto the "cousins sitting on a wall" picture...

So we posed with Iss instead.  :)

We went into downtown Gatlinburg on our last night of the trip.

  

They had some cool old cars on display, and B was intrigued.

  

And we capped off the evening with ice cream!  Sara was just slightly happy about this...

Later that month, we took the kids to Oxford for the Troy game.  We started our day with breakfast at Bottletree Cafe, including a big-as-your-head cinnamon roll, of course.

We placed a call in the old phone booth on the Square.

And then we (and our new stuffed animal, apparently) went to the game.

After Thanksgiving (HOW do I not have any Thanksgiving pictures?!), we got the house ready for Christmas decorating with some good vacuuming.

And Archie decided he liked it under the tree.

Hallie worked on her memoirs...(it's been a busy six years).

But then she had to add a chapter called "The Flu."

And Mommy added a chapter to her memoirs called "How to Not Get Your Grading Accomplished While Your Sick Daughter Naps on Top of You."

Brooksie had his Christmas program last week.  (His teachers put goop in his hair to complete his '50s look, in case you're wondering if he's been playing in the sprinkler in December).  I'll post videos of him singing folding his arms across his chest and sticking out his tongue later.

Gigi actually took some Thanksgiving pics and some others I will supplement later today.  And we will be back with Christmas pictures galore (assuming I actually take some!).  

Until then, Merry Christmas to all!