Fun in French Lick, Indiana

While we were on our trip we decided to check out the new Casino in French Lick. It's nothing like Ceasers--it's much, much smaller. It was neat to walk around and look at all the pretty Christmas decorations and lights. We couldn't blink though, or you would miss the entire city!

Mrs. Clause read the kids Christmas stories

Elves in training

Ginger bread house-

Happy Birthday Denny

Today we went to Pop and Nana's house for lunch to help Denny celebrate his 17th birthday! There was lots of good eatin' as always. Came to the conclusion that we need bigger plates to hold all the good food!!

Make a wish Denny!

Aunt Vickie, Hayley and Chelsey

Meet George

this is our special elf that Santa has sent to us to help watch over Hunter and Hayley. He can appear any where and reports all the daily behavior good or bad to Santa and then reappears in a different location the following morning! We have only done this for two days, but it's funny to see how the kids get excited when we talk about "George" or where they think he will appear next!

hours on end fun!

Reading Elf on the Shelf

by:Carol V Abersold and Chanda A Bell

(this is such a cute story--highly recommend it!!!!)

cool placemats that Grandma sent home

Swimming in Nov.

We decide that we were going to take advantage of the hotel pool...we spent most of the day there Friday and then us girls (Hayley, Nana and Me) hung out there Saturday while the boys were hunting!

Nana, Pop, Hayley and Hunter

Hayley loved being thrown

Pop trying to pull Nana into the pool

Pop's Girl

I love the hot-tub

(why is it that he ALWAYS ruins a picture?)

l

This is how I spent most of my time...the water was too cold for me!

The loves of my life!

Pheasanst hunting

As you can tell the Pheasant Hunting trip was a success.....16 birds in all!!! Pop and Brian hunted while Hunter walked with him, he is not strong enough to shoot yet! However, he did have the most important job....carrying the birds in his back pack. I was worried about the weather being nasty and cold, but it turned out to be perfect--Thank You God!! Now we are going to have to go back when Hunter is a little older....I wanna go too! (Me, Hayley and Nana hung out at the hotel!) I am anxious to cook them...it looks like turkey meat, I will let you know how all turns out!

Brian, Hunter and Pop with their birds

Hunter

He isn't proud....

Brian, Hunter and the guide

(we can't remember his name)

Brian and Hunter

This is just for proof that they actually CAN get along

I looked in the back seat and Hunter was reading Hayley a book!

Thanksgiving

Just writing about our Thanksgiving makes stuffed all over again. Every year we start our Thanksgiving day off with Brunch at Ma and Pa Wethington's. It's SO good--my mouth is watering...homemade biscuits, gravy, county ham, bacon, sausage, casseroles, Chelsey's cranberry thingy, fruit....the list goes on and on! I didn't even get my camera out because I was too busy eating my weight in food!
For lunch we stopped by the Farnsley...we didn't eat too much because we were still full from brunch. Had a great time with Casey, Darla, Uncle Doug Grandma and Grandpa--(Steve came later). It was great getting to catch up with them and letting the kids wreck havoc as they always do. Hayley was SO excited to show off her deer picture and story with them as well!
On the way home we stopped by Sandi's and Joe's to visit for a while....we don't get to see them much so we did a "SURPRISE VISIT" they were more then excited to see the kids (and us, so they say!) This was our first experience with a Wii, and I have a feeling that it just might make it's way under the Christmas tree! I don't know who had more fun, the kids or Brian. Hunter and Hayley also had lots of fun playing with Jersey...the miniature Tea Cup Yorkie!!
I missed not being with my side of the family on this holiday, but when you are blessed with such a large number of living relatives (both Brian and I have grandparents who are alive) and divorced parents, you make sacrifices....(we alternate Christmas Eve/Thanksgiving with my Grandparents) I know that we will make up for it at Christmas Eve when we are at the Spitznagels!

Brian, Amber, Hayley and Hunter

(the last picture we have like this is at their wedding 2 years ago)

Hayley and Daddy bowling on the Wii


Daddy golfing
(told you he had more fun then the kids)

Hayley, Hunter and Jersey

Hayley and Jersey

I'm thankful....

I found this in Hunter's backpack tonight. I was very impressed and thought it was definitely "BLOG WORTHY" Big thoughts from such a little boy!

"I am thankful for God because his son Jesus dided on the cross for us. I am thankful for the Bible because its Gods word. I am thankful for food because with out it I would die. I am thankful the president Aberham Leankan because he made Thanksgiving a nanshial holday. I am thankful for friends that I can talk to."

Deer fever....

hot and heavy. Hunter and Hayley are true Wethington's, they have deer fever B-A-D. Hunter had went hunting Monday when he got home from school with Brian and saw several, nothing big enough for him though. Today (Thursday) it was Hayley's turn to go after school and she "shot" a 6 point buck!!(Brian helped her hold the gun and she pulled the trigger!) She is SO proud. Honestly, I don't know who is more proud, her daddy or her. Much to my surprise, Hunter has been really good about this--he just said he is waiting for the perfect one to shoot. We shall see--GAME ON BIG BOY!!!

I had to laugh when after we were done taking pictures, she asked me to put his on our blog and then print a picture out so that she can take it to school!

Hunter wanted to get his picture taken with her too--how sweet!

I love her face on this one--it's taking all she has to hold his head up!

Don't know who is more proud:
Hayley or Daddy

Can't win for losing

It's been an eventful two weeks here at the Wethington's but not by my choice. Hayley had chicken pox's for the second time 2 weeks ago and now she has been down with the flu since Friday. I tell you what, its been pretty rough--104 temperature, snotty nose, barking cough and lots of breathing treatments. She is sleeping about 4 1/2 hour stretches--I feel like we have a newborn all again! I am hoping that she is on the mend and we all can get some much needed rest. All in all she has been a trooper, she feels good for while and then it hits and wipes her out! I am just ready for her to start feeling well!

Out of the kids mouths...

I don't' know where the kids get some of the things they say, or do I want to know in some case. Seems as if almost daily Brian and I get laughing at some of the funniest things they share with us:

Hayley: " I just fed the cows dessert."
Me: " You did?"
Hayley: "Yep, Daddy and I just sat out a roll of new hay!"


Hunter (to Brian): "Daddy what was your favorite subject in school?"
Brian: "Dismissal"

Hayley: "Mom, do trees loose their leaves because there is no more money on them?"
*So she really has been paying attention when we say that money doesn't grow on trees.

Hunter: (Eating sour patch kids): "these are sourery"

Hayley: Mom are we going to survival tonight (we had been going to revival last week)

Call me crazy.....

we put up our Christmas tree up today. This just a week and a half earlier then normal, but it seemed that this was the only weekend that we didn't have plans and it also gave Hayley something to do while Hunter was at school. (She has been off all week with Chicken Pox) We did wait until Hunter came home to put any ornaments on. It was SO nice to start wrapping presents that we have bought and put them under the tree.
Some people thing that I am out of my mind, and I may be! The past several years it seems as if we are having to run here and there trying to get in time with all our families. I was so tired of putting the tree up for a week or two and then having to take it down, with little or no time to enjoy it. Now we put it up the week before Thanksgiving, that way we have time to really enjoy our beautiful tree and what the season is all about....JESUS
* only 48 more days left until Jesus' Birthday*

Hayley helping put the tree together

presents under the tree

Hunter with his "Grandma Fisher ornaments"

Hayley and her "Grandma Fisher ornaments"

can you tell she is still not feeling 100%

hanging his ornaments

that one will go right there

hanging her ornaments

such concentration..

love the look on her face

so proud of his work

final product

Momma's little helpers!

Chicken Pox

Yes, I said it. Hayley has her first official "sick day" from school today. Yesterday afternoon I got a call to come and get her from school. She had a "rash" that was looking like chicken pox. We went to see Dr. Massey and she confirmed that it was definitely that! Most kids cry when they have to go to school, not Hayley she cried because of not being able to return to school until Monday if we are fever free (which we have been thus far) and missing Bonnie. She's too sweet.
Hayley and Hunter have both had chicken pox before, Hunter was 9 months old and Hayley when she was 18 months....yes, both have also had the vaccine as well. I just hope that this is the last time it visits our family!!

Trick or Treat

It's been tradition as long as Hunter has been born that we go to Louisville and Trick or Treat with Pop. Last year, Brian had to work-- so he was super excited, as were the kids, that he was off this year. In the past we have always went to Zoneton Firehouse and Little Flock for our goodies--this year we changed it up some. Unity had Trick or Trunk and then we went around Pop and Nana's subdivision--the kids had a blast. I honestly don't know who had more fun the kids or Brian. Nana and I laughed at how many times they fell running from house to house! We ended up with more candy that they could ever dream of.

Tony, Hunter, Eric and Hayley

Hunter with a Spiderman pumpkin

Daddy and his monsters

Can you believe that Brian is smiling?