Getting Ready for Christmas

We have enjoyed this month very much. Every year it gets more fun as the kids get excited for all that goes on during December. We started off the month going down to New Jersey for Thanksgiving and getting our Christmas tree at the farm down there. It was a last minute decision and we were lucky to have Aunt Liz, Uncle Chris, Ben and Ryan join us with Mom-mom and Pop-pop. It was a fun trip. Jackson, Ben and Lizzie were BFFs the whole time. So cute!!

Pop-pop and Hannah

Of course someone suggested walkie talkies which we almost lost in the forest.

Ben and Lizzie, awww...

Buddies

Poor Ben was disinterested in pictures!!

We enjoyed an end of fall snow storm this past weekend. We ended up with about 10 inches I think and the kids loved it outside, although when asked if they wanted to go out today, they said, "No, it is too cold." It was hard for them to walk and not sticky enough for a snowman, etc. They had a good time just playing and going for a quick walk.

Some of the items from "the lists" this year:
Lizzie: a REAL elf, drum set, Nintendo DS
Jackson: Mario Kart, and something that changes every day
Hannah: (consistent every time we ask) A Barbie with a red dress and a dolly that has a bottle :)

It is so neat to hear them talk about Christmas and as parents we are trying to help them realize why we celebrate Christmas and that it is all about Jesus. Hannah was funny when she asked me when I was going to have Baby Jesus...oh Hannah!! She also continues to link Santa coming and snow and thankfully she got it. I was worried she was going to be very disappointed when there was no snow. She did think Santa was coming on Saturday night though.

Jackson has been doing so great in school and is my little love bug. He is so sweet and was so excited to bring home a gift for us for Christmas!!

Lizzie is anxiously awaiting the wearing of her new Christmas dress. She just got finished telling me the "list" of boys that like her and rolling her eyes, uggg!! She was laying in bed the other morning just waking up and I seriously looked at her and couldn't believe how old she looked and teared up, not ready for all of this!!

Joe thankfully has been busy with work and is still enjoying working with his brother-in-law, David. They seriously could be a reality show in TLC, they are hilarious together!

We hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and hope to have some Christmas Outfit Pictures soon!!

10 Years!!

Delinquent again!! Our accomplishment this month was our Anniversary trip. Joe and I took a cruise to the Western Caribbean for our 10 year Anniversary. We had such a great time spending time together as husband and wife, not mommy and daddy. (We did miss these roles throughout though).

We decided after our last cruise 7 years ago, that we were going to do another for our 10 year with Jenn and Eric Smedberg again; and so we DID!!

The kids were well taken care of thanks to wonderful relatives and they all had a great time.

This was our ship (the biggest in the world until last week)

First Formal Night

Eric, Jenn, Me, Joe in Jamaica

My favorite place, Cozumel, Mexico, we rented scooters (my new "happy place")

Month of September

Here we are in mid-October and just now posting Back to School Pics. Ugg...let me start with right before school and a fun, but too short, visit with my cousin from Pittsburgh. Shelley and her family came through PA on their way back from visiting in NJ and offered to stop and visit. We met in Lebanon with Ashley and Aiden and played at a playground there. Here is the crew!!

Lizzie started school at the end of August. ALL Day First Grade. Here she is waiting for the bus.

Jackson and Hannah are enjoying the perks of being the only two during school days and Jackson has adapted to being the "oldest" and enjoys helping Hannah now! I have to say I feel like a free woman with only 2 kids. Here they are at the park.After the playground that day we walked down to the creek and there were a ton of ducks eating breakfast I guess, the kids could have watched them all day.

Jackson started school at the end of September. Here are Hannah and Jackson his first day.

Mommy and Buddy Boy outside his school.

Hannah and her "friend" cousin Emma.

Not a lot to comment on this month. Soccer started and is now just about done. Poor Jackson got rained out last week and this week, so he is done now. Lizzie still has 2 left. I coached her team, which has been an adventure. They both have been enjoying it. I am playing again, but have only made one game so far.

We are gearing up to leave in 8 short days for our 10 year Anniversary trip on a 7 day cruise. Woo-hoo!! Joe and I can't wait to get some time to relax and enjoy being together as a husband and wife. Of course it wouldn't be possible without the many family members involved in watching the kiddos while we are away!

Some funny quotes:
Hannah is always asking, "Mommy, Daddy is your cousin, right?" she can't say husband very well and gets it confused.

Lizzie when asked what she wants to be when she grows up. "I want to be a Veterinarian, or work at Barnes and Noble." Aunt Dori will be proud!

Jackson likes to tell me about his school day and he tries really hard to remember his friends' names and make new ones each time he goes. He says, "I asked Randy if he would be my friend." I can just picture that cute conversation.

Growing up...

I am going to quote my cousin, Shelley, from her recent post:
"Perspective--I watched the "big kids" getting off the school bus this afternoon and it struck me that my kids will never love being with me as much as they do right now, at this stage in their lives. Once they grow older, they won't think I'm the coolest person in the world anymore, won't fall asleep on my shoulder every day, won't want me to hold them constantly, and will be totally content to entertain themselves. Even though parenting a young child is ridiculously hard, I appreciate all of these precious moments when nothing makes them happier than to just be with me."

So as I am thinking about my oldest going to school ALL DAY tomorrow, getting a little filled up, that just reminds me that those extra moments I have with each of my kids are worth every second. Here are some pics:

Lizzie's First Day of New Beginnings Nursery School,
October 2005 (sniff, sniff)

Who could forget our unforgettable camping trip the hottest, humidest, week of the summer. We discovered fishing...

Here's what we mostly caught

At the park:

my techy
Lizzie lost a tooth and learned how to ride a 2 wheeler all in the same week

While visiting NJ, Aunt Dori took us all to the Please Touch Museum

Cousin Ben and Hannah

We all got to visit with our good friends from NJ (this picture is minus the Jackson 3 kids)

Working hard, or hardly working?

August has been a busy one for us here at the Carter home. I have been busy with work as we just revealed our new building and kidMinistry area "kidVenture Island." Joe and the kids were real troopers as I worked almost double my normal hours the week before. Here are some cool pics of opening weekend. I can't wait for Phase 2 when the new 2 year old area "Oyster Bay" will be opened.

This is the check-in area as you enter kidVenture Island

This is the slide Lizzie can go down to her room, Lava Beach

This is Lizzie's room, Lava Beach, for 1st and 2nd Graders.

This is where Lizzie goes for 2nd service, called the Wheelhouse. It is a place for kids whose parents are "serving 1 worshiping 1" that is a little more laid back for them since they have been through their programming already.

Jackson's and Hannah's areas are part of Phase 2, so you'll see them in 6-8 weeks. Woo-hoo!! We also have more pics on the facebook page.

Some Video!!

We were fortunate to receive a hand-me-down flip video camera and have been practicing with it the last few weeks. Here are some fun clips we've captured.

We were talking about Grady the other night at dinner and we mentioned that he was almost 5, wow it's hard to believe, and Jackson all of a sudden started to get that wiggly chin right before he cries and filled all up. He got upset because Grady wasn't going to be 4 like him anymore. They are like best buds when they are together it is so cute. Here is the dance off they had. Take note of a few things: Lizzie's unique dancing in the background and the music that is playing is a fun flashback to my High School days. Too bad our kids inherited our dancing skills!!

Here are some pics from the 4th of the kids.

Can you feel the happiness here? Lizzie is arguing of course!!

Lizzie and Daisy (Aimee and David's Dog)Best Buds, Jackson and Grady

Hershey Park Clips:
Jackson again taking the easy going rides, Hannah sticking her tongue through the chain while waiting in line, and Lizzie, Hannah and Joe enjoying the "big" scrambler with their arms up!!

After bathtime the other night...

First corn on the cob
Lizzie trying to make her tooth loser, watch out Mom-Mom!!

CO, HP, and more...

Ok, so I am posting twice in one month, I know--amazing!! We have had a wonderful month, me especially, starting with my long weekend away in Colorado with my Messiah College friends. I realized we have known each other for 14 years this August. Wow!! It was so much fun and very relaxing. I LOVE Colorado and its no humidity.

Helen Hunt Falls (Cindy, Beth, Me, Mary Elizabeth)

Garden of the Gods (Me, Cindy, Beth, Mary E.)

Mary E and Cindy, it was VERY Cold!!

Beth was the hostess with the mostest and had everything planned out, yet it was such a relaxed schedule. We had a 6 hour day with a Mary Kay Rep and I now wear a little makeup. (Joe loves it!!) We hiked (some rough trails) drove to the top of Pikes Peak and visited some fun hang out spots and met some of Beth's friends. It was just so relaxing and we had such a good time reconnecting, which is always so easy.

BTW Joe and I "celebrated" our 14 year dating anniversary on June 4th. Actually, neither of us remembered it until later. That is amazing to me.

Here is an action shot of Lizzie on the new slip 'n slide, a favorite!

Hannah and her first "play date" working together to let the water out.

We are able to go over and enjoy Hershey Park a ton again this year with our passes from Christmas, thank you Carters!! Hannah especially is obsessed. She asks 5398 times a day if 1. "Daddy give you the passes?" (after I got home from CO and we were set to go over to HP and I realized that Joe still had the passes, she is scared since we ended up not being able to go) 2."I go on frog hopper?" every time.

Here she is on her favorite ride. She is fearless we are learning.

Another favorite, the truck convoy. Lizzie is a serious driver!
Jackson on the train. Just his speed!
Hannah and me on the train!

Finally, a new addition to the family. Baby Ryan was born on the 28th and is very healthy and going home tomorrow. Chris, Liz and Ben are very excited.

Quotes: Hannah, "Mommy, we go to Hershey Park later? Later Mommy?" Obviously, you can figure out my answer when she asks.

Lizzie informed me in the car today that she has all her dreams in her "noggin" and she has the bad ones in the bad box and the good ones in the good box. She also told me there are a lot of rules for her dreams. She then went on to tell me all the people in the good box. "Corbin Bleu, Nick Jonas, friends from school, you, daddy..." in the bad box two things "alligators and cheetahs!"