Gingerbread Houses

The kids went to Grandma and Grandpa Fisher's on Thanksgiving night for their annual Gingerbread House/Angel Tree/ Putting up tree sleepover.  I love that this is a tradition that my parents started many years ago with the kids, they look forward to it every year and have made so many memories over the years. 

As soon as we picked the kids up, they were so excited to tell us about their children they adopted and shopped for. I think that this is honestly their favorite thing to do---help others who are not as blessed as we are.

I forgot to send my camera this year, so these are the only pictures I have thanks to Daddy

Ma's Birthday

We met at O'Charley's last night to help celebrate Ma's birthday! I didn't get to take too many pictures it was very hectic having all 16 of us there at rush hour.

 

Ma and Pa with their Great Grandbabies

Faith, Luke, Hayley and Hunter

My favorite

These are a few of my favorite Christmas decorations...

My Granny's boot that she hang made and painted many years ago. I can remember her always having mini candy canes in this. It's the only thing I wanted when she passed.

 

My angels for the top of the trees made by Hunter (4 years old) and Hayley (2 years old) in 2006

 

My underware snowman made by my Aunt Carol. This was made out of my great grandfather Naville's long underware

 

My button ornament was made by Momma. She made us each one with buttons from her along with special charms and metals. I have a picture of my sisters and I and some of my Girl Scouts pins.

Christmas Tree

Life has been so hectic lately, that I am 5 days late in putting my tree up this year! I always put it up on November 1st, but not this year. It was stressing me out too--so glad that I finally got it up and the kids did an awesome job decorating it as always.

People think that I am crazy for having my tree up so early, I LOVE it. We used to wait until 2 weeks before Christmas and I was stressed out about getting it up and then taking it down--felt like we were always rushed. Now, we put it up and get to enjoy it for many weeks. I would leave it up year round if the house was big enough!!

I love to sit back and just watch the kids do it all, its gotten easier of the years as they are older not to rearrange the ornaments, fill in the gaps, and straighten the branches. However the put things, they stay!!

 

 

It was so neat to watch the kids go thru each ornament and get excited and remember when and were they got them from. Makes it extra special!!

 

Our tree is filled so many ornaments that its leaning, the OCD person in me wanted to fix it but I didn't. That is what makes it special, the kids did it all by themselves!!

I think the most special part of it all, is our angels on top--we have 2!! Both are paper plate angels the kids each made when they were 2 and 4--I have used these every year since.

 

Our living scrapbook

State Meet--Oct 27

The big State Meet was October 27th and yes, it was the coldest and nastiest day ever....35 degrees and raining--typical Cross Country meet weather.

 

His cheering team was all ready while the poor kids were all bundled up waiting for their race to start

 

 

 

Hunter was very anxious, God love him, he sets such high goals and expectations for himself that he stresses himself out for days before the meet. I think that since this was his first time at this race and course, he was a little uncertain as what to expect. There were team tents as far as you could see. I was a nervous Momma!

Keegan came and made this sign--so PROUD

As you can tell from the starting line there were kids EVERYWHERE!!! It was like herding cows at the sound of the gun, hard to get  descent place until you were about  1/2 mile out and then the lanes were only 3 wide!!!! It was awful--you couldn't pass anyone or anywhere, Hunter said that he had to stop running and walk  at some points because it was so tight and backed up.

He did say that he like the course--hills and flat land together-- just wished that the lanes were wider.  

Hunter and Keegan share a moment after the race

 

Finish Line

 

Hunter and his cheering section!

Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Fisher, Aunt Amy, Keegan and Pop for making the drive and braving the cold to watch him run! You are the best!!!

Hunter cut 1 minute off his time from last week, ran a 13:50:50 (4K run)and placed  168/393!!

Halloween Concert

 

This was the 1st ever Halloween Concert and Hayley was beyond excited for this day to finally arrive! They have been practicing weekly since school started for this concert! The song selection was perfect too: Adams family theme song, Thriller (complete with dance),This is  Halloween and a few others.

 

The kids were dressed as zombies as they walked in.

(Hayley is 2nd in line)

 

Mrs Kelley was even dressed up!

Ensemble even played some songs with them.

 

 

Halloween

The kids are getting older so they are starting not to not get all that excited about Halloween, this suits me just fine!! Hayley wanted to dress up for school just because Jennifer and her have had their costume planned for months! Hunter on the hand is your typical 10 year old--too cool for anything!

 

Hayley was a color runner!
(we did this race and she LOVED it!)

 

Hunter was "the most handsome man in 5th grade, himself!" HA

 

Jennifer and Hayley

 

Hunter and McKenzie

 

We had such a nice evening Halloween night--a nice dinner, homework time and then lots of quality family time relaxing--these days are few and far between!