pirate day!!!!

Today is pirate day for the 1st graders!  A note was sent home about it before Thanksgiving, but I kind of forgot about it.  (I would remember and then forget, remember and then forget.)  So, Josiah came home yesterday and said, "Tomorrow is pirate day."  My first thought was ~What is he going to wear?  I have nothing for him, but a bandana for his head!  Well, I was wrong!!!  I got on the internet for costume ideas, and then went searching the closets!  We found him a complete outfit and I didn't have to buy anything!!!  Here's what we used:

~one red bandana (already had)

~a white button up shirt (a hand-me-down from a friend at church)

~gray sweatpants (given by Gigi, I think.  Also, online...they suggested cutting the pants in a jagged pattern, which we didn't do)

~black rubber rain boots (given by Aunt Donna...they belonged to Chris, I think.  Also worn on boot day a month ago.  These boots have come in handy!!!!!)

~Josiah's vest from the wedding.  It is inside out in the picture.  I cut off the tags that were sticking out

~a sash that I wear for our Passion Play in the spring

~the sword- he already had, but he didn't take it to school with him

 

Last night, I painted his face with a moustache, but he decided this morning that he didn't want it.  He looks great!  Who knew we had a pirate costume at home?!?!?! ARRRRRRRRRRR! 

Christmas Tree time

On Saturday, we put up our Christmas trees.  We have not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, but 5!!!!  Oh, my!!!  Yes, 5 Christmas trees in our house.  I got the blue and pink one last year after Christmas on clearance.  The kids LOVE them and were super excited to put them up and decorate.  Here are 4 out of the 5~

 

The boys' blue tree

 

Mercy's pink tree

 

and the Clemson tree from Gigi!

On Saturday we went to Lowes to get our tree.

 

We actually fit the tree into the van by moving Aedan to the front, putting down his seat, and then by lying the tree from the back along the side.

Mercy and Aedan holding hands.  Josiah peeking from the back:)

Josiah with his baby ornament from Mama.

Josiah and Mercy

Aedan with the walrus ornaments.  They love all the animal ornaments I bought or received when I was little.

hanging it on the tree

go girl

Aedan loves the marshmellow, chocolate, football ornament!  Lots of his favorite things!

Ryan and Mercy

The kids love to put ornaments on the top of the tree.

Josiah

Mercy with her first ornament.

Our 5th tree is a small green one with colored lights.  It is for our proclamation ornaments.  I'm sure it will be in an upcoming post:)

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving.  We were in Cookeville this year.  This was athe first time since our first year of marriage that we have been home on Thanksgiving.  It was a little weird.  Our day started waking up SUPER early.  I signed the boys up for a mile fun run, which started at 7:30 in the morning!  In past years they did the 5k first and then the fun run.  They switched it around this year!  The kids do fine getting up.  It was Ryan and I that had the thought of, "Why are we doing this???!!!"  We headed over to the YMCA, which is pretty close to our house.  I picked up their packets early, so we already had the shirts and numbers.  The shirts were SUPER nice; the dry material and long-sleeved.  Not bad for $5.  I was expecting just a T-shirt for the fun runners.  They looked great in their shirts:

 

A loud cannon started the race.  Ryan said that Josiah and Aedan had a better start then last time.  Off they went and Mercy and I moved closer to the finish line so we could see their times.  Here is Josiah at the finishing turn!  Looking good!  Josiah ran a new PR of 9:11!!!  I think that is completely AWESOME!!!!  I was hoping he'd go under 10 minutes, but was surprised when I saw him coming as early as I did!!!

Then, a little later came Ryan and Aedan!  Aedan also had a new PR!  He ran 10:29!!!  Shedding over a minute off his last time!! 

Josiah with his medal!

 

After the race: Looking good and tired!

So happy with their medals:

I know why we do this!!!  Why we got up at 6:30 and hurried everyone to get ready...the boys LOVE it!  Aedan even said later that day, "I know what sport I want to do when I am older.  I want to be a runner!"  Yes, he would do EVERY sport if he could!!!  I have superstars!!!!!!  Time to get online and find our next fun run!!!! woot!  woot!

Seth and Stacey

Congrats to Ryan's brother, Seth, and Stacey on their engagement! 

We are excited for them and for their wedding in June!

Josiah's book report

Okay, I know this little pumpkin looks a little sad with the paint peeling off, but I had to take a picture of it before I tossed it.  Josiah completed his first book report in October.  He was able to choose his own book, Little Monkey Lost.  He wrote about it and then decorated his pumpkin as the squirrel monkey who was the main character.  I think the monkey is quite cute, myself!  My favorite part is the tail:)

Another tooth!

(I forgot to mention in my last post that I did vote on Tuesday!  We drove back that day and I headed over to the school when we got back.  NO LINE!  NO WAIT!)

Josiah lost his 3rd tooth!!!!  He already has two more loose, too!!!!

Thanksgiving in Columbia

We had Thanksgiving dinner in Columbia.  The cousins came over to eat with us.  Josiah enjoyed quizzing all of them about wild animals!  He got a kick out of it!!!  Sooooooo excited and screaming!!!  They were so sweet to him to let him quiz them and go along with it.

 

The next day we went to the zoo!  I LOVE the zoo there.  It is just the perfect size!  (Although, I do miss the sea lions:)  The kids had a blast and the weather was perfect!  Here are some pictures:

Giraffe feeding time:

Check out this guy's tongue :)

I wonder what he thinks about...

Reunited!

On our way into Columbia, we stopped to meet up with Derrick, Danielle, Liam, and Amelia!  The kids had fun seeing each other and hanging out.  I have to say that Fudruckers has THE coolest drink dispensers I have EVER seen.  They are new and SO cool!  It is worth the trip to a Fudruckers, but you might want to call ahead to see if they have the new drink machines beforehand.  We had fun talking and hanging out, even though I wish we had more time!  Here are some pictures! 

 

Josiah teaching Liam math!  :)

enjoying their drinks

mercy with her balloon tiarra

the kids

hanging out

not quite sure what Josiah is doing in the drink...
 

Okay, I am not sure how I forgot to get a picture of Danielle!!! :(  What's wrong with me!!!  Next time, definitely...and next time we see them Amelia will be here!!  woohoo!!!  Until, then...we'll just continue to text about the Walking Dead.  Although, we just have one more episode left!!  What will we do?!?!