Sorry, haven't updated this in awhile. Just getting over the Thanksgiving holiday mess, putting away fall decorations and putting up Christmas stuff. Which is quite an undertaking. I'm having to deal with sick kids too which is never fun. The worst of the worst kind of sickness, the stomach flu. It all started on Thanksgiving afternoon when Sam came in the kitchen and said his tummy hurt. He was going to try to go to the bathroom. Next thing I know Sheri comes into the kitchen telling me Sam is throwing up in the living room, all over my rocking chair! So I grab a bowl and give it to Derek and he runs to give it to Sam, Bret grabs the chair cushion and goes outside with it retching all the way, to go hose it off. Jennie, who is in the early stages of pregnancy is in the bathroom throwing up in the toilet. Sam puking right in front of her was too much. If felt more sorry for Jennie than I did for Sam at that point because Sam was just in the bathroom, so why did he choose the living room, right in front of Jennie and Sheri to puke? I was a little iritated. So grabing a wet washcloth and a towl and some cleaner I go to work on the mess, trying not to breath. Poor Sam isn't finished yet and I'm getting a queezy stomach myself from just the smell. After a few minutes I put Sam in the tub, Jennie is in the living room, and I'm thinking I have a house full of people who could all get this if they don't leave. I didn't want to be the blame for all of the cousins getting sick. I'm thinking that everyone needs to leave quick, but we haven't had pie yet. So even though I'm still a little full from dinner I suggest that we have pie and ice-cream so we can get the show on the road! Sam was fine the next morning and no one else came down with it. I thought for sure Keaton would the next day but we all stayed puke free until Sunday morning at around 2 am. I hear Keaton in his room crying and throwing up. Great! Luckily he managed to get out of his bed and he just made a mess on the floor, I hate cleaning up puke out of a carpet! I'm so glad I put in hard wood. So then I stay home from church with Keaton, Bret and the kids go to church, which they came home early from because Ben didn't feel well. So Ben gets it Sunday afternoon, and I'm thinking who's next. That night I'm a little scared, Amber is too, I hate throwing up more than anything in the world! So to bed we all go wondering what the night will bring. At about 1am I get woke up with the sound of Bret getting sick in the bathroom. Now I'm REALLY scared. He was up a few times durring the night so I didn't get a very good nights sleep but was greatful when I woke up at 6 with my stomach still in side me. Needless to say Amber was very afraid to go to school. There's not much worse than thowing up in high school. I'm afraid, I'm very afraid. I don't want to be next. I've seen what this bug does and I don't want to be next! Help me. As for friends and family.......stay away!

We had a wonderful visit this last weekend with John and Marilyn. We were all very happy to see Marilyn alive and kicking and recovering very nicely! We prepared one of our home grown turkeys for a pre-thanksgiving dinner and it was very good, but a little small. We ate the whole thing in one meal! No left overs darn it! Bret's parents arrived Wednesday, Kevin came on Friday, then on Saturday, Sheri and Derek and their kids came, followed by Jennie and her kids, then David and Leanne Buell came to visit as well. We had a house full and it was great! All the cousins played very well together and the women went on a little shoping tour of Harlan. We went to some cute shops sampled a few goodies and bought some fun things. My kind of shopping! But we really enjoyed everyone and had a lot of good laughs! I love getting together with friends and family it's always great to laugh!

Amber has been working for months getting ready for her second High School musical performance. They put on Suessical: The Musical. It was really cute and well done. Amber was one of the Bird girls, and she was the best one. That isn't just me talking because I'm her mother. I had quite a few people tell me that she was the most animated, the one that was smiling and looking like she was really having a great time! Amber has always been very comfortable on a stage. She's had play practice for this almost every night and has worked really hard and is glad and sad that it's over. She had a blast doing it but is happy to have her evenings free again. Until next year that is......

Halloween fun!

Halloween this year was a lot of fun. We had the Church "Trunk or Treat" on Wednesday where the kids dressed up, played lots of games and took home lots of candy and little prizes. We decorated the back of our car with lights and scary ghosts, and a cauldrin full of candy! I even had a strobe light going. We had the coolest trunk there! Friday the kids didn't have school so we took that day to carve our pumkins. I was really impressed this year because they all cut out their own faces. Even Keaton, I touched it up a bit for him but he did a really good job. Saturday Kevin and Jennie came to spend the night because it was also the opening day for pheasent season. So we had a pizza party and then went trick or treating with Addy and Brinley! The weather was perfect, I was wondering if we would be getting wet with all the rain we've had lately but it was a great night and everyone had a belly full of candy before the night was over. I've had my share that is for sure! But another halloween has come and gone, now bring on the Christmas season!!!

My first soccer team!

This year I coached Keaton's soccer team. I had six little 4 and 5 year olds running all over the place trying their hardest to play soccer. It was a lot of fun and I learned a lot about the sport and the wonders of coaching little kids. This was a picture I took after our last game. Starting on the left is Keaton, then Madison, then Hope, Jacob, Noah, and Savannah. The biggest challenge was just making sure they were all having a good time and each getting a turn to do eveything. I had one little powerhouse which was Jacob, and he kind of ran the show. He was the only one that didn't like sitting out and taking a break. I had to beg him to take his turn to sit out and give everyone a turn to play. Little Noah and Savannah always wanted to sit out and were always asking if it was time for treats yet. Hope was a real go getter and was my girl that didn't mind getting in there with the boys. Keaton spent most of his time running after the ball or getting his foot caught in the goal net. I had a lot of fun and will probably to it again next year. Why not, I don't have anything to do anyway right?