November-December...The Year is Gone

 Happy Thanksgiving!   Well, many families have these wonderful "everyone at the table" with food arranged pictures, but it just doesn't happen at our house.  I assure you, though, we had a wonderful dinner with plenty of turkey and all the trimmings.....AND it wouldn't be tradition without oyster casserole!  It was a beautiful day and the kids played outside!  Kennedy had the first ride in the crazy coupe.

 The pumpkins "might" have gotten rearranged one or two times!

 Jordy was waiting his turn to bat.

 Keep your eye on the ball!

 Lisa was looking online for an RV camper with fervency!  Who all wants to go in on this deal??  Jonny is all in!

 Kenny and Camden sharing a video together.

 And here we found Kenny!  She had carried the rocking chair in the bedroom and she was enjoying a quiet time in her "supergirl" top!

 Happy 12th Birthday, Joshua!

 And in walks Ryan with his newly acquired "Black Friday" hoverboard purchase.  Of course he needed to encourage his siblings to give it a try.  It was going well for Lisa until she bit the dust and landed flat on her backside. The first words out of her mouth as she lay on the floor gathering her wits were, "What do I have to play for this week?"  Her husband promptly replied, "The Light Show!"

 Then it was Rebecca's turn.  She managed to stay upright.   No, I didn't attempt a turn!

 There's always plenty of help.

 And doesn't every 12 year old boy want a new hoodie from Grandpa and Grandma  :)

 Meanwhile Eli was playing with blocks and he said he was building a goal post.  How does he know these things?

 So if the stands holds 12 cupcakes, what will happen next year?

 Happy 1st birthday, Savannah!

 "Um, Mommy.....I don't feel good about this....."

 "Like I said!"

 Savannah is one of the most protected little girls that I know.

Well, lookie there.  Savannah is 1 year old!

 My girls and their babies!

 Marry Christmas!  We had a wonderful time together the Friday evening before Christmas.  Sorry, no posed pictures.  Just didn't happen.

We enjoyed a soup supper and oh my, the girls all brought delicious sweets!!

 Reading the Christmas story together from Luke.

 Then we sang a few Christmas carols before we opened presents.

 A story about the Chiefs uniform for Eli!  I ordered it from Walmart.com.  I picked it up from the store on a Tuesday before the Chiefs played the Raiders on that Thursday.  I opened the box at the store to check the contents, and alas, I had been sent a Raiders uniform.  I promptly refused it and re-ordered at the counter.  Now does this all sound a little fishy to you.  I think someone in shipping at Walmart thought they were being funny.

 I received an under-the counter CD player and Brian and Bryan installed it for me.  Boys will be boys!

 Kennedy at her gymnastics class.

Make a "pencil!"

School Carnivals & Pumpkins & Trick or Treating

 What a fun day for a school carnival!   Rebecca worked at a booth, so Grandma got to watch little ones.   Here's Sparky the Fire Dog!

 Kenny wasn't quite as brave around this funny animal.

 Big brother always taking care of his little sister.   Loved the green wristbands that provided unlimited playing of games.  Preferred activity -- the "free" playground equipment.

 How ingenious.   "Needle in a haystack" game!

 Love the bouncy houses.

 On July 19, I decided I did NOT want to pull grass one more time from my 8 year old strawberry bed that didn't produce many berries this year.  I decided to till the entire bed and planted pumpkins.  I faithfully watered these little plants and had so much fun watching the pumpkin patch grow!

Westin and Camden came for a visit a couple of days and we finished picking the pumpkins.

  

 We grew 30+ pumpkins!

 A trip to the park.

 Last year I bought four little puny $1.88 mum plants at Home Depot just because I wanted a little bit of color at the end of the lane to finish the summer, and never expected them to come back.  Well, they outdid themselves and became a huge mound of lavender this fall!

 Helping Grandpa!

 How one 3 year old named Camden can scamper upon the bed of the rollback.....barefoot, no less!

 Success!  Grandpa, get him down before we have an accident!

 We went trick or treating around the Holton Square!  Notice the little pumpkin --- it's a hand-me-down and the first one to wear it was Christi Ellis Jung!  Aunt Marilyn was the creator.

The Hulk was checking out the pumpkin stem......right before he lost his balance and did a nose plant on the cement.  Thankfully his mask protected his face from what could have been a very nasty fall.  

 Mr Batman on a mission.