Thanksgiving Night is for Decorating!!

Thanksgiving night, we dig out the Christmas decorations!  The trees are brought up, the lights are hung, and the kids get to hang all their very own ornaments!

Daddy got the fire going for us!



The kids each get a special gift ornament to
hang on decorating night

The happy dance!

Taylor got her "3rd Christmas" ornament

Thanks to my pal, Karen...he got a super
special "Ben 10" ornament!  When Tay
found her ornament, I had to wrap his
on the fly, it ended up wrapped with a dental bill!

The special ornaments have cards that have
special memories written on them each year,
it's fun to go back and read them!

Big bro helping his sis....awwww!

The lit tree in the dark!  I let the kids decorate this
tree ANY way they want!

My front room tree (that I get to decorate)
with the wooden Thomas train
that chuggs around and around!

Christmas' past...

Our Santa was a family gift

I spent the next two days decorating the entire house!  I love decorating for the holidays!  Merry Christmas!

Thanksgiving

This year, Thanksgiving was especially wonderful, Billy took some vacation days off.  We got to spend some quality family time together.  We moved our dinner up to Wednesday, it worked out better for our schedules, and that cleared our Thursday up to go help serve at our church's big event!  We have wanted to participate for years now, but family dinner has always consumed our day, it was wonderful to be able to help out!  Sometimes we don't realize, or want to think about the fact that, while we are busy cooking and enjoying family and good eats, there are many who won't even get to eat a "regular" meal that day...I want to make this a yearly tradition, the kids loved it and will remember it forever too!

Blake made a hat for Taylor...THIS is what I
have to deal with while trying to cook!



Blake's undercover turkey project

" Dear Farmer, I don't think you should eat this turkey...I mean, "Sir  Gobbles Alot"
He is rich and famous and he would be mad too!  From,  Sir Gobbles Alot"  - Blake

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How can one Aunt Sissy possible handle
all this?!?!?

Fall Leaves Fall !!!

I love Fall!!  I love falling leaves and raking!  Back home, my favorite thing was to burn all the piles of leaves...only had to call 911 once!  There is no better smell than burning leaves!

Weekend of Scouting

This weekend, the kids and I, headed out to deliver food pantry bags to all of the neighborhood doorknobs.  Last year we picked up the bagged food, but didn't get to hand the bags...it was fun!  I will also add that it was a bit challenging with little sister, Tay, along.  We invited another wolf cub along, they took turns attaching the bags to the doorknobs...with the gusty winds, those slick little sacks aren't easy to tie! Plus, Taylor cried at several doorsteps, she wanted to tie some too...it's just too hard for her, but I talked her into letting me help her...at least she got to do ONE sack. 

After the bag drop, we headed back to the school to do the grounds work.  Somehow, I got myself into heading up the school grounds keeper position...not sure how it happened...I'm definitely missing a green thumb!  We'll see how long it takes the landscaping to fall apart! lol!  Truth is...I love working outside, mulching, raking, and all...and that is exactly what our entire pack did...we raked, trimmed, and mulched the entire Progress South Elementary grounds!!!  It looks wonderful!  All the little scouts did a great job, along with us parents, of course. They learned that with teamwork, you can accomplish a huge task.  We also went into this project with the thought process that helping and serving our community is helpful and rewarding.

Blake shoveled mulch for hours!!!  Playing on the gigantic mountain was fun too!

Taylor was a trooper all day...she got mulch
blown into her eyes, but kept raking along!

Celebrating Veteran's Day, Thinking about my Dad

A couple of months ago, I was looking through old paperwork and found an envelope addressed to my Father that was marked "CITATION" on the outside...it made me curious.  I could tell it was old by the yellowish tint and the faded print.  As I read this, I felt proud and sad.  Sad that I was too young to know this part of my Dad's life.  I was too young to take an interest in his past.  What I would give, today, to just talk to him about his life...what was it like to fight in WWII.  Sometimes, finding little pieces, like this letter, give me a tiny glimpse...

I was 8 years old when we found out that he had a brain tumor, over the following 5 years he underwent several brain surgeries, and eventually passed when I was 13 years old.  The last thing on my mind was the past, his past, the history of our country.  I guess the most important part is what I DO know and remember about my Dad...  he was first and foremost a provider, he stood up for what he believed, a man of his word, always gave all he could to family and friends...especially to us kids.  He was fun, adventurous, loved to hunt & fish, loved to have company and entertain, insisted upon family dinner, and always said grace at the dinner table.

Before he got sick, I remember riding four wheelers together on trails carved all through the woods by him on his tractor, him lifting me and my friends up in the bucket of that tractor, and playing on all the wonderful creations he made for me outside.  A cable swing, numerous playhouses, commercial sized merry go rounds, and the unforgettable maypole...a spinning wheel on top of a pole with chains hanging down to grab onto as you lifted your feet and flew around in the air!  Actually, I had forgotten much of this until I just started writing this post!  I was really blessed with a great Father.

The five years that he was sick were difficult.  Especially for my Mom, who was trying to raise me, a crazy teenager, while taking care of him.  I was of no help to her and wish I could change things, but that's a whole other post!   Anyways, I just wanted to post about my Dad since it's Veteran's Day and be reminded of how proud I am to have him as my Dad.

Dance Observation Night

The dance studio holds an observation night to let parents see what the classes are all about.  My sister and I, both got to go and watch the kiddos.  This was a really big deal to us, because it's Taylor's first year of dance and Aunt Sissy is wonderful enough to pay for her classes!!!  Taylor absolutely loves dance and can hardly wait to go to the next lesson. 

A bit of playing time before class!

Time for stretching

Ballet with the bar

My little ballerina

Tapping...doing the shovel

practicing opening & closing the window

This is Blake's second year of hip hop/jazz dance.  He really likes it, but we are going through a bit of a "I'd rather shoot my buddy with a pretend laser beam" phase.  He seems to get the dance moves, even though I don't think he's listening as well as he should. 



doing coffee grinders





break dance!!

 I will give him credit...his instructor really gives these kiddos a workout!  He insists upon stretching, coordination, core strength, and gets them moving!  I guess he's just being a boy, and after all, how long is he gonna use his imagination for play?  He's already growing up so fast that if he wants to laser his friend, shoot away, little man!  Just learn some dance while you're at it!!!