Santa Plus Three

Ok. So I know it has been a while since my last post and I have a lot of catching up to do, but for now a small post about our visit with Santa will have to do.
After only an hour of waiting in line it was finally our turn to see Santa and the only one of us who was even remotely excited was Corbin (who just so happens to be the one Santa is most likely to leave coal in his stocking).
Corbin couldn't wait to jump on Santa's knee and start rattling off his list of X-Box 360, Playstations 1, 2 and 3, WII (which we already have), PSP, puzzles, a scooter and of course games to go with all his new gaming systems. In the words of Santa, " He only wants enough that a second mortgage would cover."
Leecie just stared at him with this look that said - if I weren't so tired of having to wait in line to see who ever you are then I might be tempted to pull off that white stuff that is stuck on your face because you just look weird.
Matthew was none to thrilled to see Santa this year. (insert tears filling Mama's eyes) He says that he is ten-years old and too big to sit on Santa's lap when he's not even the real Santa...just one of his helpers. (Shew! We are getting too close.) Anyway, I did manage to talk him in to standing next to Santa for a picture (so "Leecie wouldn't be scared", that girl is not scared of anything, but it worked none the less). When they were done with the picture Santa looked at Matthew and asked if he wanted to sit on his knee and Matthew started waving his hands and said "no thanks" so Santa asked what he wanted for Christmas and Matthew just said "not much" and walked off. Teenage years here we come!

Happy Birthday Matt!

Today is Matt's 32nd birthday. How about a little bit of a back story...Matt and I have known each other since high school. Back then, my too shy hubby would barely utter a "Hey" when I spoke to him in passing, ah, but how quickly that changed. Matt and his roommate had a party one night and Belle and I decided to go. We were hanging out talking and then I noticed that the person sitting next to him had gotten up and I took the opening. I sat down next to him locked my arm through his and proudly declared that he was going to be my date for the night. Then, on his 21st birthday, Matt proposed to me in a photo booth, I very happily accepted and have absolutely no regrets. And ladies, let me just tell you what a find he truly is! He is truly my soul mate, my lover, the father of my children, my comforter, my hand holder, my body guard, and my very best friend. Geesh, I tear up just thinking about all the roles he does play in my life. WOW!
Matt, I just want you to know how very much I love you and that I thank God for you daily. You definitely make me smile, make me happy, make me whole. If I could go back back in time I wouldn't change a thing.
Happy Birthday My Love!

Matt with his proteges.

(I am in so much trouble with this crew.)

Daddy with his little girl.

My biggest kid at play.

Happy Halloween

Ok. Ok. I know I'm late but things have been hectic. Corbin was sick followed by Ann Elise getting yet another ear infection. Yuck! Anyway, all was well on Halloween night and we were able to get in some trick-or-treating and a hayride.

Here are a few costume pics. (Sorry, I don't have everybody. Wes and Josh did not dress up, Eli wouldn't cooperate and I didn't see Kaylen but two seconds, it was dark and I knew my camera would have freaked out trying capture something in the dark. So, next year, I promise.)

Clone Trooper Matthew.


Corbin in his role as Bumble Bee from Transformers.

Fairy Princess Ann Elise with her magic wand.


Bumble Bee Ainsley with Mimi.

She was so cute waddling around in her costume.

Oyce (Matt's grandfather) with Ann Elise.

He turned 86 last Monday.

Happy Birthday Oyce. We love you!

(I must say that I really love the picture above with Oyce. AE was so sweet caressing his face. It made me want to cry. Oyce is definitely a person we admire.)

Mrs. Bacon (our old neighbor) with her self proclaimed grandchildren, C, AE & M.

Seven Months Old

Ann Elise turned seven months old on Sunday and has changed so much over the past month. She is crawling, getting into a sitting position all by herself, and in the last couple of days has started pulling up. She is so sweet and is already showing us that "little girl" personality. She is drawn to anything pink or shiny. It is amazing how different girls and boys are right from the beginning. And she knows that she rules the roost already. She gets waited on hand and foot by everybody in our family. We are constantly getting "parenting advice" from Matthew and Corbin... it is too funny and so sweet that they love her so much.

Just hanging out at daycare.

My first time on the swings. More Mommy. More.

Mimi's floor is slippery so I'd better put on my bib cape so I can crawl faster.

I'm out of here.

Happy Birthday Matthew!

Matthew turned ten on October 27th. He did not want a party this year, just a skateboard, a friend to sleep over and and for a family dinner. (How grown-up) Anyway, we have gotten it all covered except for the family dinner...it's coming later. We took Matthew and his friend Brendan out to dinner Friday night at the Kyoto Hibachi Grill, to see Beverly Hills Chihuahua and then to the Skate Park on Saturday and they had a blast.

Now for Mom's sentimental side note:

It is so hard for me to comprehend that our first born has now been a part of our lives for a whole decade. (Wow! Decade has a whole new meaning to me now.) And what a blessing these past ten years have been. God is truly amazing! I tear up as I stop to think about all the blessings He has given us and that we all too often take for granted.

Matthew is:

very intelligent

inquisitive

talkative

argumentative

sweet

kind hearted

out spoken

deep thinker
fast reader

blonde

blue eyed

hyperactive

prayer warrior

great big brother

stubborn

nostalgic

Matthew is such a wonderful person and a true blessing to be around. He knows how to push my buttons more often than not, but he also knows just what to say to make me rethink my attitude sometimes. I cannot imagine my life before him or without him. It has been such a short ten years and the next are sure to go even quicker. It's hard to believe that when the next ten years have come and gone my Matthew will no longer be living under my roof but out living his own life....without me knowing his every move. Oh how sad that makes me. But if he turns out to be half of the person he is now I know he will be fine and knowing that makes me feel a little more at ease....but I will still be checking in with him as often as he will answer my calls.- HA! :)

Matthew & Brendan showing off their boards.

Matthew getting a feel for things.

Of course Matt had to get his turn on the skate board.

He only busted it once...

but once was enough for a good laugh.

Happy Birthday Hunter!

Hunter-man turned two a couple of weeks ago and he celebrated John Deere style at the community center.

Hunter was too busy to pose for the camera.

Corbin and Cassie taking over the bounce house.

Little Kids Beware!

Ann Elise, Aunt Heddie and Mommy

Accidents Happen

We all know that God created us to be unique and that no two of us are exactly alike....well, I would have to say AMEN for that because if there were two of Corbin running around, well the world might be knocked off it's orbit. Corbin. Corbin. Corbin. My big brown eyed, mischievous grinning, stubborn middle child. What ever will we do with him is beyond me. Okay. So I go to his school on Wednesday to have his parent teacher conference and to pick up his progress report and as the teacher is going over his grades with me and telling me what a sweet child I have, I am thinking to myself, wow! I am really doing okay at this whole parenting thing. Well, just as I was patting myself on the back his teacher uttered these words to me, "I caught Corbin cheating on his spelling test on Friday." Needless to say my patting myself on the back feeling turned into I wish I had a place to hide. I was mortified! As stubborn as Corbin is he really is a smart child. Anyway, she explained to me that he had a piece of paper on his desk and was drawing on the back of it, as most of them do I was told, and then she noticed he kept flipping it over and then writing on his test paper. So she eased her way over to his desk and asked him, "What ya got there Corbin?" She said he looked up at her with this look on his face that just screamed "BUSTED!!!!" She said he had been trying to butter her up ever since so she wouldn't tell me. Later when we were talking to Corbin about it he said he "accidentally" cheated. Well, we "accidentally" grounded him through the weekend.
I guess accidents happen!

Subject: Fwd: My Twelve Names
1. YOUR REAL NAME: Kelly
2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (first 3 letters of real name plus izzle.) Kelizzle
3. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color and favorite animal plus hair) Green Gazellehair
4. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name and street you live on/or neighborhood if it's a number) Ann Central-Grove
5. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first name) Marke
6. SUPERHERO/CRIMINAL NAME: (Your 2nd favorite color, favorite drink) Blue Cranberry Sierra Mist
7. YOUR IRAQI NAME: (2nd letter of your first name, 3rd letter of your last name, 1st letter of your last name, 2nd letter of your moms maiden name, 3rd letter of your dads name, 1st letter of a siblings first name, and a last letter of your moms first name) Ermoaae
8. YOUR WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (parents middle names) Dianne Excell
9. YOUR GOTH NAME: (black, and the name of one of your pets) Black Fish Tails
10. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet's name and current street name) Ashes Central-Grove
11. YOUR MOVIE STAR NAME: (grandfather/grandmother on your mom's side, your favorite candy) Jimmie Sour Patch Kids
12. YOUR "FLY GIRL/GUY" NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your middle name) Kann
Now copy, paste, and send on to all your crazy friends including the one who sent it to you.

Six Months Old

Happy half birthday to you.
Happy half birthday to you.
Happy half birthday dear Leecie.
Happy half birthday to you.

I can't believe that our little caboose is now six months and one week old. She went to the doctor today for her six-month check up and she got a great report. She is 14 pounds on the nose and is 25 inches long. Poor baby is short like her mama. She is backwards crawling, pulling up some and bouncing all the time. - I guess she is practicing her cheerleader moves. :)

We played photo shoot this past Sunday after church and I must admit that I am a darn good photographer. HA!!! Seriously, I just have the most beautiful little girl who knows how to work the camera.

Here are some of my favorites.

I'm Rollie Polie Olie.

Look Mommy! Now I am Tigger. Bouncing is fun.

Mommy you are so funny.

I am really shy. Yeah right!

This is my Daddy's favorite picture of me.
I really can be sweet when I want to be.Me and my bear can sit up.
Me and my bear can fall down.

Soccer Super Stars

The boys have started back to school and back to playing soccer (hence the absence of posts). We average two to three nights a week at the soccer fields plus practices on the weekend, but the boys are having a great time. Corbin has gotten a lot more aggressive with his playing this year - if that is even possible - he is soooo not afraid to run over somebody or use his head to block the ball. Matthew led his team to victory last week scoring two goals. Way to go Matthew!

Ann Elise likes attending any sporting event, especially if it involves cheerleaders - she is so fascinated by cheerleaders. She even yells for her big brothers like we do.

Matthew running after the ball. (Sorry it is so blurry. My camera does not take very good pictures from far away.)

Corbin playing goalie.

Check out the determination on his face.

Ann Elise and Pop cheering from the side lines.

Leecy-Bob (aka Ann Elise) wants to play so bad.