The Holidays starting with the end

I can't believe that the holidays are over. The last few months have been a whirlwind. I was very busy at the end of the year. I am so blessed to be given the opportunity to do something that I love to do. I am learning and growing every time I pull out my camera. I had an amazing year last year with starting and growing my business. I am really looking forward to next year and what it brings for my business. Brian has also been thrilled with his new job. He is also challenged daily. He told me the other day that even if he won the lottery, he would still do this job. How blessed are we to be doing things that we love?

We did a lot of traveling for Baptism, Thanksgiving, football games and unfortunately for the funeral for Brian's Aunt. She was a wonderful aunt, mother, and friend and she is missed by all of us.

Brian also had surgery two days before Christmas. I call it the case of the gallbladder that grew back. In February, he had his gallbladder removed. It had been 10 months and he was still having pain. With numerous trips to the ER, CT scans they discovered a softball size blood clot in the space where his gallbladder was. He had it partially drained with no relief of the pain. We decided to seek a second opinion at the beginning of December. The surgeon suggested that he go in and take out the hematoma. When he went in, he found a lot of scar tissue or adhesions all in the area of the last surgery. Brian's liver was attached to his abdominal wall by the the adhesions. This was not normal and he felt this was the source of the pain. Brian is recovering well and I hope this is the last of the gallbladder that grew back.

We had a wonderful Christmas. Brian was able to participate in most everything except Mass on Christmas Eve, but Grandma and Pops were able to celebrate with us. In the midst of all of this, Carter is potty trained!!! No more diapers!!!! I had decided at the beginning of the school year when Carter had started showing interest in the potty, that we would potty train over the Christmas holidays since we had 2 weeks off of school. I was worried that Brian's surgery would put a kink in the plan, but it didn't. He is doing great! Although, last week Jase and Nana took Madison and Carter to the movies. He did great during the movie, asking to go potty and using it twice. After the movie they were playing in the arcade and Carter looked at Jase and said "I need go poo poo". Mom took Carter and ran to the bathroom. Carter couldn't make it and little poo poo pellets were following him in a trail to the bathroom. Poor Jase (who may never have children after dealing with mine) ran behind him picking them up! Too funny!!!!

Madison also made a big accomplishment this week. She got some new books that are beginners for reading and she can read 3 of them. I am so proud.

We were blessed to be able to spend lots of time with family this Christmas (I will post more pics later). We also had a white Christmas! I love to look at the snow from the inside, but I don't like to out in it. Since Brian was out of commission, I had to take the kids outside this year. I managed a new record of 23 minutes, before the crying started with Carter getting frost bite on his hands, where the snow had gone into his gloves and Madison had dog poop all over her glove while she was trying to build a snowman. I did however get a few fun pictures. Chole was a big fan of the snow. She loved running around and throwing it up in the air. The kids got a kick out of putting snow on her and making her a "snowdog".

I am updating the Ellis Avery Photography website and I took some pictures with my model. I thought I would share a couple. I know I am biased, but she looks so sweet here.

A Christmas Card photo shoot

I attempted to have a shoot for us to get pictures for our Christmas Card. It went okay. Madison was wonderful posing, but Carter didn't want to have anything to do with it. I didn't like the ones of me in any of them, but they will have to do. There isn't any more bribing I can do for them to do it again!

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween! I hope that everyone had a wonderful Halloween. Madison and Carter aka Jessie and Woody had a blast. Other than the fact Carter didn't take a nap all weekend and was done by the time we went trick or treating we had a good time. We went over to our friend's Bella and Cole's house this year. We were in a parade and ate a yummy dinner and then headed out to trick or treat. We had a slight scare though. Carter got into a Butterfinger and had a major allergic reaction. We didn't have to go to the hospital, but it scared us quite a bit. Our night abruptly ended with us going home to take showers after Carter threw up all over me. He was fine after a couple doses of Benadryl and made for a real "scary" Halloween night.

Wild West.... Yee Haw

My little cowboy and cowgirl had wild west at school yesterday. They went on a hay ride, ate smores and beenie weenies, rode horses and square danced. They looked so cute! All day long they went around saying YEE HAW!

Yes, I am back (for the moment)

It is getting pretty pitiful that I have to apologize every time I post for not posting in so long. We have been so busy! I have been so busy with my business (you can check out my latest shoots on Ellis Avery Photography Facebook page (nice plug,huh!)) which is great. We have enjoyed football games, friends, church, baby showers, a trip to the lake (see the next post), school, and much more. I can't believe that Halloween is almost here and then before you know it, Santa will be here! It is crazy how fast this fall has gone by.

Everyone is doing great, just an occasional sniffle here and there, but we have not been sick since Madison got her tonsils out. What a difference we had already been on about 6 rounds of antibiotics last fall by this time.

Like I said the business is going great, Brian is loving his new job and is starting to slow down for the year. Madison and Carter are growing up so fast. Carter is saying so much now, still broken sentences but we are actually conversating. He copies everything that Madison does and says. She sometimes gets frustrated with him, but for the most part she is pretty tolerant of it. I tell her he looks up to her and it is the best compliment to have him want to be like her. She has used that to her advantage by telling him to do something bad so he gets in trouble instead of her.

Madison is doing great with her letters (reading and writing) and can tell me what words start with. She is very interested in the human body, she loves to hear about muscles, organs, bones, veins, and babies (of course) she might take after me and go into the medical field. She wants to be a mom so bad. Here is a recent condensed version of a conversation we had:

Madison: Can you help me find a husband?

Mandy: One day when you are much older, I would be glad to help you find a husband.

Madison: Because I need a husband to have a baby.

Mandy: Yes you certainly do.

Madison: First I will have to go to college and I will live up in Athens so I don't have to drive far to the Georgia games and you and Daddy can come and stay with me, just for the games, but I know that you won't sleep good and you will want to go home and sleep in your own bed.

Mandy: Yes, I probably will. Yes you will go to college first, then get married, and then a baby.

Madison: I will ask Carter to move in with me so he can take care of my baby when I go to the Georgia game.

Mandy: That will be a great idea.

Over the summer at VBS her nametag said "Maddie". All week everyone called her Maddie. On Thursday after being there all week she tells the teen helper "I am not Maddie, I am Madison". She has been on a big kick about her name being Madison and not Maddie. We were leaving school the other day and her friends Riley and Katie yelled "bye Maddie". She yelled back "girls we talked about this, it is Madison". Oh boy.

When I was on bedrest when I was pregnant with Carter Brian had a melt down one day because he was basically a single parent trying to work and run the house. He got frustrated and said "I am only one man"! It became a big joke and we say it all the time. The other day I was telling Carter to get his shoes on and he says, "I one man". Oh no, I have double trouble, two Brian's, too much!

Hugs

Copy Cats

My sweet and very energetic girls

Madison playing hair salon with Chloe, yes that is my brush

I ONE MAN!

Lake Trip

At the end of September we ventured to the lake with the entire Riley clan. We had a wonderful week of boat rides, swimming, playing and just hanging out. All of the Riley's were there at some point during the week and it was so good to see everyone. Thank you so much to Grandma and Pops for a wonderful week full of memories that we will cherish.