Taking Advantage of the Opportunity

While we had a few of the cousins still in town this weekend, we decided to sneak in a photo session.  Dylan was quite the sport as I am certain he had much better things to do.  It was not a minute before the camera stopped that he was off to Cabelas.

Thanksgiving Fun!

We had a houseful this Thanksgiving and it was a lot of fun!  I did not take too many pictures.  I was busy enjoying friends and family, but here are a few that I managed to snap. 

Papa Mark trying to entice Sidney with a stuffed mushroom.  She was too busy hamming it up for the camera.

The ladies enjoying a bit of wine and good conversation.

Previewing the Black Friday ads, which we smartly decided to skip this year.  I dragged them all ice skating instead.  It was a much better choice.

Jason making his famous gravy from scratch.  They also held up dinner for this gravy (I thought you would like that one Stephanie).

The "Grandma's" had helped Kendall and Sidney make place cards for everybody.  I think Grandma Terrell got the raw end of that deal.  I think the hot glue gun got the best of her fingers.  It was Grandma Karen's idea to bring the Senior Citizen's craft for the girls to do:)

There were a number of intense games going that day.  Kendall learned how to play checkers.  She takes it VERY seriously!

We had a great weekend.  Lots of food, ice skating and some Saturday shopping.  Good times!

Ice Skating and Practical Jokes

The girls have been taking skating lessons this fall.  We decided it might be a fun winter outing.  Kevin joined us for lesson number 3 and took some pictures.  The girls are having a blast!  Kendall decided it would be a good idea to wear their bike helmets.  I concur.  

Kendall is off and skating...

And down she goes!

Sidney is off and skating.  She is quite a little athlete.

And down she goes.  To be honest this is very likely a "fake fall".  The first thing the girls learned is how to fall.  I am not certain that Sidney has had a "real" fall yet. 

I have been getting on the ice with them.  It has been a lot of fun for all of us.

As for the practical jokes, the girls have been full of them lately.  During Halloween they got hold of some fake plastic spiders and kept hiding them in our bed.  Each night Kevin and I would try to get them all out.  Inevitably we would forget one of two and roll over onto the pointy plastic critters.

Home Improvement

As I had mentioned previously, we have been very busy between our house and Terrell's house.  A few months ago Terrell and Kevin had traveled up North for the weekend.  The girls and I decided to surprise them with a little home improvement project.  We chose a paint color.  I caulked all of the seams, laid down a ton of plastic, put paint shirts on the girls and let them go to town with the brushes and rollers.  About 10 minutes into the project we took a training time out.  I was cleaning more paint off the window than they were putting on the walls.  After our short training session they were on their way.  Kendall reassured me that Sidney was an experienced painter as she had helped paint the gate at their old preschool.  Sid nodded in agreement, "I really am mom."

After the fresh coat of paint in the kitchen, I felt the great room needed a little sprucing up.  The cornice boxes needed some company.  I found this metal art and had Kevin cut me a couple squares of plywood.  I painted the plywood to match the kitchen wall, then Kevin mounted two of the pieces of metal.  Hanging them was quite a trick.  I did not "think" I was afraid of heights....

My Mom and Dad came for Thanksgiving bearing gifts.  My Mom had worked herself to the bone making a beautiful valance and drapes for our bedroom.  It is the largest bay window she has done to date.  It turned out pretty awesome.  Kevin and I both agree, this is our favorite!

The drapes had tie backs to match the valance and a small puddle of fabric at the carpet.

My Mom made and sewed on 45 fabric buttons.  The fabric buttons are the same fabric as the drapes.  That is a lot of work.  She does such an amazing job!

They also brought the soft cornice boxes for the sun room.  Here is my Dad hard at work.

The finished product.  There are 7 boxes in total.  Each box pleat has two buttons above the pleat.  Beautiful!

Good Times.

Goofy girls.  Dad gave them a bath in the big tub, complete with bubbles.

Grandma took them to the library today.  They were at the library for 5 hours.  Wow.  Apparently they went to dancing, music, took a break for lunch then back for art time.  One of the librarians brought in his saxophone and guitar and played for them during music.  They took photos on the Ipad and made them goofy.  It sounds like a great time.

They even made their first book request with the librarian.  They have a doc McStuffins book on the way to their branch library. 

Confessions and a Friend Called "Yes".

I am back.  We have had a lot going on and I have so much to catch up on.  We finished up a ton of yard projects, painted some walls, made some artwork for our house, helped Terrell settle in to her new home, started ice skating lessons, took a trip up North, etc.  All of that will have to wait until I can take some pictures to post.

For now, I will start with a confession.  First I will confess for Kendall.  She has learned her first curse word.  She confessed this to me about a month ago.  She learned it from one of the older neighborhood girls (so impressionable).  She knew it was inappropriate because she would not outright say it.  She told me it started with "SH".  A day or so after her confession she asked me what exactly it meant.  I told her it was a naughty word for poop and she should not be saying it.  Apparently she did not listen because last week Grandma Terrell told me that she was picking up Griz and Snoop's poop in the backyard.  Kendall came out and asked her what she was doing.  Terrell said, "I am picking up poop."  Kendall replied "Oh, your picking up Shid."  Just too clarify, I did not misspell the word that is how Kendall thinks it is pronounced. 

My confession is a bit embarrassing, but here goes.  I do not say curse words too much and generally try not to make it a common practice.  That being said there is one curse word that manages to roll right off my tongue with wild abandonment.  It is the mother of all curse words.  I say it repeatedly, loudly and usual when only in the presence of myself.  I am not certain why it feels so refreshing to say.  It is ridiculous really.  I still remember when I was 16 years old and driving home late one night with my mom.  I had fallen asleep in the passenger seat.  A dog ran out in front of the car.  She slammed on the brakes.  In my bewilderment I sat up and shouted "What the F***".  I am not sure who was more shocked me or my mother.  Now that I have children, I have tried to modify this word to a respectable "freaking".  I do not know why I deem that more respectable, because it isn't really.  Last week Sidney was getting a kitchen towel out of the basket and she grabbed a washcloth instead.  She held it up and said "It is so freaking little".  I was astonished.  I asked, "What did you just say?"  She replied, "This towel, it is so freaking little."  Hmmm, I guess I should rethink that one.

Sidney has an imaginary friend.  She has been talking a lot about her new friend.  Her new friend is a boy that goes by the name of "Yes."  She goes to his house, plays tag with him, goes to church and school together.  I am told that "Yes" goes on a lot of trips.  The kicker is that "Yes" has a little sister named "No".  I am not making this up.  Sidney is making this up and it is quite creative I must say.