Fal la la la la.....

After we got Mr. Tree all set up in his new home we gave him a little rest to warm up (and took a nap) then got down to business. I put up my fancy new LED bigger bulb lights. Then the kids took over and finished decorating the tree for me. Even Emily got into the action, although she really just enjoyed walking around with bulbs and stepping on the lights.
And for everyone who thinks I'm the only Christmas nut in this family Jimmy even set up a speaking inside the tree this year so when I put on Christmas music it sounds like it's coming from the tree.

Today we're off to South Haven. Kaylee, Nathan and Jimmy will be watching a movie while I take Emily to my Grandma's house for some hugs and kisses (and maybe a little pie for me).

Tree Pictures:

Getting the lights out:

Kids looking at the lights:

Hanging up the decorations: Emily putting hers on:

Off to the tree farm!

Ok lets see if this blog turns out a little better, dang picture problems.
Off to find our trees:

Emily and her Santa hat:

Looking around for the tree:

Me and Emily:

Me and the kids:

All the kidlets:
Squinty eyes:

Cutting down the tree:

Girls walking around:

Jimmy cutting down the tree:
Does it smell good?:

No "proper" way to cut down a tree:

Emily watching the action:

Walking back with the goods:

Does it smell like a tree Kyla?:

Mm.. fresh pine smell:

Tree stuffed in and ready to go:

Thanksgiving Pictures

I didn't take a ton but you get the idea
Thanksgiving Pictures 2008:

Mmm.. yummy:

Nathan thought his foot needed to be in the picture:

MM.. John fed Em's some of Susan's yummy pudding:

Yes I put her 6 hairs in a ponytail:

What I see a lot of, Emily pulling on my shirt so I pick her up:

Doing the dishes, everyone pitched in isn't that nice?!?:

Good Turkey Beautiful Tree

I hope everyone had some good gobble gobble. I think my food turned out pretty dang good and I do say so myself, ha! I don't mind cooking Turkey dinner, the last half hour is a little hectic because everything happens at once, like the turkey needs to be sliced, the potatos mashed, green bean casserole baked, gravy gravified, etc... But I did it! Jimmy helped me lots (thanks honey), my dad got the turkey all ready (thanks daddy). So now we eat leftovers for a week, heehee. I do have some pictures to post but they're on the back computer and I'm on my laptop so I'll post them later on.

So we went and got our Christmas tree and it is beautimus! I luvs it lots!
We went with Dan and Liz and Kyla who also got one. Everyone was out getting trees this morning it was crazy busy. I guess we weren't the only ones to go first thing in the morning, I thought for sure it would be busier in the afternoon time. Jimmy cut it down then hauled it to the front then got it in the car then carried it into the house and set it up in the stand and now it's all ready for us to decorate this afternoon/evening. I have some pictures of that as well, not many because I was holding Emily through a lot of it since the ground was kinda mucky. The kids are excited to decorate it. We're going to stop over and see Dan and Liz's tree after lunch.
I'll post again later!

Turkey Madness.

I'm still slacking on my blogs a bit, no pictures to post...sorry. I'll get some tomorrow
when I'm not stuffing my face with food. Speaking of stuffing faces with food...
We went out to eat for Mom's Bday. We ended up going up by C.J. and Rachel.
Mom choose to eat at Red Robin so everyone met there and then the girls went
shopping at the mall and we stopped by hobby lobby (of course). I got these
cute little red bags with white polka dots. They're too sweet, they kinda flare out at
the top, not the usual square shape. I'm going use them to deliver Christmas
cookies to nearby friends. I can't believe in a few short days we will be in December.
Isn't that craziness!!?!?!

This year we're having Thanksgiving dinner over at my house. Jimmy's parents,
my parents and John and Susan will be here. My brother is going to Rachels families
house. It will be a little sad with out him. Thats the thing about getting married and
all that, you have to split up the holidays between each others families. A lot of times
the girl ends up winning out on more of the holidays with her family because we're
a little more emotional and sentimental about things like that (in a lot of cases).
But my brother has always been one to want to be with his family during the
holidays so it will be interesting to see how they decide to split up things so it's
fair for the two of them, ecspecially when children come along. Heehee...
I have heard some couples have Thanksgiving one year with one family then
the other gets Christmas for that year then the next year they switch. Jimmy has
a small family on his side so I haven't had to give up much on my families side. We
were skipping out on Christmas eve service at the church for years but last year we
went. I just missed it so much, I'd always gone growing up. I think we'll go again this
year if the weather is ok. It just makes for a later night but Kaylee and Nathan
are older now so it's not as big of a deal. I am really excited for the Holiday season
though! So anyhow, back to Tday... I hope I don't screw up anything. I'm in charge
of the Turkey, Stuffing, Mashed Potatos and gravy. My mom is making a fruit salad,
a dessert, and green bean casserole, John and Susan are bringing home made rolls
and pudding and Jimmy's mom is bringing the pies! Yay for food! I'm going to
finish cleaning the house tonight and make a batch of chex mix. Then tomorrow
I'll stick Mr. Turkey in the oven around ten while watching the Thanksgiving
parade with Kaylee and Nathan which is something we've done every Thanksgiving
together since our Napier house. I'll post pictures and a blog about the happenings
at some time in the next few days. Then we're all set until the first weekend in
December when we'll be heading up North to the Great Wolf Lodge for some
family fun!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!

It sure is crowded outside!

Ugh.. so I get up this morning, look out my window and see a whole mess of snow. Ew, I'm thinking to myself when did this happen?!?! Nathan runs in and says "no school today because the snow is too crowded". Emily was a giant mess yesterday. She started off the day full of snot and drool running down her face, I had to change her shirt three times before the light bulb in my head went off and I finally figured out that a bib might be useful. Anyhow, about mid day she became super plugged up and had to breathe through her mouth, nap time was a nightmare I basically held her the whole time so she could breathe. Then at the end of the day all heck broke out in her nose and everything began to run, her snot, her drool and her eyes were super watery. She looked like a hot mess and she felt like a hot mess, poor baby. So she spent the night with us. She likes to sleep sideways so we end up teetering on the very edge of the bed which is not a very sound way to sleep. Plus I got the brillant idea to start working out again and so today I feel like I'm trapped in the body of a 98 year old. Emily actually slept a lot better then I thought she would and today she seems a lot better (so far). So I am unsure as to whats going on with that little monster. I thought for sure she had a cold but then she's had her hands in her mouth half the day so maybe she's a mess from the teeth she's getting in. I know she's getting in two of her bigger back teeth, I can feel huge lumps in the back of her mouth. I'll just have to keep my eye on her today. So yesterday was not so fun. Today will hopefully be better, I have to clean up this house it's driving me crrrrrrrrrrrazy! Jimmy has had to stay after this whole week, he's got a bunch of projects to catch up on. There is some good news, I've caught back up with my editing and am finished (until my next appointment at the start of next week). Yippee! I'm slowly easing my way into being done with photography for a couple months. I have a few people who want Christmas cards (I've already ordered mine, if you want one and you usually don't get one from me let me know your address and I'll send you one). I am planning on reorganizing my list and trimming out some people I really don't talk with much anymore so I will have some extra for others!! I even have some stamps ready! Who's on the ball? I am! Go me!
Little Emily update:
Emily cracks me up, I was playing the piano earlier (this is the time of year that I like to plunk out some Christmas songs) and little Miss Emily was watching me, all of a sudden she runs off to the front room and sits down and starts playing her little crocodile xylophone. Aww.. she's so cute!! She has learned how to use her little yellow chair as a step stool, she pushes it over to the couch or bay window and then climbs up, little stinker. So now her little yellow chair is in her room. She was super cute the other night, she kept giving me a kiss then turning around and giving Jimmy a kiss and then me a kiss then him a kiss (of course the next day she was full of snot so lets hope we don't get her cold) I loved it! I've noticed that she is WAY into dancing lately, she spends a lot of time on her tip toes, or waving her hands in the air and the other day she was wiggling her little bum HA! Last but not least she now knows how to say "ho ho ho" for santa. She is really full of personality right now!
Next week should be nice and busy, going out for my mom's bday this weekend, one appointment next Tuesday and then turkey day here on Thursday. Putting the tree up, then some Christmas shopping!! Jimmy is already teasing me about what he has planned for Christmas (won't tell me a thing, not even a little hint). He's such a tease!

So it begins.

It's not even Thanksgiving and I'm already taking Christmas pictures, hey got to get on the ball with these kinds of things, besides Emily's attention span is like 10 seconds so I'll probably have to take ten pictures a day for the next 3 weeks before I get the ones I want. I took some while the kids were at school today. Nathan has a holiday concert today, I believe my mom is coming up for that. They don't do Christmas ones anymore because everyone is so busy then, dang I'd rather have Christmas concert then a Turkey concert. I'm busy now and then and I'm betting so are most people. Oh well bunch of grinches. I can't believe next Thursday is Thanksgiving, AH!! I need to dot my i's and cross my t's here! Hopefully I'll be ready. My mom's birthday is coming up this weekend, we're looking forward to going out of town for that.

Turkey Day countdown!

It's cold out, and rainy..yuck.
I'm on my laptop in the living room with Emily, I'm boycotting the backroom because it's colder back there. So no pictures or video today but everyone does get an awesome update from me and really what more could you ask for?!?! I'm still editing although I'm done with all those senior sessions and now I only have one couple to do and then I'm done for a bit. I should be editing right now but I'm boycotting the backroom today (remember). I do have some exciting news about Kaylee's bedroom. My dad came up last night and put on the 2nd layer of mud on the walls!! Jimmy finished up hanging the drywall, the closet has been framed and drywalled, the outlets are boxed in and the wires run. We are well on our way to having her room done by Christmas which we hope to use as part of her Christmas present. I went to hobby lobby (yes again) with my mom yesterday and picked up a few decorations she can hang on her walls. I also found the kids ornaments, I get them each a new one every year (so does my mom) so when they're older they can take them with them and have some ornaments that have memories for their own trees. Isn't that a good idea? I have my house decorated for Christmas inside and out. I still have a few things that need to hand on the wall but other then that everything is looking good! Once everything is up I'll snap a few pics and add them on here because I know everyone is very curious to see everything!

We're having Thanksgiving at our house again this year. My parents, Jimmy's parents and brother and John and Susan will be here. I'm still trying to figure out everything I want to make and make a good game plan. I think everything turned out well last year so hopefully this year will be good too!! I'd like to reorganize my whole kitchen before T-day, clean out all the cabinets and resort all my dishes and pans and stuff. On Tuesday I cleaned out the whole bathroom, all the shelves and drawers...ahhh... I've been itching to get my hands on that bathroom for months now but just have not had any extra time.

My parents are coming over tonight, I think my mom might make pizza which I haven't had in forever so I'm excited!! No major plans for the weekend yet, probably some cleaning and editing and relaxing. Well Emily keeps yanking on me... she wants me to chase her. Aww... Have a lovely (snowy) weekend!!

Christmas shopping, Emily gets down!

Finally a new video!! Emily totally cracked me up last night. We put our new Christmas lights on the floor, Jimmy was excited about them being the LED lights and wanted to see what they looked like. We put on some Christmas music and Emily was totally getting down, so funny!!
Emily getting down with Christmas lights and music:

So I haven't blogged for a week! I was super busy I spent three days outside during the nice weather trying to take care of them billions of leafs my trees like to dump. I have 30 big bags of leaves sitting in my garage and if you look outside on the ground right now it doesn't even look like I raked. Next year I'm paying someone else to do it. I'm tempted to do that this year for the rest of them but I already put in so much work I'm not paying someone full price when I already did half the job so blah. I was outside for a good six hours each day blowing leafs and bagging them and picking up big sticks and mowing the grass, I'm still sore! Then I had to haul double time Thursday and Friday trying to catch up on my three senior sessions and one engagement session from the weekend before. I'm still behind on that. Once the weekend finally rolled around I need a break badly. My mom and I went to SB for some Christmas shopping with the Emily pie. Nathan went with grams and Kaylee ended up hanging out at the house until her friend across the street got home. I got a few more things at hobby lobby and will probably have to cut myself off until next year or the kids won't get a christmas! Ha! We had lunch at Olive Garden where our waiter must have been new because he was about clueless. Very awkward too, he took forever trying to figure out how to hold onto each plate and lower them to the table. He took so long with my soup I finally reached out and took it from him (nicely of course). But everything was good, Emly loved the soup and which had potatos in it that I shared with her. Once we got home my dad was finishing up a layer of mud and tape in Kaylee's new room which is looking more and more room like! I'm getting excited for her. Hopefully we can get it done by Christmas. She'll just love it!

Sunday we went to target and got lights for the Christmas tree.. LED lights... see above movie. I should have worked on some editing but instead enjoyed a lazy day with some nice hot homemade beef stew and whipping Jimmy's butt with a few rounds of Dr. Mario. Ahh... sorely needed that but now I have to push myself the next couple days here to get caught up.

I've neglected my photography blog, I'm so far behind on posing I don't know where to start so I'll wait until I finish up these pictures and then I'll start posting again. I do want to say that I am taking the next few months off well mostly off I'll do a few (very few). I have some house work I need to catch up on and I need to spend time with Emily and most importantly I want to enjoy my holidays. So once I catch up you'll be hearing more from me again! Aren't you excited!?!?!

But you have have have to watch that video with Emily, so funny!!

Leafs leafs everywhere!

I'm tired! Whew! I've been outside raking leafs and mowing grass all afternoon but I just had to take advantage of this lovely fall weather. If today isn't a perfect day I don't know what is!! I'm certainly not use to all this manual labor and I am quickly realizing that I need to get this old body back in shape! I'm indoors taking a break, drinking some cider which hits the spot for sure! I figured I'd post some pictures of the kids at the church party on Halloween. I'm also trying to remember what exciting things happened over the weekend, hmm..
oh yeah... I decorated the house for Christmas on Saturday (hey I waited until Nov. 1st at least). I will leave the lights on the house off until after Thanksgiving so people don't know how tacky I am.... ha! But it looks nice, there are some things I need to hang up on the walls and a few empty spaces I need to fill in but otherwise it's yelling Christmas in here! Anyhow it took half the day to get everything up after that we vegged and I whipped Jimmy's butt at Dr. Mario! The one and only game I can beat him at! Sunday I had three senior sessions so after all those weeks of editing and finally getting things all caught up I now have those and a engagement session from today to keep me busy all week long. I would have worked on them a bit today but the yard needed some major H-E-L-P! Nathan came outside and helped me pick up sticks, Kaylee was watching a movie in the basement. They don't have school today for whatever reason. Well I guess I better haul my butt outdoors and get to work! XOXO!