Christmas 2013

"Go tell it on the mountain..."  Bryden had been singing it for weeks.
This was the first time his choir sang in church, -and it was so much
fun to see him!  He was a little overwhelmed to begin with...but sing he did,...
the little angel.

The the festivities began....note:  Cooper, the party in himself!!

I told them gifts could not be opened until after we'd eaten.
 Bryden said, "I'm not hungry!"

The girls were like gold...quiet, sweet and smiley.

Everyone with their favorite gift...Bailey and her American girl doll,
Lori with her next trip to Disney planned, and Chelsea with
stylin' out door gear!

Larry got some tee-shirts..see any resemblance??
 (it made me laugh so hard!!!)

~and then my fab four posing. 

The weather was unbelievably nice...for just this day.

The night before was torrential rain and high winds bringing down
 this tree on our house in the middle of the night.

Lori's cute idea to give the fab four candy canes.

A couple more cuties...thanks for posing for me guys!!

The end always comes like a good book...but a wonderful Christmas was had by all.

I Hear the Belles of Christmas....

One of my very favorite things to do this time of the year is to wrap gifts!  It's like a great fun thing since there are many to do and I love to be in my little "elfdom" (...basement, lol) creating bows.

 Our Church musical started our day off in such a beautiful way.  It's always so pretty to hear the choir sing Christmas hymns, and this year they were extraordinarily beautiful!!   
We left from church directly for Mike and Lori's seeing more snow all the way north.

Once we got to their house we admired how Mike put a wreath on the palladium window above the front door...yikes!  But so pretty!!  The girls were cute as can be and gave us a tour of their trees...

  I walked in and said "Hi, Little Miss Curls...."  She said dryly, "My name is Emma."

Miss Curls

Lori decorated with the cutest elves you ever saw!  It looks adorable.

The trees in other parts of the house and Bailey's masterpiece...the Santa she made in school!

We always end up taking pictures to document the years and how the children have grown.
I love these photos and Lori took some of ours from past years to put in small frames
to decorate one tree with.  Such memories!....and so will these be.

Thanksgiving for a Great Weekend

This weekend was one of extended family, friends and new friends.
I (and friend Kathy, alias Yaya) got to meet one of my favorite bloggers and wrapped up a year of her extraordinary "Pink Scarf Project".  It was Bryden's birthday too and that little guy made us all smile in a big way which capped it all off.

Bryden here helping me make Thanksgiving dessert

 

His masterpiece!

 

We were invited to spend Thanksgiving with Whitney's
grandmother and family.  It was delicious and elegant!!

 

The group pictures

 

Chelsea & Whitney (L) brother Alex & Emily (R)

 

Saturday, Kathy and I headed for Columbus to meet Vicki
who is a blogger and NICU nurse from Kentucky.
 She came with some of her friends who we enjoyed
meeting as well.  She is an amazing person who I knew
would be just as I imagined.  It was as if knowing someone
 always just from reading her blog.   Kathy and Vicki are here
unloading bags of handknitted pink scarves for
cancer patients.
 

 

Friends of Vicki's helping

 

The three of us on a beautiful fall afternoon,...
and Ohio State had just won it's football game too!

 

A sampling of the gorgeous scarves!!!
We begin to hand them out this week.

 

Then Sunday was Bryden's birthday party at our local
pizza parlor.  It was a low key party as they go but
he had a ball!!

 

As soon as he saw my camera, he grabbed it, took off
(all the grands seem to do this lol) and started snapping.
Here are the results which were too good not to share!!!

 

Opening presents..

 

Here's one he liked

 

Super hero!!

 

A winter hat was another...who looks better in it...Mom or...

 

Dad??!?  (Ha!)

For Debby...

This is for my friend Debby.  She "chastised" me a few weeks ago and said, "WHY don't you post anymore,...I miss it"  to which I didn't have a good answer, except that life takes over sometimes and causes standstill and change.  (Of which there have been many lately....too many to go into here).  
So dear Debby....here is the ketchup (catch-up) from July!  

My three children at Chelsea and Whitney's wedding reception in August.
You might wonder why I don't have one of Chels and Whit?
 I didn't take any...shame on me!

Bryden and Cooper at same party

Bryden at water park later in week, enjoying the sun

Bailey's 6th birthday in September with sister Emma and Cooper

Our family in their usual rough-housing positions

Cooper and dad, Tim practicing archery
at Bailey's Disney themed party

Beautiful afternoon for a party!

Having a ball...

Adorable Aunt Jamie...with a surprise for us all.
Baby Luke was born just a few weeks later.
I can't wait to meet him

The birthday girl with the cake Lori made.  Lori had such cute food
and decorations.
The girls got to make their crowns, even though it was such a windy
afternoon...fun!

Me and my boys

My sister Lynn came to visit in October on HER birthday

I can't believe I have no Halloween pics but the next set of photos in my camera
 was this weekend
 with ALL THE GRANDS HERE.  I LOVE THAT!!
Yes, I accidentally put my caps lock on but it  says how I feel....lol!

Cooper and Bailey smiling on command.

Trying to get a good Christmas pic for my card.
This is the major part of my photos...no great shots...

AND  guess who was in a "mood"?

When I said they could open a stocking stuffer, it helped...a little

Any way, we got them all together...and made me very happy

 OK, Debby????