Deck The Halls

Thanksgiving

Freezing, in an attempt to get a Christmas card photo. Decided to go with a different one.

We had Thanksgiving at some friends' house, with another family. Lots of kids and lots of fun.

Lisa brought an arousing game of Bingo where everyone eventually won a giant candy bar.

Molly with some of her friends, Katie and Ashley.

Watching a little football.

Molly had a little Thanksgiving program followed by a "feast." Our buddy Gage is right behind her.

Molly is thankful for food and flowers. And we kept the "turkey potato" until it started to grow additional things other than feathers.

The front of Molly's sweater. . .

. . . and the back.

I love this picture. They are so happy and love each other.

Ben created this masterpiece using Molly's headdress that she made at school so she would have something to fight. She had just watched The Barbie Musketeer movie.

Halloween

Before. . .

. . .After

About half way through carving, Molly decided that she wanted to chow down on some sour cream and onion potato chips. This picture was snapped right after she burped a sour cream and onion burp in Rusty's face. After he grossed out, Molly questioned, "Whhhaaaaat?"

Me taking over "Molly's" half-done-"I'm-done" pumpkin.

Molly decided that since her hair cut was like Snow White, then she would be Snow White. She asked me to be one of her dwarfs. . .Grumpy (hey, at least it wasn't Dopey).

For one party Sam decided to be Darth Vader.

Sam has recently decided sports are his life. And, therefore, staying true to his biggest passion, he needed to change his costume and be a St. Louis Cardinal (his and Rusty's favorite professional baseball team).

Meg as "a girl pirate" (the tag said "Wench" but I opted not to tell Meg that).

Ben as a vampire (not Edward).

Side note: I ruined his Sunday shirt by dying his hair. LOVELY!!

Max and Dominique came over to trick-or-treat with us.

The Big 4-0

My birthday was great. It was the day before Thanksgiving, so my kids were home. They did "40" chores for me (they know what a clean freak I am) and Molly gave me "40" kisses. Later I went out to dinner with Rusty and then back home for ice cream cake from DQ and a movie.

"40" kisses later.

In mid-October Rusty and I decided to have a "Fiesta" to celebrate us turning 40 this fall. We invited just a few couples and had one of Rusty's clients who own a restaurant cater the entire event. Look at all that food. We ate Mexican food for days.

Brian ran the "Virgin Margarita/Pina Colada Bar."

This is what guys do at parties . . .

. . .what women do.

40 and still "got it!"

A Lot of Meg

Meg turned 12 on October 17, 2009

Meg at her first "Young Women in Excellence," just two weeks after she turned 12. She LOVES young womens. And I PRAY this continues for the next 6 years.

Here she is at Red Robin (her favorite restaurant) laughing because the restaurant staff is singing to her. Yes, that is a little eye shadow. I forgot (she didn't) that I told her two year ago that when she turned 12 she could wear eye shadow. Rusty freaked!!! It was one of those things where she wore it a ton at first, and now never wears it.

Meg opted for pumpkin pie instead of a cake.

My parents came to visit for Meg and Ben's birthdays.

Meg's middle school performance, "Taste of Broadway." It was a great night, which included not only every middle school choir, but the high-school choirs as well. And we were extra lucky because the band played the night we got tickets (yes, tickets must be purchased for $10 each to a public middle school chorus concert your child is required to attend). Therefore, the concert was just a mere FOUR hours long. It was WONDERFUL (can you sense the sarcasm in my words?).

Did I mention that there were multiple costume changes that don't take any time at all? And not only did we get to purchase those lovely gray polo shirts (see above) for $20 each, but then I had to come up with a "50's" costume so Meg could run on stage and scream at the three boys in her class who sang an Elvis song.

Our kids doing the neighborhood triathlon. Meg is #57.

Great swim-to-bike transition.

This is where Meg fell apart. See, Rusty thinks our kids NEED bikes that compare to those of professional racers. Therefore, I like to ride Meg's bike because it's ten times nicer than mine. Unfortunately, I was the last one who rode Meg's bike before the race (training with Ben. . .Meg opted not to go on any of our training rides) and, therefore, the seat was too high. Can you say MELT DOWN?!?! After we got permission from the judge, and by judge I mean some lanky, long hair, 15 year old that could care less, that we could fix her bike, she was off. She was just getting into her rhythm when a first grader took her out while she was beginning the second lap. But hey, she finished and swore that she would never to another triathlon as long as she lived. I've already signed her up for next year's race.

Post-race. . .going to get ice cream.

Meg made this to hang in the hall for 5th grade graduation. Yes, you read that correctly.
Kids NOW graduate from elementary school.

May, 2009

Meg right before going to her first middle-school dance. The 5th graders go to meet the 6th graders. She told me that no one danced with boys.

Meg receiving her "diploma" so she can move onto 6th grade.

Meg and the neighborhood girls.

How come she's almost as tall as me?

Meg with her "boyfriend" of two years (he dumped her the second day of middle-school because there were "new girls to like"). Now, the definition of "boyfriend" means someone who you like, never talk to and have your friends ask his friends stuff. We would see him at the pool over the summer occasional, but never could sit or swim near him. I was perfectly fine with this relationship, and hope that the next five years bring "boyfriends" just like him. By the way, his name is Jameson and he seemed to be a major discussion at a lot of dinners during Meg's fifth grade.

Sam wanted a sleep over with Meg and she was more than happy. Ohhhhh, can they stay little forever?