November 30

 The kids had choir practice tonight for our Christmas worship service on Sunday night. 

 

We drove to a favorite local house to check out their Christmas decorations after choir practice. The house always goes all out and has their lights set to music.

November 29

Today has been a downer. The news out of Gatlinburg makes me sad. Our neighbor showed me two needles she found in her yard right across the street from our house. It made me sad to have to tell my kids what to do if they find a needle in our yard. So much for playing in the yard bare foot. Maybe we need to get them steel-toed boots for Christmas? Seriously though, what kind of world do we live in?

 

 The long drive to gymnastics was enough time for little sister to get in a quick nap.

November 28

Yesterday was a fun day. My friend Tracy came over for the afternoon/evening and we had a Gilmore Girls marathon and ate junk food. We watched all 360 minutes of the new "movies" all in one day. It. Was. Awesome. One of my favorite people and one of my favorite shows. Clay took the kids to a movie and kept them away most of the day. It. Was. Awesome. Have I already said that?

Story time at co-op today had the theme "Opposites". We read books, sang songs, and had fun playing with a parachute too (up vs down, inside vs outside, shaking it fast vs slow). 

November 27

Happy Birthday Uncle Stump!

Here are some pictures and a video I got from Julia's camera. It is fun to look through her pictures and see life from her perspective.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Blinded by the glare off that crop circle!

 

 

 

 

 

November 26

 On our way home, we stopped to watch the UK vs UofL football game and eat lunch. Uncle Stump joined us on his lunch break. Go Big Blue!

We got home around 5:45pm and hit the ground running. We unloaded the van, did 4 loads of laundry, picked Gus up from our friends' house, went to the grocery store, and put up the Christmas decorations. Talk about pooped!

 

 

Oh, and Elliott lost a tooth, so the Tooth Fairy had to remember to come, amidst all the craziness!

November 25

 

 

We met Grandpa Tim and Lulu at the Festival of Trees. The kids made crafts, rode on the train, and got to visit Santa. On the way there we told them we would be seeing Santa. Only Kat knew what she was going to ask for. That made me proud. In a day when people are self-centered and constantly thinking about what they want, my kids had put little thought into it. Julia asked for a 1 year membership to an online game she plays, Kat asked for a Lego house, Elliott wants slot cars, and Lucy wants a snack cup.

 Then we headed back to Grandpa and Lulu's house, where lots of wrestling, rough housing, tag, and handstands were done. All. Day. Long.

 

There were snuggles too. I got to see a few of my aunts, uncles, cousins, and meet sweet baby Drew. 

November 24

Happy Thanksgiving!

We arrived at Nonna and Grandpa Carroll's house yesterday. We made cookies, played games, and visited. Today we played more games, ate, took a walk, and ate some more. 

 

 

 

Lucy, sitting with Grandpa Carroll, with pugs on their laps. This was a common sighting.

 

We celebrated Uncle Stump's birthday too.

Nonna had a rough summer with multiple surgeries. We are thankful; that today she is walking and feeling much better!

November 23

The kids and I joined friends to see "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" at a local family theatre. It is always a good show.

 

November 22

 

 Our church is one of the drop-off locations for Operation Christmas Child. The kids and I volunteered for a couple of hours yesterday to help package the boxes to send on to the distribution center before going overseas. Over 5,900 boxes were collected at our church location alone! I was very proud of all my kids. Even Lucy was a great helper.