Deck the Halls

Last night we decorated the Christmas tree. It feels so early (tomorrow is just December 1st) but our neighborhood has a Christmas tour every year and it is next weekend...so it has to be done by then! A friend of mine said she drove by and could see us decorating our tree and that we looked like such a cute family. Glad they couldn't hear me saying "Don't touch that ornament." or "If you break that I am going to have to beat you." I am pleased to report that all the ornaments safely found their perfect spot on the tree! Today Mary Reese and I worked on the outside. We got 3 Magnolia wreaths made and the garland hung around the door but then I hit the creative wall! Maybe tomorrow or Sunday I will be more inspired then I will post those pictures! Also, Monday night we will be riding in the Eloise and Henry float in the Christmas Parade. Hope to see you there!!!

Pirates and Princesses

Yo Ho and Once Upon A Time we had a Pirate and Princess party for Banks' 5th Birthday and Mary Reese's 3rd Birthday! We had all our friends over for dinner, cake and ice cream! It was a cold and drizzling afternoon so Sarah Laine was sweet enough to let us borrow her bouncy house for the sun room (thank goodness the couch had not come in). After cake and ice cream, we busted 2 pinatas! I always LOVE to see the kids diving for all the candy. We gave out Pirate Treasure Chest cookies and Princess Crown cookies as party favors to all our friends. We had so much fun at out party...we hope you did too!

Happy Holiday!!!

Murphree Family as elves

Happy Thanksgiving

We hope everyone has a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving. We hope everyone has lots of delicious and delightful food to eat. Here is a picture of Mar Mar helping Debbie mix up the dressing. Do you think we have enough?

Switched at Birth…kind of

I did the look-a-like meter like on my brother/sister-in-law’s and Jennie-Marie’s blog and found the results quite interesting especially since everyone says Banks is a mini-Jody and Mary Reese is a mini-Andrea. When I did Banks compared to Jody and myself, it said 21% more like Jody and then equal when I did different pictures. Then I did Mary Reese thinking it would be about the same results except in my favor…well it came up an equal mix both times. Then I got to thinking about Mary Reese. I always say she is my sister’s child brought to me by mistake (only when she is acting sassy or bossy though)…so I did her compared to Stacey and Jody. The meter said she looked more like Stacey by 6%. Then I compared me, Mary Reese and Stacey…guess what it said???

I have been right all along! Stacey, I will have her bags packed to go home with her real mommy after Thanksgiving! Just Kidding!!! I love you Mary Reese.

School Lunches and the Turnip Green Patch

Banks Murphree had a busy weekend! Friday at his school was Alabama/Auburn Day, his day to bring snack and Thanksgiving Lunch. We got to eat Thanksgiving Lunch (at 10:15 AM) with Banks at his school. He was so proud to be the line leader that day! Of course, I had to pack his lunch because he didn’t want the Thanksgiving meal BUT Mary Reese yummed it up! I will have to admit, the lunch wasn’t half bad…it was just SO early. Yesterday, he went with Debbie and Pat Smithson to my Uncle Steve’s turnip patch in the country (Somerville) where he picked a “mess” of turnips and radishes. As soon as he got home, he very lovingly washed his pickings (in the bathroom sink)! I cooked the turnip greens late last night and will let him try them tonight. We’ll see how he likes them! It always amazes me that the pot is overflowing when you start and barely full when they are finished!

We got the final pieces of furniture moved in this weekend (except for the couch on order). Our house is finally starting to look like a home. I have some pictures left to hang and we are swapping out all of the light fixtures on Wednesday! We hope everyone has a wonderful and safe Turkey Day...eat lots!!!!

Dip-a-dee-doo-dah

The art of the “Dip-a-dee-doo-dah” hairstyle started when Banks was a baby and he has passed that skill down to his sister. They always think it is hilarious and get so tickled at each other…well last night was no exception!

We closed on the new house 1 week ago today and we have enjoyed every minute there! They love to take a bath in my new whirlpool bathtub/small baby pool. I love it because it has one of those shower sprays which makes washing their hair and rinsing them off a breeze! The entire Murphree family has also enjoyed getting back to eating dinner at our house. Mary Reese says every afternoon that she wants to eat dinner at our new house…even she was tired of eating out! Hopefully this weekend I can get the remaining room unboxed and all the pictures hung on the walls! Time is flying…2007 is almost gone! Honestly, I can’t believe Thanksgiving is next week (but I am ready for all the delightful food). Before you know it…it will be Christmas morning…and I haven’t even started shopping. YIKES!!!!

Happy Birthday Mary Reese!

Today is Mary Reese’s 3rd Birthday! The party started on Friday when Kristi Villarreal Borden (our old babysitter) came and got her and took her back to Corinth, Mississippi for the weekend. Kristi, Chad, Miss Johnnye, Mr. Norman and Miss Vonda planned a birthday weekend complete with a trip to Toys-r-us and a birthday cake! At Toys-r-us, she picked out some Barbie high heeled shoes that light up and play Here Comes the Bride and Disney Princess make-up. Kristi said she wore her new Barbie shoes to church on Sunday. Sunday night, we had all the grandparents and Uncle Christopher over for hot dogs, pink iced cupcakes and ice cream (It was our first “dinner party” in the new house). Mary Reese got a new Princess TV, Barbie cash register and Holly Hobbie DVD. She was THRILLED!

I spent the weekend unpacking and organizing! All I have left is the guest bedroom (which is full of boxes from the attic and random stuff from the upstairs of the old house), the basement, the garage and the hanging of the pictures!

Just around the corner!

Officially…yesterday we became homeowners again! The new house is just around the corner from our old house. After closing, we immediately started moving closets and the children’s toys. They were ecstatic when they ran upstairs and all their toys were neatly put away in the toy closet and their clothes were organized in their new closets! We also got all the art and lamps moved and most of the stuff out of the kitchen. The Orrs and their 4 kids came by last night to get their last load. It was wonderful to hear all 6 kids tearing through the house having the best time! Their youngest two are the same age as Banks and Mary Reese…so a big time was had by all! I hardly slept a wink last night, I guess I was excited and anxious about today. I kept going over furniture placement and listing all the things that need to be moved in my head. The movers are coming in a few hours to get the big stuff. It will really feel real when they get all the furniture moved over and the beds set up! I wish I was like Samantha from Bewitched and could just twitch my nose and it all be done!

Renting and Peanut M&Ms

We are officially RENTERS of our house, which is extremely weird! We closed this afternoon on our Canal Street house and the new owner was nice enough to let us rent it until we can close and move into the new house. On a side note, the girl who bought our house is nominated for a Grammy (Best Contemporary Blues Album). Her competition…Eric Clapton. Kind of cool (especially for our small town), huh??? You can check out her website at http://www.michellemalone.com/. Then on Wednesday afternoon we close on Oak Street and on Thursday morning, the movers come! It should be a fun filled week! Please say a little prayer that everything continues to go smoothly and that the children adjust easily to the new house. Also this weekend…Mary Reese decided she liked wearing big girl panties and using the big girl potty! We were even brave and didn’t wear a diaper to the Decatur/Austin Football game! Taking a little girl to a public restroom is totally different than taking a little boy! She did great all weekend with realizing when she needed to go to the bathroom and letting us know that she needed an M&M after she went (I bribed Banks with York Peppermint Patties…her candy of choice is Peanut M&Ms)! At this rate, we might even be potty trained by her birthday. Way to go Mar Mar!