Christmas "Rappers"

The first grade puts on this cute Christmas performance each year called The Littlest Christmas Tree.  Abby's class were the Christmas "Rappers" and performed this hilarious rap.  Abby absolutely loved it.  There were so many people in the room as always and Abby was so sad thinking that we wouldn't be able to see her.  I assured her that if we sat on the side then I could stand up against the wall and get a good look at her.  When they first came out, Abby looked a little sad until she saw me standing to the side.  She perked up and this Christmas Rapper put on quite the performance.  Then this morning she woke up with the flu.  Poor thing.  I think we are destined to get sick every year at this time.

Her teacher took these adorable pictures when they did their performance during the day for the kids at school.  Abby is in the back middle with long hair.

I tried to snap a few, but I was just too far away to have anything turn out.  She's the one in braids.

Christmas Piano Recital

Sammie and Olivia both did a great job at their recital.  I think Joey did too,  He may not have slept through as much of it this year as he did last year.  Improvement. Olivia played "The Christmas Song" and Sammie played "Holly Jolly Christmas."  I love hearing my kids play the piano.  Over Thanksgiving break, I never told anyone to practice and the piano just didn't get played over the break.  When we got back into a routine and Sammie was practicing again, I realized how much I missed the sound of the piano in our home that week.  Sammie really loves to play.  It comes pretty easy to her.  It is definitely more of a struggle for Olivia.  She is really good at sitting down and making up her own little songs, but when it comes to practicing and learning her songs, it gets a little harder for her.  I always love to see her pull through and learn a song really well and when it comes down to it, she performs really well at her recitals.

We the People

Joey has been busy this year coaching the "We the People Team."  His team won their district and regional finals.  Next, they will be competing at State in February.  The kids he is working with are determined to do well.  I'm so happy for Joey.  He was a little nervous taking over this program because they are expected to do well.  The program has so much support each year and the coaching part is really a team effort.  Joey couldn't have done it without the great help that he had and without his snazzy new suit too.  But I must say, he is relieved.  

Being Thankful

We had a fantastic feast yesterday for Thanksgiving.  We have much to be grateful for in our home.  I love this family of mine.  I was determined to have a beautiful Thanksgiving dinner and it turned out so great.  It was helpful to have Jackie and Jerry here.  Jackie brought half of the food with her that she prepared at home.  We made the turkey, stuffing, potatoes, and beans.  Lots of cooking and cleaning up messes as we went but it was fun to do it together.
I set the table with plates that were my Grandma's.  I love these plates because they remind of happy gatherings at her home when I was younger.  I miss those fun and rowdy times with all of my cousins.  I made way too much stuffing and feel a little tired and sluggish today from all of that delicious food and from preparing it all.  It seems to crazy that another Christmas season is here upon us.  I love this time of year because there is always something to look forward to.

Abby's Hair

Sometimes having a big sister is pretty awesome when she does your hair into cute hairstyles that would whine and cry about if your mom tried to do it.

Sammie the Smarty Pants

Sammie tries so hard in school to do well.  She was given the Academic Achievement award from her teacher for the first quarter of school. She also was on the Principal's List and got an award for having 150 AR Reading points already.  She loves school and is definitely there to do her work and to do well.

Joey's Birthday

Joey and I have been talking lately about how we can't believe how old we are getting.  He just turned 37 a week ago.  Joey also just finished his Master's Thesis for American History and Government.  Hooray!  He received high praises for his work from his professors who read and reviewed it.  The past 5 years have been so enjoyable for him as he has learned and studied and grown.

Olivia snapped this photo of us after church on his birthday.  It seems like Joey and I don't have nearly as many appearances on the blog as our kids, but here we are.  Happy Birthday Joey!

Happy Halloween!

We had a great Halloween this year.  I don't think I have seen so many trick-or-treaters before.  We somehow got caught in a group where the kids were just streaming from one door to the next.  It was a little crazy and hard to keep track of our own kids but luckily I only had two to look after.  Olivia went on her own with her friends this year.  She said they went for 3 hours!  She came home exhausted but had a great time.
The girls had sort of a hard time figuring out what they wanted to be this year.  Olivia's we thought of last minute and she just wore some of her own clothes, but I made the fringe vest out of a $5 t-shirt.  After our "Witches Night Out," Sammie and Abby both decided to be witches for Halloween.  In the end, they turned out adorable.  Sammie and Abby were both particularly excited about the "witch jewelry" that we found.  It really made the outfit I think.
I love this time of year.  There is always something fun to look forward to.  Somehow we managed to get in all of our fun fall traditions this year.  Even the pumpkins got carved.  Sammie proved to be quite the pumpkin carver.  These girls are such posers.

The Hippie:

The Witch:

The "Purple" Witch:

Olivia's Trick-or-Treating Crew

And...Sammie the Pumpkin Carver

Banducci's Pumpkin Patch

Joey and I took Sammie and Abby to this hidden gem.  I love Banducci Farms.  It's among farm land and cotton fields and then right in the middle of all that is this magical little place.  It's so charming.  It's surrounded by huge trees and a cornfield making it feel so cozy inside with the twinkle lights by the pond and the pumpkins lining the path.

Olivia was at her friends's birthday party so she wasn't able to come with us but we brought her home a pumpkin too.

Witch's Night Out

A friend of mine hosted a "Witch's Night Out" at her house for moms and daughters.  I didn't know if we would actually go, but the girls were really looking forward to it.  Now Sammie and Abby are talking about being witches for Halloween instead of what they had already decided on.  I guess we will see what they decide next week.
It was a fun evening with little boutique shops set up, games for the kids, and yummy soups to eat.  The evening was so hot we were roasting.  Even after it got dark.  Did I mention I am so over the heat?  I always wish for a cool October.  I guess the only way to get that is to move.

Fall Festival

I almost completely forgot about the Fall Festival at the school.  It was on my calendar, the girls had talked about it all week, I sent in candy for it, we've been getting notices all week about it.  After Sammie's soccer game in the morning and thinking ahead to the plans Joey and I had later that night, it completely slipped my mind.  Somehow as I was doing something I remembered.  

Abby got her hair sprayed pink and blue.  Sammie opted for sparkles.  They did a few of the booths, got a new school shirt, and saw friends.  Sammie and Abby re-matched in the potato sack race.  Sammie won again, but Abby was closer than last year.

October Happenings

Conference weekend was a couple of weeks ago.  I had many favorite talks and I've been listening to them again.  I was reminded of so many important gospel principles and was inspired to do and be better.  In the morning Sammie said sort of wishfully to me, "Mom, pancakes would be really good for breakfast."  Our breakfasts are usually just bagels, toast, cereal, and sometimes I will make eggs.  We usually have pancakes and french toast for dinners when I have more time.  So on that morning I decided to shock everyone and make the pancakes Sammie was wishing for, but didn't think I had any energy to pull off.  They were enjoyed.  It feels good to do these little things that I really used to take for granted.
October is one of my favorite months.  It is finally starting to cool down now that it is over half-way through.  I think we may still have a few warm days ahead, but the days are shorter and the nights are cooler.  When we are in the middle of September everyone is tired of the heat.  The good thing about it though is that it is just hot.  You know what to expect every day.  Shorts, tshirts, sandals.  Now that we have cooler mornings it seems that we never know how to get dressed.
The girls are looking forward to Halloween and the changing weather.  The Holiday season is just around the corner.  I even asked the girls to start making their Christmas lists.  This will be a wonderful season.

Stuffed Animal

Calvin is so cooperative when the girls are playing with him.  Sometimes he plays back and wants to run and go crazy, but often he just lets them pick him up and stuff him in a bag or sit with all the stuffed animals.  He's a good sport.

I'm Exhausted

Before school even started my kids were struggling with allergies, then ear infections.  Then school started.  Then Sammie needed a filling.  Abby got sick again.  Then Abby had to fix a broken filling.  Olivia had a weird virus that attacked her hand with raised sore spots,   Then I chipped my front tooth and had to get it fixed.  Then Abby hurt her toe and it got infected.  Then I got strep throat.  Hello September.

This picture was taken after Sammie got her filling and Abby was home sick from school.  She was still coughing a ton so I didn't want to send her.