Random pictures!

Pictures from the last few months...

Breakfast at Nana's

Fishing at Grandaddy's

Cousin Eleanor

Fish!

Gramma holding Wyatt

First pool day of the season

Feeding chickens

Lila, Abby and Rosie, her friends at school

Jack riding the garbage truck

Bath time!

Making hamburgers

First cart ride at Target

Bunny's visit

Children's museum

First meal

Christmas Morning at our house

Christmas morning started at 5:40am at the Mathews' house.  Abby woke up and then Jack followed soon after.  He had forgotten Santa was coming and made no effort to go into the living room.  If only we could have convinced them to go back to bed, we could have celebrated Christmas at 7am.  Like NORMAL families, but alas, I gave birth to two roosters.  They TOTALLY get that from Doug's side of the family because I come from a family of koalas.  Did you know that koalas can sleep up to 20 hours in one day?!?!  Who knew?  I found that out when I googled "animals that sleep the most" because my mom would be offended if I said I came from a family of slugs.  Koalas sound so much better.   Anyway, back to Christmas.

Since Jack forgot about Santa, I was able to get the cameras all ready and film him and Abby walking into the living room.  Now, there was not one present under the tree Christmas eve, so Christmas morning was a big change as in there were presents.  Jack, being the observant little man he is, didn't notice anything.  When we asked if Santa had been he looked around and said, "nope".  Thanks for the buzz kill Jack.  He got more interested when I told him to check to see if Santa ate his cookies.  Santa had left a few bites, so Jack wanted to know if he could eat the remaining cookies.  It was pretty funny.  It was Abby who noticed the stockings on the couch.  So, they started there.  They both really enjoyed going through all of the stocking stuffers. 

After that, we started opening presents.  Jack's "big" present was a shopping cart, with groceries and a scanner.  Abby's "big" present was a bike with training wheels.  It is the smallest bike in the world.  Of course, whatever Jack opened, Abby wanted and vice verse.  I would say the biggest hit was the Dora ball tent.  They both loved that.  Next year will be even more fun as Jack will really "get" Christmas, I am sure Abby will too.  She picks up on things pretty quickly.  She was a pro trick or treating after getting candy at the first house.  She had it all figured out after that.

Jack scarfing down Santa's leftovers

Christmas 2010

Ah, stockings!

Abby loved her music eggs

Abby's doll

Jack's present to me was an ornament.  He picked it out himself at school.  Daddy got a frame.

The hit!

Athens

This past weekend we went to Athens to visit with Doug's family.  We had a great time.  Eleanor stayed the weekend, so Jack and Abby were thrilled to have a playmate.  So were we.

Jack was in total heaven.  Granddaddy and Gramma have a huge yard and a lake.  Granddaddy keeps a big bucket full of rocks by the dock.  I am fairly certain there are few things better than throwing rocks into a lake to a 3 yr old boy.  Except maybe ice cream and they had that too.

Abby was able to roam around and do her thing.  They had some ride-on toys so she was all set.  She did take a nasty spill but got up like a champ.  I wish we had taken a picture of her all bloody.  Luckily all the blood came out of her white coat.  One thing being married to Doug has gotten me used to blood and broken bones.  I am not sure if that is a good thing.

Doug and I went for an awesome road ride in the Winterville country side.  We even rode across a covered bridge.  It was a perfect day for riding.  So nice to be back in the saddle.  We rode for a little over 2 hours which was the longest time I have been on the bike since before having Abby.  That night Denny made reservations for the two of us for dinner at five and ten, an awesome restaurant in Athens.  PLUS he picked up the bill (which was quite large...not sure how that happened, perhaps we shouldn't go to dinner after riding 2+ hrs, we were starving!).  I must say, it was so wonderful to have dinner without having Jack telling me he had to go potty two seconds after Abby threw her plate to the floor five seconds after I sat down.  Life was very good.

Of course, Granddaddy had to put the children to work.  I think Abby got the better end of the deal.

Some lake shots:

Then Gramma got them working inside.  I tell you, no rest for the weary.

Martha showed up, but Abby had to warn her of all the work they had to do.

Abby's busted lip.  Had to share that one.

We also visited Doug's Aunt Bootsy and cousin Valerie.  Jack, Eleanor and Abby had a great time playing with all of Aunt Bootsy's classic toys.  It was a wonderful, relaxed weekend.