Tuba and 4-H Christmas.

Cameron and the other tuba and bass sax players attended tuba Christmas today at the Kauffman center.  He really enjoys this every year.  He said there were 450 other performers and they all come together to play low music.  He also bought himself a tuba Christmas hat!  

This evening was the 4-H Christmas dinner.  The kids were excited about having a feast with their friends. 

They also really enjoyed making sock snowmen during the craft time.  

We might have to make more at home....it would help me clear out all the crazy socks in that basket downstairs!  

Weekends are NOT for wimps

Saturday, Uncle Jay paid us a little visit.  He came with tickets to the KSU football game.  Preston, Colin, and Jim were all extremely happy with the Cats win, and the bowl game opening up.  It was awesome seeing Jay too!  

Preston was so excited about his free stuff!  He loves going to the games!  

Cameron did not go to the game because he had a date to winter formal. 

Last week, he told me he had a date, and had the necessary clothing to attend a formal dance.  

Luckily, he got dressed early enough to realize he grew 6 inches in the past year!  We had just enough time for us to make an emergency run for a shirt that actually fit, and a belt that wasn't held together with a twist tie.  

Also, luckily he is a guy, which means when we come screeching in with 7 minutes before he needed to leave, he can slap on the clothes with no worries about hair or makeup!  I think it worked out pretty well, and he said that he and his date both had a nice time. 

Harper needs 2 front something's for Christmas!  

Today was an absolute crazy fest.  We had to attend mass in Scranton.  We have been going to church at St. Francis for a while now, but the kids go to RE and Mallory and I teach at St. Patrick's in Scranton.  The RE kids had a children's mass this morning.  It was a really fun mass, the kids all did a great job, and it was awesome to see old friends.   I always enjoy the Scranton choir, and they did a great job working with the kids and the music was amazing.  

Cameron had a meeting to start the finalization of plans for his trip this coming summer to Washington, D.C.  He came back pretty excited about all that they are planning to do.  

He then had to play his tuba at the Carbondale Town Christmas celebration. I had taken Preston out to his basketball practice, and I admit I had an entertaining time trying to watch Cameron squeeze a tuba into his Honda Accord!  

Tonight, we had a banquet to celebrate the football season and to honor the seniors.  It was a nice night and fun to watch highlight videos from the season. 

When we got home from the banquet, madam Christmas had taken charge of the tree, the decorating, light hanging and loud Christmas music.  She even had Preston baking cookies.   Mallory is always on full blown Christmas high.  The kids had fun rummaging through years or ornaments and memories.  It was a good way to wind down a crazy couple of days.  

And so it begins

Winter sports.  My favorite because I get to sit indoors to watch.  The thing about raising your kids in Kansas. ....there are only about 10 nice days a year and the rest of the time it is either freezing cold, the wind is beating you to death, or it is so hot you feel your skin literally melting off.  Winter sports mean inside, which means no worries about how to dress and how many types of clothing you will need because sometimes all of the weather happens in a single evening!  Ok rant over.  Winter sports....momma is happy.  Colin is wrestling varsity 152 pounds.  Cameron is playing basketball and is extremely happy to have made the team as this was the first year that SFT did cuts.  His first game was at Olpe last night.  I was told he started and opened the JV game with a 3 pointer.  Jim said he played really well and it was a good game that they came up a bit short in.  No photos because Jim watches sports and forgets to photograph them!  

Colin had his first meet Thursday in Eudora.  He told me he was not wrestling Thursday, and then about an hour before it started he texted me and said "sorry mom I am wrestling after all!"   So I flew to Eudora and made it in time to watch.  He only had one match and he came up a little short on points.  He was happy to wrestle the kid because he punched someone last year and Colin was hoping for a good story.  Luckily, or unfortunately depending on who you are, the kid did not throw any punches.  

Yesterday, Colin had a super dual in Spring Hill.  Saige and I went to watch. Saige loves the big horse out in front of the school!  And she was such a good little fan!  Ok so she ate her weight in snacks, colored and entire new coloring book, and talked our friend Dodie's legs off, but she had fun!  

Colin had a great day on the mat too!  It was awesome to watch.  He went 4-1 for the day. I took a ton of photos but being in a sunken gym and having to sit over the top and far away doesn't make for good photography.  He had 2 pins, 2 wins by points and his one loss was to a kid who is ranked 3rd in 6a.  

Some moments in time

Almost year ago I stripped the wallpaper border off the dining room wall.  I have been in a mental battle of colors.  What I wanted was a nice olive green, but since the hallway and adjoining area are painted red, it seemed too much.  I brought home several paint swatches and had them taped up but didn't ever make a real decision.  And then Mallory decided to get involved.  She said leave it to me.  I did.  She picked out this creamy yellow color and she also did a pretty good amount of the painting.  I think it was therapeutic on her fall break!  

We did the kitchen and dining room.  I love how it looks.  Of course, I love paint.  Nothing makes a room feel brighter and cleaner than a good coat of fresh paint.  

Preston is playing basketball on a team with his best buddies.  They won't start games for a while yet, but they started practices this week.  He is really looking forward to the season.  I had to giggle at his enthusiasm.  

I got a small second job.  I am the new treasurer for the Elk Township.  It is just a couple hours per month, but I needed to stay in town after I got off of my regular job today because of it.  Jim, Saige and I met for a quick lunch at the bar next door to where I work.  We realized we might be regular customers when the lady recited our regular order for us.  It was reiterated when they invited Saige to help them set up their Christmas decorations. She had a great time, and they gave her a bowl of ice cream as payment for her hard work!  

The downfall is that Saige now knows the bar has ice cream on their menu.  

This afternoon, I ran to pick up greenery that Cameron sold.  I got home right at dusk and turned into the driveway to see 2 little deer.  They just stood there chewing grass and looking at me like "what are you doing here?"   I took a few not very good photos. I love the creatures we see in our yard on a regular basis.  Well, except for the skunk...he can leave at any time!  

Madison is taking a class called professional cooking.   She had her final this week and has to prepare several dishes for it.  Tonight we were treated to her practicing for her final!   We had a feast of smothered chicken, roasted vegetables, amazing salad, and cream of broccoli soup.  I was a lot more excited about the soup than any of the kids were!  

I would give her an A if I was grading her. Dinner was amazing!   Also, I hope she takes more classes she needs to practice on in the near future!