a house full of insanity

Okay how is it already December? I don't know where the time has gone. The weather has become chilly and we are bundled up in our warm winter jackets. We have the fire lit almost everyday to make it warm and toasty in the house. I have started to stockpile hot chocolate for that inevitable first day of snow and the first day of playing in it! Thanksgiving has come and gone in a blur. We were back in Ohio two weekends in a row. It was great to see family and spend time with them and eat wonderful food. (I have gained back my weight in sweets and mashed potatoes and of course mom's stuffing. YIKES!)
We hadn't been back to Ohio since August and my how Lil Miss had changed. She is know running and as ornery as ever. Grandma had to be on her toes when she watched her for two days while I was back in Iowa. The week of Thanksgiving we had the great privilege of bringing Nate's niece Megan back with us. She was such a help, helping me make sweets for thanksgiving and put the tree up while the two little girls were away. It was blast spoiling her. On Monday we got alot of things done on my to do list so Monday Night we went swimming at the pool with the kids to play.

{decorating a tree for Rosie}
We got our house all decorated up with lights and greenery. It looks like a winter wonderland, the front porch looks just how I always wanted my front porch to look. I love it. (more picture to come)

{sugar cookies}
Me and Megan were also busy making lots of goodies.... sugar cookies, white chocolate pretzels, pretzel rolos, and peppermint cookies.

{peppermint fudge cookies with peppermint icing -- didn't know megan was a peppermint nut!}
And then Tuesday morning after we dropped the kids off at school Megan and I had a girls day. We went and had massages (thanks to Uncle Nate) and then were off to the mall! To end the day we stopped off at a nail salon and Megan had her first pedicure. Boy to Aunt Lynn's feet need it!!

{pedicures....nice!}

{apple pie, yum}
Then we headed back to Ohio for some turkey and thanksgiving! Gobble Gobble!!

{let the games begin!}

While in Ohio for thanksgiving instead of black friday shopping we went bowling. I think hours of laughter compared to hours of standing in line was a good trade off! {cousins}
{Like Father, Like Son}
It was fierce competition on the bowling lanes. I think Uncle Neil took the trophy home though.
Rosie got spoiled of course. She has so many cute outfits to wear now... that's a good thing because she grows so fast!!

{Aunt Kathy and Lil Miss}

{best buds}
The trip was to short and we were back in the van again headed for Buckeye Country. Thanksgiving was a great time with family and the kids had a blast playing with the cousins!!! I think ALOT of pumpkin pie was consumed. Gigi was even waking up in the morning and asking for pumpkin pie for breakfast. Thanks to Dad and Uncle Nate and Grandma Pam ... we are going into detox on pumpkin pie until Christmas. ;-)
{yummmm.... pumpkin pie!!!}

{ride the horsey}
The cousins all gang'd up on Uncle Neil to play. it was all fun and games til someone fell off!

{ready for the game}

Of course Thanksgiving saturday we were dressed in our scarlet and grey to cheer on the bucks. It was a disappointment but we have hope for next year.

{this boy just got something to do the whole ride home}
{in a big tractor}
This week we got back into the swing of all the normal activities. Me and the Girls met Daddy for Lunch down by the John Deere Pavilion and saw the big combine made out of food cans. It is amazing.
{the cans will be donated to a local food bank}

{a Combine of cans}
Lil Miss had fun playing in the tractor tire!! I do really love doing things like this with the girls. When I feel like I have the house some what in order I can really enjoy a day out making the girls smile with things as simple as looking at tractors and combines.

{a typical day with the girls}
{bundle up}
Oh and the biggest news of the week is that Rosie turned 7!!!!!! How can that be? She was only 4 yesterday, wasn't she? We celebrated on Tuesday with a cake and singing Happy Birthday. On Friday we let her invite two girls over to have fun after school. She has such great friends and they played and played until their moms picked them up. The did craft time in the basement and for 3 7year olds glitter must be the thing because my carpet now shines!!!
Happy Birthday Rosie!!! One of the girls brought over silly string(who would do such a thing?) and the swing set was a rainbow of color. Thanks to mother nature who washed all the silly string away yesterday! Yeah! Well, this mommy needs to get ready for a day with Santa. more December fun soon.

{ He just saw his picture in the mirror}

Our boy got a haircut .... thanks to Dad we have a mohawk. He rocked it for a few weeks.

{I pity the fool} After being around his uncles and Grandpa Bill he came down ready for school with all his sports medals. Ugh the influence of those Schulte boys! Enjoy the pictures!!