TREE TIME--

YES AS I GAVE THE TURKEY HIS DUE..I WAITED TILL THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING TO PUT UP THE TREE. THE KIDS WERE SO EXCITED TO SEE THE TREE UP AND DECORATE IT WITH ORNAMENTS. HOW LONG THE ORNAMENTS WILL STAY ON THE TREE WITH OUR NEW LITTLE KITTY WE WILL SEE. BUT THE TREE IS UP AND LOOKS WONDERFUL. TARALYN AND I BOTH WERE WONDERING HOW I WAS GOING TO GET THE STAR ON THE TOP SINCE NATHAN ALWAYS DID THAT FOR ME. SO I WAS GOING TO JUST LEAVE IT OFF BUT TARALYN INSISTED IT BE ON SO I STOOD ON A CHAIR CLINGING TO LIFE ON THE MANTEL AND YES THE STAR IS THERE AND IT BETTER NOT FALL DOWN.

THANKSGIVING AT MIMI'S

WELL WE MADE IT THROUGH OUR 3RD THANKSGIVING DINNER SO FAR WITH TWO MORE TO GO!! WE HAD THANKSGIVING DINNER OVER AT MIMI'S THURSDAY. THE KIDS AND I MADE A BEAUTIFUL CENTERPIECE WHICH I MUST SAY I WAS VERY PROUD OF. POOR HIRAM GOT TIED TO HIS CHAIR BY HUNTER WITH LOTS OF HELP FROM AUNT JACLYN. OF COURSE WE GOT TO END DINNER WITH GRANDMA'S EVER SO GOOD PUMPKIN PIE. ALTHOUGH IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO HAVE THANKSGIVING DINNER WITHOUT NATHAN BESIDE ME, I KNOW I STILL HAVE LOTS TO BE THANKFUL FOR.

WONDERFUL WEATHER

WHO WOULD THINK THAT ITS ALMOST A MONTH FROM XMAS AND WE CAN PLAY OUTSIDE. THE KIDS LOVE BEING ABLE TO RUN AND PLAY OUTSIDE. GOOD THING MY DRIVEWAY IS LONG. OF COURSE I LOVE THE FACT THEY RUN OFF ENERGY OUTSIDE AND NOT INSIDE. MAYBE WE WILL ALL SLEEP BETTER TONIGHT WITH ALL THE FRESH AIR AND EXERCISE.

THANKSGIVING MARSHMALLOW ROAST

SO WE HAD THANKSGIVING AT THE LONG-BAKER ACRES SATURDAY. MOM THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FUN TO ROAST MARSHMALLOWS ON THE PILE OF BRUSH SHE WAS BURNING. GREAT IDEA EXCEPT THE SMOKE KEPT CHANGING DIRECTIONS AND THE FIRE WAS WAY TO HOT TO GET CLOSE. BUT OVER ALL WE DID GET SOME ROASTED AND THE KIDS HAD FUN.

SLUMBER PARTY!!

FRIDAY NIGHT LUCAS AND ADDI SPENT THE NIGHT WITH US. HUNTER AND ADDI ENJOYED LAYING IN BED AND WATCHING MOVIES. MEANWHILE LUCAS AND TARALYN WERE BUSY BUILDING A HOUSE FOR TARALYN'S CAT, TWILIGHT. WHILE TARALYN HAD PLANS TO STAY UP ALL NIGHT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN. ALTHOUGH SHE WAS THE LAST ONE UP SHE DID COP OUT ON LUCAS AND LEFT THE LIVING ROOM TO SLEEP IN HER OWN BED.

OUR FAMILY'S LOST ONE

ON NOV 11TH I LOST THE MAN THAT I LOVED VERY DEEPLY. I APPRECIATE ALL THE LOVING SUPPORT I HAVE RECEIVED FROM SO MANY MANY PEOPLE. I COULD NEVER EXPRESS THE GRATITUDE I HAVE FOR EVERYONE THAT HAS BEEN THERE FOR MY FAMILY. EVERYDAY THROUGH THIS TRAGIC TIME IN MY LIFE GOD REMINDS ME OF ALL THE BLESSINGS THAT I AM LEFT WITH. IT IS AMAZING HOW MANY THINGS CAN REMIND YOU OF SOMEONE. I WILL MISS MY HUSBAND VERY MUCH AND I WANT EVERYONE TO REMEMBER THAT HE WAS SUCH A LOVING & COMPASSIONATE MAN.

HARD AT WORK

HUNTER WAS VERY BUSY HELPING DAD LOAD PAVERS ON PALLETS. EVEN THOUGH HE GRUNTED WITH EVERY LIFT AND KEPT SAYING HOW HEAVY THEY WERE HE DIDN'T WANT TO STOP. THERE WAS JUST SOMETHING FUN ABOUT CARRYING THOSE PAVERS OVER TO THE PALLET AND THEN HE HAD TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE ON THE PALLET JUST RIGHT. HE EVEN CORRECTED MINE A COUPLE OF TIMES. HE IS OUR HARD LITTLE WORKER.

Weston Gymnastics

WESTON HAD HIS FIRST GYMNASTICS TOURNAMENT ON SUNDAY. HE DID SO WELL!! THEY DID THE UNEVEN BARS, FLOOR ROUTINE, THE RINGS, VAULT, AND PARALLEL BARS. THEY HAD TO WAIT IN BETWEEN FOR THEIR TURN AND HE SAT STILL FOR SO LONG. HE DID SO WELL HE BROUGHT HOME A 2ND PLACE FOR HIS AGE GROUP AND THE TEAM ALSO WON A TROPHY. WAY TO GO WESTON!!!

PICKING UP HEDGEAPPLES!!!

WELL IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR WHERE THOSE DARN OLD HEDGE APPLES JUST HAVE TO FALL. YOU KNOW THEY COULD CAUSE SOME SERIOUS DAMAGE TO YOU IF YOU JUST HAPPEN TO BE STANDING IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME. THOSE THINGS ARE LARGE AND HEAVY. ANYWAY WESTON, TARALYN, AND HUNTER ALL HELPED PICK UP THE YARD FULL AT BRENDA'S. THE BEST THING ABOUT PICKING UP HEDGE APPLES IS RIDING ON THE MOWER WHETHER IT BE IN THE WAGON OR RIDING UP ON TOP. I THINK WE ENDED WITH ABOUT 3 OR 4 TRAILER LOADS SO MUCH FUN IT ALL RUNS TOGETHER. BUT THE WEATHER WAS PERFECT FOR SPENDING SOME TIME OUTDOORS.