Christmas Parade

Crossville Christian School is the very small private school the kids attend two days a week. However, the parents, grandparents and faculty did an outstanding job on the lighted Christmas parade float!!!! Our family contributed in small ways, and Papa supplied the flat bed trailer. The trailer is not even visualized, it is beneath "The Polar Express!" I give many praises to the people who made the float, hours of labor went into this project! Their efforts certainly did not go unnoticed! In a small school it takes so many behind the scenes.   The kids were very cold during the parade, but many waves and cheers later they were happy to participate!  But the music and actors on the train helped entertain our passengers. Guess what??? "The Polar Express" won the BEST OVERALL float of the parade! We are very thankful to those who constructed and contributed to the school float!!! Merry Christmas, and what great advertisement to the community for the school!

 Riding in their first parade, on the school float!

Christmas Carols

The kids have practiced singing Christmas carols at school. The school and parents took the children to a nursing home and assisted living facility to share the JOY of Christmas. All the kids did really well, and the residents had many smiles for the children. Our hearts are so thankul for our health and family.

Ms Wildman is a friend of ours! Her daughter and son-in-law have been our friends since we moved to Crossville. Ms Wildman is a treasured client at the vet clinic, and a prayer warrior for the boys while they were in NICU. Recenty Ms Wildman had a stroke, and also is undergoing chemo. We adore her sweet spirit, and find it OUR blessing to go visit her. Jayne Elizabeth sat by her during caroling, and we also went back to visit her on Christmas Eve!

Wrapping packages! The kids have enjoyed coloring on the big boxes to decorate packages, and using lots of strips of paper and massive amounts of tape to cover the packages! It is a great way to spend time indoors, and the kids are so proud!!! The boys have a little longer attention span, Jayne Elizabeth will lose interest and go about her own way...

Cookies, again!

The kids have made so many Christmas cookies! This night it was Rudolph cookies for the school party!

Tis the Season

Johnathan and Joseph had their first performance on stage at our church! Both boys are in KIMM, the kids music ministry! They have practiced dilligently, and were ready to play handbells! On stage they seemed to forget all the rules that they have been telling us!! Joseph bossed Johnathan each time he would see his color card, and then both boys were VERY eager to shake,rattle,roll the handbells! Quite opposite from the instructions they have been giving us about how to hold the bells, and only gentle use your wrist. It was laugh out loud funny to see them. During the week we had many comments about the boys performance! I was a little disappointed at first, but now see the humor in Johnathan and Joseph's sit to stand on stage, and vigorous handbells! All done simutaneously I may add! I love these twin boys!

Joseph intructing and making sure Johnathan didnt miss his turn!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

We enjoyed a Thanksgiving at the farm. The kids were really interested in what we were going to have to eat. The word of the week at school was "cornucopia." The boys would say "mommy, do you want to hear a big word?" Then proceed with different announciations of "cornucopia." The big event of the day for Johnathan and Joseph was helping Papa carve the turkey. Papa allowed extra time, despite having others wait, to allow the boys to help carve the turkey! They thought this was grand! Jayne Elizabeth did not nap, and was a happy girl through the day, AND the entire night for Black Friday Eve shopping. She is definitely my daughter!

Papa and the boys with the turkey!

 Uncle Clay showed the boys how to grab a drum stick and eat!! Johnathan learned fast :)

 Granna and Joseph, he is so thankful for her!

Aunt Anne and her sweet brother :)

Sweet baby girl, Jayne Elizabeth!!

 Aunt Justina and Jayne Elizabeth ( with little baby Holmes too! )

Drip, drip, drip........

 The flood of Thanksgiving 2011 happened in our home. The Monday before Thanksgiving we began the "water restoration" process. A pipe in between the upstairs bathroom walls busted, and proceeded to push 12 gallons/minute down our walls. As Anthony finished his shower and  entered our downstairs master closet  is when he found the water dripping down to the already soggy first floor carpet! After calling insurance contacts, the out of town crew arrived with 9 large dryer/humidfiers, and began the ripping out of flooring. We were moved out to an apartment for the week, until we had plumbing! We are still living with one working toilet, that is on subflooring. The family is nice and snug in our upstairs! The remodel will be long, but I do see nice tile and wood floors in our distant future!

Our master bedroom, carpet gone and closet moved out

 Joseph inspecting his bathroom dehumidifier, this is our current bathroom

 Our master bathroom, yes that is a toilet in the tub

In our apartment we did lots of reading and puzzles!!!!

 With no washer/dryer for weeks clean pants were tough to find. Thankful for sweet neighbors who help do laundry on Thanksgiving day so your kids will have clothes! Thanks Becky!