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.