Kimmy gives Fancy Nancy Splendiferous Christmas

one finger up!!

Christmas Chain Poem

Gracie stapled together our annual Christmas countdown chain today. It is all ready to have a link torn off everyday until Christmas arrives.

This year I discoverd a wonderful poem over at Ramblings of a Crazy Woman to accompany our chain. We topped our chain with a star and I have written the poem on the chalkboard so that Mark and Grace can memorize it during this Advent season.

Makes My Monday-A Sunday Drive

Sunday's around here often mean driving 15 minutes to Grandma and Grandpa's house to enjoy the afternoon and share a yummy dinner.

If we take pictures along the route to Grandma's house, you will see we are "rural". I told the kids to look for things to photograph on our ride and this is what they saw.
"Hey, are you looking at me?"
"I said, Hey, are you looking at me?"

We think the geese are going to stay until the snow flies, which is usually about a month ago, but not this year. NO snow yet, usually it is on the ground by now and doesn't leave until April.

The "oreo" twins.

"Got milk to go with that hay?"

As you can see, cows are what we see the most of on our Sunday drives.

Sunday drives definitely Make My Mondays!

Prepare

Sunday is the first day of the new year in the Catholic Church, the First Sunday of Advent.

The kids have learned that it is very important to prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus on Christmas Day.

Mark made our sign to remind us to "prepare" for Jesus. It is not time to begin celebrating yet, it is a time to spend learning about this holy season.
One important way to learn about the Christmas season is to read books, and we love our books.

I have seen this done on different blogs over the past few years, but I never managed to "get" to it in time for the start of Advent. But this year, with Laura's wrapping help, we are all ready.

One picture book for everyday in Advent, ready to be opened and enjoyed.

We will open one book a day, and watch our pile of books get smaller as Chistmas day approaches..

A Thanksgiving Recap

I can't remember ever enjoying a Thanksgiving when the kids could play outside without coats, hats and mittens, but yesterday was just that kind of day!

Often we have snow on the ground for Thanksgiving that doesn't melt until April.

But not this year!

All ten kids were with us to enjoy dinner with Grandma C. Even our own chef Pat managed to get away from work, but he didn't get away from "work"!

Aunt Mary, Dan, and Becky

Amy and Luke

Gracie and Aunt Mary preparing the "pickle platter"

Pat Sr. hard at work

Alexis and Matt

Becky and Amy

We were also very blessed to have Becky was off of work!

Laura, Maggie and Amy--the kitchen clean-up crew.

Now on to Christmas preparations!

Well, I tried.....

Not too bad!!

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone

A day of preparation

Pre-Thanksgiving baking day

4 pumpkin pies
yummy pretzel-kiss-m&m dots
ritz-bitz treats

1 butterfinger pie

1 chocolate vanilla layer pie

6 loaves of pumpkin bread

pregnant pickles

oatmeal scotchie cookies

love and

more love!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Wordless Wednesday-Science Experiment Day

There are NO words for this!

Check out more Wordless Wednesday posts here.

A Good Reason to Color

I discovered this neat organization that makes coloring a very worth while activity.

The organization is called Color a Smile.
They describe themselves as a non-profit organization spreading smiles with cheerful drawing. Color A Smile collects crayon drawings from school children.Every month they distribute these drawings to Nursing Homes,Meals on Wheels Programs, and Individuals all across the country.
The website offers a wide variety of printable coloring pages ready to print, all the kids need to do is color. After coloring your picture simply send your pictures to the address provided and Color a Smile distibutes the artwork.

We all had fun coloring our festive pictures.

I plan on this being a regular activity around our "little house".

The kids love coloring and I hate throwing away artwork after a short time.

Now we now the art is being used to "make someone smile".

Makes My Monday-Winter is on the way

Snow is in the forecast this week, so this may be the last of we see of the grass until April.

We have been really lucky this autumn. There have been years that we have had snow on Halloween and we didn't see the grass again the whole winter.

It "makes my Monday" that we have had an extra long autumn this year.

Kim and Grace trying to catch their shadows.

"First one to Mom gets a kiss!'

I love this picture of Luke. It is sooo hard to get a good photo of him lately because he doesn't stay still for a minute.

Gracie in the pines.

Kimmy was freezing in this picture.

Remnants of last year's baby birds.

This summers "bridge" is sort of wearing out---it will need a good overhaul by a 9 year old next spring.

Mark, trying to keep the creek moving.

A little bear.....

taking a nap in a tree (with a smile on her face...)

The last apple clinging to a branch, trying not to become food for the visiting deer.

These beautiful, "bonus", autumn days, Make My Monday.