Happy New Year To You

The fabulous, famous New Year's Eve Shakes.

Made to order.

Goodbye 2010!

Pictures on the beach.

~ ~ ~

As the kids would say, "Fun, Fun, Fun!".
Trying to stay enthusiastic is the key.

Smiling for too long can be a problem.

Getting a nice shot is a blessing.
~ ~ ~

At times even a great surprise.

Happy New Year everyone!

Wet Cement

Scratching names with a nail.

Matthew

Alex

Kevin

Ranae

Sarah

Look Mom!

Cement Fingers!

Pool Time

Cleaning the pool in a jacket

is still better than hiking uphill 30 minutes

in the snow to class.

Right?

Eating Gingerbread

What's more fun than making a gingerbread house ?

EATING a gingerbread house!

Cold Enough

It's finally cold enough for Footie Pajamas!

Yippee!

Christmas Dinner

Our Christmas dinner was great.

And we had a new menu item this year.

To the right of the carved turkey is the TURDUCKIN.

(That's turkey wrapped in duck wrapped in chicken with a garlic stuffing.)

You might say, "Hmmmm, what in the world does that taste like?"

Well, it tastes like a....like a.......turduckin.

And we're still on the fence about whether we'll have it again.

~ ~ ~

On the fence and leaning towards tradition.

Christmas Blessings

Blessings Abound.

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Christmas Eve Gifts!

Christmas Pajamas.

A family tradition.

Cookies for Santa.
Another tradition.

Stockings hung by the chimney with care.

By the way, how does Santa get down this chimney?

Decorating Gingerbread Houses

Decorating is fun!

Especially when there are "extras" left over.

Double Thumbs Up

Christmas is almost here!

GOTCHA DAY!

Sarah with blueberry pie.

To celebrate her "gotcha day".
Four years ago we met you for the first time.
And our life has been blessed by you ever since.

Trying to blow out the candle after we sang,
"Happy Gotcha Day To You!"

Finding out that it is quite impossible to blow out candles when you are laughing.

But laughing is almost as fun as blowing out candles.

Happy Gotcha Day Sweet Girl!

We can't imagine this life with out YOU.

Paying Bills With Sarah

With five children you add many new skills to your repertoire.

The one above is called, "Paying Bills With a Child in Your Lap".

Brian is a master at this one.

I think it's a step up from the famous picture of President John F. Kennedy.

(You remember he did his work with his children playing under the desk.)

With a child in your lap

with access to your pen drawer

while paying bills,

and watching T.V.

you must remain alert at all times.

That is some skills.

Frosty ?

What's that? A little FROST?

What's going on?

This is SOUTH FLORIDA, right?

Dear, dear me.

Looks like I will have to wear socks today.

Matthew's HOME !

Matthew's home and I am so happy.

(And it looks like his brothers are too.)

Everyone together feels soooo good.

My plans are to warm him up,

fill him with good home-cooking,

let him catch up on his sleep,

and buy him lots more winter clothes.

When he left college the wind chill was 11 below.

(And I thought feeding the animals in 36 degrees was cold.)

Preschool Christmas Program

Singing "Come on Ring Those Bells"

Sarah giving her teacher a homemade card.

Today was Sarah's class Christmas show for parents and friends.
Not only did they sing Jingle Bells but also performed:
Come on Ring those bells
Luke 2:10
Pledge of Allegiance
Flag of America
Happy Birthday Jesus!
~and~
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
(A.K.A. "We Fish You a Harry ChrisMoose and a Hippo New Year")

What a treat it was to see their smiling faces sing praises
during this wonderful time of the year.
~ ~ ~
And I thought her teacher so smart when I found out what the stickers were for.
She put a sticker on everyone's right hand and over their heart.
That was so they would know which hand to choose when giving the pledge.
Clever. Clever. Clever.

Braces OFF ! ! !

Kevin has had braces on since March 2009.

Today the braces came OFF ! ! !
Woo Hoo!
Now that's a Christmas present.

Nutcracker

Yes, it's the same dress as last year.

But, hey, it still fit!
Right before going on stage.

Sarah performed in two Nutcracker shows today.

The matinee at 4 and in the evening at 7.

After her 5 minutes on stage she patiently watched the rest of the show.

We "oooohed" and "awwwwed" at the Supar Plum Fairy.

She told me again and again that the angels were her favorite.
And she can't wait to do it again next year.

Foggy Morning

Looking out the stall door at the foggy morning.

And the goats munching hay.

Tennis Lesson

A cool front came in and Ranae had to wear sweatpants to tennis.

~ ~ ~

But, at least we're still outside.

Santa on the Ladder

Sarah was amazed that this year she is almost as tall as the ladder!

I was amazed too.

She's growing up so fast!

Baby Jesus Under the Tree

Away in a manger no crib for his bed

The little Lord Jesus lay down His sweet head.

The stars in the sky look down where He lay.

The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

Spirit Day - Middle School Style

Ranae dressed for "Spirit Day".

A day when tweens try to outdress each other

in order to show their school spirit.

The hard part is getting out of the car at school.

It is best not done until you see someone dressed more ridiculous than you.

Then, the coast is clear.

All Things Merry and Bright

I wore this headband half a day without realizing it once.

Just once.

But I would do it again.

mmm.....maybe.