Courtneys Choir Performance at Festival of Trees

Court's the one in the shiny red shirt

They sang 2 songs and get to repeat them next week at the school concert.

Darcy and Courtney

Craig's Surprise 40th Birthday Party

Craig was SOOO surprised! But about 20 minutes after he got to the house and said hello to everyone the power went out! And it stayed out for a good hour or so! But it didn't stop us, we just gave all of the kids a flashlight and lit EVERY candle I own and placed them around the frontroom and diningroom and partied on!

Craig's birthday

The boys playing Legos, Chad is the one with his tongue hanging out!

We had SOOO much food! I did a Mexican Fiesta theme with shrimp, 7-layer dip, taquitos, vegetable and fruit trays,chips and salsa, cram puffs and 2 lemon poppyseed cakes (Craig's favorites!) I served Sprite in cups that had been dipped in blue sugar.

Deanna and Sharlene.

Craig's 40th

Travis, Logan, Deanna, Rachelle and Angela

Craig opening his presents

Granny Rose and Peggy

Craig with his cool dragon sword scabard

Craig's Birthday Party

Brenner, Brayden and David playing Legos

Rachelle with Kameron and Travis

Kevin and Scott playing with the cup hangers - mermaids!

Dean and Deanna

Thanksgiving

Grandpa and Grandma Phelps

Us girls all promptly feel asleep after dinner - sorry Mom!

Julia and Jacob

Thanksgiving 2008

Dad carving the turkey

the long table

Benn and Julia

Mom

MORP 2008

Ryan

They wrote their names on each other's shirts and the other sleeve said MORP 2008

Cache, Kelsey, Dallas and Ryan

MORP at West Side

Carrie (Dallas) and Ryan

Aren't they cute?

Courtney

Courtney in her choir shirt, she looks kind of strange because she thought I was only taking a picture of the shirt!

One More Thing!

There is one more thing the kids reminded me that I always say when they get done with their homework.
Me: "Now where do I want your homework?"
Them: "Not by the backpack, not near the backpack, not on the backpack, but IN the backpack!!!"

I have some cute pics of Ryan's MORP date and Craig's Surprise Party, but they may have to wait until after Thanksgiving, we are going to Mom and Dad's cabin in Pine Valley! But know that we had FUN, FUN, FUN!!!

The things that go on around here!

There are a couple of things we say around here all the time and I just thought I would share!!! Chad has a wariness about anything new especially food - so he always asks 3 questions when we eat (even if it's something we have all the time!) 1. Have I had this before? 2. Did I like it? 3. Did I eat all of it? To which I always answer "YES!"even if it's not always the truth! When my kids say "I can't" then I say "I can't said the ant, please try said the pie, you must said the crust, don't be a dope said the soap" it's from the book "I Can't Said the Ant" a great motivational tool! A couple of weeks ago Chad saw a commercial about "going green" and told Craig - "I want to be green, green is my favorite color!" So now we all say that! We might appear to be kinda strange, but well we are!!!

Ryan's date

Corsage as modeled by Courtney

A little bit blurry!

Ryan and Lisa

Ryan's Dance date and flowers

boutinerre I made, she brought him one too.

Ryan and Lisa

Ryan and Lisa

Look out holidays here we come!

Well I am glad October is over and now into the hectic season of Thanksgiving and Christmas and Craig's and my dad's and the girl's birthday's and Christmas break and everything that comes with it - shopping, decorating, baking, traveling (that will be the nice part!) cleaning and entertaining, etc., etc, etc.!!! I do love this time of year and everything that comes with it - Christmas letters and treats from friends and family, wonderful homemade gifts and the look of snow and Christmas lights.

Ryan was asked to the Fall Co-ed by a girl named Lisa from his school, it;s just slightly FREAKING me out!!! I want to go with him and make sure everything is perfect - that he behaves (doesn't burp and do anything embarrassing for her), that she behaves (she's a senior!!!), but I know I can't do that (and it's killing me!) so I just have to trust him and all the advice that I can shove into him in the next couple of days!!!

Craig got SOOO much accomplished on Saturday I can hardly believe it!!! He got all of the rain gutters up in the back, (he did the front last week), the garden tilled with manure and started a compost pile with leaves and compost starter and got all of the new windows in!!! Of course then it has rained like crazy all day!!!

I SOOO need to start Christmas - but I don't know when that is going to happen - Craig's surprise party is STRESSING me out! I am working everyday and have no time to even sit down, let alone cook or bake! But I'm sure everything will get done or at least the most important things anyway!