Almost Christmas

It's 2 days before Christmas!! What am I doing on the computer, well I don't know. I decided to pull up our blog today and I realized how much I love remembering what few entries I have on here. I also realized I don't do a very good job documenting our lives. At 14, 8 and 6, Jake, Katherine and Lauren are growing up so quickly and it's easier to forget the not so monumental moments in life. That being said I am going to start documenting our days more often.....

Starting with today...

We started off playing a little Wii. Then I suggested we make Salt Dough Ornaments. "No mom we want to keep playing". The girls have not touched the Wii in months. But last night we decided to play and now it's as if it is a brand new toy in our house. But keeping with my belief that kids should not be glued to the TV I dragged them to the kitchen for some fun. Okay no dragging was involved but within minutes the girls we having a blast!








After we put them in the oven we met Jim out at our lot to burn a little yard debris and then to run some errands in town. Here is Lauren helping to vacuum out the van at the carwash.


We returned home to play a litte more Wii. Honest we really are not video game junkies, I don't even let my kids turn the TV on during the week. Then we painted our ornaments and enjoyed a little dinner.








I even got in on the action. I was so into the game I did not even notice I was being photographed and I think I have a hurt shoulder. Why don't I realize I am NOT really knocking someone out.


I must confess...I love our Elf on a Shelf, but I am glad this is the last night he needs to find a place to hide in our home! We'll miss you Nick, come back next year.


Merry Christmas and goodnight!...

Happy 4th of July!!!

We had a wonderful 4th of July. We headed out on the water for a few hours then home for a nap before we cooked out. A little bit before dark we headed to our lot and shot off some fireworks we bought while in South Carolina. Boy let me tell you, those are the real deal. We had this big box "thingie" that Jim lit and they were REAL fireworks. I couldn't stop laughing long enough to be able to get a good picture of them but it was pretty. They were going off right above our heads (well way up in the sky right above our heads).

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Rocky Mountain High Colorado

(I know you are singing the old John Denver song now...although to be honest, it's the only line in the song I know)On June 17th the kids and I headed out to Colorado to spend a week with Karen, Hal and Michelle (Jim's one and only sister, for those of you who do not know). We all had a great time, Colorado is absolutely beautiful. All of you in the family who keep asking them when are they moving back to Georgia need to go spend some time where they live, and you'll understand why they are in no hurry to move back east!!!

We stayed busy every day while we were there. Hal even took Jake off for 3 days to play cowboy. What does that mean?...well no one really knows except a whole lot of target shooting, participating in some Western shows and watching Lonesome Dove. Oh boy I don't think I even want to run that title through Screenit.com!!! Jake had the best time.

While they were away us girls went to the North Pole(an amusement park for little ones), the Buell Children's Musuem and out to eat!!! Lauren found a new best buddy in Michelle. Lauren loved playing with Michelle's long hair and styling it in her own creative ways. She was also very interested in meeting her boyfriend. We were able to meet Scott one evening when he came over for dinner. Nice guy!!

All the kids loved their dogs ~ Buck, Jake and Lexi!! They are really ready for us to get our yard fenced in so we can get a dog of our own. We also enjoyed a couple nights of roasting S'mores around the fire pit in the back yard. Karen and Hal live in a beautiful location that allows you see horizon to horizon, even enjoying a view of Pike's peak.

We can't wait to get back out west. Next time we are hitting the slopes!!!

Enjoy the slide show. (Just a note: some of the pictures didn't save to the final slide show. I don't know why and didn't want to take the time to figure it out:)

Make a Smilebox photobook

Friday Family Fun Night....minus one!!!

We try to go out and do something fun as a family on Friday nights. This particular Friday it was bowling. Jake was at a slumber party.....do boys have slumber parties??? or are they just sleep overs that happen to be a birthday as well?? Oh well, who knows, but you get the point...he wasn't with us.

After dinner at Denny's which is attached to the bowling alley, we put on our velcro bowling shoes and hit the lanes.

We all had such a good time cheering each other on.

If you take a good look at the board in this picture you will see the top line has a score of 111, you may say wow Jeni did pretty well. But oh no you would be wrong, that score belongs to our little Lauren Leigh. She was tearin' it up that night.

Lauren recieving her victory toss!!!>