I'll be out for a few days

Just wanted to let you all know that I will catch up on my blog and everyone else's in a few days. Jimmy's grandma passed away last night so peacefully in the presence of almost all of her children, many grandchildren, and even some great grandchildren. There was so much love in that room. His grandma lived a wonderful 94 (two months shy of 95) years. She has to be one of the strongest women I know. There have been many times when we all thought that her day was coming, but so many times she turned around and surprised us all. Yesterday was a little different. I think we all knew for sure. Please say a prayer for Jimmy's mom and her siblings, as they have spent the last 11 years going to the nursing home EVERY day to feed her and spend time with her. Pray that they will not be lost in the days ahead with not having to go there everyday. Thank you guys! And I'll see you in a few days.

I just don't know where to begin

So I'll start with the funniest gift I got. I guess I need to give you all a little background info though. As a lot of you know, almost all of my family lives up north. Everyone on my mom's side lives in upstate NY. Starting when I was in elementary school, I would fly to NY and spend every summer there with my Aunt Mary. As I got older, I would only go for a week at a time with my family. My parents use to take us out of school during the winter for a week every year so we could go up there and go skiing. And then we would go in the summers when my Aunt would rent the cottage at the lake. And when I was a junior in highschool, I begged my parents to let me go live with my Aunt Mary and go to school there. I know that sounds crazy, but I really wanted something better than what good ol' Northampton had to offer. So they let me go. Even though I only lasted two months before becoming so homesick I had to come home, I spent a lot of time with my family there. And throughout all of those visits to NY, I formed a good bond with everyone there. And they are CRAZY!! I don't mean loony crazy, I mean funny crazy. So I fit right in! I went every year until Jimmy and I were married (then came children and you know how life goes after that.). Well, the summer that Jimmy and I got engaged I flew up there to visit while my Aunt Mary had the cottage at the lake. I wasn't sure they were going to be there to pick me up (hmmm....you ladies know why, Aunt Mary, Aunt Becky, Aunt Irene...I won't go there), but they made it. My parents and my sister, her husband and my nephew Ryan all came a day or two after me. One night while all of my aunts, uncles, and cousins were all there cooking out, they threw me a surprise wedding shower! BUT, not just any wedding shower. A tacky wedding shower!! It was the BEST! They gave me stuff that people probably wouldn't even buy at a yard sale. Just the story about the shower is a long post in itself, well worth the reading and pictures, but I'll save that for another time. We had such a fun time, and I laughed so hard at all those crazy gifts I'm sure my jaws were hurting. Well that's a little more than a little background on my folks up north. So on to the gift. I received a package in the mail from my dear Aunt Becky (you know, one of the crazy ones like me) with a card I would not dare post a picture of. This summer when we were all at the beach, she had me try on one of her bathing suits from like the 70's (a two piece) and I was also wearing tattoo sleeves and she took a picture. So needless-to-say, that was one funny picture. That picture was on the front of her Christmas card. The inside said she made me a gift this year and was wondering if it would sell on etsy, and oh, by the way "Hope you like what I've chosen for my Christmas cards this year"!!! Then I opened the package and laughed and laughed and laughed some more. Here's a picture:

They're maxipad slippers!!! How practical, right?? I mean, her note said they were hypoallergenic, had nonslip grips, they make your feet smell fresh, and they come in three convenient sizes, light, medium, and get out the sand bags. AND, no more having to bend over to clean up all of those spills my little ones make. I can "slip" them away! I love how decorative they are too. So, do you think they'd sell? heheh!!

New Blogger

A friend of mine, and fellow homeschooler just started blogging. Everyone please say hello to Wendy at http://wendyharringtonsfamily.blogspot.com/ I first met her when she moved to town, but really only since we both started homeschooling have we gotten to know each other. I'm looking forward to reading your blog Wendy and learning more about you and your family. On another note, I'll be blogging very soon on all of our Christmas events, but we are just so busy right now. I'm glad to see that you all had a great Christmas and I'll be posting pics soon. But in the meantime, visit my new blogger buddy.

Christmas Caroling

This afternoon twenty children and about eight adults set out to local nursing homes, the senior appartments here in town, and a couple of elderly people's homes to sing. What a great job they all did! Everyone we sang to seemed to really enjoy it. One lady was in tears when we were singing....I'm pretty sure they were happy tears, not tears from awful music..lol. At each stop we sang about six or seven songs, and the kids did awesome. I encourage everyone to take the time to reach out to people who may not be able to get out and spread the Christmas cheer. And this doesn't have to be just during "Christmas time", and it doesn't have to be caroling. Visit some elderly neighbors or people that may be sick or disabled and take them some goodies, or when the weather turns back warm offer to mow their lawn. Take their trash to the road every week, bring them a bag of groceries. Little things make the biggest difference. Who knows, maybe you can advance God's kingdom by spreading your love. What are some of your ideas?

Happy Anniversary

I want to wish my mom and dad a very happy 40th anniversary! Forty years, wow! What an example we have to follow. Happy anniversary Mom and Dad, I love you!

Thankful, but a little bummed

Jimmy and I have been together for over ten years, married 8 1/2, and the whole time he has had a job with swing shift hours. I wouldn't know what to do if he had a regular 9-5 job. Not only does he work swing shift, but for a majority of these years his schedule hasn't remained constant. So with that, we are really never able to plan ahead. We might think he's working one shift, but the week before he finds out he's being changed to another shift. But life goes on, whether he's with us or working. Poor Jimmy, has missed many plays, programs, a couple of recitals, family gatherings and so forth. But he's only ever missed one Christmas. That was Hannah's first Christmas. I'm sure I was a little sad then, but she was only seven months old, so no big deal. Well, with the recent economic meltdown, jobs being eliminated, people being layed off, Jimmy said last week that there was a chance that he might have the whole week of Christmas off to eleviate some overtime. He wasn't going to be able to find out until last night when he went to work. He was scheduled to work 2nd shift (3-11) which would be a good shift if he had to work. I was in the shower when he came home this morning, so I sent the girls to go ask what his shift will be. They came back with these words, "The worst possible shift." Which means days. He won't be home Christmas morning. For the first time since Rebecca and Leah have been born, and the second time for Hannah, he has to work that morning. I'm sad. YET, I am very very thankful at the same time that he has a job. I know I shouldn't complain, because we are so incredibly blessed and Christmas is NOT about Christmas morning. But still, I'm sad. I'm not sure how we will do things this year. I would not want him to miss anything, so I don't know whether to wait until he gets home to open gifts or what. We'll figure it out. I just thought I would share this. Is is wrong to be upset? Like I said, I am very grateful that he has a job. All I keep hearing from the news and people's everday conversations is how this company is laying off this many people and so forth. So, we are blessed that that hasn't happened to us, but I'm still bummed.

FYI

My friend Katie just opened an etsy shop and I thought I would share her site with you. She makes Colonial style dresses, and does an awesome job. My girls love wearing theirs. If you or anyone you know is interested in this time period, visits historical sites, or has little girls who love playing dress-up and going to tea parties, then you should check her out. She makes the dresses, aprons, and caps. We've just recently gotten her to make Hannah a different size cap since the one in this picture is too big. So, if you're interested you can check here out http://ColonialKatie.etsy.com

We Wish You A Merry Christmas!

Trash Day

Well, today is trash day. And as soon as the truck headed down our street Leah was waiting. I watched from the porch, as I usually do. Today after he wheeled our can back up, he told Leah he had a Christmas gift for her. He gave her $5! She was so so so excited! She ran back inside and told her sisters (who have been plotting on how she should spend it). Then she got a piece of paper, scribbled a little on it, then handed it to me and asked me to write "Thank you" on it. I couldn't beleive it. I saw him handing her money, but I thought it was a dollar, not five! Well, I guess we'll be off to the store after school today.

Cookie Swap

Our homeschool group met yesterday afternoon for a day of making, decorating, and most importantly, eating cookies! I've never done of of these "cookie swaps" before, but it was a neat idea. And the girls had a blast! The day before, everyone makes a dozen cookies per child in your family. Make sure you copy your recipe for everyone to have at the swap. On the day of the swap, gather all of your cookie supplies, cookie sheets, rollers, cookie cutters, sprinkles, etc. Don't forget your tins (one per child) to put cookies in to bring home. Everyone also has to bring a batch of sugar cookie dough to make cut-out cookies. When we got there, they had two tables set up for the kids to roll out the cookies and cut out their shapes. Some kids decorated with sprinkles and such before they baked them. I've never heard of that. We always ice them and decorate with sprinkles afterwards, but it worked out great. We had plenty of undecorated cookies to ice when all was said and done. In between the cookies cooling, and decorating them, the kids moved to another table. Here they passed around the cookies they made the day before for everyone to put in their own tins. This part might have needed a little more organization....but again, worked out just fine. At the end, everyone had a tin full of assorted homemade cookies! Yum! Then, after they finished all the decorating, they were able to eat their masterpieces. Always, the best for last!

Hannah, Leah, and Rebecca working frantically to create that "special" cookie (ok, maybe like 20 special cookies)
Rebecca trying to make her cookie match the gingerbread girl on her apron. You got it Becca, a little more green.

Hannah decorating her star pink...such a girl!


Leah....not quite sure what she's doing since she has a cookie right in front of her, already decorated waiting to go in the oven. Must not be flat enough.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree...

The day after Thanksgiving, I ventured to Rocky Mount to go shopping...all day. And when I returned, Jimmy and the girls had put up the tree to my surprise. It wasn't decorated, but it was up and the lights were on. So of course, as soon as I came home they were after me to decorate it. And so we did, as tired as I was. They usually do the decorating, with some guidance, but this year, I didn't care what was where. I unwrapped their ornaments and handed them out, and the rest was up the them. I think they did a superb job! The girls learned how to make this icicle at a 4-H workshop, and we've since made a few to go on our tree. Very cute, easy decorations they can make.

Here's our tree. I've always had a real tree up until about three years ago. I would much rather have a real one. This tree is just too slender and soooo not full. If I could find a big, round, full artificial tree then that would be great. But this tree makes me just want to go cut down a real one. But, it'll do....for this year!
Oh, the presents under the tree are gifts that the girls have been making since about September! I have no idea what they are. They'll go in their rooms and hide while making them. They've even wrapped the gifts by themselves!

Day of Parades

Saturday morning our homeschool group was in the Murfreesboro Christmas parade. The girls had a good time participating in this. They especially loved throwing out the candy. Hannah ran out of candy fairly quickly, as did everyone else, but Rebecca hung on until just about the end. (For future reference, if you want candy, be at the beginning of the parade!) Then that afternoon at 4:30 was the Roanoke Rapids parade. We had such a busy week with school, basketball, and dance that we were all exhausted. But we didn't want to miss it. So off we drove to Roanoke Rapids, yet again, to hang out with all of these girls. Can you believe all these girls?! And one girl was missing from this picture. As was Ryan and a friend's little boy who went with us. He didn't want to sit with the girls, but do you blame him? The parade was much shorter than it usually is, which was great. Everyone was happy since they filled up their bags with candy. It didn't take the younger ones long to figure out you had to be quick with all of these kids if you want some. I had a good time watching them, and the parade.

Abigail, Michelle, and Mike
Ryan

One little elf just couldn't take anymore.

Pictures of my dancer

Hannah in her costume, hair slightly messed up. But not to worry, they had to wear cowgirl hats, thanfully!

Sweet Hannah
Leah, Hannah, and I

Me and Hannah

Me, Jimmy, his dad Andy, and Leah

Hannah's Dance Recital

Hannah was the only one who decided to dance this year and she is doing clogging again, her second year of clogging. Her class last year was small, only five kids, and two of them were Hannah and Rebecca. This year she had 19 in her class! Here are a couple of short videos from her dance last night. We were kind of far back, so you can't see that great. But you can see her, she is one of the smallest, if not the smallest in her class. In the first video she is in the front center, and the second she is in the back, again the smallest one.

Pecan Picking

The girls and I had a great time at my parents this afternoon picking pecans, playing, and drinking hot chocolate.

My mom helping Abigail load her bag

This is one of the girls bags. Some of the pecans still have the shells on them.
My mom and dad, my girls and my niece Abigail

Leah and the Trash Truck

I've been meaning to write about this, but keep forgetting. It's quite funny. Let me start with my Rebecca. Rebecca has always had certain fears, one being the trash truck. Well, not even the truck, but the men. For at least a full year, possibly longer, she would ask me EVERYDAY if it was trash day. And if it was, she would not go outside at all until they came and went. She would even ask me at night before she went to sleep if the next day was trash day. I guess she wanted to know what she would be up against the next day. She finally told me one day that her fear stemmed from a nightmare she had one night about the trash men taking her. That would scare me too, but for a whole year?? Anyway, she has since outgrown that fear (thank you God). Leah, on the other hand, LOVES trash day! Every Friday when she hears the trash truck coming she runs to me to remind me to take the trash to the road. Then she runs and gets her shoes and coat on and waits for them in our driveway. I have seen the days where she just sits in the middle of the driveway waiting. When they get closer she jumps up and down and hollers. She gets sooo soo excited! She has developed a small friendship with our trashman. I think he gets as much excitement out of seeing her as she does from him. For the past month and a half, after he empties our trash, he wheels our can all the way back under our carport! You're doing good if your trashcan is still standing and out of the road usually when they are done emptying it, but he takes the time to bring it back up for us. And then he speaks to her for a minute or two. She loves it! I just think this is the cutest thing, and I'm thinking about getting the man and his driver some gift cards to like McDonald's for Christmas. Just a little something to let them know that we appreciate what they do, and for taking the time to make Leah's day.

Sweet new necklace

This was inspired by my girls. We like reading the book Guess How Much I Love You and we say this to each other quite a bit. I even have a sign hanging in my kitchen over the girls pictures that has this quote.

Thanksgiving

Here are a few pictures from out Thanksgiving. This year we spent our time with Jimmy's family. First we went to his brother's inlaws, then we went to Jimmy's uncles for some good 'ol stew. Here is a picture of them stirring the stew. It was delicious!

This is Jimmy's dad Andy with Leah and Rebecca
Jimmy's brother Paul and his wife Kim

Jimmy and I

Snaggle Tooth

Rebecca has finally lost her first tooth! Yay!! She has been wanting to loose a tooth for probably over a year now. And she has two more that are loose. I think this is a bit premature though. She had no missing teeth until one day her and Hannah were outside running. Rebecca tripped and fell face first. Hannah was directly behind her with no time to stop, so she landed right on top of Rebecca and her head went down for a second time. About two days later we found out that her teeth were loose. Who cares how it happened....she finally lost one!

My nephew

Here is my nephew Ryan! I don't get to blog about him much or share pictures of him because he doesn't care to come to my house much. I don't blame him, six girls and one poor pitiful Ryan...I wouldn't want to either! Usually when I'm keeping the girls, he goes to a friends house to spend the night or just hangs out with his parents. This is him receiving his football trophy at the banquet this year. I think he has a promising football future. Way to go Ryan, we can't wait till next football season! I love you!

Backing it up to last Sunday

Last Sunday my oldest daughter Hannah and her cousin Emily were baptized!! There were several others at our church baptized that day, and I have a couple of friends from other churches who were also baptized that day. I am so proud of my girl for knowing and understanding that Jesus died for us, and that it's by His blood that we are saved. And I'm proud that she wanted to show everyone her commitment to the Lord by being baptized.

This is her getting ready to go under looking a little nervous!

Looking much happier and less nervous now!
My niece Emily and her daddy...Way to go Emily!!!

Afterwards, we went to Logan's for lunch. Between my sister and I, we have 7 kids. Out of those 7, there is only one boy (poor Ryan!). Here are all the girls watching the man cook at the restaurant. The man would light the grill on fire some for their excitement!

My sister and I! I am thankful to be able to still have her in my life. It's been one year since we almost lost her. Thank you God for saving her!