I think they want to run away from home!

The dogs in our house can blame the new Target in our town for their torture. But I couldn't pass up the very cheap Christmas costumes. We had to have the Santa, Reindeer and Elf!

Stay at home day!

Today is a stay at home day. We are all going to bum in our pajamas (bought very cheap at yesterday's black Friday sales..lol).

The house is now decorated for Christmas, lights are hung and decorations outside and inside has everything up too so that feels good to have that done. The garage is now a total mess and needs some attention but other than that the house is in fairly good shape and I don't have a lot to do today.

Just planning on a nice day home watching movies, playing games, and maybe even taking a nap!

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

Up and about this morning. About to go get a newspaper to scan the Black Friday ads. Have a few more things left to cook and will be done.

Low key Thanksgiving planned, going to my aunt's which is not as drama filled as some places that we could have been out so we are thankful for that!!

Hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving and takes time to remember all they are thankful for. Just some of mine are: My husband and kids, our house, my husband's job, Braden's health (if you think that is odd that I am thankful since he does have some health issues just think about how much worse it could be that is why I am thankful for just what we have to deal with it), my job that allows me to work from home, being able to home school my kids, my friends and so many more. I am very blessed and I need to remember to be more thankful everyday not just today.

Blah weather matches my blah mood today

The weather out is so dreary and I find that my mood is matching it.

Brae is not feeling well today just under the weather so to speak so he is lying around and that means I have gotten lots of cuddle time today which is always good. He just wants to lay in the dark living room and watch movies cuddled under a blanket.

Stew is cooking on the stove and I wish we weren't having to get out to take Britt to choir in an hour.

Basketball season is upon us. The next 3 months just about every weekend you will find us sitting in the gym cheering on Britt.

I try to get Brae interested in things too, but when I am running like this I am like whew I don't know how I would do it if they were both super involved.

Choir will be slowing down after the 7th and their big Christmas performance and I am ready for that.

Cheering up his sister

This morning during school Britt had missed several on her Spanish homework and was upset. I was trying to tell her it was okay because I know once she gets herself worked up and upset the rest of the day would not go well. Brae sitting next to her saw her starting to get teary eyed and said "Senna it isn't the end of the world because if it was I would be doing this (and he begins running around running into things yelling "It's the end of the world") then he stops and says "but I am not doing that so it isn't the end of the world" (with a huge dimpled grin). She laughed out loud and the school day was saved.

Marathon!

I made. I did the Quarter Marathon in Tulsa today. 7 miles. I did it in just under an hour and half.

Lots of pics. My friend Stephanie went too, she did a different race (She finished top 10 in hers so major CONGRATS to her.) Her two kids and mine did the kids marathon which was 1.2 miles. I have already been looking up more races for us to do in the Spring! I think I have Stephanie hooked now. It was so cold starting out. We laughed seeing people in trashbags keeping warm. What amazed me is the people throwing their clothes away literally they had on jackets, gloves etc and got hot and just tossed them aside. Apparently homeless people were picking them up. I was like eek that race gear is way too expensive. I didn't layer and it was cold at first but I was glad I hadn't. Before races started we were freezing, they had solar blankets available to keep you warm.

Fun Foods for Thanksgiving and Christmas

Last night I had a get together with home school moms. I did a talk about fun foods and did some Thanksgiving and some Christmas.

THANKSGIVING
Pilgrim Hats (Marshmallow dipped in choc, put on a cookie after it dries draw yellow square)
Fruit Turkey

Cheeseball Turkey

Indian corn cookies


CHRISTMAS FOODS

Apparently he is used to getting yelled at..

The kids bathroom door was closed they were giving the dogs a bath.

I hear:

Britt: "Sit, Sit, Sit why don't you!"

Brae: "I am sitting quit yelling at me"

Britt: laughing like crazy "I was talking to the dog".

This and that

I figured I better at least throw up a post since it has been awhile.

Busy as usual here.

Next weekend is my race in Tulsa. I am signed up for the Quarter Marathon. I am thinking that I would like to sign up for the full marathon next year. I just want to do it one time in my life. I figure if I sign up now and have a year to work toward it then it will be good.

Brae is doing good. His attitude about everything always blesses me.

Next week is going to be even busier with hubby traveling, girl scouts, a home school moms get together, school, doc appts, speech, and all the stuff.

Other news around here is Britt will get braces in a few weeks, she gets bands on Dec 2, and the braces on Dec 9. She is not as nervous as she was since the doctor talked to her in detail.

Mummifying a Barbie

Yes today in school we mummified a barbie. We are studying Egypt and I knew from last year when Stephanie tried mummifying a chicken that there was no way I was going to try that. So I looked for something else and I found this idea at Jammin's Blog

We had some old barbie's out for the yardsale so I grabbed them out. We read through the mummification process in our Story of the World books.

You were suppose to remove all the organs so we just talked about that and we drew them on the doll and drew the heart to represent leaving the heart in.

Next we washed the body with "wine" (we used white wine vinegar diluted in water.) and rubbed the it with oils and spices. (We used olive oil with a little italian seasoning.) Then rubbed the body with sea salt.

Next we left our bodies to dry for 40 days! (We used 1 minute to represent 1 day, so we really left them set for 40 minutes.) We tore our strips of muslin about 1 inch wide while we were waiting and made a paste of flour and water. We used jewels to wind into the cloth with the mummies.

Once they were completely covered with several layers of muslin we left them to dry.


I think the kids will remember for a long time how the mummifying process worked.
They got the starbucks drinks this morning after daddy went to get his free coffee for voting. I think that coffee ended up costing us quite a bit..lol

Halloween pics

We are back home again.
A few days late but here are Halloween pics:
My "Kaya" and "Ben Ten"

Braden with his haul of candy

Britt about to get her candy stolen

Austin

We are still in Austin. We will hopefully be home on Saturday if all goes according to the current plan. MIL is housesitting and taking care of dogs for us so not having to worry about that.

I did 7 miles today...I didn't run it all but I did at least get the distance in. The race will be here before I know it and I so don't feel ready but am still excited about it. The long run/walk today was a great stress reducer but in the morning I may be regretting it especially with the hills around here.

I brought the kids Halloween costumes with us so we will be doing Halloween in Texas this year and MIL will be handing out to the trick or treaters in our neighborhood.

Fireproof Movie

Hubby and I finally made it to see the movie Fireproof. We have been trying for 3 weeks, last time we tried it was sold out so this time we bought tickets ahead of time good thing since this showing was sold out as well.

WOW! Just sums it up it is so very good. The message, the acting, everything all around wonderful movie. My expectations going in were that it would have a good message but I didn't know if it would be just a great movie, but it most certainly was.

We are off for Austin. MIL will be house sitting again as she needs a break from SIL and BIL.

Braden has two appointments on Monday, and then we will go from there.

Birthday Party!

We had a fun party. I so love Brittney's friends and their moms!
Everything was fun, Brittney was spoiled! She loved everything she got and she loved having all her friends over.

We also made fun t-shirts I took white t-shirts tied rubber bands dyed them orange and everywhere there was a white circle they drew in a pumpkin face.
Here are some food pics, party pics and even one of the dog in his costume!

Brain and fruit dip (watermelon)


Ghost Pizzas


Cat dip


Pumpkin Cheese Ball


Hand coming out of the dip.


Ghosts! (Pears dipped in melting chocolates and mini choc chip eyes)



Tex in his second costume of the day!


All the girls (They were all American Girl Dolls, except one and she was the skeleton!)


Trying to get the apple off the fork without their hands...






Blowing out the candles


Making shirts

She is 11!

My little girl is 11 today.
Much to my chargin everyone has been assuming she is turning 13 and once I even heard 14 I am like no no no. I don't even like 11...LOL...growing up too fast. I will have lots of party pics and fun foods pics later as we are having a Halloween Birthday party today!



Happy Birthday Britt Britt, you are my sweet girl. My kind hearted sensitive girl who will do anything to help someone out. You do not hesitate to go break out your piggy bank if you hear of anyone in need and automatically offer your money. You are helpful, kind, smart and beautiful and most of all your my little girl. Happy Birthday.

Camping

I wouldn't go so far as to say camping was fun this past weekend, but it wasn't bad either. Actually much more bearable with friends along. All in all it was a good weekend and nice not to have to do any running anywhere. I kept having to make myself not think about the things to do list awaiting me. We set up camp Friday afternoon we tried a recipe for dessert that we had found in a camping cookbook. You roast an apple on a stick, and then peel it while it is still on the stick, put the apple (still on the stick) in a bag of sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon then place it back over the fire to cook for another few minutes then cut it up and it is like an apple pie. We did the cooking over the fire this weekend having really good food including scalloped potatoes and steak..yum. The new state park was very nice. We did paddle boats which didn't turn out quite how we had thought, but we did them. Then canoes which were more fun. Then Sunday morning we broke down camp. Here are a few pics. A few snap shots but I am adding lots more to flickr. Also just some snapshots taken with our camera from our photo shoot with the wonderful Shannon, I am excited to see the pictures she took. Here are a few of the camping pics.