Thursday, December 18

It's My Birthday and I'll Cry Party if I Want To!

December is Party Central here at The Spence House for Birthdays. We aren't done yet still another coming in a couple of days. {that doesn't include 2 uncles later in the month}

Anyway, I thought I would participate in my Happy Birthdaying too, why not?! So.....

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

Me & my Sis


Yes I had to search for a picture where I looked halfway decent
You know not in my pj's with no makeup staring holes through the person behind the camera for taking the picture smiling usually on the couch or in the rocker donned with at least ONE of my five hundred three kids......oh wait am I wallowing in self pity complaining??....ok I'll stop....it's my BIRTHDAY woo and I'll be happy. 31 years is here and I will embrace it! whatever it's too late early and I don't even know what I am typing about.


On another note we got our external hard drive fixed so I can now find all the pics of those things that I will never haven't yet blogged about and will hopefully get them on here soon.

Can you tell the strikethrough is my new obsession toy?! Thanks MckMama!

Wednesday, December 17

It's Papa's Birthday!!


Today is Papa's birthday. We went over there tonight to celebrate with him and have dinner {that he cooked on his birthday....I know what the?} It was yummy Steve Spence spaghetti though and noone can pass that up!! This is a pic we grabbed right before leaving. Everyone is in their jammies {well actually we came over in them} and Will has on a hat Papa gave him to wear.

Happy Birthday Papa!!!

Love,
The Spence House

Tuesday, December 16

Early Christmas at Mickey D's

Amy, Jake and Will patiently waiting for their food......HA!


So we always get together with our friends Lyndi and Steve and their girls, Amy and Becca, at Mickey D's. It's just the best place to meet with all of our kids and not worry about who is where and who is screaming for what because let's face it at the Playplace someone is ALWAYS screaming......so it doesn't matter. Therefore all future Hopkins/Spence weeknight dinner meets are at Mickey D's. Nuf said. {don't worry we wash hands REAL good when we leave...swear}

Tonight we exchanged Christmas gifts and the kids had a big time playing together. The little ones even got in on the action--in fact Becca went all the way up to the top and slid down! I was impressed--she is only 18 months!! {Jake JUST now is going up there and playing and Will still won't--we have Playplace scaredy cats} Alaina Claire didn't make it that far but she did play in the tunnels a bit.

Becca


Action shot: Will and Becca


Woo hoo mom this is cool!!


Just chillin in here because I am a big girl...oh yeah...I am ONE YEAR old!!


Barely caught a shot of Jake--he and Amy were on the move the
ENTIRE time....never caught Amy.


The men and Little Miss

Sunday, December 14

Happy Birthday Little Miss!!

One year old...it's so hard to believe....time really does fly when you are having fun and let me tell you a girl is SO much fun!! Bows, dresses, pink, tiaras, tea sets....the whole nine yards...too much fun!! We love you and are so proud of you. Can't wait to watch you grow......


Happy Birthday Alaina Claire!



8 days old



3 months


6 months




9 months



One year old!!

Wednesday, December 3

Want something for FREE??

KIM is giving away one of her single letter Classic Collection initial paintings over at the Nesting Place. Go check it out. All you have to do is leave a comment {on the Nesting Place} and you are entered to win. It ends Thursday at midnight.


WHO doesn't want a piece of Small Words art??

Party Like a Rockstar!!!

It's your birthday go YaYa....it's your birthday go YaYa!

James and his mom at our wedding


Today IS James's mother's birthday.
She of course is more affectionately known around our house as
YaYa


We all wanted to wish you the very best birthday ever!

Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday dear
YaYa/Mom/Deborah.
Happy Birthday to you!!!YaYa, Granny{her mom}, Aunt Susan{her sister}


We Love You!

in love....


What more can you say about THESE FABULOUS pictures that Krista took today of Alaina Claire. I need not say anymore........except go check out Krista's website or or go straight to her BLOG HERE.


Tell me what you think........






Tuesday, December 2

We were appreciated...

This morning Jake's PreK class had a Parent Appreciation Breakfast right when we dropped him off. We all went, Mommy, Daddy, little brother and little sister. Jake was so proud. They had yummy finger foods, coffee, juice and milk. We were able to look around the room a bit and they had the MOST precious DVD running on repeat that had pictures of all of the children. It had the sweetest song playing behind it and Psalm 139 scrolling through. We are SO lucky both teachers in this class literally walk around with their cameras in their pockets. They take thousands of pictures of these kids. The ones they had on the DVD were all super cute close ups. AND lo and behold when we went to Jacob's seat in class there was a present there for us parents and in that present was his colorful hand, the picture from the DVD and a copy of the DVD itself. It was VERY sweet....

The DVD was attached on the back


Then after the bell rang we got to see them do all of their first of the morning routine. Their prayers, picking special person of the day, checking the weather, setting their schedule and singing some songs. We left when they broke out into their small groups.

I always wish I could be a fly on the wall to see what goes on and how my kids act when I am not around. Do you do that too or am I the only one??

Thursday, November 6

a 10 month old, an airplane and suppertime...OH MY!

Well that about wraps up what the rest of my day entails. Oh my!! Just got done packing so that Alaina Claire and I can fly up to see my friend April to help her out with her nursery before her baby comes. Still have to go pick up the boys and then AS SOON AS I get back from getting them leave for the airport with AC. I haven't flown in forever and have yet to take one of my children on a plane so all these new rules about 3 oz of liquid and only 2 free bags or whatever---I have had to brush up on all of that.

Anyway, we will be departing right about the time that AC eats supper so here's hoping that what we eat before we leave the house for the airport and all the little snacks she gets on the plane will be enough. AND here's hoping that she doesn't decide that all the people on the plane need to hear her wonderful yet shrill scream she loves to do. AND here's hoping that she will be in a good mood in general since her nap schedule is ALL OFF today!! Woo hoo!! Yay me at least April's mom is traveling with me so I will have help. There will be two laps for her to roam around in instead of one for the hour and a half we will be on the plane.

I have LOTS O snacks---LOTS O toys---LOTS O books---and Motrin if I get desperate! =) {only kidding.......well not really}

Wish us luck! See ya when we get back and I promise to update with Halloween pics then. Have a great weekend!!

Wednesday, November 5

Re-Vote!!!!

We need a re-vote over here. Can we rewind 24hrs because.....wait.....I have a write-in!!! He is the best candidate out there....I promise! He will make our country a better place no doubt about it!!

Re-vote!





I love it!!!

Tuesday, November 4

WOO HOO!!!

The Spence House is excited about what's to come! What an amazing and historic election we have just witnessed. Awesome story to be able to tell......

VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!

I hope everyone is taking advantage of one of the basic privileges we have here in our United States of America. In case you are living under a rock....TODAY is the day we elect our next President.

SO if you haven't done so already......get out and VOTE!!! We live in the land of the free and home of the brave people......get out and be a part of the future....right now!


VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!!

Change is coming......

Friday, October 24

Oh and Favorite Foto Friday


AC playing outside--crazy hair day and NOTE what the shirt says...
VERY important!

This is what I get..........

So it's official I am done, finito, gone with the wind, adios.....c-ya....I'm outta here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I was up late last night, what's new, up late most nights. Anyway, apparently last night was the end {usually there is finally a day that my body says nope you've done it---it's over--time to rest} Well today must have been THAT day because...... With Jake safely at school, Alaina Claire safely in her bed napping----Will asked to watch a Barney video {I know there are so many things to say here so just refrain....thanks!} So I obliged. I put in the video and he started watching it. Of course he wanted me to sit on the couch with him so he could sit in my lap to watch not like I could get up and get something done. Next thing I know I hear the menu music playing over and over again......what?! huh?! oh $@#%! I fell asleep. Now mind you it only had to have been for about 10 minutes and I vaguely remember Will sitting there turning the pages to a book and then get up {I wasn't completely out....but then again I was....know what I mean?} He got up---that is the important part to this story.

SOOOOO when I finally had my "oh my gosh!" moment. I jumped straight up off the couch and ran to see where he was and I walk into the kitchen/dining area to find THIS................

{don't look at the horrible wood paneling we have yet to replace since we moved in FIVE years ago....I know!}

This would be the ENTIRE 5lb bag of sugar that Daddy made sure to get at the store last night because we haven't been able to make Tea for a week and he is going into withdrawals....so what was it that you wanted when you got home today dear?? milk? water? apple juice? good

So my friends it is with much grief and exhaustion that I bid you adieu. It's just not in me. I don't have one more "able to handle Will" bone left in my body. He's done it.....he won and he is ONLY 2 1/2. Yep....that's it. If you want to contact me from here on out feel free....my new address is:
Looney Spence
123 Gone Crazy Rd
Looneybin, USA

Thanks for visiting!

PS if you are new and/or think I am weak or exaggerating or just plain weird---I encourage you to visit this post and this post and this post and this post.

Monday, October 20

Cool Tidbit from the weekend.....

I'll start with.....It's all in who ya know! Apparently I know the right people because I know HER and HER and lucky me they are two of my closest friends. Because of this friendship I got to be their moral support this past Sunday morning for breakfast at Cracker Barrel. Why is this important you ask?????

Well let me tell you.......because we got to meet The Nester and her sister Emily !!! WOW! I know right?? {now for those of you who don't blog you're going...what the heck?!} I would encourage you to go visit them if you haven't ever because they both have super cool blogs......very different but super cool nonetheless.

Me, M, Emily, the Nester, Kim

They were in town this past weekend for a Blog conference you can read about it HERE on the Nester's blog. Kim arranged breakfast for us the morning they were heading out of town. BOY am I glad I went. Those girls are awesome and we ALL had a blast. We talked like we had known each other for years and years. OF COURSE, I must put a disclaimer in here that if any of you know Kim Wheeler in person, it's REAL HARD not to talk to her like you have known her for years even if you just met......she is that kind of person. hee hee

So with lots of bacon to be had, grits overflowing, bloggy questions asked and answered, mommy questions answered and photos in front of the prison fence we had a blast!

Hopefully we can do it again soon, ladies!!

Friday, October 17

Favorite Foto Friday



These are from AC's 9 month photo shoot a few weeks ago. These are just a couple from Krista's blog. Don't you just LOVE them?!!! She did a fantastic job as always!!! Thanks Krista!

To see more click HERE.


While you are on her blog she did pics for my cousin Lori and her family the other day. To check them out click HERE or just go to the homepage of the blog and scroll down.

AND last but not least Kim had Miss Emsley's 6 month pictures done and they are on there too--you can go to homepage of the blog and scroll or just click HERE.

Enjoy!

Abducted by Aliens

You see I have this THEORY that everyone in my house has been abducted by aliens. Too many strange things going on around here that wouldn't happen in MY house. For instance..........

SCHOOL PICTURES---this picture turned out to be a half way decent pic of all of my children--minus the always bright blue background--and it was a SCHOOL picture!! Mother's Day Out actually. {at MY house school pictures would have turned out crappy and all of my children looking at once...doesn't happen}


My OLDEST son is going to PreK and loving it---every morning if he drags I threaten for him to NOT go to school and he gets right up and gets dressed. {you see in MY house he would whine and fuss all the way to school--mother's day out--once he got there he had a blast but the getting there was annoying} He even fusses when we don't have school like today because it is Fall Break. {in MY house we would be jumping for joy and counting all the "shows" we would get to watch on TV}

AND My oldest child is getting so tall it is hard to hold him all at once anymore......{in my house he is still my baby that I can rock whenever I want} He draws pictures of himself, sounds out words, sings a blue million songs I've never heard, greets several teachers he sees at school each morning by name and will carry on a conversation with you for as long as you feel like talking {in my house he doesn't want to draw, is shy with adults and refuses to talk when you try to talk to him}

My MIDDLE child is attempting to be more loving to his sister. Will sit with his brother and watch part of a tv show with him on the couch. AND has ASKED to watch a movie and then sat and watched the whole thing---people I'll take what I can get---that was 2 1/2 years coming to get him to sit at the tv for more than 2 minutes---call me what you want aliens or no---mama needs a break and after 2 1/2 years a couple hours in front of the TV for the VERY FIRST TIME isn't gonna hurt!!! {in MY house he looks at the tv with absolutely no interest at all and goes back to beating on his little sister which appears to be much more fun}


AND my middle child counts to 10, says his ABC's, loves to color, will sit down to do arts and crafts for as long as you will sit there with him, loves music and talks up a storm where you can actually understand what he is saying---most of the time. {in MY house he is just too busy getting into everything to be interested in doing any one thing at all and when he talks you just nod because who knows what he is saying}

My BABY GIRL is walking--more like running, has cut her first tooth, plays with her brothers for a good bit of time, takes a bath in the big tub, loves to be chased, can play independently for as long as you let her and has the most hysterical personality and oh yes a temper. {in MY house she was just sitting up much less crawling and definitely not walking, had no teeth and gummed everything to death, would just sit and watch her brothers but not dare intervene. In MY house she wouldn't scream/screech/squeal at the highest decibel the INSTANT she didn't get her way because she knows it gets attention--not in MY house}



My HUBBY comes home from work at the same time every day with plenty of time to have supper, play with the kids, do bathtime and then bedtime---all of that uninterrupted by work. {in MY house he has to stay late 2-3 out of 5 nights of the week and when he is home work calls each night for direction on something and weekends would involve going in--that's what happens in MY house}

ME--I have been actually going to bed at night instead of blogging--obviously, cleaning, laundry or dishes---UGH not that THIS is a good thing. {in MY house sleep was overrated and the only time things got done is the middle of the night} As of late it seems I have no choice---sleep overtakes me--it is all catching up with me---or aliens need more sleep. ha!

Last but NOT least and the reason I KNOW the aliens are here---the Vanderbilt Commodores are 5-1 on their season this year....... I said 5-1!! That means they have WON 5 games and only lost 1 game. They are ranked in the Top 25--#22 to be exact and are 3-1 in the SEC. {in MY house Vandy would be 0-6 and have pipe dreams of the Top 25 and be DEAD last in the SEC}
GO VANDY!!!!!!!

As it appears the aliens have taken over and so many changes have taken place in our house. I couldn't even pinpoint the time for you when it all happened---things just have a way of getting away from you. Time gets away from you. Before you know it----it is Halloween and you are shopping for Christmas presents because Christmas is just 69 days away and before that your baby girl turns ONE!! AAAAGGGHH!! Go AWAY aliens GO AWAY---I want MY house back---let me enjoy things the way they used to be for a little bit longer.....just a little!

Monday, September 29

We're back....

We made it back yesterday and I have not had a chance to look at any pictures much less blog about them. I promise, I will go back and fill in Fri/Sat/Sun soon. We had a blast at the Children's Museum and Holiday World. We did lots of fun stuff in a short time and the kids had a great time.....well so did the adults for that matter I believe!

First off, Little Miss is good. No phone call Friday = good news for us. Sure enough her fever was gone that day and she has been good to go ever since......well minus her little mishap yesterday morning while she was eating snack on top of the bed at the hotel and decided to crawl away to play ....yeah you guessed it....right off the bed. She has a nice carpet burn under her left eye. Woo hoo us! No really she only cried for a minute and she is good. =) {and we were sitting with her on the bed she is just THAT fast....swear}

Of course no trip is complete without someone being sick at all times. So Mr Mischievious didn't let us down last night he woke us up burning up with fever and congested. He must have a cold or a "virus" as I am sure they would tell me if I took him in. HE finally got back good and asleep after we gave him meds and turned on the vaporizer so he could breathe and then I had to wake him up to take Big Bro to school this morning. Poor thing.....don't go feeling too sorry for him though. His sickness didn't stop him from pouring out 1/4 of my new bottle of Dawn on several toys, toy bins and oh yes 1 hr later I find out my chair and a half. GREAT! Then later he brought me the pickle relish and an egg. {if he had just brought me tuna I could have mixed it up} And last but not least.....got the Desitin out and smeared it on a few things including the remote and his little sister and then passed it on to her no less so he would be in the clear. Yeah Right, dude, Mommy's not buying it!! All that was this morning....he is napping now, we'll see what the afternoon brings. =)

So updates on our mini vacation soon!

Friday, September 26

Children's Museum


Today we got up at NiNi's apartment and had breakfast and waited for what seemed like an eternity to the kids for Net Net and Gramps to drive up and meet us today.

Once they got there we went to the Children's Museum of Evansville. It is located in the old Library building so it has tons of character and the way this place was decorated was super cool also---although those specific features I'm not sure I took pics of. This place had 6 different sections to it. One of them was a water section which was closed to maintenance much to our dismay.The first one we went to was a temporary exhibit. It was one on accessability. This place showed you the different things you can do in everyday life no matter what type of disability you have.


Then there was the Work Smart area. This area was right up Will's alley you could build and create things and it was geared toward engineering things. Alaina Claire got in on the action here as there was a place for just toddlers to play which was nice! They also had a dig where you could uncover dino bones--Jake was all over it!


Upstairs there was a room called Live Big. This one talked all about the human body and how it functions. There was a huge talking brain and also a drum that if you held the handles in front of it then it would beat YOUR heartbeat. Pretty nifty!



The water area had an upstairs part where you can load plastic balls into a cannon type thing and shoot them down to the water. This area also had a play area with climbing and slide.


Last but not least was the Freedom Gallery. This place had a room with all kinds of different instruments and then another with household things used as instruments. There was an art section in here and a stage makeup place where NiNi gave them a few pointers.

Our FAVE was definitely the stage where you can act out a story on the stage and it shows up on a screen outside the little "theater" they have set up in there. You have a choice of 4 stories and then they have boo coodles of costumes to go along with the stories and you can even change the background on the stage. At first there had been a field trip there with us all morning which wasn't a big deal as they kept the place lively. BUT once we got to this place Jake wanted the stage to himself so he could act out Where the Wild Things Are---which just so happens to be is ABSOLUTE favorite book right now. Those kids left and buddy he put on a show. He even got Daddy and NiNi up there to help be Wild Things. It was too fun!!!


This place was excellent and all of the kids enjoyed it. Great pick Ni Ni. This makes me want to go to our local kids museum which I haven't been to since I was a kid to see what all they have now.

After the museum we were able to check in our hotel after eating lunch. Then we were supposed to go back to campus to do a few things with NiNi but ALL of us laid down to take naps and we ALL napped for 3 hrs at least. By the time we woke up we had to get ready to go out to eat tonight which we did. Looking forward to Holiday World tomorrow!!!!