Thanksgiving was Heavenly

Nov 24--Thanksgiving was "Heavenly" to us. that is the best way I can think to describe the day for us overall.

Getting to talk on the phone to Brad, Kerri, Kaci and Forrest, then having Joe, Hayley, Bryan, Brianne, Hunter, Mayley, Hogan, Stephen, Nancy, Abbie
Adrianna, Kyle and Megan all show up for the dinner, made the day complete.
*we love the time eating pie together
*playing in the leaves
*playing games (including rbi baseball challenges, and yahateez and scattagories)
*eathing the main meal of couse
*Ice blocking on the hill
*milling around in socks
*playing in the leaves in the backyard and raking up more leaves and putting in the garden
(hunter's and adrianna's service project)_
*and eating more left overs
*watching Horton hears a hoo
* and just visiting --visiting --visiting
________________________that was all the good news
the bad news.___________________________________________
sweet little megan broke her leg while ice blocking--and we were all sad to see her have to hoe that row. She is such a good girl and it was the saddest thing of the day to see her in pain, they x-rayed it and wrapped it until the swelling goes down and she sat on the couch when she got home and still acted out sherades, and played games--and acted out being a pig and penquin, but you could sense how uncomfortable her leg was making her feel and the discomfort she was having then and will have for the remainder of the healing process. we wish her a speedy recovery.

nutcracker performance...

abbie at dance practice for the nutcracker

Abbie did a wonderful Job dancing on the stage of the covey center in her nutcracker performance. We had seats right up front close and we were all captivated by her smile and ease --as she leaped and skipped and turned to the music. The audience was full of energy as the little dancers ran out from under neath the huge skirt of the lady--on stage and that part of the performance was the cap of the show--(grand mother speaking) but really it was...those little girls captured our hearts

with their (painted on ) rosey cheeks and long eyelashes and sweet little faces--glad you could do that Abbie girl, way to go on a wonderful performance--your long nights of practices paid off.

I love the accordian

hayley invited me to join her at her work along with
those who live at the assisted living we--heard first
hand a gifted accordian player--oh it it was fun
and I am tellin' ya this girl was 'talented' and it
got me excited to play Oh Holy Night for Christmas Eve
PS the Ladies at the Assisted living care --Love Hayley

latest snowfall

Isn't the first snow fall of the winter so "magical"
then we loose our 'enchanment' with the fluffy little
white flakes--as the months roll on--but for now
to me its still magical--we happened to be out
at Bryan and Briannes that morning and I and
the kids played in the snow for quite some time
that's lucky for me --otherwise I would look goofy
out their as an adult playing in the snow all alone. (:

happy birthday (happy) Hogan Ian C

what at happy little fellow--his grin is memorizing,
he is content and easy going, --he is patient to wait for what he needs--he is lovable and peaceful\ Hogan we get a kick out of your singing "La la la" when your mom dances with you to a certain song. we get a kick out of you playing trucks. We chuckle when you climb right in the middle of the lego pile--we smile when you look out of those beautiful brown eyes at us, and we love you for bringing so much joy into our lives since you arrived here on earth--you have a great spirit about you and you will continue to brings us smiles and joy in days to come and we are so glad that you are a part of our clan--how we could be so lucky to get you we don't know--but we are surely glad that you are such a sweetie... love ya lots--you are a good boy
and sent down from Heaven not so long ago and it feels like Heaven when you come into the room.

the sights and smells of Halloween night...

Folks said they could smell these cooking down the street
the chef camper propane stove *(new this year) helped a lot
we figure roughly that we possibly cooked up 200 scones
and still almost ran out when a swam of about 40 people came
with just one crock pot full of scones left--hum (a few got candy)


dad gets the credit for keeping all the cooking going


my job was to stand by the crock pot where the scones
were keeping warm and help the goblins --dish up

a painting the grand kids and I did a while back adds color

random friends and neighbors including Demanns -Healths
Andersons, smiths, Turners, Shewells, and Cahills--some
folks came and Halloween is the only time we really see them
but we feel akin to them--Bonnie and Cristy and cami also came

ON your mark, set , GO!!!

13 miles later---She made it--and still in good spirits too....

here she comes on the last stretch...

dad gives a little massage on the tired muscles
while she gets some energy from the oranges

this was funny--a hurst--(just in case its needed) ha

stocking up on apple oranges --bananas for the runners
it was a good stach for the expected runners at the finish line


yeah for good shoes--worn out from training--but all broke in


kaci now you and hayley are matching with medals for your run


stretching after the 13 mile run and just talking about
the race and what music she was listening to
and how she felt and stuff

way in the back is the time clock--and then the Halloween marathon truck
we were so happy when we saw her cute face on the trail
headed our way--I had binoculars and sawy her a bit a way
there was so much energy in the air with the crowd
clapping and ringing cow --bells and giving them fives
on the way in--that's the first time I've been at the finish line


here she comes (isn't the trail pretty lined with tree?)

I (mom) looked like in this pic I was dressing
up for halloween with that crazy hair!! I had
been wearing my hood it was cold
there really were lots of runners in costumes..
it was like a Halloween parade as they ran by--

pictured --dad and hayley and mom then leaving the track till next time
hail the conquering Hero..........................................
Hayley is a hero to us for training & running her 1/2 marathon -(-to dad and I-)- thirteen miles is a quite a Feat (surely not for the feigned hearted)
way to go! it was fun being there see you cross the finish line --and in a great time too!!!!!
;by the time we saw the time clock it was somewhere around 1 hour and 45 min which averages an 8 min mile --wow--but check her blog for 'official time" that's a pretty good clip clop--woo woo--you've come from winning the 'turkey trot' in elementary school to this--thanks for letting
us share in it--that was a lot of fun.

ps we'll think of that when we're running our little 1 and 2 mile workouts and feel exhausted (: