Cassidy with Pa David and Gran Debbie
Happy kids

Cassidy and the dollhouse from Santa

Reed and his scooter from Santa

We had a wonderful whirlwind of a day yesterday! At one point it was 6:30 AM and before I turned around it was 6:30 PM! We enjoyed all the excitement of Christmas morning, a great lunch with family and friends (11 of us total) and a relaxing evening.

My favorite part is, of course, the kids sheer joy first thing in the morning. What fun to watch them exclaim over everything! Needless to say, there are LOTS of toys in our house!

Play doh Nativity

A close up of Baby Jesus...can you see all the lovely detail of his face. Maybe I should apologize in my prayers today, but He knows her heart! By the way, she thought he was SO perfect and cute!
The 2 pink things are Mary and Joseph and the green ones are the animals.

Cass with her creations!

As evidenced by the previous post of Cassidy's preschool program, there has been a lot of talk about Baby Jesus at our house. Well, Cass decided she wanted to make Baby Jesus out of play doh. Then we added Mary, Joseph, a cow and a sheep. Then she laboriously added facial features and put them all in a bucket/stable. The pictures really just speak for themselves.

School Christmas Festivities

Soooo...he's no Bing Crosby!

He had, apparently, been in a little trouble right before I got to the classroom

and before they were to perform some songs for the parents.

I'm thinking he needed to be in the back row,

but then I wouldn't have these priceless photos!

I have about 8 photos of the performance and this was his pose and face in EVERY one.

Finally a little happier.
My little "townsperson" between 2 angels.
Don't worry, I told her she was MY angel.

During the play.

Cassidy in her costume.

Thursday was our big day of school festivities. Reed had his classroom party during the afternoon and Cassidy's preschool had their program that evening. We had a busy day and Mommy was the only one exhausted at the end!

Santa Called Us!

Cassidy talking to Santa on the phone!
Cassidy "waiting" for her turn to talk to Santa.

Reed talking to Santa!

The kids were SO excited to receive a phone call from Santa himself! Reed remembered Santa calling last year and was anxiously awaiting a phone call this year as well. The wait was up on Tuesday night right as we were starting bath time...in case you were wondering why Cassidy is in a towel.

Random Happenings

Reed dressed up for church on Sunday! Quite handsome!
Self portrait (photo) by Cassidy.

My bell peppers!

My earthbox: 2 bell pepper plants, 2 broccoli, and a cauliflower.

My broccoli has ENORMOUS leaves...a crying shame we don't eat them.

My broccoli growing away!

Who's the little froggy on the window? Croak, Croak.

Another view of afore mentioned froggy!

Cutie Cass (and Lovey) before church on Sunday. No, Lovey doesn't get to go to church.

Things are running smoothly and time is ticking away. I had some pictures I wanted to share that, in no way, all go together. So I'm just posting them all together anyway. It's my blog.

Cassidy asks me 10 times a day if tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Bless her heart.

December Fun

Reed in front of baseball Santa.

He is wearing my jacket.

Superstar Cassidy

Writing our letters to Santa. I thought Cassidy was paying attention to what we were doing...how wrong I was!

At the Festival of Lights in Palmetto

In front of the Gingerbread house.

Grandma gave them their Christmas gifts early.

By the by, the rocket blaster is TOTALLY COOL!

Can it really be December 10 already?!? I'm sorry I've been MIA! I've been working on a few other things that filled up my "spare" time that I can blog with! I'm still trying to finish Christmas cards and get them all mailed out!!!

We've had nice, cool weather for the past few weeks and it has been wonderful! Up until yesterday...when the high was 81 and I had to turn on the AC or die. The weatherman has promised me cooler temps on Friday...here's hoping!

We have been doing a few "Christmasy" things around town. Cassidy has her program next week and Reed has his party at school next week as well. We are fairly low-key and that suits me just fine!

Oh...and I have ALL my shopping done! Go, Me!

Tree Trimming Fun!

Precious kids...and they smell good too!

Fresh from the tub!

The bottom heavy tree (must be a girl tree...hee hee)!

Picking out ornaments to hang.

Reed and Grandma Jane hanging ornaments.

Cassidy putting an ornament on the tree.

Can you tell she had fruit punch at dinner tonight?

We finished decorating the tree tonight! It took us 2 days. Yesterday we did tree assembly and lights. Tonight we hung all of the ornaments and trimmings. I actually enjoyed pacing ourselves. The kids were so cute. They "oohed and aahed" over every ornament.

In case you hadn't already figured it out, I'm not a very formal person. I'm guessing we won't win any Hallmark card moment awards with our fruit punch stained kids in all the pictures. I did get the cutie pictures after their baths though.

I was also so glad to see them hang all the ornaments in the one section in the front. How classic! Reed was so funny. He would see an ornament that he loved so he had to hang it on the same branch with another 2 ornaments that he loved. Or he would hang all three gingerbread men on the same branch since they were the same type of ornament.

Yes, I'm rearranging to even out the tree. I'll let you know if the kiddos notice!

Oh, Gobble,Gobble,Gobble Fat Turkey, Fat Turkey!

Us and what army is supposed to eat all of that food?!

We had a bountiful meal today!

Reed at his Thanksgiving party at school.

Cassidy at her Thanksgiving program. Her class sang the "Fat Turkey" song from which I stole the title. She was also chosen to be the last letter "G" in Thanksgiving. Her line was: "G is for Green Beans." And, if I may be so bold, she was the BEST "G" I've ever heard!

Happy Thanksgiving to all! I rarely use this blog to write anything deep or profound... and yes, I know what that says about me! And I'm not really going to be deep or profound now, but I am going to share some of what I am so thankful for.

I have been trying to be more prayerful and introspective about my blessings over the past few days. I think I am especially guilty of sailing through my days without acknowledging just how amazing each moment is. I will never be accused of being overly sappy or emotional...dramatic, yes, emotional...not so much. And so, I think I just deal with each moment and move on without really relishing some things.

And the Lord has been calling me to take notice lately. So, I've compiled a list of some of the things I don't want to take for granted and I am thankful to God for.

1. Randy: He is such a great guy and I would RUN down the aisle to marry him all over again(He assures me he wouldn't be running the other way).

2. Healthy Reed and healthy Cassidy: These are two good kids. They are crazy energetic, but I am so glad they are happy, healthy and strong.

3. Our extended family: It is always difficult for me around holidays when our families are together without us. I question all the memories our children aren't going to have. But then I remember again that with modern technology, we are up-to-the-day informed with how everyone is. I love being able to talk to my family every day. The miles seem much smaller then.

4. Church family: There are those friends who "stand in the gap" for us. They love us, love our children, include us in their lives, send us on dates, laugh with us, share birthdays, sit at one end of our pew and bring a bag of goodies to distract the Cass, buy the right kind of bubble gum because they know the kids love it, help set up our tent in the dark, search for the perfect ballerina outfit, take Reed fishing and take pictures of the catch and my list could go on. We needed these people and the Lord has graciously given us a "family of friends."

5. Jobs: I have never taken for granted that Randy has a secure job that provides so well for our family...well enough that I get to maintain my status as a "lady of leisure" or, if you prefer,"chief pot washer and floor scrubber." I am also so very thankful that my family all have secure jobs in this time of great uncertainty.

6. Our country: Peaceful transfer of power from one party to the next is nothing to take for granted...just read the papers. Abundant food on the shelves in the stores, freely walking into worship, free public education, mail systems and the list could go on and on. For all that is uncertain and yes, a little scary, in our country - there is much more to be thankful and prayerful about.

7. Cars and a houseful of appliances: I am so glad we have working cars. I am thankful we have a house to live in. And I am REALLY thankful it is CHOCK FULL of useful things like: an air conditioner, a hot water heater, a dishwasher, an oven, a microwave, a washing machine and dryer. Seriously, if you take any one of those things away (there are more I'm not listing), I am in a MAJOR crisis!

8. my Vacuum cleaner: This one deserved its very own number just because I use it all the time. You all know we have ol' stinky brown dog in the house with us. I would go stark raving mad without my vacuum cleaner to suck up all the dog hair...just thinking about it makes me want to go vacuum.

9. our bathtub

10. Books: Mine and the ones I read with the kids each night.

11. The first 5 minutes of each morning with Reed and Cassidy...that's the only shot for cuddles!

12. Bedtime prayers and scriptures: We've been working on this one and I LOVE IT! You should just hear Cassidy say it...adorable! "The Lord you God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17"

13. Chocolate chips

14. God: The giver of all things, including His only Son (John 3;16). The author of a costly plan to save me even though He knows I am not only unworthy, but frequently ungrateful(Romans 5:8). The creator of the amazing world I live in who not only invites me to talk to Him, but longs for communication with me (Jeremiah 29:11-14). Above all else, for there is nothing without Him, I am profoundly grateful to know God, to be known by God and to be a follower of Jesus Christ.

Well, there are some of the things I am thankful for. It is definitely a rewarding experience to write them down. There are more I could have written down and more I will think of and wish I had written down. I am ABUNDANTLY blessed: "...A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over will be poured in your lap. (the middle of Luke 6:38)."

Recovering Chairs

Seatless chairs
Randy, a.k.a Mr. Perfectionist, hard at work.

The beautiful finished product!

A priceless family photo!

Okay, so maybe this should have been done 3 months or more ago...no maybe about it. Our dining room chairs, inherited from Randy's Grandma Ruth, were in DIRE need of new seat covers...try the seat covers were approximately 40 years old. Now, don't get me wrong, the age wasn't the problem...it was the fact that one was ripped up. And, maybe...just maybe, had been ripped up for months and months.

So, anyhoo...we finally "bit the bullet" and decided to CARPE DIEM! Therefore, after only, 2 trips to the fabric store, 1 trip to Lowe's, 1 trip to ACE hardware, and 1 minor flesh wound (mine) the chairs are DONE. And, if I may say so, they look mighty fine.

May they last another 40 years!

P.S. You HAVE to click on the family picture to enlarge the image! You don't want to miss the full effect of Reed's disgust with this photo session. Can you tell he is ROLLING HIS EYES?! The twit! Oh, by the by, this was one attempt to get a decent family picture for Christmas cards. So I'm giving you fair warning: Don't set your expectations too high!

Student of the Month

Reed's picture on the bulletin board in the Multipurpose Room.
Reed and the Principal, Mr. Flynn. The Boy's Choir performed following the
awards presentations...that is who is in the background.

On stage with his certificate.

Reed, Mommy and Grandma Jane

Reed and Daddy...don't they look great?!

Reed and a classmate were chosen as "Students of the Month" for their class. The ceremony was today. He was very happy that his Dad and his Grandma Jane could be there to see him get his certificate. We are quite proud of Reed. His teacher wrote some very nice things about him that the principal read before giving Reed his certificate. What a good kid!

Gender Roles

Reed came in my room to show off his weapons,

so I asked him to stop for a picture. This is what I got.
Cassidy had a friend over on Friday. The girls spent 4 hours playing
dress up and babies. They were SO cute!

If you watch my kids role play for very long, it is obvious there is no gender confusion going on in my house. Now, don't get me wrong, Cassidy is one tough little girl...but she is going to look good stompin' in the pond or wrestling her brother to the ground.

Aren't they cute?!?