Merry Christmas!!!

From our family to yours!!!

4 weeks to go...

(Tenley took this pic for me. I tried to take off my glasses and she said, you can leave them off if you want, but the ones with your glasses are more awesome...how do you argue with that, so I left them on)

This pregnancy has really flown by. It is about the time in my pregnancies that "I'm done"!! Done with being pregnant, Done with waking up to potty a couple of times a night, Done with all this stinkin' heart burn...just plain done! I'm not quite there this time. It could be because I already have three "little crazies" running around destroying my house faster than I can clean it, or just because I actually enjoy being pregnant. Either way, I'll take the contentment I feel right now.

Don't get me wrong, I'm super excited to meet this little one. Although I feel like it's a girl, it may be a boy. I can't wait to just sit, stare, cuddle, and love on him/her. The kids are ready too. They have been touching my belly more and asking all sorts of questions. Here are a few, "Why does the baby move like that?", "How does it get out of your tummy?", "When can we go get the baby?", and "Can we name him Miles?". I guess you know who asked the last question. It's fun to see them so excited.

I should probably pack a bag, and figure out what I'm going to do with the other kiddos when the big moment arrives!

4 weeks...WOW soon we will be a family of 6! Where does the time go?

Annual Shopping Trip...

Meet my former Patterson Ladies (Kitty, Audra, Me)...they were my saving grace while I worked there. We were all in payroll, and we laughed everyday. We have all moved on from Patterson, but we have remained good friends. Audra now lives in Lubbock, Kitty works for Snyder ISD, and of course I stay home now. 

A couple of Saturdays ago Kitty and I loaded up and headed up to Lubbock to meet up with Audra. This is the 4th year to do this. We have a BLAST!! We shop, shop, shop, eat lunch, catch a movie, and just laugh our heads off. No husbands, or kids...just us! If you know me at all you know I HATE shopping. I know exactly what I want before I go into a store. But I have to admit, I look forward to this day every year!! 

Decorating the Tree...

Decorating the Christmas tree is one of my top 5 favorite things to do at Christmas time. Probably cause it always makes me think about decorating the tree when I was a kid. I loved to help Mom. She never seemed to mind us handling the ornaments and arranging them however we wanted. If she came back and rearranged them later, I never knew it. 

Tenley was so excited, she had been asking for a couple of days to put it up.

Cheesy Miles...Where should I put this one?

I'm actually not sure at this point if she was putting on an ornament or taking one off.

Syd was having a blast, she could take them off faster then the kids could put them on.

Helping Syd put her ornament where he thinks it should go.

He was showing off his cowboy ornament from last year.

Tenley got the honors of placing the tree topper this year. 

Apparently Daddy is one funny guy, because once he started...they were all smiles.

I'm not sure what he was doing because he stayed behind me, but after seeing the pictures. I  wish I would have turned around a snapped a few pics.

Goose thought we needed pics of all the kids touching the tree topper...I wonder how many years he will be able to hold Tenley up like this.

Miles' turn...don't you just love his Santa hat? He made it last year at Kids Under Construction.

And of course, Syd. She really liked the topper.

It was fun decorating the tree, but sadly all the ornaments are now on the top 1/3 of the tree. Syd just can't resist the temptation to play with the ornaments. Oh well, it's still pretty with all the lights.

Stansell Baby #4 Update...

Looks like I have another little stinker on the way. S/He has been a little turkey and wouldn't turn and get into a head down position...s/he has been breech. Only 6 weeks away from my due date, Dr Cooper wanted us to have one last look. I love having sonograms...I feel like I'm getting to peek in and spy on my baby.

I have a singer!! I'm sure it's just a yawn, but a Momma can hope!

 Profiles are still my favorite...I really don't know why. I just love then!

 Who do you think s/he looks like?

S/he has been a very good baby...head was down!! Maybe this one will be sweet and angelic...maybe. This little one is weighing in at just under 51/2 pounds. They are thinking I'm looking at an 81/2 pounder...I smiled and said, "well...8, 10, or 12 lbs, this baby is coming out one way or another".

Thank you Lord for this sweet precious blessing...I can't wait to meet!!!

Let it Snow...Let it Snow!!

Yay for snow days!! How different snow days are for parents than they are for kids. As a kid I couldn't wait to get out in it, play, build a snowman, and eat it! As a Mom, I think about all the laundry it produces, the mess, and the sniffles it brings. However, I do love watching my kids playing in it. They had a blast! This particular snow day, my kids already had the sniffles. So, they didn't get to stay out very long. Don't judge...have you ever tried to keep a kid from playing in the snow??? It's not easy! It's not like we get snow several times a year. This could be the only time they get to play in it...

Side note...just because I took a photography class doesn't mean I always remember to adjust my settings. I needed to change my ISO...I was letting in too much light. I changed the background color to help, but if you still can't quite see the kids, try adjusting the angle of your monitor, it might help.

Who is surprised that "The Little Monster" went straight for the messy brown stuff instead of the pretty white stuff?? I will say this...she did mind when I told her to get out of the mud. We are making progress...PTL!

Yum! Why does snow taste so good?

Look out Tenley...Miles is about to get you!!

I kept laughing at Syd...she reminded me of the little brother on The Christmas Story...she could hardly move in her outfit. It was so cute on her though.

He just asked if I wanted him to throw snow at me?!? Was that a trick question?

I was there...Miles threw the first snow ball! No, I didn't tell him to. I guess he just thought it would be fun to throw snow at someone.

and then it was on...

However, they are 3 and 5 so they had to get really close and they still missed most of the time.

Woohoo...he nailed her!

She got him back! I wish I had this on our camcorder...they were laughing so hard...it was priceless!

Syd stayed safely out of the way...she just kept eating snow.

They all had fun, but if I had to pick I would say Miles had the most fun...with each picture he has a little more and a little more snow on him. :-)

He would be walking around and then just fall and roll around...pure enjoyment!

Even happy to stop and pose for a picture!

Precious little snow bunny...So sweet!

Tenley was asking him why he keeps falling in the snow...

I guess he gave her a good answer because she turned around and gave it a try...

Taking a break...

I think he was trying to see if he could burrow under the snow...

Almost completely covered in snow...

Pretty girl...she only had her hood and beanie off because we were headed inside.

So happy!

Miles was trying to help her up. She fell over and couldn't get up...see I told you, just like the little brother.

I threw this pic in, just cause I like it...Isn't the Dairy pretty covered in snow??

Trees are beautiful covered in snow too...

They had so much fun...and I warmed them up with hot chocolate and caramel corn(is there any other way to get warm after playing in the snow?)!! They were a little sad that I wouldn't/couldn't help them build a snowman. Don't look at me...Snowmen are Daddy's department and he had to work late. Maybe next time.

Thanksgiving 2011

Thanksgiving was a little crazy for us...mostly because of me. I was determined to get a trip in to CO before the baby comes in Jan. The weekend before Thanksgiving seemed to be the best time to go. So we headed up to CO the Friday before Thanksgiving. While we were in CO we helped celebrate Brooklyn's 1st birthday. Then on Wednesday night we formed a caravan with Mom, Dad and Dwayne to Dallas. We pulled into Nic's driveway at 7am Thursday morning. We ate, played games, visited, and slept(not necessarily in the order). We also got to spend time with Ross and the kids got to play with Ethan. Saturday afternoon we headed home. I clearly was not thinking about being 32 weeks along when I made all these plans. Oh well, it's all worth it for family time!

Nothing beats cuddle time with Pop while watching a Christmas movie...

 It never fails...kids are always attracted to boxes. The girls were having a pajama party. Syd was following Brookten(what Syd calls her) like she knew were all the good toys were stashed.

 Poor Miles...he fell asleep and was having a hard time waking up. But Daddy got some good snuggle time out of it, so no one complained.

 Cheese...her Daddy loves the bangs in her face...it drives me nuts. She is getting better about leaving her hair up, but we do still have the moments of "crazy hair"

 Tenley and Little B...Tenley loves her so much.

 Ya know, all I wanted was a cute pic of me and Syd, but this is what I got...oh well. Ya get what ya get!

 Little B thinks Syd has lost her mind.

 Miles LOVES his "Looklyn"(what he calls her) I love watching him with her...he is so gentle. She thinks he is just the funniest thing.

 We discovered a show that mesmerizes Miles as much a bull riding...The "Bumbalows"(buffalo) on Planet Earth.

 Poor Daddy...they were all 3 picking on him(although I'm pretty sure he started it). Syd ran off right before I took the picture, and Goose is actually leaning back trying to get out of the picture...

 Who knew that belly surfing over O'mas end tables could be so much fun...Syd, that's who!!

 This is what you do when you don't have a spiderman mask to complete your pjs...you use Syd's knitted beanie.

 Daddy was so gracious to put Syd down for a nap, oh and himself too. I wish I had a dollar for every time he's fallen asleep with a coke in his hand, but he hasn't spilled one...yet.

 Tenley was helping Syd with her wrestling technique...honestly I'm not sure what they were doing.

 Ok...I'm starting to get jealous of all the snuggle time Daddy is getting...They were watching Planet Earth again in case you were wondering.

Since we wont see them over Christmas, we exchanged gifts with Ang, Josiah, and Brooklyn.
We all thought it was funny that Syd sat on her gift. I guess she wanted to make sure that no one tried to take it from her.

 Ang helping Little B open her gift. This is actually Brooklyn's baby gift, not her Christmas gift...as long as it's given before her first birthday it still counts...right??? I forgot to get a picture of it, but I made her a baby quilt. You can see it in the following picture.

 I guess Aunt Ang did such a good job helping Little B, that Syd wanted her help too. Note...Brooklyn's baby blanket  behind Syd's left shoulder.

 I suggested that Ang get Syd clothes...Apparently Syd takes after her Daddy, because she was very unimpressed(to say the least) with her gift(sorry Ang). Ang put the little skirt on her head trying to illustrate how clothes can be fun as well as functional...I don't think Syd was convinced.

 Miles was so excited when it was his turn...

 Tenley's turn...They love pausing before opening their gift to take a picture...not!

 Showing off the necklace Ang made for her...

 ...and one of her headbands.

 Ok I get it...the clothes were a bad idea! Next time you want bracelets and headbands...

 I got a really cute pair of brown "sexy" boots...which I will not be wearing until after the baby. Let's just say with these heals I may be as tall as Goose.

 Goose got a tool bag, because no man can have enough tools or bags/boxes to keep them in. Ang had it shipped to us, so it wasn't there for him to open. So she wrapped a picture of it, so he would know what he was getting.

 A glow worm...Syd loves hers, so I was hoping that Brooklyn would like it...and she seemed to.

 Yes we took Obie with us. He loved all the extra attention...but I think he was a little cold. Poor baby has gotten used to the warmer Texas weather!

 Miles finally paused long enough for me to take a picture of him with his present. They got him a Colorado Broncos cap...and of course he LOVED IT!! First of all it was a cap...Second, it had a horse on it.

 Syd getting some Pop time...

 Pop and Miles...just a couple of dudes chillin on the couch.

 Tried to get O'ma with the girls...Once again, ya get what ya get!!

I bought Syd a couple of pair of jeans. She loves them and they make her look really grown up. I love when my kids get pockets for the first time...they are so amazed. She stinks her hands in her pockets like they might disappear if she takes them out. Plus it's funny to see all the toys they try to stick in them. This was how she stood the whole time I was fixing her hair.

 O'ma came out with her boots on one morning just so she could show Miles...he thought they were pretty cool and wanted me to take a picture...

It was a fast and furious trip, but I'm glad we made it. The 10 hours drive is sometimes hard, but well worth it.

This year...I'm thankful for our family, both sides(in-laws and out-laws). I love y'all so much! I am so appreciative of how much you love my kids, they are so blessed to have such wonderful Aunts and Uncle who truly care about them. I cherish the time that my kids get to spend with their cousins, playing, laughing, and growing up together. Family is important and we should make the effort to spend as much time as we can with the ones we love! It's my hope and prayer that we get to spend even more time together in this next year. Happy Holidays!!