Parties and PJ Literacy Day

Friday was "PJ Literacy Day" at Kam's school.  I read "Purplicious" to Kam's class and she was grinning from ear to ear while she flipped pages as I read to her friends.  The kids all wore pj's and were laid out with pillows and blankets when I got there.  I was a little jealous!  There were parents scheduled to read all throughout the day and it was just a lot of fun for the kids.

It was also Kam's birthday so the kids sang "Happy Birthday' to her when I got there.  They don't allow parties but she was able to bring chocolate chip cookies (of course!) and juice at snack time for everyone.  I had lunch with her and got to see the entire K-4th grade sing to all the kids who had birthdays that day and the next week (because of the holidays).  She looked so cute standing there while the entire cafeteria sang!

Mom sent her a balloon and candy, which she loved!  She also wore her crown ALL DAY LONG!  I picked her up and we headed to her friend Maddie's birthday party.

She was thrilled to be with her Fun Time friends again.  After the party, Kam was anxious to get home and open her birthday presents.  She didn't even want to go out to eat, which was quite the disappointment for Mark and I.

She was so hard to buy for this year!  We ended up with new Wii and DS games...

I don't think she was disappointed.  She even grabbed Cooper and hugged him!!

Birthday party pictures coming soon!

Thanksgiving

This year we spent Thanksgiving in Rogers with Mark's family. Although I missed my family, it was very nice to hang out and bond with the Chastains.  My only regret is that I didn't take any pictures while we were there!!  Aunt Carmella made a wonderful Thanksgiving meal that I'm wishing I could eat again right now.  My kids had a great time with Q, Cade, and Cahl; however, I'm guessing they weren't sorry to see us go!   Kam even warmed up to Uncle Stephen who she is always "nervous" to see....something about him putting her in the dog cage does that to her.  He deputized both kids and put them in charge.  Kam came to me later in the afternoon and said "I'm just not ready to be the sheriff of this house yet!" 

Cooper was in heaven on Thursday when he finally got to play "da Wii" on the 72-inch TV in the playroom.  I found him upstairs jumping around playing table tennis.  Even after we left for Branson, he kept asking me when we were going back to Uncle Stephen's to play. 

I have so much to be thankful for not only on Thanksgiving, but every day.  I am truly blessed with family, friends, church family, and a Savior who loves me--flaws and all.  Thank you, Lord, for all my blessings!!!

Happy Birthday, Kamdyn!

Today is Kamdyn's 6th birthday.  I can hardly believe it!  She was so excited when she woke up this morning and we immediately began singing to her.  She even hugged Cooper for it!!  She then opened her cards from Nannie and Papaw Sonny that she's been dying to open the last few days.

As you can see, she racked up the money!  She was excited and told me that she "was rich now."  When she couldn't find the check that Mark had taken to put up she said, "where's my hundred smacks????"  Mark says she's just like me! 

She's having a great day at school so far today.  It's "PJ Literacy Day" so everyone has on pajamas.   I went to read to her class this morning and they were all laid out on the floor with pillows and blankets.   Can I go back to school?  PJ day sounds like heaven to me!  

Later, I had lunch with her where the entire K-4th grade sang "happy birthday" to her and everyone else who had birthdays today and next week.  She was so cute standing there while they were singing and I wish I had my camera with me. 

We are going to her friend Maddie's birthday party after school today and tomorrow is her party at Hot Springs Gymnastics.  She's so excited she can hardly stand it!  

I love you, Kam!!! 

Halloween Party at Mae's

Cooper's class had their Halloween party this morning and it was so cute.  I love the Halloween songs that they sing.  Here he is doing the running motions in the "spooky walk."  I have video of them singing but couldn't upload it.  I sat up front so I could see his face and he looked at me and talked to me the whole time. 

 Singing the "witches brew"....

Crawling around like cats...

Can you tell he's having a good time?  I have to say that I think the Halloween songs are my favorite and I have enjoyed listening to him sing them the last few weeks. 

I think Cooper has about 18 treat bags full of goodies to bring home when I pick him up today.  Yea!  More candy!!  Have I mentioned that I'm already recycling the stuff?  We have way too much and it's not even Halloween yet.

While they were handing out treat bags, Cooper kept running over to me and saying, " I need to give you another hug, Mommy" or "I wuv you, Mommy."  It totally made my day!  Now that Kam has started kindergarten and has no parties like this, I realize how much I miss it. I would totally like to freeze time and keep my kids at Mae's forever!!!

Efird Halloween Hayride 2010

We had our annual Efird Halloween hayride and weenie roast last Saturday.  I look forward to it every year!  I know I talk about Cooper being rough a lot and maybe these pics will explain why I don't let him out of my sight often when other kids are around!

See a pattern?  Although they were playing football, he still made me nervous!

This is Avery dressed as Velma from Scooby Doo.  I laughed every time I looked at her Saturday night.  

Kam insisted on being Supergirl this year, which wasn't my choice, but there was no changing her mind.  I begged her to let me pull her hair up but it wasn't happening.

We weren't very original with our costumes this year.  Cooper insisted on being a baseball player because Braxton was.  I kept trying to talk him into something else and finally he said very emphatically, "I told you I wanted to be a baseball player!" So a baseball player he is!

Uncle Ronnie wearing Fred's wig....someone needs to send this to the yearbook staff!

An attempt at a group picture (minus Aidan)....

Of course, Kam and Kamryn spent every minute together.  By the time Kam made it to the party Saturday night, she was so tired and crabby. 

Cooper with his very dirty white baseball pants!  Mark insisted that he be a St. Louis Cardinal.... my pic was Cubs or Rangers!

We took our usual hayride but waited until dark this year to do so, which might not have been a good idea.  Canon had a run-in with a barb-wire fence!  Madison and AJ jumped out of the woods to try to scare the kids but I think the kids were onto them.... We ended the night with lots of treats!!  Good times!

Cooper's First Golf Game

When Papaw Sonny was down a few weeks ago, he and Mark took Cooper to DeGray for his first golf outing.  He got new clubs for his birthday and he's been dying to go. 

Ready to go!  His clubs are bigger than he is!!

 I told Cooper that he should pay attention to how Papaw Sonny golfs instead of watching his daddy.  Let's hope he gets Papaw's golf skills!

I asked Mark to take pictures of his first "real" golf game and this is what I got!

According to Mark, Cooper made it great until the 12th hole and I think he began getting a little tired then.  I'm pretty sure Papaw Sonny was worried that he was going to drive the cart off the whole time they were there.  He was very tired when they got home but said he had a lot of fun and wanted to go again!

Out Like a Light

Kam comes to my office on Tuesday afternoons before gymnastics.   Someone came in to visit today and she hid on the other side of my desk while we were talking.

I found her completely passed out and literally had to shake her awake after they left.  Who says kindergarten isn't exhausting?