Headed home! I will post Christmas pictures from our week in Centralia
soon. We had a wonderful time with all our family. A big thanks to
Coco and Poppa Jack for hosting all 16 of us! It was a Christmas to
remember!

Presents

Merry Christmas!

Here is the Barnes Family rendition of American Idol or Starsearch depending on your generation. It all started last night when we had our new neighbors (Austin, Heather & Mere Austin) and our good friends Jon & Alison over for dinner. Parker was already asleep since she didn't nap and had run around all day with her friend Ann Gerard so Bennett had to entertain himself and this is the result. Then it continued this morning and Parker joined in on the singing fun!

At the end of Bennett's version of the Alphabet he says that it's Parker's turn.

Parker singing Jingle Bells

I'm definitely having mixed feelings these days but I am getting more sleep and so it she!

I don't think I can stop this sort of thing and I'm not sure I want to.

Let me know the good/bad about thumbsuckers!!

Yesterday, Parker, Langley, YaYa and I went to Memphis for the day. We got to visit with Shannon and Sarah and see their new home. We had a wonderful time and Parker loved all the fun things to play with in the yard especially the disc swings! She is ready to go back and jump on the trampoline!

After we left S2's house we headed a few blocks over to Clif's cousin's house for her annual Holiday Open House. Leah and Alistair have a wonderful home and we enjoyed our visit although it was brief. Thanks for inviting us!

Here are some of our decorations this Season. These are oversized Santa Claus ornaments that Clif hung on the crepe myrtile are the alley entrance. I've received a comment or two on how those who travel up and down the alley like seeing them. Way to go Clif!

Here are my oversized ornaments in the front.
Thanks Mom for all the mesh wrap. I love it now that I finally got it up! Thanks for the extra Sarah!

Since this is the main entrance I 'm going to try and do more next year.

Here is our lil Christmas tree this year. I decided to put up the "half" tree that sits flat against the wall so that we could enjoy it. Our large tree has to go in the living room/playroom or the dining room and we aren't in those rooms as much and this one fits perfect in the den. Next year I will put this "kids" tree up and then put my larger one in the dining room window or I might hold off a few years on the large tree until everyone understands that ornaments are toys :(

Hope you enjoy the pictures Dad!

Our first and only picture of my beautiful three children! It was the best I could get and it was definitely fleeting.

Then there were two!

Then there was one!
We went to Immaculate Heart of Mary's "At Home Christmas" party which is a potluck dinner and they had Santa there. We had a great time. It was the first time the five of us have been out without reinforcements and it went well. I was proud of us! Lulu was a bit overwhelmed though. I was holding her over my shoulder and there were a lot of people coming up to see her and she just stuck out her bottom lip and starting boohooing. It was the first time that she cried when she wasn't hungry or tired. I was able to give her a bottle and calm her down and the rest of the evening was nice. Parker and Bennett enjoyed seeing Santa...aka Santa's Helper....and told him what they were wanting. I keep reminding Parker that Santa is just a distributor of Baby Jesus' gifts that he gives everyone on his birthday. I just want to make sure that she understands the true meaning of the Season. Any suggestions are welcome.
Parker talking to Santa.

Her is the beautiful girl with all of her new Princess wear.

Bennett and Santa All he would tell Santa is "ball"!

There is a picture of Langley and Santa but Brian took it and I don't have it yet. I will post as soon as I get it.

It's Parade Day! The first Friday in December is the annual Roy Martin Delta Band Festival and Christmas Parade. The whole town closes down around 2 p.m. and heads down to Grand Blvd or downtown to see the floats and marching bands. We missed the first parade when we moved her in 2003 but haven't missed it since. Parker has always like it and Bennett did too! Langley got to stay in the warm heat at Yaya's house for most of the parade but they did get out for some of it.

Parker and Bennett all bundled up for the parade!

Parker and Daddy enjoying the bands.
Bennett watching the parade go by.

Enjoying the parade.

After the parade we all warmed up with a bubble bath!

Parker, Bennett and Ruby

We had a wonderful time and invite everyone to come next year for the Parade and Fireworks!

We had a great Thanksgiving over at Clif's parents house with Beth, Brian and Ruby. We got over there mid-morning to try and get a few pictures in (you've seen some of the results) and to hang out and of course watch football. The children couldn't wait to eat of course so they enjoyed a mini-meal before the BIG one.

YaYa set a beautiful table and had some pretty flowers given to her by a friend for her birthday as a centerpiece.

On Friday, Clif and I left Lulu with the babysitter and took the children to the Museum of Natural Science in Jackson. It is a great little museum for toddlers and preschoolers. There are just enought freshwater aquariums, exhibits and outdoor trails to keep them busy for hours. There is also a great playground located right next to it. If you haven't been I recommend going if you are going to be in Jackson. It was a beautiful day and he children had a great time and got to play outside.

Before we made it to the museum we stopped at Nagoya, our favorite Japanese restaurant. Clif and I had a craving for sushi and thought the children would like the hibachi. They were entranced right at the beginning when the cook lit the big fire and really enjoyed the food too!

If you don't receive a Christmas card this year don't think that I left you off of my list. The problem would be below. These are just a few of the "almost" pictures. You would be amazed at how many we took and how each of them didn't work. The kids have all been a little sick so trying to get us all together is becoming very difficult but I haven't thrown in the towel yet! Enjoy the outtakes!

The Tuesday before Thanksgiving Parker and Bennett had their first preschool program. Unfortunately, Bennett was sick and was able to participate but we got to see Parker a.k.a Princess Moon Beam. I later got Bennett's hat and he was "Big Chief". If you know Parker you would think that she would love this sort of thing but she doesn't. I think that if she was the only one on the stage it might be better but who knows. She warmed up later in the program and picked a few songs to actively participate in and she was great! Below is a picture of her walking in.

I guess she was tired of standing?? Her best little buddy is also sitting at the bottom right hand of the picture.

She must of liked this song because she was up again.
Yeah! She is still participating but right before this song she was playing with the feathers on the hats in front of her.

Here she is at the big finale holding the sign showing everyone where to go for the bake sale.

Also, I need to thank my wonderful and talented husband for baking the cookies for the bake sale.

We love building fires and a few weeks ago Clif decided we should roast hot dogs and have s'mores. The kids loved roasting the hot dogs and marshmellows!

Bennett helping his dad out with the yard work. I think that he loves anything with a motor!

She loves to have all the attention!

I'm not very good at giving Lulu her tummy time but I do a few minutes here and there. I try to play with her when she is on her tummy and Clif was able to get some video. She is definitely my best cooer!!

Last Sunday the weather was so beautiful we packed up and heade out to our Cat Track Farm. Our friends Holt and Kelly live at the base of the hills that lead out of the flat delta land and have horses and cows that the children love to go see. Kelly also has a kennel and boards most of Greenwood's posh pups when their owners leave town. When we got there we all went for a ride on the polaris to go see the cows and horses.

If you look closely, the horse is smiling and Parker and Bennett loved it!
Bennett riding Sister. Yes he is bareback but Sister is an old, sweet mare. This was Bennett's first time on Sister but he acted like he had been riding her all along.

Parker has riden Sister before and was excited to see her again.

And I decided it wasn't such a good idea for me to get atop a horse!

Bennett's first dentist visit! Clif said he did great!

She has always done so good and just lays still. That almost never
happens at home!

Parker at the dentist this morning

Lulu is 2 months old! I have no idea how much she weighs or how tall she is but here is a picture to document her 2 motnhs. I will know her stats this week but we were all ill last week including Lulu so she had to miss her doctor's appointment. When I say we were all ill I mean on Wednesday Clif, me, Parker and Bennett were all sick with fever and stayed home. Lulu went to the babysitter's house so that they could stay away from us. Thankfully, we are all better this week and the kids were able to head back to preschool!

Thank you Aunt Sarah! Awhile back Parker wasn't wanting to go to sleep. She hates to close her eyes so I went to our Claire's Boutique and got her some children's eye masks. They didn't work and she ended up losing them at the neighbor's house. But a few weeks ago she said that she needed her eye mask so I went to our Claire's and it had closed. So, I called our newest city dwelling family members to see if they could see if they could find one for Parker and Aunt Sarah did! This was a picture from last week at nap time. She has worn it each night when she lays down. We are going to try and take the other one to school and see if it helps her there. And yes, she does have on her bee costume...it is what we put on most days these days.

More cute pitcures of Lulu! I'm trying to get her to smile but I'm not having any luck.
My brown-eyed girl!

Hanging out with the neighbors...but they have since sold their house and moved. We will miss y'all!

Ok. So here are the Halloween week pictures. On Tuesday, we went to the Country Club party(minus Parker...she wasn't acting quite right). Beth, Brian and Ruby joined us and they had a great time.

We had two bees and one flower for Halloween.

Ruby was a fairy on Tuesday and cute little Lamb on Saturday.

Beth and I enjoying the Country Club festivities
My little bee man

too cute!

On Friday, Parker's preschool went trick or treating at the shops downtown. They had a ball and just beat the rain and bad weather. I wasn't able to go so Cathy went with the class and got the great pictures.

Parker and her classmates. The other little girl is Libby. There are 8 boys and 2 girls.

Parker and YaYa.

Parker and Mrs. Merritt

The weather cleared up so that we could trick or treat on Saturday. We all headed to Poopaw and YaYa's house for supper and then hit the streets. You can see that Parker was no longer a bee but a duck....we left her costume at school on Friday after she wore it to the party. She was a trooper and didn't mind wearing her duck costume again as long as she could trick or treat!

Trick or Treat!

Bennett and Ruby got to ride in the wagon.