Quincy's 1st Grade Christmas Program

 Quincy had her 1st grade Christmas (or it might have been winter) program at school tonight.  She was pretty excited to wear her Christmas dress and even asked me to fix her hair.  She did not ask me to take her picture, and this was the result of me telling her to act happy about it.  Somehow, the bottom photo reminded me of Honey Boo Boo?  She does clean up pretty well! 

 She did a great job singing and seemed to know the words to the songs....as opposed to some of the kids who stood there looking blankly at the audience!

 And I was reminded again why 1st grade teachers need a degree in cat herding!

Aunt Geraldine was at the laundry mat today.  She gave Harper a cat stocking hat for her birthday.  Harper was beyond pumped up, since it meant that she has a hat that matches one Quincy had!  They were both running around with the hats pretending to be cats tonight!  My personal feeling is that this is an improvement over the Coors hat that Harper has been wearing a lot lately! 

Colin had a varsity wrestling meet tonight.  He did not fare well on the mats, but we are still very proud of him.  He said he had a good time!

Cameron attended Tuba Christmas today.  Apparently there were approximately 700 tuba and baritone sax players from all over the state all gathered in Cofffman Performance Center in Kansas City to play Christmas Carols.  I really wish I had gone, as it sounded like it was really awesome and he had a great time!  I am hoping that I can get my hands on some photos of the event from his band teacher.  He told everyone that he saw Bill Murray there, and several people believed him!  I think its funny that you can tell how old someone is by what they associate Bill Murray with.  The older you are, the more likely it is that you say Ghostbusters.  The kids Cam's age say Zombieland!  Both are good movies!  :)

Its Beginning to look like Christmas

 Despite my protest.....despite the fact that that it is indeed Advent and not Christmas, Mallory drug out all the Christmas decorations anyway!   I honestly don't see what would be so wrong with celebrating the Advent season, and celebrating Christmas when it is actually the Christmas season, which should be from Christmas Eve until the Epiphany, but my kids seem to be a little more in line with the rest of society! 

 Not that I don't enjoy a little lighted shrubbery in my living room!  Or the anticipation that goes with it, but I have questioned how we celebrate, and how this was supposed to be a simple holiday to celebrate the birth of Jesus, not a blown up, crazy, put you in the poor house holiday! 

 So long as the kids are happy, I guess we can enjoy the decorations!

 Happy Advent everyone!

And I had to include this photo of Saige....I find it amusing that the kid can walk all over on her knees but refuses to walk on her feet!  I know the photo is dark, but you get the idea! 

She's trained.....

 

Now if we could just get her housebroken!

Thank you Grandma Nellie!

Harper got a birthday card in the mail today from Grandma Nellie!  She was so excited when she found out it had lights and a song!!  Thanks for making her day grandma!

Cam is a teenager....and weekend fun

 Cameron turned 13 years old today!  He decided that plain old frosting on his cake was not good enough....and ended up creating this masterpiece.  Cookie dirt and worms.  Seems somehow fitting for him?  He also smoked one of the turkeys that the nursing home gave the girls as a Thanksgiving gift, for his birthday dinner.  It turned out really yummy!

 Cameron is 'that kid'- the one that thinks he is a comedian, doesn't take life too seriously (unless KSU is playing), and is helpful to us a lot of the time without being asked.  Of course, his band teacher thinks he is the funniest kid that he has ever met, and takes every opportunity to tell us so! 

 We are very blessed by this kid, after all, without him, I would know a whole lot less about bees, a lot less about football trivia, I would not have my own fantasy football team, or my own coke reward account, and I would definitely not know what the sprite challenge is!  I am thankful that we call him our son!  Happy birthday Cam!

 Last night, I finally ventured out of the house for the first time in days.  I couldn't stand missing any more wrestling!  (Don't tell anyone, but I have seriously gotten into this sport).   Colin had a great night, and won all 3 of his matches.  Jim was the tournament announcer, and I must say that he was very well behaved considering he had a microphone in his hand for the whole night! 

 Cam went with me and helped me man the little ones.....as well as being my event photographer.  He reported to me that it would be a lot easier to take pictures if Colin would hold the kids still a bit longer.  Colin promised to work on it!

 Colin is the one in blue with the lightening bolt up his back.  We won't mention what Jim had to say about his high school singlet!  :) 

 We have had a low key Saturday.  The kids have hung out with me, while the girls were at work and Jim took Cam birthday shopping where Cam purchased a coal miner's lamp with his birthday money.  He seems somehow convinced that Overbrook is going to be the next big coal town? 

 I haven't mentioned yet that Quincy wanted short hair.  I cut her hair several days back.  She then insisted I go shorter.  So I cut a little more.  She then had a complete meltdown because I refused to use the clippers on her!  She wanted her head shaved like the boys.  So not happening!

 Harper has decided that she must wear stocking hats....indoors, outdoors, at wrestling tournaments, when going to buy breakfast.....basically all the time.  Jim says this is a completely normal part of childhood.  :)

 Tonight was winter semi-formal.  Madison and Mallory had to work, so they had to go to work with their hair done, and then scramble home, get dressed and run like wild to get there.  I think they looked very nice despite putting a hair net over their hairdos!  They also picked out their own dresses this year, and since I really and truly hate shopping, I am once again finding myself thankful for their ability to drive!

They clean up pretty good!  I can't believe they are so grown up already!

Catching Up

I have been absent from blogging or from the computer in general for a few days.   I had surgery last Friday.  For the most part, the surgery went very well, and I have not had any complications other than the fact that in general I just don't like being a patient very much.  Jim has tried very hard to keep me company, and keep me from popping out staples.  Despite his best efforts, I am feeling a bit stir crazy.  Saige and Harper have been good nurses, and I have now completely caught up on kids cartoon shows! 

 While I was in the hospital, Preston and Quincy took a little vacation to Silver Dollar City with my cousin.  They had a most wonderfully awesome time, and it definitely beat making trips back and forth to Topeka to visit me in the hospital.

 I am super excited that the library project has begun.  The building is now demolished and construction on the new expansion is fully underway.  My intent is to take photos along the journey, so here are the before shots!

 Colin was very proud of himself both for purchasing his first truck, and for making varsity wrestling.  He had his first varsity meet, which I was sad to miss, but Jim kept me informed.  The meet did not go as well as he would have liked, but he will definitely have a lot more meets to go to!

 The 4-H club had a Christmas Dance.  I didn't go, but I heard awesome stories!