Thursday, November 28, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving

We had Thanksgiving at home with our family this year.   We have traveled the past couple of years for Thanksgiving, so it was nice not to have to go anywhere.  I actually cooked, the kids did not eat except for Eliza who will eat anything.   Then Ashley and I braved the black Friday crowds.
All in all a great day!

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Random November

Let the holiday decorating begin.

Bad parenting photo. So sorry Eliza a light can not feel good up one's nostril
Happy 13 year anniversary to us.  You can see we dressed up for the occasion.  Me with no makeup and Brian in his Popeye t-shirt.
The kid's ornament Christmas tree is up, complete with a wonky star.
I am not sure that she was expecting the flash.
Why hello Jacob, nice to see you.
He just finished the Hobbit and is now starting the Lord of the Rings series,
occasionally he surfaces for air.
Grace and her new obsession.

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Family photo time

Family picture time.
More like insanity.
We have taken pictures at home for the past couple of years, this year I was opting for another location.
Big mistake, Jacob only heard shoes not boots and so he is wearing Nikes with bright green writing.
I could not find the tripod clips for my new tripod, but I did manage to find both clips to my old tripod.  Why do I even still have them?
Then there was a police officer that decided to park right in the line of our pictures, I guess he wanted to make sure I did not leave any of my children in the road.  
Too bad for you Mr. police officer, you were photoshopped out of the family Christmas card.
 This boy cracks me up.
So after threatening everyone that we were going to have to do this again, I decided to make the best of what we got (because I really want to stay sane).  So the Christmas cards are ordered.  Check plus for me.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

A visit to JAX

We went to visit Jacksonville this week.
My Dad was visiting a clinic in Jacksonville so we went to be moral support.  
Probably I was not so helpful with my 5 kids a hotel room.


My Dad grew up in Jacksonville so it was fun to tour the city with him.
I have only driven through Jacksonville since my Grandfather passed away when I was in 3rd grade so I really do not remember much about his house.  
Here is the St. John's River, he had to stop and visit with the fishermen.

The homestead on Ernest Street.  Grace and Adam were making friends with the hound that occupied the front porch.  My Grandfather had a green bird that lived in the kitchen and a pecan tree in the backyard. 
The chapel where my dad was baptized. He used to walk the ledges under the window to climb in and out of the windows during Sunday school.
His elementary school was still standing just painted a different color.
His middle school, can you tell I am taking drive by pictures.
Ashley came too, to be moral support for me since Brian had to work. 
I think Adam is trying to balance on the cracks and Jacob is trying to throw something to knock him off of the crack.

Grace loved this statue at the St. John's River Park, she kept calling it America's bird. 
Cute Eliza.
It is all fun and games,
until the fifth child is added in.
While we waited for Papa at the clinic my kids entertained themselves by making pinecone animals. A close up of some of the lovely specimens.
They also made a pinecone museum which Jacob charged 1 acorn cap to visit.  I am pretty sure Eliza just snuck into see the pinecones without a fee.  We then raced the acorn caps under the bridge. It was very fun until the giant catfish thought we were feeding them and ate the acorn caps. My kids had so much fun, Merry asked if we could go to the clinic grounds again for her birthday in a couple of months.

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Halloween Phase I

The kids before the ward trunk or treat.
 Adam was a green super hero.
Various parts of this ensemble have been rotating into his daily wear.
 Eliza's costume was not finished so she wore a tutu from Ms. Sally's treasure.
 Grace was a fairy.  The wings lasted about 5 minutes, until she buckle her seatbelt.
 Jacob was Indiana Jones, simple yet classic.
Merry was a peacock.  Fortunately she did not sound like one.

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Eliza is 10 months and random October

 Eliza turned 10 months.
She has 8 teeth and eats just about anything.
Pom-poms from my craft room are her favorite, there is an orange on in her hands.
She can clap, wave and mimic her older siblings.
She is much too fast for pictures.
 Grace took her first field trip to the pumpkin patch.
She learned that the pumpkins were grown in New Mexico by the Navajo Indians.  
Very cool fact, I didn't know that.
Merry demonstrating the usefulness of a Ms. Sally's treasures costume.

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Miss Sally's treasures


Merry and Grace's dance studio is owned by a lady named Miss Sally. She has a whole house full of costumes next to the studio that she rents for the recitals. Any way she had her annual costume sale this weekend and we scored some awesome $5 costumes.
Grace picked a white fluffy costume.
Jacob photo bombing Grace.
I guess I will take a picture of you too even though you are not in costume.
Merry scored this awesome Americana body suit. Did I mention that Miss Sally has been teaching since 1964?
Now I bet you are wondering where you could use an outfit like this. If you are 7 this is considered dance wear, lounge wear, out and about wear, pretty much anywhere. Don't worry we have lots more costumes to be featured at a later date. I did not get a picture of the Heidi tutu or pink and black rumba costume that went to Chile to my sister's girls. I will have to charge her with the task.
Where was Eliza during the photo shoot?
Entertaining herself with her reflection.
Does this count as washing the windows?






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