The family tradition in Terry's family for Thanksgiving over the past seven years has been to gather for Thanksgiving dinner near Prairie du Sac and then spend a few nights at a waterpark resort in the Dells. After Gma passed away nearly one year ago, the family decided that we should continue our tradition of making memories this way. This year, we booked a condo at a resort and made our Thanksgiving meal right there in the full kitchen and it worked out just wonderful!!! We all enjoyed our time filled with water, memories, and family.... These years will be something that our children will remember for the years to come.

Of course, there were some deals starting at midnight on Friday morning that the kids were set on getting!! When it came right down to it, Emily just couldn't make it (NOT A SURPRISE!) but Trevor and Erin went with me. We arrived at Wal-Mart at 11:15, found our deals that we came for (Wal-Mart opened the boxes early but no check-out until midnight), got in line and we were back to our beds by 1:15 a.m.!!!! All in all, it was a success!

I am so thankful for family that means far more than any words could possibly convey. My own family means the world to me and I am thankful that we have all found our homes near one another. I know I take that for granted too often but I love that we can get together "just because" and not have to plan it months in advance!! I love each and every one of you!

I am incredibly grateful for in-laws that are so great that I just don't even think of them as "in-laws"! Because of them, I have a terrific husband that works hard to provide for us, stands firm in his place and we never have to guess how much we mean to him. Because of him, my life has become complete in my "occupation" as a wife, mother and homemaker~the most treasured occupation for me.

I am thankful for our meeting, fellowship that we can have and the love of God.

All in all, there is just so much to be thankful for. I need to remember every day.

Fun Thanksgiving Treats

Happy Thanksgiving! I love to find little treats that the kids and I can make together for their class. Emily and Erin helped me make little acorns using donut holes, chocolate frosting and heath chips with a pretzel "stem". They turned out really cute!! This afternoon I completed the next baking project...making a cake that looks like a cooked turkey! Trevor and I came across the idea on Family Fun magazine's website and decided it would be just the thing to make for our Thanksgiving Day meal with Terry's family! It turned out kind of cute!

Ten Years of Progress

2000-2010
We bought our home and 8.5 acres in August of 2000 when Trevor was a year and a half old. Terry fell in love with the land, woods and trail going down to a pond. I saw potential in the house and loved the lawn. After moving in and actually SEEING what needed to be done (HIGH heating bills, etc.), Terry was starting to wonder where I had seen the potential. However, after ten years, a lot of sweat and maybe a fair amount of tears, I am happy to call this our home. It's not new, it's not large and it's not fancy.....but it is our COUNTRY HOME. After working so hard on the house (inside and out), the shed, the landscaping (some say I will never stop adding to it!!) it is good to look back over past pictures to see just what we started with and what we have now. Tjis is the longest I have ever lived anywhere and hope to remain settled here for a long time to come! HOME SWEET HOME!

Thank you, Veterans, for our freedom.......

As today is Veteran's Day, I am made aware again just how great a price has been paid that I have the freedoms that I enjoy today. As I have each year since 2004, I attended the Veteran's Day of our little local school and am in awe again just how great a job they do to make sure our children understand the meaning of this special day. They sang a song that had many of us tear up....Thank You Soldiers.

The third graders each had a part of the story to share with us as to how we came to have the Taps and the reason it is played in military funerals. Another moment of true reflection.

Pumpkin Masterpieces

All members of our household were together and healthy so I decided to FINALLY do the pumpkins.....even though it was a week AFTER Halloween. Despite the timing of it, the pumpkins turned out very cute! This was the first year that the girls attempted to do their own....and I think they did very well. Hint.....Terry and Trevor both did the same pattern. (Like Father, Like Son?!)

Happy Fall!

2010-2011 School Year

And The Band Played On......

Neither Trevor nor Terry & I expected that Trevor would have been able to play in his very first band concert tonight......but he amazed us all by being able to play his solo (Old McDonald)!! The school he attends has been awesome through his recent attack as they have allowed him to leave classes every two hours to head to the nurse's office for a neb treatment. Without this, there is no way he could have attended school today and therefore wouldn't have been part of the concert tonight. Trevor, you are amazing in what you accomplish when you are determined to do it. Keep those music notes coming!!! We love you! Now off to another night of breathing treatments every two hours - but it is so worth listening to that goofy alarm clock!!

The importance of oxygen....

Since Trevor was three years old, we (or rather, HE) has struggled with asthma attacks brought on by his mold allergy and/or a respiratory "bug". We have been able to control is fairly well throughout the past year or so but our (or rather, HIS) luck recently ran out. Nearly two weeks ago he came down the same cold everyone else has gotten, but he has been fighting the asthma "thing" the entire time. I have done the normal meds that I have available to me, took him to the doc last Thursday, starting him on stronger meds on Saturday and finally ended up in ER late last night followed by an EMERGENCY visit to our family doc this morning. I haven't seen him this bad since he was in 1st grade (5 years ago) when he was hospitalized. Thankfully, we are very used to the routine so we didn't have do the hospital stay....but he did have to miss costume dress-up day and a pizza party where he was going to get awarded TOP SELLER for their 6th grade fundraiser. But he was so sick that neb treatments every 2 hours around the clock for the next 24 hrs sounded better than that....he said he will just get his award when he goes back to school.

This is the way he was this morning before going to the doctor. I just feel so incredibly helpless to just stand by and rub his back and give out hugs when he is just whispering "I JUST NEED AIR". As we were walking into the drug store for all his many meds he has to take for the next 2 weeks, he pitifully said "Mom, I really appreciate all that you are doing for me." It brought tears to my eyes.....amazing when what we "have" to do doesn't even seem so bad when it is for a child that we love beyond words......

WE ARE KEEPING OUR FINGERS CROSSED THAT HE HAS MORE "AIR" SO HE CAN PERFORM IN HIS FIRST BAND CONCERT AND PLAY HIS FIRST SOLO ON HIS TROMBONE.

Gathering the Treats...Avoiding the Tricks!

Emily went out gathering her treats dressed as Laura Ingalls Wilder....complete with a basket and the book that she is currently reading! Just as Laura did, Emily most often had her bonnet slung off her head and hanging down her back. When Terry and I asked her to put it back on, she said "But Laura never liked to wear her sun bonnet either!". Hmmmm - how do you argue with THAT logic?!

Erin was dressed as Mary Ingalls...complete with the basket to collect her goodies in! She dressed in her outfit for the school's party as well. Both Erin and Emily were shocked at how many of their classmates didn't know who Mary and Laura were!!

Trevor decided at the last minute that he would attempt to go collecting the goodies despite suffering from an asthma "episode". The picture sort of shows just how miserable he was feeling. No matter how terrible he felt, he still enjoyed walking around town with one of his best friends.....an alien!!!

The alien even posed for a picture with Karate Kid, Laura Ingalls and Mary Ingalls!! The dressing up portion of Trick-or-Treating is (almost) the most fun....for me as the parent!!