Erlo

Saturday morning we had a visitor join our household.  Santa left the kids a note in their Christmas mailbox.  He left a letter and a book.  It was the Elf on the Shelf book.  So the kids had to go find where the elf was hiding.  When they got down the stairs Evan spotted him first.  The book told them they had to name him.  For some reason our kids do not name things.  So of course they just said Elf.  We told them he had to have a name and Ellie started spelling "E - R- L- O".  And that is how he got his name.  

He also brought some new Christmas shirts and breakfast.  

 Snowman doughnuts and hot cocoa.  

 Every night he flies back to the North Pole to tell Santa how the kids' behavior was for the day.  Every morning he is in a new spot and sometimes brings a surprise.  Sunday he was on the door and brought some blow-ups for the back porch.  

 Monday he was hanging our with the raccoon, Woody & Jessie.  They were not so happy with him playing with their toys.  It was a good test in sharing.  

 Tuesday he was hiding in their bathroom and added some Christmas decorations for their mirror.  

 Wednesday he had the best seat in the house to watch the kids.  Him and the angel bonded for the day.  

Where will he be next?

Thanksgiving 2012

We had so much fun on Turkey Day this year. 

We started out with the Macy's Day parade while we ate breakfast.  

 Helped Aunt Janice grate the cheese

Welcomed Granny & Gail to the festivities

 Carved the bird while the other bird watched

 Ate lunch with our cousins

 and family

 Mommy rested for her Black Friday shopping spree

 Then off to Naw's for dinner and a new adventure

 Joni photo bombed this one

 Dinner with cousins

and they spent the night with them too.  

While mommy & daddy stayed up all night shopping the kids had their first sleep over.  They had fun. Ellie woke up at 11:30 and got in the bed with Naw & then got up earlier than usual.  Everyone else slept pretty good.  Mommy & daddy did pretty good with their shopping list too!

Happy Thanksgiving

We hope you had a great Turkey Day.  We are thankful for so many things and here are three of them!

Weekend before Halloween

We have started going camping the weekend before Halloween.  Last year we went down to Pine Mountain.  This year we met up with Matthew's aunt Terri & uncle Terry for the weekend in Cherokee, NC.  

Decorated for Halloween

Dinner time

 Evan & Ellie helped Uncle Terry with the fire wood

 Charlotte was inside!

 Milk & oreos in front of the fire

Matthew got a work-out trying to chop this log.  

 Until he got it chopped Ellie used it as a seat.  

 Friday we drove over to Dollywood.  They had a blast and it was so pretty decorated for the fall.  

Girls on the Ferris wheel

The boys on the Ferris wheel

 On the way back to Cherokee we saw a herd of elk 

We got back to have some fun with Terry, Terri & glow sticks

Saturday morning we had a big breakfast

 The KOA in Cherokee has this huge bouncer that the kids absolutely loved.  

 It was a little too crowded, but they thought it was hilarious.  

After dinner we got ready for some trick or treating around the campground.  

 Little Dorothy wasn't feeling her costume so she and Glinda switch accessories.  Dorothy had Glinda's wand & Glinda carried Toto.  

 "Follow the Yellow Brick paved Road"

A lot of campsites went all out with the decorations.  Ellie really loved all the spooky stuff.  

 Look at all that candy! 

They are already talking about next year.  They are addicted to camping!