Previous Conversation with Emily about Christmas

Emily: I'm asking Santa for a Nintendo DS.
Me: Em, What difference does it make if it is from Santa or me or Grandma, so long as you get it if that is what you want?
Ems: Well, I know the ds is expensive and Santa doesn't have to buy his presents. He makes them all so I thought I'd ask for it from him and save the rest of you all that money!
Me: Oh, well okay. Thanks for thinking of the rest of us, Em.

For posterity.

Monday, December 21, 2009

This morning I took the kids to school and Casey to the sitter and then I decided to run back home and wrap some presents. I used to always get up and wrap presents at midnight when everyone was sleeping, but this year, I think I must be too old for that.
Anyway, I finished up most everything and then headed to work.

Emily and Carter were supposed to walk to the library after school and then home and Al would meet them there.

So this afternoon, while I am at work, I get this phone call.

CONVERSATION WITH EMILY:
Me: Hello?
Ems: Mom can we shake our presents?
Me: You know you can't peak, can't lift tape, can't open and close back up, can't see it in anyway.
Ems: We know Mom. Can we shake our presents?
Me: If you cheat, I won't wrap presents until just before you open them ever again. I may even take back what you see.
Ems: We promise, we promise. So can we shake them?
Carter picking up other phone: Mom! Can I shake my BIG one?
Me: Don't shake too hard, you never know what is in them, it might break!
Ems and Carter: Okay Mom Bye!
Me: Big Sigh. Bye!

Oh the joys of Christmas...

It's Definitely Winter in Iowa!

Christmas Concert 2009

Thursday Emily and Carter had their Christmas concert for this year. It will be Emily's last Elementary concert and she got to play her trombone, the recorder and sing! Carter's group did a mini musical with songs and actions!! The kids were so excited that it actually snowed that night because it made the concert more "Christmasy" and special for them. They looked great, did an awesome job and had lots of fun!!

Traditions

One Christmas tradition we share is going and cutting down our Christmas tree. This is something that Al and I and our family does. I used to always get real trees growing up, but don't really recall walking through all of the trees and picking just the right one. Al always had an artificial tree. This is something of our own.
Anyway, we always go to the same place, getting to know the family that owns the tree farm and getting something new for our tree or house every year from their little store. The kind of tree has changed through the years. This year is is a Concolor Fir(sp?) Which has shorter needles that don't really fall off, but they are soft to the touch. And the smell is really yummy! I really love a real tree in my house.




I'll have to post more on how the tree looks inside. I actually was able to pack some stuff away so we could make room for this gorgeous tree!!

I didn't take a lot of pictures because the kids and I were decorating while Al was at the farm. Carter was a great help this year with the lights, Casey tied himself up with the garland, and Emily is getting a nice appreciation for my special ornaments.

I find I have a lot of ornaments on the tree this year that I have left off in year's past because there wasn't room or they just weren't my favs. I neglected to go through the boxes before the kids started decorating this year...Oh well. That's fun too and I think it's beautiful.

Our tree is kind of a mismatch of homemade ornaments, store bought, and hand blown glass with multi colored lights. What do you put on your tree?

One More

I wanted to just add this last picture because Al and I both liked the barn in the foreground. And I forgot it yesterday.

Happy Tuesday all!

We're Done!

Here is a photo documentary of our last day picking corn for Fall 2009...










We do still have field work to do, but WE ARE DONE PICKING CORN!!!! WOO HOO!! Just in time to go out for my birthday!! Yea!!!

Happy Happy Monday!! We were even early to school this morning! Does it get any better than that?

On to Regionals!

Here are my two inventors!!

Carter and Emily both made inventions for our school's Invention Convention this year and they both made it on to the Regional Level!! Woo Hoo!
Carter's Invention is called The Cushy Kayak Cushion and is a waterproof cushion that straps onto the kayak seat beause he thought the seat was uncomfortable when he had to paddle. (I agree!)
Emily's Invention is call the Lunch "N" Go and is a tray that straps in with a seatbelt to the buddy seat in the combine and big tractor so that Dad and Grandpa can eat on the go. It has sides to catch things and is metal so the cupholder can magnet to it.

Fun ideas and fun times! They are way excited. When they go to Regionals they get to miss a day of school and go out to eat after they compete. Fun! Emily wants to make it on to state this year. We'll see what happens next month....

Randomness

I haven't taken a whole lot of pictures lately. I kind of miss it. But what with the weather and being busy and all I haven't taken the time. I'm not as excited about my indoor pictures which means I should take more instead of avoid it, but there's that too.

Anyway, this morning I walked out to the porch to tell Al good bye as he headed to work and I saw a sunrise. Wow. I was up in time to see a sunrise. I've never taken pictures of a sunrise before. So I went back inside to get my camera. I wanted a sunrise and I wanted to show beauty even if you live in town. This one isn't as vibrant as the others, but I wanted to include my house.

It was really pretty and stripey.
I was gone for a couple of days this weekend and the kids stayed with Grandma and Grandpa and a bonus of the cousins coming up was thrown in there, too. Due to all of the rain, we haven't had lots of chances to play in the leaves this fall. This weekend we were blessed with some nice weather again and the kids got to playing!
Driving Grandma's lawn mower and pulling the wagon is almost as much fun as riding in it!! I wonder if any work ever gets done ?



Oh Carter!


Do you notice a pattern?

Now I just need to get busy on my Christmas card!! I traditionally have handed them out at Thanksgiving and I'm afraid if I don't get them done by then, I just won't do them!! I have a basis of an idea, but....it's not totally formed and Thanksgiving is in 2 weeks!!! UGH!! Hopefully, I can work well under pressure!!

Happy Wednesday!

Happy Halloween from...

SUPER SCOOBY-DOOBY DOOBY DOO!

THE HAPPY MAD SCIENTIST!
THE SCARY JACOLANTERN SCARECROW! (I obviously can't spell)


And I was BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN!!!

We took a friend of Emily's door to door trick or treating on Halloween. She was a magician. It was fun! There was a mini haunted house at a neighbor's, we stopped by the fire station for complimentary hot dogs, we trick or treated the combine, and ended the night at Grandma and Grandpa's house to count our stash!!

What a great Halloween! Hope yours was too!

Faith

I was driving home from work the other day and saw this sight. I try to have my camera with me most days and this day I was lucky enough to have it with me.

It's been raining here A LOT!! Farming this fall is having a hard time getting going. It's been frustrating. So when I saw the sun breaking through the clouds I smiled and took a picture.

All you need is a little faith. The rain will stop and things will get done.

Faith.

Sleepovers

Emily wanted to have a sleepover with her new friend on Friday. She made a list of all the "slumber party" things she wanted to do, like eating popcorn and watching movies, pillow fights, and makeovers to name a few.
I had to work Friday and Saturday, but I stopped and got pizza and breaksticks for supper and some other favorite snacks for later. They all played outside with the neighbors until it got dark and then we headed in.

Carter and Al did legos while we watched some movies...

The girls played Webkinz and did makeovers....
He makes a pretty girl don't you think?? Ha! I wonder if this pic will make it out at graduation? I'm sure his sister will remember and use it someday. That's what sisters do isn't it?
While I worked and Al farmed on Saturday, the kids got to play at grandma's house. All in all I think our slumber party was a success. Do you have memories of sleepovers in your childhood?