Thank you!

Our time in WV has come to an end. We are heading home tomorrow. I can't believe how fast a week and a half went. Seems like we just got here (maybe not to my parents....hheheh....they are prob ready to have their house back). Even though this is not the house I grew up in or even the state I grew up in, it is home. It's not the house it's the people that are in it that make it home. I love being at their house. It's so simple and uncomplicated. Time moves slower bc we slow down and do not do as much. We are not running as much, trying to meet friends here and get stuff done there. It's all just family time. Time to sit on the floor and play game after game or do craft after craft. Time to really enjoy the special people my kids are. Time to cook a yummy meal together and include the girls in on the cooking. My parents made this week so special. I can never thank them enough. Then there's my sister. She went above and beyond to make sure we had a great time. She is so sweet and thoughtful. I just can't get over how much she did for us. We did activity after activity that she put together. Thought of everything and included and brought over everything we would need to have a great time. Thank you mom and dad and Suzanne. You all are the best and I love you so much!!!

WV Christmas

The kids and I are in WV. We are having a blast. I think we have done no less than 6 crafts in the last 2 days. My sister put together these bags for the kids. Each day they can pick one and in the bag is a fun activity for them. So far they have taken a glow in the dark bath, made a holiday tablecloth and made super cute place mats. It has been a blast. We have also made cookies, stung beads, painted, played outside in the mud and colored our hearts out. My sis and I also made the girls a tutu. It was so fun and they turned out so cute. It's been so relaxing and the kids are sleeping well. J is still in KY working very hard on our house. We will be here for a week and a half. Very fun! Pics to come.

house update

Well it may not have been "the one." It does not look like we are going to get that house. We just cannot agree with the seller on a price. We put in an offer. Yes it was slightly low but you have to start low right. Well seller was not pleased and didn't even counter. So that was pretty much the end. For now. We are just not in the same ball park. We will see what happens but for now we are still working very hard on our house. It will go on the market in Jan.

Sleigh rides

After the crazy busy Friday day we had the night was just as fun. We went on our annual downtown sleigh ride. We had a BLAST. The masons went with us and I am so glad they did. Actually the sleigh ride tradition was theirs first. We copied it last year (our first year). So we met downtown for dinner. We ended up at a Mexican restaurant. The adults had HUGE margs (yummy!!!) and the kids had pizza (hehehe very Mexican but that's what they wanted) so everyone was happy. After that we found a sleigh big enough for the 9 of us. E was slightly hard at dinner. He just does not like to sit still so I was worried about the sleigh ride but no reason to worry. He did great. Loved looking around at all the lights and big buildings. He sat w J and didn't fuss at all for the 30 minute ride. It was a little cold but we bundled and cuddled under the blankets. Jessie the horse gave us a great ride! I think it was Av's dream come true, a fun night out, horses, her fam, her bff, everything she loves. We all had a good time though. So nice having great friends!

Friday

The Friday before Christmas break was CRAZY. I got Av off on the bus and then had to get the other 2 ready. After dropping C off at school E and I rad to Target to get some blankets to donate to Av's school. It was a donation drive I knew they were doing but just had not planned on participating. Av kept telling me over and over the last few days that she needed a blanket so since it was a great cause I wanted to support it. Boot camp started at 10 so I had dropped E off and was ready for that on time. I left a few minutes early though so I could get home, showered and back out the door in time to make it to the end of C's holiday party. It was so cute when I walked in they were making one of the crafts I brought. Beaded candy canes. The kids were having a blast. So glad I could be a part of it. After that we picked up Stella (her dad was having the v) and took her to gymnastics with us. After a fun time was had at All About Kids we left and I took the kids (including Stella) to John's work to drop them off. He took them home in the van and I took his car and left for Av's school so I could put on the holiday party for her. They had a blast!!! We did 2 crafts that I brought (the beaded candy cane and a ornament to color) and then they had juice boxes, ice cream sundays and a mini stocking full of candy to take home. I love love love that school. They other moms and kids are so nice. We really are becoming part of it all and at home there. When the party was over I got to take Av home with me. We got home just in time to start the night festivities. That will be another post!

C's plant

At school C planted a bulb and watched it grow. She brought it home and she is SOOOO proud of it. It has gotten taller and has 2 flowers on it. She screamed in joy when she saw the flower. So cute.

Av's winter program

Av had a winter program at her school. They got up on stage and sang 4 songs. She was SO excited. Not nervous at all. The days leading up to it she practiced over and over and told me how at the end they would take a bow. So cute. She got all dressed up in her Christmas outfit and of course C had to too even though she was just an audience member. When we got to school she went off to the library to join her class while we took our seats. Rachelle and Molly came to see her sing so that was SO nice of them. Her class took the stage and they did a wonderful job singing their songs. Afterwards she came to join us so we could listen to the first and second grade. It was a very nice night.