I am Thankful for Thanksgiving

On Wednesday morning we got up at 6 a.m. and headed to Arkansas. This was our first 8 hour road trip with a newly potty trained child so we were quite nervous. Katie did great. Infact it was the best road trip we have ever taken. The kids played and I actually enjoyed talking with Charley. I am thankful for a happy road trip. Once we got to AR. it was time to play and it didn't stop for 3 days. As you can see from all the pics, playing and having fun was the goal and they did have fun. I am thankful for fun times in AR during the holidays.

On Thanksgiving day we were at Charley's Nanny and Papaws house along with a lot of family and friends. The food was yummy and my kids loved playing with their cousins the most. Kylee really loved spending time with Aunt Beth playing cards. She keeps talking about how fun that was. Katie spent the day with Hudson and her two other cousins playing. She and Hudson put on quite a song and dance show Thursday night jumping on the blowup mattress and singing. It was so cute. I just wish I would have had my video camera. We also celebrated Kaydens 9th birthday. I can't believe she is 9, time flies! Kylee loved the slumber parties with Kayden and Lacy. I am so thankful for cousins for my kids to have fun with!!

On Friday morning after my sister in law and I hit the local Wal Mart for a couple items on sale and a super great surprise of running into one of my close college friends, Shawna. Which I must say was great, it brought me to tears. We loaded the car up and and went to Aunt Robins home for some good eats and 4 wheeler fun. I enjoyed the food while the kids LOVED the 4 wheeler. I think they convinced every male person to take them on the 4 wheeler. It was so cold that day but they just bundled up and had the best time. After Katie had enough she curled up on Charley and slept for a couple hours. I am so thankful we got to hang out with the Moore/Fox group this year!!

On Saturday before we came home, the grandkids and Meme and Pops posed in front of the infamous Razorback rock, GO HOGS!!! This was a super cute picture. They also walked to the bay to feed the fish and get a snack. The fish are huge and the kids loved feeding them crackers and bread. After this excursion of the morning we packed up and headed home much to the dismay of Kylee, who got super sad to leave Meme and Pops. She had the most fun of all and loves going there to visit. I am so thankful she loves her Meme and Pops and loves to spend time with them.

*Just a little side note, if you are on my blog list and wonder if I have read your blog lately due to my lack of commenting. The answer is yes. I have read everyones blog recently but that is about it. I have a ton of projects in the works from organizing Kylee's class Christmas party, Christmas surprise projects, my job, putting up Christmas decor, etc..... So here is my comment to you all.... I am thankful for each of you on my blog list, I have a few names to add, I learn so much from you all and am thankful to call you each friends. So please feel no pressure to leave a comment on mine this month, don't get me wrong I love comments but it is Christmas and if you are like me it is crazy busy in your life. Love to you all:)!!!!!!

Fall Program and Fall Fest

Last Tuesday Katie and mommy had their preschool program and Open House night. It was a fun night and Katie did a great job. She hammed it up on stage by opening her mouth really big and not letting any sound out except an occasional humming. She demonstrated for us at home and told us this is how I opened my mouth and sang. It was wide open and humming. We were proud of her. My 4s group did a great job and I was so proud of them also. I had a little moment that night of not believing my little Katie was at the program performing and Kylee was in the audience as a watcher. The first program at Circle of Friends Kylee was in Katie was only 8 months old and now she is only 3 months short of 3 years old. Kylee loved getting to hang out with her buddy Savannah in the audience. Grandmommy and Grandaddy also got to come and enjoy watching Katie.

Katie with her sweet teachers-Mrs. Smiley and Mrs. Stanley.

This past Saturday we went to Kylee's School 1st Annual Yee Haw Fest. This was something Kylee was so excited about. They had a Silent Auction of baskets and other cool stuff, raffles and games, bounce houses, food and even a visit with Santa. Kylee loved it all and really wanted to win at the Cake Walk but did not. She did win the silent auction for a lunch with her teacher and friend of her choice. She was excited about that and I was for her. The only bummer was it was so cold and windy that being outside was only for very short periods of time. Their school is only in its 2nd year of being open so they did a great job with this fest and I hope it brought in the money they wanted for all the good things they do at the school. Below are the activities they did at the fest.

Stitches, Strep, and October

Well I have a lot to catch up on. We have had a very full October and ER visit and Strep Throat house to start with in November. So a lot to talk about. Really my sweet little sister should have made the title, she spent a 4 day time in the hospital the last week of October with leaking spinal fluid that were brought on by severe headaches. We all felt so bad for her because she has a newborn and a 2 year old. I went to visit her and it just broke my heart at how she was in so much pain and they couldn't find the problem. They finally did a 2nd blood patch that showed lots of fluid in her spine (back story-she got poked 12 times to get the epidural to go in when she had my niece)so praise the Lord the 2nd blood patch worked and she is spending time with her family again headache free. Then the night my sister went home from the hospital Kylee fell at church while playing Ring a round the Rosie on the tile. She busted her chin open and had to have 4 stitches(picture below). She was so brave and really didn't cry except when she did it. Then the middle of last week I had the worst sore throat of my adult life but kept putting off going to the doctor until Wednesday morning when I could no longer swallow. I went to the doctor and sure enough Strep Throat. I slept the rest of Wednesday and a lot of Thursday. Don't really remember much about those 2 days except being very sick and not eating. On Thursday Katie decided to be like momma and get strep, YEA!! That child never acted sick she only had a runny nose but the doc did the test and Yes it is strep. I really felt a little better on Friday but still couldn't eat so I went back to the doctor Saturday and I had a little red throat still but they swabbed me for strep and it was negative. Then when I got home out the door went Charley for his own strep test, Yep, he has it now. He is better now and went back to work. Kylee is the only survivor of our strep sickness. We have bought all new toothbrushes, toothpaste, washed bedding, scrubbed counters, and Lysoled this house. Tomorrow my house gets cleaned so I will feel strep free after that but boy it was miserable. A lesson I learned through all this chaos and sickness-SLOW DOWN!!!! We have truly been so busy that we all got run down. So my commitment through this busy time of year is to slow down, rest, and enjoy healthiness and family.



So I say all of the above to say that is why I haven't posted October stuff. Kylee's chin picture below with the stitch in it.

1. Halloween Night
We had a great time starting with Jack O Lantern Pizza. Then we just stayed in our neighborhood this year and walked around and passed out candy at our house. This reminded Charley and I what we did as kids. The girls dressed up as Snow White and Pink WonderWomen. They love to dress up all the time but loved that they could wear their stuff out of the house. They got so much candy, check it out below, and enjoyed watching Kit Kittridge before bedtime.

This picture of Katie is with her favorite neighbor Dana, but Katie always calls her My Dana. Dana is adorable and so sweet to Katie. She always gives her hugs and says Hi. She is 8 years old and just the sweetest little thing. I know that is why Katie likes her so much.

Which will I choose????

2. Some extra fun Halloween stuff we do as a tradition the week of Halloween. We baked Pumpkin and Ghost cookies, Paint pumpkins and Carve a pumpkin. Kylee and Katie both have painted hair in the pics because of Red Ribbon Week at Kylee's school. It was crazy hair day. Of course Katie had to have it done too!

3. Our Small Group at Church Annual Fall Party.

The weekend before Halloween our small group had a fabulous party. It was full of fun times with friends, apple bobbing, candy walk, pinata, bounce house, and food. The girls love to apple bob. Infact, Katies friends thought it was fun to try to get an apple or just pick it up then take and bite and throw it back in and repeat with another apple. So Funny to watch!! It was so fun as always and we feel so blessed to have this group to spend time with.

This is the candy walk and I loved it because Kylee is showing Katie what to do and helping her out. Katie loved Kylee helping her.

4. The Young Families at our church had the first ever fall party at a local pumpkin patch. It was so fun. Their was a hayride, feeding animals, a rather hard corn maze, playground, pumpkins, tractors for the kids to ride, and of course fun times with friends. I really hope this becomes an annual tradition as it was so fun for everyone.




5. Visit to the State Fair.

We also made our annual visit to the State Fair in the middle of all the other stuff. The girls loved it and Charley and I just love having fun with the girls. We really love seeing them have fun together.

Whew!! There you go, OCTOBER!!!! Now lets rest and relax, just in time for Thanksgiving and Christmas.