Ten on Tuesday

Okay following Michelle's lead, I am going to try to list the ten things I am most looking forward to in the holidays...you will note that most of them have to do with Christmas. It is my favorite time of the year. I just love everything about the true meaning of Christmas.

(1) Hearing the Christmas story. I just love to have someone else read it. I love to read the Bible verses of the story with Hayden and also listen to teh pastor read it. Even listening to it told on the radio is special.

(2) Christmas carols. Truth be told, I listened to a Christmas CD on my way to Mom and Dad's today and then home.

(3) The food --yummmm, my mom's dressing is the BEST ever made. I promise!

(4) Having family together -- we spend lots of time together throughout the year but being together on Christmas is ALWAYS special.

(5) Wrapping gifts and being finished before the middle of December. Yep, it is a game between my sister and me. In fact, she called and left me a mesage last week which went something like..."I bought a Christmas present tonight so....it's on!!"

(6) Watching Hayden open gifts -- it does not matter what the gift is. He loves opening and is always so gracious. Mommaw told him the other day she was going to get him clothes (oh my) and he said that is okay Mommaw, I will like them and they will be cool.

(7) Decorating the trees - yep I said trees. We have the one in the den that Santa leaves gifts under and then we have a silver one for the front living room. It is small but reminds me so much of Christmases past and my grandparents. I LOVE LOVE watching Hayden decorate this tree. For the last three or so years, this has been his tree and he gets to decorate it any way he wants. Usually the ornaments are all bunched together and it is a little bit hard for me to handle that but it is HIS tree and our memories so it is okay!!

(8) No school for a long period of time - there is just nothing like no worrying about cards, homework, reading ... we get two weeks of blissful time of not having to talk about whether "we" pulled a card at school.

(9) A fire in the fireplace -- around the holidays is when we start having fires in the fireplace. Hayden loves to meet me at the door when I get home from work to tell me "he" started me a fire. :-)

(10) Christmas Eve services -- we love these. I love the carols, the Bible verses and seeing so many families together!!

I hope you all have special family moments and togetherness during the holidays too!!

Enjoying God's Gifts on God's Day

Today after church, Hayden and I went to the park for him to scooter and play. What a glorious day to be outside and enjoying all the wonder of nature that God has given us. While enjoying the sunshine, I also got to enjoy special time with Hayden. He is truly such a gift from the Lord for Harold and me! I hope you took some time out in your day to enjoy all the wonders of our world and all the gifts God has given to us!! Thinking about scootering

Thinking about the water....not so sure about sitting right there....

Still scootering...

King of the world....

Such sweetness...

Going down the nature trail...it was a bit cool in the shade but so nice to just walk in the quietness and enjoy our time....

Final picture of the day

Worth the Winning Bid!

At the Fall Festival last month at Hayden's school, some of us Moms got in a bit of a bidding war over a silent auction item. The item was a trip to a Pumpkin Patch with two of the second grade teachers. Hayden wanted Mom to keep bidding on this item, because he wanted to take the trip with Mrs. Faith. As the bidding got a bit intense, the decision was made that the two "teams" of Moms who were bidding would just let their kids all go together with the teachers. (I had my name on there last just in case there was any question later --)

Well the kids did not get to go to a Pumpkin Patch because of various scheduling difficulties. The teachers chose to take them to the Big Dam Bridge and Murray Park. It was today and it was worth the high bid!

I went along to take some photos and I am sure glad I did.
Mary Charles
John Henry
RebeccaEvan
Drew
Getting instructions before heading over the bridge....Starting up the bridge...
What a cutie....can you just see the swagger in the step even in a still photo?
Still going......
Mrs. Faith's crew on the other side of the bridge
With Mrs. FaithMrs. Glover's crew...coming back up the bridge
Patiently waiting to go to the park....Getting snacks....And well what do we do when we get in a park???We play baseball - of course.
Hope your Saturday was as much fun as ours.

Flashback Friday

Hayden...... Nancie

Sammie a/k/a Mommaw

See any family resemblance?

A Boy and His Poppaw

As I was searching for my sixth photo for posting earlier in the week, I saw these photos of Hayden and Poppaw from November 2004. It is so hard to believe these photos were taken 4 years ago and that our little buddy was just 3 years old! He and his Poppaw are just as close (if not closer) now than they were even then.

I bet Poppaw would not want to pick Hayden up to give Shakey a peppermint these days. :-)Riding Shakey in the early evening hours....
Checking out the deer stand....

Walking at the farm....

Coming out of the barn...after exploring...and feeding Shakey....

Just loving Poppaw.....

Wordless Wednesday

Oh how I miss those chubby little 3 year old cheeks......

I guess they cannot stay little forever......

Sixth Picture

When I saw this on Michelle's blog, you know I had to do it too. HA

Here is what you are supposed to do:

1. Open your picture folder.

2. Go to the sixth folder.

3. Open the sixth picture.

4. Import into your blog and tell the story.

Here is the sixth picture (of my picture folder on the computer at work)...

This picture was taken the last weekend of games at Ray Winder. In fact, this picture itself was taken on the last day of the last Travelers game played at Ray Winder. Hayden was absolutely adament that he was wearing his Angels uniform for this game. He was all ready to go. He spent as much time on the field before the game as "his" Travs did. It was a wonderful time for all of us, bittersweet but wonderful. Memories that none of our baseball family will ever fit. (By the way this is also the day that Hayden won the last mascot race ever held at Ray Winder!)