Merry Christmas!

Breakfast with Santa at the McCart's house

Savannah and Vince on Christmas Day

December has come and gone like a whirl-wind! We have had some wonderful days this month, and lots of rain too...lots of crazy weather. We made a gingerbread house, went to a breakfast with Santa, visited Santa at the Macon Mall and at Bass Pro Shop, made Christingles at church, lit the advent candle at church on Christmas Eve, and enjoyed having friends/neighbors over for dinner.

Mrs. Goodman and Dr. Clark reading Savannah "Twas the Night Before Christmas" on Christmas Eve

Santa brought the kids three things each (just as the Wisemen brought to the baby Jesus). Vince received a basketball goal, tricycle, and a truck with a trailer. Savannah received an Alabama t-shirt, a Leapster 2, and some Leapster games. G-Mama came to town and we did a little bit of shopping and lots of cooking! We are looking forward to a trip to NC to visit the rest of the family. Happy New Year, we wish you a prosperous and happy 2010.

Updated Church Family Photo

It's been over 5 yrs since our church picture has been updated for the bulletin board, and we finally had a new one taken! The last one was when Savannah was about 4 months old! We have had computer issues over the past few weeks so I apologize for not updating the blog any sooner than now. We hope to have some wonderful pictures from Christmas morning in the next few days. In the meantime, our new picture will have to be a place saver. Merry Christmas!

Thanksgiving In Macon

Gary, Lin, and Wilson

G-Mama, Honey (Aunt Jean), and Jordan

What a wonderful Thanksgiving in Macon! Lin, Wilson, and G-Mama came to visit on Tuesday and the rest of the family (Hal and Mark, Jordan, Honey and Uncle Harold, and Uncle Gary) all joined us on Wednesday afternoon. Everyone pitched in and cooked a dish for the Thanksgiving meal and we had beautiful weather here. The kids had a blast with their cousins, aunt and uncle, and "grand/greats".

As an ongoing Thanksgiving tradition, I was sick! It seems that I only get sick when I go on vacation or the week of Thanksgiving. Evidently, Vince and Savannah both had a stomach bug that attacked me on Wednesday and Thursday. Definately a week to remember with my shoulder manipulation on Monday, a fender bender on Tuesday (not our fault), and then the bug on Wed and Thurs. Goodness!

I hope you and your families had a great holiday. It's hard to believe that Christmas is just around the corner. We are pulling for the Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship tomorrow! ROLL TIDE ROLL!

Halloween Fun

We went to the Fall Festival at Forest Hills Methodist Church on Sunday night and Savannah had a great time. Vince had fun (AKA Dumbo), but wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. He didn't understand Trunk-Or-Treating, but he did spy the pumpkin patch across the parking lot, so he and I spent some time over there.

Vince had his Halloween Party today at school (Martha Bowman United Methodist Church) and he was dressed like Thomas the Tank Engine. I will add some more after the Trunk Or Treating at Martha Bowman on Saturday evening and I hope to get some of Vince in the pumpkin patch too.

Fall Break

We enjoyed a nice, long weekend in Charlotte for Savannah's fall break. We left after school on Thursday and stayed in Charlotte until Columbus Day. Jeff and I were able to go to the Panthers vs. Redskins game on Sunday afternoon and we thoroughly enjoyed that. Thanks to Grandad (aka Jeff's dad) for the tickets. We tailgated with my brother and his friends pre-game. The kids stayed with G-Mama and watched the game on tv.

We went to Newton to visit Great Grandaddy and the kids enjoyed seeing him.

Season Opener Tonight!

The kids are already decked out in their new Bama shirts, thanks to the Wrights in Tuscaloosa! Vivian, thanks so much for sending the shirts...here's our unofficial "thank you" and a shout-out to you. Jeff heads to Atlanta this afternoon for the game tonight in the Georgia Dome. Have a wonderful and relaxing Labor Day weekend. Roll Tide Roll!

Two Down, Eighteen to Go!

Just after the extraction...

Savannah lost her second baby tooth last night. After I promised her Dairy Queen if she let us pull her tooth, she was more willing to co-operate. The toothfairy brought her another "golden dollar" and a quarter to go along with it. When asked how much the toothfairy left her, she replied 125 cents!

Cash for Clunkers

When Cash For Clunkers was announced this summer, we started thinking about getting a new car for me. We still had the 1994 Ford Explorer that I bought after graduation from college. It went from being the "good car" that we used for trips to the spare car that we used in a pinch.

Savannah was very upset that we were considering selling "toot toot chugga chugga" (from a Wiggles tune), but really lost it when we told her that we were selling the red car AND my silver mini-van. She wanted me to keep the silver Dodge Grand Caravan until she got married and moved out! We had 89,000 miles on the minivan and 170,000 miles on the Explorer, so we figured that we would go on and sell them both. We chose the 2010 Honda Odyssey EX-L and we love it so far!

Vince in the new car. We didn't get a chance to take a picture of the exterior, but I will this week!

Sibling Love

Savannah and Vince before church this morning
Savannah climbed into Vince's crib during naptime yesterday

He was sound asleep, but she was playing possum in this picture.

She did try to go to sleep though!

Savannah loves playing with Vince. Vince adores Savannah and wants to do everything that she does! He often times comes through the house wearing her beads around his neck, but so far we have dodged the bullet of her dressing him up in her princess outfits. They enjoy hanging out and watching tv in the mornings and playing in the shower.

Vince has his 18 month checkup in the morning and will get a several shots. Savannah continues to enjoy school and likes wearing a school uniform each day. It sure does make it easy to get her dressed in the mornings!

Savannah's First Day of Kindergarten!

Vince is checking out Savannah's new book bag
Savannah and her velcro Sketchers

While this would usually be a pretty big deal, it wasn't for Savannah since she was enrolled at Sonny Carter last year for Pre-K. She does have to wear a uniform this year.she has a shorter "rest" time during the day, and she will eat breakfast in the cafeteria with the other students, not her entire class after the school day starts. Savannah went to Open House on Wednesday night and saw some of her pre-k friends and gave Miss Elton a HUGE hug (her pre-k teacher) and she met her new teacher and a few of her classmates. Jeff took her to school this morning and she went through the carpool line, just like she did last year! It's hard to believe that the summer is already over, we had such a wonderful time!

Lots of Fun in North Carolina!

The kids and I have been staying very busy while we have been in Charlotte. Savannah participated in Vacation Bible School at Sardis Presbyterian (the church that I grew up in) and they did an end of the week program. They have already announced the dates for next summer and she has already informed me that she plans to come back for it!

Savannah with Paul and Brutus from the Underground Church

G-Mama had a birthday on July 21 and Savannah asked her how old she was turning. Her reply was "35" and Savannah said "Mom, you are older than G-Mama!" She then asked her Great Uncle how old he was (Uncle Harold) and he said "39", and Savannah said "that's the same age as my dad!"

G-Mama with Savannah, Vincey, and Wilson

We have been to the indoor water park (Ray's Splash Planet) and the JCC with Davis and Mary Grace. We joined Shanna McCollum Tucker and her older boys at the Monroe Aquatics Center, and went out to her house for dinner one night. The kids loved playing outside and Savannah enjoyed riding the 4-wheeler with Hunter (Shanna's youngest son).

Vince trying to play with a ball at the JCC

Savannah on the Lazy River at Ray's Splash Planet

Savannah, Luke, and Blake at the Monroe Aquatics Center

Savannah and Hunter at Shanna's house

Savannah stayed with Nana and Grandaddy for the weekend while Vincey stayed with G-Mama in Charlotte, and I went to the mountains with longtime friends Leigh Long Kugler and Rebecca Sweeney Anderson. We had a great time, and it was a nice break for me to be kid-less.

We went to visit Aunt Crissy at work and were able to meet Eli

Our First Weekend in North Carolina

Savannah and Great Grandaddy

Jeff Stewart Sr (Great Grandaddy) and IV (Vincey)

Savannah and Vince playing in the car

We decided to leave out of Macon around 3pm on Friday, and we arrived at G-Mama's house around 8:30. The kids did wonderfully in the car. A stop in Madison, GA for a snack and a stop in Commerce, GA for the bathroom, and that was it! Both kids slept for about 45 minutes, just not at the same time.

Saturday morning Uncle Gary, Aunt Lin, and Wilson came over to visit. Savannah was very excited to meet her newest cousin! She entertained him by making silly faces and playing with him on the floor. Wilson (6 wks) and me

Thomas was helping Savannah pick the best squash!

Today we went to Sardis Presbyterian for church and for Savannah to see the VBS set-up. She is excited to be going to VBS at G-Mama's church this week and to see many of her new friends in town. After church, we drove to Newton, NC to visit Great Grandaddy. We picked some okra, squash, and cucumbers from his garden and Savannah is looking forward to fresh vegetables tonight for dinner. Great Grandaddy is doing well and we were all glad to see and visit with him.