Time For Christmas Card Pictures AKA Keith’s Favorite Day Ever

You guessed it, Christmas card pictures were scheduled and taken this last week.  Again we just made the cut off, (the cut off being the actual Christmas day) I will be sending out New Year cards instead of Christmas Cards.  I don’t even have a surprise birth to blame for not getting it done in time.

Keith could hardly wait for the pictures, he often reminded me to plan for it, he told me how he could not wait to go take pictures, he reminded me to have all the coordinating and matching clothing washed/pressed and ready to go.  He did not remind me about the red star.  I remembered that all by myself, last years experience is still etched in my mind.
Ok not so true, except for the red star…
I did not forget what a bad idea it was.
I think he keeps quiet about the pictures in hopes I will forget them.

All the grand kidsSomeone held my camera hostage.King of the Selfie…Another selfie.And she is off.The college boy.Getting set up for the family shot.I don’t even know…Merry ChristmasSweet PS
She was possibly the easiest of the kids for the picture this year.Dad can you carry me on your back?J giving the sled a try.
In the grass.
In 75 degree weather.
Don’t ask me what O was trying to do… I have no idea.OSomeone take my camera away from that boy.Beda got in on the action…I love my boy!I asked them to stand still for a minute.  It looks to me like C is doing some sort of spanish dance, E is trying to fly, J might be rapping, Little A fell over, O is shooting spider webs, and R is confused.  This might just be the most natural portrayal  of my family.

Merry Christmas from overholt8(even though there are really 9 of us)

May God bless your new year.  I was reminded even today on how short life is, please tell your loved ones how very important they are to you this next year, do it often and do it to everyone.
jen

p.s. I am officially out of storage on the blog, I need to update the blog and get more memory.  Until then, Merry Christmas, and I will post our real picture in the next blog.

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A Parade, Some Ballet, and Santa in a Golf Cart

December started with a bang, to be exact a lot of bangs, a lot of explosions, and some glitter in the sky.  Fireworks and a parade.  Again in our big town that thinks it is small, we put out our chairs for the parade the night before, and thankfully no homeless or home’d people used our chair as a portable toilet.  Or I should say, none that we noticed.  Keith and the kids all went right after school, the baby and I came later.They hung out in our area, eating pizza, playing games and visiting with other people.They walked around down town and visited with more people.  Little A was thrilled to go early and be with the big kids, I’m not going to lie, I don’t like the idea of her growing up!Fireworks to start the parade,  PS was not frightened by the fireworks but took them all in with a smile on her face.SANTA
Little A was so excited to see Santa coming!  I love their excitement this time of year!
Our friends joined us, as well as some friends who had moved away, they were on vacation, we used to watch the parade together before they  moved, and before they had kids.

The Dance of the Not So Sugar Plum Fairies

A’s ballet class was dancing at our cites SnowFest.
She was super cute and so very excited.
This will be her last year in dance, unless I can find a studio that accommodates our crazy schedule.Sometimes you have to make a costume adjustment.Little A is the tallest child in the classes, the group is from 3-K.
By the time the kids are A’s age most are in preschool and don’t have time for daytime dance class.Mostly it is like herding cats.With a little dancing in between.

Ice Mountain

After dancing the children in her dance class were taken as a group to Ice Mountain.  Yes my girly was the only one on the mountain in a short sleeve leo, and ballet slippers.
But she LOVED it!
Keith came back laughing at the kids in full-out snow suits, yes Ice Mountain was cold, but the temperatures outside were in the low 80’s for the day.J played on the Ice Mountain for older kids.GO BLUE
He was also one of the few older children in shorts and a t-shirt.
These Southern People don’t know how to handle the cold.This is what the day looked like.

Here comes Santa Clause, Here comes Santa Clause, riding in a golf cart.This is not something you see every day!I had a booth at SnowFest, with many other craft only vendors.  It was a slow/hot/smelly day.  I was booth #30, at the end, while booth #29 was right next to me, I spent most of the day wishing I was not where I was, oh business was the same no matter the location, it was the fact that my neighbors smoked at least a full pack if not more in the 5 hours I was there.  I even moved my booth over about 10 feet to get away from the smell and smoke, they decided the alley between our booths was a great location to continue smoking.  If that was not bad enough, the vendor behind me came behind her tent to smoke, blowing it my way.  I actually complained to the person in charge, I know they cannot control the customer, but maybe a non smoking tent area and a smoking tent area, so their stink does not stick to my product?I had Snowmen ornaments, and hundreds of bows, banners, wreaths, and Christmas signs.The biggest draw was my giant doll house, kids came from all over the park to look inside it.  By the end of the day I wished I had brought along the furniture since so many children asked about the house.I had this sweet little thing along, she was a great bow model, even if she was wearing it upside down.O stayed with me for the day and took some great pictures. photos by OThis little cutie was so good the whole day!Do you see what O saw?

What have you been up to this December?  Are you feeling the rush of the season or are you prepared and relaxed?  If you are prepared and relaxed, please share your secret!

Go hug your kids and tell someone you love them.
jen

What Happened to November?

Ok I realize that November went fast, but I just cannot believe it is already over.  This year is racing I don’t like it one bit, the faster time goes, the faster my kids grow up and don’t even get me started thinking about sending O off to college, I can’t take that thought at all!  It is bad enough that colleges are daily sending information and calling her.  Ok College Admissions Offices,  have you put any thought into the fact that you are calling HIGH SCHOOLERS during the DAY TIME!!!  When they are in CLASS.  Oh Good Grief!  Seriously there is a few colleges who call her, and called C during the school day to talk about the college.  No Sense at all!!!  What are they thinking?!?!?!  Ok enough with that rant.  I wish I knew who to call to get them to quit calling during the school day.  C got so many one school in particular was calling him every single day.
*** update*** I called the university and was sent to Voice Mail since they are at lunch or in class right now
{per the voice mail message}
Ironic huh?

NovemberThankful for a month to stop and make us realize our blessings.
{If you look really close, you can see thousands of dead bee bodies in the fireplace.  They are still getting in the house and dying at an alarming pace.  While most of them are honey bees, with no stinger, I was helping J hurry along one morning and stepped on a stinging bee with my big toe, by night-time my big toe was a really big toe, that was 3 weeks ago and my toe still itches if I bump it just right}

Basketball started for O, she is starting now and in 2 games wore holes in her new knee pads.  I have a feeling this second pair is going to be replaced in a few more games.  If they last until Holiday Hoops Tournament then I will be okay with that.  She spends more time on the floor, and mostly because she is aggressive.  The funniest foul she did recently was called in her favor although clearly she was the one in the wrong.  The other team was bringing the ball in, their player jumped up to get the ball and O jumped right into the girl, colliding and landing in a heap on the floor.  The other player jumped from point A to point A while O jumped from point A to point B ok actually she went from point A to about point F…  She hit her so hard and landed in a heap on the floor, when the ref called it in O’s favor she had to shoot free throws, she knew she would not make the baskets, she told us later that she could not even focus on the hoop she knew there was no way they were going in.

Last year R was just an observer on the schools new Trial Team.  He was in middle school and could not actually participate.  This year tryouts were in November, it was a little tricky getting him to where he belonged, he needed a sports coat or suit, but he is in the beginning days of a growth spurt I was not going to invest any money in nice clothing, we found one he could borrow.  He looked very handsome and old.  He made the team as a witness, he actually plays a principal.  We are excited to watch him in the winter as they prepare and go to trial.  He has spent time studying the case, even telling us his points of view that his character will be taking, and what he plans on saying.  I don’t mind the practice he is giving us, it shows us his character and how he thinks.

The BIRTHDAY GIRL turned 5 and boy oh boy was she excited!  I brought each of her gifts individually to the present table before her family party, she could hardly contain herself.  Just kept watching the gifts on the table.  It was great!  {Yes that is C in the back ground, we could pretend he was there with us. He did face time us on her birthday and she was super excited!}  Her real birthday was later in the month but both Keith and one of her grandmas would not be in town so we celebrated a week early.  For her real birthday she chose Keith to go to Red Robin.  He thought he was special, he was chosen by her.
She had her reasons.She could hardly contain the excitement.After dinner they rode the carousel in the mall.
Yes the reason she chose Red Robin was the location, the reason she chose her daddy was the ride.
I cannot go on them, cannot even watch them without getting sick.5 years old at our house means your first bike.  She convinced Keith to take her to our lake to ride the first time she took the bike out.  Those little legs pumped her bike for 2 plus miles on the first day she had it.  While they were riding her bike they noticed this bad boy only 8 feet away.  Keith had her get off her bike and run past so there was no chance of her tipping and falling near him.Thanksgiving was at our house again this year.  We are so thankful for this sweet little girl.Can’t stand the fact that this one is growing up so fast either!  We covered the tables with craft paper so they would look uniform, after it was over the kids spent the next few days writing, drawing and coloring on the table top.  Lights going up outside.  Lights going up inside.  {the fall wreath is still up on the wall.  I’ve got to take it down}Good Bye November.
Hello December

Go hug your kids and try to make some fun memories this month.
jen

P.S. Just so you don’t think J and E were really forgotten, J has a big band concert tonight we are ready to hear some Christmas music and watch that boy shine.  He is planning ahead for marching in the Christmas Parade for our town (in 2 years) and talks about band almost as much as he talks about basketball.  As for E, she is becoming quite the helper at home and adores PS, she keeps trying to clean her room so she can take PS up there, but as soon as she starts to clean she gets distracted by something else, don’t we all have that problem.  She did go to her Aunts for the traditional Thanksgiving Eve sleep over, this year J joined her.  It was very quiet with 3 less kids that morning.