Circle of Pride!

In December Ashley was chosen to be a part of the Circle of Pride!! This is a big deal at Cougar Run Elementary. Every two weeks a new student is chosen in their grade for having great attitude, helping others and following the school motto of being Respective, Responsible and Safe! Ashley was recognized at an assembly and I was so excited to attend!!

Ashley getting her big award!

After the celebration!

Cameron was also recognized at the assembly for having perfect attendance!!! He was so excited and let's just say I was one proud mama:)

Cameron is in the red jacket waiting for his name to be announced!!

My two award winners!:)

Santa and his reindeer!

This past weekend Santa, Mrs. Claus and some of his reindeer decided to visit our local Whole Foods:) So we took the kids up to see the big man himself. Cameron and Ashley love the thought of Santa and all that he brings but have always been a little wary about seeing him in person. Each time we have gone in years past they just want to look at him from afar:) This year we had a breakthrough and they both talked to Santa and Mrs. Claus about some of the things they wanted for Christmas, so cute! Santa also brought two of his reindeer how fun to see them in person!!

It that you Donner and Blitzen?

 

So cute!

 

Daddy and Ashley checking out the reindeer.

 

Santa and Mrs. Claus!!!!

 

 

For the last three years we have had a visit from a special elf named Danny! Danny comes to live with us starting December 1 and stays with us until he gets a ride back to the North Pole with Santa on Christmas Eve! He reports back to Santa every night on how Cameron and Ashley have been doing! Danny is a magical Elf so we never see him but he leaves notes and clues to where he has been in the house! He is also big on requesting food for the kids to leave him each night. Here is a picture from the first visit this year!

 

 Danny moves a special ornament places in the house to tell us where he has been, so this year it is the Santa one. The kids love it and can't wait to see where he will end up each morning!

 



Danny's first note of the season!

Bailey

On November 30th we lost our precious little Bailey. I am beyond thankful that I got to spend almost 14 years with her and experience life with this little love! Jeff and I got Jack and Bailey 3 weeks after we got married and they were truly our first little kids! Bailey had a personality much bigger than her little body would suggest! She was always there to give a snuggle and some love, unless there was some pizza in the other room!:) In her later life her favorite sport was following Cameron and Ashley around until she could hunt down there leftover food:) She was adorable and I miss her terribly!!!!!!

 Jeff and I were devastated when she passed but were so thankful that she died in our arms and surrounded by things she knew, especially Jack! In the last couple of days of her life he stuck close to her as he has done all his life, she was his north star! For days after she passed he looked for her and it broke my heart that I couldn't tell him what was going on but I think he knew! We have been taking him on lots of walks and giving him extra love and attention. He even gets to go each month now and pick out his own special cookies at the pet store:)

On her last day with us we took lots of pictures with her and movies to remember her:) The kids even made cards for her. I have included some pictures below.

Thank you all so much for your thoughts and good wishes!

 

 

 

 

Turkey Day 2012!

This year we were invited by our good friends the Bartels to join them for the big day! It took me all weekend to recoup from my turkey coma:) Lots of great food and fun! Here are some pictures from the big day!

The gang getting ready!!

 

Ashley and Megan

 

The boys!

 

After eating it was time for princess dress up:)

 

Gary and the turkey:) Yummy!!

 

Kim and her mom

 

 

 

Halloween 2012

Halloween was a blast this year! Both Cameron and Ashley had class parties and then we headed over to our friends the Bartel's for a great Halloween night!

In the morning I got to help out with Ashley's party! They kids had a great time with games and treats:) Here is Ashley in full cheer mode heading over to school!

 

Miss cheerleader!

 

Cameron's class was involved with a school parade so I was able to snap this picture of him walking by! Look at my handsome quarterback!!

 

Getting ready to head down the street to see to hang out with friends!

 

Ben, Meg, Ashley, Cameron and Catherine!! So cute, the kids had so much fun. They are getting ready to play pin the hat on the witch!

 

Ashley looking on while Meg finds her spot:)

 

The gang before heading out!

 

On the hunt for more candy:)

 

Look at all the loot!!!

 

Ashley even sorted out all her sour patch kids for daddy:)

Ashley's visit to the dentist!

We found out at Ashley's last dentist visit that she had a little cavity! The dentist had explained that since her teeth are so tightly packed this sometimes happens, boo! About a week after her visit she went again to get her cavity fixed. All day she was very nervous!! Right before we left she got a voice message from her cousin Myles that made her feel so much better but she was still anxious! She took her favorite Barbie and we headed out! When we got to the dentist she didn't want to leave my side but she was very brave when the dentist came to get her. They gave her some "relaxing gas" which made here very happy:) She was a trooper!!

After getting her filling!

 

My brave girl, with a numb mouth:)

Pumpkin Patch 2012

We had a great time this year out at the Pumpkin Patch! It was a beautiful fall day with lots of Halloween color! Here are some pictures from the day out:)

We started out the day raking leaves, Ashley had a blast running and jumping in the piles!

 

Cameron and his perfect pumpkin!

 

My strong girl:)

 

The final selections!

 

My two cuties!

 

 

 

 

 

On our way home with our loot:) Ashley had to get some mini pumpkins:)

 

Cameron didn't want to carve his pumpkin this year but Ashley really wanted to. Her is her finished guy:)