O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree...where are you?

Every year we head to the mountains to get our trees the day after Thanksgiving. It was sooooo cold this year. It was so cold because it was so windy. But, we were successful and we got our trees. Yes people, it is plural. We have 3 live trees and we have 1 fake tree. That's right. 4 trees!! Love it! Can you tell Christmas is my favorite time of the year?! Celebrating the birth of our Saviour...what could be better!

Ellie loves riding the horse at the tree farm

All the kids took turns hugging the tree. Poor Zander was right next to the tree when Tim cut the string. It scared him so much that he stays away from the trees now that they are decorated.

Tree in the playroom (the fake one)Dinning room



Family room





Ellie's tree

Thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving:
We started the day with the parade. Connor really enjoyed it.

Then, lots and lots of cooking

The messy kitchen after hours of cooking

Waiting for the food to be served

Yummy in the tummy! (and on my face, hands, and in my hair)

Then, end the day with some cartoons

Ellie (and Tim and I) are so thankful that Auntie Tami could be here with us this year. It has been quite a year with lots of changes and lots to be thankful for! Thank you Lord for all your many, many blessings.

Adoption Fundraiser

SATURDAY DEC 5TH

FREE Christmas Movie Night
We are raising money to help the Balts Family bring their daughter Ruth
home for Christmas. They are adopting her from Uganda and they would
love to have her home for the holidays.
Join us at Crossway Community Church (6400 Prosperity Church
Rd.) for an outdoor movie night! We will be showing Rudolph and The
Grinch at 6:30 pm and STAR WARS at 9 pm.
Donations accepted
Snacks and drinks will be for sale, so bring your change!
Bring your chairs and blankets. We will have a fire going.

Thanksgiving with Co-op

Our Co-op had a Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday and there was fun to be had. All the families had a letter from the word "Thanksgiving" and we had to do a skit for that letter. Our group had the letter "T" so we did a skit call "Trim the fat".


We started by talking about different diets and talking about making right choices. Ellie held up the sign for the right choices, then we talked about portion sizes and ended with the importance of exercise. Tim played a Richard Simmons type character to teach us all how to exercise. Christopher is getting ready for his part by putting chocolate on his face. He is on the all candy diet.

Tracie is one of Tim's exercise followers

Lindsay is a mom just trying to fit in a little exercise into her day

Jeremy is the muscle man exerciser

Sammy is on the all carrot diet

I am the "Vanna White" of the skit (it is a comedy of course), but that is why I am wearing that horrid green dress.


There is Tim on stage getting the crowd pumped up for exercise

Here is another group doing their skit

Doing the YMCA

Tracie participating in the YMCA song

Good food, friends, and laughter!

Class presentation

Last Wednesday's presentation was about something the kids were thankful for. Ellie said she was thankful that she was going to get a baby sister.

Proud Mama

She did it!!! Ellie got her ears pierced. We were with Reese last night when she got her ears piereced and Ellie wanted to, but then she got scared and changed her mind. Well, she woke up this morning and said "mommy, I really want my ears pierced. I can do it." So, we gathered the girls and went back to the mall. She said she wanted her dog and I told her that was ok. Then she asked me if it was ok to cry. I told her it was ok to cry and be scared, but that didn't have to stop her. She agreed. She was sooooo excited. Walking around the mall, she told everyone who would listen that she was there to get her ears pierced-that it was a special day for her. Then, when it was her turn, she got up in the chair and was so excited-her only request was that they do both ears at the same time. She said she didn't want to do it if they only did one at a time. After they marked her ears, and they loaded the gun, she started to cry. I asked her if she was sure she wanted to keep going and she said yes. The ladies working there asked her if she was sure she wanted them to keep going and again she said yes. So, they did, and she did great! I was so proud of how brave she was and that she conquered her fear and did it.

Here is Ellie waiting in the chair
She was so excited. She picked out little "diamond" studs

This is her crying. She told them to keep going.

This is after. See those cute earings. She stopped crying fairly quickly when it was done.

She was so excited to show dad her new earings.

Fancy Nancy Party

Ellie had a Fancy Nancy birthday party on Saturday.

Emma and Ellie dressed up all fancy and ready to have some fun. (I forgot to get a picture of all the kids together, so here are some of them all dressed up)

Ellie, Piper, Tristan, Alyssa, Gracie, and Faith watching the new Tinker Bell movie

Rachel

That's Lucas in the back. Both Jackson and Lucas looked so cute in their ties.

Jackson

Sydney

They made chocolate lollipops

Ellie is showing how old she is

Playing a game

Singing Happy Birthday and having some cake and ice cream

Even the babies are fancy. =) This little cutie is Reese (with her Aunt Lauren holding her)

Opening gifts