The Polar Express

My boys LOVE the movie The Polar Express! I am amazed at how they will sit mesmerized over and over again while watching it. We watch it the day after Thanksgiving and don't stop until Christmas! So this year we decided to take the boys to The Polar Express Train Ride in Calera, Alabama. Brian's brother Jim and his family live in Birmingham, so they went with us. It was GREAT! You ride the train while they read the book and sing Christmas carols. Then you stop at the North Pole and meet Santa and a few Elvs. Then you have cookies and chocolate milk! Who could not love that?!?! And did I mention that the kids wear their favorite Christmas pajamas? What FUN!! I hope we will make this a yearly tradition!

Waiting outside to board the train...Brian and Zack; Zeph Chandler and Alex

Zeph getting his ticket punched; Uncle Jim drew the short straw and had to sit with the wild indians!

Brian and the boys with their bells; family picture

Thanksgiving

I am very thankful that we live close enough that we get to visit with both sides of our family at Thanksgiving. We spend Thanksgiving day with Brian's family in Troy and then we spend the day after with my family in Montgomery. For as long as I can remember, my family has celebrated Thanksgiving the day AFTER. This may sound crazy but it works so well for us. I know a lot of people who are forced to choose between families or switch back and forth from year to year. Brian and I are so blessed that we don't have to deal with all that.

Quick funny story: We have a tradition with Brian's family that we always go to Mossy Grove to eat dinner on the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving. They give you corn bread and white beans as an "appetizer". Zeph is such a picky eater and would not touch the white beans. We were trying to convinve him to try one and he just wouldn't have any of it. So I said I'll give you five dollars if you'll eat one bean. He immediately stuck a bean in his mouth and grabbed his milk and downed it. Then he looked up at us and said "the milk chased the bean." The entire table died laughing and I PAID UP! I won't make that bet again!

Below are some pictures from our Thanksgiving this year.







Brian and Uncle Kenny carving the turkey.




How adorable is Zack? I could just eat him up. The other is Presley, Zeph and Zack playing the piano at Aunt Debra's house.

The Twilight Zone

Ok, so it has been a MONTH since my last post. Facebook has consumed most of my online time lately. That is sad, sad, sad I know. I have vowed to do a better job posting!

For a couple of months my friend Holly has been telling me that I have to read the Twilight book series. Yes, the books written for teenagers about vampires--that Twilight series. Well the whole vampire thing was not really appealing to me so I didn't really run out to get the books. But when the movie came out Holly and several others wanted to have a girls night out to see the movie. I'm all about a girls night out--no matter what movie we're seeing! So I tagged along NEVER expecting that I would LOVE the movie! I went to Target the very next day and bought the books! I say don't knock it until you read it! Below is a picture of the Twilight Gang.

Halloween with the Keys

Does anyone else but me remember when Halloween was just ONE day? You went trick or treating and it was over. That was that. Halloween with small children is now a week long event. We had a fun week, but it has been so busy. We haven't had a single night to just relax. Below are the highlights...

Sunday was the Fall Festival at our church. Zeph went as a pirate--a nice pirate, not a mean pirate he likes to say. Well thank goodness for that. I think he looks more like Christopher Columbus, but he was happy. Zack went as Nemo. Is that not the cutest Nemo you have ever seen?!?! Adorable! Look at that little tail!

Then Monday night the boys went to Bailey Grace's birthday party. It was appropriately a carnival and all the kids dressed up. There were balloon animals, games, face painting, the works. What a fun party! Happy Birthday Bailey Grace!

Birthday Girl Bailey Grace as Dorothy. You can't see her ruby red slippers!

Zack and his balloon sword with Ms. Kelsey.

I just put this picture in here because I know Holly will hate it! She will pay me back I am sure! :) Love you Holly!

Zeph with his painted face.

Then Friday was the Fall Festival at Zeph's school. They played games, got to jump in the Big Green Bus, went on a hayride and got MORE candy. Followed by Trick or Treating Friday night and MORE candy. All in all it was such a fun week!

Zeph throwing the football into the Auburn hole. I am thinking about disowning him.

Zeph playing pin the nose on the pumpkin.

While we were out trick or treating the boys finally just sat down on the curb. I think we were all pooped!

Rain...Rain...Beautiful Rain

This is a shout out to Aunt Jennifer. After Jen saw the post with Zeph wanting to play in the rain during the tropical storm, she bought Zeph a rain jacket and rain boots for his birthday. But is had not rained a day since he got them. He was just about to bust wanting to wear them. It FINALLY rained on Friday (thank you Lord for the wonderful rain). So Zeph got to wear his new rain jacket and rain boots. Adorable...Great gift Aunt Jen!

Trip to Disney

It has been a while since my last post, but we have been on vacation for the last week. We went to Disney and had a BLAST. It was so much fun. Zack probably won't remember the trip, but I wanted to take them when they were still young enough to believe in the magic. Actually, this was my first trip to Disney too. When we were walking down Main Street in the Magic Kingdom, I looked at Brian and said "It really is the happiest place on earth!" Brian just laughed. I am posting a few of my favorite pictures from the trip. We went to Epcot, Magic Kingdon twice, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom.

A little humor: We got back yesterday and today I had to go to the grocery store to get some "real" food. I took Zeph with me and as we were leaving I said "Zeph do you remember where we parked?". Without missing a beat he said "Goofy 44"!

Women of Faith Conference

This past weekend I went to the Women of Faith Conference in Atlanta with a group from my church. We had a blast! It is so easy to come up with excuses--I don't have time, I don't want to be away from the boys, the weekends are my only free time, etc. But my sweet friend Amy pretty much dragged a group of us by the necks and said "we're going". I'm so thankful that she did! Satan tried to derail my plans at the last minute, but God intervened and everything worked out. Not only do I feel refreshed in my walk, but I had a TON of fun with my buds. So the next time a friend says "Hey, want to go to that conference?", grab your Bible and hit the road for a great time with your Savior and your friends. Thanks Amy.