browns vs Steelers

My "sister" who works securtiy for the Cleveland Browns sent me an email ,that she would be traveling with the team this weekend for the big game and would I like to get together? How awesome...... They all got to downtown Pittsburgh about 4pm. Traveling by bus when they are this close. So I picked her up at the hotel and we high tailed it out of the city for some grub and catch up.

although she works for the Browns she is a huge STEELERS fan. I couldn't resist taking her picture by the logo. She also bought some black and gold smiley cookies to take back to the hotel and taunt her co workers with, one of whom is her husband!

christmas

So this is christmas morning before..... During......

Tom with his new scarf ,hat, and gloves ( we are getting older every year, he really wanted that hat!)

Kids with new nerf guns (Lisa notice the lower right corner? A gift for Tom, he really enjoyed playing while you were here)Tom tries out Jordan's army helmet and "protective eyewear"...

hope everyone had a nice christmas........

beds

For christmas this year we decided on a new tradition (at least I hope its a new one) each of us had to make, do, sing, write ect something for each person in the family. I made new hats and scarves for everyone...

Jordan made me a candle and he made Cody (with Dad's help) a new bookcase for his bedroom..

Cody made me a wooden recipe book holder, Jordan a new poster for his room, and Dad an under the car dollie. Which he will porbably be using as his truck has now bit the dust and will either need a new engine or to go to it's final resting place.....

Dad made me a new shelf for under the kitchen window and surprised the kids with loft beds for their rooms....

Tom is never more happy then when he can build something with wood.....

christmas past

Just thought I would give you all a glimpse of a christmas photo that Tom's cousin sent to me today. Tom's the one in the sweater vest!!!! ( Also his Dad, Mom and sister, Ruth) Idin it GREAT?

Art class

Here's a watercolor that Cody just finished for "art class" today. Pretty neat I thought. Of course it's better in person.

tree

Went to pick out our tree. Tom thinks he found a winner........The kids agree and give it the "old heave ho" to the netting man......We drug all the boxes out of the basement. I should say that Tom drug them out of the basement. Cody, Jordan and I decorated. Tom fell asleep during the festivities and Jordan decided it would be more fun to decorate DAD!

candles

Jordan just finished doing a lapbook on bees ( a subject he picked). We put together this real nice folder with a bunch of information that he learned. So as a topper to the lessons we made beeswax candles. They were fun to make. He did a square on for Nunnie to put in her stocking. We promise there were no harming of bees to make these projects. Don't call PETA......

christmas party

Saturday we went to the christmas party for camp cadet. The police camp that Cody went to this summer. The party was really nice. It was a potluck so there was tons of food. They even had a DJ. Here's Cody getting embarressed because Mom was taking his picture while he was talking to his friends! Dad and Jordan are looking to see if this would be the right time to get up and boogie........

A little hard to see, but standing in the backround is the marine first sargent who taught them this summer. Cody is afraid of him, so he spent the whole night avoiding him. Then we told him he had to at least say "Hi". So right as we were leaving he went up to him, said in his fastest voice, "Happy Holidays" and ran out the door. It was hysterical.

b-day boy

So today was Tom's big 42nd birthday! No parade or anything. The dog ran away if that means anything. He eventually came home. Anyway, here's the big cake.......chocolate on chocolate of course make a wish.......

After Thanksgiving activities

So did you all go shopping today? No way was I going out at 4 in the morning to shop. Tom and the kids did do the annual trip to Able Hardware this morning around 6am for the free coffee and donuts! I am being totally serious, he goes every year!
As for me, last night I boiled up the turkey carcass and had enough broth to put up 4 quarts and make turkey rice and vegetable soup this afternoon......yum. I have been on this soup kick lately. About a week ago I made beef barley soup. It's in the freezer. And chili, which I canned. Great for lunches and those cold nights when you really don't want to cook. Make a couple of grilled cheese and have some soup! Perfect.

Happy Thanksgiving

So here's thanksgiving dinner before............And here's after...........Everyone enjoyed a nice meal....(I think) Snickers even got some dark meat, and a bone.HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!

Family fun

Thanksgiving came early for my side of the family. Although we didn't make turkey we did have some good food and fellowship as Tom would say. All the guys lined up on the sofa to watch the Penn State game.......

We played bingo and everyone got a prize , then it was on to other board games........Tom's helping out Billy, he's not trying to win......
More football........

Looks like Tom is palying again........this time he's getting down to DJ's level and playing with the Thomas trains.......

Almost time to go. Lisa and Madisyn put on big smiles......

Thanksgiving quote

He who thanks but with the lips
Thanks but in part;
The full, the true Thanksgiving
Comes from the heart~J.A. Shedd

A little thanksgiving humor..........

those fall days

We don't have any trees in our yard yet every year we have a ton of leaves to clean up! Our neighbor has a big maple tree so he graciously "donates" his leaves to our yard. Anyway, with the time change it gets dark so early now, but Tom decided to rake leaves anyway. And the kids........they decided to uh "help"

cookies

So I got another recipe for cookies that I tried. Simple really, just sugar cookies but the dough is dyed and put together to look like candy corn........cute huh?

boys

Thought that I would add one of Cody's (and mine) favorite comic strips. This is so true if you have boys!

Yesterday was Cody's 14th birthday! I don't have pictures of cake and stuff because we were at Len's for cake but we went out to dinner yesterday evening and then he went and picked out the gift that he's been dying to get........A BMX bike with pegs. I'll post pictures when I take some.

pray

II Chronicles 7:14 "If my people, which are called by my name shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land".

Hope that you all prayerfully went to the polls today..........God bless America

speed racer

Sunday night was the AWANA Grand Prix at church. Jordan and Tom built his car. It is only allowed to weigh 5 oz. When we got there it only weighed 4 so here's Jordan adding more weight to his car before he checked it in.....

Then they took it in to registration where once the cars were on the table they could not be altered in any way...

His is the black one in the middle. Then it was time to race. You'll see Jordan putting his car on the yellow track. He's number 8

He was in 4 races and won one. So he got to go on to a semi final race. But in the end he lost, but had a great time trying. Now the car is a great toy to shoot around the house and scare the dog with!

knock out

PUT EM UP!!!!!!!!!!Watch out for this tough guy..........look at those six pack abs! How'd you get that shiner (wasn't Cody honest)Here's Jordan with his treasure for the night. Cody was in charge of handing out candy (all six pieces of it since that's all the trick or treaters we got) He stood by the window all night with great anticipation waiting for the knock on the door. It was pretty funny. Hope everyone had a great halloween. Time to decorate for thanksgiving!