Kids Say the Funniest Things

Lately I have really been paying attention to the things my kids say and it is just hysterical. Halle sounds like me from the time she gets up til she goes to bed. Constantly shouting out orders and telling people what to do. She started counting the other day when Gracie was being too slow about getting into the car...... "1, 2, 3...." And it worked. Gracie got it in gear and got moving! And just her vocabulary is amazing to me. Of course some of it is 'unappropriate' as she would say. She says things like:

"that's unacceptable"
"you need to pay attention"
"that is just nonsense"
"how do you think that makes me feel"
"can we just resume with what we were doing"
"I'm not particpating in that"
"I will not tolerate this"

I could go on and on but of course now I'm drawing a blank. And it really is a teachable moment b/c she will sometimes just 'lose it' as I do and raise her voice when it's really not necessary. And although I'd like to say I stay even-tempered at all times, I don't, and it shows w/ her. She can go from 1 to 180 in 2 seconds flat....just like mom. So, it's teaching me to chill a little....not an easy thing.

Gracie looks up to Halle so much. She went to a friend's last weekend to spend the night and had a blast. It was a little sad though. All afternoon and evening we felt like something was missing....and it was, our Gracie girl! Halle and Cade both missed her in their own way and it was very sweet. I think it was a teachable moment for them as well. Yes, you fuss and fight, but you love each other, and really miss one another when they are gone. Remember that! And of course by the time she returned the next day after church, they were fussing on the way home. Oh well.....back to reality!

I love to watch them play together. They come up w/ the neatest make believe games and they will always cherish them. The girls both have old cell phones that they use to call one another at home. When Halle sings "All the Single Ladies" Gracie answers 'hello.' When Gracie sings "Boom Boom Pow" Halle answers. You got it....they have ring tones! Hysterical!

Gracie Gets Terrific Kid

As if I need a program and a piece of paper to tell me that Gracie is a Terrific Kid....it is still an honor to be recognized and I can honestly say I've never seen someone so excited. You would've thought she had just been told she could eat ice cream for every meal of the day...forever. She screamed and cheered and said, "I knew I was terrific kid, I saw the teacher staring at me while I was on the rug, and I just knew she was thinking about picking me." Too cute! She is so proud and so am I!

Somehow Halle got to enjoy the perks of being a terrific kid also. She wanted to come watch Gracie but one of her nearest and dearest friends from her class was the representative in her class...so of course she didn't want to miss out.

Gracie and Caroline enjoying donuts!
Gracie on stage before the program looking cuter than ever in her dress and pink cowgirl boots.

Thankfully they might not always put on their most terrific behavior at home, but they do it at school! YEAH.

Two Snows in a Year...go figure?

Two snow days this winter...it never happens! The kids could hardly wait to get outside to enjoy the 'real' snow. It was so pretty! It wasn't as good for sledding, but we still managed to get a few runs in! Never mind my Redskins hat. I promise next winter I will be prepared with a reasonably fashionable hat and snow boots that at least look as warm as the ones my kids are wearing!Josh giving Gracie and Jules a push! What a trooper you are Josh!

Cade, Jules, Gunnar, Halle, and Gracie....with the snowman. In my neighbor's yard nonetheless.

I know, I know....I look 10 years younger! Ha.

Daddy and Cade...two peas in a pod!

They crashed and burned, but it was fun!

HELP...a bush!

The crew and Rebecca Anne.....our fun neighbor!

Gunnar and Cade

Too cute!

Here we go!

We're getting more sleds as soon as they come in! Next year we will be prepared....and I'm betting next year we don't see a flake!

Halle and Cade

Gunnar and Cade

Just Cade sporting his Gamecock accessories!

Me giving Gunnar a push!

Cade turns 5

My sweet baby boy turned 5 on January 31. I cannot believe he is 5. It seems like just yesterday I was watching him in his swing bragging on what a perfect baby he was. I guess you could say he has been the typical third child. He's easy! Always content as a baby he would watch his sisters play and rarely cry for anything.

We did a big "3 in one" party back in November for all the kids. But, as the days passed in January Cade was more and more disappointed that he wasn't having 'another' party for his 5th birthday. My original great plan no longer seemed great, and there was no way I was going to have a disappointed 5 year old on his birthday. So, we did a family bowling party and that was just fine with him. Always such a funny child with lots to say. He loves to watch football and basketball with his daddy and loves to takes naps on the weekend w/ me! Happy birthday to my little guy who is sure to break some hearts in his years! Thank goodness he'll always be mine!

Winter Storm 2010

After all the hype about the weather and 'guessing' if we would get even a dusting, it finally came. The kids were SO excited to see the ground covered in white. They would've been out at 8:00 am if I would've let them, but I figured w/ that big 1/2 inch of snow on the ground we wouldn't be going anywhere for at least 2 days....and it was 3! We played w/ our neighbors down the street and the kids used their sleds to go down their hilly driveway over and over and over again. There were a few spills into the nearby ditch, but fortunately everyone bounced back ok! Saturday night I pulled the kids around the block on the road....which was covered in ice. It was so much fun and great exercise. Fortunately by Sunday it was still pretty icy so we got to do it all over again. It's always so nice to get at least a little 'wintry mix' so the kids can play in it. Now I hope for no more so we don't lose any spring days. We are ready for shorts and flip flops at the Wilson house!

Basketball Season Begins

Basketall season is officially underway and we are all fired up at the Wilson household! Gracie and Cade are on the same team and Halle is in the league above them. I am coaching both teams...bless me! Poor Cade is playing with K5's and 1st graders but I decided to move him up so they wouldn't be in 3 different leagues.....I just can't handle 3, 2 is hard enough! But, he is doing amazingly well, and although he's extra small and not certain of all the rules, he loves it. He spends hours playing in the driveway when it's 35 degrees outside just shooting and dribbling. And Gracie is quite the aggressive defender. She likes to steal the ball and then dribble down and try and score. We've only had 2 games but I can tell with each one she is getting more and more confident and comfortable w/ the ball. And the good news is that they can play again next year in the same league. Overall our team is pretty good.

Now Halle's team on the other hand....well, we are not as good. I will hand it to Halle though. She plays hard and really wants to get better. She comes home in the afternoons and dribbles and shoots in the driveway. It is so cute.....at night when she says her prayers, she says 'I hope God that you will make me better at basketball.' It is too funny!

Back to the Real World

Well, life as a stay-at-home mom came to a SCREECHING halt on the early morning of January 4, 2010. WOW, it was rough to get up and get going. The kids actually did great, although they probably had no clue where they were til lunch time. Surprisingly they really do a great job of getting up and going in the mornings and I am so very thankful. We spent most of our break having fun. We did Christmas with all of our family and it was a long, but fun day. The kids had a blast and got lots of cool stuff that has kept them entertained. Over the break we saw 2 movies, played at Plaza Fiesta with friends, had birthday parties with Gram and their cousin, took naps, and played, played, played! Everyone stayed healthy and it was so nice to not have to rush around for a change. But the real world soon came back to get us and so now we are back to school, homework, packing lunches, running to gymnastics, basketball practices, etc. The last big event before our return to school was Jules' 7th birthday (their cousin) 'tea' party. The boys did get to go and dressed up in 'boy' clothes. Cade showed his true boy behavior that morning when he realized he would miss the Carolina Bowl Game. Of course we all know he didn't miss much! But, I managed to DVR it and he was satisfied with that. He LOVES football and it is so fun to watch him. He will ask a million questions and it does get tiresome, but he cannot get enough of it. Basketball games start this Saturday so stay tuned for pictures.

The girls!

My crew....all dressed up with nowhere to go.

Feeling glamorous!

Gracie, Halle, and their cousin Gunnar.