A Blast From The Not Too Distant Past

So, for your pleasure, Gaga and Hillary's October visit for my birthday. I knew all along about Gaga coming, but Hillary and Baron surprised me at the last minute. They showed up on my doorstep the morning of the party. I still knew nothing of the party though until it actually happened. I cried when I realized Jackson was really not with Hillary. I thought they were teasing at first and just had him behind a door or something, but he was really not there. I love that little guy. Baron is the sweetest baby ever though, and it was nice to get to spend some more one on one time with him for a change.

As I arrived Lennon started shouting "Everbody's here! Everybody's here!" He was very excited about the party.

Mia apparently took a lot of time getting dressed and choosing just the right dress and earrings for the party. She was precious and made the night.

The other highlight was an awesome video Gaga made for me with some interviews with friends of mine and old pictures from childhood and high school. It was awesome! This is me laughing hysterically at something stupid I did that is being retold on the video. Definitely the best birthday gift other than the surprise of Hillary and Baron.

Goofing around with The Brills as they were leaving. It was such a wild bunch, the whole party was over before 10 o'clock. I guess that's what happens when you get old, your parties end earlier. :)

I love this baby so much!

Not sure what she was going for here, but I think she looks awesome!

The whole weekend, the kids were playing some game which I cannot remember the name of right now, but basically it involved leaning the couch cushion up against the coffee table and jumping down it while being as loud as possible. They thought they were geniuses.

Gaga with Baron.

Mia wants another baby because she thinks they're all like Baron. Oh, how quickly she has forgotten that that is not always the case.

One night during the visit, Mia put on a concert for us. Lennon ran a concession stand and handed out play money to whoever bought concessions. They even had a little play list by the "stage" (coffee table)

Lennon announcing at the end of the show that "this was a pretty cool show. The only part of it that was not cool is that I didn't get to sing."

Luckily, both of Mia's grandmas play piano so whenever they visit we take advantage of their services.

One morning we went out to breakfast at our favorite brunch place in Cambridge, Full Moon Cafe. Afterwards we headed over to a little farm in Concord where they had a haunted hay ride and fresh apple cider. The kids had a blast. Baron napped in the car and I think we rode the hay ride about 4 times.

Lennon found these props in the shop afterwards and ran around pretending to be a flying witch.

It was a great visit and a total surprise that Hill was here and that there was a party. Gaga and Hillary even got to come to my mom's group at the church with me which was super fun for them to meet some of my friends there. It seems like we just moved up here, but all of a sudden Lennon is the age Mia was when we first moved. It seems strange to think of there only being a year and a half left here. We'll be spending way less money of plane tickets when the time finally comes.

Thanksgiving in Hendersonville, TN

Once again, I am far far behind on here. I haven't yet posted about my awesome surprise party that my mom and sister and Shelby threw for me, I haven't put anything up about Christmas or January, so how I decided to start with Thanksgiving I don't know. But anyway, here it is. Prepare yourself because there are a lot of pictures.

We got to TN a couple of days before anyone else, and Granmommy and Grandaddy both had to work the first full day we were there, so we had some time to settle in and play around just the three of us. The kids both thought it was pretty cool that we had our own suite at their new house.

Lennon and Mia setting up Lennon's "private room" within our room. Mia and Peyton ended up sleeping in the sun room part of Granmommy and Grandaddy's room and thought that was totally awesome.

At the breakfast bar in the new kitchen.

This is Lennon's airport he made out of super structs.

The AWESOME playroom above the garage. Mia spent a lot of time playing around with Shelby's old keyboard. Both kids played a lot with the kitchen and grocery store stuff.

On Saturday afternoon we went to the awesome science museum in Nashville. The kids had a blast and our membership here in Boston got all of us in for free except for Grandaddy, so it was a cheap outing too. Here, Mia is climbing down a spine ladder.

This game was so frustrating. Mia was awesome at it. The straps on their heads somehow measure how relaxed you are and by being relaxed you move a ball toward the other persons goal. I was terrible even though I felt totally relaxed. I guess I have a thing or two to learn about being relaxed.

This sign was at the top of a slide which at the bottom made a gassy pooping sound. The kids went down several times.

Afterwards we went out to eat at a famous local chicken place. The food was yummy and the kids had fun. Everyone got a free teeny tiny ice cream after the meal.

A couple people were a little sleepy after such a full day of fun.

Finally the cousins arrived! Here the kids are all enjoying a little snack out on the screened in porch.

One nice day we went out to a nearby park to let the kids run around. Mia found a ladybug.

Time to stop for a snack.

The kids had a lot of fun playing in all the beautiful fall leaves in the backyard.

Lennon felt like a big boy carrying that rake around.

Aunt Bethany making some yummy cranberry muffins.

The kids got in lots of morning time cartoon snuggles during our visit.

See. I told you the muffins were yummy.

Piano practice.

The two little ones loved playing inside Bonzai's crate. Mia would be their owner and try to find customers to buy a new pet.

We went out to Monkey Joe's one afternoon and with all the stuff they had to play on, our kids ended up spending most of their time in the "under 3" bounce area playing pirates.

Helping Aunt Bethany make chocolate peanut butter cookies

Reagan was a pro at skee ball at Chuck E Cheese. Mia actually passed up going to cook with Bethany and Granmommy. I was so sad that she is old enough to choose anything over Chuck E Cheese.

Lennon got lucky and won something like 50 tickets from one token in one game!

These two did this virtual roller coaster about 10 times.

Shelby and I always play a little basketball when we take the kids to Chuck E's.

It is officially tradition for the kids to help make the rolls for the Thanksgiving feast.

Our playdoh aquarium.

Reagan and Lennon get along really well.

The kids beautifully set table with decorations by Mia.

Lennon always wanted to sit by Peyton.

The built in fire bit is very very deep.

Inspecting the fire starting to grow.

Reagan pretending to be scared.

The two Francis hams

All the boys

Our beautiful babies

They couldn't wait for the smores

Due to the angle we had to roast our marshmellows we lost a few to the flames.

After this photo session Reagan realized her bow was gone. Grandaddy ended up getting out a huge spotlight and the search was on for about 10 minutes before someone finally found the missing brown bow. Yeah, that's right. We found a brown bow in a huge pile of brown leaves.

On one of the two porch swings

Bethany's piano lesson :)

Mia made this place cards for everyone in the family

The kids helping decorate the tree.

Lennon fell in love with his rocket at first sight. He even has his own theme music he sings when he plays with it.

Hugging her new Hogwarts robe.

She's such a wittle sweetie

Uncle Duh wrestling with the kids at the empty old house down the street.

Another tradition: gingerbread houses Granmommy got two sets. A train for the little guys to do together and a whole tiny village for Mia and Peyton to divide up.

These two worked so well together and did a great job. They had so much fun and didn't fight at all.

The Francis man back rub chain

We went out to Opryland hotel and checked out all the pretty lights and decorations. We love going out there every year, but parking was a nightmare. We ended up walking almost 20 minutes to the hotel from where we ended up parking, but we still had fun.

Mia loved this lighted bear.

Lennon playing outer space with Uncle Kelsey

Our obsession with Wii begins

One of Lennon's favorite games is called Lotus Focus and all you do is try to sit really still on the board. It's good practice for a very active little boy.

Our last dinner in Hendersonville at a Mexican restaurant near their house.

We had so much fun being together with the whole family all week. The kids all got along beautifully and since we all took turns cooking no one had very much work to do all week. It was a very nice, relaxing week all around. The new house is beautiful and perfect and we hope we get to be there more than just once every two years. Maybe when we are back in Texas we'll be able to come more often. Mia suggested we just move in...but I think that's going a bit too far. :)