Shaun is normally my smiling child when it comes time for pics. But lately Sydney's been posing more. I suspect that it's her competitive nature...she doesn't want Shaun to "outshine" her! And it's a good thing that she's been posing. Shaun's school pics were awesome. Sydney actually looked like she was growling in hers. Then she was sick in the night (yep...Mommy got puked on) so she couldn't go to school yesterday which caused us to miss the re-takes at school. But I got some great photos the other day so they will become this year's school pic.

Today it's cold but no snow and no freezing drizzle. So Brian and I are going to pick up our Christmas trees today. Then, somehow, we are going to try to get them decorated this weekend. We have a ballgame tonight and a ballgame tomorrow night. Hannah wants to get her hair re-colored tomorrow morning.

But sometime we'll fit some decorating in!

Layouts above from Thanksgiving weekend. The pic of Sarah and Syd came from Thanksgiving afternoon when the kids had been sledding in the snow. Finally Sydney was cold and tired and Sarah carried her up the hill. Sarah is such a sweetheart!

The other photo is from the night before Thanksgiving. Abby spent the night at our house and Hannah and Sarah dropped in to check on her. Got a picture of the three of them together. Love that.

As always, credits for papers and elements used in the layouts can be found at my gallery at oscraps. http://ozone.oscraps.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/24057/cat/684

Here's the Christmas card for this year. Boy were these two goofballs while I was taking pics. But I finally got this one where they both have eyes open and smiles...and that's as good as you get!

Credits for the card can be found at my gallery at oscraps. http://ozone.oscraps.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=5782

Shaun's first snow!

We had Thanksgiving dinner today and I at the end of the day, I feel so satisfied! Lots of good food and my entire family was here. And the sense of satisfaction I have after feeding the people I love is overwhelming.

Credits for all layouts can be found at my gallery at oscraps. See the link in the last post.

Abby came out last night and helped make dinner. She helped with chocolate chip cheesecake and she peeled 10 pounds of potatoes today! Not bad for an 8 year old! Hannah and Sarah stopped out last night to check on her. I heard Hannah on the phone with someone saying that she was at her aunt's checking on Abby. "It's Abby's turn to help with Thanksgiving dinner. First it was me, then it was Sarah, and now it's Abby."

My Thanksgiving wish is that the kids always remember their Thanksgiving Day's with fondness. And I think that they will.

I've added several layouts that I've made recently.

I think that this layout speaks for itself! The credits can be found at http://ozone.oscraps.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=5782

How can it be that I haven't posted since Thursday? Well, let me catch you up!

Saturday we went to Howell Tree Farm to tag our tree. Did I say tree? Yeah...right! We were going to tag a beautiful tree with plans to pick it up the weekend after Thanksgiving! It was a gorgeous day and off we went to the tree farm. But instead of tagging one tree, we tagged three! We are going to have the big tree in the living room and each of the kids gets a small tree in their room. It was my idea. I don't know what happened to me. Some things are beyond explanation!

On the way home from school tonight, Shaun said that he didn't want to sleep in his room. He said that there were big spiders on his bed.

Me: You mean your spiderman blanket.

Shaun: No, big spiders. Like this (as he gestured with his hands the size of a silver dollar).

Me: There are no big spiders in your room Shaun.

Shaun: Yes there is. (And then he bursts out laughing.)

Shaun: My room too scary. I fall out of bed on my head.

Me: No you won't.

Shaun: Yes I will. I call Mommy and Daddy on my cell phone. (Shaun doesn't have a cell phone.)

Sydney: You can't call them. You don't know their number.

Shaun: Yes I do.

Sydney: No you don't.

Shaun: Yes I do. (louder than before)

Sydney: No you don't. (louder still)

Shaun: Yes I do.

Me: What's my number?

Shaun: S-H-A-U-N

Me: That's your name buddy-buddy.

Sydney then bursts into hysterical laughter!

I love the photo above. That's Beka and Papa at Shaun's birthday party. Papa lives for his grandchildren. It shows on his face.

As always, you can find the credits at my oscraps gallery http://ozone.oscraps.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/23478/cat/684.

I did this page for Shaun and Bei bei. I believe in the power of prayer Miss Bei bei. And you can believe that I'm praying!

The credits for this layout can be found at http://ozone.oscraps.com/gallery/showgallery.php/ppuser/5782/cat/500

Shaun had a wonderful birthday! I fixed bacon and eggs for breakfast so both kids were happy. They really love bacon. Normally they eat dry fruit loops for breakfast during the week. Then Shaun got to open his Super Hero birthday card that talked. He opened his sweat pants and carried around his Scooby Dooby Doo birthday bag, adding things to it as he went, singing "Scooby Dooby Doo, where are you?"

At school he had treats for both his morning and afternoon classes....raisins and pudding! Mommy actually got the treats there on the right day!

After school, he came home to a house filled with balloons and streamers thanks to his aunt and cousins. We had supper and he opened his Cars gloves and stocking cap, his Cheery O's game and his construction kit.

Then Papa and Grandma came with Angie and the kids. Randy had class and Hannah swung through to give him a kiss on her way home from basketball practice. Papa and Grandma brought a cars cake, we sang happy birthday and Shaun blew out candles (with a little help from Sydney)! He got a truck set, a Spiderman sleeping bag, some other cars, and some finger lights. By the time it was over, everyone was exhausted.

I don't have anything scrapped yet from last night, but I do have the picture above. It was from Halloween. As always, you can find the credits as well as my other layouts at http://ozone.oscraps.com/gallery/showgallery.php/ppuser/5782/cat/500

Tomorrow is Shaun's birthday. So in honor of his birthday here's a layout for Shaun. When we were waiting for Shaun to come home, Sydney (and Mommy) learned the Barney song. Mommy started by singing it to Sydney at bedtime. But then one night during the wait to travel, Sydney said "Mommy sing it to Shaun". So Mommy changed the words to "I love Shaun, Shaun loves me..." Night after night I sang that song to Shaun at bedtime with Sydney.

So, when Shaun came home, guess what our tradition became? And this layout is in honor of my wonderful son on his last night at age 4.