Cheers!...

...to a happy and healthy New Year! My prayer is for a safe and fun evening for all of my friends and family, and for the start of a new year with a fresh, new perspective. I still am thinking about my resolution. Mine last year was a huge, huge success for me, so I don't want to let myself down this year. Let me know if you have any good ones. I have 2 or 3 I'm narrowing it down to...I guess it will be a last minute call.

We had a wonderful Christmas. I was off work all last week so it was really nice not to be in a rush for anything, to spend as much time doing whatever needed to be done at the moment, etc. I feel overly blessed with an amazing family, and am so thankful for the time I got to spend with each and every one of them. I am now thankful that the tree is down, that our home is back in some kind of uncluttered order, and that we can begin to look forward to some cold, winter days (it is supposed to snow a little tomorrow night...I wish it would snow 2 feet!).

So, goodbye to 2007, hello 2008. May we all be blessed.....God is so good...Cheers!!

Crazy-Daisy few weeks

We have had a very busy, crazy couple of weeks. I will just update through pictures.

We went to the Holiday Starlight parade downtown a couple of weeks ago. The kids had a blast.




Then Addie and I went on a field trip to visit a Christmas tree farm and petting zoo. We learned all about how and what kind of evergreens grow in our area. It was a really neat trip for her age group.


Her class....



Addie had a gymnastics program/recital/whatever they're called in gymnastics. She did really good and got the only "Perfect 10" from the instructor during her back handspring. She really is talented in this arena.








Matt and I enjoyed a field trip with his class to a Polar Express train ride to the "North Pole". Matt loves trains and he loves all his friends at school, so he was in heaven.






Matt and Addie had a Christmas program/musical at school. Matt's class did a "Merry Hula" theme, and Addie was a horse in a part of the musical.

Matt is in the middle with his hat pulled down low over his eyes...


Addie is on the very far left in the brown sweatsuit (middle row)....





Then, yesterday, we spent the day with Jeff's mom's side of the family. We decorated ginderbread houses together, Santa made a visit, we played at Chick-Fil-A, and then had supper together last night.




Matt's house (I had to help him alot. He was only interested in adding his hot wheels to the decorations and making them drive to the houses)...



Addie's house...


What a ride it's been these last few weeks! I feel like I haven't been to work at all. But, honestly, I am not really exhausted and have tried to relax and soak it all in as it happens and enjoy it. We'll see if that continues these next few weeks. My plans are to have no stress and let my children see no stress. That is not what this season is about. Hope you all do the same!!

O Christmas Tree

We put up our tree today. I used to spend alot of $ on nice Christmas decorations and spend alot of time placing things just so. Since kids, that has changed (by choice). I love to see them get so excited to put up the decorations themselves and be so proud to pull one out that they have made. There will be a time again for postcard Christmas decorating for me, but for now, it's all about the kids! I bet Matt laid under the tree for 2 hours playing with the train! What a joy.

Thankful

I have so much to be thankful for! God bless each of you this week. May your time with your family and friends be as sweet as I expect and know mine will be!

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever." Psalm 136:1

We're Famous! (Not Really)

A local dentist in town "buys back" Halloween candy. He pays you $1 for every pound of candy that you bring to his office during a designated time and then donates it to some kind of charity. Well, today was the day. I somehow (and it wasn't too hard...I don't know if that's good or bad) talked Addie and Matt into selling their candy. They, of course, went through it and picked out their favorites, and then we took the rest to sell. When we pulled up, I'm not sure if we were the first ones there or what. But the parking lot was empty except for the dentist and his staff, and 3 cameramen. We were instantly a hit! They videoed us parking, getting out of the car, Addie and Matt fighting over who was going to carry the bag, weighing in, collecting our money, getting back in the car, pulling out of the parking lot...the whole entire process. So, I assume we will be on NBC, ABC, and CBS news tonight. How funny is that! Well, the result....$5. We sold 5 lbs of candy, and that's after eating some and picking some out to keep!!! Not too bad for an afternoon of fun!

Amazing Acres, Halloween, and Last Soccer Game

Wow, it's been awhile, and I have lots to post about. We have been busy the last week or so. I'll just share through pictures:

Here are some treats that I made for snack at school (not the Halloween party, but just a snack one day last week). I was real proud of myself that's why I'm postiing pictures, and Haven would call me Susie (as in, Susie homemaker). I'm pretty far from Susie, but Family Fun has some neat ideas that I like to try every once in a while.




Last weekend, we went to a Pumpkin Patch, Corn Maze, Hayride, Fun-on-the-Farm type place near Cookeville called Amazing Acres. The kids all had a blast! It was a beautiful fall day, the company was great, and it was a fun time by all.

Watching the Pig Race...


Haven, Holly, and Heather (it was Hef's b-day).


Starting the corn maze.


Addie loving a bunny.


The slide was a hit!


Tomas and Matthew with their pumpkins.


And then, of course, on Halloween we spent it the way we traditionally do...getting home and carving our pumpkin, getting all dressed up, and then spending the evening with Gus and Peggy, and Tommy's family. Addie and I went to Trunk or Treat for a short time, but came home to trick or treat our neighborhood. It is one of our favorite night's of the year!

Addie posing as a witch.


Ivy, John David, and Addie at trunk or treat.


Matthew (Spiderman), Addie (witch), Charlie (Dr. Toxic), Nora (bee)


On the bump-bump ready to go!


In the scary yard!


Then, this morning was our last soccer game this year. Addie scored a goal in the very last second of the game, so she was real excited. Following the game, we got a team picture and our trophies.




Matthew getting his trophy.


And Ms. Addie getting hers.


Addie, Coach Stone, and Matthew


Matthew, Wesley Wortman, John David Reynolds, and Will Wortman. These guys are way too cute!

Strolling

Tonight we took a walk after dinner. It was such a great night. A lady that lives in our neighborhood goes absolutely ape nuts over holiday decorations, especially Halloween. The kids think it is the coolest thing ever. I have attached a couple of pictures, but they don't do it justice. She has bats in the trees, all kinds of ghouls and goblins hanging, little things that look like fire on the trees, eyes in her bushes, a cemetery, a casket, skeletons, spiders, rats, blow-up things...you name it, she has it. No lie, I bet there is at least $700-$800 worth of stuff in her yard. It is just a slight bit tacky, but the kids absolutely love it!



Addie is multitasking...coloring while enjoying our walk

Beautiful Day

Today was an absolutely beautiful day. We spent some time outside after getting home from church today, and it was just beautiful. Fall is my favorite time of year, and the leaves are starting to change colors a little, there is a slight briskness in the air...it's just perfect to me. I don't see how anyone can have a day like today (or any day for that matter, but especially today) and not believe in God.

Pictures of Addie and Matt enjoying being a little lazy in the sun...

Our Fall Vacation

We spent the week last week in Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg with our families. There is nothing that makes me happier in this world than spending time with my immediate and extended family. I know most of you have read the Five Love Languages book. Well, my love language is definitely time. I love to spend time with people that I care about, and conversely, I feel very loved when others spend time with me. So being together for a week with family recharged me. It was a great week of relaxing (that word is very relative these days), visiting, eating, playing, and bonding together. There is nothing that will bond a family faster than to put them under one roof for several days. And then at the end of a nice week, it is so nice to sleep in your own bed. I guess being away makes you appreciate the comforts of home a little more, too. Here are a few pictures from the week:

Matthew, Charlie, Nora, Addie. All the grandkids sans Sophie. She didn't care too much about having her picture taken.


Addie, Charlie, and Matthew swimming...yes, in the hot tub.


Matthew and Tommy on the teacups.


Addie Mae on a ride.


MaJo, Addie, Matthew, and Pa after lunch at the Apple Barn. We ate there twice in one week...it never gets old.


P/S-Happy Birthday last weekend to my sweet, sweet nephew Tomas. He turned 3 years old...that is so hard to believe. We love you Tomas!

Matthew and his (best) buddy, Tomas.