Merry Christmas

It happens every once in awhile.  That moment where you fill up with "Mama Pride."  When Noah scored a goal in soccer.  When at the Thanksgiving program Ella stood up and said she was most thankful for the veterans.  When Luke rears back to hit, looks at you, and lowers his hand. 

Those moments make every other crazy hectic moment so worth it. Today was another Mama Pride moment.  My boy, my spectacular boy, was asked to sing Silent Night during the offeratory at church.  Never have I been so proud.  This very moment made my Christmas. 

I am so, so, so proud of you Noah Siak.  The gift of perfect pitch that God has blessed you with.  The confidence at 8 years old to be able to get up and sing in front of hundreds of people.  The humility you showed as people told you how well you did today.  I love you to the moon and back my sweet singer.

Weight watchers fail

I haven't posted any updates and I need to come clean.

Lately I have succumbed to the holidays. Thanksgiving, weddings, parties, chocolate peanut butter bars...

So I will admit it. I am maintaining my loss but have stalled out. I have 18 pounds to go. 27 pounds lost. But the scale is not moving. This is because my ratio of calories in to calories burned has not been enough to make the numbers go lower. But, after Christmas and our big trip, I have plans to be back on track and on program at the beginning of the year!

The winter ball

I had a weak moment. The kids asked if they could go to the dance at school and for some reason I said yes. The next week Ella came home and announced she had a date (for which I was not prepared- at all for this to happen). After having the "you cannot date until you are 16 conversation" to which she told me "it's ok mom, its not like he can drive me anywhere", I realized kindergarten is bringing things to the surface I didn't think wed have to deal with yet.

Anyway, Friday night the 3 of us went to the dance (of course I chaperoned!). And the kids had a lot of fun. I didn't have to separate anyone but I was sooo ready if need be. It was intense, loud, and crazy. But in the end I'm glad I let them go.

Matt is 33!

This post is a little late! Matt turned 33 on the 26 of November and we got to celebrate with his family at red lobster. It was so nice to have them all celebrate Matt's special day with us!

Thanksgiving Brunch with Aunt Mel & Friends

Aunt Mel invited us over for brunch last Saturday morning and it was the perfect morning.  First of all, she made a grits bar.  Who does that?  Aunt Mel - and it was ridiculously fabulously amazing.  She had shrimp, chicken, veggies, cheeses, all kinds of goodies to dress up your grits and lots of other yummy food.  Rachel and her babes came up for the morning and it was so great to get to see them too!  It was a blessed way to end our Thanksgiving week!

Thankfulness

Wednesday night we headed to the mall on our way to celebrate thankful day with the Siak/Cannons. Ella got to spend her birthday money at build a bear, we waved at Santa, and browsed around the bookstore. The next day the guys watched a lot of football while Mary put together a delicious meal. It was such a relaxing couple of days and I am so thankful we got to celebrate with family!

(Sadly I only took the one picture of the guys watching football, I left my big camera at home!)

Ella's Thanksgiving Play!

What a treat for my little indian to have not one but both of her grandmothers here to witness her debut in her Thanksgiving play at school (Uncle Jesse, Daddy, Mommy, Luke, and Noah even was able to get out of his class- came too!).  It was a SUPER special day because they woke up with Nana at breakfast - then Uncle Jesse and Granny got to eat school lunch with both of them.  Ella did wonderfully in her play.  And we are all so blessed to have both of these women in our life - my kids have the best grandmothers!

How do I choose

** Disclaimer - if you you receive a Christmas card from me - prepare to have the suspense of our annual family picture ruined.

Joey knocked it out of the park (again) when he took our latest round of family portraits.  It was a beautiful fall day at the Carl Sandburg house when we posed for these shots.  I LOVE them all.  So how will I choose which one to send to everyone?  Hmmmm.....

6 years ago

My goodness how our life is so much richer and better - all because of you my Ella Grace.  Today marks six years since you came into our family.  What an awesome ride we have been on having you!  You are so fun.  So passionate about life.  Funny, loving, and you've got your daddy wrapped around your finger.  You are strong.  You are smart.  You are absolutely beautiful.  This year you started kindergarten, had your first trip to the hospital, went on several vacations, crafted and colored your little butt off, tried a whole bunch of new things...  I hope and pray that this next year will be full of Gods blessings and grace.  You are magnificent my Ella girl.  I'm so glad to be your mom.  Happy, happy Birthday!!!

Ella's birthday party!

Tomorrow my girl will be 6 years old.  I can't believe it.  Saturday we gathered with family and friends to celebrate at Kid Senses, a childrens museum in Rutherfordton.  It was such a stress-free, fantastic location to have a party.  After an hour in the party room the kids played and played and played.  Some of Ella's best buds got to join us and that made her day even more special.  It was a fantastic celebration to kick off Ella's 6th year!

Awkward Family Photos: Halloween Edition

 We have a tradition of going to my friend Kims street for Halloween.  She has the best street to trick or treat on!  After some soup to warm up our bellies, we headed out!  It was a lot of fun.  And it took the kids forever to fall asleep from the massive sugar rush when we were done.  Note for later:  3 pieces of candy before bed is entirely too much.

++ Every picture I took that night was borderline terrible. 

Fall festival!

Last Friday night we got to go to the fall festival at the kids school. My rock star and vampire looked dashing, we stocked up on some candy, failed miserably at the cake walk... But the hit of the evening was the just dance dance off in Noah's classroom!

Oh Lukey...

18 months is a fantastic age.  Luke is so curious.  Ella told everyone at the doctor the other day that her brother is a troublemaker.  And I agree- but in a good way!  Luke has one speed - and that speed is GO!  I have been so blessed by this little man.  He has such a sweet spirit.  He's quieter than I expected.  If he's especially quiet and you don't know where he is - he's playing in the toilet.  (I believe its just because he wants a bath, this guy loves bath time and he knows toilet time= mandantory sanitation).  He has the best personality.  I love this guy to pieces.  And I am so thankful to be able to stay at home with him during this stage of his life.  I don't want to miss a moment of this crazy guys antics.  I'm so glad you are mine Lukey.

My girl

Ella Bella.  Gracie-girl.  Peanut.  That's my girl.  Kindergartener.  Big Sister.  Buddy.  Drama-queen.  Dress up princess.  How do you put a label on the best, spunkiest 5 year old out there?  Ella cracks me up.  She is so funny.  So quick to get excited.  So quick to speak her mind (where does she get that?).  So silly.  So stinking beautiful.  And have you seen those blue eyes?  Ella has been through a lot lately and her strength has amazed me.  She has some thick skin to go through all she's been through with a brave face.  I am so thankful that God gave me a daughter.  I am so proud to be her mom.  Thankful.  Proud.   

What's up Noah?

This boy.  I love him.  He is awesome.  And he's mine.  Daily I am thankful for the help that he gives me around the house.  He is the best big brother.  He has the best laugh.  Every morning on the way to school we discuss whether or not I'm going to embarass him when he gets out of the car.  My father instilled it in me - show love through embarassment.  And even when I choose not to shout loudly "I love you Noah!!!" out the window as he walks into the school - he still looks back at least three times at me grinning the whole way in.  His imagination is still working in full force and I don't want the day to come when he "grows out of it."  He loves to read - pretty much anything.  He loves loves loves to sing.  He would steal my phone all day to you tube music videos and sing if I let him.  And he has such a beautiful voice.  He is well behaved and kind 95% of the time.  (A much better percentage than myself).  His teachers love him.  He's a good friend.  He makes me so proud.  If I could put a book on his head to stop him from growing I would.  I want time to slow down, Noah.  It's going by too quickly.

My babes

I decided to try to take pictures of my kids to replace the ones on my living room wall.  I learned quickly that 18 month olds will not sit still long enough for you to mess with the settings on your camera to take a semi-decent picture.  But we had a lot of fun anyway - because we were outside!  I love fall and the beauty that surrounds us right now.  But most of all, I love these crazy munchkins.

If you look up the word "trouble" in the dictionary - this look, this child, probably this photo is by the definition.

Laughing at his brother.

Practicing for halloween - Ella wants to be a rockstar.