Stop growing up!

He's just getting so big. I don't like it. Im sad that he's moving out of baby everything. Gabe recently just blows me away. He is so articulate. Always telling me about trains and cars and what they do. His favorite form of affection is to tell a person that he loves you more then dirt, or trains, or his new favorite body part. (yes you heard me!) So if he tells you he loves you more then dirt- take it as a huge compliment, because the boy does love dirt! He loves helping daddy mow the lawn, and collect eggs from the chickens. (That deserves it's own post later) He still loves playing with trains and cars and playing outside. He LOVES his new big boy bunk bed and has been sooo good about staying in it! His favorite foods are still anything sweet as well as peanutbutter and jelly, but is doing better at eating his veggies and other things I cook for him.

Yesterday was a big day for both gabe and me. He got his first (and probably much needed) hair cut. Josh started, and Im sure was doing a good job, but got fired in the process after making cry for cutting it too short! So it was a group effort, and in the end I think he looks pretty darn cute, and pretty darn old!

Nesting

I don't know if I'll finish Christmas. Christmas was good- the end. Maybe I'll get to it this weekend and maybe not! Oh well!

Lately I've gotten both a burst of energy as well as a burst of "oh wow I remember what being nine months pregnant feels like." Now that the holiday's are over, Im gung ho about getting all the things done that need to be done before baby comes, but at the same time am hurting all over and ready to go to bed most nights when Josh gets home from work. Also at the same time I am savoring this last month of being a family of four, and even enjoying pregancy and excited for labor as it could very well be our last little one. In the years since starting our family I've become wiser, and understand that my list may not be completed on time or ever, and that it isn't the end of the world. But this is what the pannebakers are tackeling this month.

1. Move gabe and grace into one room and new bunk beds - DONE!! (can't find checkmark)

2. Organize hallway art supply closet so kids can get out activites and put them away without being harmed in the process. (true story) -DONE!!

3. Finish Baby Judah's room

4. Make playroom out of half of garage

5. Find baby stuff (car seat, basinette, wash clothes, etc..)

6.Decorate the kids room a little to make it look cute/co-ed

7.Take down Christmas lights

8. Wrap up my Dox Kids duties

The kids LOVE their new room and their new bunk bed! They've been waking up a little early but for the most part stay in bed! (Yes even Gabe!) And this is our new and improved closet! I wish I had a before picture because it was BAD. I keep trying to post a picture of the disaster of a baby room we have to tackle today but it wont let me, so I will post before and after when it's done!

candy!

So on Christmas Josh and I recieved this jar of candy from my grandparents. I know what to get gabe next year, because it was his favorite thing under the tree.

Here he is sitting in one of his new presents with the jar of candyHere he is opening his stocking with the jar of candyHere he is showing me his presents with the jar of candyAnd finally here he is picking out a candy after mommy finally says yes

The kids LOVED giving money to "the wells" our church raised $34,000 for building wells in Gondar!

The kids made gifts for family. Hot chocolate stir sticks. and all I did was melt the chocolate!

Bamma and gramps stayed with us for Christmas. They took us to Zoo lights, it was so fun! Gabe got to ride the bus to the zoo with uncle luke.

We waited in line for an hour to ride the train- the main attraction at zoo lights. Gabe loved it but almost fell asleep once we got on!

Gabe got to bake cookies too.

December

Lately I just cannot bring myself to blog. I want to, I enjoy reading everyone ele's I just cant do it! So I am starting small with pictures and a few words.

She's just beautiful. We made Christmas cookies. We got busier this holiday season then I had wanted/planned, however we did make time to do lots of things together. I made sure to dive in and make messes and enjoy their little flour covered hands (and my flour covered floors) several times leading up to Christmas.

Grace loves her ballet class. I've been a bit concerned because the class is so serious. There is no playing- the girls do not giggle and smile, but she actually seems to like the seriousness and learning all the skills they are teaching her. Maybe we have a ballerina on our hands! Either way she seems so mature and lovely!

The kids and I made a gingerbead (ghram cracker) house. My sweet boy. I let them try several pieces of candy, and then told Gabe not to eat any more candy. Sometimes Gabe doesn't listen. But here he was so cute, he really was trying not to eat the candy. He kept looking at me and saying "ok mommy" and then the candy would just float to his mouth like a magnet. He tried- it was cute.

Yay for messes!

My aunt liz took us all out to lunch one day for an ortament exchange/baby shower. It was so sweet! And look at this little sweater vest my cousin picked out for baby Judah. (Yep that's right I blogged it!- his name:)

My camera stinks. But grace helped Josh rake the millions of leaves in our backyard. She worked so hard, josh said she litterally was a huge help!