We made the journey to Oklahoma, first stop, MeMe and Papa Rick’s (my folks).

The boys with Papa Wayne and GG, their great-grandparents! Don’t they all look so festive? (pardon my children’s clothing, apparently they were in their pj’s?)

MeMe and Scout working on opening all those presents!

Pax got a mini-Mule! Looks just like Papa Rick’s!

‘Lil Stinkers.

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Next stop, MeMa and Papa’s (Patrick’s folks). We had a fabulous time hanging out with the fam and enjoyed a new change of pace with a fajita cookout for our Christmas party! Pax and Scout already try to steal away their cousin Bauer’s attention, he’s so much fun!

We headed out of Oklahoma just in time to avoid the Blizzard of ‘09 and get cookies made for Santa’s stop!

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12/24/09 at 10pm as I lay Paxon to sleep, he kept insisting all the presents from Santa would be wrapped individually. I tried as hard as I could to explain differently, but in the end….ahem, made an urgent call to Santa to let him know to please wrap every single one of the 28 gifts for both boys within the next few hours. 

 Mom of the Year, plus one point!!

Now please take a look at all the wrapped gifts below. Do you see a blue and green sock on the floor (Mema and Meme, brace yourself) that was Scout’s stocking. Actually it was Patrick’s sock, but we used it as his stocking because I refused to buy one to match Paxon’s from Pottery Barn. I didn’t want to buy no stinkin’ stocking, I wanted to hand knit one! Well…. I didn’t have time. Shocker.

Mom of the Year, minus one big point!!

I did make homemade cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning and if you are thinking about licking your computer screen right about now, please resist, but do make these! 

What’s more Christmas day than dad teaching his son to ride the new bike Santa brought?

I mean, do you really even need a special occasion to make apple pie? I think not. I’m loving my most recent recipe, check it out here.

Chubs knows all the yummy stuff comes from that big silver thing with the handle!

And FYI, I’ve gone brunette. Just thought I should share in case you find me on the street and would like to tell me you made the cinnamon rolls and are upset I didn’t warn you that it’s possible to devour all 12 in one setting! Or, if you are with the Mom of the Year committee and you’d like to share with me how to properly treat the second born child! HA! Lord help me if there’s a third, we’ll have to go ahead and shut this blog down!

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas! Blessings from the Presley fam!!

Hi. My name is Carrie. I’m a blog slacker.

Hello Carrie.

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Pardon me for my lack of consistency these days. Wrangling two boys is quite a task anyhow, documenting it, is becoming even trickier!

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We’re always dabbling in some baked goods, lately, all things pumpkin-ey!

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We built a gingerbread house and watched the snow fall. The snow, in Houston. No big deal.

The kids were all just in awe of the snow and it was so fitting to ring in the holidays, opposite of our last shorts and flops December.

Scout is getting so big since the last time I posted!

Just kidding: That’s Pax when he was 15 months old.  I discovered it and it brought back so many warm memories and I realize how fast these fellas are growing on me!

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Here’s Scout!

He loved looking out the back window at the snow! We were all home together, eating winter foods, listening to Christmas music, taking naps, visiting with friends, it was such a treat.

Snowman!

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I finished knitting Scout’s earflap hat just in time for him to wear! I planned on wrapping it up for Christmas, but when there’s a day in Houston that necessitates a winter earflap hat, we must take advantage!

The boys. I love this picture. Actually, I love these boys.

The fam at Paxon’s Christmas chapel celebration.  Crazy picture. Crazy family. To get the four of us, awake, clean, and present in a picture…rare!

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Apologies if you are already tired of hearing of Tiger Woods and his “infidelity” but….

I saw this tag the other day while I was stopped at a light.  I started cracking up in my car, alone, just thinking of the irony!

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Have a fabulous week friends! We are just smitten about Christmas around here and I can’t wait for the days to come!

 There’s just something refreshing about walking outside of the house, away from the TV, away from the laundry, away from dirty dishes, and spending some time outdoors on the cold lawn grass.  We’ve spent many a hours outside over the last few days and it’s been just the stay-cation we all needed! Along with God’s handywork of amazing weather, we had…..

Chubs and his picnic basket full of treasures

Paxon, his friends, and several visits from the ice cream truck

Momma, regulating the scene (obviously not so well because this was taken when Pax swiped my camera)

A little lot of knitting

Christmas gift planning

Snacks of the season

A little gift giving

Even a nap or two

All totally worth the picture right now inside my house…. mountains of laundry, toy explosion, unfinished art projects from days ago, and overflowing dirty dishes left unattended, but who cares! Right?…..

Saturday night we had the chimenea blazing, smores a smokin’, chili brewing, drinks chillin’, red dirt music blaring, children full of anticipation (and sugar), a cool autumn night, and the warm company of friends… absolutely perfect!

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Ben 10, Momma the cowgirl (My spellcheck keeps flagging “cowgirl”, with the suggestion of “showgirl” HA!), and the rodeo clown!

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“Dear Mom. I’m sorry to say I’m leaving our family to join the big C, the circus. The costume requirements will be less humiliating to me when I’m grown and perusing photos of my childhood.  Thank you. Love Chubs  Scout!”

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Scout- “Dad, are you in on this? I thought you had my back on these legwarmers? What’s up with that?”

Pax- “Just smile. We can get you out of all that bro!  I plan on washing this black spray out of my hair as soon as she’s done so I look like Ben 10 and not Elvis!”

Patrick- “I’m playing opossum so she doesn’t try and get me to wear something ridiculous!”

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Halloween 2009! This was the first year Pax was really into picking out his own costume and in my defense, Chubs’ costume brought us a million smiles that night!

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Pax and his buddy, hanging out in their usual spot on the porch, scoping out the neighborhood action!

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We headed over to a neighborhood block party later in the evening. It was late and getting chilly, but Chubs was having so much fun that I just bundled him up and brought him along. He fell asleep in the sling once we made it to the party, but he was such a trooper!

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Morning after…A little loot from the goody bag, vampire teeth!

Good times. Good memories. Hope you all had a splendid Halloween. Now on to some Thanksgiving preparation and celebration…..

 There’s been lots of  chocolate chip pumpkin muffin baking going on around here lately. We’ve got another batch in the oven as we speak for tomorrow’s Halloween festivities. 

This recipe is from my dear friend Erin who is, apparently, quite the foody now. She drove to 50 Penn in OKC, stood in a ginormous line (of which she got a glimpse of Marlboro Man, so that had to ease the wait?), and got cookbooks signed by the fabulous Pioneer Woman!  Ah! I can’t believe it!  If I tell Patrick of this cookbook loaded with cowboy food smothered in gravy, he may snag me a copy and be the first one in line at the Houston book signing!

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On to our choco chip pumpkin muffin baking…..

My egg cracka! He’s so slick, he can crack an egg with one hand and have a snack in the other!

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The mini loaves are my favorite! It’s like 3 muffins really, but you don’t feel so bad because you just had one…see how I convince myself?

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Pax enjoying the first batch! Oh breads, how I love thee. You can pose as a snack, dessert, breakfast….just whatever I need you to be!

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Happy Halloween All. Be silly. Be scary. Be safe.

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Still, that’s the way the tide rolls over at the Presley blog lately.

As autumn has breezed in, we’ve been jumping back into our activities and routines and I’m beginning to realize the lazy days of summer, including the free time it afforded, have swiftly moved on. 

But who couldn’t be tickled about all the holidays approaching and the excitement and wonder it brings to a home filled with little ones. 

The time previously filled with baking, sewing, knitting, or editing the hundreds of pictures camping out in my camera has suddenly dwindled.

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Chubs is mobile now and I’ve got to have one eye on that kid at all times!  Naps are few and far between these days, he’d rather explore brother’s toys or search out random goodies embedded in the carpet!

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When Pax isn’t booked up with school, playdates, and activities, he’s chatting it up and asking hundreds of questions.  His thoughts range from Heaven to hulahoops in a moments notice.

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The weather is finally joining in the song and dance of the time of year and we are so thankful. Taking a walk to the park has nestled back into our daily routine. Pax has more daylight hours with his friends and Chubs just sits in the grass, wishing he was out there with the big kids.

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I know it’s just a matter of time when these little ones won’t be around or sitting still right next to me.  I’m tucking away some of the things that have filled my free time and giving the people I love the best of my time.

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 Happy Weekend All.

OK, so I said I’d be back weeks ago, but life happened again.  There’s been quite a few Green & Black dark chocolate bars consumed around here, that’s all I’ll say!

I’d love to bring you fabulous pictures from our trip and “here lately’s” but I spilled some merlot all over my keyboard a few days ago, so I’m coming to you from Patrick’s computer at the moment. 

To spare a picture-less post, here’s what’s on my mind….

In fashion, I love to browse ways to blend thrift store goods with the usual Target/UrbanO/F21 goods. I’m loving the blog Kansas Couture.

And Weardrobe…

And in the craft world…..I’m just thrilled that my pal Taryn just opened an Etsy shop:

In the food world, I’m about to head out to the grocery store to grab some ingredients to make pumpkin ANYTHING! If this 90 degree weather doesn’t make me feel like it’s autumn, well then, I’ll just take matters into my own hands and start making pumpkin food!

And while I’m out, I may just pick up a keyboard and maybe… just maybe, life will settle for a moment so I can catch up here!

Our hiatus from school, Texas, chores, and usual life….is over. I’m thankful to be jumping back into routine around here, but somehow that temporary pause button was just what we all needed.

Time for a little catch up with friends, getting things in order, and soaking up some of this crisp, fall weather.  Be back Monday.