Our Christmas Tree

Hunting for the Perfect Tree

We have 12 foot ceilings in our 100 + year old home which means we get a very large Christmas tree. Nothing makes me happier than to have a very tall, very fat tree!

Waiting patiently as we find the perfect tree

E and my mom - my fellow experts

Thankfully, I have a very patient husband who has the same passion about the perfect tree. He is willing to stand up and show A LOT of trees until we find the tree.

Don't worry the tree doesn't look that bad in person. We let it dry out on the front porch while we watched the Iron Bowl and then we were able to fluff it out to the perfect shape.

Just wait till you see it all decorated....

Flowers

I love fresh flowers on our bedside table...especially when they are from my husband just because!

The Peanut Truck

B at age 3

When B was about 3 years old, we were riding down the road and we saw a cement truck. He yelled , "Look Mommy, a peanut truck!"

Of course, we died laughing....how funny is that! Only a child from this area would call a cement truck a peanut truck!!!

If you are not from our area, read this and you will understand.

Turkey Toothpick Holder

This is what my kids made at our church Thanksgiving party. It was a quick and easy project...and perfect for little hands! I love when the kids make holiday projects that can be used year after year.

It makes my heart smile when I pull these treasures out each year and remember when they made them! To me they are just that..treasures!

Our "Deer"

My kids plus my niece, LB and my nephew, W.

The Interview

Last night at the mall, B was interviewed by our local newspaper. The reporter asked several questions regarding what B wanted for Christmas. He said he really was not sure what he wanted yet...maybe a Webkinz.

Of course, we were all excited when told that he would be quoted on the front page! We let some of our friends and family know so they could be looking out for it in the Saturday edition.

We woke up with great anticipation to see B's name and quote on the front page of the newspaper. Our joy quickly turned to disappointment, horror, laughter, embarrassment...and even more laughter (from Scot at least!) because B was quoted as saying he wanted "Weapons for Christmas."

I can see how Webkinz could be mistaken as weapons...a five year old does not always pronounce things the clearest...but of all things....a WEAPON!!!!??

Oh..My! People who know us at all, know how we feel about our kids playing with guns or even seeing or participating in violent things. I guess that is why the irony of OUR child being quoted as wanting a weapon makes it TOO FUNNY. The rest of the locals, not knowing us or how we feel about these issues, makes me horrified! Oh Well! Can't worry about that now, huh!

B with his Webkinz, Buddy

It really is funny how an honest mistake of not understanding what someone said can go from one extreme to another - something soft and cuddly... to... something so violent!

One thing I know for sure is that B being quoted in the paper will not soon be forgotten, but never did we expect to have a "bonus memory" that we will be talking and laughing about for a long time.

By the way, the paper did correct their mistake on the website right away and then in the Sunday edition of the the newspaper. The editor and writer were very kind and understanding. They were also super apologetic!

Matching Shirts

One night last week, S went shopping with me. We were looking at shirts for M. When S noticed that there was the same shirt in her size, she just had to have one too!

S was so excited to wear them to church tonight! She could not wait for all her friends to see how she and her sister were "just like twins."

The Paper

E was very excited to learn that there is a picture of her first place pumpkin in our local newspaper!


How cool is that!

The Parade

As long as I can remember I have always gone to the parade. Even when I was away at college in a different state, I would still come home on the weekend of the parade to enjoy the fair on Friday night and the parade on Saturday morning. I love passing on this family tradition to my kids. Seeing them enjoy the same things I did as a kid brings me so much joy! They love the parade and look forward to it as much as I do!

Scot and M waving at the floats as they go by.

Daddy and his boy!

M and W kicking back watching the parade

S with Mr Peanut

E with my cousin, Billy

The parade is one of my favorite family traditions. Our entire family tries to come, so we can all go together. On Friday night, we park our trucks along the route to reserve a space for our family to sit on Saturday morning. We sit on the tail gates or on the cab or in camp chairs..anywhere we can see the parade as it goes by!

S and LB sitting on top of the truck to see the parade going by.

M with my Uncle Doug

M covered her ears as the sirens went by. How cute is she with her shades???

I love it when he does this!

The peanut trucks are my favorite....and the kids too!

A local company drops peanuts down the center of the street before the parade begins.




Everyone scurries to fill their bags as quickly as possible with as many peanuts as possible.



S ready to go.

E ready to fill her bag!

Here they come!

She was so happy with her bag full of peanuts!

The loot!

She loves her peanuts...they are always oh so good!!!!

The Ultimate Field Trip

By now you know how much my kids LOVE pizza! Today we went on a field trip to a local pizza chain. Needless to say, they were in pizza heaven!

The little ones loved learning what happens when an order is placed. They got to type their name in the computer, order their own small pizza, and print the label for the box.

They placed the sticker on their own little boxes..how fun!

Then they got to make the pizza they ordered!!! They were so excited! Can you tell?

They learned how to stretch the dough.

Add sauce and cheese...

The white thing in this picture is their cheese machine. You pour a cup of cheese in the top and push the button. It spreads the cheese out evenly over the pizza. Someone at D's invented it.

They got to choose what topping they wanted..of course, most kids like the simple toppings - pepperoni or sausage.

Now it is ready for the oven.

Look how yummy!

They were so excited and so proud of the pizza's they made.

Of course, they couldn't resist eating a piece straight from the oven....even if it was 10:00 am!