Christmas Lists

It's that time of year again, the time where I asked my children to make a list of items they may want or need for Christmas.
The boys just kind of tell me as we go but the girls, thankfully, take this job serious.
MK is very thorough and includes websites that I can purchase her items from....and she makes her list with the title of Birthday and Christmas Ideas.  Organized she is not all of the time BUT she has this list thing down pat.
Maddox.  Oh, sweet Maddox.  Her list begins with high heals and ends with a tight rope, not to overlook the other wants such as the motorcycle and the make-up.
Maryn.  Insistent, does not always hear what one says, Maryn.  She is six.  We have told her multiple times that she is too young for an electric scooter yet she STILL insists that is what she wants for Christmas.  And, she would prefer a car - a real car but with smaller seats, two seats - one for her and one for Chapman - and while we are purchasing these items, she is also asking for a new pet.
Thankfully, Chapman is still too young but it will be amazing to see what she asks for in the years to come!

Many moons ago, we lived just outside of Boston, MA.  During our stay there, we purchased a snow shovel.  Well, that snow shovel continues to serve us well in the south.  Its latest use was moving mulch from our driveway to the various parts of the yard in need.  

Our sweet friend, Daisy, continues to visit each month and receive treatment for brain cancer.  She is staying strong and we are blessed for knowing her and being a part of her journey.  I am thankful Maddox can provide her a bit of normalcy as they play together each visit.  There are a lot of laughs between these two!

Chapman had school pictures and I had to snap my own as we were going in.  She is just so cute and loves going to school to play with her friends.

 Pryce and some of his football teammates joined together at a local church for breakfast and a sermon by the former head coach at Alabama. 

 Sitting at dinner one evening, I noticed Maryn's hair looked a bit odd.  At first I thought it was the lighting but the more I looked, I just couldn't be sure.  I asked her if she had cut her hair and she didn't hesitate in denying her involvement.  Normally, if Maryn is guilty in a situation, she will not deny or admit anything.  Instead, she will just stare at us with her big, brown eyes....and she is good at this, she doesn't give in.  But on this night, she immediately said no.  I kept looking at it from across the table and finally asked her to come to me.....yep, she had cut her hair!  

 Chapman adores our Fall decor.

 We kicked off Fall by going to see a local production of Charlotte's Web.  It was a fabulous production and included some of our favorite people!

 Chapman loved the geese!

 And we were all thrilled to see Mrs. Duncan for her debut stage performance!  

Fall Break consisted of one full day with 5 children home, one day home with 4 children home, one day with 2 children home, a hurricane in the midst, and two days with 3 children home.  So, six children, 5 schools, 4 different Fall break calendars....I love this yet to outsiders, it looks a bit crazy. 

 All that led us to enjoy some time with friends, explore the canal to find treasures, bike rides, painting time with sisters, Scrabble with my big guy, studying for P, baking her first ever cake for MK, swimming and more swimming because in October it is still 85+ degrees on any given day, going to movies, and most importantly, taking naps!  A week of just time together and it was perfect in every way!  

Also kicking off Fall, school spirit week for Maddox and Maryn!  Their school will send pics throughout the day and I was so excited to receive this one of Maddox and her BFFL, Brooklyn, dressed as twins!

Fall is off to a fabulous start!  

Cinderella

MK kicked off her second season in company ballet with Columbia County's production of Cinderella.  The show was a huge hit with tickets sold out for the evening performance!  With a packed house, we settled in to watch our little ballerina shine on the stage.  One word that describes her best is graceful.....she has a presence about her that compliments the little ballerina in her.  We are thankful for this ballet group.....sweet friends have been made and memories as well.  And, fun times were had when friends came to watch her dance!

Chapman Turns 4

Chapman is FOUR

 At four, she is the funniest, spunkiest, spiciest, busiest, sweetest, bossiest, loveliest little girl ever!

 She adores her sisters when they are at school and then competes to be just like them and do just like them when they are home; she loves ballet; she loves a good PBJ sandwich; swimming is a pleasure and she loves jumping in!

 She insists on sleeping in our room at night even though she has her own room upstairs - no worries tho because mama will miss her when she does decide to move on up!  She adores all animals, even the little ants that bite her little hands up when she tries to play with them.

 Her expressions and her exasperations when she speaks are hilarious - she doesn't just chatter, she always has a story to tell.  

We just love this little girl so much and we are so thankful for her life.  She is the perfect little caboose and will surely continue keeping us all in line as she grows.  Her birthday is always going to be significant.....we met her the day after she turned two years old.  This year, she turned 4 AND she celebrated being with us longer than she was in China.  This is huge but in no way takes away from where her life began.  Being her family, her forever, is one of my greatest joys in life!