Phone Photos #4

Another cross section of our everyday lives:

One morning at Krispy Kreme. I like A's hat upside down.

Took this one morning at the grocery store. Love these little feet! While this season of life has its challenges, I can't imagine any stage being any sweeter.
Beautiful flags on Veterans' Day.
Friends for life.
I've been eating this on toast for breakfast. I mostly just like the neat, individually wrapped "slices"!
It makes me happy to see his handwriting! He's improved so much this school year. He is also reading most of his books himself now--it's so neat! It just kind-of clicked, and now he doesn't even seem to stop to sound out most words, he just recognizes them instantly! He wants to read to Crosby and Alexee, which is great!
Playing in the floor.
This was taken on our way to Flippin for Thanksgiving. Rhett had packed the mask in his "go bag" as he calls it. It cracked me up when I looked back and saw him wearing it.
This was on our way back to our house after our trip to Flippin. I know she must have been exhausted because she very very rarely falls asleep in the car.
Since I probably won't be able to get all three of them to sit still for a picture wearing their cute holiday shirts, here's what they look like.
My Dickens Village is on a table in our bedroom. Lane laughed at me (with good reason) when I told him that I like to imagine I'm strolling around in the village, shopping and visiting the old-fashioned candy store! It's so cozy and we never get good snow like this!
Beautiful display at Fresh Market.
Big smile! Wearing my favorite PJs--they were R's when he was a baby.
Bogart after his trip to the groomer last week. The kids love when the groomer ties a bandana around his neck.
Clutter was winning that day, which is pretty common. I remember once upon a time when I lived alone in an apartment and there was never a thing out of place! That's definitely not the case anymore! Look closely and you'll see C peeking around the side of the high chair.
I always go check on the kids before bed. I turned on just enough light to snap a picture of each one this night. Is there anything sweeter!?
Sleeping by the glow of the Christmas lights in his room.
Surrounded by pink blankies.
This was a different time, but so precious. This is the little football softie that Mary Katherine gave him--it stays in his bed every night.
We were getting ready for church on Sunday and Lane told me that Crosby was in Rhett's lap. I went around the corner to see--Rhett had picked him up (from playing on the blanket alone) and was watching cartoons with him. :)
Alexee likes wearing the clothes that her cousin Jaiden loaned her. This was before school on Monday.
Look what he can do--pull up to his knees and hold onto things! He can scoot backward a little bit, but he's still not going forward.
Part of the bedtime routine--books in Alexee's room. Rhett was reading this to her.
Lane got home and took our picture. (Please ignore the window treatments behind the chair--Alexee napping is more important to me than cute curtains.)
Alexee loves for her Daddy to read and sing to her. They also say this every night:

L: "Goodnight Alligator."

A: "I'm not alligator."

L: "Ok, goodnight Crocodile."

A: "I'm not Crocodile either. I'm Alexee!"
R's teacher sent home this note yesterday:

Rhett's Santa wish list this year: rolling office chair, copy machine, file cabinet, office phone (intercom), a safe and an extra wii remote. :) Alexee is still too little to realize she can wish for things I guess, and of course Crosby doesn't care.

Yesterday I got an exciting surprise package in the mail...cute ornaments for each of the kids from MK and these great tiles from Kaye (check out her website for gift ideas!)! I was so thrilled (and so was my sister, Micaela). Thank you SO much!!!

Busy weekend

Last weekend was a busy one. I spent Friday night baking a cake for a Christmas party and then cleaning up the mess--I seem to be a messy cook. Saturday morning we got everyone dressed and went out for breakfast at Mimi's Cafe before driving to Hot Springs for a family reunion. We stopped by L's parents' place first, where the kids played with Grammy & Bobba and their cousins Luke & Katie. Although Luke and Katie are several years older than our kids, they are so sweet to play with them.

Luke and Rhett playing Pick-up-Sticks.

Lane's Dad with the "Garner Reunion" cake.

Bob & Alexee at the reunion (it was held at a BBQ restaurant in Hot Springs).
Alexee & Katie. Alexee wanted Katie to do everything with/for her--get her plate and drink, help her eat, hold her, take her to the bathroom, etc. Katie was a GREAT help!
Rhett with his cake and an empty paper towel roll that he was playing with.
There were about 40 people there. Many of them I'd never met before. Bob did a great job organizing everything, and everyone had a fun time.
Rose Mary holding Crosby. C needed a nap, but he was still really good. He only started fussing right at the very end as we were leaving.
The five of us + Bob & Rose Mary + (Lane's brother) Lance and his family:
We hurried back from Hot Springs to get ready for my Pokeeno group Christmas party. It was a couples' party and lots of fun--great food and great company! The guys ate and watched football and the girls ate and talked.

Scott and Mary had prepared so many delicious things:

This was the cake I made on Friday night. It was my first time ever to make a Red Velvet cake, and I was happy with the way it tasted. Mom gave me the idea to shred white chocolate on the top (for "snow") and Paula (Dean) gave me the idea to dip rosemary sprigs and cranberries in water then sugar for an icy look.
The group of girls (without Lianne :( she couldn't make it to the party--we missed her!)

L to R, back: Mindy, Katie, Wendy, Stacy, Cameron, Becca & Mary

L to R, front: Tracie, Nancy, Ali & me
Sunday we went to church--had a wonderful service--and then I went to a Sip & See for my friend Madelynn and her new baby boy, Clayton. I love baby showers. The hostess had her house decorated so pretty for Christmas:

I loved this floral arrangement: white hydrangeas and white tulips, evergreen sprigs and white sticks from the top. It was tied with beautiful ribbon and had blue ornaments hanging from it.

Congratulations, Madelynn!

Alexee's Christmas Program

Before school

Today was A's Christmas program at her MDO/Preschool. She's been singing the Christmas songs that she learned there, and she was excited about singing on stage. I was hoping she would stay on stage when the time came. And she did! She moved around a lot...she started out on the top row, but song by song, she moved a little closer to the front (I thought she might be making her way to the microphone). We had fun watching her.
The teachers did a great job--can you imagine trying to organize this many kids!? (I doubt you can see her in this small photo, but she's on the top, just to the right of the director, below the Christmas tree.)
Here she is beside cute William, my friend Becca's little boy.
We didn't think L was going to be able to come today, so we were really excited when he called this morning and said he'd be able to make it! Alexee was happy to have him there--here they are together after the performance.