Girl Scout Overnight

This weekend, we went to a local girl scout campground for an Overnight where they can earn some patches (and have fun!) When they arrived, they realized they could run, then slide across the wood floor on their knees.

Well, this is how the sleeping arrangements started out, but by the time everyone fell asleep some had switched beds and it seemed like there was no room to walk, just mattresses everywhere!

They made their own pizzas, which was fun, and really tasty. It has inspired me to make a pizza this week.

Their was a little loft they were all fascinated with, you had to climb a ladder attached to the wall to get up there. Here are all the girls!

And we (and when I say we, I mean me) made these no sew pillows. Very cute and easy. I might move on to a blanket as my next project!

Miss Amanda making them s'mores in the fireplace.

mmmmmmmm

In the morning, they had pancakes and fresh strawberries, then we cleaned up and headed home. All to take naps, since no one got much good sleep. The kids had a great time and it was a good time for the moms to bond as well.

Christmas 2010

We started out the festivities by going to my parent's house on the 19th. She's all decked out for the occasion!

She has been wanting one of these necklaces since my mom gave me one just like it several months ago. She was soooo excited!

This is a book that you can record yourself reading the story to the child, and my grandparents recorded The First Christmas (or something like that). She let everyone listen to it and there were some tears shed. My mom and dad did The Night Before Christmas for her last year and she listens to it all year round.

On Christmas Eve, we made our cookies for Santa.

This is her other holiday dress and she wore this one to Chris's mom's on Christmas Eve.

Ta-Da!

She got a new robe from her memaw and pepaw!

Christmas morning, she got a snuggie (well, it's a knock off called a wrappie) in Tinkerbell pattern. She has wanted her own snuggie for a long time now.

And her most favorite gift of 2010, a pillow pet!

Modeling her new pj's and pink boots!

This is the nativity scene she made out of play-doh. I was really impressed and very touched at this. She's such a sweet girl.

And to wrap it up, here's a pic of my 3 favorite girls. Addison, Sydney, and Cali. I hope everyone's holidays were as good as ours!

1st Grade Christmas Program

Sydney was a reindeer in the first grade play. No major part, but all the singers had to be either reindeer or elves. I guess she's being a full on reindeer in the first picture. That must be what they do with their hooves. She did a good job, she was nervous about knowing where we were going to sit and all those people staring at her. I told her that me and my mom and dad would be the only ones staring at her, all the other people would be staring at their kids. She was scanning the crowd for us as soon as she walked in and she found us. Then, the rest of the night, she was singing just to us, and making faces, and funny hand movements, which I have on video, but I can never get any videos to upload to this site, I guess they're too big. Oh well. I was just proud that she sang and didn't just sit down on stage and refuse to sing like she did 2 Christmas's ago at church.

The Tree is Up!

I got motivated to put the tree up and I think this may be the earliest I've done this. Above, Sydney is hiding in the tree box.

Helping to hang the ornaments. Ok, she really did most of them.

And Cori just sat and watched and loved on the giant bunny.

And it's done! The rest of the house still needs decorated, but maybe I'll do that today.

We had more snow this weekend. The roads weren't really bad, so I'm ok with this. I can still get out and do stuff and it's pretty.

And this last picture is purely for your enjoyment.

I was making meatloaf and was adding mustard to it, from the squeeze container. Next thing I know, it exploded and mustard was everywhere! The screw on cap had come off on one side, like it wasn't on right. I just stared at it like, that did not just happen! And then I laughed. And of course, I cleaned it up. I thought Cori might be of more assistance, but I guess she doesn't like mustard.

Thanksgiving 2010

This year, as usual, we went to my mom's, then went to one of Chris's relatives (they take turns.) This year, it was his aunt. So, this is Jeremiah, who is now 10 months old. He's my cousin's son and Sydney was all about him.

And this is my other cousin's new baby, Trenton. He's only 1 month old. He was so sweet! I loved holding (and smelling) him.

Sydney also really loved Trenton. But, Jeremiah could play more.

Sydney got a hold of the camera, so the rest of these are all from her. Here's my grandparents. We had a photo shoot at mom's that day with my dad's friend Tom taking some pics that my grandparent's wanted.

My mom and aunt Sherry.

My dad

me (of course)

and look, we had some snow on the ground this morning! It rained for 2 days straight and then it got really cold last night, so voila! The first snow of the season. And, you might notice there aren't any pics from Chris's family's Thanksgiving. That's because A. there are no cute little babies to take pictures of (not yet anyway! that's next year) and B. Sydney was so busy playing with Addison that she didn't care about taking pictures.

Halloween and Girl Scouts

So, I just realized I never posted an actual Halloween Day post. So, here ya go. The day started at 3 with a meeting/costume party at Girl Scouts. Here she is making her pumpkin face.

The leader was painting their faces to go with their costumes, so we thought Sydney would go with the Superman symbol, but she opted for fruit, grapes specifically.

Making "smores"

After that we went to my mom and dad and went to 2 of her neighbors houses to get candy.

Then we went to my grandma and grandpa's (aka Nana and Papa) and they had a whole bucket of candy just for her! We also went to about 8 or 10 houses in their subdivison (cause we didn't have quite enough candy!)

Then we went to a trunk or treat, one we go to every year. I'd say this year was the best yet. There was a "magical" broom that was moving on it's own...

...and games

a slide...

...and a hayride. Here we are with Chris's parents.

And now on to other subjects. My brother had a gig at a local restaurant this weekend, with his band Delve.

And today was Sydney's investiture ceremony with Girl Scouts. She got her pin and this was the first time she had worn the vest. Now she can start earning badges and patches. Here she is saying her pledge.

Getting her pin. It was pinned on "upside down" and I put that in quotation marks because it's symmetrical with no text, so there isn't really an upside down, but the idea is that she has to come home and do 3 helpful things for me and then it gets flipped "right side up." So far, she cleaned up her room. She's also going to help me dust some pictures and hang them up in Chris's computer room this week.

We also had our family pictures taken today by Kelly Marsh and I really think it went well. I can't wait to see them.