Kyler is 6!

Can you believe it? Kyler is 6 years old! That sounds so much older than 5! I made Kyler a cake, and while it never looked good, it did look better before bouncing around in the truck for 4 hours.  It was not sitting level, so it tilted to one side.  One of my new year's resolutions is to learn how to decorate cakes....

As you can see below, even though it didn't look great, it sure tasted good....

Kyler loves toys!!!!

Kerry and Jayden playing super mario brothers on Wii...

It was a fun party....HAPPY BIRTHDAY KYLER DELL PITTS!!!

We had a holly-jolly Christmas....

Yes we did! It didn't last long enough, but then again it never does.... Miranda and James Alan arrived on the evening of the 23rd and the rest of the crew showed up on the 24th.  By the time everyone arrived, the house was looking christmasy...

The quiet before the storm.....

After the boys got here, James Alan got out the legos.  They played with the Legos for hours:

We had our big dinner on Christmas eve:

A couple of years ago I made a slide show with old Chrismtas photos that I scanned.  I've continued to add to the file.  Below everyone is watching pictures of Christmas past:

The boys "playing" Christmas carols with their arm pitts:

Setting out cookies for Santa:

Reading of the Christmas stories:

And the stockings were hung by the chimney with care....

Christmas morning and the chaos begins!

 

Jayden got a remote-controlled helicopter which landed in the overhead light.  Pop to the rescue!

I love this picture.  I bet none of Jayden's friends has a great-grandmother that can teach them how to use a Nintendo DSi!

It has definately been a "holly-jolly Christmas"!

Some special time with my boys...

Phillip was in Rogers laying wood floors in the Pitts house for days before I got there. I had a few things that I had to do in LR and I had to work on Monday. However, I joined him in Rogers and had a little one-on-one time with each of my boys.

Phillip and I visited Kyler's class:

This is Kyler's teacher.  She is an OBU graduate - Kyler really likes her....

The school was decorated as a cruise ship for grandparent's day.  Below is a picture of Kyler and Pop playing some golf on the ship's deck:

Pop had to head back to the house to work on the floors.  Kyler wanted to go to the Lakehouse, so we grabbed some McDonalds for lunch and ate at the lake.  Afterwards we went to Petco and looked at all of the animals.  All of the boys love to go there and just look around.  Then we went to ToysRus.  I told Kyler I wasn't buying anything, we would just look.  He was so good today....he stayed right with me, held my hand, didn't ask for a toy....he was a perfect angel.  So I just had to buy him a toy for being so good!  It is great to be a grandmother!  I told him as we were leaving ToysRus that he had been so good I was sure that Santa had moved him back to the "Nice" list.

Evan and I went to the mall so that he could play on the playground there.  Afterwards we went to the food court and had Lo Mein noodles (his favorite).  I couldn't talk him into doing any shopping, so we went home to play.  We spent most of the afternoon in his closet, whispering.  I don't know why, because Pop was busy working on the floors and not looking for us....We turned out the light, covered up with a blanket and got a flashlight.  He even got me a little stool so that I wouldn't have to sit on the floor.  He is such a sweetie!

Pop and I visited Jayden's class:

Jayden and Carter Bunn (his grandparents live in Arkadelphia) playing shuffle board on the ship's deck.

Again, Pop had to get back to laying those floors - Melissa is such a slave driver ;)   Jayden and I both love Panera's, so of course we went there for lunch.  Since Jayden doesn't mind shopping, we went to the Mall and did a little shopping.  We ran into Santa who was taking a break and talking to a lady at the information counter.  Afterwards we went to Barnes and Nobel to find a book that Jayden wanted.  We found the perfect book and I bought one too.  They have a Starbucks in the B&N, so we bought hot chocolate with whipped cream (yum) and sat and drank our hot chocolate and read our books.  It was GREAT.  I'm telling you, there were several grandmothers in there that were wishing their grandson would sit and read with them in Starbucks!

I love my one-on-one time with the boys...they are so different when they are by themselves.  I know someday they will not want to hang out with their grandmother, but as long as they will.......

Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell run....

I did the Jingle Bell Run (5K) in LR today.  Fun!  Festive!  It was pretty cool running up Capital Avenue with the State Capital directly ahead.  It's been 4 1/2 months since I did the Dam Night Run in 39 minutes and 37 seconds.  My time today was 33 minutes and 30 seconds...a little better...

Thanksgiving

Blogger has changed up the way pictures are posted, so my pictures are not in the right order...oh well.  We had a great Thanksgiving - but then I always enjoy spending time with my family.  The Pitts crew, Mim, Mike and Miranda were here on Saturday.  Thursday Phillip and I worked around the house.  Friday morning I told Phillip that I was going into LR to do some "Black Friday" shopping, but I actually went to pick up Miranda at the airport.  Phillip's 60th birthday is Dec. 2, so I flew Miranda home for his birthday present.  Although I am terrible at keeping secrets from my husband, I did this time.  He was totally blown away...had not suspected a thing.  She had worked from midnight until 4:00 the night before, so she was pretty tired on Friday.  She napped and I cooked on Friday. I know that someday we will be asking "what year was it that Cindy left the celery and onions out of the dressing?" I'm documenting the year in this post.  I was putting all of the food on the table, looked in the frig and saw the bag of celery and onions and realized what I had done!  Now keep in mind that without celery and onions, dressing is just seasoned, soggy cornbread.  However, I pulled out the electric wok (because it heats up fast), cooked the veggies and stirred them into the cornbread.  It was good.

Jenny, Matthew and Molly came by on Saturday.  Evan was so taken with Molly!  He got a little hug after following her around the house....

It was a beautiful day and we all played basketball.  Below is Kyler making a basket:

Jayden:

Mim enjoying the day:

Kyler learning to ride:

Mim and Mike with Mike's new puppy, Sheema:

A little 4-wheeling around the property:

More crazy basketball...we make up the rules as we go:

Our family counselor (Melissa) has diagnosed Miranda as being OCD...she couldn't quit working on this puzzle until it was finished:

Miranda helping the boys blow up their whoppy cushions....so much for Melissa's attempts to control the boy's "potty talk."

Miranda arriving at the LR airport.

Happy Birthday Melissa!

Happy Birthday Melissa! I remember your birth just like it was yesterday.... the years have flown. I didn't have a good camera back then, so I don't have many pictures. The picture below is you through the window of the nursery at the hospital...that is a nurse holding you up.

Sleeping sweetly....

The picure below was taken on January 4th - your first snowman! Now keep in mind that this is in Shreveport and snow is rare....

Below is a picture of you and Doug. I have been thinking alot of him since his birthday was on the 24th. I still miss him....

And just for fun - a picture of you and Mim (with her beehive hairdo)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY! Love, Mom

Christmas Lights and Tanyard Creek Trail

Phillip and I met up with the Pitts Crew on Saturday night to view the Christmas lights and parade on the Fayetteville square. It was wild....lots of people....and 3 excited little boys....but its always fun with the Pitts crew!

After the parade, the boys went back to the lakehouse with us to spend the night and Melissa and Kerry had a night on the town. Sunday we took the boys hiking on the Tanyard Creek Trail in Bella Vista. The boys loved it - lots of climbing and water.