Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve

 We had a wonderful Christmas Eve Service at HBC.

 The three girls did a special together and Emily sang a solo as well.  They did so good.

 We came home and Daddy read "The Legend of the Christmas Stocking" to the kids by the Christmas tree while Mommy tried to slam a football and basketball into the boys' stockings.  (Just couldn't get the basketball in there.)

 The kids were so excited to open their stockings.

Here they are wearing their new Christmas pjs.

Then it was off to bed!

The Fantastic Five Frank Kids

I took some family pictures yesterday for our Christmas cards.

I'm not sharing the one we are using but thought I would share these ones of the kids.

These are some fantastic kids.

Decoratin' Our Gingerbread Men

 The kids have been waiting (not very patiently) to decorate their gingerbread men.  We finally got them out the other night.

 Bowen was excited to see all that candy and frosting.  He didn't make his own.  He just supervised.

 Rylan got the most "candied up" award.

 Alaina's won the "most fun with frosting" award.

 Lila's was voted the cutest "girl gingerbread man".

 Emily's received a neatness award.  It was very neat!

And then it was time to chow down.

Rylan Lost a Tooth!

Rylan lost his first tooth yesterday.  Here is his new smile.

Snow Day!!!

Last Friday was a snow day for the kids.

 They were so excited!

We have a fine collection of sleds now so they were put to good use.  

Our front yard makes a great sledding hill.  Now we just need a rope tow.

Bowen was pretty excited to see all that snow coming down when he woke up Friday morning.

So was Lila. Lucy was glad too. 

She was happy to have all the kids out playing in the yard again.

Baby Chicks

 We were invited over to a friend's house the other day to see some new baby chicks.

 Aren't they sweet?

 The kids had to work at catching them because the mother hen was pretty protective of her little ones.

A Walk at the River

 Veteran's Day turned out to be a fine day to eat lunch by the river.

 It was sunny and beautiful.

 We took a short walk after lunch to further enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. . .

then rode home "country style".

Happy Birthday Sweet Alaina!

 11 candles on that cake!!

 Had lots of Halloween candy to decorate that SWEET cake with.  Alaina liked it.

The 2014 Guinness Book of World Records book we found at Costco sucked everyone in after cake and ice cream.  There are some amazing and crazy things people do to get in that book.  Alaina has done some crazy stuff in her 11 years, but thankfully nothing that crazy.  We love you, Alaina!!

Happy Halloween!

 Here are our little trick-or-treaters!

 So excited to go out and beg for candy!

The girls looking gorgeous.

 Emily went off trick-or-treating with her friends so this is the only picture I got of her.  She was a cowgirl.

 These guys were jumping for joy when it was finally time to head out.

 They were trying to get their littlest brother to jump with them, but he wasn't cooperating.

 But then he gave in.  Happy Halloween y'all!

Bread Making and Baking

As part of Emily's home school this year I am doing a Home Economics class with her.  I've never made bread from scratch so for the bread section I had to have some help.  I asked one of the ladies from church (known for her excellent baking) if she would show us how to make bread.  She invited us over and Emily made five loaves of delicious bread.  

My dad has gotten to be a really good bread baker too.  We will have to ask him for a lesson next - after we finish eating all five of these loaves!

Then and Now

 Awwwww . . . look at those cute girls.  That is September 2005 when we first visited this area before moving here.

 We've been to this park several times since then, but it wasn't until earlier this year that I thought of taking another picture on the same bench.

 I had Lila sit on the wrong side, but close enough, eh?  The bench looks a little more weathered too.

 And look!  Eight years later their feet touch the ground.

 Had to get one of the boys too.

And the whole crew.

Pumpkin Carving Time!

So . . . the picture is a little dark, but it shows what a great job these kids did on their pumpkins.