Cleaned cleaned and cleaned some more

We did a bunch of cleaning today...in between naps that is...both kids took a nap from exhaustion and then we went to take back some gifts that didn't work and grabbed some more stuff...I guess it's hard when you are a kid and don't understand why you should just hold on to your credit until you need it! We tried to convince both kids to hold on to their money until another day...but it was burning a hole in both pockets. We came home with some more horses and some freight cars.....just what we needed! We grabbed dinner and then headed home.

Christmas parties at school!

Both kids had Christmas parties today at school. Instead of getting all of the children individual gifts, the class decided to buy gifts for the classroom instead. Lele of course picked out a white horse with a brush and a saddle for the classroom! No think of she asked one time, she asked 20 to open the gift. She even stopped eating her food at the party to ask when we were opening presents. Gibson couldn't understand why lele got a present and he didn't. Let's just say, he didn't like it.

I came home quickly after the party, wrapped gifts and then headed to drop off a few orders before heading back at 12:30 to pick up the kids and drop off the remaining gifts. It took me 25 minutes to get to the school as traffic was horrible!

After picking up the kids, I met a girl to pick up some more christmas gifts. We then headed home and all took naps. When we woke up, Lele went to spend the night with my aunt Lisa. Gibson woke up with a 102 fever. Looks like it is going to be a long night!!

Go Giants!!

We took the kids to see their first football game and to watch cousin Alex play at his football game. The kids had fun yelling for Alex and he was excited to see that we made it. He did a great job. Afterwards, we grabbed dinner at beef o Brady's and headed home.

The grand ole pumpkin patch!

This morning, Matt got an offer to take a free trip with Stryker to go tuna fishing at Orange Beach. He had to be at the airport at 3 to catch the flight to the beach. We had originally planned to pick the kids up from school and head to the pumpkin patch. But, since Matt got this Offer, we decided to let the kids skip school and head on to the patch before he had to leave. Our sweet neighbor, kim meadows, went with us.

Lele and Gibson were so excited from the moment we got there! We got there around 11:30 so we made the kids go ahead and eat lunch. We were surprised at how windy the day turned out to be. Gibson's favorite was of course the tractor twain as they called it. Leles was the pony ride. They also enjoyed feeding the animals at the petting zoo, jumping on the bounce hours and then picking out the smallest pumpkin in the patch!

Matt left around 1:30 and we grabbed some candy apples and headed home.

First Day of 4k and 2 year old class

Today was LeLe and Gibson's first day of 4 year old class and the 2 year old class.  As usual, LeLe was PUMPED about going to school.  Gibson...well, not so much.  He would be content attached to my hip for as long as I will let him.  Not that I am complaining...he is just content with a train and me.  :)

LeLe was so excited to see her friends.  She wanted to take her whole room to show and tell.  This year, she has Mrs. Sheri Hamilton, at Riverchase Day School.  She is going to be going 5 days a week since she has so much to learn before starting Kindergarten next year!  Now, she knows all of her letters, is beginning to sound out words, is very interested in crafts and coloring and well, does a better job at it than me!

Gibson is starting the 2 year old class.  He has a lot of friends from last year in his class, but he still wants to be home.  While I would love to have him home all the time, we both benefit from him going to school.  I don't want to kill him...and he can get some interaction with kids.  Let's face it...I am no teacher!  He already knows his alphabet, can recognize letters and numbers, knows all of his shapes and he talks up a storm.  He is still VERY interested in trains and knows the name of every Thomas train there is.  He can also tell you the list of trains that we don't have.

Gibson cried for a long time after I left him at school.  I called to check on him and he had fallen asleep in the floor all by himself because he was so upset, he didn't want anyone to hold him.  His teacher from last year did get him to calm down but he got upset when she had to leave.

Today was a very hard day for me.  I am not sure exactly why other than the fact that daddy died last year on the first day of school and it has brought back many memories of that day.

First Day of School

No pictures today...but LeLe and Gibson started summer school.  They will just go Tues-Thur for a few weeks.  They seem to get really bored at home...and bored...means that they get in trouble...

So, off to school they go...and off to sewing and to the store I go...

atleast for a few hours for a few days...

Spend the Night Company

We made this little outfit this week...lele insisted on wearing it to school tomorrow...So we will wear it...after all, it is summer.

Anne Reaves and Saxon spent the night with us last night.  We headed out to the gym but they declined us because there was already too many people...no problem for me though...

We grabbed lunch at Newks, and then headed to the zoo where we saw EVERY animal there.  I met Laura around 3:30.

LeLe was exhausted but had a great time.  Gibson...well, just loves the extra girls.

Gibson's First Dentist Trip

Today, Gibson had his first trip to the dentist.  We woke up, did some errands and then headed to the dentist.  I called my cousin Lauren to help since I was unsure how everything would transpire.  He did great!  We let LeLe go first since she loves this type of thing...he watched...and then quickly copied her. 

Following the dentist, we headed to get Gibson's hair cut.  While I do think that it is cute longer, I think it is time for him a summer "do".  I dropped Lauren and Gibson off at the hair place while I took LeLe to Sasser Optometrist to get her glasses repaired.  She lost one of the nose guards and one of the sides are a little whop sided.  :)

Pics coming soon!! I am updating the blog through the iPad so I hope to add pics in the next little while!

Day Out with Thomas

Matt, Lauren, LeLe, Gibson and I headed to Calera today to spend a day out with Thomas. Gibson was very surprised to see Thomas but was more interested in playing trains in the train tent. I don't think that he realizes that he was really riding on a train pulled by Thomas since once seated, you couldn't see Thomas. He would mention that he was a riding clarabell but didn't seem so excited. They had a good time playing in the train tent and petting the animals in the petting zoo part. Overall, I was a little disappointed in the experience but the kids had a great time and we enjoyed watching Gibson's and leles reaction to him.

Saying Goodbye

I drove to Albertville today to say goodbye to Johnny. It was great seeing old friend...just under bad circumstances. I will miss your smile Johnny!

Happy Easter!

The kids woke up this morning and the Easter bunny had left footprints in the hallway and a surprise on the front porch (it looked very similar to black beans). They were excited to find a ton of fun little gifts from the Easter Bunny. Lele's favorite thing was the horse shrinky dunks and them the chocolate candy. Gibson's favorite was of course the tons of Thomas trains and then cranky the crane which actually goes up and down.We let the kids play this morning with their toys and then went to church at Hunter Street. Matt and I have decided to continue to look for churches but we decided that Easter Sunday isn't the best day to try out a church. The kids were excited to see their friends from when they went to school at hunter street. After church, we headed to my aunt Lisa's where we hunted Easter eggs and celebrated Saxon's birthday. On our way to Lisa's we learned that one of our dear friends, Johnny baker passed away this morning from brain cancer. Johnny had been battling it for several years and left behind a precious wife and son. When we got done at lisa's we headed home and crashed.

Easter Eggs?..

Laura met me at Tannehill Baptist Church at 10 for the kids to hunt Easter eggs. Gibson and I were already there when she got there. Gibson thought that he was big and was trying to go down the big slide. Lele quickly took over and helped him. They racked up on some Easter eggs and ate several chocolates. They decorated cookies, won door prizes and did face paintings.

When I left the egg hunt, I headed straight to the Galleria where we quickly grabbed a pictured with the Easter bunny, we then quickly came home for naps. the plan was to meet Laura and Saxon for an afternoon of fun but we didn't make it. The kids are still recuperating from the sick week.

I got a call from Kandie baker saying that my friend Johnny was getting really sick and that the family had been called in. So, prayers went up for Johnny and company.

Happy Birthday Saxon!,

I took lele to spend the night with Saxon on Friday afternoon. Anne Reaves had a swim meet at 6:00 so we headed over in time to watch her swim. We had a great time at the aquatics center watching the kids swim and she did a fantastic job! I was so proud of her. She beat a 10 year old and was the smallest swimmer of all of them. She swam the back stroke and freestyle. Saxon chose for us to eat dinner at Newks. Of course, that was fine with me, I headed back go Tuscaloosa around 8. Gibson was wide awake when I got home.

Guilt...

That is what I should feel considering I haven't fulfilled my need to blog...so just a brief catchup for the past few weeks...

Matt was in a wedding a feW weeks ago for a dear friend Jeremy bell. We actually had our wedding at Jeremy's parents lake house. It was great meeting some of Matt's friends from his childhood.

Gibson and lele are growing up so fast! Gibson is now wide open! He is in love with Thomas and knows all of their names! I had no clue about anything Thomas about a year ago but now I am a Thomas expert! He also loves watching despicable me and "bots" also known as "robots". He loves playing in the basement. If my mother, "bobo" comes over... He always grabs her pants and her hand and announces "et's pay bobo". It melts her heart. Yesterday she tried to sneak out but Gibson caught her and told her to "sit down"!

Lele is still unto horses. She loves playing outside and getting dirty! She always sneaks outside and pulls all of her daddy's flowers. Matt is looking to start a garden this spring so he has a great helper!

This past weekend, we had some company over for Matt's birthday. Amy Estes, Henson (3) and Merritt (15months) came over before the husbands. I ran next door to feed the neighbors dog and when I got back, Amy w holding merritt who was coughing, she said that she had find a liquid candle that I had under the cabinet in my bedroom. She had drank some of the candle liquid and then proceeded to start vomiting. I immediately tried to find poison controls number. Since I couldn't find it, I called 911. They send the medics while they connected me with the poison control. While we were waiting on them to get there Merritt began to pass out. Luckily, they got here quickly
and the ambulance came. They took Amy, Merritt, and Richard go childrens hospital where they had to stay overnight, the bells still stayed for dinner and we fought up on old times.

Today, we snuck into school and delivered our ether goodies". I'll try to take a pic to Share. This afternoon, gibbons allergies started really bothering him so I took him to the allergist where they changed his medicine again. Stay tuned,,,.


I will do my best to continue updating...we shall see. Until next time..

On Tuesday, Gibson and I woke up with a stomach bug. Mom took lele to school. Let's just say, I don't remember much from Tuesday. Our sweet neighbor took lele to the princess family night at chikfila. She came home with a ton of princess garb. I wednesday, I got up started to take lele to school as she complained that she didn't feel well. As soon as we pulled up to the school, she got sick!! Since Wednesday, matt and mother have gotten sick!

Another bug!!

Lele woke up saying her stomach hurt. I should have known that something was up considering she didn't ask for the usual chocolate milk. I feel better! I was thinking that she just wanted attention since gibson had so much the day before. Little did I know, as soon as I got to school, she would get sick all in the car!! So, I quickly returned home, pulled out the car seat and played nurse all day.

Stomach bug...

Monday night, I wasn't feeling so well. Actually, I thought it was just indigestion until I woke up about 3 sick as a dog! At 7:00, I called mother to come over and get the kids ready for school as I didn't feel so well. When she went to get Gibson out of bed, she announced that he was sick too.,..so, gibson and I laid around all day....or at least until I called in backup from matt around lunch. Gibson and lele usually stay late on Monday's and Tuesday's at school. So at 3:00, matt went to get him. Mother had brought over some medicine and I was feeling better.

Around 4:30, Mr. Mark, our neighbor called and wanted to take lele to princess night at chickfila. She came home with a ton of princess stuff, her fingernail and toenails painted and a big smile on her face!! She had a blast. I hope to get some pics soon.

We hope tomorrow is a better day!

New Year's Resolution - Blogging

So, I am going to try again at Blogging. While I don't really know if anyone even reads these anymore or not...at least it will serve as a diary for my Children!!

Today...was action packed.

We woke up late....ran to Helena to pick up a pair of pants that needed to go Tuscaloosa. Came home...took showers/baths....finished up some orders to be mailed....got a visit from sweet Tori...played with the cleaning folks instead of helping them....loaded up...and headed to Tuscaloosa to deliver some orders.

I didn't realize that Fedex was closed several days over the new Years so I had some committments on orders that needed to be met today. While I was in Tuscaloosa, I planned on getting Gibson some new shoes and then run into the fabric store. Little did I know, the shoe place that love was having a huge moving sale...today only!! Yeah me!! So, 32 pairs of shoes later...we finished our shoe shopping...for both kids...for the next 3 years! :)

Afterwards, the new puppy, the kids and I headed to Laura's where we ordered pizza and the kids played with the puppy. I ran to the sewing store...bought one yard of fabric...came back to Laura's ate....and then came home. The kids crashed...and so did the puppy.

January 2nd - Relaxing Day

We are still in relaxation mode here at the Holland house. I believe it is because we have run non stop for the past 2 months! Matt woke up and worked out...I slept in. Once the kids woke up around 10, Matt took LeLe to Mark's Outdoors, Chunky Cheese, Bass Pro Shoppe and then to the fireworks store. Unfortunately, more than half the stores were closed. But, she got cotton candy from Bass Pro along with a horse that makes noise...and is one happy little girl.

Gibson and I ran a couple of errands and then came back home. Once LeLe got home, we all took naps...except Matt of course...woke up...ate dinner...played and sewed...and then went back to bed...

Nothing like a lazy holiday!!

HaPpY NEW YEAR!

Happy New Year.....

Up on the docket for the New Year's Resolution...Blogging...

We shall see how well I do...but hey, I bet I will get more than 15 posts like in 2011!!

Matt woke up, ate breakfast and went to church...

I slept in with a sick headache...stayed with the kids...and waited on Matt to get home.

We all loaded up about 12:30 and headed to Mother's where we had our New Year's feast. The Skinner's met us there...Mother had a huge spread featuring...roast, potatoes, carrots, black eyed peas, corn bread, hog jow?, turnip greens, ham, dressing, gravy, and tea. The kids ate in the sun room while us adults ate in the dining room. Afterwards, the kids played and the puppies did too...we headed home around 3 and crashed. Wow...I am really sounding like a bum!!