December happenings

We went to the Billy Graham Library for christmas. They had a live Nativity, carriage rides, stories for the children, carolors, and then you can also take a tour of the life of Billy Graham. He is a phenomenal man of God. I would actually like to go on the tour, but our children would not sit through it. Maybe Some day.

Ken, Caleb, & Toby in front of a Christmas Tree at the Billy Graham Library.

Toby, Caleb, & my big belly making cookies. It was the most stressful thing I've ever done. They played with the cookie dough like it was play dough. We made cookies with my friend Tabitha and her two boys....We made cookies last year, but Toby napped during the event...
I guess Evan thought it was cold in our house--he is making cookies with his coat on!

Oh good, he finally took his coat off--but not the hat.

Ken made these gingerbread houses for the teachers this year...the roof opens up and we put some peppermint fudge inside.

Our neighbor's little girl, who Toby calls memma.

He is putting the moves on her...He is pretty sly.

Caleb saw Santa, but Toby just hung out behind my legs, too afraid to go near Santa. He does the same thing with the Chick-fil-a cow.

"let there be peace on earth..." they aren't hugging...someone is going down.

Brothers in the Bubble Bath.

Simple Joys.

Silly faces.

Caleb's soccer team was undefeated this season. (16 games-2 tournements, & the county tournement) They each got two medals and one trophy for the season. They also got a picture in the paper. The team got a trophy to put in the elementary school. Way to go Lasers! We had a lot of fun and enjoyed getting to know the parents. Hopefully Caleb will want to play in the spring with the same team.

Update on Caleb's surgery and pregnancy

By the way, Caleb recovered VERY well from his surgery. It is truly amazing how fast kids recover. His X-ray looked good and everything. I will update my blog as soon as I get a burst of energy. This baby is slowing me down--not to mention I seemed to have a high glucola reading so here it goes again for the 6th time...I have to drink that nasty drink. I will probably get diabetes at an early age too. Anyway, December is a great month for dr's appointments...you know there isn't anything else to do.

Caleb's leg surgery

Just an update: Caleb is having leg surgery today...so just keep him in your prayers...he has had 3 of these type surgeries where they inject bone material into his bone to strengthen his bone. His leg is a bit hollow and it seems as he grows the "cyst" grows with him. His surgery is at 11:45.

a Cowboy and a chicken

Toby likes to play with my hair. This is us eating breakfast and he feels the need to twirl my hair. It ain't a pretty picture of me, but ever since we cut Toby's hair he wants mine, so if you see him with long hair and wonder why we have left it that way--it's no fashion statement, it's just that I don't have to let him play with my hair as much when his is long.

My parents surprised me with a visit for my birthday. We had a nice relaxing week. Thanks Mom and Dad, I had a really nice time and the boys did too.

Carving pumpkins.

We went to a fall festival and Caleb had his face painted.

Here is a shot of me and my little chicken.

A chicken and a cowboy.

Don't you want to eat him up?

Murray's Mill & Wooly worm festival

We went to our favorite place in the mountains....Wiseman's View.

WOOLY WORM FESTIVAL (below)

The 3 guys watching intently on the Wooly worm race.

Caleb loved the Wooly Worm festival. They take catapillars and race them up a wall (see below).

MURRAY'S MILL

We went to a fun little festival where the boys get to make things like in the olden days. We went to it last year and had a great time. We had a good time this year too, even though there weren't as many exhibitions. The boys got to make candles the old fashioned way, build a tool box and step stool. They made keychains with beads, chucked corn, saw how butter was made, how apple cider was made. We saw some children sing Gospel music (real cute). We also got to see the flour mill-which is where it's located. I get a little nestalgic when I go to these old fashioned things....maybe it's the Laura Ingalls Wilder in me....believe me I do know how much harder I would have had to work, but it's still kind of cool to see how things are made. A lot of the boy scout troops put on these exhibits, so their helping the little guys out.

confederate reenactments.



Caleb milked a real cow. Poor Cow...

Corn shucking.

Candlemaking.

This is the flour mill.

If these guys were dressed better I could consider these "real photos"

Toby at the petting farm.


Nana and Toby at Murray's Mill

brotherly love.

making a step stool.

The boys loved riding on the pony's. Caleb now wants to be a cowboy when he grows up...and for Halloween.

Toby and Ken making a pumpkin. Toby is so proud of what he has made he says,"I made that!"

We have children's art all over the place on our refrigerator, on our bullitin board in our mud room, in piles in the kitchen...not sure what to do with it all....I can't keep it all. But it's hard for me to get rid of it too.

Caleb's soccer team is undefeated....he is on a really good team....they won a tournement and now they are off to the county tournement...we love going to the games. It's really cute to see the little guys out there trying to kick the ball.

Toby is just lounging, watching the wiggles. I had to take a photo, because he RARELY ever does this...he is usually on the go all the time...The wiggles is the only thing he will sit and watch. Well he doesn't sit, but he does watch.

As a side note, we also went back to good 'ol Kansas in October for my 10 year reunion at Graceland College ( University). Of course I did not remember to bring my camera, but I will say I had a really nice time seeing old friends. We didn't bring the boys with us, Ken's parents were kind enough to watch them for us. I loved to see Lamoni....It hasn't changed very much---which honestly is nice to see....I always used to say I lived in LA.........moni. I know I'm a dork. And I have to say it feels good to be one every now and then.