Gideon's 5 Year Interview {Finally!}

Gideon is 5!!!

This post is LONG over-due. ☺ I had hoped to get it up within a week of G’s birthday, but this will have to suffice. (It’s still before his due date anniversary.) ;)

Gideon’s 5th birthday began like all his other days here in Scotland:


Breakfast in front of his new favorite TV station: CBeebies.



First up on our schedule was Mother’s & Toddlers at the church building. Gideon was by far the oldest child there, but he had fun taking care of the younger kids. He even asked one of our new friends, Lesley, if he could hold her 6 week old son, Arley. Gideon looked so big holding the baby!
His first birthday celebration happened at Mother’s & Toddlers. Ms. Grace presented him with a cake while everyone sang.



JR picked us up and drove us, as a surprise for Gideon to…



We ate lunch and opened G’s gifts from family at the McDonald’s.

Here's the LINK to the slideshow of his day.

This was followed up by a trip to BonBon’s, a candy store in Peterhead.



The kids were each given 1£ and made their choices and paid for the candy themselves.



Before our dinner with William and Diane Strachan, we headed home for some down time and to let Gideon play with his new toys. And to do his 5 Year Old Interview which I tried to upload here, but YouTube and Blogger won't let me upload it. :(

We headed out early for Inverugie so that I could take G’s 5 Year Portraits:

These were all taken at the Ugie beach. It is BEAUTIFUL at the mouth of the river Ugie, the North Sea, and beside a golf course.

Dinner at the Strachan’s was a FEAST! Ms. Diane made sure to have Macaroni and Cheese for the birthday boy, AND she had a present for him.


This is a photo of G modeling his gift from the Strachan’s.

In addition to having a lovely birthday dinner, we were treated to Sticky Toffee Pudding. JR LOVES this dessert.

But wait! There’s more! After dessert, Diane brought out a birthday cake with candles!


We headed back to our apartment to meet our landlady. She is lovely. When she asked Gideon how he felt about Peterhead, he told her he never wanted to leave!
After a Gideon-requested “Family Movie Night” where we watched one of the Star Wars films, G pulled his 5th birthday to a close in great expectations of his party the next day.



For Gideon’s party, we decided to head to Aden Park in Mintlaw. It was a great country house with lovely grounds. But now it is the ruins of a great country house with lovely grounds and a swing park. ☺

The weather was gorgeous, the company amazing, and the “costume” party a success!


We are so blessed by having so many people here in Peterhead all ready who love us. God is reminding us of the family we have all over the world through Him.

Naomi's 3rd Birthday Party

Naomi's 3rd Birthday Party was "Hello, Kitty" themed. Instead of doing my normal cupcakes, I decided (since I wasn't doing much other decorating for our small party) to make her a "Hello, Kitty" cake.



With the left over cake (left from cutting out the shape) I made Cake Balls with an "N" in chocolate. Naomi loved the cake. And I'm told (by people who went back for seconds) that the cake was delicious.

We got a great surprise when Aunt Claudia

and cousin Kaden showed up for the celebration.

Claudia did a great job documenting the surprise with her camera over on her blog.

Naomi enjoyed all of the attention and the gifts. Since we only invited one little friend for Naomi, I got them matching sunglasses as their party favors. Here Sydney King and Naomi are modeling their "BFF glasses".


For more photos from the party, watch this:

Naomi's 3rd Birthday

Naomi's birthday started early (6:30 am) when she crawled in bed with JR and me.  But she was warm and uncharacteristically still, so we let her stay. ;)

At 7:30 she headed downstairs for some PBS and waited for her waffle.


Then the immediate family gave her the presents we got her.

(a tricycle from JR and me)

Gideon insisted on getting her a Rapunzel and Flynn set that will fit in her castle.


I think this is what he had in mind the whole time. ;)


Every day when we drop G off at school, Naomi's "job" is to put his lunchbox in its place. She takes this job very seriously.


After we dropped off G, the two of us headed to Garden Ridge to walk around. Naomi got her groove on to the music, she tried on a very sparkly pink cowgirl hat to which she exclaimed that she looked like "Heh-woe Dah-wee" (Hello, Dolly!), and we sat in EVERY chair in the store.

Next we came home and had lunch with Daddy.

We played and did her interview until it was time to go pick G up from school.

Then we picked Daddy up and went to Muddy's for "peent tuptates". (pink cupcakes)

While waiting in line, both the kids got their groove on:


With all these decisions to make...

... it took N no time at all to decide she wanted THESE:


Once the cupcakes hit the table, it was hard to get the kids to focus on anything else.


She is truly my daughter... She ate all the icing off first!


She opened presents from Debby (the "peent" ones she'd had her eye on all week) and the package that came in the mail as we headed to Muddy's from Kelli et al. She oohed and ahhed over every present. But this picture is my favorite from yesterday. Rachel gave her a Cinderella doll.


She opened outfits from Grandma and kept saying things like, "oh my doodness!" (goodness), and, "It's SO Tute!" (cute) Everyone in Muddy's was giggling and wishing their kids were as cute. :)

After Muddy's we came home and the kids played until dinnertime, then we headed to Bible class.

Naomi had a big Big Girl day.

For more photos from the day, click HERE.
~Daisha
Make sure you watch her video in the previous post. She's all-Naomi in it.

Gideon's 4.5 Interview

Photos from Thanksgiving Week ...

My mom sent my forgotten camera cord! I got it in the mail on my way out the door. But since the kids are in bed and JR is in the library studying for his Greek final (next week), I thought I'd get to a few of them. (There are hundreds!)

There's no rhyme or reason to the photos I've chosen to go ahead and edit.

More will be appearing here on the blog, my web-site, and facebook over the next few days, I'm sure. :)

1.  This year I am making most of the gifts.  I'm a fabric junkie and have boxes and bags of fabric under my bed.  So I decided to make my kids and my niece and nephews "softies".  (Apparently, they are called "Softies" now instead of stuffed animals.  I don't know why.  But since Naomi's isn't an animal, I'm going with it.  I'll post the photos of the ones for my kids after they get them.)  The first pair are for Rachel and Simon.  ~I made these 3 without a pattern, but they were inspired by several cute "softies" I saw all over the web.~

...and for "Baby Tay-din" (as Naomi calls Kaden)...

2.  Typing of Kaden...

 Here he is on his 5th Monthabirthday.  (This was during Great Bob's 80th Birthday celebration in Springfield, MO.  It will get it's own post.)

3.  And speaking of monthabirthdays... (see my segways, people?  I'm seamless.)

GIDEON TURNED 4 AND A HALF!!!!

I have more shots of him.  But he looks so grown up in this photo.

4.  AND... speaking of being grown up... (go with me) ;P

Can you believe she let me take her picture?!  (me either)  My mother has run from the camera, or more accurately-- put her finger in between the camera and her face, her whole life.  But prepping her all week that I was going to take her photo, talking about Photoshop, and letting her know that the light was going to be behind her worked. :) I think this photo captures her warm, caring nature.  What about you?

Did I whet your appetite for more?  Good!

I'll be back later with more photos.  I've got lots to blog about.  After all we had Stockstill Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Great Bob's birthday (in that order too!). 

JR's 31st Birthday in Photos

Since JR and I had a HUGSR event to attend in the evening, Saturday morning we celebrated JR's birthday. The kids were SO excited!

We started with a breakfast where JR picked every item on the menu. Then we did gifts.

About 2 months ago Gideon exclaimed in the car that he KNEW what Daddy would love for his birthday. So for 2 whole months, Gideon has been planning on getting JR a "War Machine" face mask for their wrestle time.

Naomi was just as sure about what she wanted to get her daddy: 3 different bags of sour, gummy candies.



Since everyone is suffering from the new allergens in the air, we took it easy until cupcake time. (which took the place of lunch)

I figured out how to make Sour Patch Kid Cupcakes. Yum!

Happy Birthday to the best father I could imagine for our children and the man of my dreams! Mwah!

Naomi is 2.5!

Today Naomi is 2 and a Half.  I can't believe it's August already!  Last year at this time we were wrapping up our time with JR's side of the family (15 of us living in a 3 bedroom house) and our trip to the beach where Naomi knocked her head on an end-table and we had our first ever emergency room trip with the kids.

(She has since fallen on her head and knocked off the scar she got from that incident... which I didn't know was possible.)

So... what is Naomi up to these days?
-Talking non-stop
-Making the dolls, ponies, action figures around her have conversations with each other
-"Cooking" (usually for Gideon) in her "Chitchen"  (her play kitchen)
-Imitating Gideon
-Doing EVERYTHING "by myself"
-Giving out back rubs
-Enjoying Spicy food (she is her father's daughter)
-Singing along with EVERY song she hears
-Knowing a lot of scripture thanks to Seeds Family Worship
-Still wearing the same clothes she was wearing at this time last summer... but they are looser on her now
-Being the most amazing little girl we could ask for!

Here are a few quick shots from this morning.  It was already 100 degrees so, since she takes after me and doesn't like to be hot... we didn't push a long photo session.  Notice her toys.  They are always in conversation.

Happy Half-Birthday, Naomi!  We love you SOOOOO much!

Thanksgiving 2009

We had about 9 days for our Thanksgiving this year. Thanksgiving indeed! :)

Naomi and I picked G up from preschool and headed to Memphis to pick up JR the Thursday before the actual holiday. While in Memphis, we were able to tour the townhouse we're moving into on my 30th birthday. (it's cozy, but will be great)

After the usual travel-chill-out we arrived in Tally around 1 am. The kids woke up and excitedly checked out the special bedding that Grandma decorated their beds with. (Princesses for Naomi and Spider-man and Lightning McQueen for G)

Friday, Debby took off from work to hang out with the kids. Really the only thing on our "To Do" list was for Gideon to surprise Madison by picking her up from Kindergarten.




They were so cute.

Friday also happened to be 5th anniversary of when JR first kissed me and we became an "us". (ahhh... sappy)


Saturday we headed over to the Mosier's house and met up with some more friends (the Landes's and the Mills). I used the nice backyard as good practice with my new lens.

Tearing into the dip


drawing together


Gideon asked me to "take a beautiful picture of Madison"

I took that one (here is is untouched) but I also took this one on Thanksgiving, for Madison.


Naomi was all about Madison.


Wild guys!


Ada and Naomi


My big kid!


Girl Time!



Saturday evening I kidnapped JR for part of an early Christmas present. After hanging out with friends and watching football, we dropped the kids off with Debby and JR got a 90 min. full-body massage (and I got a 90 min. facial) at the Aveda Institute. Then we went to Bonefish for dinner. Aaahhhh! Yum.

Sunday we were able to worship with our family at Meridian Woods. I sent Naomi into the 2/3 yr. old class with Gideon, Trey, and Hudson. She LOVED it. Maybe there's hope for Naomi liking class once she's treated like a "big kid". :)

Lunch was enjoyed at Momo's! (both the kids were pretty excited about this)

Sunday evening, we celebrated an early Christmas with Debby.


Gideon's reaction to getting his Spiderman Scooter was so great. He tore the paper off the box and exclaimed, "A Spiderman scooter... NO WAY!" He couldn't wait until we got it together.




Don't you love Naomi's hair? This is what Gideon calls a "mister bouffant" (and he keeps the t silent)

She LOVES her "printheth houth".

Here she is saying, "Hello, friends!"

Monday Debby headed back to work, JR worked on homework, and the kids and I headed to the Scott's house for a play-date. The kids painted turkey napkin rings and played with Tre and the rest of the kids that Rachel keeps. It was tons of fun.


Tuesday, Debby took off of work and finally was able to take us to the Tallahassee Museum. It was amazing!

Naomi in a new hairstyle...

G showing off the map... (one of his favorite parts about zoos)

...following the flight pattern of ducks...

...trying to get a picture of both kids on the caboose...

JR jumping from a swing

Tuesday night, Gideon had his first non-family sleep-over. When JR headed to the Mosier's to join Brian for their poker group, Gideon went with him. Well, the whole family went over, but G went to stay. Madison invited G over and they were both SUPER excited about the event. Kristen has the pictures from the evening. My battery died on me. :(

Wednesday morning, after looking for Gideon, Naomi really seemed to LOVE being an only child. But all good things must come to an end. We picked up G and finished up most of our holiday shopping, headed back to the house, and settled in for some easy-going family time.

Thursday morning started out with cooking and getting things ready for our feast. Debby found THE BEST recipe for roast turkey. Seriously. The white meat was so moist!



The Mosiers joined us, G's favorite teacher, "Ms. Cheryl", and Debby's friend, Pam, dropped by to give us a pecan pie. We ate, the kids played, we ate, the kids played... until the kids started falling apart on us. :)



All week, JR and I had been discussing the Black Friday deals. We don't want to accumulate "stuff", but there are some things that would be nice to have, or even helpful. One of the things that has been at the back of my mind since we decided to move, was that I would no longer have access to a larger screen to display my photographs to my clients on. We don't even own a tv. So JR found a good deal on a flat screen TV. And since it's primarily for my business (we won't have cable in Memphis), this would be a business expense purchased from my D'Lifeful account.

3:45 am Friday morning, the alarm goes off and JR and I get "dressed"* and head the 5 min. to get to Wal-mart. By 5:05 we had the tv. By 5:15 we were back in bed. This was our first experience with Black Friday shopping. All I can say is "People are crazy." (and for a little over an hour in the middle of the night, I joined them) :)

Friday, since we had all the food, the Mosiers came back over for lunch (those kids LOVE playing together). I was busy trying to figure out how to get all the new stuff we got back into our Camry.

It was also G's 3 and a half b-day. So I did a photo shoot at his request. (I would've done one anyway, but he actually asked me to do one.)




Saturday, we packed up and headed home.

As always, the kids are great troopers when we travel.

And that wraps up our Thanksgiving holiday 2009.
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*does throwing on some shoes with your pajamas count as being dressed?