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!