Same night as the winter concert, but I'm SO glad we went! And though some of the video is shaky and sideways :) I am so thankful that Lindsay took them so we have the memories! So precious :)
Monday, 12/16/13
So... Chris left at 3:30am on this particular Monday and headed out to Nodaway... big girls went to school (with their hair done b/c of the 2pm mantinee ;), took little girls to Barb's... went to work.
Came home, fed, tried to pick up? (why bother), harassed the big girls to get dressed (wouldn't stop wrestling/laughing/giggling... should have gotten a video of that!) and we finally headed out at 5pm to take little girls to dance. THOSE videos coming (so sweet!) thanks to Lindsay & Lauren videoing with their Ipods :)
Left there at 6:20, went to straight to the school for their concert. Hence the reason these are just a few pictures. (will come a little later)
Little girls did great in their dance attire and boots :) thanks so much to Grammy for helping to entertain and to Maggie, Fred, Sara & Dustin Hogan! (and to Brady & Levi of course ;) it takes a village, I love that saying :D
All the girls were ecstatic to be home... even though LeaAnn told us 1,000 times over that she wanted to go to Ohio State! No LeaAnn, we're going home... "NO!" She would say, "I go Ohio State! I want to go to Mimi's!"... OK LeaAnn, how about we go to Iowa State? "OK... I go Iowa State!" this process was repeated, over and over and over and over! That is not an exaggeration... she talks non-stop. Actually, she told us 10,000 times... "Where my going? Where my going? Mommy... where my going?"
And Joy Jingle (our elf-on-the-shelf) showed up! With gifts...pajamas! I got down all the Christmas books from the attic and the little girls decided to have a party... actually, Lydia said, "I can read chapters, Mommy."
And the big girls were not to be left out :)
Oh how do I adore this picture??? Joy Jingle made everyone's night... and has continued to do so ever since :)
Thanksgiving started early for Lauren & Lindsay again this year. On Sunday, 11/24, Mimi & Pap drove 1/2 way & Chris drove the other half, and they ended up in Ohio that night! Here they are in the car...
That night at Aunt Ashley & Uncle Donnie's house
Panera bread with Mimi... love their cookies!
And this was Monday night... playing book-store :)
They had lunch with Elle at school
Tuesday night at the Mexican restaurant... a favorite, El Barzone.
And Wednesday night, we arrived! The little two spent countless hours at this craft table :)
Thursday, 11/28/13
The 10K Turkey Troy in Cincinnati! Such a beautiful morning for a run, and a gorgeous setting!
Beth (Flemming) Patrick & Carrie (Spruance), classmates of Donnie & Ashley...
Beth married Jason Patrick, from my class, and I haven't seen him or her in YEARS! So it was very cool to spend time with them on the car ride down and during the run.
And Carrie married Jeff Judd, Donnie & Ashley's classmate :)
Here Jeff & I are trying to rub it in to Donnie that I'm his new BFF ;) Donnie just loves it when I come into town ;) so much so, that he complains to all of his friends.. they give him a lot of grief for it :D
So starting out, it was COLD. I'm not used to standing and waiting to start. My toes were numb, that's how cold I was :) but after mile 2, everything warmed up. And it was SO COOL to run across 3 bridges, downtown Cincinnati... and we were a herd of people! I could not get over how many people there were...Jeff snapped this picture for me. I was missing Maggie & Maria and wanted to share the experience with them.
We finished, it actually was 6.3 miles and quickly headed towards the van to warm up and have our post-run-beer that Jason so lovingly packed for all of us!
While I was gone, this was what I missed :)
Luckily, we didn't have Thanksgiving until 5pm that night. Which btw, I loved. It was nice to end the day with the celebration, rather than having it in the middle. Mimi wanted a Christmas card pic, so we tried our best... was a bit too windy & chilly to try outside.
This is what we got for our family... no one was really into it except the big girls and myself ;)
LeaAnn made herself at home, right in front of the food :)
Great Aunt Lori taught her how to put the black olives on her fingers, and pop them right off!
The carvers...
The cooks...
The observers with the wine! ;)
We had an amazing feast as usual!
Complete with pie :)
and shades ;)
and foot-massages...
and rough-housing of course!
Pap started it ... and antagonized them! Imagine that ;)
Love, love, love!
Great Aunt Jayne got in on the action, and chased them all down the hall!
We had such a nice time!
Not sure if this is Friday or not? But a good synopsis of the entire week... cousin play :)
We saw the movie, Frozen on Friday... SO good. I put it right up there with Tangled, Princess and the Frog and the Little Mermaid. LOVE IT!
And Olaf is the best!
Saturday I did a little shopping and Mimi & Chris took the girls to the park b/c it was nice outside!
And I'm pretty sure this is Friday night, a little out of order? But regarless, really pretty pictures.
love LeaAnn's march...
I know this is Saturday night :) we went to Cassano's for pizza, before heading to Niederman farms..
This is an example, a fraction of what LeaAnn does in the car. She talks, she sings... she does whatever aside from keep quiet or watch any sort of movie :)
We went to Niederman's farm last year too... so neat. The entire Bible's story told in a mile-long square and decorated with Christmas lights...
And at the end they have hot chocolate and cookies for everyone. And this year we were there just in time to see a Juggler for Christ. He was SO good! Kids got to be in on the action and everything :)
That night, the kids did not want the fun to end, so the Koontz kids got to play for a while. Lydia decorated King Dad with his crown, and took his hat and put it on me :) A wonderful way to end a fabulous Thanksgiving in Ohio! Thanks for everything Mimi & Pap!
