Christmas - Its a wrap!

Wow, what a great Christmas!! Now that the kiddos are getting bigger, Christmas is a whole different experience. We just had the best holiday season!
What did we get???
Bren got a Pasload ( a nail gun ), I got a kindle, Jack got a Diego thingy, and Collins got a toy tractor... we all must have been good!
One thing Santa didn't bring me... SLEEP! On Christmas morning, we had a roaring fire, presents opened, and full bellies all before 6am!
Now for the pictures...


Jack couldn't believe how big his present was...

My Kindle ;)

Cousins

Cousins again...

It was wonderful... A baby in a manger... Love Christmas!
Courtney

The BIG 30!

Well, Brendan has made it to 30! He has been claiming to be an old man for quite a while... now he is. Although he is old now, he is healthier, more fit, and happier than ever before! Maybe its because he has a fabulous wife ;)
Anyways, I am really trying this year to have a birthday and Christmas...not a birthday/Christmas. Poor December folks always get gipped!

Me and the boys have been busy getting ready for the special day. We made a brownie cake...

Bren had lots of help blowing out the candles...


This past weekend also marked Brendans 5th year as a Christian. So we are not only celebrating 30 we are celebrating 5! Anybody who has heard Brendan's testimony knows what an incredible story it is... what a miracle it is. He has done more for the kingdom in 5 years than I have probably done in 28. He makes me so proud. He has overcome things that many of us couldn't imagine, and he does it with a smile on his face. I can't wait to see what God has in store for him over the next 3o years!

Happy Birthday Brendan!!! You are so loved!

Courtney

Christmas Festivites - Take 4

Wow, what a busy weekend! We headed to Montgomery for Christmas with the Fullers. My attempts to get the perfect pics of all five cousins...

Collins didn't feel like participating, so I took him out...


We had a wonderful time getting to spend time with the family, but we came home worn out!

Tonight we made our annual Spritz cookies. 5 Years ago Brendan and I set out to start our own family Christmas traditions. We picked a cookie recipe that we would make every year! They are so yummy and I have to wait another 365 days to have them again!
Jack did a great job decorating them...

Collins had fun watching... and eating them!


Look for a special post on Brendan turning the BIG 30 in a few days!
Courtney

Christmas Festivites - Take 3

Sunday was Jack's school Christmas program. It was so cute, all the kids were doing hand motions at the wrong time and singing off tune.
Of course Jack was the star preformer!



In other news...

I heard screaming coming from Collins room one day, I went running only to find this...

Jack had climbed into Collins' bed to confiscate his paci (that he has be weaned off of for a year) and he was unable to get out. The paci has been the crack cocaine of this house hold... BOTH of my sons have become addicts. We need an Intervention!

Collins' tried out his first cookie ever... I felt he had come of age to reach this milestone.

At first he wasn't sure of it, but that didn't last long! Of course Jack stole some of his cookie... what are brothers for?

We now can no longer eat cookies in front of Collins' without sharing!

Courtney

Blessed are the peace makers...

Praying today for Officer Davis' wife. While I can't begin to imagine what she is going through now, I can understand what her life has been for the last few years. It is not easy knowing your spouse is out looking for trouble... you know they are eventually going to find it. I have fought being a cops wife since the beginning. It wasn't till last year that I finally found peace in Brendan's career. He is doing what he loves, and he knows the risks. Something about that gives me some kind of peace everyday.
My heart goes out to Ms. Davis. The everyday is not going to be easy, raising babies alone is not going to be easy. She is left to pick up the pieces. While he died doing what he loved... she must live doing the rest alone.
Praying for enormous peace and comfort for her today.

Courtney

Christmas Festivities - Take 2

What would December be without the annual Homewood Christmas Parade?? Although it was FREEZING we had a really great time. Me and Collins' hung out in the back of the car...

Jack and his buddy Tyson ran around and caught candy!

The big man arrived on the fire truck...

Just makin' more memories! So glad the Scott Family could join us!

In other events...
What once looked like this...

Now looks like this...

Collins cannot be left unattended!

Courtney

In full Swing

Christmas time has arrived at the Fuller home! I would blog about our Thanksgiving, but I didn't pick up my camera during that holiday {GASP}.
This past weekend we completed many of the necessary components of Christmas...

While Collins' was not a fan of santa, Jack was ALL about him! At the last minute he decided that he just simply could not see santa without his sunglasses...whatever. And yes, they made the official photo.

We also picked, placed, and decorated the Christmas Tree... and yes its real! No fake tree here... remember, we go green ;)


Jack also decorated a gingerbread house - ALL BY HIMSELF! ( It collapsed within moments of taking this picture )

And Collins' enjoying all the new stuff he can get into...

Courtney

A break...

This past weekend we embarked on what has now come to be the Annual Family Callaway Garden Trip. It included a return trip to the Wildlife Safari...


The animals clearly wanted us for lunch...

While I was busy making a photo op... this wild thing was about to eat Collins!

Jack... he was busy driving! He loved the animals!

Part of the family... (Jack wanted NOTHING to do with pictures)

We also went to Fantasy in Lights at Callaway which was really pretty. Sorry, but I didn't get any great pics of the lights.
Collins loved the lights!

Jack wanted NO publicity!

...ok maybe a little

It was a nice weekend away... however, I am looking forward to a trip that involves leaving the kiddos behind ;)
Courtney

Ggolly I'm talkin about Gdiapers again!

OK, I'm not trying to bore the general public with more cloth diapering info. However, for the VERY FEW that are interested in them, I received this kit...

With these coupons...

Are you interested??? I would love to send them your way!
Ahhh the questions :
-Are Gdiapers perfect? NO
-Do I love them? YES
While we do have some minor problems with them, I have grown to soooooo appreciate them. We have only gone through one box of diapers in the last six months!
-Are we so poor we can't afford disposables? NO... cloth diapering isn't about economics for us, we just believe its better for baby and better for the environment... AND... the more we save the more we can give... So its better for the Kingdom!!!
-Are you constantly doing laundry? YES, but it has nothing to do with cloth diapers! I actually just throw the diapers in with our regular laundry. I do have the advantage of an HE Steam Washer that makes that possible.
-Are there other great cloth diaper brands out there? YES. Gdiapers just happened to be running a great deal when I decided to make the switch. I think that if you are committed to the cause, and willing to go through diapering trials, you will be pleased with any brand. There are so many great ones out there!
-Does your life revolve around diapering? NO... It revolves around him...

and him...

and him...

Courtney

Wordless

A rare picture of Jack not holding his hand up screaming, " NO MORE PICTURES MOM!"
Courtney

Acquiring the perfect pic...

Trying to get the perfect picture...

is not always easy...

with little boys that would rather play in the grass...

...or put little brother in a headlock!

But for that perfect pic...


... it's so worth it!
Courtney