Holiday Happenings

 I've been busy painting signs for 30+ freshman-varsity basketball boys.

Ian finished the last science fair project in his lifetime.  He got a 63.5 out of 60 points.  Not too shabby.

Gracie and Ian worked most of the afternoon Sunday filling their quarter books.  

Buddy and Bridgette, our house elves, have been as mischieveous as ever.  Here they are hiding behind lincoln log/wooden block forts and having a marshmallow fight!

The house looks "Christmas-sy".  

Gus and Congo.......lazy as ever!!!!!

Gracie sang in a Christmas concert with her Stingers group.  I was impressed!  They did an amazing job!  

That about catches me up.  

Hope to be better about blogging after the first of the year.  

I have more monkeys than adults in my house.  That makes life a little bananas!!!

Tis the Season........

Long story.....made short!  

Ryan played in the very first Varsity game.  It was the first quarter, he made the first team points with a basket.  He rebounded..........he blocked.......then he got hurt!  He was laying on the court and I jumped into "Momma Mode".  I was elbowing Rick to go out there.  I was scowling at him because he kept saying, "Give him a minute"!  Well a minute felt like 400 minutes to me.  Daddy went out on the court (so I wouldn't bruise his ribs with my elbow jabs).  

It was a sprain.  Nothing that is going to halt his High School sports career.  It did, however, require two days of crutches, two different types of ankle braces, physical therapy for a week, and lots of Advil.  

Poor E-man is having his own case of bad luck.  As of today, they have not won a single game.   They play tonight and I hope God will look down on them with favor.  I like this picture of Ian.  He makes the funniest facial expressions while he's playing.  Glad I got this one captured!!!

Just to prove that he is a handsome young man, I also included this one.  He has had a haircut since this picture and he now looks like a young Matt Damon (wink ;) )

I've also painted a wall mural on paper for Ryan's 4th hour class.  The high school has a hallway contest every Christmas.  The winner gets a pizza party.  

The theme for our hall was, "The Grinch That Stole Christmas".  This Grinch costume was actually one that Rick wore during the holiday parade one year.  Ryan's 4th hour class is Health and it is in the Science room.  Therefore, we placed the costume on Bones, the class skeleton.  Genious, I think!!!!

What is Who-ville without a Who tree?

And this is a very small portion of the mural.  

Now I am drowning in wooden basketballs that need to be completed.

Basketball games every single night.

Gracie's Oompa Loompa practice and

a 5th grade Christmas concert that her Stingers group is singing in.

I haven't found a mother of three who isn't busy, but it's sometimes overwhelming.

On the go, go, go!

Bad blogger......bad, bad, bad!!!!!

I've let myself get so far behind, that I'm hitting a creative wall.  I've stopped taking pictures, I've stopped looking at other blogs.  Hence, I've been a little inactive here lately.   So, this post is my meager attempt to catch up.

I consider this little blog a record of our family events.  It is nice that friends and family can view it, but honestly, I would probably still do this even if they couldn't.  My goal isn't to have thousands of followers.  It's to be able to remember!  Friends, something happened at 30 years of age to my brain.  It no longer recalls things as easily.  I do remember having three children and a husband.  Maybe a dog or two.  

Possibly a cat..........or three cats.  Who knows?

In the past couple weeks I have sat through countless basketball games.  

I've ordered a few Christmas gifts (though not nearly enough).  

I've decorated the house for the holidays.

  

I've cleaned my scrapbook room (which was a huge, huge feat!). 

Remember Buddy?  Our little elf who visits the house the day after Thanksgiving through Christmas eve.  As we hoped, he was waiting for us when we returned home from black Friday shopping.  With a nice note, no less.  

This year, Buddy brought a helper.  Her name is Bridgette.  We are noticing that having Bridgette help him has gotten him into more messes.  

A toilet paper mess with a toilet paper roll crown.

And a paper trail from the bathroom to his location on the dining room buffet.

Ian's sock drawer

A bowl of milk chocolate chips in the kitchen.

And milk chocolate faces!

A horseback ride through the mess in Gracie's room!

A science experiment in the hall bathroom with food coloring.

Yes, toilet water CAN be turned a nice shade of Christmas green.

Then a game of cards with a few friends.

I will try to keep you up to speed on his where-abouts from time to time.  He has a Facebook page if you care to send a request.  It's Buddy the Elf, in case you're wondering.

Well, we are off to another basketball game in St. Joe, MO.  Ryan had an injury in his very first Varsity game.  So this is his big RETURN!  Hopefully (praying hard), he doesn't get hurt again.  This momma cannot take it when her babies are hurting!  

Oompa Loompa

My sweet little angel got a part in the upcoming city production of

"Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"!

She's going to be an Oompa Loompa

I've always wanted to have an Oompa Loompa in the family.

There will be countless practices and rehearsals before the February 

I'm thinking our lil' Smith has finally found her nitch.

Ian kicked off our basketball season.  They played against the Brookfield Bulldogs, Rick's alma mater.  This means that we sat with the enemy (namely cousins and a Aunt and Uncle) who are still residing there.  

I'm a little sad that we weren't able to pull out a win but Ian played well, and for that, I'm pleased.

He scored 8 points and played nearly the entire game.  GOOOOOO Ian!

I have lots more to catch you up on, but not a lot of time.  Hopefully I can get to that this week.  

Puss in Boots (Gracie Style)

My dear sweet barn kittens have been reduced to dress-up dolls for my daughter and her friends.

I intended for them to catch unwanted barn critters.  

Their intentions were somewhat different.

They have had a small taste of heating and air conditioning and decided that was the life for them.

I'm positive that this WAS NOT what they had in mind!

It seems like a perfect math equation........

kitty cats + American Girl doll clothes + two 10 year old girls = DRESS UP!!!!!

Our ever loyal felines took one for the team and allowed this humiliation upon themselves.

Landing on all fours seemed to be a little difficult with chaps and a tube top.

Please pardon the tail.  It's a little tricky managing to keep your dignity in this position.

Yup, the tail is still there people!!!!

Does the song, "These Boots Were Made For Walking", come to mind?

Would you believe that these kitties purred the entire time this was happening? 

It takes the story, "Puss in Boots" to a whole new level, doesn't it?

I am thankful that Mouser #1 and Mouser #2 are finally serving a purpose around Rocky Ridge Farm.  It isn't really what I had in mind, but it'll do I suppose.  From now on, I will never be able to purchase doll clothing without thinking of our kitties.