Getting Ready for Santa

Emma modeling her cute hat that was crocheted by her Grammy.

Finally a look of joy and not annoyance!
Kids put in their requests with Santa

Emma in her cute outfit her Auntie Shannon sent.

Making Gingerbread cookies

Blessed

We were blessed to have family come to celebrate our little Emma's blessing.

She got to wear Aubree's blessing dress made by their Grammy and looked beautiful!

Races & Birthdays

The kids' school had their annual Harvest Run, where each grade runs a race, girls then boys. You can guess which child was super excited and which was completely annoyed.

Aubree came in 12 out of 75, 1st in her class, which is great, but she was obviously expecting to be 1st of all and was really upset.

Here she is sitting in her first position pouting.

Aubree & her coach.

Aubree & her friend Summer.

Karson was just glad to be done, we were glad he wasnt last, again. :)

Aubree had her 8th birthday this week. She was all about being "grown up" now.

Ryan and I spent 3 full days re-doing her room while her and Karson were at their dad's for the long weekend.

She has been asking for her room to be painted red for a couple years now.
Here is a picture that I remembered I should take to document the huge change, in the middle of the renovation.

She came home Sunday night and was super surprised and super happy! She loved it!
Here she is the next morning, her birthday.

I painted my old yellow dresser for her. Anyone that has stayed in our guest room or grew up with me knows this dresser! I hand painted all the green and it took forever, but turned out darling! The drawer pulls and knob have white polka dots. Super cute!

Last year Aubree had her Rainbow Lizard birthday cake forever memorialized at the bakery in their book to look through at cake ideas. We are thinking this year's will get in the book too!

She also had a surprise visit from Grandpa Leo, who surprised all of us by showing up at the house that night! He was in town for a conference and we all enjoyed his visit! He's the one holding Emma in this picture. :)

She got a gecko clock for her new bedroom, the tongue is a pendulum.

Karson would like one now.

The next day was my birthday, and the best news was the day before I thought I was going to be 38, then realized I was only going to be 37! So yeah for me!
Aubree colored a lovely birthday card as usual, but this part was hilarious. Look at the bottom where she throws her brother under the bus!

Me and Emma, who smiles all the time, just not for pictures!

Halloween

Karson has decided he will continue his silly shirts instead of costumes and NO trick or treating!
It's hard to be grown up at 10.

Cat Woman

Mommy & Baby Pumpkin

Kids & Michael

Jackson, Karson & Aubree's soon to be step-brother, came tricker treating with Aubree.

Visitors

Last week I surprised Aubree with a visit to the Reptile Expo at one of the casinos.

She of course was overjoyed at all the adorable lizards.

Some cute pictures of Emma with Aubree & Karson

First time meeting Grandma and Grandpa Miller and Grandma Mac.

Emma and her Daddy

Millers at the Miller Pumpkin Patch.

So I'm sure I'm not the only one that had to deal with a bully (7th grade, Natalie Etherington). In fact just last week at school was the week of respect, all about anti-bullying.

And we all hope that our own kids won't have to deal with the same crap we had to deal with, and that it will be better for them. I have especially worried about Karson, and have not been looking forward to him going to Jr. High next year, which is a horrible horrible place. He is already having anxiety about it and I have tried to be extra optimistic about it and hide my personal contempt about it.

So the kids came home a couple weeks ago very upset about some comments one particular boy made about their Mom. Ryan and I tried to explain that he doesn't even know me and that is something kids just say to be mean. But then the kids gave us a laundry list of all the mean things this kid has said and apparently done since last year. He rides the same bus and is at the same bus stop, so there is no avoiding him.

Karson's friend's parent actually went over to the kids house last year and talked to the parents about the really horrible things this kid was saying, which obviously did nothing.

So, rewind last week, Karson lost his glasses. Which is weird because he is very good about taking care of his things and keeping them in the exact same place. He said the zipper was open on his backpack on the specific pocket the glasses were in, and they were missing. He checked at home, at the bus stop, on the bus, at school, no where to be found. He was very upset.

So, Friday the kids get home and tell me that this bully kid somehow had his glasses and threw them down the storm drain at the end of the street.

Ryan and I were able to fish them out on Saturday, but I was SUPER mad! When and how did this specific child find his glasses? Anyone else think he took them from his backpack?? Me too.

So we will be making a trip to his parents house, just as soon as we both calm down cause right now I want to scream threats at them and Ryan called Jeff for "back-up".

On a non angry theme.....

Miss artist of the world did a lovely Halloween drawing and taped it (crooked)to the front door.

Karson has been practising holding Emma, even though she is "really heavy".

Aubree is helping feed her.

We all went their school's annual Harvest Festival on Friday night. This is Karson and his best friend Michael, and someone that has to be in every picture.