Warning... Picture Overload!

Friends... Thanks so much for sticking with me.  I know I have been MIA this last month but for good reasons and some not.so.good. reasons. 

Our month started dealing with a NASTY four letter word.  It is my #2 worst fear.  Our middle had lice.  She brought those "friends" home from school and all I can say is UGH!  I spent WAY too many hours to count checking, rechecking, treating, retreating, agonizing, coaching, teaching, probably preaching, stripping beds, boiling hairbrushes, drying on HIGH HEAT stuffed animals.  It was a nightmare, but we made it.  As a parent that is a teacher, I now understand why some of my kiddos are out for more than a week when they get those little boogers.  You have to check, like EVERY.SINGLE.STRAND. of hair and even then.... they still pop up even after you think you've nabbed them all.  Like I said, we survived and I am keeping on top of everyone. 

So.. on to much better things.  Here is how we spent our last month.  :)

First we were joined by this guy... Louis Christmas. 

  Then, Louis came to visit after Louis broke his arm and headed to Elf North Hospital.  After a week stay, he was back again and those two were causing mischief. (see below)

 

 Art show at school for our oldest.

 The start of swimming lessons for the youngest. (well all three, but it was her fist lesson and I DIDN'T HAVE TO GET IN THE WATER!!!!)

Stockings were hung......

Tree was decorated.  :)

 

Celebrated 40 YEARS OF MARRIAGE!!! Rock on Mom and Dad!

 

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We received letters, a picture, and reindeer food from the big man!

 

 

Opened presents from Grandma and Uncle Craig.

 

 Played in the sand....

  Made a "snowman" in the sand.

 Swam in the pool with our cousin who visited with his momma.

  Saw lots of "nature". 

 Many beautiful sunsets.  (ps.. this photo was not taken by me.  It was taken by my 5 year old.  Does she have a future in photography?)

  Jumped off the plank at the Pirate Ship Playground.  I also got ATE UP there.  Sneaky bugs.

 

 Celebrated the birth of Jesus in our pretty red dresses grandma made for us!

 

  Left cookies for Santa and carrots for his reindeer.  We also left bunny milk for him.  He gave it two thumbs up!

 Santa brought these two rascals.

 The cutest banker ever!

 

We played LOTS of games.  At least one every night.  Daddy however, is the all time winner at Monopoloy.  NO ONE could beat him.  (He also knows how to put a trance on 7 year old girls who love money, even if it's fake.)  :)

 

  We drove home.

To this......

 

 

Thanks for sticking with me through this long... post!

 

 

 

From our BROWN eyes to yours..... 

Pics of the Week

I hope you all had a......

I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE inventive spelling.  It makes my heart sing!  I always tell the kiddos in my class, "If you write the sounds you hear, I'll be able to read it!"  This rings true for my own kiddos as well.  This was drawn by our middle child. She's in kindergarten and loves writing and drawing.  She's a girl after my own heart.  :)

So as promised (just a few days late) here are the pics of what my girls wrote for their Santa Lists. 

Pay close attention to the picture on the right.  :)  This is from our middle.  She wrote "light bulbs" as a need because we need light bulbs.  :)  What a sweet, sweet girl she is. 

This guy also showed up at our house last week...

Recently he's been swinging from the fan chain.  He will be finding a new "sneaky" place tonight. 

We also went here for two days. 

Everyone had a BLAST!  I really enjoyed that our oldest two could go out and swim a little on their own.  So nice! 

I did a race on Thanksgiving Day with my mom and dad.  My knee hates me so running was out this year.  I've started therapy for that guy.  Fingers crossed it gets better!

Then, after a HUGE meal at my sister's house, we headed to Cleveland for more food and fun!  :)

Our youngest was into pretending she was sleeping and wanting me to take her picture.  What a silly little lady. 

That's what we've been up to!  According to Wal-Mart, I only have 20 days left until Christmas. SERIOUSLY????  YIKES!  I'm in BIG TROUBLE!  Hoping you're doing better on your shopping than I am.  :)

From our Brown eyes to yours....

Christmas Lists... Tis' the Season!

At our house, we have been trying to scale down our junk, stuff (this is the nice way of putting it). :)  This has been easy-ish for us since for a few months ago at church the message was about giving to people who don't have as much as you.  We have been trying to reiterate that to our girls because at times, when looking at their playroom you can't even see the floor.  Do you feel me?  I mean sometimes I step and pray I come down on carpet and not a little figurine. 

So, the Christmas season is coming upon us and my girls have been asking to write a Christmas list.  I'm all for the list because it gives many ideas for what to get these girls, but I asked them to wait until I could type one up for them.  I was inspired by this pin I found,

 

Today we sat down and started talking about Christmas lists.  I asked how many things were enough for a list.  I didn't like the answers.  My oldest said, "Last year I had 16 things on my list!" See why I didn't like that answer?   :)  I came up with this little guy.  Thanks to KG Fonts, Ink 'n Little things for the frame and I'm not sure who I got the Polka Dot background from, so if you know please tell me so I can give credit where credit is due.  :) 

  CLICK HERE FOR YOUR COPY or click the picture above. 
It was my hope that they would really think about what they put down on this paper.  I know it's so hard when they see the ads and their eyes grow to be 50x their normal size.  I remember feeling those same things when I was younger too. This is why I gave them 6 wants and not 3.  :)  I just want them to be selective in what's chosen since we've gotten rid of a lot of stuff that was not played with or wanted anymore.  We have given bags to a few charities and it feels great! 
 
How do you handle Christmas Lists???? 

From our BROWN eyes to yours...

A Little Catch up

So we've been busy.  I know, I know.  By the time I think about blogging, my eyes are shut and I wake up at 2:30 AM on the couch!  ugh!  So while I should be entering grades right now, I'm catching up on this little old blog. :) 

 

Here's a few things we've been doing. 

 

Skating

 

Picking the *PERFECT* pumpkins at Nee Nee's pumpkin farm in Indiana.  I can't remember the name of the place.  :)

 

 

Campfire at Nee Nee's

 

 

Pictures before Cousin Laura's wedding.

 

 

Pictures at the wedding.  I couldn't catch our oldest, she was ALL.OVER.THE.PLACE. Everyone had an amazing time.  They had a photo booth and we came home with about 12 of those little strips.  What a fun idea!

 

 

And big sister helping little sister with homework.  My heart sighs.  Hope this continues. 

 

 

So... we've been busy which means a little less blogging.  I never imagined how having three kiddos would multiply business by like a thousand times.  Also, having two ladies in school makes life a little bit crazier as well.  Second grade... WHEW... need I say more?  The reading, the review sheets, the reading, the math fact practice, the reading.  Now, I am a firm believer in reading (I mean.. I teach, right?!) but how on earth can I log every second my oldest reads when she reads all.the.time.  That's not an understatement.  I mean the girl is ALWAYS carrying a book or magazine of some sort, reading.  :)  It makes my heart sing, but I just can't log every minute.  We do the best we can. :)

 

Tomorrow night is Insanity night for us, I mean for me.  The girls LOVE going to the childcare center and playing while I'm getting my butt kicked and sweating in places I didn't know could produce sweat.  The great thing for me is tomorrow I will be doing Insanity in these new kicks!

  I'm so excited.  :) I used to wear Mizuno's when I played volleyball, but I've not tried them out as running/workout shoes.  They were so comfy when I slid my feet into them.  You know how you just put a shoe on and it's like the heaven's open up and sing?!?!?!  That's what happened in Dick's today. :)  So.... I skipped working out today (sssshhhhh) just so I could purchase these babies.  :)  Can't wait to wear them! 

 

From our BROWN eyes to yours....