Sweet 16!

Miss B is officially "sweet 16!"  Here are a few "sweet" memories of her through the years. 

  B was so tiny!  

We really had to STEP UP to be the wise, caring parents she needed. 

She was and is the "Apple of our Eye!"  

She has kept her cool with the many curve balls life has thrown her. 

...like surgeries.

She LOVES her dad and he LOVES her. 

Cheeeezzzzzzzze!  

We love her smile.

self-portrait

She sees the world in a different way. It's been good to see it through her eyes. 

She can make us laugh!

She keeps her head up.

Her smiles sparkle!

She's had to sort through the goop of life and find the sweetness.

I've been blessed to sail with her--

sometimes through stormy seas but also through beautiful vistas. 

We're so glad she's part of our eternal family.

She's our B. Doll!

We LOVE you, MISS B.  

You're One in a Minion!

Happy 16th Birthday!

 A charming charm bracelet for a young woman!

Brrrr...

I think there must have been lots of kids dreaming of a white Christmas--and no school--in our neck of the woods. Their dreams came true a little early when we heard ice pellets pinging our window all night and woke to icy snow blanketing our roadways, lawns, windows, and houses. And since ICE = NO SCHOOL here, we've been enjoying a peaceful day together.

 The boys can't get enough of the chunks of ice and go out to stomp through the hard ice snow. Then come in to warm up red finger tips and noses. Then back out they go. Then come in. Out. In. Out.

 Showing the chunks of ice they've been finding. 

And now a little catch-up...

During Thanksgiving Break we: 

*played games

*ate pie,  homemade pretzels, and salmon

*watched some movies

*played outside

*did a little Christmas shopping (NOT even close to being done!)  

 Some Christmas Elves got a little CRAZY!

*got into the Christmas Spirit by attending our community theater's performance of "A Christmas Carol." 

 My little family loves me, so they put on happy/tolerant faces when I excitedly told them about our opportunity to see "A Christmas Carol"in our old courthouse-turned-theater on the town square. We sat on old wooden chairs with pillow cushions (thankfully) while a gentleman in a Santa hat played the old organ throughout the performance. The theater was small and quaint and the performance was quaint and sweet. I loved it! I dare say my family enjoyed it too.

*Walked around our town square, enjoying the festivities like...

The Sledding Hill

Don't you dare laugh, our cold weather friends and family! 

Though I did. Yes, we need to take our kids "real" sledding. 

  

*took apart our computer to upgrade it, so it is now SPEEDY with lots of memory! 

Patient T, my own personal I.T. man.  He researched the process and diligently and quietly worked, saving us a bundle and keeping us technologically up-to-date!

And because I've been a blog bum...A few other happenings.

 X-man and T went with a whole gaggle of 5th graders on a science camp retreat for 3 days and 2 nights. They examined bugs, swung around on ropes, dug up fossils, became archer kings, stayed up late, slept in bunks, and came home happy and tired. I'm so glad T was able to spend this time with X-man. I know they both loved it!

 AHHHHHH, ahhhhhhhh, aaaaaaaaaaa!

Sweet kind boy!

L went on a field trip with his class and learned about our town's history. 

Here he is listening attentively to his school marm.

Now you are sorta up-to-date on us.