happy andersons: 2012

We went to see Carson's grandparents, Mom A and Papa, on Thanksgiving Day for lunch. Charlie and Daddy had lots of fun driving Papa's tractor!! Can't you see the joy on both of their faces?

Charlie playing with trains at Gigi and Papa Jess' house

The next day we celebrated Thanksgiving with my family.

We took our Christmas card picture. Me (hiding my baby bump), Gigi, Jordan, Laura, Charlie, Carson, Papa Jess, Ava, Josh and Izzie

Everyone went to shoot guns while my mom cooked and I took a nap :)

Ava

Carson, Ava, Papa Jess and Jordan

Little lefty Ava

Josh

Ava is quite the photographer

Carson teaching Jordan about the pistol

Jordan

Their target

Laura took a turn too

Carson teaching Jordan about his AR

Super cool

We all went together Saturday night to ride the Rail of Lights train in Jefferson. Gigi was prepared with some hot chocolate because it was pretty cold. Charlie had fun but I can go ahead and say that will NOT be a yearly tradition.

Charlie and Gigi

Charlie with a rather malnourished Santa

The train

Our family

Josh and Izzie

Ava and Papa Jess

Laura and Jordan

Charlie is Buzz Lightyear: (He is supposed to be saying "To infinity and beyond" but it comes out more like "Go inginity and deyond!"

Charlie driving Papa's tractor (Part 1):

Charlie driving Papa's tractor (Part 2):

My friend, Stacey, and I traded off babysitting for each other one day. Hampton and Charlie had a great time playing together! I think they almost look like they are related. :)

Carson's Aunt Linda watched Shelby, Charlie and Haley while Monica and I went shopping at Christmas in Cowtown!! Whoo-hoo it was fun! Thanks Meme!! This might need to be a yearly tradition. :)

These three are characters when they're together. Linda found them on the side of the house throwing rock pebbles in the air... and then we caught them just as they started to throw them in the air conditioner. I foresee trouble with these three in the future!!

Charlie being silly with Shelby and Haley... ok that's an understatement:

This was a post at Charlie's school of him playing with another boy.

These bath pictures seriously crack me up. I think upper left is his modeling pose. Then he discovered he really likes bubble beards and wants pictures of them too! I tell him all the time that I could just eat him up with a spoon.

Daddy built Charlie a sandbox that he can stand beside and play in with his trucks. Best invention ever!! I love that he's not sitting in the sand but can still be a boy and dig in it!

More cute bubble beards

Right before his birthday, Charlie moved up to Preschool at his school. He's growing up too fast!! The first couple of weeks he was really shy and overwhelmed by all the big kids, but after a month or two he's really warmed up and is learning so much.

At Tillery Park. I love that smile!

After we stopped to get donut holes one morning, he insisted on going to see the "pink pire trucks" (the fire trucks were pink in honor of breast cancer awareness month). The firemen let him sit in the driver's seat and gave him some stickers too! It made his day!!

Vivian came over one day to play!!

These two are quite silly when they get together! He said, "Wet's go to my wroom and make a mess!" And they did just that :)

The beards are getting bigger!

Yes, our son is licking his cupcake in public.

With the gorgeous weather in October, we went on walks to see the ducks almost every afternoon. Carson would pick up a few acorns and start throwing them in the pond too. That started a trend of us picking up as many acorns as possible every trip to the pond.

Charlie throwing acorns in the pond:

His new obsession with acorns carried over to the house. He collected them and rolled them down the slide. Daddy creatively put a bucket the bottom to collect them all so he could keep doing it over and over.

Charlie's fort of fun:

One afternoon Charlie told me to come to his room. He said, "Wook Mommy, it's my name!" He had gone to the fridge and collected all of the letters of his name. Then, he took them to his bed and laid them out like this. I was most impressed that he collected all 7 letters (the 7 is supposed to be an L)! They're a little out of order but such a smart little guy who just turned three!

He laid them out on his bed because this is what hangs above his bed:

Charlie went to his first parade with his buddy Finn!

TCU Homecoming parade 2012

My DDD sisters :)

The boys were pretty excited about all of the free candy!

Charlie's first parade (TCU homecoming):

Our mom's group had a little Halloween/Pumpkin painting party at Esther's house. How cute are all of these little snacks?

Luke, Hampton and Charlie

Wyatt, Kate and Drew

Emery just wanted the snacks

Luke, Hampton and Charlie painting

The big kids loved it!

William and Kate (not the prince and princess but just at cute) :)

Charlie painting

The night before Charlie's birthday party, we celebrated Boppa and Charlie's birthdays!! He sure does love his Boppa!!

In Charlie's new class, they study a new letter each week. Sometimes I remember to help him think of a word, sometimes I forget :) One week it was the letter B. So I typically write out or draw the word and/or a picture. Then he colors it and takes them for show and tell. As you will soon see in the next few months, he becomes more and more adventurous with his coloring!!

We celebrated Halloween night with the Hagans and the Beebys. Molly, Joyelle (and her awesome spider headband) and me
(I completely forgot to get a picture of our family and the Beeby family)

Jonathan, Hank, Molly and Max

Max looks pretty excited about his daddy's drink

Vivian was about the cutest cheerleader I have ever seen! I helped her work on her poses for the pictures. Joyelle had a friend make her mini homecoming mum too. She rocked it!

Hank as Woody, Charlie as Charlie Brown and Vivian as an OSU Cheerleader

Charlie Brown and Woody (When Charlie went trick-or-treating, all of the adults loved his outfit but the kids had no idea who Charlie Brown was. It was pretty funny!)