Christmas lights

This week our friends Bernie and Robin came over with their girls and Kadence got to hold baby Kendall and play dress up with the big girls. We realized with the kids in our house we had a 0,1,2,3,and 4 year old!

We went to downtown St. Pete last night in search of Santa, although he was not there we played in his sleigh and took some pictures. We are hoping to see him tomorrow so we can tell him we will be at Grandma Wardias house on Christmas morning so there is no present confusion!

More Random Pics

We all had lunch at a great ski lodge at the mountain top!

Uncle Kevin was a great skate instructor.


CC and Kadence enjoyed the Gondola ride up the mountain.

Charlie liked stealing Uncle John's hat. After seeing this picture of his hair John got depressed and shaved his head!

Hotel Hallway Races

This is why the hotel should not let you know you have the whole wing of the hotel to yourselves! As you can see, Kadence one this race fair and square. Many races took place and I even went down a floor to see if I could hear the running-believe me, I could!

More Pictures!

The little ones watching the fish at the aquarium

Kadence in a funhouse mirror

The Ripley Believe it or not museum

Kadence next to some mega tall dude!

Gatlinburg

The Nelson Clan is in Gatlinburg for a weekend of fun. Here are a few pics! If you look carefully you will see Kadence and Walker fighting in the back!

Warming up during the Christmas Parade!

Some of the boys!

Willow and Charlie seeing each other for the first time in 4 months!

Kadence reunited with Big Taylor!

Rants from the Road....

As we drive on our road trip I am remembering when my sister and I were kids on a road trip-for entertainment my sister and I used to look for different colored cars or see if we could get a passing car to notice us pretending to pick our noses at them. Once-a guy did a fake pick back at us and his wife looked horrified-that was the best! We sometimes had coloring books-boooring! Then there were the occassions that an all out brawl in the backseat would ensue and my Mom would have to search for a Kleenex because I just took an elbow to the nose and I was bleeding everywhere!
Our kids are watching DVD's in the back and Kadence has a Dora handheld video game and a gameboy with her. Last night she was riding with Grandma and Gramps with the DVD player so I used my cell phone tv app and Charlie got to watch the Frosty the Snowman special on my phone. That still didn't make him happy, but at least I tried. I am blogging this from the car on a laptop while using my Mother inlaws plug in station that is in my car cigarette lighter.
I recently read an e-mail that talked about how easy kids have it now-a-days with technology and it talked about how when we were kids we had to get up to change tv channels, flip to try to find a suitable show, live without Cartoon/kid networks and wait until Saturday mornings to watch a cartoon.-So true! Also, if you wanted to watch a tape, sometimes the VCR would eat it and you would pull out 10 miles of ribbon from it! I loved reading that e-mail, I wish I would have kept it!

On a unrelated note, Kadence is having some serious Santa doubts and she is only 4! I warned her that she was about to get moved onto the naughty list and she said"No I am not, because I don't even think there is a naughty or a nice list! When I threatened to call the elves at the North Pole she said I couldn't because they don't even have phones there! The other morning she said "Mom, I don't even believe there is a naughty list, but if there is you are on it and not me!" Kadence had a horrendous fit at the McDonalds play area this week and some lady came up and said "Santa is watching!"-I was just thinking lookie here lady, she is not gonna fall for that one! Santa is going to be irate when he hears all of this nonsense!

Look-a-likes!

At Grandma and Grandpa's house Kadence was looking at a family picture on the wall and she said "Why is Mommy not in that picture?". She was confused as to why I was not in the picture but she was-it turns out she was looking at Big Taylor and thought it was her! We definately see the resemblance in looks and personality!

Thanksgiving

Here are a couple of pics of all of us at the alligator lake Thanksgiving morning. We had a nice cool day for once! We ate alot, had lots of fun and occassionally would ask "Wheres Charlie?" with the assumption that someone else was keeping an eye on him only to find him splashing in toilet water or emptying out the standing water cooler. Good times were had by all.

Charlie woke me insanely early so Chris and I braved the crowds for some Black Friday deals. It was fun, I have never gotten up that early for black Friday before!

Happy Thanksgiving

Here is a picture of the first time the Pilgrims and Indians met at the first Thanksgiving. Don't ask me how I got this picture, lets just say a time machine and some bending of the laws of physics were involved. I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Birthday Danielle

Be prepared Danielle-I shall be seeing you in 2 weeks and will be making up for lost time because apparently I do not snap photos of you at the family reunion each summer! I have searched my computer high and low but alas not one flattering picture of you is on here! I did however find this lovely picture of your children and your beautiful left foot in the background! (It was either this one or a pic of your rear end as you pushed a stroller!) I hope you have a great birthday!

Also-Happy Anniversary to the Connecticut Shaws. May your marriage be blessed with few whisper fights and many children!

A Visit with Santa

Today we went to our weekly mall playdate and Kadence wanted to go see Santa. We waited in line and I told Kadence to start thinking about what she wanted for Christmas. When Santa asked her she looked up and said "I want a baby sister for Christmas!" he instantly looked at me(for help asnwering her I think, or maybe to see if I was about to announce that she really was getting one) Anyways I almost cried because that is just about the sweetest thing I ever heard! He told her he didn't think he could get a baby sister to appear under the tree this year but he would try to find her something special.

Picked up from Pine Island

Grandpa Burt tried dropping them off at a safe place, but apparently there is an age limit!

In actuality, I met the Nelsons in Sarasota to pick Kadence up after her weekend of fun. We met at a Goodwill Book Store and Grandpa and I took turns holding a very rambuctious Charlie. I have never been one to support the backpack/child leash that I see many parents with but today I went looking for one. (no luck yet!)

Kadence had lots of fun swimming with Grandma and Gramps(as she likes to call him!) and will be headed back there soon!

The Big Nelsons are Here!

Trying to pose for a picture-never an easy task!

I don't know why but Charlie's favorite thing to do is stand and point at Grandpa Burt!

Kadence was kidnapped and whisked down to Pine Island. We are waiting for the ransom call.

Cause and Effect

It begins like this... And ends like this...

Similar to Juneau and Willow-my kids seem to have a knack for climbing. Unfortunately, Charlie has a knack for falling too. On the other side of his head is a red mark from falling on his head at Disney this weekend. When he fell that time it sound like someone dropped a dictionary onto the pavement so I think ending up with a small red mark was a lucky outcome.

DisneyWorld

That is Bryce in the yellow shirt and Kadence's little head above the center bar. She was super excited that she was tall enough for a big girl ride-and yes, they got wet!

We left Animal Kingdom and got dinner at the hotel so we could get the kids back to Magic Kingdom for the parade(Kadence really wanted to go) As you can see they were out! We couldn't get either one to wake up so we went back to the hotel without doing or seeing a thing there. The kids woke back up at the hotel and played for hours before going back to sleep.

Kadence the photographer

Kadence took this picture and said "Mom, this is SO going on the blog!"

Tub Time

Here is Kadence doing what she does best-cracking her little brother up! I love how he is panting from laughing so hard!

Have a Nice Little Laugh

After trick or treating Ryan requested a viewing of our wedding video. We all had a good laugh at this section! Ryan is looking forward to a similar scenario at his wedding reception next year. I like how Jay locates the camera and then makes sure his butt is centered!

Birthday Boy

Happy Birthday Charlie! You are our favorite son and Kadence's favorite little brother! We love you!

The Post-Cake Sugar Coma

Charlie got giggly and glassy eyed when he was finished with his cake!

Halloween/Charlie's Birthday Party

Cobra Kai and Ginger!

He loved getting all the cake washed off!

At the end of the night everyone hitched a ride!

Charlie got out of bed at 1030(pm) and opened his presents.

Bryce met Angelina Jolie. Who knew all of her kids could fit into 1 measly infant carrier!

It took him a few minutes to realize he was allowed to go nuts and make a mess.

MLou the kitty cat!

It's always a good party when Charlie busts out the money hat!