Christmas is so much fun for all of us!!

Charli Marie and SL watching the train go around and around our tree!

Charli Marie loves the Christmas tree and really liked to roll and play with this one angel that was gold and clear-it reflected the light. It hung low enough that she could touch it if she reached up really high!

About 3 weeks ago, I left Charli here on her cute, soft, play mat while I went into the kitchen to bake some cookies....

and when I came back into the room she had rolled here! Sh ewas so cute just peeking out from under the coffee table!

We ate at the Cypress Inn in Tuscaloosa before we went to see Santa Claus. I love to eat here and the boys do too. The food is fabulous and they enjoy the view of the water below!

The kids were so cute sitting and talking to Santa. They each only told Santa one thing that they were wanting for Christmas. It was nice that they didn't roll off a huge list of things!

Charli Marie dressed in her little Santa suit!!

Charli Marie's 1st time to sit in her high chair. She enjoyed sitting up high with the family! She is getting so big.

We made a paper chain to hang in our kitchen to display all of the Christmas artwork the boys were making at school. Charli Marie wanted to join in on the fun!

Finally, I am adding an updated post with Thanksgiving pictures! We had a great Thanksgiving and we are so truly thankful for all we have been given by our Father in Heaven! I will try to get some Christmas photos on here soon!

Charli Marie has been sick with an ear infetion and a yucky virus! Her 1st tooth also came through on Christmas Eve! So, she is very clingy and fussy these days. Of course, she wants to be held, but not while I sit down-she likes for me to stand and hold her. Can we say "Spoiled Rotten"?!

Charli enjoying her Thanksgiving meal- sweet potoatoes, of course!
Charli gets good loving from some of Papa Steve's brothers and sisters at the annual Thanksgiving gathering at Uncle Dean's and Aunt Brenda's in Montgomery.
Another one of my daredevils stunts- across the monkey bars, climb onto the roof, jump off the roof, onto the slide, down the slide, scare mom,-super cool!!
SL helped me cook goodies to carry to Uncle Dean's and Aunt Brenda's annual Thanksgiving Gathering!

SL and Mama Ann cook some more! Charli watches us cook- I am sure she will be right up in the fun next year!
We celebrated Christmas during Thanksgiving, while at Mama Ann's. We didn't think the kids could handle the long trip back to Mama Ann's. The guys receive thier Christmas goodies from Mama Ann!

SL has fun with Ben's gift bag!
Uncle Buck (Ashley's husband)-the kids gave him this name, not sure why- fried turkey legs! They enjoyed these. Havey is ready for baseball to begin-see how he is holding his turkey leg!

Wild Indians and a pilgrim- We had to bribe Havey with money to get him to dress as the pilgram. Nobody would agree to dress in that outfit, but Havey came through and then had so much fun that he didn't even ask for his money!!!

Okay, so they look so sweet and cute in this photo, but I think the wild indian shot is more like my boys! Gotta Love 'Em!

Thanksgiving vacation fun at the GEGE place. Ben's parents have a great place in Georgia that they get-a-way to often, but this was the first trip that the boys have taken to The GEGE place (GeGe was Ben's grandmother, Nan's mom). The boys dropped me and Chari Marie off at Mama's houes and they went to stay the night in Georgia.

They had a great time!

More baby food- this girl loves everything and in abundance too!

Bananas are yummy!

Green beans- first vegetable. Yep, they are good too!

Charli Marie really wants to go on her own, but no such luck!

These brothers get some sister-time before they go to school!

The boys love to write letters to Santa every year!

A few weeks ago, Ben and the boys made use of the big pile of dirt that's on the empty lot beside of us. I've been wanting it to be smoothed down, but so much for that idea, the boys want it to stay until someone builds there! The next few pics show exactly how this unsafe "little stunt" occured! Yes, both boys did this, several times-it was their dad's idea!! They came and knocked on our bedroom window and told me to watch! Little Daredevils!! Okay-so I need to make sure that they just live in their helments!
Yesterday morning Havey woke up with a nice bruise on his cheek because he was driving the 4-wheeler (alone!) too fast and he hit the handlebars. (I had no idea they were driving alone on the 4- wheeler these days, but the bruise told on them and their daddy too!) I hope this will not happen again, but who knows! I am learning that boys will be boys, no matter what their age!! Yes, that is directed toward you grown men!!

Havey and Ben created thier own restaurant in our kitchen one night. Havey was the chef, along with Ben's help. He created a tree pizza and was so pleased. It was delicious! He even set the table without me asking! WOW, can I dine here every night! He named his restaurant "HAVEY'S", a knock off on the restaurant here in town know as "HARVEY'S"!

Charli's first try at baby food was a couple of weeks ago! Yummy-apples-She loved them! The boys took turns feeding her and of course they had to taste the apples too!

WAR EAGLE!

The whole Steve Parkman family attended an Auburn game and pre-game festivities! It was a lot of fun to do this together and the kids had a blast! We went to the Forestry Building for a barbecue lunch and fun for the kidos-face painting and playing in the woods! We got one of our Sorority Sisters to snap a picture of us while we were all together. Yeah! (Bottom Row: Ben & Ashley-oldest sister, Laura & Joseph-youngest sister,expecting 1st baby in March Middle Row: SL-5, Benjamin-almost 9, Georgia Lee-6, Havey-8 (Benjamin and Georgia Lee are Ashley & Ben's kids) Top Row: Ben & Me, Charleston Marie, Mama Ann) We attend the Forestry Festivities because my Ben, Ashley, her Ben, and Joseph all graduated in Forestry and we all graduated from Auburn except Ashley's husband (Georgia) and Mama Ann (Huntington). Yes, we certainly have a lot of foresters and a lot of Bens in our family. (My Ben's dad is also named Ben and he is a Forester too!) Pretty neat, huh?!

Decisions to be made at the face painting table! Everything was done in orange, blue, and white! SL chose a flaming football and an orange & blue snake. Havey chose a tiger paw and AU! They were so excited about this! I cannot believe they let me wash it off that night, after I promised that we had photos of their faces painted!

Me, Laura, & Ashley

The kids were so cute standing outside of Jordan Hare Stadium! This is the first game at Auburn for Havey, SL, and Charli to attend. They were so excited! Me and Ben were too!

The boys heading to their seats!!

If you have never been to a game at Auburn, you really must go! It is an awesome experience for any football fan!

Charli Marie loves her Aunt Laura! She was just talking and smiling at her!!

Charleston Marie was the cutest little Auburn Cheerleader at the game, at least I thought so!!

Ben, Havey, and Benjamin

Benjamin and Benjamin Harris stop on the way to roll the trees on Toomers Corner for their photo to be taken outside of Samford Hall. Wonder if they will have it made here again in about 10 years, when they go off to college!

Us helping roll the trees at Toomers Corner. This is an Auburn tradition when they win, so of course we had to take the kids to do this!

SL really got into this rolling thing!

Havey did too!

SL loved yelling Warrrr Eagle over and over again!

The boys "goofing off" at Toomer's Corner after rolling the Trees!! What a great First Time Experience with the Kids!!

The boys make a stop for a photo after a bike ride through the neighborhood.

We joined Havey and SL for lunch at school on Havey's real birthday.
We had an icecream after school at Coldstone that same day.


Charli is really busy these days: spinning her toy palm tree, grabbing at all of her toys on her bouncy seats, and then trying to "eat" them! She bites/gums everything. I think she is teething, but no teeth showing through yet!