Country Christmas Train

December 3, 2011, Saturday - We discovered a place about 45 minutes from here. This is their 3rd annual season and they have a great website. We decided to take a chance & check them out. Country Christmas Train. Wow - what a place. We arrived right after they opened and explored the pretty buildings with lights. Then we headed for the train ride. After a short wait we boarded the railroad (beautiful wooden interior). The kids first train ride except for the steam locomotive at Dollywood. We enjoyed the ride, seeing the lights and watching a Nativity movie. Then we enjoyed yummy food, marshmallows, warm outside fire & watched gingerbread cookies being made. Then we got in line to see SANTA. After 1 hour we were finally inside to see Mr. and Mrs. Claus. The kids talked to Santa and smiled great for pictures. Chad and I even got our picture made too. We had a wonderful time. What a great family activity to start December off with.

Spice Ornaments

November 28, 2011, Monday - The kids made No-Bake Spiced Dough Christmas Ornaments this afternoon. And WOW, they smell so good. Nathan was super excited to get his hands on the ooey gooey dough. It looked like mud. Brittany decided to let Nathan do the mixing. They had fun pressing out reindeer, Santa, stars, snowmen, and Christmas trees. This craft was super fun and super easy! I have always wanted to do this with the kids ever since Tona took a bit out of Brittany's ornament she made in Kindergarten.

Bowling and Pizza

November 26, 2011, Saturday - We went bowling with the cousins! The kids (and adults) had a lot of fun bowling this afternoon. Then we headed to CiCi's Pizza for dinner. Our bellies are full and the kids have prizes (love the quarter machines).

Happy Thanksgiving

November 24, 2011, Thursday - Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We spent the day with my relatives in the mountains. Some outdoor fun for the kids, then a delicious Thanksgiving meal that everyone contributed to. Packer football was on the TV and the women looked through all 54+ fliers and devised a Black Friday (oh, not this year, late Thanksgiving night) game plan.

Later we celebrated Cory's Ph.D. graduation in Sept. in Holland with a quiz, cake, stories and pictures. Congratulations Doctor Cory.
Beautiful lanterns were set on fire and let go...into the mountain hillside. What a neat sight to see and experience.

Turkey Placemats

November 22, 2011, Tuesday - The kids are making a placemat for Thanksgiving. They used their handprint as the body and then we cut out feathers from scrapbook paper. Then they used Thanksgiving stickers and decorated it. Then I laminated them so that they will be a permanent craft to treasure for along time. They turned out so cute!

Operation Christmas Child

November 19, 2011 Saturday - Brittany and Nathan packed their shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child through Samaritan's Purse. We are having the boxes dedicated tomorrow at church. We pay for the shipping online & then can track where the boxes go. (Update 12-21-11...one box was delivered to Botswana and one to Colombia). The kids had a lot of fun going to the Dollar Tree and picking out toys and personal items for the children.

4th Grade Program

November 17, 2011, Thursday - Tonight the 4th Grade had a program titled "Child of the World". Brittany had a speaking part and did very well. The whole program was terrific. They amaze me how they can memorize so much. Awesome job!

Happy Veteran's Day

November 11, 2011, Friday - The kids had off today for Veteran's Day. We decided to go on a leaf hunt. The trees are still so beautiful from the changing leaves. We had a lot of fun finding neat leaves. We ended up at the Guilford Court House Military Park. This is the site of a battle on 3-15-1781 in the Revolutionary War.

Thank you to all the military who have fought in the past, present and future for America and for the freedoms we have today. Happy Veteran's Day!