January 2017

This year for some reason Christmas break from school didn't provide many days off before Christmas-BUT had LOTS of days off after Christmas.  This was nice because we got tons of family time together to enjoy playing with new Christmas toys and doing some outings as a family on John's extra days off-like going to the Muse together!  It had been a while since we had all six been together to the Muse, so this was a lot of fun!  
Then the weekend before school was to go back in session we got snow! The kids were thrilled because it was plenty enough to play in.  Unfortunately it snowed out Dawson's first basketball game of the season, but with all the fun the kids had in the snow-I didn't hear any complaints about basketball being canceled.  

You can tell in the above sledding picture that the snow plow had JUST come through to plow half of the road.  

The snow was mostly melted and the roads had been plowed really well by Monday, so back to school Dawson went.  December was such a busy, busy month that Christmas break was REALLY relaxing as we just got to spend lots of time together as a family.  SO NICE!  When Dawson's home for these long breaks, I always think how nice it would be to have him home ALL the time! I just love having everyone home together.

Another fun activity we TRIED while we were all home was letting NK sleep on the extra mattress on the floor in the boys' room.  She's been begging and begging to share a room with Clayton, and we thought she would enjoy this. I took this picture (Carter was being silly and hiding under his covers), and they were all so excited.  BUT unfortunately this only lasted about 15 minutes because NK just couldn't settle down...we told her we would try it again in a month or so.

Here are our pictures from the Hatfield and McCoy Show I mentioned attending that was GREAT!

The kids on stage at Hatfield and McCoy.

I downloaded snapchat to my phone for the sole purpose of being silly with the kids.  Nora Kate loves the Hello Kitty filter.

Alexa came to play and the kids put on a show for us.

Here are the pictures from our family trip to the Muse.

When Daddy goes to the Muse with us, our creations are WAY better!

After the Muse, we headed to one of John's favorites for lunch-Pete's Downtown.  Clayton sat in the highchair like a big boy at the restaurant.

All the extra time after Christmas before school started back, was perfect for Lego building.

And helping me bake!

We tried out a new recipe...Kentucky Butter Cake...yummy!

This girl loves to dress like a princess while riding in her princess car!

While Lolly and Pop were at the beach, Bentley spent a week with us.

While everyone was still on Christmas break but John was back to work we headed to Vonore one day to meet John for lunch.  Nora Kate insisted on wearing her princess costume to lunch.

So fancy!

Dawson reading to Bentley over Christmas break.

Sweet Mr. Baby is looking SO big lately!

Sometimes she requests pictures in her outfits.

....and of course I love it!

The snow started falling so these three ran out to catch the first flakes in their mouths!

These are more of the snow pictures from the beginning of January.  We enjoyed an all day fire.

Sledding in our front yard

CLAYTON's first snow!!

Attended a baby shower for a friend this month with the Sunday School girls! Always fun!

They love working puzzles at the library.

She requested to wear her tutu and a cardigan on this day....and have her picture made with Carter....can you tell who was less than excited about it?!  But I love her sweet face looking at big brother.

Dawson has gotten into perler beads lately, and Carter and Nora Kate were determined they could do them too.  I think it's a great way to practice fine motor skills.  Carter enjoys it, and NK looses interest right now.  So we have lots of creations from Dawson and Carter.

John took all three big kids to a UT Basketball game this month by himself!

Dawson got to go to his first game at age 3, Carter at 3, and so we had promised Nora Kate she could go when she was three.  She was so, so, so excited!

At her first game!

Our little Volunteers!

We regularly play on the playground by Carter's school either before or after we pick him up...they love it because it's the only time we are on that side of town to play on that specific playground.

Clayton didn't know what to think about the windy blowing his hair around at the playground! HAHA!

Every Satruday we enjoyed watching Dawson play basketball.  He is number 3 on the green team, the Thunder!  His coaches are John and Grandad.  He's loving it.

One Saturday the weather was BEAUTIFUL, so after basketball we headed to the zoo!

We always love the zoo...NK was there too but was blurry in the pictures because she was in constant motion!

More basketball!

After a super fun weekend Nora Kate got hurt on Sunday evening and had to go to the ER.  She fell off the couch and hit her ear on the coffee table.  We debated on whether or not she needed stitches, but two hours after it happened when we STILL couldn't get it to stop bleeding I finally took her to the ER.  Of course she was already in her pajamas because it was after 8 when we got to the ER.  At first she was really concerned, then they started making a big deal out of her and she was all smiles and priss.  Seriously, who smiles like that on the ER bed?!  Well, in the end they were just able to glue it back together, but now a month later it STILL looks BAD! Poor girl, but she was SO brave!!!

Nora Kate ALWAYS wants to pick our Clayton's diapers and put in him the pink diapers.  Poor boy.

We have had a LOT of nice days lately and gotten to enjoy a lot of walks in the afternoons.  SO nice for a January.

We finally have long enough hair for a side pony tail!!!!

Nora Kate was SO tired after being up late for her trip to the ER for her ear.  I think Dawson was worried she wasn't going to get good rest at nap even though she was exhausted, so he wrote her this note...Sleep at nap.  Don't dilly dally around.  Get some sleep.  From Dawson to Nora Kate.  

I LOVE IT!

The face you make when you get a new dress up dress and realize it LIGHTS UP!

A view of basketball practice from the track above.

Sweet team.

We love our board games!

And Clayton still loves his johnny jumper!

Our neighbors and friends had given NK the gift of a date without brothers for her birthday.  We "cashed" it in this month while the boys played at our friends house and Nora Kate and I headed out for ice cream. She loved it.

It worked out perfect because they did it when John was out of town traveling for work!

Look who got shoes this month!

Clayton got his first pair of REAL shoes.

Time please slow down!

He is a 5 EXTRA WIDE!

Yes, that's right EXTRA WIDE!

I love his little round feet, and they look cute in his little stride rite shoes we picked out.

Dawson went to friends from school birthday party and had fun!!

The kids REALLY wanted me to sit Clayton in the princess car.

Can you tell she's loving this?!

Disclaimer: no one actually drove the car with Clayton in it!

January was another fun month!