Itty Bitty Basketball

Okay, so this post probably warranted a little bit of narrative. But yesterday, the choices were pics with no narrative or no pics at all. Here's a little bit about the basketball:

1. Yesterday was their first, and only practice. The next 5 weeks will be "game-like-situations" consisting of 4 ten-minute quarters. 3-on-3, with basically no rules (e.g. traveling is totally allowed, owing to #4 below).
2. Games for Itty Bitty Basketball are at 8:30 and 9:15am on Saturday mornings. Had I known this ahead of time, he probably would not be playing basketball until he ages into a group with more reasonable time slots.
3. During practice, they rotated through 4 stations (defense, dribbling, passing and shooting).
4. I'm not sure how you are supposed to teach a 4 year old to dribble... and I'm pretty sure no one else there (including the athletic staff) knew either.
5. Carter was so excited that he slept in his basketball uniform.
6. He seemed to enjoy the practice, and, yes, he made a few shots.
7. After the practice he insisted that he didn't want to ride home in the car with us. He wanted to walk home -- alone. Needless to say, he didn't get that wish. But I've promised him he can just as soon as he turns 12.
8. And yes, he's the tallest Itty Bitty we've seen so far.

Carter's New Room

In addition to the new desk that Santa brought for Christmas, Santa also left a few additional pieces of furniture for Carter. While Carter was in Arkansas with Mama Helen and Daddy Phil for a few days this week, we did a re-do on Carter's room. At this point, all the baby furniture is gone!

Carter and Anna had a big time playing in his "new room" this morning, after their New Year's Eve sleepover last night!

For those of you that are keeping track, this is not the first, not the second, not the third, but the FOURTH major operation in Carter's room since we moved here four years ago...

The Day After Christmas

While the boys were all supposedly at the driving range, we took the kids to the bouncy playground to burn off some energy.

Eavan loved the big slide -- and could climb up the ladder nearly by herself!





Anna gets silly

Carter and Anna get silly together

All the cousins get silly!
(Our sad attempt at a group photo)

And where were the boys, if they were not at the driving range, you ask? Since the driving range was closed due to the snow, they had to make do with sampling (a lot of) drinks at a local watering hole, or so I hear. Apparently a good time was had, and they didn't freeze to death on the walk home, so it was a good afternoon!

Christmas 2010

Christmas morning before the chaos. As Patrick said:

Respect this mantle! Eight hand sewn, sequined stockings anywhere from 5 months to 45 years old. All hung (with care) on the same mantle for the first time ever.

Carter's big present this year was a desk, complete with office supplies. When he saw the clip magnets on his hutch, the first thing he did was RUN to his room and get a picture of Mama Helen and Daddy Phil to clip on his desk!

Carter helps Eavan with her Santa gifts

Everyone enjoyed their gifts!



Even if Eavan mostly wanted to chew hers...

Carter liked to help everyone unwrap their presents

Right around the time we went over to celebrate with the other Fowlkes family, it started to SNOW!

Just look at this hefty accumulation we had the next day!

The Fowlkes

The out-laws!

Christmas Eve and Eve Eve

We had the Stegall side of the family in for Christmas this year. It was SO nice to have us all together!

We started off Christmas Eve with delicious lunch... and absinthe.

The waiter was very impressed, as he'd never had anyone order it before noon...



After lunch, we went to see Tangled, which Carter was terrified throughout and then loved afterwards (pretty much his MO for all movies in the theater). And Eavan got to "watch" her first Christmas Eve movie, too!

Christmas Eve evening, the kids opened their requisite Christmas pajamas (Carter hasn't yet learned that this is what his present will ALWAYS be on Christmas Eve).

I didn't take any pictures of the AMAZING pork belly Patrick made on Christmas Eve (that's a new tradition we're keeping, by the way), so here's a picture of the night before Christmas Eve when we made Aarti's Down Home dinner.

Snow Day

It wasn't really snowy, it was icy. And it wasn't even icy after about 7am, but school was cancelled anyway, so Carter got to spend some time at each of our offices yesterday. Below, entertaining himself at my office and checking out the melting fountain outside my office.







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Good News, Bad News

From Carter:

I have good news and bad news. The good news is, after this story, I'm going to bed. The bad news is, I'm gonna come out here and say stuff to you a lot of times.

Gingerbread Time!

Thanksgiving

Just getting around to posting pics from our great thanksgiving!

Christmas Decorating with Mama Helen

Mama Helen was in town for a visit this weekend, which was perfect timing to help with Round 1 of Christmas decorating. Carter had a great time with her (he also enjoyed unpacking the decorations). Once today's boxes were unpacked, he gave us all medals and dubbed us the best decorators ever.