Crossfit Party

I have lots of catching up to do on the blog, but I am going to go in random order...we had our holiday Crossfit party this past weekend. James and I just started Crossfit in October, and it is intense. Some days I LOVE it, some days I HATE it! This "workout" involved completing an exercise (think wall balls, air squats, 400m row, etc) followed by drinking a beverage, which was considered one station. There were five stations. When an individual completed a station, beverage empty, the next person on your team could begin the station. When all participants had competed all stations your team was finished. All team members could help with the consumption of beverages(So lots of sharing for speed). It was a team competition, boys vs girls. You can imagine the competitiveness going on....(James is also contributing with this post, see below)

Two guys hanging out. Tommy is terrified of all germs, So at the height of Flu/Cold pandemic in Dallas County this was his worst nightmare. Small building, pouring rain outside, lots of sweating/coughing, and shared beverages. He had just sanitized his whole head prior to this picture. 

Rayne is very competitive as you all know. She beat me by about 15 secs.  The girls had to row 400m and the guys 500m.  (Insert me-It felt as bad as I looked!)

after workout not feeling so good(obnoxious wife in background). Obviously some of us  drank the required volume of fluid and some of us did not). minimum 60 oz in 15 mins- OUCH! But Rayne somehow felt great post workout as did all the girls. But all the boys were outside in the rain with emesis. (insert me-vomiting for us regular folks)

The wife ....you do not want to lose to this lady!

(insert me-Logan is also as competitive as me!!)

Author - James

Merry Christmas!!

Christmas came Early

This year we decided to go ahead and give Lane his big present from us as we will be in Moulton for Christmas. He is still too young to really get the whole Santa thing so no need to pack up presents and besides Grandmomma and Granddaddy are the best Santas around. I had seen this roller coaster at a birthday party and knew Lane would love it. It is a hit! He played for hours on Saturday and Sunday. Anything that holds his attention that long is a winner. 

We moved it inside after this as it started raining and it works there as well (it has taken over the dining room)

 Friday night we celebrated Pal's birthday...we had a gingerbread cookies instead of cake since that is what he prefers with his ice cream..because really it is all about the ice cream

We also had butternut squash soup and clearly Lane loved it (and the ice cream!)

We also opened stockings (I know early again but we needed some entertainment in the rain)

Holden even got some stocking stuffers...mainly teething items and bibs as he is in the biggest drooling phase ever

Lane LOVED his Mickey PJ's 

Lane then wanted brother to ride with him on his coaster...poor Holden. 

Saturday and Sunday were spent celebrating Christmas with the Russell Christmas and Crawford Christmas...be back with pictures soon!

Gingerbread Wonderland

This past Saturday the Selma Charity League held its annual Gingerbread Wonderland. I was working the event, so Grandmomma Shelia came down to take Lane. I wasn't sure how it would go with all of the kids, candy and and hoopla, but he really did well. He actually decorated for about 5 minutes which is max for his attention span. He then realized he could eat the candy and would not get in trouble, then it was all over.

 the coconut was his favorite

this one cracks me up as he loves a balloon and these were stuck on the ceiling for decor. He was mesmerized. He wanted a green one so bad. (green is the only color he knows and everything is green, including RED firetrucks, yep we have some work to do)

Thanks Shelia for coming down to take him, we definitely would not have made it without you!

Grab a cup of Coffee and Go Read These

A mom website I sometimes stumble across has a great post on "Ten blog posts every new mom should read". I had already read quite a few of them thanks to facebook, but there were a few that I had not that were really good. This one and this one are must reads.  They made me laugh and maybe tear up a little (you would think these hormones would be balanced by now, but you would be wrong)

On a random does anyone else enjoy this creamer? Oh my goodness, it is a little teaspoon of holiday joy! Happy Weekend Friends!

4 months old

 Holden is a 4 months old (and some) and is so HAPPY! I really don't remember Lane being this content as a baby. He is very laid back except when he is hungry, then you better watch out! At his check-up he weighed 17.6 pounds and was 26 inches...aka a big boy. I have added rice cereal and a few foods to his diet as he was not very satisfied with just milk. He LOVES it!

He loves his johnny jump up, exersaucer, and watching/interacting with Lane. 

He is also rolling over! Stomach to back only, but he is already pretty mobile. I layed him out on the nursery rug while Lane and I tustled (a nightly occurence) and he wiggled his way to what he wanted.

 This is sad, apparently I changed his diaper and didn't snap the bottom back, don't judge :)

He is sleeping better once the pediatrician told me to let him cry it out and that I did not have to give in to his cry for a snack in the early morning hours. This was hard as he was  is very stubborn and some days still wakes up and cries around 4 am. I let him cry and he will go back to sleep until around 7.  When he wakes up he is not starving so I have realized his "snack" is really not necessary and no need to give in.  It is just hard not to give in to this sweet face. 

He loves his hands or his feet in his mouth. He still takes a pacifier which is longer than Lane did, so I have hope it will stick (I would prefer this to Lane's fingers that he continues to suck!)

Check out the double chin! It is really hard to keep clean :)

I love this phase as he is old enough to interact and his personality is coming out, but he is still a my sweet baby and oh so cuddly! I have to restrain myself not to just kiss him 24/7! 

Very Thankful

After our trip to CR, we returned to celebrate Thanksgiving at the Roost. We ate, relaxed, and recovered from the stomach/flu that hit a couple of our family members :(

I am so thankful the boys didn't really get it and had a big time! 

Pie and Pal giving the grandboys an early Christmas present. 

Lane loved it, though he needs to grow a couple of inches to fully appreciate it

Pal and Holden looking on

Holden loves watching Lane play, Lane better watch out because as soon as Holden is mobile things are going to get interesting

Lane is a threat to drink and drive

Lane, James, and I had plenty of play time:

Holden did what he does best, JUMP JUMP! 

notice the cooler as leverage :)

We then went to Seabed to hunt and eat a stone crab Thanksgiving lunch, yum!

Lane, Sweetie, and Macon

Pop and Holden

The Russells came down, so fun to see them! Ford is on the verge of walking. He and Lane had the best time together. They have their own toddler language that is so cute even though I don't understand a word

Holden had a great spot to watch the quail hunt, his first

Group Shots:

Catching Up...

Is it really almost December? Is Christmas really right around the corner? How does it always happen so fast? The husband got out all off the Christmas decor out of the attic today, hint hint I guess. So I have spent the last few hours putting up the tree. Yes, gasp we have a fake tree. It is just so easy and my thymes frasier fir candle fills the void of the "real tree" smell.  As I type this my almost two year old just swung as hard as he could with his plastic golf club at the ornaments on the tree exclaiming "Balls"! Awesome.
What we have been up to this past week:

 zip lining through Costa Rica

I tried it upside down

lots of animal watching:

                    

lots of pool and spa time

lots of socializing with new friends

lots of fishing or one full day I should say

and enjoying the fruits of our labor

We took a much needed vacation to Costa Rica this past week before Thanksgiving. It was wonderful. I highly recommend the place we stayed, very unique in that it was more of a small villa rather than hotel. There were only 3 other couples plus us staying, and we all shared meals together. Could be very awkward, but it actually was quite fun. We enjoyed hearing any tips of what excursions they had done that were not to be missed, tips of the area, etc. 

The weather was perfect. The husband and I had full conversations. We slept 8+ hours every night. 

Glorious!

Thanks to Pie and Pal for keeping the little munchkins. 

Mom sent me this text:

you can't see that great, but Lane is wearing Holden's 3 month turtleneck and overalls. 

Gotta love grandparents!

We then game home to a wonderful thanksgiving and stomach bug :)