HELLO MR. TURKEY, HOW ARE YOU (CLAP, CLAP)???

Our Thanksgiving holidays started on Monday at Macy's school. They had a Thanksgiving Feast for all of the families. It was great to see her class perform some Thanksgiving songs...which I really wish I could post a video on here(not blog savvy enough!). Those lil' ones singing those cute songs was absolutely precious. My favorite is sung to the tune of "If you're happy and you know it..." like to hear it? HERE IT GOES!!!!

HELLO MR TURKEY HOW ARE YOU?

HELLO MR TURKEY HOW ARE YOU?

WITH A GOBBLE, GOBBLE, GOBBLE

AND A WOBBLE, WOBBLE, WOBBLE

HELLO MR TURKEY HOW ARE YOU?

FROM THERE, WE PACKED UP OUR STUFF AND HEADED SOUTH TO THE GEORGIA/ALABAMA BORDER. THE FLA LAKES WERE COMING UP AS WELL, AND WE COULDN'T WAIT!!! WE STAYED AT MY DAD'S AND AT THE KEMPFFER'S WHILE THERE AND REALLY APPRECIATE THEM ALL! WE HAD A GREAT TIME AND ARE SUPER THANKFUL FOR OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!!

THANKSGIVING DAY WAS THE USUAL....BIG MEAL/GOLFCART RIDE! NOTHING BETTER THAN SOME GOOD OL' EXERCISE AFTER EATING TRIPLE YOUR DAILY CALORIES IN ONE SITTING, EH?! MACY ACTUALLY LOVES THIS THING, SO RYAN TALKED HAYDEN INTO GETTING IT OUT...THANKS UNCLE HAYDEN FOR THE RIDE!

AFTER THE FOOD SETTLED, WE ALL GOT IN THE BACK FOR SOME TOUCH/PUSH/TACKLE FOOTBALL. EVERYONE'S CONCEPT DIFFERED BUT WE HAD A GREAT TIME. IT TURNED INTO ADULTS KEEP AWAY FROM THE YOUNGUNS, UNTIL HAYDEN CLOTHESLINED NOAH AND KNOCKED THE BREATH OUT OF HIM-BOOOOO!


PRETTY LIL' THINGS GETTING DIRTY!!!

TREY TREY'S TAKE ON FOOTBALL.....

THAT FRIDAY WE ALL HEADED TO THE SNAKEPIT FOR SOME COTTONMOUTH HOCKEY AND VISITING. I DID ALL THE VISITING AND RYAN WATCHED ALL THE HOCKEY....SEE BELOW WHERE RYAN STAYED THE WHOLE GAME (LOOK BY THE SPRINT SIGN)!

G-DADDY AND THE KIDS!!!!

HORSEY RIDE ON RYAN'S BACK...


ONCE AT THE KEMPFFER'S MACY GOT SOME GOOD OL' BEE/SAMMER TIME (AS SHE CALLED IT)! THEY REALLY HAD FUN DRESSING UP, DOING PUZZLES, JUMPING ON THE TRAMPOLINE (HMMMMMM) AND JUST BEING WILD! THEY GOT INTO BEN AND SAM'S DRESSUP STUFF AND PLAYED SUPERHERO'S. MACY SAID SHE WAS SUPERGIRL HERE....LOOK AT MY BIG NUSCLES, SHE SAYS! (YES, WITH AN "N"-NUSCLES)

SUPER HEROES POSE FOR THE PAPARAZZI!!!!

THE GIRLS POSING BEFORE THE ACADEMY AWARDS.....

ONCE AGAIN...WE REALLY HAD SUCH A GREAT TIME WITH ALL OF OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AND LOOK FORWARD TO GOING BACK IN 5 WEEKS! YUP...5 MORE WEEKS AND WE'LL BE HEADING SOUTH AGAIN!

~RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL~

THERE IS AN ANNUAL RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL IN CONCORD, NC WHICH IS WHERE THE RACE IS LOCATED ABOUT 30 MINS NORTH OF US. IT WAS OUR FAMILY'S FIRST RENAISSANCE ANYTHING, SO WE HAD NO CLUE WHAT TO EXPECT. I GUESS WE EXPECTED PEOPLE DRESSING UP, ROLE PLAYING, SWORD FIGHTING AND FOLKS WALKING AROUND EATING BIG CHICKEN DRUMSTICK. WE DID SEE ALL THE ABOVE, BUT WE SAW A WHOLE LOT MORE! ONCE WE WALKED THROUGH THE MEDIVAL GATES, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE SAW WAS ONE OF THOSE WHITE PLASTIC FIGHTER GUYS FROM STAR WARS?!?! IN A SKIRT?!?! IT WAS REFRESHING TO LEARN THIS IS WHERE STAR WARS ALL STARTED-PHEW!!!! UNFORTUNATELY, I WASN'T CAMERA READY AT THAT TIME.

FIRST THINGS FIRST....MACY GOT A UNICORN "PROFESSIONALLY" PAINTED ON HER CHEEKY!


PIRATE SHIP RIDE

CAMEL TREK WITH MR. MAGOO!!! THIS WAS GOOD/NO SPITTING

FAIRY BUTTERFLY RIDE

MACY AND DADDY WATCHING THE JOUSTING....

NOW....THIS POOR FELLA SAT ON THE GROUND FOR HOURS WHACKING AWAY AT HIS HEAD WITH A PAN?!?! FOR MONEY!!!! ONCE SOMEONE PUT SOMETHING ON HIS PLATE HE WOULD HONK AN OL' BRASS HORN THROUGH HIS NOSE. AND THEN HE'D START WHACKING AGAIN UNTIL SOMEONE GAVE HIM MORE COINS??? CAN ANYONE TELL ME IF THIS IS WHERE THEY GOT THE TERM "PAN HANDLING" FROM? HE SURE WAS HANDLING HIS PANS WELL!!!

FARE THEE WELL FESTIVAL!!!

FINISHING UP OCTOBER....

SNOW WHITE

THE CRIMIN'S HAD A PUMPKIN PARTY THE SATURDAY BEFORE HALLOWEEN FOR THE KIDS. EVERYONE HAD A GREAT TIME DRESSING UP, PLAYING GAMES, AND CARVING PUNKINS....

DADDIES DOING ALL THE CARVING....

LOOKS LIKE A COMPETITION HERE, HUH?

JOGGING OFF SOME OF THE COOKIES AND CUPCAKES...

NOW, THIS IS HALLOWEEN NIGHT...AND YES, MACY HAS A DIFFERENT COSTUME ON~

IF YA'LL KNOW MACY, YA'LL KNOW SHE LOVES THE CARE BEARS!!! I DIDN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT PUTTING A CAREBEAR INTO THE COSTUME EQUATION!!! IT DAWNED ON ME A WEEK PRIOR AND LOW AND BEHOLD, THE HARMONY BEAR COSTUME WAS $10 AT TARGET....SCORE!!!! MACY'S JOY ABOUT THE HARMONY SUIT WAS WELL WORTH THE EXTRA DOUGH SPENT!!! AND SHE WAS NICE AND TOASTY WHILE SHE WAS TRICK OR TREATING....

MACY AND KATARINA HEADING OUT...

MACY DID NOT LIKE THE IDEA OF POSING FOR SOME PICS...THERE WAS TOO MUCH CANDY TO BE TRICKED AND TREATED???

LAST SHOT BEFORE THE DAD'S TAKE THE GIRLS...

WHAT IS THIS?!?!

CAN YOU GUESS WHAT THE ICKY MESS IS??? (SCROLL DOWN FOR ANSWER!!)





















WHY, IT'S A JUMBO HALLOWEEN COOKIE OF COURSE!!! I THOUGHT IT WAS SUCH AN UNSIGHTLY MESS, I HAD TO BLOG ABOUT IT!!!

NEEDLESS TO SAY, MACY AND I HAD FUN COOKING TOGETHER....HER JOB WAS PUTTING THE GUMMY WORMS AND SPIDERS IN PLACE!

TA-DAH!!!! GOOEY GUNKY ANYONE?!?!

A DAY AT THE PUNKIN' PATCH!

I was thrilled to hear of a pumpkin patch once October rolled around, and painted my own picture of what would be involved. I was thinking hayride, hot cider or cocoa (and obviously I was thinking cooler weather-ha fat chance!) I imagined bundling up and picking out that perfect pumpkin to take home and carve! I guess I was mixing up the warm feeling of Xmas tree shopping with pumpkin shopping?! We went to Hunter's Farm to partake in this fun I plotted in my own head, but we ended up learning the difference between a dairy and a beef cow AND we rode in a covered wagon pulled behind a tractor that Ryan and I overheard the farmhands saying was losing it's brakes ?! NOW THAT'S A PUNKIN PATCH FOR YA!!! I am not bellyaching too terribly bad, but I have to share the humor in that day. We did end up going to the petting farm part, which was lots of fun. But once again, like my last post, it was extremely hot. Just didn't seem right. Once the tractor ride was over, we picked out a few punkins and scrammed! WAITING FOR THE COVERED WAGON TO PICK US UP WE GOT A FEW PHOTO OPS!!

THIS IS THE PETTING ZOO PART....NO SMILE RYAN?!

STILL NO GIGGLE OR ANYTHING....

ONE MORE TO MAKE MY POINT STRONGER....

FINALLY!!! A SMILE! I KNOW THIS HAS A BAD GLARE, BUT WE NEVER GET ALL 3 IN!!

This Halloween, I was thinking about doing a nice pot o'chili- once again, getting that warm feeling??? I was hoping I could get some recipes out of this. Nana-I never write down yours since I am usually calling you from an aisle of the grocery store..... so I will definitely need it please! And I'd love some pointers or tips or secret ingredients from anyone and everyone else!!! PS....IT JUST RAINED HERE FOR 15 MINS STRAIGHT-CAN I GET AN AMEN!!!!

FIRST DAY OF PRE-SCHOOL!!!

Macy officially started "pre-school" this September! I know she went last year and this summer, but that was "mother's day out" and now she is OFFICIAL!

YIPPEE!!!!

She was thrilled -see above photo- to get into her new classroom. She went from 4 classmates to 14 so it is a big step. I think last year she kinda ran the show since she was the only girl in the class. This year, Macy has a run for her money! I have already been told the girls have lil' catfights over who's the princess, or even who is the bigger princess! Where does she get this competitive nature from!?!? Any takers???

IT'S FESTIVAL TIME!!!

We went to a festival in Matthews, NC(10 mins from our house) about 2 months ago. Yes, I just now downloaded these photos. And I am making an honest attempt to get back on track with blogging and posting-so no harassing please! Anyhow, there were plenty of kiddie rides, games, cheap prizes, lots of fried foods, mean carnies, and great lemonade. It was hotter than _(insert something really, really hot here!) but we still managed to enjoy ourselves. We sweated a couple lbs off, got ripped off and drank really good lemonade~what's not to enjoy about that?!?

This was my favorite part....can you tell? Macy and I did the slide last year, and I want to compare the photos, but can't get my hands on the other one. I will put that on my "to do" list this week. And hopefully I'll have some fun comparison shots for your viewing pleasure!

Macy and Katarina

Macy and Ryan on the merry-go-round!

MORE CANADA FUN!!!

Cousins and spouses.....

The Big Finn Magic Show....thanks Tim!!!

Macy is turning down beer because.....

A. She has had enough

B. Canadian beer is too strong

C. Draft beer gives you a headache

D. she is only 3 yrs old!!!

Jaime Dayle and Auntie Elsa

Auntie Char and baby Peyton

Proud Godparents with baby Peyton!!

Great picture of the cousins!

PEACE AT PANACHE!!

LAKE PANACHE!!!!

After all of the wedding fun, we got to head to the cottage for a couple days of R&R. It was absolutley wonderful as always. The peacefulness of the great outdoors is consuming in such great ways. There are lots of traditions that take place out there as well. The sauna, the songs, the fishing, the outhouse, the moonlight, the loons, the canoe rides, the tubing, the bocci tournaments, the great bbq, and now......there is running water?!?!? No indoor plumbing(if you know what I mean) but I heard that was in the works for Summer 2008!

This is how we bathe all the babies, in the coppertub, which has been around forever. Macy wasn't too big on jumping in the water since it was so cold. Even after after a good sweat in the sauna wouldn't convince her. But she sure enjoyed being in the "tub". A little small now, but it got the job done!

Macy's outhouse.....

And the moment you have all been waiting for...........

Yes, this is my "favorite" part of the cottage.

Actually, I know you all have heard my horror stories and dreadfulness of the outhouse. And of course, Ryan had to catch it on film?! Thanks honey! Not a great shot, but I found it necessary to post so you can get a better understanding. Well, Elsa, if you don't want it on film, why don't you just close the door you say????

HECK NO!!!! I STILL HAVE TO HAVE THE DOOR OPEN AT ALL TIMES IN THERE...

call me a rookie, but that is how I roll!!!

Thanks Mumo and Pappa for a wonderful time!!!!

I know what a great shot to add after the potty shots, but I needed to lighten the mood back up!

Ti Ti and the kids!!!

Sauna lotay, sauna lotay...... (how does it go again Pappa?)

FISHING FOR THE LUNKER!!!!!
MACY'S FIRST FISH!!!!

This is not the lunker, Leanna, we were hoping for, but it'll do!!!!

SUCH GREAT MEMORIES MADE HERE!!!