giving thanks

really....really sleepy. certainly it isn't due to the excessive amount of overeating...
unable to type full sentences...will have to make due with a few pictures. didn't take too many...i mean come on people...FOOOOD goooood!!!!

vivian enjoying her special feast.

baby nicholas enjoying an after dinner drink (of juice).

the ONLY picture of bauer (just for the record his first "real food" thanksgiving consisted of three pieces of turkey, two helpings of dressing, a helping of sweet potato souffle, green bean casserole, cranberry chutney, and a piece of cake...oh and two tangerines from grandad griffin's tree! i know i am still so full i can hardly type it without feeling sick).

the only picture i was able to capture all four of the next generation of days (minus setler...we missed you guys). please don't ask me why it is from the backside...did i mention the fooood and my inability to say no to dressing? hope each of you had a wonderful day, and i wish each of you a speedy recovery from your food comas. :)

*oh yeah, i changed the blog colors, this is my first attempt at christmas decorating this year. i REFUSE to do it before thanksgiving...why should such a great holiday be overrun...there is plenty of time for BOTH. sheesh target...quit with the pressure already!! ;)

naval aviation museum

yesterday we were able to visit the pensacola naval base, and the museum there. it was a really cool, enormous place, with TONS of airplanes. seriously folks, prepare yourself for A LOT of airplane pics...

vivian and mommy's first flight.

first solo mission for miss vivian (actually, one of my favorite parts. they had about twenty simulators in this one room, and vivian wanted her picture made in ALL of them!)

dueling pilots.

the underwater, plane portion...complete with submarine doors (very neat).

daddy and his little gunner helpers. this was one of the things my grandad bauer did on his ship, while in the navy in ww II.

second solo mission.

a much more appropriately sized aircraft ;)

we are so good at flying now, we don't even need both hands on the steering column..we just hang out and wave at our adoring fans.

i tried to get a good shot of some of the planes...but this does NOT do it justice. just go if you get the chance.

the boys.

and on the way home we made a quick stop by the griffins.

we tried to get a good shot...but alas this is the best...maybe better luck next time.

today is thanksgiving, so we are having lots of family time. vivian finally got to meet one of the next generation of days, alyssa. but the food is now calling me....so i can't be bothered at this computer anymore...i mean it is FOOOOOOD!!!!!!! :)

the list

got a weeee bit of insomnia tonight so i thought i would use my time wisely (if you can do such a thing at 245am). the annual list of thankfulness...

*my husband...who sometimes gets on my nerves, but always makes me laugh. who takes out the garbage without being asked, and eats every meal i have ever made (even when i accidentally add too much green food coloring to his eggs for st.pat's day and they look nuclear). who loves our little family so much, that he never complains about the 70 plus hours a week he works (so that i can stay home)...and still, finds the time to "rassle" with the kids after dinner. who has taught me so many things about kindness, forgiveness and patience...and continues to remind me to "let it go". who is patient with my frustration, who is excited at my antique fiesta finds, who has a tiny brown speck on his beautiful blue eyes that only i get to see upclose, who brings home slim jims just because he thought "mommy needed her special treat", who lets me put my cold feet on him at 3am, who attempts to do the mountainous piles of laundry, who invented the "fun shower" when vivian refused to get in the bathtub, who shaved his sad little beard, who always makes bauer part of "man time" just because he can tell i need a break, and who is someone that i want to live with when i am eighty...because i know that when i am old, wrinkly, and even more grouchy, he will still love me.

*miss vivian. who will repeat something over and over just because she knows it will make me laugh. who "has to" hug her brother every morning before she can go into her classroom. whose intense stubbornness, is only exceeded by my own. who says "bell-lllayyy" when she wants me to rub her stomach. who is overwhelmingly excited just because i say yes, when she asks "will you play with me?" who reminds me, without even knowing, how to take a moment...stop...and enjoy life. who insists we say the blessing before meals (and then proceeds to give directions as the proper way to do such). who has NO concept of what matches (ie socks, pantyhose, her brother's pants, mommy's tank top, and a toboggan) and always thinks she looks "beeeeauuutiful"...and she absolutely does!! whose sweet kisses wake me up, and whose amazing art gallery always hangs on my fridge. who offers her hand and says, "don't be 'frared' mom, i'll hold your hand." but mostly, who has given me the ultimate privilege of just being her mother.

*the bauer. who has a smile that would melt every last ice cap. who always wakes up in a good mood (never, not once, has he been in a bad one). whose sweet, staggering walk makes me grin. who has the ability to NEVER be full!! who has undying love and admiration for his sister, and says "da-da-DAAAA!" when clif walks in the door. who will blow you a kiss, just at the moment when you most need one (how does he know?). who will sit in his stroller (for almost an hour) without ever complaining, while i haggle with the insurance company. who has taught me that i can be the mother of a boy (for which i had serious doubts), who has patience at being "dressed up" with vivian, and sometime is skipped for bath time, because his mother is too lazy. who loves the bathtub...or rather splashing in it. but mostly, who continues to teach me that it is possible for the love you have for your first child, to intensify and grow with the birth of your second....and become so overwhelming (in a good way) that you can't help but feel exceedingly blessed just to be a part of their miraculous lives.

ok, so maybe this isn't the annual list....but is certainly is the three most important things for which i am grateful. :) may each of you have a wonderful, blessed thanksgiving!

the griffin's

we are so lucky that the kids have TWO great grandparents (and that they live in neighboring towns). today we were off to see great pawpaw griffin and sweet miss sybill.

they have a great backyard for little boys to explore in...

and the most beautiful (and completely loaded) tangerine tree i have ever seen!

this was bauer and the griffins first meeting....i think it went pretty well! ;)

unfortunately to ever good trip a little bad must fall....the reason there are no pictures of miss vivian with the griffins is because she got sick (you know...the pukes). so instead she got to come home and spend the afternoon watching movies in her pj's....wait....that sounds like the PERFECT vacation to me! :) she is much better today (some fever last night), but who wouldn't be with grandparent-lovin' for medicine!!

finally....florida!!

the day's farm is really one of the prettiest places i know. i couldn't help but take a picture of their drive....

even the barn is pretty!!

after two days of travel we made it to mawmaw's house. the kids were very excited to see her...and the cows.

vivian even got to spend the night in mawmaw's bed that first night.

they are so cute!

then the next day we met jennifer (clif's cousin) and her little boy, nicholas at the beach.

he is such a sweet little boy. (the last time we were in florida, jenn and i were both pregnant! that is SO hard to believe.)

vivian was on a mission to get to the "ocean"...

but this was bauer's first time at the beach. as you can see he LOVED IT!

he especially like burying himself in the sand.

vivian really enjoyed finding seashells.

but trying to get a picture really didn't go all that well. ;)

the boys.

vivian with her name.

clif exploring how cold the "ocean" is in november.

my attempt to photograph the sea birds.

uh-oh....when clif and i were exploring, vivian buried her brother.

oh well, he didn't seem to mind!

after a fun filled afternoon at the beach, we decided to hit tt wentworth's children's museum. all three kids seems to like the canoe.

ok, so maybe nicholas liked the corn best. ;)

the beginning of our journey...

as most of you already know...we will be out of pocket for a week or so. since we were moving in may, we missed our annual trip to florida, and are making up for it THIS week! when the truck was all packed, and the children were safely snuggled in their car seats* we were off.

after a quick lunch (and checking with our house\dog sitter)...

(why do we always sit boy boy, girl girl?)

it was just us and the open road for about six hours!!

finally, we arrived at uncle marvin's and aunt farris'. the kids were so excited to see everyone's favorite uncle and aunt!!

the next morning, after a yummy pancake breakfast complete with bacon, sausage, and eggs. it was off to enjoy their beautiful little farm.

mingled with a little rest time...

was the GREAT adventure of feeding the donkey cookies!

poor donkey, i bet vivian fed him TWENTY cookies!!!

bauer just had a great time being all boy...

he even had a lengthy conversation with amy the dog, AND the donkey.

vivian had such a good time when i told her it was time to go she said, "we don't have to go see mawmaw day." of course this made uncle marv SUPER happy, but being the gentleman that he is, he insisted that she SHOULD indeed go see her great mawmaw. ;)

after just a few more hours (about three or so) we were at cousin jennifer and tony's house, and were finally able to meet new cousin nicholas. we were even able to get with the "other" day's: amy, daniel, and lilly. it was so nice to chat and get together...stay tuned to see what is in store for the next few "days"...

:)

*please note the big boy in the forward facing car seat. he is SO happy being a big kid like his sister!!