Reading with Daddy

One of Isabelle's favorite past times is reading with Daddy. She loves to lay on his belly and read Patrick's Dinosaurs. She tries to lay on my belly, but that is a bit impossible right now. (not that my belly is THAT big, well~~~~~yeah it is!!)

Samuel's Birthday!!

At the end of November we celebrated Samuel's birthday. (#7!!) I can't believe he is already that old. We are so thankful for our son and the ways God is working on his heart. He has a very tender spirit much like his daddy, and loves to talk to ANYBODY (also much like his daddy!!).

As usual we celebrated Samuel's birthday with a trip to Pizza King. It has seem to become our family tradition for birthdays. But really, who can beat our drinks coming out on the train, and a big pepperoni pizza? (We really DON'T eat pizza as much as it has appeared on our blog! I cook also, and something other than pizza!)

And birthday included ICE CREAM!! (No it is NEVER to cold for Ice Cream! Right Grammy?)

We all got into the festivities!

Samuel's birthday included celebrating with our families. Of course a certain Grammy took him to Chuck E Cheese. (that is where the crown came from) As a matter of fact he is STILL wearing the crown!!! And it included a cake with Lightening McQueen on it. (from the movie Cars)

Samuel's presents included a great tye from Uncle Scott and Aunt Rachel. Samuel couldn't wait to wear it!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We hope that you all had a great Thanksgiving. We enjoyed a wonderful time with my family, but had to miss out on the Croft Thanksgiving this year as it took place in D.C.!! We are so thankful for how God has blessed our family. We are also so thankful for our great friends, the Ferguson's, who kept our kids so that Brian and I could enjoy our trip to Chicago with my family. We love you all!

Happy Thanksgiving from the kids!

And from Gino's!! (I just noticed that lately I have had my picture taken with lots of pizza!!! Ahh, pregnancy)

Childress' Take On Chicago (along with two Crofts!)

My (Cara) family has a tradition of going to Chicago after Thanksgiving. Although we eat well on Thanksgiving Day, we just feel the need to make a weekend of it. We left Friday about noon (without kids) and arrived in Chicago for dinner. That wouldn't have been a problem except that we couldn't agree on where to eat! I have pictures of all of the restaurants we did not eat at, but for all of your sake, I won't publish them. We spend our days shopping/eating and our nights playing cards! It is a great time of bonding with my family. (sorry you weren't here this year Mike and Keena, we missed you!!) We are so excited about going every year that we talk all the way up there. (It even caused mom to miss a toll that she was suppose to pay!) We exhaust ourselves so much that we don't talk at all on the way home!! (Brian finally accepted it this year and brought a book to read on the way home!) Sorry honey, that's just the way my family functions!

Although we have to pay for most things in Chicago we did find one thing free this year---HUGS!!!! Yes, these people were passing out free hugs, and if you know my family you know we couldn't pass up this opportunity!!

We were thrilled to find out that Gino's (our top pizza choice for chicago) has reopened it's original location. We have many fond memories from that restaurant and is about the only place we can agree on to eat at in the city!

Here is just a sampling of the yummy pizza that we get to eat every year. We have talked about trying other places, but you just can't beat a big slice of chicago style deep dish pizza. (a childress family tradition from before I can remember.)

The other reason we love coming here is that the lights, the people, the atmosphere just gets you ready for Christmas.

The kids were excited to go to CiCi's and eat pizza with two of their favorite people. We all enjoyed a great time of fellowship over the weekend. Thanks for taking the time to come and visit Uncle Scott and Aunt Rachel!!!!

Pregnancy Fun~!!

Question: How do you make two pregnant women happy at the same time?
Answer: Take them to a pizza buffet!!!!
Yes, we enjoyed ALL that we could eat. (for the record, Scott ate more than both of us, and no they did not have to close the store by the time we were through!!)
It was a great weekend with Scott and Rachel and yes, it did include lots of meals!!

Shaving Cream Monster!!!

While trying to pass the time in between nap and Daddy coming home we decided to have some fun and play with shaving cream. The kids loved drawing pictures, writing words, making shapes and numbers in the shaving cream on the table. Samuel and Abby escaped the experience with nothing more than a messy hand. Isabelle however likes to fully experience everything!!! It took about a week before my kitchen stopped smelling like shaving cream, but hey it was great fun.

The Big Girls Get to Go to Tea!!

Yes, this is the same place my mom took Abby. This time she took me instead!! Also, my Auntie Joan, and my sister-in-law Jayne. We enjoyed a great day of fellowship and dressing up like we were kids. (do you ever get to old to dress up? I don't think so!!) And yes they had a dress to fit over my pregnant belly, just not a hoop skirt!

Reformation Party at church.

Every year instead of Halloween parties our church does a reformation party. The adults dress up in the time period of the reformation. But who knew the reformation also included batman, a train conductor, and several versions of cinderella?? Is that you Brian and Adam, or just Martin Luther and Erasmus?

Fall Leaves

This time of year can only mean one thing........Time to rake the leaves!!!! Yes, it is the joyous time of year where all of our neighbor's trees blow into our yard and leave us in a sea of leaves. With some hard work, (and the incentive of paying the kids well) we are able to get them cleaned up, at least for today!!!

Things that bring comfort.

Isabelle has always been one to "need" her blanket, especially when she is tired or upset. She has decided to be a big girl and wear underwear. However since I don't want to be up all night changing sheets I told her she has to wear a pull-up to bed. If she can't wear her underwear than she can sleep with her underwear! (yes eventually we will have to break her of this habit, at least before she is married!) I guess whatever it takes to make her feel secure! (she woke me up at 3 am one morning because she had lost her underwear during the night, we found them and she went right back to sleep!!!!! AAAHHH toddlers.)

Princess or Jedi Warrior?

I usually post about everybody else so I have to include Isabelle from time to time. Her favorite past time is dressing up. She loves to pretend to be any princess, however her other favorite past time is playing swords with Samuel. Maybe she won't turn out so "girly" after all!!

10 years of bliss. (well in December it will be!!)

Brian and I had the great opportunity to get away to celebrate, a little early, our 10 year anniversary. We both were overwhelmed as we reflected back on how good God has been to bring us to this point in our lives. It was great to reflect on how much we have grown spiritually, and in our marriage. It was also great to reflect on those of you who have been there alongside us. I had to put this picture in here. 10 years and he is still so cute!

My one request for the weekend was a good steak dinner. It is the one thing that I crave and am not able to eat often. The only place close to us was Ruby Tuesday's. The steak was excellent as were the coconut shrimp! I was a very happy pregnant woman.

Dinner was so good at Ruby Tuesdays that we went back the next night for dessert. To answer your question, no I did not eat ALL of that by myself. Brian did his fair share to help finish it off!

We did more than just eat. (although I would have been happy with that!) We played tennis and then ate, we played golf and then ate, we napped and then ate!

Here is the beautiful hole 4 on the course we played. We had a perfect day with perfect weather. It was a great way to spend our last day together before heading home.

What do you do when you don't play as well as you like? Have fun anyway. (Abby said that his cartwheel was not very good!! What do you think?)

The Art of Eating a Hot Wing! (as illustrated by J.Brian Croft

Here we are at one of our favorite restaurants. We ate here when we were on our honeymoon so it is only fitting that this be the first stop on our anniversary trip. Nothing like hotwings to start a car ride off with! Brian has informed me that there is a certain procedure to eating these so he wanted to demonstrate for the uninformed!

Here is a beautiful picture of one of the finer foods in our marriage. The Chicken Wing. (ordered medium spicy since we had 3 more hours in the car together.)

First you pull out the little bone. A simple twist and pull and it comes out clean.

Digging in to pull out the other bone!

And the big bone came out clean too! Still a pro after 10 years of marriage and not as much practice as he had in college. It is kind of like riding a bike.

Now all that is left to do is eat them!!

Ok, so I enjoy them too!! (that and fried pickles. can you tell I'm pregnant?)

Abby and Baby Kate

While Beth and Greg were here we got to spend time with them and their newest addition!

AND THE BABY IS A ..............

Well, after a long day of waiting we were able to have our ultrasound tonight. The baby is doing well and everything looks good at this point. After many looks it seems that we are having another girl. I had the technician check several times, so did Samuel. He is sad but has recovered somewhat. He still says we are having a boy, but it looks pretty doubtful. There is always a small chance, but we are all preparing ourselves for a girl. (at least we have plenty of clothes.) We are setting up a wedding fund if anyone would like to donate? (and I think Samuel is willing to trade a sister for a brother.)

Birthdays continued!!

We have had a great time celebrating Abby's birthday. On her birthday we went to her favorite restaurant, Pizza King. Then the next weekend for her party we went to the zoo for family movie night. There were many church members who were also able to come and help celebrate her birthday and watch the movie Cars. It was a great birthday and we are thankful for the 5 years God has given us with her.
Aren't the cupcakes cute? Yup, I made them myself! (well, I had some help making them, but I decorated them myself!! Thanks Ferguson ladies for all your help!!!)


The evening was capped off with a cupcake eating contest! Who could eat one whole cupcake in one bite without making a mess? The winner- suprisingly enough, Brian is very neat when it comes to cupcake shoving. It is an art. (nope this isn't his first time! Did you know he was so talented?)

Abby turns 5!!! Happy Birthday

These pictures are from Abby's first birthday party. (yes birthdays are almost an all month event between the families and friends!) I will have more pictures to come. This is her favorite present so far. It is a My Twin Doll. Grammy sent her picture in and they made the doll to look like her. I think it worked, what do you think?

They even have matching clothes! (yes it is creepy to walk in and see them both in Abby's bed at night. The doll's eyes don't close and I keep thinking she is going to come to life and kill us all. Or maybe that was me watching to many horror movies in high school.) Notice Isabelle is not far behind! She is stalking Abby waiting for her to put the doll down so she can play with it. So far she has not had any luck.

Homeschool Week 4- Tennis

Yes, Samuel has lost ANOTHER tooth!! At this rate we are going to have to puree all of his food!! (no, he still eats just fine!!!!!)






All the kids got in on the action this week. Yes, they play soccer, they do gymnastics, who needs socialization?!?!?!? Even Isabelle tried to play some!

Samuel's first soccer practice

Samuel is so excited to be playing soccer for the first time this fall. Here he practicing his yearbook pose with his tough soccer face! (I know he still looks like a nice kid trying to be scary!!!)

This is his first practice with the team.
And this is his friend Laithe. Laithe and his family come to our church and had signed up for soccer at the same place we did. How surprised were we to find out they had been put on the same team!!! They are practicing their soccer faces here. (Hey intimidation is part of the game right?)

Homeschool Week 3- SCIENCE!!!

This week the kids started their science curriculum. They are studying weather. However the first lesson was on the earth and how there are laws of nature. In the pictures the kids are demonstrating the second law of thermodynamics which is all objects tend to come to a state of rest. (what this has to do with weather I do not know!!!!) But the kids had fun anyway. The kids touch the ball to their noses and then once they let go the ball never touches them again.


I agree with that law except when it comes to kids!! Here is Isabelle disproving the second law of thermodynamics!!!! (I don't know if she ever rests!!!!) She is also pretending to be a gymnist!!