Bowling

Last Sunday evening the kids and I went bowling. Well technically Scott was there too, but so was the First Wes Youth Group (his other 30 some kids). I was surprised how into it Ellie and Jack were. They really had a great time. Here are a few pics from Bama Bowl.





If you have any doubts that they had a good time just take a look at these pics.



Ok so I admit there a few images that may be disturbing and if the hanging in out bowling alleys and dancing with her brother and poles while spanking your bootie extends into the teenage years we may have some problems. But as of right now it's just funny material to blog about.

Naughty or Nice

Ok, so I probably shouldn't admit this on the blog, but lately I feel like all I do is yell. Yelling is exactly what I don't want to do. So it was time to come up with an alternate plan. That's how we came up with the naughty and nice jars. I bought three jars at wal-mart. On two of the jars I put the kids names and one the third I put the word naughty.



Everday I empty an individual package of M&M's into each of their jars. If they disobey, they remove a piece of candy from their jar and place it in the naughty jar. Here are the happy kids with a full jar of M&M's.

And here they are with the naughty jar.

Grandma Rhonda and Grandpa Lloyd Visit

This weekend Grandma Rhonda and Grandpa Lloyd came to visit. We always have a great time when they come to visit. This visit was no exception. They play games, read books and Grandma Rhonda always has treasure hunts for Ellie and Jack.

Ellie and Jackson love playing with Max. That little boy needs a dog!!! (don't get any ideas - his Mommy doesn't)

On Saturday for lunch we went to Chuck-E-Cheese, all grandparents should have to experience Chuck-E-Cheese.

We love you Grandma Rhonda and Grandpa Lloyd!!!

Snow Day

A snow day - in Alabama - yeah right!!! Today is January 3rd and it was 71 degrees yesterday and very warm again today. This is not a problem for me, but for Ellie this is a big disappointment. Ellie's Christmas wish was to see snow. I thought that we might have some success while in Gatlinburg, but it was 70 there too. So, New Years day, while the kids were napping, I decided that I would create a winter wonderland of my own. I hung cut out snowflakes from the ceiling and covered the living room floor with snowballs (well, actually they were marshmallows). When they woke up from nap they were so surprised. We put on our hats and sweatshirts and had a snowball fight. Jackson especially enjoyed eating the snowballs.

Then we headed over to the table to make a package of fake snow (bought while we were in Gatlinburg). They wrote their names and drew pictures in the "snow". We even built miniature snowmen using marshmallow and toothpics.


Next, we did a little sledding





This is by far the most fun in snow I've ever had.

Things Aren't Always As They Seem

I love this picture of my family.

What you don't see is the process it took to capture this photo. This is us climbing the hill to the photo location.


And this is us on the way down.

Family Vacation in Gatlinburg

Though we spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with out any family, on the 27th we headed to Gatlinburg for a family vacation.

Bob & Wanda Dittman with their Great Grandchildren

Mom, Me, Grandma, Ellie, Gail

Me & My Grandma

Aunt Gail & Jack

My nephew Kellan Rece


In the hot tub at our cabin - my nephew Hayden, cousin Ryan and Ellie

"The Grandkids"

In The Tub

Ellie & Jack in Gatlinburg

Jack & Nana

Christmas Morning 2008

For those of you who know me, you know that I always dread the holidays (well at least the ones centered around a big family meal). It's kind of lonely and sad not having any family around. Despite the absence of family, we have been blessed with some wonderful friends.

On Christmas Eve Dick and Francie Emery invited us over for soup after the Christmas Eve service. It was great getting to spend some time with the two of them.

Christmas morning was so exciting. In fact, this is the only picture I took, because I got so wrapped up in the excitement of it all.


After opening gifts we went to David and Amanda Wilder's for breakfast. They live in our neighborhood and are good friends of ours. Breakfast was delicious, but what was so special about it is David is a fireman and had been up all night.

Later that day I made the traditional ham dinner and we were joined by another great friend Bill McDaniel.

My kids were crazy the few days before Christmas. This was the first year that they understood what was going on and they were so much fun. In fact, they loved it so much that when I was taking down the Christmas tree (promptly on the 26th) Jackson cried. He also cried for two days aftyerward every time he remembered that his elf, Wolf, had gone back to the North Pole. Though Jack may have been sad to see Wolf go, I was not. Santa sent the Moore family a mischievous elf. At night he colored, painted, played with the kids toys, threw their underware all over their rooms and on their ceiling fans, knocked all the DVD's off the stand, hid in the bathtub, ate cookies and Jackson's rocket cereal, Got hung on the ceiling fan, pulled all the books off the bookshelves and a number of other pranks. Here are a few of my personal favorites...
He opened two of the kids presents two days before Christmas.

One night Wolf poured my baking flour all of the table and wrote his name in it.


Wolf's antics added to the excitement of Christmas and I am already looking forward to his return next Christmas.