Jam packed November

I promise I’m still around.  Unfortunately, I’ve been doing more online shopping/Santa gift hunting than blogging lately.  That’s not to say I haven’t been taking pictures; I always take pictures. 

So, being the slacker that I am, I’m going to fit as many November activities as I can into this one post because I’m just lazy efficient that way.

Hayden’s school choir presented a Veteran’s Day program and my Mr. Man led the Pledge and sang out mighty and loud in the choir selections.

His choir also performed at a minor-league hockey game.  It was our first hockey experience, and while Reagan, Keaton, and I froze to death, the younger three children had a blast.

Hayden soon figured out the how true hockey fans support their team.

Landon had a school buddy there (thank goodness.)

And Peyton pranced around as usual. 

Landon’s big first grade Thanksgiving program was last week.  I doubt there was a first grader more excited.  He rehearsed at home, rehearsed in the car, rehearsed in the store and at the doctor’s office; he was serious about that program.

Landon and crew “sailed” the Mayflower onto the stage.

I venture to say I had the best looking Pilgrim there!

We also attended Family Fun Night again last week.  Our church’s single parent ministry is so wonderful and we love going to every activity they put on.

Reagan and pals goofing off.

He’s sooooooo handsome!

Conga line!

Hayden played Chubby Bunny.

Cupid Shuffle is his favorite dance song.

Mwah!

Our dear friends, April and Craig, had their twins, Thomas and Daniel, dedicated last week.  Look at this wonderful family:

Beautiful April had all six of those children; you sure can’t tell!

Reagan and her BFF Tori acting up as usual.

But so very pretty.

The party afterward was wonderful as well.

And my three girls posed for pics.

 

Whew!  November has been crazy busy!

Grands and big girls enjoy an afternoon

It’s rare that the three older girls and I get to spend quality time together now that they’re older.  But this weekend all the stars aligned and not only were the four of us girls together but Diney and Big Daddy came too.

Fancy-smancy lunches (AKA: lunches sans small children, chicken nuggets, and a play land) are so enjoyed by the six of us when we’re able to get together.  And little shopping trips for a few updated clothing items are always a favorite for the girls.

 

Our new church home

You’ve heard me say many times how much we love our church and our very large church family.  There is not a single part of our lives not touched positively by Gateway church.

We were thrilled and very honored to be invited on a personal tour of our new campus by the man in charge of building it, Mr.Doug, and the man who is responsible for the new book store there and the kiosks throughout, our dear friend, Mr. Robert. 

We were allowed to see parts of the new campus that many of our fellow church-goers won’t be able to see, so we were VERY thankful for the tour.  The children’s wing and the classrooms are nothing like I’ve ever seen before, truly amazing.  We cannot wait until next weekend when the entire campus opens for our first services. And as much as I wanted to take pictures inside, we waited until our tour was over to snap some candids outside…actually, Hayden grabbed the camera so there are some interesting pics. 

Here are all of us outside.

You have not seen children more excited than these kids about their classrooms.  After we left and were about to have dinner, I was saying the blessing.  As I thanked God for Mr. Robert, Mr. Doug, for our pastor, for Gateway church, as well as all of our other blessings, Peyton (3) who had her head down and eyes closed, interrupted and said, "And thank You for my classroom." So I repeated that in my prayer.  Then she said without missing a beat, "And thank You for Hayden's classroom."  And I repeated that.  Then she said, "And for Bubba Michael's classroom." 

Five more days!

My family ROCKS

My sisters and I had the rare opportunity to visit our parents at the same time…that hardly ever happens.  But my mother, who is an amazing and highly-decorated theatre teacher, had tickets to opening night of her latest production so my sisters and all of our children showed up to support her.  (I’m hoping the locals have recovered from our invasion by now.)

Look at these women (excluding the blonde chick on the left.)  My mother is in red, (I have to point her out because she looks like she’s 40).  My little sister, Gina, is in the cream jacket and my baby sister, Krista, is in the black shirt.  Do you see the pressure I live with surrounded by these beautiful people?  And I’m the oldest, to boot.  Dang it all.

Amazingly, these women are not only beautiful, they are also exceptionally smart and talented.  But I think the best part about us all is that we have each other’s backs no. matter. what.  There’s no girl drama with us, we love hard and we love unconditionally and there are few places we’d rather be than together.

And oh, our babies.  We love us some babies.

We’re missing my Sutton who’s 21 and at college, but the rest are:

Reagan (15), Keaton (13), Bailey (13), Hayden (9), Ashlyn (11), Cade (8), Landon (6), Dayden (4), and Peyton (3).

I could eat ‘em up, I tell you, eat ‘em ALL up.

These four boy cousins are seriously outnumbered so they make it a point to hang together.  Even in the theatre.

But that was fine because all us girls took up several rows ourselves.With some goofy girls on the end. Of course fren-emies, Peyton and Dayden, had to gush a little.  (We were just happy they were getting along!)

We even got to see our dad, aka Poppie, who wasn’t told his picture was being taken,

  and our brother Ryan, who knew all too well.

Two of the most handsome men you’ll ever meet, both with hearts of gold.

Weekends like this one are like a shot of adrenaline to me, they help me make it through the weeks/months ahead until we’re together again.  I realize that sometimes I need home and I need to be with my “first” family; people who I don’t have to be anything but me with. 

Because these people, the ones that know me warts and all, they’ve been there through the muck and the mire of my life.  They took my calls, they showed up every time, they lifted my burdens and they carried my dead weight when I couldn’t move an inch more.  They were there in spite of it all.

And I’ll love them forever and ever.

Amen.