CHRISTMAS EVE

SO THE LONGS CAME OVER CHRISTMAS EVE MORNING TO OPEN PRESENTS AT OUR HOUSE. I WAS SO SUPER EXCITED TO GIVE ADDI THE DOLLHOUSE I MADE. SO YES FOR THOSE OF YOU UNAWARE I BUILT ADDI JO A DOLLHOUSE WITH THE HELP OF MY FRIENDS. I AM SO VERY PROUD OF THIS DOLLHOUSE. YES I WAS EXPECTING A LITTLE MORE EXCITEMENT WHEN SHE OPENED IT BUT I KNOW SHE IS TRULY TO YOUNG TO UNDERSTAND THE BLOOD AND SWEAT THAT WENT INTO IT. HUNTER WAS SUPER EXCITED ABOUT HIS BAT MOBILE AND TARALYN RECEIVED A LOT OF PEACE STUFF WHICH SHE LOVES. I GOT TO ADD A FEW MORE DISHES TO MY WONDERFUL COLLECTION OF PAULA DEEN COOKWARE. YES THE GLEEM IN JEREMY'S EYE IS BECAUSE AFTER CHECKING HIS WISH LIST AT CABELA'S THE BOAT WAS OFF THE LIST WHICH MEANT SOME ONE GOT HIM THE BOAT...THIS IS PRETTY MUCH HOW HE LOOKED ALL DAY....WONDER IF HE EVER GOT THAT BOAT?

SAN DIEGO

OK SO YES IT HAS TAKEN ME AWHILE TO BE ABLE TO BLOG ABOUT MY SAN DIEGO TRIP I WON. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DO NOT KNOW I WON A TRIP TO SAN DIEGO FOR THE CHIEFS GAME ON DEC 12TH. SO YES I GOT TO SEE OUR EMBARRASSING LOST IN PERSON SURROUNDED BY AN ENTIRE STADIUM OF CHARGERS FANS. WHO DID NOT LET US LIVE IT DOWN IN THE STADIUM OR THE 2 MILE WALK OF SHAME BACK TO THE CAR OR EVEN OUT SHOPPING AFTER THE GAME. OTHER THAN THE GAME THE TRIP WAS AMAZING. WE WENT TO THE ZOO, THE BEACH AND AN ACOUSTIC CONCERT. I HAVE TO SAY THE TIME SPENT ON THE BEACHES WERE MY FAV. HERE ARE A FEW PICTURES OF TARA AND I IN SUNNY SAN DIEGO. YES FOR THOSE OF YOU REMEMBERING..KANSAS CITY RECEIVED OUR FIRST SNOW THE DAY WE FLEW OUT TO 80 DEGREE SAN DIEGO.

6 LITTLE MONKEYS SITTING ON A LOG

THANKSGIVING DINNER AT MOMS ENDED WITH US TAKING A QUICK WALK IN THE WOODS. THE KIDS TRIED DIGGING FOR SOME ARROWHEADS IN THE CREEKBED BUT DIDN'T HAVE ANY LUCK. THE LITTLE ONES GOT TIRED BUT WITH A FEW WALKING STICKS THEY WERE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE JOURNEY BACK TO THE HOUSE. WE WERE ABLE TO SNAP ONE QUICK PHOTO UP ON THE LOG...

SHUTTERFLY.COM

WELL THE WORD IS OUT THAT SUTTERFLY HAS GREAT NEW HOLIDAY CARDS!!! PLUS 50 FREE FOR BLOGGING!!! I HOPE MINE ARE HERE IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS...BUT KEEP WATCHING MAYBE THEY WILL BE AN AFTER XMAS SURPRISE!!! VISIT http://www.shutterfly.com FOR YOUR CHANCE TO BLOG FOR 50 FREE CARDS!!!! BE SURE AND SEND SOME HOLIDAY CHEER TO ALL YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS WITH SHUTTERFLY HOLIDAY CARDS http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-cards OR INVITES http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/holiday-cards
THEY EVEN HAVE GREAT GIFT IDEAS LIKE CALENDERS http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars/desk-calendars...SO VISIT FOR YOUR HOLIDAY CARDS.. SHUTTERFLY HAS LOTS OF NEW HOLIDAY CARD OPTIONS TO CHOOSE FROM. THEY CAN HELP YOU KEEP UP TO DATE WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS. LET THEM HELP YOU MAKE YOUR CHRISTMAS LETTER EXTRA SPECIAL THIS YEAR WITH PHOTOS OF YOUR FAMILY. LET EVERYONE GET CAUGHT UP ON WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN DOING THIS YEAR. WHAT CAN BE EASIER THAN UPLOADING YOUR PHOTOS AND LETTING THEM DO THE WORK AND HAVE THEM ARRIVE TO YOUR MAILBOX. DO YOUR CHRISTMAS CARDS WITHOUT LEAVING THE WARMTH OF YOUR HOME...WELL EXCEPT FOR THAT TRIP TO THE MAILBOX TO PICK UP YOUR NEW BEAUTIFUL PHOTO CARDS..AND FREE IF YOU BLOGGED FOR THEM....

GIRL SCOUT

WELL TONIGHT TARALYN OFFICIALLY BECAME A GIRL SCOUT DURING THEIR BRIDGE CEREMONY. WE GOT HER VEST OVER THE WEEKEND AND PUT HER BADGES ON. I AM SURE THERE WILL BE MANY MORE OF THOSE TO COME. REMEMBER WE ARE SELLING COOKIES TILL END OF NOVEMBER. WE HAVE ONLY BEEN ABLE TO MAKE A FEW MEETINGS BECAUSE OF VOLLEYBALL BUT NOW THAT IT IS OVER WE ARE FULL SPEED AHEAD WITH GIRL SCOUTS!!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

WELL THIS YEAR FOR HALLOWEEN WE DID A LITTLE DIFFERENT. INSTEAD OF WALKING FOR TWO MILES WE WENT OUT TO WILLIE AND GERRYS. OUT THERE WE LOADED UP THE WAGON HOOKED ON TO THE GATOR AND OFF WE WENT. IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!! THE KIDS AND I ALL ENJOYED SITTING ON THE HAY BALES AND RIDING FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE. MY KIDS WERE TOTALLY INTO THE BAT THEM THIS YEAR. TARALYN WAS A BAT AND HUNTER BATMAN. NOW OF COURSE HUNTER HAD A NAP ON THE WAY OUT THERE AND DID NOT WAKE UP IN A GREAT MOOD. SO IT WAS CASUAL DAY FOR BATMAN AS HE WORE HIS JEANS!!!

WE HAVE BEEN FLOCKED!!!

WELL THIS HAPPENED A FEW WEEKENDS AGO..I AWOKE TO A FLOCK OF FLAMINGOS IN MY YARD. I WAS THE TALK OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD! ADDI JO'S SCHOOL DOES THIS AS A FUNDRAISER. SOMEONE PAYS TO HAVE YOU FLOCKED THEN U MAKE A DONATION TO HAVE THEM REMOVED AND TO FLOCK SOMEONE ELSE. WE CHOSE TO HAVE TARA AND THE KIDS FLOCKED! THEY WERE SO EXCITED ABOUT IT. I MUST SAY I WAS SAD TO SEE THEM GO THEY DIDN'T STAY LONG. IT WAS SUCH A CUTE FUNDRAISER.

PUMPKIN CARVING

LAST NITE FOR TARALYN'S BDAY SHE WANTED TO GO TO DINNER AT OLIVE GARDEN THEN CARVE PUMPKINS. WE HAVE BEEN WAITING TILL THIS WEEK TO CARVE OUR PUMPKINS. HUNTER WITH THE HELP OF HEATHER CUT OUT A BATMAN SYMBOL. MAYBE BECAUSE HE IS GOING TO BE BATMAN FOR HALLOWEEN. I CHOOSE TO CUT OUT A VAMPIRE BAT IN HONOR OF BOTH OF MY KIDS BEING BATTY THINGS. TARALYN IS GOING AS A BAT THIS YEAR. TARALYN CHOOSE TO LEAVE OUR BATTY THINGS TO US AND CHOOSE TO CARVE GHOSTS IN HER BIG PUMPKIN. ALL IN ALL IT WAS A GREAT NITE OF CARVING PUMPKINS. I MUST SAY MY FAVORITE PART IS CLEANING THE GUTS OUT.

BUSY BUSY

SO THE LAST MONTH HAS BEEN CRAZY. EVERY SATURDAY THE KIDS HAVE FOOTBALL AND VOLLEYBALL AND SOMETIMES AT THE SAME TIME. I HAVE LEARNED HOW TO BE IN TWO PLACES AT ONCE..HAHAHA WE WERE SO HAPPY TANA AND DANIKA CAME TO VISIT US ONE WEEKEND AND LAST WEEKEND WAS TARALYN'S BIRTHDAY PARTY. MY DAD WAS ALSO IN TOWN LAST WEEKEND WHICH IS SO GREAT TO SEE HIM. HE WAS ABLE TO ATTEND TARALYN'S VOLLEYBALL GAME, HUNTERS FOOTBALL PRACTICE, TARALYN'S BDAY PARTY AND LUCAS GAME ON SUNDAY! SO WE HAD A FULL WEEKEND. ONE MORE BIG WEEKEND THIS WEEKEND WITH HALLOWEEN, TARALYN'S VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT AND I HAVE TWO NIGHT SHIFTS THIS WEEKEND. SO I AM GOING TO BE READY FOR A BREAK!!!! TARALYN HAD A GREAT OPEN HOUSE BDAY PARTY..SHE MADE OUT LIKE A BANDIT. WITH ALL THE NEW TOYS SHE HAS DECIDED TO GO THROUGH HER OLD STUFF AND DONATE TO HOPE HOUSE FOR OTHER LITTLE GIRLS TO PLAY WITH.

PUMPKIN PATCH

WE FINALLY MADE IT TO THE PUMPKIN PATCH WHILE TANA AND DANIKA WERE IN TOWN FOR THE WEEKEND. WE DROVE DOWN TO LOUISBURG CIDER MILL FOR THE DAY. I WAS SO SUPER EXCITED TO LEARN THEY HAD A PUMPKIN PATCH..A PUMPKIN PATCH YOU CAN GO OUT AND PICK YOUR OWN PUMPKINS!! I AM SURE EVERYONE THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY BUT I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO GO OUT IN THE FIELD TO PICK MY OWN PUMPKINS. SO I HAD TO WAIT LIKE 30 SOME YEARS TO DO IT BUT IT HAS BEEN DONE AND IT WAS FANTASTIC! HUNTER DID NOT WANT TO GET OUT OF THE STROLLER TO PICK HIS OWN. INSTEAD HE SAT THERE AND TOLD ME HOW THAT PUMPKIN WAS TO BIG OR TO YELLOW OR THE STEM WAS TO BIG TILL WE FINALLY FOUND THE RIGHT LITTLE PUMPKIN. TARALYN WAS ON THE HUNT FOR A BIG ONE. THE CIDER WAS GREAT TOO AND THE CARMEL APPLES. THE BEST PART WAS WE WALKED OUT TO THE PUMPKIN PATCH AND GOT OUR PUMPKINS THEN DECIDED TO TAKE A TRACTOR/WAGON RIDE. WELL WHO WOULD HAVE THUNK IT THAT THE TRACTOR TAKES YOU OUT TO THE PUMPKIN PATCH AND COMES BACK AROUND TO GET YOU!

VOLLEYBALL

TARALYN HAS BEEN PLAYING VOLLEYBALL ALSO THIS PAST MONTH. HER TEAM IS ORANGE AND THEY ARE THE SHERBET'S.. THERE IS A TOUGH NAME. I BELIEVE WE HAVE FOUND THE SPORT SHE LOVES. IT IS SO GREAT TO SEE HER ACTUALLY ENJOY PLAYING SOMETHING. SO HALLOWEEN WEEKEND IS THE END OF SEASON WITH A TOURNAMENT SO WE WILL SEE HOW THAT GOES. THEY HAVE WON AND LOSS ABOUT AN EQUAL AMOUNT OF GAMES. REALLY NOT BAD FOR GIRLS WHO HAVE NEVER PLAYED. TARALYN DOES A GREAT JOB OF SERVING AND HAS REALLY GOTTEN THE HANG OF GETTING UNDER THE BALL AND GOING AFTER IT!! I BELIEVE NEXT SEASON I JUST MIGHT HAVE TO COACH!

Pee Wee flag football

HUNTER HAS BEEN DOING PEE WEE FLAG FOOTBALL PRACTICE EVERY SATURDAY MORNING FOR THE LAST MONTH OR MORE. LAST SATURDAY WAS HIS LAST DAY. THEY HAVE LEARNED TO THROW, CATCH , HIKE THE BALL. THEY EVEN GOT TO RUN A FEW PLAYS AGAINST US PARENTS. NEEDLESS TO SAY I AM SURE I LOOK LIKE AN IDIOT OUT THERE BEING THE ONLY MOM ON THE FIELD WITH THE DADS BLOCKING AGAINST THREE YEAR OLDS. LAST SATURDAY WAS AN GREAT DAY FOR FOOTBALL. THE WEATHER WAS COOL AND HUNTER WAS READY TO PLAY. WE HAD A GREAT CROWD THERE TO WATCH AS EVERYONE WAS DOWN FOR SISSY'S BIRTHDAY PARTY. HUNTER GOT TO BE CENTER AND DID A GOOD JOB HIKING BALL. THEN HE GOT TO BE RUNNING BACK AND RAN THE BALL ALL THE WAY DOWN FOR TOUCHDOWN.. I WAS SO PROUD!! THEN HE RAN OVER TO HIS FANS ALONG THE FENCE AND HIGH FIVED THEM ALL I WISH I HAD MY CAMERA. UNFORTUNATELY IT IS HARD TO BE ON THE FIELD PLAYING AND TAKING PICTURES. SO MY STORIES WILL HAVE TO DO!

BRANSON

WE HAD A ANOTHER FUN FILLED DAY IN BRANSON. WE STARTED OFF AT THE SHEPHERD OF THE HILLS FISH HATCHERY. WHICH WAS KINDA A NEAT PLACE TO VISIT AND FREE!! THEY HAD SOME HUGE TROUT INSIDE ALONG WITH TURTLES AND SNAKES. OUT BACK THEY HAD ALL THE TANKS WITH THE EGGS ALL THE WAY UP TO BIGGER TROUT. WE TIMED IT JUST RIGHT AND THE LADY WAS COMING AROUND TO FEED FISH SO WE GOT TO FEED THEM WITHOUT BUYING THE FOOD. WE HIT THE OUTLET MALL AND SCRAPBOOK STORE. THEN TO MAKE SURE WE SPEND EVERYDAY WET WE DID BUMPER BOATS AND A TRIP AROUND THE GO KART TRACK. WE EVEN DID A ROUND OF MINIATURE GOLF WHICH I WON AND ENDED UP BUYING ICE CREAM AFTERWARDS. ON THE WAY BACK TO CABIN WE DROVE THROUGH BIG CEDAR WHICH IS KINDA FUN TO DO. IN THE POND THERE WERE ALL THESE TURTLES SUNNING THEMSELVES WHICH TARALYN THOUGHT WAS SUPER COOL.

SILVER DOLLAR CITY

WE FINALLY MADE IT THROUGH A DAY AT SILVER DOLLAR CITY WITHOUT ANY RAIN!!! IT WAS SO MUCH FUN. THERE WERE LOTS OF CRAFTERS THERE. FOUND A COUPLE OF GREAT XMAS GIFTS FOR A FEW PEOPLE. WE RODE ALMOST EVERY RIDE. THE FIRST BIG COASTER WE RODE WAS THUNDERATION AND I GUESS WE DIDN'T REALIZE IT UNTIL WE WERE STRAPPED IN THAT WE WERE FACING BACKWARDS. THAT SURE MADE IT INTERESTING. THE NEXT BIG COASTER WAS POWERKEG WHICH I REALLY LIKED ALOT. ALTHOUGH AFTER FIRST BIG HILL I WAS SURE I WOULD BE CARRYING TARALYN OFF AND HAVING TO DO CPR ON HER. SHE PULLED THROUGH AND FINALLY ENJOYED LAST PART OF IT. IT WAS ENOUGH THOUGH SHE WAS NOT GOING TO RIDE WILDFIRE THE OTHER BIG COASTER. HUNTER OF COURSE REALLY ENJOYED ALL THE KIDDIE RIDES. WE SPENT HALF THE DAY COMPLETELY SOAKED SINCE OF COURSE THERE WERE NO LINES TO WAIT IN SO YOU COULD GET OFF GO OUT AND COME RIGHT BACK IN. THEN WATER RIDES WERE THE KIDS FAVORITES! I AM JUST SO GLAD THE WEATHER WAS GREAT.