Is Santa Coming After Naptime?

I am pretty sure I have broken every Cardinal Rule as a mom! ha! Including but definitely not limited to talking about Christmas and Santa 6 weeks before it actually happens! I normally love Christmas but I think with two little ones the Christmas Spirit is just SO much bigger for me!

Palmer asks everyday if Santa is coming after he wakes up from a nap! And everyday I respond that we have to have Turkey Day first and then a little bit after that Santa will come. Understanding a timeline for a 3 year old proves to be difficult, even for a 30 year old like me I don't always like time lines! haha

Palmer and I took a trip together today just the two of us to Target and then to get his haircut. The kid LOVES Target more than his mommy and I think we got 20 laughs from people hearing Palmer walk down every aisle gasping and saying, "OOOOOH my Gosh!" He loves it!

The little stinker persuaded me to "decorate" he really did say, Mom can we PLEEEEASE decorate today. So I did what every "good" mom would do and I gave in! So now we are completely decked out for Christmas minus our stockings! I am SO excited I don't know if I can even wait 6 more weeks!



The" Formal Tree"



With the Lights On!

The Mantel.... waiting on our AWESOME personalized stockings from Aunt Ashley

The "Kid" Tree! Ann Mason and Palmer LOVE it, it has all of their awesome kid ornaments and they just stare at it and say how cool it is! haha

These two during the chaos, they were SO excited! We even made sugar cookies with sprinkles!

We had a GREAT weekend I am sad to see it end! Palmer and Reid did GREAT at Despicable Me and I cried like a baby at the end of it! Ann Mason had an unexpected play date with Alex (Reid's younger brother) compliments of Nikki and it worked out great!

The outlets were a HUGE success, you would have thought I was on supermarket sweep! I ended up somehow buying WAY more stuff for myself, I don't understand how that always happens! ha!

Tex and I rented grown ups and cracked up! It is cute and pretty funny, definitely a rental but one that we could totally relate too!

I am ready to make it thru this 5 day work week and then have a 3 day work week and Thanksgiving!!

I hope everyone had a GREAT weekend! Here's to the Holidays (just a little early!)

Fun Friday!

We were supposed to go to Owensboro this weekend to hear my sister in law speak at a Women's Weekend at a local church but apparently the stomach virus has swept Owensboro. Most of the family had the stomach flu this past week and they weren't back to 100%. I was super bummed about not going but we decided to make the best of it!

We have officially lost our minds! haha We are taking Palmer, Annie and Reid to see Despicable Me tonight. This is another one of my bright ideas!  haha Palmer doesn't know that we are going yet and he doesn't know that Reid is going with us! He is really going to flip out when I go to pick him up from school and tell him! He is SO funny about the weekends, he already LIVES for the weekends and he is only 3 1/2. He is constantly asking "What are we going to do this weekend?" It starts at 5:20 so I think we will be good at least thru most of it!

Here is Palmer and Reid, best buds forever!

Since we are doing something nice for the kiddos, the mommy's get to go play right? Nikki (Reid's mommy) and I are headed to the Edinburgh Premiere Outlets for some Christmas shopping!!! I am SO pumped about Christmas already I can't stand it! Palmer asked if we could put up our tree last night and I almost gave in, I know we need to wait a little bit longer or else it will be a LONG 6 weeks with the kids asking about Santa. This weekend is the Gap Give and Get coupon where you get 30% off at Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic! WOOHOO! We are just super pumped to get away for a few hours from the chaos and have some time to ourselves!

The rest of the weekend is free! I am excited for all of the holiday hustle and bustle that is approaching!!! Not to mention some 3 and 4 day work weeks! Here's to a GREAT weekend!

I'M BACK!

It has been WAAAAY TOOO Long since I have blogged! We had a GREAT kid free weekend! We got a ton done around the house and got to spend a lot of time with friends and having fun too! State Farm hosts and auction for the agents/staff each year and it is SO fun. There is dinner, auction and dancing. Tex and I had a blast and I scored some great loot to boot! ha!





The Coach Purse I won!!! I love it! My second one ever!



Another MAJOR transition happened in our house tonight! Since we have to make do with what we have right now as far as space we decided to give in to the kiddos and make them a toy room/play room! That meant that we also had to try out them sharing a room! We made the transition tonight and the play room is AWESOME and the first night of sharing a room was a success, here's to hoping this little arrangement works out until one day we have more space!

Play Room



Palmer is BEYOND excited!



Another Shot of the Playroom

The semi- finished result! Hopefully lots of playing gets done in here!
Thanks to Mamaw and Aunt TT Palmer got 2 new UK jerseys. I don't know what prompted him but he put on his "gear" tonight and turned his hat on backwards and asked me to take pics of him???? He HATES the camera so I was more than happy to do it! I was cracking up he was so serious, he can't wait to have the pads and helmet on!

My little Man looking so big and tough!

Well you know it can't be a photo shoot unless Ann Mason jumps in, she wants to do whatever her brother does, I love this girl!

Too Cool for School!



Solo Shot for Ann Mason!

We are all glad to be back together and looking forward to a low key week of playing in our new playroom!

Happy Halloween (a few days late...)

I'm a little late on posting about Halloween! We just survived all four of us having the stomach flu at the exact same time! It was AWFUL, someone was getting sick around the clock! I think today I have officially done about 20 loads of laundry! Usually it happens in intervals but this time it hit hard and fast and we all got caught :) I am thankful it is OVER!!!

This past Halloween weekend was AWESOME!  I have never been too into Halloween but I think I am starting to really like it! Maybe it is seeing how much fun the kiddos have and how exciting it is for them, that alone makes me want to go all out on Halloween next year! ha!

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Here is the firefighter and his dalmatian... they were party goers all weekend! Our first stop was to a party thrown by our pediatrician! It was awesome and Radio Disney was there and the kids had a blast!

 Ann Mason tweaking her costume a little!

 My Handsome, Happy Fireman! I love this kid!

 This little stinker LOVED Halloween and all of the candy!

 The kids pediatrician center (as Cinderella) and all of her staff! She has a costume designer that works on her costumes for months!

 Daddy and his little Dalmatian! This girl has him wrapped around her little finger!

 More sweets!

 The Fierce Foursome! Ann Mason, Palmer, Reid and Alex. They think they are cousins and I love it!

My sweet trick or treaters!

This year was so much fun! It was the first year that both kids were able to really get into dressing up and trick or treating. We had a blast and I just loved watching them have so much fun!!! Now as Palmer says "On to Turkey Day!"

Technology!

I realize that there is A LOT of technology out there that I don't even have a clue about! ha! I feel like I am somewhat tech savy at least at my job and getting around the internet, etc... but Tex and I aren't the people that own iphones, ipads, mac computers (even though I would love some of those :) but last night I FINALLY got up my Skype account.

Skype is a free place where you can video call family and friends that are skype members and talk thru your laptops while looking at each other! I realize that Skype has been around for ages but it is new to the Templeton household! ha!

We got to Skype my mom and Scott last night and it was GREAT! Palmer didn't have much interest in it because he was too busy watching his movies but Ann Mason was in AWE, it was hilarious. Mom and Scott sat there and talked to her forever and she would high five them and give them kisses right on the computer screen.

At one point my mom took the laptop out to my 85 year old Papaw so that we could say hi and that had to be THE most hilarious thing! He was so funny and talking but he couldn't figure out how in the world we were doing this, he kept asking how we were on there and where we were?? I can't imagine being 85 and how confusing and amazing all of this new technology is, I am 30 and it is crazy for me!

For anyone that has family or friends that isn't close this is perfect! We've already set a date  to video call on Halloween so that mom can see the kids before trick or treating! I can't wait to skype everyone I know, BEWARE! haha

Thankful Thursday

I LOVE thankful Thursdays! Lately I have read or heard about so many heartbreaking stories, stories of loss, stories about scary health problems, stories of tragedy... it is REALLY easy for my anxiety-proned mind to start racing with worry and and fear, it is REALLY easy for me to try and "make my own" plans of how this can't possibly happen to me or my family.

And then I realize that I have NO power, NO plans, NO control over how life will go from today and if I can just turn my life, fears, anxiety, etc... over to God He is going to handle EVERYTHING! God can do for me what I can not do for myself and I truly believe that to my core. So today despite wanting to worry and wanting to hold my family close so they can never get hurt all I can do is be thankful!

There was a time in my life when I couldn't truly understand what all I had to be grateful for and today I am so blessed that I can see these blessings working in and around me daily! I am SO thankful just for today, that today I woke up and had my health and my family is happy. I am SO thankful that when I dropped the kids off at school today I peeked in and saw Ann Mason smiling from ear to ear and playing with her friends and Palmer doing the same. I am SO thankful for a husband that picks up where I leave off, that starts when I stop and has shown me unconditional love! I am SO thankful for my family and friends who would do anything for us and the bonds that have been formed that can't be broken! My heart is so full today and I am so glad that I can recognize that and appreciate it! We all have a lot to be thankful for even on the days when we are tired and don't feel like we can give any more.

Here is just a glimpse of the things I am thankful for! The reason I wake up and smile and keep going everyday!

 FAMILY

                                                             SCOTT, ME, MOM

 TEX AND I

 MY TWO FAVS IN THE WORLD

 NEW BABIES, ISABELLE MY NIECE!

                                                     OUR OWENSBORO FAMILY

 SIBLINGS

 NIECES! (Sorry Mia, I couldn't find a picture today but I love you!)

 NEPHEWS

FRIENDS THAT ARE MORE LIKE SISTERS

GIRLFRIENDS THAT HAVE STOOD THE TEST OF TIME!

Way Back Wednesday

I love to go on Shutterfly and take a stroll down memory lane, I always pick pictures that are exactly a year ago just to peek at what life was like at this exact time last year! It always amazes me how much my babies grow, how fast time passes and how even though I wish I could remember every detail of those moments I can't. These pictures bring a smile to my face (sorry Tex, you were there and we love you, I just couldn't find any of you! ha!) oh how I wish Annie was that little again just for a moment and I definitely wish I was at the beach right now instead of work! Palmer cracks me up cause he has definitely grown taller and has grown up but I still look at these pictures and Palmer is just always Palmer, serious, sweet and my best bud in the whole wide world! He is truly a "what you see is what you get" kind of guy, I hope he stays that way!

Ann Mason 9 months and Mommy

Ann Mason 9 months, Palmer 2 1/2 and Mommy

My SWEET bathing beauty!

My buddy, building his sand castle!

Ok, I definitely need a beach trip!!! I am going to start planning one now.... ha! Where were you a year ago? It is amazing what a difference a year makes!