We had dinner with neal's parents and siblings last night. Good times! This is a picture of the grandchildren and grandparents. I love it! Especially the pudginess in front. We had delicious ham and gourmet potatoes. Yummy! And my kiddos we're quite blessed by everyone =) 
Here are all the cousins. Only six? Looks like we have some work to do, adding more to the family!
As I was finshing up my photo shoot. I caught aliana looking at ornaments on the tree. And then when I downloaded them on my computer I couldn't get over how much she really looks like my mom. Michael and Rob have been telling me that lately, but I guess I needed to see it.
It is the hair. I am constantly trying to do something with it, but tonight, I felt at peace about just letting it go. She has my mom's hair and the stubborness. The fighting power to accomplish anything! She's been so hard to train up right now. I needed tonight to make me sit back and reflect on feelings and emotions. Get it out and then get back to raising her up to be strong, just like my mom would have wanted! It was quite a refresher.
I took more pics tonight and I thought it took a lot of work, but as I review them, the kids did pretty good. And I ended up getting some fun one's.
"It's a very stressful thing having so many pictures taken of you!"
Being Silly
I know it's blurry but I love the laughs.
Look at these mischevious looks!
Grumpy Girl!
I love this pic (even after round 2) but my very wise picture taking friend agreed it was too blurry to share with everyone.
This is a close up of the horns.
The proud hunters and their kill!
I can't believe that she was willing to do this, but she wanted right up there in between them. On one side she's holding onto the deer's tounge.
My Boy in his glory!
No that is not a typo. I have a 3 1/2 year old who is going through a very literal stage right now. And you just cannot tell him any other way. I try to correct him, and he just won't have it. So we did not make a "Gingerbread House" (well we did, just don't tell rowan that) we made a "GingerBoy House." It was a lot more fun then I thought it was going to be, I was worried about the mess, but it wasn't to bad. The sugar high 2 hours afterwards was crazy but just in time for naps!
I really wish I would have taken more pics. I think I say that every time! The friday after thanksgiving, the kids and I walked down the road to get a christmas tree. I pulled them in the wagon. We picked out the one we like, (I was more the desicion maker). I put it up on the table and the guy say's "Your husband is coming back to pick this up in his truck right?" I looked at him with confusion, "What do you think I brought the wagon for?" (I didn't say this) I pulled it through the netter (don't laugh too hard T) and told him I'll just put it in the wagon right here. And started to move it, he held onto it. I guess he didn't believe me or he wasn't wanting to let me!? Anyway I pulled our christmas tree home in the wagon while aliana screamed at it the whole way home because she wanted to sit in the wagon, and well, obviously she couldn't. But R was a huge help as he has been into lately! And so he wanted to decorate the tree, and so I let him! Here it is, isn't she a beauty? I am really starting to find it quite humerous these christmas tree stories every year.
On Friday Nov. 28th Neal lost his great grandma. She was just 2 weeks shy of her 97th birthday. It was a hard week for us. Trying to juggle visits and the emotions. But through it all Olive never complained. She would tell us over and over that she can't walk anymore and hardly see things, but she can close her eyes and visit all the places she traveled. She did a lot of traveling! She kept telling us she wanted to go home (heaven) and we wanted that so much for her too. But for some reason she just hung on. I think the family needed to release and be at peace with it. I think they are there. I spent a lot of time with her more so in her last few days then ever. And I am so grateful for that. See I never grew up with extended family (aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents) I only ever knew one grandma. I would sit in there and talk to Olive and tell her how grateful I was for her and that my kids not only had a grandma but a great, great grandma, how awesome is that! Thanked her for doing such an amazing job of bringing up such a hard working, and disciplined family. She truly was the "Root" of this family. She will be missed but I am so rejoicing with her, as she has gotten to meet her maker!
I explained all of this to Rowan and he is just so amazing at how he has taken all this "Big" stuff in. He was so serious and yet never afraid. I love his child-like faith, that helped us through the week.
