Catching Up

So, it's been awhile since I updated the blog, sorry to those who follow. This past couple of weeks have been super busy. The weekend before Thanksgiving we decided to put up our tree and outside lights since it was going to be so nice. Mylee was mesmerized by the tree. Once it was up, she stood beneath it looking up in amazement. We immediately told her not to touch, so now whenever she or someone else goes near it, she says "don't touch." Blake, Emma, and Gabe had fun decorating the tree as always. Emma and Gabe especially get so excited to hang their ornaments. Each year we buy the kids a new Hallmark ornament, so there are several ornaments on our tree that have specific meaning to each child. As much as I would love to have a "mall tree," I love the fact that every ornament on our tree has specific meaning. We have some from Korea, Hawaii, Disney World, and lots that the kids have made themselves. Someday I may get my "perfect"tree, but for now, I love listening to the kids hang their ornaments and telling the story of each one, and where they came from.


Mylee's first glimpse of the tree


The kids hanging their ornaments


Thanksgiving was full of family this year. Matt and I have been married for 13 1/2 years, and for the very first time I got to spend Thanksgiving with his maternal grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. His grandparents usually went to Texas during the winter, but for the first time this year, they have decided to stay in Indiana. We were very excited and thankful to be with them this year. We also spent the evening with Matt's paternal grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. We spent the evening cyphering through the "Black Friday" ads making our lists of the places we were going to go to.

So yes, I was one of the crazy people that got up in the middle of the night (3:00 a.m.) to venture out for a bargain. My mother in law picked me up at 3:30 a.m. and we were off. We met my sister in law around 4, and we shopped, shopped, and shopped until almost 7:00 p.m. Needless to say, we were exhausted, and still are. I am still trying to catch up on sleep. Regardless of the lack of sleep, we had a great time. Sorry, no time to take pictures of the lines and lines of shoppers, we may have missed something.

On Saturday, Emma's dance class performed in the Festival of Trees again this year. She was in two dances this year. The dance was tap and it was to "Frosty The Snowman." The second was ballet and it was to "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies." She did such a great job and they all looked so cute in their costumes (I made them so I am a bit bias).

Enjoy the update and pictures, I am hoping to update more frequently once this semester is over (December 12). I have finals next week, so I don't know how much I will be posting.