Happy Halloween 2015!

Happy Halloween everyone! I took the kids to Broadway to a neighborhood that had tons of people walking around. That seemed to be the norm around here and the kids got a ton of candy. 

Jace is Batman. Jacob is a Pixels nerd. Jay is a cop and Jenna a zombie cheerleader (not sure how she talked me into that one ~ I usually don't get on the whole zombie thing.) And Jasmine is just a great big sister and helped me out, as usual. Oh and yes, Jace has Jenna's pompoms.

Daddy stayed home ~ his ankle is still pretty sore from his last round with gout and we need him able to chase after Batman while the rest of us are at work and school.

Happy Halloween 2011

Happy Halloween!!

Love, Tinkerbell (Jaylynn), Rapunzel (Jenna), Dan from Bakugan (Jacob), Minnie Mouse (Jasmine) and the Football Player (James)

Happy Halloween 2010!

Well, I was sick as a dog today. Of course, I only get sick every few years, like the kind of sick that I can't move. Today was the day. I'm feeling much better tonight although not 100% yet. Jamie is still hunting ~ he did offer to come home but I knew I'd be feeling better before he'd make it back from the mountain.

Thanks to friends and family the kiddos had fun. Jasmine and James went with a group of friends around the neighborhood. Jacob went with Tay and Jason. Jenna went with Aunt B, Carl, Jenny, Chad, Brandon and Shannan. Jaylynn gave out candy with me. Jordan ditched us to go to a couple of parties (which is the way I guess it will be now that he is a teenager).

The kids got a rack of candy as they always do.

James was a Panther football player. Jasmine was a sailor. Jacob was a BMXer. Jenna was Princess Ariel. Jaylynn was a moneky.

Here's a few attempts at trying to get a good picture of all of them.



Happy Halloween from our family to yours!

July 4th, 2009

What a great 4th of July we had! We went to the mountains as usual. Love being there! Oma and Opa came with us for the weekend. Carl, Becky, Chad and Brandon came over. David, Michelle and Bradley all came as well. We grilled burgers and hot dogs and set off fireworks. Everyone had a great time. It was such a nice and relaxed day.

All of the kids loved the fireworkds. Chad enjoyed them from inside since he doesn't like loud things whatsoever. Somehow he did do some sparklers and really enjoyed those. It was great to see him do those. I'm not sure who had more fun ~ Jamie setting them off or everyone else watching.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there!

My daddy

My father-in-law, Richard ~ We miss you so much! Such a bittersweet day!

My wonderful hubby who is a wonderful father to our kiddos

In case you don't remember, that last picture is a drawing by Jenna. LOVE IT!

We had a nice day. Jamie actually slept in for once. He never does when he is off of work. He's usually up by 4 am. I made our normal Sunday morning breakfast ~ chipped beef gravy, biscuits, sausage, bacon, eggs and waffles.

The kiddos gave him his surprise when Jenna finally woke up around 10. We made him a big fleece blanket (just like Jacob's) ~ camo one side, hunter orange on the other. He was very happy with that. He's been asking for weeks for one for himself. Getting him gifts is really a pain actually. He HATES when people get him gifts and would just prefer to get it himself. I always try to give him things he uses as gifts like cologne so he doesn't get too upset. The blanket though ~ can't buy that and can't make it.

Jasmine made him a really cute card at school which he absolutely loved.

The kids had some friends knocking on the door asking them to come out and on their own, they chose to stay inside with Daddy and hang out. I think that meant the most to him. It's still a hard day for Jamie. He misses his dad so much.

James called. He's still in North Carolina with his grandmother. He's having a blast. It was so nice to talk to him and it was nice that he called Daddy today.

I grilled steaks, fried potatoes and made green beans. Jamie said it was all wonderful which is a huge compliment coming from the grilling king himself.

It was a nice quiet (well as quiet as Jamie and these kids are....ha ha) family day. Not much different than how we spend most Sundays or any day Jamie is off. Just how we love it.

Happy Easter 2009!

Happy Easter! Dad, Mom and Boo came over today for linner, as Jasmine was calling it. I cooked. Oma and Jasmine made deviled eggs and then everyone ate. We watched golf, which honestly isn't as comletely and utterly boring as I thought. We had strawberry shortcakes, which Oma and Opa brought. YUMMY! Oma even found CHOCOLATE sponge cakes. Are you kidding me? I thought I died and went to heaven. The kids wrestled Uncle Boo. It was a fun day.

The only pictures I got were of 4 of the 5 coloring eggs last night. James was at his mom's. Here's the fun!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year 2009 from our family to yours!

We had a pretty boring and quiet evening. Our neighborhood lost power for almost 4 hours, starting around 6:30, because of high winds. Right in the middle of me making dinner! *sigh* I figured it would only be a few minutes. It's rare for us to lose power. My next door neighbor has been here for 15 or 20 years and that would have been either her 3rd or 4th time of losing power in all those years!

Flashlights out, candles lit and we sit and chat. The younger kids kept asking to do things that all required power. They didn't get why they needed to take a flashlight into the bathroom to use the potty. Oh they don't realize how good they have it and how electricity really is a luxury.

By 8, everyone was pretty hungry. Jamie sent me to McDonald's. Back home, we had a little picnic in the living room.

By 9, it was getting cold fast in the house. Eek! We figured if the kids piled in bed together to watch a movie on my laptop since it was fully charged, they would be nice and warm. We got them all set up. I walk into our bedroom and lights are on. Jamie heard the cable box click on and the power was back right before 10.

I ran into the boys' room where the kids were and turned the light on. The kids cheered, turned the TV on to find something to watch and told me to turn the lights off. Go figure!

After all of that, everyone just wanted to go to bed. Jordan was the only one to make it to midnight and fall asleep soon after. We are real party animals!

Happy Halloween 2008!

It's Halloween! Yeah! The kids are so excited. In a few hours, we'll be going up to the school to help set up the party in James' class. Jasmine's class has plenty of helpers so I'm not needed there as much. Then we'll spend the rest of the time at school between the parade and the parties.

Jamie left just a bit ago to go hunting. The season officially opens tomorrow morning so he needs to get up there today to get things ready. Chris will be going up later today as well. Jasmine wanted Daddy to see her costume so she put it on this morning for him. Well for school, she only has to take off the glasses, the belt and the skirt.



A little after lunch time, the little kids and I went up to the school for the Halloween parade and classroom parties.

Jenna as Abby Cadabby (she's a new Sesame Street character) and not happy that I'm taking her picture.



Jasmine getting ready to take a class picture. The little girl next to her is a classmates' 4 year old sister. Yes, she's that little!



Waiting for the parade to start.



Taylor as Iron Man



Jasmine again ~ Kaitlyn is in front of her. That's her best friend from class.



James



Kaylee Bugg walked too fast for me to get a front pic of her. She's Gabriella from High School Musical.



Halloween Dinner ~ it's just Fettuccine Alfredo with chicken and broccoli (Jenna kept saying "Who's birthday is it?" "I like this Halloween party.")



The gang



The loot



The kids got a ton of candy as usual. I'm pooped. I hope next year that hunting season doesn't start the day after Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

Halloween 2008 Pumpkin Carving

We actually carved pumpkins this year! Go us! Well everyone but Jacob. I knew he was getting a pumpkin from school so I get everyone else a pumpkin in anticipation of Jacob getting his. He brought his home from preschool today...

It's a cute little pumpkin but notice the candle next to it. It's super little! Too little to carve so I'm getting Jacob the same one as the other kids tomorrow to carve.


Jasmine cleaning her pumpkin out. You can tell by her expression that this isn't the best feeling.



James getting right in there like a trooper!



Since Jacob didn't have his own to clean out, he wanted to help me.



This is when he informed me that I was on my own for cleaning it out! Excuse the messy face. It's permanent.



Now Jenna loved it. She thought this stuff was awesome. My little tomboy!



"Hey, this 'sguisting!"



The kids drew pictures of what they wanted their pumpkins to look like. I'm just not ready for them to cut their fingers off for the sake of a pumpkin.

Pumpkins on the porch. Top left ~ James, Bottom left ~ Bubba, Top right ~ Mommy, Middle right ~ Jenna, Bottom right ~ Jasmine



A little video of them lit up. When I used the flash, you couldn't really see what was cut. Without the flash, too blurry!




Tomorrow we will add Jacob's pumpkin. Jacob gets to wear his costume to school tomorrow and goes trick or treating throughout the high school! He's so excited!