Jumping Jelly Beans

Kate's friend, Karson, asked his friends to have a playdate at Jumping Jelly Beans to celebrate his 2nd birthday. All the kids had so much fun as well as the adults. Kate was a little scared to get on this big slide, so I had to just kick off my shoes and go for it with her. Once I went down it with her a couple of times, she was going down by herself. She even copied McKinley and decided to go down head first like a daredevil. We had a great time and was a good workout for me too!!!

Kate was determined to get over the wall. She was upset at first that she couldn't do it. Once I climbed in it with her and showed her how to climb it she finally got over it.

Road Trip

We took a road trip to see Great Nanny Sanders. Kate just loves her Great Nanny Sanders and continues to talk about her almost daily around our house. She was very excited to see her for Christmas. I know Kate has the Farrah Fawcet do going on, but that's the best picture I have from this trip with this hair. I don't know what happened to her hair. We had no spray bottle, spray conditioner, pony tail holders, or barrettes.

Kate loves being able to explore outside Nanny's house and that there is so much open field to run around.

My Mom came along on the trip to visit Nanny Sanders, Aunt Terri, Uncle Pat, Uncle Tim, and my cousins. We were glad to get in a trip before unpredictable winter weather hits, my Dad's knee surgery, and the arrival of Marley Ann due in February or March. Kate was a little spoiled after being on vacation with Nanny for 4 days, but I guess that happens to all kids. We are thankful to have a wonderful Nanny who loves her grandchildren.

Kate spend the majority of her time wanting to walk up and down the stairs or sitting on the 3rd or 4th step so I could see her playing. I don't know what it is about these stairs or what she really found entertaining about it. My cousins did the same thing on these stairs when they were this age.

Christmas with Family

We always spend Christmas Eve with my Mom and Dad. I love the tradition that we eat snacks and then open the gifts. Another tradition is to let each person pick a stocking, beginning with the youngest first. Tradition is that Nanny secretly puts a lump of coal in one of the stockings. We love to see everyone pick a stocking with anticipation of who will get the lump of coal. I guess I have been naughty this past year because I received the lump of coal. I think I got it last year too or Everett did. I know we've kept that lump of coal between us for a few years!!!!

Kate loved her dress up clothes and heels Uncle Brian got her.

We also spent a fun evening with the Kanners for Christmas. Kate loved her musical skirt that plays music every time it moves. Thanks Holly!! Luckily it has an off switch. Just kidding!

After opening presents with Nanny and Papaw Gross, Kate and McKinley sat on the same Santa train Brian, Becky, and I sat on as kids. It may look quite worn from the front road, but my brother says it was my Dad's when he was little. It may be a little weathered, but after three generations is still works and attracts kids to climb on top.

Kate received a Tinkerbell doll and bath wand from McKinley, Aunt Becky, and Uncle Andy. She also received a Tinkerbell DVD and Tinkerbell bracelet. She tells me almost daily that she loves the bracelet that McKinley gave her (it came with the DVD). She thinks that purple bracelet is so special because her cousin McKinley gave it to her.

We also had Christmas with the Stanfields. Kate got her very own rocking chair since she has admired one at her Grandma's house. She had lots of fun playing with her cousins Dylan and Mattie.

Merry Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas this year. Everett was able to take off early from work to be here to see Kate's face at what Santa brought. Kate had been saying she wanted a computer from Santa and was super excited about her pink Leapfrog.

Santa left lots of goodies in her stocking.

She just could not believe Santa brought her a pretend curling iron, blow dryer, lipstick, eye shadow, and fingernail polish. She's been putting on her makeup just like Mommy and getting ready for work!!!

I think her favorite toy was her new and improved pink dollhouse. Thank goodness Santa brought this. About 3 weeks ago she announced she was too old for her toys and to put them away in the attic. We were glad Christmas came just in the right time. She keeps herself entertained with Tinkerbell, fairies, and Disney Princesses invading the dollhouse.

Kate loves shoes just like her Mommy. A girl can never have too many shoes to wear. Kate always has on a pair of high heels around our house.

She also got lots of dress up clothes to spark her imagination. I love the scrubs myself that Santa brought. It came with a new and improved blood pressure cuff and syringe.

Santa ate all the cookies we left. He also made quite a mess on our hearth getting down that chimney. I had to vacuum up the mess he made!!!!

Kate also got a cash register and ironing board. We've been grocery shopping quite a bit in my house. Kate prefers a debit card and always needs cash back. She loves to iron her clothes now with Mommy, which helps keep her busy.

Scooter

Mr. Ronnie and Ms. Debbie stopped by for us to exchange gifts. Kate was very exited to see the present was a Disney Princess Scooter. Kate is really into Princesses right now. She loves helping her Daddy put together things, so she assisted holding the screws and putting on the wheels. She loved the fact that her scooter had a basket to hold dolls or any tiny little object she always has in hand.

Daddy said safety is first and that she MUST wear a helmet. The look on her face showed she really did not want to wear the helmet, but made no argument about it to ride her scooter. At least it is pink and matched her pink princess scooter!!

Christmas Activities

Last weekend Kate and I made our first Gingerbread House. Kate kept busy by decorating the Gingerbread man and snowman with lots of candy while I put the house together. It was a fun activity that we will have to start as a tradition.

We also went to our church's Children's Christmas Party. The kids ate pizza and made lots of Christmas crafts to take home. Everett was able to stop by on the way home from the airport and joined us for the activities.

Christmas pics

Christmas Cookies

After an afternoon of Christmas shopping, we decided to make Christmas cookies. Last year Kate was too little to really enjoy it, but this year she was very excited to be able to help Mommy. She put on her apron and was ready to stir the cookie mix. She loves to help in the kitchen whenever she can. She loved pressing the cookie cutters into the dough. By far her favorite was sprinkling the sugar onto the cookies and then eating the sugar stuck to her fingers. Her favorite cookie she made was the "Holly" cookie shaped like a holly leaf.

Thanksgiving

We had a great Thanksgiving with family this year. Kate and I enjoyed a delicious dinner at Aunt Becky and Uncle Andy's. We were stuffed!!! Later on that evening we drove to Fairburn to eat supper with Everett's parents. Kate is becoming a picky eater as she gets older. She's like any typical toddler and would rather eat junk food than vegetables. The only thing she enjoyed for Thanksgiving is my carrot souffle (which she would not eat if she knew it was made of carrots) and apple jello salad.

Thanksgiving Feast

JP's Pre-K classes always have a Thanksgiving Feast. They line the long hallway with chart paper and create a Thanksgiving feast of healthy snacks and juice. It is quite something to see 9 PreK kids eating their feast in the long hallway. I'm so thankful to be able to be at school with McKinley this year. It is so special to have him greet me every morning with a smile before he goes to his room, see him in his classroom when I pop in to get kids for therapy, and spend Aunt TT and McKinley time together once a week after school when I take him home.

Weeeeeee

Kate does not have a swing set, so she finds her own ways to stay entertained. She pushes herself to a certain boundary she's not supposed to cross in our driveway that slopes upward, lifts her feet, and then soars backward.

Stanfield Family Fun Day

Our Stanfield Family Fun Days began when we realized we needed to set aside family time with our hectic schedules. It's not always easy to do family activities when parents have opposite work schedules. This month's activity was simply an art project. Kate loves art projects. Everett was not too thrilled at first, but soon it became a competition between Mommy and Daddy who would make a better turkey.