Home Days

We have been staying close to home most days lately. That has been quite an adjustment for these Boys that are used to having more outings and activities, but Mommy requires close proximity to the couch right now. Thankfully, I have been blessed with such good Boys that, for the most part, play great together (at least until the tackling begins!). It helps when Yaya provides extra-fun new things to entertain us!

This is our Color Me House! It comes in a flat box, so we set to work constructing it.

The Boys could hardly wait to start decorating the outside...

...and even the inside! Creative juices flowed for several hours! as the Boys planned and colored and played and pretended in their wonderful house.

We were parched after all that fun! What better way to quench one's thirst than some yummy hot chocolate?

What a great day! I got to lay down quite a bit while the Boys had an absoute blast.

And the Color Me House lives on! Stay tuned for the most recent developments to our establishment.

Trimming Our Tree

Thankfulness Poems

I must admit, Baby #3 is calling all the shots right now. Since I am feeling like death warmed over most of the time, many Thanksgiving craft opportunities have sadly passed us right on by. We did manage to work on thankfulness poems in school one day. Each Boy gave a free-flowing list of what they were most grateful to God for. As you can see, our blessings are abundant and we are all so thankful to the Giver of all good things!

Thankful

by Noah

"I am thankful for

Daddy

O-WEN!

Mommy

ME!

school

Oliver and Clayton

Mimi and Gongi

Gigi and Papa

Gramps and Yaya

mimis (pacis)

that we get to go to soccer games."

I'm with Nosy...so thankful for the godly, influential leaders God has placed in his life to impact him as he grows up. And where would we be without our beloved mimis? Sleepless, for sure!

Thankful

by Owen

"I am thankful for

how funny and smart God made me

how creative I am

our family

Gramps and Yaya

Gigi and Papa

our toys

how fast and strong I am

that we are going to have a new baby

the birds that fly in the sky and the whole world

EVERYTHING!"

Clearly, the Boy lacks no self-esteem. Cracks me up! I am so thankful God made you just the way He did, too, Owie.

Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart

We have so much to be thankful for every single day. Near the top of my grateful-to-God-for list? The fact that our entire family lives within a 30 minute drive and we get to live day-in, day-out life with them. I love experiencing the little things with people I love so much.

And then there are the holidays...the bustling, busy, full of fun and too much delicious food holidays. We wouldn't miss seeing everyone on every holiday!

We started Thanksgiving off at Gramps and Yaya's home where Yaya had a surprise waiting for the Boys.

Every year, around the 15th of December, I think to myself, "I would really like to get the Boys the Little People Nativity to play with during the Christmas season." Of course, by the time that thought enters my brain, they are sold out everywhere. Lo and behold! Yaya surprised us with one! Hooray!

Squeezes for Yaya

Sadly, these are my only photos from the Cody Thanksgiving. I spent the rest of our visit stuffing my pregnant self full of mashed potatoes and gravy. YUM!


After naps, we headed to Julianne and Rob's home for round 2.

Maddie, Nosy, Mia, O and Ally

Loving on Baby Elliot

Gigi brought all the supplies to make potato turkeys. Such fun! Will was very proud of his!

We had such a wonderful day, surrounded by the people we love most and remembering the blessings God has graciously poured out on us. My heart is so grateful.

Excuses, Excuses

Owen: "Mommy, we're going to China today. We're going to China so we can't do school. We will be there until lunch time."

:-)

Bigness

Nosy: "Mommy, am I big?"

Me: "Yes, you're big, Honey."

N: "O-WEN! O-WEN!! Yes, I am big. Mommy told me I am!"

Murmuring to himself: "Owie told me I'm not, but I AM..."

The funny thing is that Nosy actually outweighs O as of this week. The boy is HUGE, in the 100% for weight and 98% for height. It won't be long before Noah figures out how to use his size to his advantage over his sometimes over-powering Big Brother.

Announcement

Can you hear me squealing? We have a very important announcement to make here at the House of Halpin. I think these two Guys are the best ones to spread the news:

(Noah will actually be 3 1/2 when the baby is born, not 4 1/2 like O said.)

We are all thrilled and are already anxiously awaiting Baby #3's arrival, which will be around July 2nd. Noah, especially, has been super sweet and often asks if he can sit by the baby when he climbs up in my lap. I can't wait to make him a big brother. He will be terrific!

Here's a sneak peak at the little Guy (I am already positive it is a Boy and I couldn't be more excited about that fact!):

Okay, so he looks remarkably like a cornish hen at this point, but I still think he's cute!

What a miracle! God has been so faithful to us and has answered our prayers. We have been seeking His perfect will concerning this for a very long time.

"Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart...Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him." Ps 37: 4, 7

A Bunch of Posers

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...and that means something quite important for the extended Halpin Family. Christmas Card Photos. Every year, it is Gigi's dream to capture the perfect Christmas card to properly show off her children and grandchildren. She is quite proud of this big, crazy family we have been so blessed to be a part of. But getting a great picture of all of us is no small challenge!

The patriarch and matriarch. That makes them sound so elderly! Let's just call them Gigi and Papa.

We always snap a few photos of each family while we're in the mode.

Such handsome Halpin Boys

The sweet Amezcua bunch

My crazies!

All NINE grandchildren...with two more to be added in the next year or so! I love being part of such a big fam with so many little ones to love on!

Three generations of Halpin men

Aaawww. Love this one!

A fairly decent family pic, which is so hard to come by!

The whole crew.

I truly think it is the best picture we've ever had out of the seven years we've been doing this. And we only used a tripod. Pretty great!

Thoughts on Growing Up

O: "I think I'll grow up next Fall."

Me: "What will you do then?"

O: "I will do whatever God asks me to do! Maybe I could do what the other people are too tired to do. Like I could go to Ninevah for Jonah!"

LOVE that Boy...who is already growing up way too fast!

Game Day

Oh the anticipation! We could hardly wait! In fact, it was necessary to craft a paper chain to count down the days...the days until Game Day. UT played Baylor in Waco this year, and through connections at work, Jeremy was able to score us four very reasonably priced tickets. To say the Boys (all THREE of them!) were pumped would be an understatement!

We set out for Waco bright and early Saturday morning.

Ready for the game to start!

Cutie Pie

Spending some time on Mommy's lap

Nosy had everyone seated around us in laughter because of his unique method of showing his team support. He really believes he's doing hook 'em.

Half time show

Owen loved the bands and lists the performances high among his favorite parts of the day. Nosy? As soon as the band walked out on the field, he said, "Who are they? Where is the football?!" The Boy is serious about his sports!

A little action. Thankfully, Texas blew Baylor away, so we had lots of opportunities to cheer.

Walking back to the car. I don't think Noah was excited to be leaving!

What a wonderful day spent with my Guys!

Season End

Sadly, soccer season must come to an end sometime. I was a little thankful, what with the early darkness and chilly temps setting in, but Owie and Noah were sad to see the season end.

We arrived at the park a few minutes early before our last practice to have some football fun with Daddy.

Nosy never caught on that he was not a part of the big boy soccer team. Today, when he was asked to stay by the side lines, the little toot plopped right down in the center of the field and refused to move. I had to forcefully remove him, kicking and screaming.

Even though the Green Hornets never won a game, O's soccer skills definitely improved through the season.
Dribbling the ball

Breaking away to score

Having the time of his life!

We aren't going to be at our last game because we'll be in Waco cheering the TX Longhorns on to victory, but little Boys are already eagerly looking forward to next season!

Hung

Remember these from last Spring? They are pictured at the very end of this post. Well, I finally got them matted and hung, and I am so happy with how they turned out! They have just the antique-y feeling I was hoping for.

Happy Six Years!

Happy Anniversary, Babe! I am so blessed to be living life with you. My love for you just keeps growing and growing. I can't wait to see what the Lord has for us in the future. I know it will be wonderful with you by my side.

Tradition

I love traditions. They provide stability and precious memories throughout the growing up years. They can be counted on and anticipated all year long.

One tradition I love is visiting Mimi and Gongi (Jeremy's godmothers) for Halloween. All the Halpin/Amezcua cousins excitedly don their costumes and treck over to Mimi and Gongi's for the big reveal. Every year, Mimi and Gongi lovingly select the perfect Hallmark Christmas ornament for each child to hang on their Christmas tree. Once our kids are grown, not only will they have cherished memories of visiting Mimi and Gongi each year, they will also have a set of their very own Christmas ornaments!

Sadly, scheduling conflicts prevented all the cousins from being together this year, but we met up with the other Halpins for a fun-filled time!

Mimi's cozy lap is a wonderful place to be!

They have the best climbing tree in their front yard.

Nosy was none too pleased with whatever shoe issue was slowing this football player down.

Sweet Owie

Gigi wouldn't miss a visit with her grandbabies!

O gets some love from Mimi.

Mimi and Gongi, we love you! Thank you for this sweet, fun tradition. My kids will look back so fondly on these memories.