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.

Florida Snowman

Here the Snowmen try to get in...

where it's COOL.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree!

Got the tree up!

Matthew was here and got to help!

Big Brother Alex helping Sarah reach a high spot.

(Safer than a ladder???)

Game Day

Today we kicked back and played some games after "Dunch".

Which we sometimes call "Linner"

(Lunch + Dinner = Dunch or Linner)

We let everybody pick one game that we all would play.

Sarah picked UNO.

Kevin picked "Would You Rather...".

Alex picked Scrabble.

Matthew picked Jeopardy.

I picked Scattegories.

Brian picked Blokus.

But the most popular game of all was what Ranae picked.

She picked Egyptian Rat Slap.

All you need is a deck of cards.

And if you are winning you not only have more cards,

but you also have the reddest, sorest hand from all the slapping.

It was a fast-paced, intense, laughing, loud, pounding table game.

Loved it.

But I think what I enjoyed most was looking around the table at all my

LOVED ONES.

Together. Laughing. Happy.

~ ~ ~

Ahh.....family bliss.

Matthew's Home!

My boys all together.

Thanksgiving on the porch.

We ate.
And ate.
And ate.

Here's the list of bounty from our table.
Turkey
Cranberry sauce
Cranberry Jello Mold
Squash Casserole
Green Bean Casserole
Sunshine Carrots
Sweet potatoes
Mashed pototoes
Salad with tomotoes, peppers, cucumbers and oranges
Fruit salad with dip
Deviled eggs
Rolls
Lemonade Iced Tea
Coffee
Pumpkin Pie
Cranberry/Cherry Pie
Chocolate Pecan Pie
Chocolate Brownies with nuts
Chocolate Brownies without nuts

I hope I didn't leave anything out.
I don't think I could have eaten more than that.
I don't even think teenage boys could have eaten more.

And now comes one of my favorite days.
The day after Thanksgiving.
Because on this day I will have all my family sleeping under the same roof.
Because I have enough leftovers to feed my family for days.
And because it's officially CHRISTMAS!
WOO HOO!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Lord, behold our family here assembled.

We thank you for this place in which we dwell,

for the love that unites us,

for the peace accorded us this day,

for the hope with which we expect the morrow;

for the health, the work, the food and the bright skies

that make our lives delightful;

for our friends in all parts of the earth.

Amen.

~ ~ ~

Robert Louis Stevenson

(1850-1894)

Making Pies

Making homemade pie crusts with Sarah.

And lots and lots of butter.

Favorite Animals

As we rushed out the door for school today Sarah grabbed her favorite animals.

She has had "Pink Bear" from the beginning.

She was a sweet welcome home gift from my best friend.

She came with an attached pink sleeping hat.

That got ripped off fairly quickly and I wondered how long this bear would last.

Apparently forever.

The kitten was a gift from Daddy on her first Valentine's Day.

(Hence the name, "Valentine".)

"Meow" was one of Sarah's first words so she had to have her own kitty.

I tell you, that little kitten has been through the ringer.

She has been stitched together and washed many times.

But she is still a favorite.

You never know what your child might latch on to.

Out of a pile of stuffed animals she picked these two.

I hope I can always give her good choices to pick from.

And I hope I can be there to see what she loves and latches on to.

School Shoes

Sarah's school shoes have sparkles.

~ ~ ~

Try saying that 5 times really fast:-)

"Where Ya Going?"

Arella watching my every move.
Even girls can have goatees.
Girl goats that is.
Don't try this at home.
(Or in France.)

Lightning and Anthem hoping for a handout.
Any handout really.

"Whatcha got for me?"

Amen getting close.

Athena getting closer.

Arella in my face.
~ ~ ~
All they really want to know is:
"Can I taste the camera?"
"PLEASE!"

Broken Gate Latch

They did it again. (for the third time)

They broke the latch to the gate.

A gate ajar is not a good thing.

Luckily it's between two back pastures.

And not between our farm and the road.

This is a good, heavy chain on another gate.


This is what I'm working with here.
This is the thin, weak chain after I repaired it.

And it will have to do.

Until my husband/handyman extraordinaire gets home.
He will come to my rescue and secure our goats from mischief.
Because all this started when one little goat wanted some action.
(I guess Little Dot wasn't "settled" and bred like I thought.)
I took her to visit Jericho right away.

Let's just say I've got pictures of that but was afraid to share them.
If it worked this time she'll deliver 5 months from today!

Piano Recital

Today was our piano recital at an "Assisted Living Facility".

Ranae, Kevin and Alex played for the crowd,

along with many other piano students from several studios.

As I was listening to the music and looking over the audience,

I began to wonder why we call it an "Assisted Living Facility".

When I was growing up we called it an "Old Folks Home".

And when I closely examined those two different titles,

I found I preferred the later.

First of all, who would want to live in a "facility".

I would much rather live in a "home".

And hey, they're old.

The people that is.

There's no getting around that.

I'm just calling it like I see it.

And the term "Folk" kind of sounds endearing to me.

Like ya know, "The good folk that live next door".

Or like, "My folks want me to go to college".

I mean, why did we change the name?

Who gets to decide this stuff anyway?

No More Square T.V.'s

They don't make square T.V.'s anymore.

I'm sure.

I googled it.

Electronics always get SMALLER, right?

Well, that's true......except for T.V.'s

~ ~ ~

They have gotten BIGGER.

And they are all RECTANGLES.

~ ~ ~

So when our square T.V. died in September I looked for another one.

I soon found out that no one sells square T.V.'s

I couldn't even find a used one.

So that means our wall unit is obsolete.

Because it only holds a square T.V.

A small rectangle is lost here.

Believe me.....we tried that too.

So our wall unit is coming out today.

Gone.

Adios.

Later Gator.

~ ~ ~

We are now forced to follow the trend in technology.

BIG RECTANGLE.

Wish me luck.