Day with Mama

The kids had a short week of school this week, just two days, and since the girls were flying out to Florida on Thursday I only had Wednesday to hang out with them! So we made the day of it.

Poor Owen - Tuesday evening he went to battle with the banister at the bottom of our stairs and lost...

We started out about noon by going to Raising Cane's for lunch!

Then we did a little shopping at Old Navy with some Christmas money that the kids received from Mike's grandmother.



Kate got a new sweater, Owen got a shirt and jeans, and Savannah got jeans

Then we went to the $2 theater and saw Disney's Planes. We missed seeing it this summer so it was a great find!

There were only 2 other people in the movie with us! I guess everybody saw it in the summer! :)

We had a nice afternoon together but I have to say I am really looking forward to when my kids don't bicker so much! They argue about everything!!!

The Perfect Sunday Afternoon

This is about as relaxed as it gets around here...

It's a little weird for Mike and I, but our house has become sort of relaxed and low maintenance the older Owen gets. I guess it's just a new season of life for us :)

Christmas Past

Yesterday as I was wrapping some Christmas presents I got to thinking about Kate's first Christmas with us...and then it dawned on me. It was our 7 year anniversary of meeting her! :) And then I was remembering what an amazing Christmas that was and I decided to do a post of the last 7 Christmases!

Here goes -

2006 - we had just found out that we were approved to adopt Kate and Christmas Eve was her first sleep over at our house! 



2007 - It was about this time that we found out we would be able to adopt Savannah! We were thrilled!

 

 

 

2008

 

 

 2009 - We had just found out that we were pregnant with Owen! And even though we were more than a little shocked, we were so excited!

2010

 

 

                                                                          2011

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2012

 

 

 

2013 - 8th Christmas as a family!

 

 

I have always loved Christmas but the fact that each of my kids was sort of a Christmas gift makes this time of year so much more special!

How you know it's Friday at the Oliver House

There are several markers of a Friday afternoon at the Oliver household...

Check out a few -

Kids who drop their stuff on the floor and leave it

Sleeping babies

Relaxed girl

Crafts all over

Mess, mess, and more mess

Lunch boxes left unpacked on the counter


Yep, it's Friday again!

Thanksgiving in Indy

This Thanksgiving we were lucky to be invited to two family gatherings in Indiana! I didn't get a lot of pictures, but here is what I managed to get in between all the eating!

Thanksgiving Night on the way to our hotel!

Friday we got together with Grandpa John's kids and their families to make Christmas ornaments

Channeling her inner farm girl!

It took me a minute to realize that it was an Oliver tractor! Had to get a pic

Wearing a big boy helmet!

Grandma and Grandpa John along with 8 of their 10 grandkids

At the hotel

At our second dinner!

My grandparents, my Pappy's sister, my three aunts, and my mom

My family with my grandparents

Kids with my mom and John

Kids with my grandparents

Owen fell asleep again!

 We had a great trip and loved getting together with so much of my side of the family! We are hoping to be able to do this fairly regularly now that we are so close! Yet another perk of living in Lexington! :)

Snow Ice Cream!

Savannah heard on a TV show that you can make snow into ice cream and so as soon as the snow hit the ground she was all over me about it! So after a trip to the store for some vanilla extract we got started!

They spent a lot of time collecting the snow

She was SO excited!

They wanted to help to

Stirring the ice cream...check out Savannah sneaking a bit!

Yum yum!

Don't tell her endocrinologist but the recipe called for 1 cup of sugar!

Chowing down

Hot Chocolate kind of Night...

The other night a few days before Thanksgiving, we were freezing and decided to make hot chocolate! Turns out we were right on point because when we looked out the window, it was snowing!

This is pretty much his first experience with hot chocolate

and he's licking the drippings off the counter!

Savannah's favorite part is the marshmellows

Kate has always loved hot chocolate! We drank it even in FL

Wild Woman

Owen made quite the chocolaty mess!

I am so excited for my kid to get to experience a real winter, but as we tip-toe closer and closer to actual winter I am starting to wonder if Mike and I are up for this! It's COLD!!!!