Where to begin.....

Sorry for the delay in posting lately. The kids and I have been fighting off one thing after another and it has left me pretty tired so every opportunity I get I have been resting. At any rate...here we go. Since my last post not too much has gone on. Last week was a great week. Lauren and Matt came home from college on Tuesday for Thanksgiving. Thursday was such a fun Thanksgiving. That morning started off early, just like every morning. We went over to the Eaton's for a little Thanksgiving snack. It was great to spend time with them. Shelby and Emily had great fun playing together and JP and Alex got to hang for a little bit before Alex's nap. Of course, what Thanksgiving would be complete without watching the parade. By the time the end rolled around we were at home and Shelby got so excited to see Santa. Everytime they cut away from him she would get so concerned and start asking us franticly where he went. At the end we had to explain to her that Santa went back to the North Pole to get all the presents ready. She seemed satisfied. I don't know what we are going to do when she starts asking why there are so many Santas....on tv, at the mall, etc. After naptime we headed down to my parent's house for a wonderful dinner. Of course, I think that my mom's thanksgiving cooking is the best in the world!!!! I hope that she lives forever so that I can always have her yummy turkey, stuffing, pies, etc.


This is a picture of JP during bath time. It is hard to imagine that months ago everytime the bath water started running he would start screaming and not stop until he was snuggled up nursing. Now he loves it. When we start the water he comes crawling in at lightning speed and pulls up besided the tub. He bounces up and down until I can get him undressed and in.

Daddy had to go to the store the other day and came home with two little treats for the kids; not shown here is the little remote control car for JP, that Shelby loves, shown here is the princess jewelry for Shelby, that JP could care less about. Shelby is really big into helping others get dressed up. She loves sharing her jewelry with daddy and she also likes to make sure that everyone, and I do mean everyone, that comes into our house is wearing lip gloss. I try so hard to explain to her that boys don't wear lip gloss, but she really doens't care.

Sorry honey, you know that I couldn't resist this picture. Isn't he the best dad in the world!!!????!!!! Not to mention oh so pretty!!!

Here is a picture of my little monkey boy on Thanksgiving day. He is really getting active. I don't know what I am going to do when he starts walking. He goes from 0 to 60 in no time crawling and climbs on anything and everything!!!! I am going to have to keep a good eye on this one.

Today we went to Cahill's to get our Christmas tree. This is a picture of JP's first time touching a tree. He was kind of intrigued by it all and I wouldn't be surprised if I find him half way up the tree one day. We got two trees this year....one for the house and one for the screened in porch (aka Shelby's tree). We are going to put orange and purple lights on Shelby's tree for Clemson. How much fun is that!!!! I think that I am more excited than Shelby.

And for the grand finale!!!! Saturday was a big day in the this house. It was the annual Clemson/South Carolina football showdown. Rob, Ross, Erik, Ryan and Lauren were all over for some fun. We deep-fried and turkey, fried some chicken (of course), and ate until it was too close to game time and our nerves were too strung out that we might get sick from the excitment of things to come. Well, the game was great. We were happy, then we were scared, but in the end we were victorious!!!!!! YEAH TIGERS!!!!!!!! The final score....in case you didn't watch....23-21. We kicked a field goal with 3 sec. left to win the game!!!!!!!

Oh so close.....

Yesterday started off like most Saturdays, we got up with the kids and got going. Pratt and Shelby made pancakes and we got dressed in our Orange in anticipation of the Clemson game. It was a big game. We were playing for a spot in the ACC Championship. Pratt worked so hard at trying to figure out a way that I could go to the game. He is such a wonderful husband, always trying to do little things for me like that, unfortunately it just didn't work out. I insisted that he go because someone from the Reed family had to be there to represent. Here is a picture of my three tiger fans before Daddy left. Aren't they so cute!!!! Of course, shortly after this picture JP had a blowout and we had to change clothes.

The day carried on like any normal day. The kids and I just hung out around the house as we have been fighting some kind of something around here. JP's new trick of the day was walking behind a walking toy. He has taken a few steps behind it here and there, but mostly it is knee walking, which is very funny to witness. I guess that he finally figured that walking was a lot faster and just took off. He cruised all around the house for about 10 minutes yesterday. It was too cute as he looks so little when he is up on his feet walking around. Oh my, how they grow so fast!!!!

Well, now to my heartbreak!!! I made sure to get the children to bed on time so that I could be ready for our game at 7:45. As soon as I finished reading Shelby her books I poured myself a Margarita and made some nachos for dinner (if Pratt got to eat all that yummy and not so healthy tailgate food then I was going to have my little bit too).

Kickoff-I was so excited I couldn't even sit and I am sure I looked pretty funny jumping around the house by myself after Clemson scored on their first offensive possession. The game went on and it came down to the final seconds....well, I am not going to relive that, but we lost. My heart was broken. I love my tigers and I love Coach Bowden. I sure hope that we come back with fire under our hinnies next week and take it to South Carolina!!!!!


To top off the night, Shelby ended up getting some kind of stomach thing and so I was up with her all night. I changed the sheets four times and by the time the night was over we were laying on a towel on a throw blanket on her bed because I ran out of sheets. She bounced back rather quickly and is feeling much better. In order to get her rehydrated Pratt and I gave her a little bit of Gatorade in her cup. We were only letting her have a few sips at a time to make sure that she would be able to keep it down. She was so cute....she kept asking us if she could have a sip of her gatorator. We think that she was combining the word Gatorade with Alligator.

Body Paintin' and Truckin'

This weekend was a wild one! Pratt went to Florida on Thursday to do some business and see some friends. Normally while he is gone things move very smoothly here and while it is tiring taking care of two children, nothing to out of the ordinary happens. Well, this weekend proved to be a little different.......

Thursday was a great day. It is nice to have a day where nothing really has to get done and you don't have to be anywhere. We stayed in most of the day and here are some pictures of Shelby fingerpainting. This is the first time that most of the paint ended up on her and not on the paper. I left the room for a few minutes to get JP and when I came back she had painted her arms. She is quite the artist, huh.....

Friday was supposed to be a fun day out enjoying the wonderful weather we have been having, but JP had other plans. My child who never sleeps took a three and a half hour nap that morning. I felt so bad because a friend of mine from the island packed up her two kids and drove all the way out here to meet us at the playground and we only ended up being able to go for about 45 minutes. When we got home I thought that I might want to take JP's temp. so I did and he had a little fever. Poor boy, no wonder he slept so long and then here I am dragging him all over town. Anyway, I took him to the doctor that afternoon just to get him checked before the weekend and besides his fever, everything looked good. Shelby also got a little check up and she was fine. Sunday I thought that we were in the clear and then Monday Shelby woke up with a nasty cough and by the time the evening came around JP's fever was back. Anyway, to make a long story short, we survived while Pratt was gone. Shelby and JP got to see Papa and Grammie for a little bit on Saturday and I got to watch some of the Clemson Football game at Wild Wings with mom and dad. Everyone had a great time and the Tigers stomped all over Wake. Only one more game to go....Boston College, if we win then we go to the ACC Championship Game!!!!!

This picture was taken just before nap time today. Shelby loves to push her tonka truck around the house. Several times she has informed me that JP would like to ride. Well, I gave in. I really didn't think that he would like it too much, but ends up he thought it was just as great as Shelby did. Aren't they sooooo cute!

Tiny Claps and an Angel's Voice

Tonight we had our annual Thanksgiving dinner at church. It was so wonderful. God is so good and it is just amazing to see how much our church is growing and changing. There was such a good turnout tonight that we had to put out more tables and use the good ole' paper plates. As always, the food was great and the fellowship was the best. One of the traditions at this dinner is that people share what they are thankful for. On my way home in the car I had a moment where I felt that I was the most blessed mom in the world. Shelby has been going to Discovery Club at church and it is a wonderful program. They have a theme song that they open with every week. We call it the Na Na Na song, but I am sure that there is some other official title. Part of the words are "Every move I make, I make in you. You make me move Jesus. Every breath I take, I breath in you. " Anyway, this is Shelby's new favorite song. We listen to it over and over again. As we were driving and the song ended Shelby asked to hear it again so I hit the rewind button and as the song came on again, faintly over the music you could hear JP's sweet little hands clapping along to the beat of the music and then as the words came you could hear Shelby's beautiful little voice singing the words to the song. Could there be anything better!!!!
I am so thankful that even at the youngest ages, my children are learning about God's love for them and hiding His truths in their hearts.

Where did it go?

JP and I were hanging out since he decided not to nap this afternoon. He was sitting in front of his favorite toy (see toy in background) and all the sudden he starts to get a little aggitated and fussy. He kept reaching his hand back by his ears and pulling on his hair. Come to find out, he misplaced a toy that he was chewing on in his shirt collar. It was too funny. Anyway, here is a picture of him with the missing toy. Funny thing is, when I pulled the camera out to take a picture he immediately flashed a smile. It is amazing how fast they catch on to certain things.

On the Shelby front... I went to visit her school today to observe the class and it was too cute! The children were so fun to watch. It is amazing how much they learn and adsorb.

One quick story....The other day Pratt and I were getting ready for church and Shelby was doing her usual thing of playing in my closet, pulling out shoes and all sorts of clothing when all the sudden she appeared in the bathroom with an old halloween costume of mine (it was a Sleeping Beauty costume). She held it up and said, "Mommy, this is too cute. Can I wear it?" Pratt and I almost fell out laughing. At first I wondered where she got from, but then through out the day I realized that I was saying, "too cute" quite a bit.

Shelby has finally discovered her sense of smell. I was wondering when she would; and now she tells me everytime JP has had a poopy. It never fails, if I am not in the room-heck, even if I am in the room, she makes sure that I know that he has pooped and she continues to tell me until I change it.

Funny Faces and Old men

Well, life is busy!!! I just don't know where the days go. Since last weekend we have been going non-stop. Shelby and JP spent sometime on Saturday with Grandmother (the grandparent formerly known as grandma) and Grandpa. They had a great time and can I just say, thank goodness they live here; I don't know what I would do with out them. Shelby, of course, was up to her usually funniness, or should I say silliness. I wish that I could record her 24/7 because some of the things that come out of her little mouth are so hilarious. Anyway, here are some pictures from the last few days......


This is the two cuties waiting for Daddy to come home from work. Just lately JP has started this little ritual with Shelby where they go to the door to peek out. I just think that it is too cute.

Two days ago we were out enjoying the wonderful evening with a little family walk. Shelby has really taken interest in pulling JP in the wagon so nearly every afternoon we load JP up and stroll through the neighborhood. This particular afternoon I actually remembered my camera and Shelby was being so goofy, making all these funny faces. In an attempt to get a picture we told her to hold her funny face, and well, she literaly held her face. It was so funny. Pratt and I busted out laughing.

Here is my little "old" man. All of his pants are about too big so I have to pull them way up to keep him from tripping.

Princesses and Pumpkins

Happy Halloween!!! I hope that everyone had a fun and safe time last night. We had a great time. Meme and Grandma came over to help me get the children ready for Halloween and then once daddy got home we headed off to the Walter's house for some Halloween fun!! It was a great time. Unfortunately I didn't get to many great pictures of Shelby and JP, but here are two. She was the most beautiful Cinderella and JP was the cutest Pumpkin. Of course, Shelby's favorite part of her costume was the shoes.

Shelby had a great time trick-o-treating. She surprised me so much by going up to the door and then she would even say "trick-or-treat. Thank you." It was too cute. We also have come to the discovery that her sweet tooth may finally be growing in as she ate a fun sized bag of m&ms and some candy corns last night....maybe she is my child after all.

Today Pratt and I had Shelby's first Parent-Teacher conference. We were so excited to get the chance to speak with her teacher and hear all about what she is doing at school. Afterward, Pratt and I concluded that she seemed to have gotten the best of both of us....she is very methodical and organized, but she also really loves to socialize and doesn't always finish somethings because she is so excited to move on to something else. I will let you guess which trait she got from whom.

It is such a beautiful day here. We went to the playground at Belfair for a little picnic lunch with Erin, Jack and Fin; and Jen and Gracen. The children had so much fun running around and climbing on the playground. They were all red and sweaty, but they didn't stop. JP got to get in the action on the baby swing. Even though he wasn't too fond of the swing when he was a newborn (come to think of it, I really don't think that he was too fond of anything, excepting nursing, when he was a newborn) he really enjoys it now. He smiles and laughs when he is swinging care free with the wind in his hair.