Operation Cookie

I went all out on the Christmas cookie baking this year.

Getting started on the gingerbread ones! 

Frosting the gingerbread cookies

My gingerbreads are all done!

My two "helpers" 

Mmmm...frosting

Gotta make sure I get it all off of this thing!

Grancy came to help us frost the cut-outs. My Aunt D usually does this with us too, but was unable this year. We will resume the tradition next year though! 

Someone would frost and somehow the cookie would then find it's way right to her mouth!

One of my favorite holiday traditions

Thank goodness Grancy came to help! We had an awful lot of these to do!

N was an amazing helper with these this year! I expected him to do a couple and be done and he easily did a couple dozen. He was so cute. He did a great job too....extra sprinkles on his! :) Some even had like twelve red hots on them. Heehee

The gang, at work

Licking her lips at the thought of that frosting!

A couple of the cookies....I know airplanes aren't exactly Christmas themed, but I couldn't resist!

Happy Thanksgiving

We sure have lots to be thankful for! Most of all family!

P, Miss M, and J...after our game of "cutting the turkey's head off"

My cousin's D and A, with Granny

S and Little K

N and J

Flat B and J even came to Thanksgiving....we might have had a bit of fun with them. ;)

J, S, & P....so nice that Grancy has such a big office that fits everyone! I love our big family get-togethers!

Me and my Aunt S

Silly Little K

Two silly little boys

I like how J looks like he's just leaning on the wall.

Cousin D

Granny and M, chatting by the dessert table  :)

Silly little turkey

Pretty girl!

J & B!!!

We FINALLY got to go and visit J and B on November 12th weekend. S was again deer hunting, but the kids, Grancy, and I went out there for a weekend of fun.

First order of business....say hi to Kevin!

aunt B made Miss M such a perfect gift! It was a shawl with little bells sewn on it so that it jingles when she dances. M used it all weekend and continues to dance with it all the time at home! Thanks Aunt B!

Uncle J made N and equally perfect present! It is a target and bow and arrow. Kid friendly and works great! N loves it so much. He immediately tried it when J gave it to him and got a bulls-eye. We all were praising him and he looked and us and said "that's why they call me Nate the Great!" No humility....haha

Also, by they, he must have meant my Aunt D. She is the only one I have ever heard call him that!

While we were there, N had been working on his rhyming skills. Aunt B was quizzing him. Here is how that went......

They were listing words that rhymed with "vest." When N got stuck, Grancy tried to give him a clue. She said "N, you are not the worst, you are the____"

N: "I'm the prettiest!" Umm....ok!

Another word they rhymed with was "bucket." One of N's rhyming words was "Chicken McNugget!"

Guess we will continue to work on this skill!

When we woke up on our first morning there, it was snowing! It was our first snow of the season and the kids were so excited!

We got all ready and went to a park to enjoy the snow. It was warm and there was enough for us to play! We had the whole park to ourselves. What a great morning! 

 M and B, practicing throwing snowballs

Uncle J made a sled and it was a huge hit. Very tiring for the adults, but worth all the giggles that it produced! Who knew a bike box would be so useful?

M and Grancy, working on their snowman

A hug for her snowman :)

B and Grancy putting on the finishing touches

M...cleaning of course. She had to brush all the snow off the playground. She did quite enjoy the slide that day. The snow not only made it extra fast, but provided a soft landing at the bottom!

Just a big kid really :)

M's turn!

Kid loves to swing

A little spider anyone?

B and N with the finished product

Snowball fight

Someone get me outta here!

Queen of the snowball! 

Me and the kiddos

What a great weekend. I wish we could go more often, but flights are few and far between and usually quite full!

Thanks J & B for a perfect weekend!

I've been workin' on the railroad...

I think my kids think that they do work on the railroad sometimes at Grancy's house. N has his train table....they frequent Choo Choo Bob's train store....and now they have bandanas and hats that they frequently wear around the house.

She looks more like a little outlaw here to me! Haha

Snooping through Grancy's drawers

Star of the Month

In November, Miss M was the "Starr of the Month" at school. We had to fill out a little questionaire with her and they displayed it, along with some pictures of her on the wall for the month.

I did think it was cute that she listed her teacher, Miss Amanda, as one of her friends. :)  So glad she likes school!

Here is how I found her one day when I came to pick her up from school....with another of her favorite teachers, Miss Ashley.

Here she is in a bumblebee hat...she is frequently wearing something silly when I come to get her. Shocking, I know!