NYE2014

 I may be seriously pregnant...like to pregnant for NYE outtings, but we did it anyway. Mike and I have been wanting to go to an Avett Bros concert on New Years since they started having them and between living in Hawaii, having Davis and being deployed, it has never been an option.  SO this year we bought tickets--on my birthday....we were SO EXCITED.  and then about a week later we found out we were expecting #4.  Which of course is even more exciting than a concert...but still we were happy to find out that i wouldn't be due for a few more weeks and "should" be able to make our NYE2014 plans.  

and then to make the night even more fun Tupelo Honey opened in Raleigh this past month so we were able to eat some seriously yummy food too!  It's no surprise Mike and I love some good food, and especially a great farm to table restaurant. 

 

 after dinner...you could say i ate too much :)  okay....it's really my 38 week picture, but really i did eat too much too :)

and oh the Avett Brothers....we've been waiting to see them for years now and the concert did not disappoint.  We had a great time.  We were also very lucky to get the second to last special edition poster on sale that night.  There was a mad rush to the merchandise tables to get one of those babies...the first table we were at sold their last one to the guys right in front of us.  The second table was sold out after standing in that line for about 2 minutes but third time was a charm...and with a little finagling (ie: giving the person in front of us some money to get us one) we got the last 2 posters.  Whew.  You can see a little bit of it in the bottom right of the picture below.  It will be proudly displayed in #4's nursery. 

 our seats were pretty good.  we debated getting pit tickets when we were buying all those months ago.  I'm so glad we didn't because this preggo mama wouldn't have made it through all that.  Instead we were 8 rows back on the floor but on the very end.  Again in the end that was such a blessing.  I had much more room to move and be comfortable with the aisle seat AND the best part...the band entered the stage from the stairways around the coliseum... both Bob Crawford and Scott Avett came out right at my seat and we got to high five/shake hands with both.  Even cooler another fan got a picture and texted it to me. 

our first picture of 2015!

and here's a few videos of us ringing in the New Year

December Wrap Ups

and here's what the rest of our December looked like...

Adalynn had her 5th birthday party--it was a Frozen theme so N and A dressed up like Elsa and Anna and had the best time. 

 Davis rediscovered the magic of a Christmas Tree 

 This was after we came back from Great Wolf Lodge.  These two boys sure missed each other. 

 There were lots of extra preschool days this month because of Christmas parties and play practice.  So D and I had the opportunity to go have "Cracker Barrel Pankcakes" together.  They are one of his favorites and he asks for them EVERY TIME we pass the restaurant. 

 Papaw came to visit and play one afternoon.  

 and then sometimes you just gotta take it slow...we took the kids to school late and stopped at McDonalds first for some biscuits and family time. 

 all wrapped up--cold weather can be no fun when dressing littles, but when they are all bundled up they are the cutest things ever! 

 another Burns Boy, another case of Bed Head

lots of play time, like growing aliens with Ms. Julie and breakfast/reading time

 

Some other Christmas Fun... like Candy Cane Pizza Night and Decorating their very own tree with all their own ornaments

 

Nana and Aunt Diane came over the day after Christmas.  Poppy was under the weather this year so we didn't get to do our usual Christmas with them.  I also did a horrible job taking pictures on this day.  But as always it was fun to spend time with Nana and it was Aunt Diane's first time to our house.   Here's a few pictures of the fun gifts the kids received. 

Backpacks from Aunt Diane

 

Ninja Turtle Dress Up

 D preferred to wear his mask this way.  Always making us laugh!

 the twins had a sleepover with their friends Daniel and Adelyn.  While they did that Mommy and Dad some quality LittleD time. 

this lasted for a whole 2 seconds

 this is what it was more like....our wiggly wiggly Davis 

 and look at these cute girls ready for bed! i didn't get a pic of the boys--they were "too cool" for that

Christmas Day

Christmas Morning-- we're still n the waking up our kids stage.  i figure any year now they will start waking us up instead on Christmas morning. 

 

 

LittleD isn't too sure about whats going on...he was hesitant to come down the stairs 

 

but then he saw his gifts from Santa

a "michael cycle" 

 

it was all Frozen for Nora this year 

 

Darth Vader and the Hulk!

 

and then presents from mom, dad and siblings

nora got the biggest package this year :)

a new baby and stroller

but sometimes the best things come in smaller packages...

like lego sets!

after 3 hours of assembly...

We took a break that day to enjoy what they got.  There was a lot of playing along with some resting and yummy Christmas food.  Then Christmas evening we opened up gift from Pop Pop and Gra'ma. 

learning how to shoot her bow and arrow

i did a bad job of taking pictures of anything other than the kids this time...no group/family shots...heck we hardly even got dressed!  But it was a day full of JOY and that's what's important :)