The one with the Whitney Houston singing flamingo...

I recently read a rant blog post about how ridiculous parents are making some of the smaller holidays nowadays - especially with Pinterest being around. Pretty much the writer just went on about how impossible it is to keep up with the Joneses these days and how parents used to have it easy with a simple Valentines card or store-bought Easter basket and now because some people are going all out to impress, her kids are looking at her like, "Where's mine?" and this pressure is making her crazy, and so could everyone please stop with the over-crafted, over-the-top, holiday explosions... And at first, I was like - "Well said!! Those people ARE ridiculous!".... and then I listened to the girl on my other shoulder who was like, "Just which group do you think you are IN? Have you READ your blog?" I make a good point. 

So. I guess I am guilty of having a little extra-holiday enthusiasm... But over-the-top is me, and I'm ok with it. I don't feel so much pinterest-pressure (for some, I believe it is possibly diagnosable...) because, honestly, i don't have time to pinterest anymore - my hands are usually too full to scroll down.  Which helps...

So this brings me to Valentines Day 2013. No four foot balloons this year (see! I'm scaling back!). But, that flamingo in the front dances and sings some great Whitney.... 

Here's how the morning went:

I always arrange the table the night before - I just can't help it!

Don't you just love those faces?

JB was talking about Raggedy Ann and Andy at school and wanted a pair

I believe there was a spiderman race car track in that box

Doesn't this just say it all - all they want is the paper

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May all of our Valentines Days in the future be as fun as a flamingo who belts out "I will always love you"
Seriously, It is so loud that I had to hide the thing... So maybe I am hoping for more fun that that..

Snow Days

Snow days. Seriously have to be one of the best surprises possible. 

I've never heard anyone say that they moved to Mississippi for the weather. For the people, yes. For the slow pace, great food, great hospitality? yes, yes, yes. Never for the weather. Actually, besides some local politicians, the weather is probably the subject of the most Mississippi jokes made... Well, every now and then, Mother Nature throws us a bone, and since we literally stop everything at the whisper of the word snowflake since driving on such a thing in our poor little incapable Mississippi vehicles would definitely prove fatal, everyone must stay home and wait for the stuff to melt. 

I'll have to say, I like it this way... 

This is the stuff memories are made of:

Contemplating where the nose goes on this lump of snow...

I am proud to introduce Lacey Madden, snow-mom

Behind the scenes creation of the snow-dad

JB and me

Happy New Year!

New Years Eve comes at light speed after Christmas. Seriously, that week is faster than most other weeks. The neighbors got together for some food and fireworks.

This girl is warming up to the fireworks. This has been the first year that the noise hasn't sent her over the edge... In the past we have spent the time huddled up inside watching them on tv because the noise was just too much. 

This guy was born wanting to hold his own sparkler...

The fireworks with the parachute men are by far the crowd favorite. We had a dozen or so  and all of the kids moved around like a swarm of bees trying to catch the guy as he fell in the dark...

The next days were complete with a superhero campout in the bedroom with flame-roasted marshmellows on forks. Because I didn't think to use grill skewers till later...

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas! Just a few weeks (or months) late. 

Here's what went down.. 

Our elf, Mickey, decorated the house for a birthday party. Elf style (Man, how in the world is he going to top this next year?) Oh well.. worry about that later.

He wrote a note to the kids explaining that this was Jesus birthday. He left them a birthday cake, balloons, and he played a little joke. He took the baby Jesus out of the nativity scene and hid him in the Christmas tree. He told them that they couldn't open any gifts until they found baby Jesus, because He is the GREATEST GIFT of all. It was a hit. And it tied all of it back to the point. 

Of course, the free for all at the end was inevitable. That's the way it goes...

And this one enjoyed her first Christmas :)

Brad's saints.

Sometimes it's a love-hate relationship... This was the stance for most of the year during the saints games (he has a tv mounted up on the wall next to his grill)... I couldn't help myself :)

still December, moving right along.

Yes. This is still December. Almost to Christmas. 

Jane Bradley went with her class to sing for the friends at St. Catherine's Village. Also, let me just say that these kids recited the entire first 16 verses of Luke 2. I was so impressed!

I let Beckham help out with the decorating of the Christmas gifts. This makes me laugh just a little bit at myself because I used to have every gift wrapped in gorgeous gift wrap that matched my christmas decor. Each was tied with a large (I mean large) ribbon that usually had way too much glitter, and I don't even want to think about how many minutes I spent per package. Enter third pregnancy - exit all cares about Christmas packaging. New philosophy: If the gift goes to anyone in my family, then the 10 minutes that kid decorating buys is totally worth it. And, seriously, who really cares? And the answer is, the kids love do, and they love it! Letting go feels good :)

We have a Christmas village, and this year they got Santa's palace... I believe this was the box that Beckham decorated above...

Sweet sisters...

Aaand a little tummy playtime with a willing neighbor...

Let's let go a little extra this week :)

Wrong.

So. Every year our street has a Christmas party. And one of my top five favorite things in life is a great game of Dirty Santa. And I like to play with good gifts. And sometimes I love a good gag gift. And it's even better when the two converge... 

I'm not much of a practical jokester. I'm more of a keep a straight face to tell a joke and see if you believe me kind of girl... I do have a few people on whom I do enjoy pulling off a good practical joke, but mostly, I end up over thinking it, and by the time it's go-time, I chicken out because I'm afraid I'm the only one who will find it funny. Mental note: Lighten up, Lacey.... 

So we have a good game of Dirty Santa every year, and this year I got adventurous. It really couldn't have gone any better, actually, because the PERFECT person picked my gift... Literally, I was almost crying laughing before they even tore off the wrapper, and I was looking pretty goofy laughing at my own joke. But seriously, Who wouldn't? 

First, I took a diaper....(no shortage around here) and pulled out a big chocolate jello pudding snack. You see where I'm going with this. I wrapped up come cash in some plastic wrap and placed it in the diaper and poured the pudding on top. Then I wrapped it up as usual, stuck it inside a plastic bag just like I usually do when I throw away a stinky one, and I wrapped it up. On the outside, I wrote, "How far will you go for the cash?" Ha!! Then I wrapped the box in the most boutique-ish wrapping, of course, so it looks like one of the good ones... 

Of course, my neighbor who hasn't had kids in diapers in 20 years (and probably didn't change them when he did :) ha!) picked it. So he was extra grossed out poking through that pudding.. And then someone stole his gift after he went through all that to get it out... So funny!! 

Wrong, but so funny.

Still in December

Not a lot to say... Just a few pictures to post.

I mean, really. Could these two be any cuter?

These two aren't so bad either :)

Hello again to Mickey. Thanks to my sweet friend who let our elf copy her elf :) Another big hit. PS... to anyone who might read this blog and think that I was full of these ideas, please know that, yes, I am usually full of ideas, and no, I never actually make most of them happen. We had 3 or 4 awesome elf mornings, and I spent a lot of time checking out all of the other elves on pinterest who had glazed their own mini-donuts out of cheerios, but our elf only used items that were already in the house and that took less than 2 minutes to put together... Just so you know...

Sometimes we get it right. We make some of the tiniest moments special, and lots of that happens after bath time when we are trying to head to bed. Maybe that's because one of us usually gets a break and pours the wine at this time? I'm not sure, but here are some of those moments I'm talking about...

Brad running up the stairs with JB wrapped up on his head...

Hope your day ends in smiles like these :)

Where did my baby boy go?

The night before a birthday is always a bit hectic, which is a plus, I guess, because the day before is usually a little bit sad. My 2 year old got older, and now he's 3. And that's one step closer to 4, which is practically full grown. Might as well start prepping for college at the rate we're going. 

Seriously, most of the time growing up I felt like I could not get this train to go fast enough. Once I got to my twenties, I thought the speed was quite perfect. The real world moves faster, and I was loving it. Now, I'm like, "Man, how can I slow this thing down just long enough to take it all in?" The little years feel like you barely blink and you've missed it. 

Time-in. So, anyway, Beckham turned 3. And he's running around now telling us all that he's faster than Flash and stronger than Daddy. (To which Brad is very quick to demonstrate evidence to the contrary :)

My kids may never appreciate it, but I always spend the night before a birthday or gift-holiday making the presentation exciting. I arrange the gifts where they will see them right when they wake up and usually add a big balloon. This year, Beckham got a Hot-wheels Jeep and LOVED it.

Here he is opening his talking Hulk.

And sweet Jane Bradley drew him a picture of Superman

We had Beckham's birthday party at the Bounce Palace. Definitely taught me a lesson - I will not be sad to NOT have a home-party again. It was just too easy. Enter. Jump. Cake. Mess that I don't have to clean up. Haul presents home. Then end. 2 hours - Done. Kids loved it, and I didn't have to be the clean up crew. Win-Win.

Kroger hooked me up with some superhero cupcake rings...

Fire is hypnotizing apparently...

Grandaddy at the party

More Blue!!

Group Shot of the Party Pals 

Lots of fun! And more to come!