Day Trip with the Family | Jasmine Moran Children's Museum

I've got a "Deployment To Do" List hanging on the wall in my room at my parent's house. All summer, fall, and winter we've been slowing marking things off. There's a few that I didn't quite attain {like, update scrapbooks - sheesh - , go to Orr Family Farm, and make Ellie's quilt}, but the majority of them have been crossed out. At the top of the list was Jasmine Moran Children's Museum. We finally got the chance to go today {minus Ben, since he's stayed in Abilene this weekend to finish up a few things there} and everyone had a great time fixing cars, flying planes, riding on a train, hunting for dinosaur bones, and creating a Tardis on an extra large LiteBright. I did take photos, but since most everything is covered in the video, enjoy:

♥

December Daily | 31

With our actual move to Maryland rapidly approaching, I've been finding myself wanting to squeeze in as much time with family as possible. Sometimes it's hard to do because of schedules, naps, and life, but today we were able to have lunch with Grami and Papa Snow and then have them over to Mom and Daddy-Man's before the kids went down for their naps.

It. was. wonderful.

I've been on a video kick lately and this afternoon was no different - I hope that the kids will cherish these videos as much as I already do.

***

Nearly every New Year's Eve, for probably the last 20 years{?}, has been spent with our friends, the Bullards. The kids were super excited to get to spend the evening with Addy. I had no plans for how long I'd let them stay up. Truthfully, I anticipated that Ellie would crash around 9PM and that Noah would follow some time after that.

Boy, was I wrong.

The three little RockStars made it until midnight, doing everything in their power to stay awake: chasing each other, watching VeggieTales, blowing on their horns {which were, eventually, confined to their room}, and playing lots and lots of dress up.

My favorite dress up time? When they were playing SuperHeroes and Princesses. Notice how Addy is totally feeling Noah's muscles.

Close runner-up for my favorite dress-up time:

The rest of us were tired when midnight hit and after a little short celebration outside with sparklers and horns, we were back inside, putting the kiddos down for bed and asleep ourselves, all before 12:45.

Goodbye 2011,

Hello 2012!

December Daily | 29

Since the weather has been so pleasant the past couple of days, Mom suggested a Zoo trip. Hoping to beat some crowds, still manage to make it back for naptime, and enjoy the animals while they were most active, we left for the OKC Zoo first thing this morning.

"Eeeewww! Something is STINKY!"

Gah. The only reason I included this photo is so that I won't forget how everyone else stayed over by the leopard, watching him gnaw on his breakfast, while I had to walk quickly by for fear of gagging over the sound of teeth breaking bone. Much worse than the rhino's smell, Noah.

We had a blast - thanks Nana, Papa and Aunt BB for donating blood for those passes! ♥

December Daily | 27

The last few years, it has been really cold and snowy around the end of December. But this year, it's been practically perfect. A little chilly, to be sure, but warm enough that outside play is on the schedule. This afternoon, once everyone else got back from the movies, the toys were pulled out from storage building and outside play time commenced.

After dinner and baths, Nana, Papa, Aunt BB, Ben, and the kids and I all headed down to Chickasha to see the Festival of Lights. I've been wanting to go for years, especially since the last time we went, Ben and I were not officially dating {though, we did like each other...}. Last year's Christmas light viewing consisted of Noah freaking out the entire drive until we got to the end and he asked to go through again. Luckily, since then, his and Ellie's appreciation of Christmas light displays has grown quite a bit.

We all enjoyed the lights, but the mild day had turned into a very cold evening. We didn't walk around for very long, but long enough to enjoy a few light tunnels {my favorite!} and to explore some areas that we wouldn't really be able to see from the car.

And, a trip to see Christmas lights would not be complete without a stop at Braum's for ice cream!

December Daily | 25

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests." Luke 2:14

Merry Christmas!

We had a pretty good Christmas Day. We got up and checked out our stockings, ate waffles {and yogurt} for breakfast, and got ready for a special Christmas Day service at church. And, of all days for me to rush out without my camera - the day that one of BB's friends was getting baptized! {sigh}

After church, we came back home for a big Christmas lunch and some play time and rest time before heading over to Grami and Papa Snow's house - the SuperHeroes were definitely hard at work.


I realized, after it was all said it done, that I didn't go real crazy on the photos this year like I normally do... but I did go pretty heavy on the videos. I'm okay with that... because I kept having another verse from Luke run through my mind so much yesterday and today:

"But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." Luke 2:19

I couldn't help but have a little bit of understanding of what Luke meant - I don't want to quickly forget all these little moments from the past two days. I want to remember them, love them, and hold them in my hands and declare them the special treasure that they truly are.

Merry Christmas, Here's to Many More!

December Daily | 24

My favorite moments of today:

The kids decorating cookies with Nana - the concentration, laughter, and the resulting sugar high from eating too much icing before 10am. ♥

Being asked a million times by an inquiring little boy if it was "time to go to church and sing songs and then open presents".

Watching Noah and Ellie during the candlelight service, one concentrating so hard on holding the candle, the other trying to blow it out... all while listening to Ellie try to sing along and it just coming out as a hum.


The pure joy the kids had in opening presents... in being so excited about each gift {so much so that they even had to try on the new clothes} and in happily bestowing gratitude on the gift givers.

Ellie getting so tired while opening presents that she grabbed one of Aunt Jessie and Uncle Bryan's new pillows and her own blanket and laid down on the couch.

Simply enjoying precious time with our family while celebrating the birth of our Savior.

Merry Christmas Eve!

December Daily | 22

Mom and Daddy-Man have the sweetest little next-door neighbor, Ms. Kathy. All summer and fall long, she has just doted on the kids. Every time we see her, the kids love to say hi and she would often ask how Ben was doing while still deployed. Around Halloween she made up special little goody bags just for them - Noah and Ellie both drew her pictures as a thank you. Tuesday, as we were loading up the kids for the movie, she brought over Christmas gifts for both of them... Noah and Daddy {and Papa too} have been getting some good use out of Noah's little race track:

Ben and I left the kids with Nana and Papa tonight and ate dinner with BB, Jessie, and Bryan at BB's house. We all had a pretty great time... even if Ben did beat us all at Harry Potter Clue.

December Daily | 21

I didn't pick up my camera today. We were simply too busy! Luckily, I've got a few gems from Noah's camera to share.

Yesterday, Noah and Ellie went to the movies with Nana, Aunt BB, and Aunt Jessie to see Arthur Christmas and give Ben and I some time to work on moving stuff. Noah insisted on taking his camera with him, so I let him... on the condition that he took some photos for me. He got an early start by photographing some of his lunch:

They {all five of them!} definitely enjoyed themselves!

Thanks Nana, Aunt BB, and Aunt Jessie! ♥

December Daily | 4

Tonight was the Hanging of the Green at our church and the AWANA choirs were singing all the songs. Noah's Cubbie group sang two songs during it, so we made sure we were there tonight. Ellie isn't in AWANAs yet {and likely won't make the cut-off to start in the fall either}, so she got to sit in the pew with us from the very get-go. She didn't mind though - the girl loves to "paint".

We really didn't know which side of the stage Noah was going to be on and unfortunately, he was on the opposite side that we sat on. I {of course!} hopped up and found a seat next to the Cubbies director to snap a few photos of Noah during the performance. Ben did take some video, but since you can't really see him, I'm not planning to upload it.

The 3-year old choir was given two mini-M&M containers to use as shakers during their first song. Noah stared longingly at them at every possible moment.

He did a great job and actually sang during part of the second song {when he wasn't staring at his M&Ms}! So proud of you, Buddy!

And after his group finished their songs, he joined us back at the pew and played games on Aunt Jessie's phone!

Family Photos and Family Time

Instead of trying to go out to eat with the whole clan of Akers and Haze families after church this morning, we ate lunch at Mom and Daddy-Man's house. {Thanks again Mom for cooking!} Before we ate, I forced sweet-talked everyone into taking a few family photos in the backyard since everyone looked so nice and I needed some of my little family for our Christmas card anyway!

The Akers Family


The Haze Family

The Smith Family

The highlight of Noah's day, however, was getting to open his birthday present from Grandma and Poppa Haze... more Legos! {Thanks Grandma and Poppa - clearly he loved them!}

Black Friday

Let's just be honest here. Black Friday is an event of its' own right around these parts. We love Thanksgiving, but we also like to shop on Black Friday. Because we, Dear Friends, like a deal. I hate paying retail and with a few exceptions, won't purchase something if I have to pay full price for it. In recent years, we've made shirts for our little troop of shoppers. And even though I swore up and down last year that I wouldn't get talked into making new shirts for this year, I did. And, in light of Noah's new love of all things SuperHero, Ben's return, and the plethora of new hero movies that have recently come out... we all got new call names as well:

In brightest day,

In blackest night,

No deal shall

escape my sight!

It was a little bit more crazy though this year. And I kinda blame it on the fact that the stores were opening SO much earlier. Which was nice because we actually got some sleep last night {after getting home around 1:30}, but we definitely didn't get everything on our lists last night. Ben and I went back to Walmart {which was the craziest of crazy places last night - I might have to refuse to go again after that!} this morning and managed to find the two items we still wanted: a new external hard drive and a video game that he wanted for Christmas.

This morning, after getting some real sleep, we all met up at Denny's for breakfast. Usually we're all bleary-eyed and sharing our crazy stories from just hours before, but this morning, everyone was mostly well-rested and stories had already been told {minus the one about Bryan and Jessie's neighbor who had just been stabbed before they got home last night - eek!}.

Happy Black Friday, everyone... hope you stimulated the economy too! :D