Toys are fun

If you're on Facebook with me, you've already seen these photos. I just can't stop playing with them.

We took the kids to the park today. We took over 200 photos while playing and frolicking. With my super fantastic new camera my sweet Brandonian got me for Christmas.

Hopefully this is the beginning of lots more posts chock-full of fabulous photos. Brandon will be leaving again in 4 days.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We are very overwhelmed this week with thankfulness to the Lord for the wonderful life He's blessed us with. Not only do we get to be with Him every day, talk with Him, be held close by Him, and live with Him forever, He has given us too much to enjoy while we're here. God is good, people. God is good.

We had a wonderful holiday with our families. It was so perfect, even with splitting our time among three homes: ours, my parents', and Brandon's parents'. All the kids were well behaved, everyone was in good spirits, and all the food was amazing.

Our only issue was that the boys were pretty pooped all day from a nonstop fever that started last night. This seems to be the same flair up they've had twice in six months already. Odds are that the fevers will subside tomorrow, to be followed in two or three days by a bumpy rash all over. If this turns out to be the same thing, they are definitely visiting the doctor.

Before we left this morning, we made some adorable turkey place cards for everyone eating at my mom's house, where we had our big meal. We traced the boys's hands for most of the adults (one of mine for the odd-numbered extra adult), and Baby Bear's for her and cousin Mady. We managed to completely forget to make some for the boys themselves, so Daddy whipped up some copies just before we ate.  (Baby Bear's looks a little mangled because it accidentally got wadded up and trashed for a little bit before I panicked and found it.)

They have a new kitten of unknown gender, currently going by the name of "Kitty kitty". Cute, but causes all the Lingles to have allergy issues.

Cute kids posing for the camera as they "ate" dinner, and other fun goings on.

Then we headed to Brandon's fam's house for dessert and more fun. Rock Band, kids, Spongebob, and games were enjoyed. Okay, we had the kids vegg out while we played Pictionary. I feel bad. (And they don't necessarily look like they're enjoying the show, but trust me, they did.)

Sweet Day

Yeah, I fibbed. I will eventually get to the post about our Orlando vacation. There are hundreds of photos to sort through and prepare. In the meantime, I don't want the rest of our life to slip by undocumented...

We went to the zoo yesterday with Grammy, Aunt Brianna, Laura Anne, and Caleb. It was a blast, and I took over 80 pictures, so...

On to today! :) Joshua came over and played with us most of the day. Right away we went out for a nice long walk, zig-zagging around the neighborhood. Three boys are such dynamos of energy! They feed off each other. It was a blast and no one got any lasting boo-boos.

And they're off!

Sweet boys showing me their "five stick" and "one sticks", respectively.

Graceful princess, keeping an eye on all her loyal subjects.

Homecoming

So, yeah it was two weeks ago. Wow.

Daddy returned not only on time this time, but several hours early! So I didn't get to doll up like I'd hoped, but I got the kids all dressed up in their halloween costumes like I'd planned. He had missed it, and it was only a couple of days after, so we surprised him.

It was also nice to sit and wait and greet him in the airport, instead of picking him up at the curb. We got to do the whole adorable running-to-see-him thing. It was a blast.

The boys look like they're looking at all the other paparazzi cameras

Then we went out to eat nearby, a tradition we seem to have started for his return days. This time it actually went really well. Baby Bear seems to have moved past the stranger fear phase, and she was flirting from the moment she saw him. She has been so happy to see him and be with him ever since. And the boys of course were jubilant. Thankfully we were there when the restaurant opened, so it wasn't too rude to have the boys so happy.

Conked out after a fun day with Daddy!

Since then, it seems like we've been moving nonstop. Next post is about our immediate vacation to Orlando.

Halloween!

We got to go to the pumpkin patch again Halloween morning, with Grammy, Aunt Brianna, Laura Anne, and Caleb. It was wicked hot out - Jacksonville tied the record high of 86 that day - so we weren't out there too terribly long. Also, in case you weren't aware, a pumpkin patch that smelled just fine one day won't necessarily smell sweet three weeks later. FYI.

These cute boys forgot they were still holding hands for a while

Honestly, the best pic I got of all of them at once

Angel bear

Then we spent the evening at Nana's and Papa's house. We celebrated Papa's birthday a little with dinner, then dressed up and headed out for treats! The boys and Mady had a great time. They were a little nervous about the whole process, but once they got it down at the first or second house, they were frantic to get to another one. It went really well when the older kids weren't barging in front of ours and practically pushing them over.

It was great fun sorting through their stash afterwards, and Baby Bear got a little buggy after she worked her way through the wrapper of a Tootsie Roll Pop and sucked it for a while.

Bestest cousin buds

I need to find the picture of me as a tot, in my halloween costume, posed just this way. Pretty similar!

Ready to go!

Pretty excited to find out what this whole thing's about... the stash!