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.