deleting the blog

I went to delete the blog tonight because I just don't have time to keep up with it. I mean really-I stress myself out over not posting pictures on a blog. It's ridiculous. So, I was going through it saving the stuff on when Allie was first born because I don't want to forget it. I'm going to try to get it printed in a book and then delete it. So thanks for checking in on us. If you would like to keep up with us join Facebook-I update that all the time.

Boys will be boys

What do I mean by that? Well, I've had this beautiful little boy and I decided I would raise him with manners and sensitivity, and for the most part I've succeeded. But I've learned that men are born. This little guy has come up with some pretty funny stuff lately and I thought I would share it with you.

* Before Christmas I wanted to go look at Christmas lights (evidently I'm the only one in my family who enjoys this, so next year I will do it by myself with a huge Starbucks). I told Peyton what we were going to do and here is his response:
"why don't you just go outside and look at our house-it has lights on it?"

* He thinks a cemetery is called a dying field.

* My best friend and her husband were here a few weeks ago and we were playing a card game and Peyton came through the kitchen and asked:
"when are you going to stop playing and make some food?"

* He recently argued with me passionately that PE does not teach you how to play sports.

* Evidently I sound like the dog on Barnyard when I get frustrated.

* He told the furniture guy the other day that we wouldn't have anymore babies because Daddy had a surgery to fix that.

* He asked Emmy if she was born in a warehouse in stupidville.

Peyton's Christmas Party

Can you tell we ration his donut consumption? Yes, there are 4 donuts on his plate. Luckily he only ate 1 1/2. I don't know what it is, but donuts make him go crazy about 5 hours after he eats them. But I let him load up since it was a party.
He had a great time, it was a little crazy with eating, reading a story, doing a book exchange, passing out gifts, and a craft. But we got it all done in 1 hour. There were some exhausted mommy's that day.

Polar Express

We took the kids to the Polar Express in December and they had a blast. I think they were most excited about the hot chocolate. I could have saved myself $80 bucks and made hot chocolate home.

It was a lot of fun. It was the hottest train I have ever been on in my life. So much I almost freaked out, Matthew had to open a window to get some air on the thing.

Top secret photoshoot at Texas Stadium

I finally posted my top secret photoshoot at Texas Stadium on my photography blog. Go check it out.

park

I took advantage of the gorgeous weather yesterday and took the kids to the park.
Allie was cracking up laughing in the swing-she loved it.

One of our babysitters met us at the park to give the kids McD's gift cards for Christmas.

Christmas card 2008

We took these after riding the Polar Express. The kids had a blast! Matthew asked where I wanted to do their pictures and I pointed to a fenced mill and the ugly back of a feed store-he was a little skeptical. I love the urban look with different textures.

Sorry I've neglected the blog

Kade and Aunt Chelle at Thanksgiving.Aunt Chelle-isn't she beautiful? I love her red hair.
The whole gang. It's actually smaller than usual but a couple of families didn't come this year.

Emmy playing it up for the camera. I love the shots of her looking away.
My girls-we had gone on a walk because Mommy thought she was over the stomach flu. Little did I know I had 5 more days to go. Yup 7 days of Montezuma's revenge.
Matthew frying turkeys. I wonder if he ever thought he would be "that" guy who fries turkeys in the driveway?
My baby with her index finger in her mouth, aka the normal pose.

I'm sorry I have neglected the family blog. I had a HUGE holiday season rush with my photography business, I was doing good to keep my kids fed.

If you want to date one of my daughters

I copied this from my friend Leah's blog, and thought it was so funny I had to post it here. Obviously my girls aren't old enough to date yet, but they will be one day and anyone who knows Matthew knows how bad it will be for those poor boys who attempt to date them.

Rule One:
If you pull into my driveway and honk you’d better be delivering a package, because you’re sure not picking anything up.

Rule Two:
You do not touch my daughter in front of me. You may glance at her, so long as you do not peer at anything below her neck. If you cannot keep your eyes or hands off of my daughter’s body, I will remove them.

Rule Three:
I am aware that it is considered fashionable for boys of your age to wear their trousers so loosely that they appear to be falling off their hips. Please don’t take this as an insult, but you and all of your friends are complete idiots. Still, I want to be fair and open minded about this issue, so I propose this compromise: You may come to the door with your underwear showing and your pants ten sizes to big, and I will not object. However, in order to ensure that your clothes do not, in fact come off during the course of you date with my daughter, I will take my electric nail gun and fasten your trousers securely in place to your waist.

Rule Four:
I’m sure you’ve been told that in today’s world, sex without utilizing a “Barrier method” of some kind can kill you. Let me elaborate, when it comes to sex, I am the barrier, and I will kill you.

Rule Five:
It is usually understood that in order for us to get to know each other, we should talk about sports, politics, and other issues of the day. Please do not do this. The only information I require from you is an indication of when you expect to have my daughter safely back at my house, and the only word I need from you on this subject is: “early.”

Rule Six:
I have no doubt you are a popular fellow, with many opportunities to date other girls. This is fine with me as long as it is okay with my daughter. Otherwise, once you have gone out with my little girl, you will continue to date no one but her until she is finished with you. If you make her cry, I will make you cry.

Rule Seven:
As you stand in my front hallway, waiting for my daughter to appear, and more than an hour goes by, do not sigh and fidget. If you want to be on time for the movie, you should not be dating. My daughter is putting on her makeup, a process than can take longer than painting the Golden Gate Bridge. Instead of just standing there, why don’t you do something useful, like changing the oil in my car?

Rule Eight:
The following places are not appropriate for a date with my daughter: Places where there are beds, sofas, or anything softer than a wooden stool. Places where there is darkness. Places where there is dancing,holding hands, or happiness. Places where the ambient temperature is warm enough to introduce my daughter to wear shorts, tank tops, midriff T-shirts, or anything other than overalls, a sweater, and a goose down parka - zipped up to her throat. Movies with a strong romantic or sexual theme are to be avoided; movies which features chain saws are okay. Hockey games are okay. Old folks homes are better.

Rule Nine:
Do not lie to me. I may appear to be a potbellied, balding, middle-aged, dimwitted has-been. But on issues relating to my daughter, I am the all-knowing, merciless god of your universe. If I ask you where you are going and with whom, you have one chance to tell me the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I have a shotgun, a shovel, and five acres behind the house. Do not trifle with me.

Rule Ten:
Be afraid. Be very afraid. It takes very little for me to mistake the sound of your car in the driveway for a chopper coming in over a rice paddy near Hanoi. When my Agent Orange starts acting up, the voices in my head frequently tell me to clean the guns as I wait for you to bring my daughter home. As soon as you pull into the driveways you should exit the car with both hands in plain sight. Speak the perimeter password, announce in a clear voice that you have brought my daughter home safely and early, then return to your car - there is no need for you to come inside. The camoflauged face at the window is mine.

Playing outside

Isn't this the greatest? She is laughing at Peyton launching his rocket.
My sweet baby boy!
My sweet baby girl.

I'm obsessed with their kissing pictures.
I love this look.

Allie asleep under the coffee table

When Allie gets tired in the afternoon she will find a random spot to take a cat nap. Isn't it adorable?

Book Character Pumpkin

Can you guess which book character this is? Yup, it's Franklin. My son came up with the idea for his head, I was so proud.

Allie

Christie

My best friend in the entire world came into town last week with her two boys. We had a blast, and we got to snap a few pics in the drive way for their Christmas card.



Here is Christie reading. We both started the Twilight series on Thursday and we will both be done tomorrow with book number 4 (that's 2300 pages of pure innocent entertainment).