Another fun tradition

Some years ago even before any grandkids, I started a Christmas tradition of making ginerbread houses. So.....

and now it has become a competition. Imagine that.

 

2016 Christmas Parade

I love going to our small town Christmas parade. We haven't missed it in years. First our own kids were in it and now the two older boys are in it. They marched with their cub scout packs. Of course, Jessica has been in it for years because of her work float but this year they didn't have one and she actually got to see it. 

This was LilyAnn's first year to actually be old enough to enjoy the parade.

The kids got to stand in the back of a friend's pickup which made for a very good viewing place.

By the way, Isaiah takes pictures just like his dad.

 It was so cold but does that stop the parade? Nope, not at all. I've watched my kids march in the parade in the sleet with icycles hanging from their band instruments. So a little cold and misting rain does not stop us.Thanks Mom for the very warm blanket and chair. They were great.

Annual birthday/Christmas trip

We usually take the boys to Branson at Christmas as their birthday present but this year we decided to go to Tulsa instead because the weather was going to be bad in Branson and all of the activities we were going to be doing were outside. So....I found a deal on the hotel we usually stay in in Tulsa and booked it for two nights. This hotel has an indoor waterpark and the boys love it. Well, we started out great on Friday night by going to see the Rhema Christmas lights. They are amazing. We walked through a lot of it. It was cold so afterward, we went to Starbucks for coffee and hot chocolate.

 Saturday morning was spent in the water park at the hotel starting at 8 a.m.

 They love the hot tub. Even Jonah although he face doesn't show it.

Then on to Incredible Pizza for food, games, mini-golf and much more.

 These two boys love playing laser tag.

 And while they were playing laser tag, Jenny and Isaiah road this roller coaster. I don't think Jenny was too crazy about it but Isaiah loved it.

We ate, they played games, we ate some more and then went to a circus where they rode elephants and ponies. It was a small circus but still really good. After that very full day of activities, we decided to just go back to the motel, eat and maybe get in bed a little bit early so the boys could swim the next morning before we went home. Jenny didn't stay at the motel with us because she was going to participate in a 40 mile ride the next morning. About 10:30 we finally got everyone settled down and on their way to going to sleep. Suddenly there was an incredibly loud alarm. First thing I thought was what did one of the boys set off. Gary said it was the fire alarm but was probably a false alarm. (Been there, done that.) Then, and I didn't realize this, there are speakers in the room and the person began telling us that a fire had been reported on our floor (7th) and we were to immediately take the stairs and proceed outside. I threw on my jeans, Gary threw on his pants and somehow Noah thought to put his shoes on but no shirt; we grabbed up the little ones and rushed into the hall with everyone else. Jonah and Isaiah had no pants or shoes on and it seemed everyone in the hall even had coats on. Not us! Those were in the car afterall what were we going to be needing a coat for. Who knew. We flew down the 7 flights of stairs with Noah yelling "we have got to get out of here"  and "where's Papa?" Poor little Isaiah's little legs were really moving fast down those steps. We got outside and of course it was raining and so cold. From the back of the hotel where the stairs led to, we made our way to the front and our car. After some discussion and learning that everything was fine, we all decided we would sleep better it we went to Jenny's for the night, especially after four fire trucks showed up. We found out it was an airconditioning unit on the 8th floor but you could smell smoke all the way down the stairs. We came back the next day to retrieve all of our belongings. What an "adventure" I kept telling the boys but for some reason they didn't really think it was an adventure. They were just scared and worried about their toys and new shoes. Thanks to God for his protection over us in every situation.

Here we go!

So are you ready for Christmas? I'm not. Almost but not quite. Don't have our tree up but Kacee and Jamie do so here are pictures of the kids decorating theirs and hopefully they will help me put up ours. By the way, Jonah wouldn't get in the pictures although he did help.

 Santa's helper.

My little princess

LilyAnn is such a little diva and she is only 21 months old!!! Oh my, what is she going to be like when she is older. Looking at these pictures, you can see exactly what I mean. And she is into everything!!!!!!. (I know I am using a lot of exclamations marks but she warrants them.) She is so full of life and I love that about her among other things. So here you go.

And by the way, she loves the pigs.

Fall

Time for some random fall pictures. Fall is my favorite time of year; the weather, the leaves, the smells of apple and pumpkin spice, football....just about everything about it.
Oops one last picture from the beach.

new puppy dogs

 Spirit week

Love the hair

 And.....it's gone.

 Cool looking cub scouts.

we stand with the armour of God on.

Football and storms???

the littles

some soccer

 and the last of the melons.