Cartee Chaos

Julia Cartee

Fantasy and Lights

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I am still playing catch but I am determined to get up to date by Friday! I would just hate to forget about all the fun we had during December!!!
December 10th (Jessica’s Birthday and the night before Nixon’s Birthday Party) the entire Nixon family went to Calloway Gardens “Fantasy in Lights”


There is nothing like riding the train with 10 kids!

JohnMark and Roman enjoyed the lights!
JohnMark made up stories the entire way!

Nina and Preacher rode the train with the kids!


Roxann, baby John Robert, Ella and Isla

Isla’s favorite part were the fairies!

Preacher kept Ella and Isla warm!Bold

Nixon Grace and JohnMark pose for a picture!

Julianna, JohnMark, Isla, Nixon, Johnna Katherine and Rudolph!


I just love Isla in her polka dot hat!


Roman and Mommy pose for a picture while all the other kids were running around the outside Nativity!

Jessica kept Jennaleigh warm!


Roman (6 days before his 1st birthday)


Julianna and Nixon

Roxann, Ella and Sara!


Time to go see Santa!!

I am not sure what Johnna Katherine and JohnMark asked for? Julianna was too scared to go see him!

Sara and Ella with Santa

Isla asked for a ladybug pillow pet and a baby.
Nixon asked for a unicorn pillow pet and a barbie house.
(they both got what they asked for!)


Isla loves Santa Clause!


Jared and Roman just strolled around as we saw Santa!


John Ashley and Sara


Isla and Johnna Katherine giving each other some love!


Nixon, Isla, and Julianna Marie with the Elves!


Julianna Pouting 🙂


Isla is definitely not camera shy and she loved those elves!

Valentine’s Day Cards!

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OK! So I have completely failed at blogging!
The holidays were of course “chaotic”!
I also spent Christmas with no camera 🙁
I have debated rather or not to go back and backtrack or just start from today???
Too much has happened not to go back so my goal is to play catch up this next week!
But today is Valentine’s Day!

Below is our February Family Bible Verse.
I thought a great way to teach the girls the verse would be to incorporate them in the girl’s Valentine Cards!
By the end of the craft the girl’s knew the verse backwards and forwards!

Nixon and Isla getting ready to make their Valentines!









Nixon and Isla coloring their hearts for their friends at school!
















Nixon did a GREAT job cutting her hearts out! Isla tried! 🙂




Nixon decided she needed to try a lollipop!




















Lollipop Heart Flowers!
(Aunt Rita do you recognize the lollipops?)





Isla picked out Dora Valentine Cards!


Nixon wanted PINK! (of course)


Jared was very excited to help cut out their cards! 🙂


We taped the Heart Lollipop Flowers to the envelopes!


You’ve Been Drafted!

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ROMAN’S 1ST BIRTHDAY!

We had Roman’s 1st Birthday Party Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend!
It was a great party with our closest friends and family!


Below is Roman’s adorable “Big AL” cake!


We celebrated Nixon’s 4th birthday too with the family!

This was her “Cheerleader Pyramid” Cupcake cake!


We had cookies,

football Krispey-Kreme doughnuts, chips &
dip, pretzels, pizza and capri sun!

I made Roman a birthday banner along with a mix CD of Alabama football music that played over the speakers!

Gue made Roman this adorable birthday hat and bib!
Decorations included a framed invitation and a 2009 National Championship Signed Football (I won it last year at a Fall Festival)
Party Favors!- I found these cute football bags on Ebay and put football whistles, footballs and Crimson necklaces for the girls!

I also made white pompoms out of garbage bags for each of the girls! I was impressed how well they turned out! Much better than the cheap ones you buy at the dollar tree!
Sarah cheered so hard her skirt kept falling down! 🙂
My favorite thing I made for the party were the houndstooth party hats w/ crimson pompoms!
First Quarter- Play Time!!!


When I arrived to decorate this football toss game was in the gym! It went perfect with our theme!
JohnMark throwing the football!
Craft Table- The girls colored wooden megaphones on a stick and the boys colored wooden football players and football puzzles! This was a big hit!

We brought a small bounce house for the kids to jump in!

The kids played “Pin the Football in the Goal”

Roman and his Cousin Ellis played in the gym!
Cousins John Mark and Reid fought with the gladiator sticks!

Roman enjoyed cruising around in cousin Reid’s Car w/ Gue!
Second Quarter-FOOD!!!!

Kids waiting for food!
Jared serving!
Reid grabbing a yummy cookie!
JohnMark and Johnna Katherine enjoying some food!
Gue feeding the birthday boy pizza!

Time For CAKE!!!!
Roman blowing out the candles!
Not too sure what to think?!

Cousin Reid giving Roman some sugar!

I think he liked it!
Nixon trying out the cupcakes!


Third Quarter:
Time to Open the Presents!!!!
Nixon opened her gifts 1st!
She LOVES Barbies!!!!

Roman and his gifts!

He loves his new slide Aunt Jessi bought him!
And his new Toy Story Couch!
Fourth Quarter:
The party ended with a Megaphone Pinata!

Pop and Roman checking out the Pinata!

The kids stood in a line waiting their turn cheering!

Nixon took a pull!

CANDY!!!!

JohnMark got his stash!!

Roman even found him a piece!

Roman had a WONDERFUL 1st birthday! We are so blessed with so many cousins, family and friends to share our special times with!
Preacher and Nina!!!
Aunt Deidre, Ellis and Reid!
Uncle John, Aunt Roxann, Ella, Sarah, and baby John Robert!
The Smiths!- Ken, Sharon, Julia, and Sarah
(who took turns holding babies!)

Gue and Pop!!!!

Aunt Jessi, JohnMark, Julianna Marie, Johnna Katherine and Jenna Leigh!

Day 1 of Advent

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It’s the first day of December and the busyness is already overwhelming! Jared and I both love Christmas time and look forward to making new family traditions each year. One special tradition I remember from my childhood is having an advent calendar.
This Christmas we are really striving to show Nixon, Isla, and even Roman the true meaning of Christmas. In the meantime I feel it is causing me to stop and really think about my motives, and what my thoughts are dwelling on during this crazy time of the year! I came across a simple Christmas Countdown with scripture for each day. I purchased a wooden advent calendar with doors. My plan is to put two pieces of chocolate w/ the daily scripture in each door. Each night the girls can take turns opening the door. While they are munching on the candy, Jared can read the scripture and discuss. I pray this will become a special tradition for the girls not only for traditions sake but that it may be a time during this busy season we all sit quietly, listen and learn about what Jesus did for us.
Day 1
God Made it possible for Mary to become pregnant. Matthew 1:18

I must add listening to Jared explain immaculate conception to a 2 and 3 year old was funny!

Cartee Thanksgiving!

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We are finally home after traveling the Southeast for Thanksgiving! I must say it has been one of my busiest but favorite Thanksgivings ever! I have so much to write about it is going to take me a few days to catch up! So, I am not sure if it is against blogging rules to have more than one post a day? If so, oh well! We are going nonstop from now until March (literally my calendar is full!) and I don’t want to miss a memory!
Our third Thanksgiving stop was to Leroy, AL to celebrate with Jared’s family. We arrived Wednesday night (driving from Niceville) and enjoyed a wonderful day with the family Thursday!
Nixon helped Gue set the table for Thanksgiving Lunch!
Thanksgiving Lunch!
Nixon, Walker , Isla, and Cooper

Allison and Tucker enjoying lunch!

At Thanksgiving we always celebrate Gue’s Birthday a little early!


Allison, Gabe and the boys are unable to come to Roman’s first birthday and so we celebrated with him also!


Walker, Cooper and Tucker gave Roman his very first Birthday gift!!!


There are so many fun things to do at Gue and Pop’s! Here are a few of our favorite!


Rocking on the porch!

Riding on Pop’s tractor!
Roman’s first tractor ride with Pop!

Playing in the Leaves!





Swinging!!!



Isla is insisting I add climbing in trees!

(she is narrating all the pictures I am adding!)

Of course our most

favorite

thing to do is spending time with family!!!

Uncle Gabe and Roman!

Walker, Allison, Cooper, Tucker, and Gabe

Pop and Roman!

Jared, Cooper, Tucker, and Gabe

Cartee Boys

Maw Maw and Roman
Me and Jared
Roman and Daddy!
Roman and Mommy!
And no Thanksgiving afternoon would be complete without Jared doing his three favorite pastimes! (besides playing video games)
Eating, Sleeping and Watching Football!