Thanksgiving and Caleigh's family birthday party

We had Thanksgiving at the Dyers' this year!  I had to work Thanksgiving morning because unfortunately the hospital doesn't close on major holidays but after work I headed up to Concord, NC to enjoy dinner with my family, the Dyers' + Kayla + great grandma and great grandpa Dyer, and the Adams' including my parents and my brother and sister.  Andrew enjoyed some pre-dinner snacks.

And some cuddle time with Bampa.

 And then pre-dinner we had a little family birthday party for Caleigh whose birthday always falls right around Thanksgiving - this year it was the day after Thanksgiving.  Bampa TOTALLY surprised all of us with purple princess party t-shirts that he had made.  They were the cutest things ever and so thoughtful!  Caleigh also loved her crown from Kayla and wore it to complete her princess attire.

 Focusing hard on opening the presents just so.  After she unwrapped it she asked me, "Can I save the paper?"  My grandma would have been so proud but unfortunately we don't save wrapping paper in this family.

 Caleigh kept saying that Andrew was wearing a dress... which led to some interesting conversations about how boys don't wear dresses, etc.

 Caleigh LOVED being sung to and she did a great job blowing out the candles!

 But I had to help with the last one.

 Both kids (and the rest of us) really enjoyed the awesome purple cupcakes Kayla made.

 Andrew especially enjoyed the purple icing.

Caleigh and I examining her baby presents.  Apparently I am really in to it.  And apparently Caleigh and I look EXACTLY alike.

Love this picture of Andrew being silly.

We were thrilled to have Uncle David here for Thanksgiving too - he took all of the awesome pictures above and the kids loved playing with him all weekend.

We have so much to be thankful for - God is so good to us - so much better than what I deserve.  Thank you Lord for my sweet family!

kim's baby shower

We celebrated Kim and her sweet baby boy, Caden (who should be making his debut in mid January), at a baby shower earlier this month.  It was great to see some college friends and to celebrate the Tapps.  We can't wait to meet Caden!

from left: Susie, me, Jessica, Kim, Nicole (and her baby boy), Marcy, Lindsay Hecht, and Emily Spratt

while Adam was gone

This is what we did while Adam was gone - we played at the park. (In addition to the usual things - school for Cals, work for me, bible study, and lots of good friend time.)

 We spent time with my family (I am SO thankful they are in town - I don't know how I would have managed my work schedule with Adam gone without their help).

 We watched Andrew run and climb all over the place.

Overall we are surviving having Adam gone and we are doing great.  We got to talk with him at 6 am on Thursday and Caleigh was up so she got to talk to him as well.  It was fun to get to chat with him for a little bit and here how GREAT he is doing and how much fun he is having.  The first morning he was there they woke up to a giraffe right outside of their window.  So cool.

Caleigh was a little confused.

Caleigh: "Dada not way up high in the sky in Africa (ah-pri-ka) anymore?"

I think she thought Africa was up in the sky.  I think geography must be a little confusing at (almost) 3.  I know it is for me to at (gasp) almost 30.

But we had a sweet conversation which made us miss our hubby and our Daddy so much more.  Can't wait for him to be home!

women's retreat 2010

Physical proof that I went on the women's retreat with Uptown this year - we have had a b-u-s-y fall; it has all been good, just busy.  I was able to get away the first weekend in November for the women's retreat and it was such a blessing to be able to go.  Sadly, I did not take any pictures - but someone captured this sweet picture of Mary and I...

Adam leaves for South Africa!

Adam left this afternoon for South Africa.  He is going with a team from our church to do ministry near Durban.  They are working with an orphanage that cares for AIDS infected and affected children and to encourage a missionary working there that Uptown supports.  After a 19 hour flight and travel time he will be there for 10 days!  

Apparently this is what the thought of being on a plane that long does to you.

We are so excited for him - that he has this amazing opportunity and we are praying that the Lord works mightily in his heart while he is there.  And of course I am praying that I will survive 10 days by myself without being able to talk to him.  But he is off!

Caleigh was hilarious when we were talking with her about Adam going to South Africa.
This is how one of our conversations went -
me: Caleigh, what is Daddy going to do in Africa?
(desired/rehearsed answer: "tell people about Jesus")
Caleigh: Dada gonna eat, pray, and go way up high in the sky.

I love it.

how cute

This morning Caleigh said about her new dress, "Ohhh how cute that is."
"I a beautiful girl."

You are indeed a beautiful girl Caleigh, you are "beautifully and wonderfully made" (Ps 139:14) by a perfect, loving Creator.  I hope you never forget this!

around the house this week

Found a couple of monkeys in a box while switching my summer clothes out for my fall ones...

A new use for TV trays...

We are having a busy but good week.  Adam's 29th birthday is this Friday - November 12th and then on Sunday the 14th he leaves for South Africa on a missions trip with our church - he will be gone for 10 days!  We will miss him but we are super excited for this opportunity for him!

new friends!

I love this sweet picture that Crystal sent me of Caleigh and Jake at Chick-fil-a.  We met the Warmoths this summer when they started coming to Uptown and we have been so blessed by their friendship.  James and Crystal have 2 boys, Jake and Bradley.

Caleigh and Jake play so well together and Bradley and Andrew enjoy time together too.  We have loved getting to know them and are so excited that they have recently moved so close to us!  Check them out here: http://warmothfamily.blogspot.com/

pictures at the park

The fall (by fall I mean late October, early November when it is finally not 90 degrees anymore) is my favorite time to go and play at the park.  I love the leaves changing and the awesome cooler weather.  I also love that we can walk to a couple of parks right around us.  I took a bunch of pictures this week at Latta Park because I finally remembered my camera!

 The big big slide.  He does it.  All by himself.  And he loves it.

 Wishing he could conquer the ladder like sister but he can only get up one step for now...

 A rare moment of Caleigh not on the swings.  Caleigh LOVES to swing and is finally graduating to swinging mostly on the big girl swings.  Often I have to pry her off the swings to get her to run and play somewhere else.  Andrew on the other hand HATES to swing.  He will go back and forth about one time and seem fine and then he gets a worried / woozy look and freaks out wanting to get down.  I think he may have some motion sickness issues - he will probably not be one of our kids that loves rides that go round and round.

trick or treat tradition

I love traditions.  I have said that before - but I especially love the traditions that start at the beginning of October and continue through the end of December.  This is my favorite time of the year.  I think this is our 3rd year of our Halloween tradition - we started in 2008 when Caleigh was 11 months at her first Halloween, the following Halloween we announced we were pregnant on Halloween during the blessing before the food feast to both of our families, the Dirks, and the Hunts (it will probably remain the best pregnancy announcement ever!), and then this Halloween.  Each year both of our families and the Dirks (we missed you Hunts!) have come over for chili, trick or treating, and dessert.  Everyone was excited that the Dirks were with us - but Caleigh was especially excited; she adores Maggie.

The kid crew.

 Sweet boys.

We didn't dress up as well as we did on Saturday but we tried - me with the monkey mask that was too itchy to wear and Carrie with the bunny ears.

 This picture from 2009 looks a lot like the next 2 pics - 

 Karen and Andrew and Caleigh all match - Karen was a great helper with the kids!

I think the girls look about 13 at least in this picture.  

 Already can't wait for next year (but already hoping that we are not still in our condo at that time)!