Trimming The Tree

These pictures are from a couple weeks ago.  I thought I'd better get some posted before I am actually posting Christmas pictures.  The kids were so excited the night we told them that we were going to get the Christmas decorations out.  It is so much fun to see Christmas through the eyes of a child.  I can't wait for more precious memories in the days to come.

The kids were checking the lights to make sure they were all working! 

Alexa and her daddy hanging the first ornament! 

Emma concentrating on getting it in just the right spot! 

I love this picture of everyone busy doing something.  They had so much fun working together to get the ornaments hung.

Alexa and Emma have their own little tree in their room that they decorate each year! 

The finished product!

The kids also each have a nativity in their room.  This is the girl's nativity.  They have everything lined up just so! They know when Shane has been in their room because he doesn't usually have it lined up to meet their standards.

Shane busy decorating his little tree.  He wanted to do it all my himself.  He ended up with most of the ornaments in one spot.  Alexa, my first born, everything should be in the right spot had a hard time with Shane's decorating technique.  She wanted to help him fix the tree.  We insisted that it was Shane's tree and he could decorate it how he wanted.  Shane was very proud of his tree.

Shane's nativity. He usually picks a piece or two to sleep with well actually play with before he falls asleep! 

The last tree the kids decorated was a little tree downstairs.  We hang all of the kids ornaments that they get every year and the ones they make on this tree.  It is filling up quickly now that the kids make a couple ornaments a year.  They were just giddy pulling out all their ornaments from past years.  We kept hearing, "Oh I remember this one, this is so cute, oh this is my favorite!" I really miss having a real tree but we don't have tons of extra room. Maybe next year we'll try to squeeze a real tree downstairs to put all the kid's fun ornaments on!  

My Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Today was one of those days that by 9:00 am I wished I could go back to bed and start it all over again!  I have to preface with sharing the expectations I had for the day.  I was planning to head to MOPS for a wonderful, relaxing Christmas meeting.  It is always wonderful to have adult conversation with other moms over a warm breakfast.  We had a wonderful speaker planned, we were going to discuss traditions which is always fun to hear new ideas.  We also were going to do the Steering Team's Favorite Things (like Oprah's Favorite Things).  It is always fun to see what people's favorite product is and then we give our favorite product away.  My favorite product that I was going to share this year was Crayola Washable Window Markers.  The kids love them and they are something fun to break out when you've had a long winter day and need something fun to pull out.  OK back  to the day.  Then we were going to meet Eric at the mall for lunch.  I had my afternoon planned with getting the house cleaned and wash done during nap time.  We would finish the day by going to Alexa's first School Christmas program with my parents who were coming.  

My day took a turn for the worse at 6:00 am.  I was in the shower only to hear the voice of my sweet 3 year old.  "Mommy, my tummy hurts.  I think I am going to spit!"  That is code for I think I am going to throw up.  I peeked out of the shower and saw a very pale little boy who walked to the toilet and proceeded to dry heave.  The poor little guy!  I got him settled on the couch with blankets all over my newly cleaned carpets and a bucket in his lap.  I quickly got some clothes on and started feeling sad knowing the day I was excited about now would be a day at home potentially cleaning up vomit.  I got my girls up and got Alexa ready for school.  We hopped in the van at 8:10 with a bucket in tow.  We were a block away from Alexa's school and I heard some whimpering from the back and a "Mommy, I think I might spit!" I quickly unhooked my seat belt and reached behind me to get Shane his bucket and coach him a little.  As I turned back around I saw the stop light was red.  I slammed on my brakes and found myself in the middle of the intersection.  I looked to my right and realized I was looking straight at the face of a police officer.  I looked and saw no one coming and proceeded through the light since I was in the middle of the intersection.  I pulled over knowing my day was only getting worse.  The cop asked me to come sit in his car so I left my sick little boy in the car and sat in the passenger seat of the cop car with tears rolling down my cheeks.  I explained what had happened and he proceeded to inform me he was giving me a ticket for the red light and the seat belt.  I responded with a "I had my seat belt on but had just taken it off to give my son a bucket!" Come on man give me a break on the seat belt.  He wasn't too compassionate but did inform me that if I wanted to pay the fine in instalments I could go down to the courthouse and do that since it is the holidays.  Thanks sir, that is really generous.  The rest of the morning was fairly uneventful, no vomiting or police encounters.  We headed to pick up Alexa at 11:15 with bucket in tow on the way home Shane proceeded to throw up 4 times missing the bucket each time.  Lesson learned previously that morning - keep driving and don't turn around to help you child who is throwing up.  So needless to say by the time I pulled over we had vomit all over Shane and the car.  What next! 

The day did improve with some calls of encouragements from some of my friends.  My husband brought me some coffee from Starbucks and a sweet friend brought me a little care package of all kids of little things to brighten my day and another coffee from Starbucks.  We were not able to get to Alexa's program as a family but Eric sent me out the door with my parents to enjoy my evening watching Alexa sing her little heart out.  

I know that in the days to come this is a day I will laugh at but today it was a day that made me cry. It was one of those days I had to let the expectations of the day go and spend time sitting on the couch and loving on my sweet little boy. I also am thankful that no one was coming when I was in the middle of the intersection.    I am thankful the day has come to an end and I am praying that tomorrow is a little brighter.  

Emma's Quote Of The Week

Emma's quote of the week ...." Mom, I just feel like the whole world is falling apart!"  

To clarify .... the grocery store we shop at is under construction and is a complete mess.  It has been that way the last couple months.  Emma can't wait for everything to be back in working order.  Today we were running errands around town and there was quite a bit of road construction.  So a grocery store under construction and road construction equates to the whole world falling apart in Emma's eyes.  

We're Going On A Fall Treasure Hunt

Last weekend the weather was beautiful. On Saturday it was in the high 60's which is a treat at the beginning of November in South Dakota.  The kids wanted to go on an hunt for things to use for crafts.  We decided to go to one of our favorite spots, the Trails.  A couple miles from our house there is a beautiful area of trails with tons of trees by the river. They were on the look out for leaves, sticks, flowers, acorns and anything else they thought they could use.  Eric decided to be photographer while we were out on our adventure.  I think he took over 300 pictures in an hour and a half.  We had so much fun enjoying God's nature and the beautiful weather. 

Two weeks ago we were at this same spot.  The trees were full of colorful leaves.  Now the trees were almost empty and the river was full of leaves.  Emma wondered who was going to clean up all these leaves.  

I loved this picture of Shane peaking around the tree! 

Shane dropping a few treasures in his bag. 

The girls made a plan on the way.  They were determined to find some acorns for heads for the people they were going to make.  You would think with all these trees they would find some acorns.  They were out of luck so had to come up with plan #2.

Shane pulled out the pouty lip when he couldn't figure out how to get the stick in the bag.  He said, "Oh bummer, it doesn't fit!"

Alexa was on the hunt for treasures but also was on the hunt for places she could pose for pictures.  She was so funny.  She'd find a spot, pose, smile and wait for Eric to notice.

Miss Emma is usually Miss Photogenic! 

Shane jumping in the leaves! 

Emma and her giggles! 

Alexa running through the trees!

Enjoying our time together in God's beautiful creation!

Shane scaling up the tree.  Have you noticed that Shane is our active boy?  He's always up for an adventure.  He ended the day with some thistles in his shirt, grass stains on his pants and a scratch on his face from a branch that he says hurt him. 

What a beautiful fall day!

Family Fun Night

Sunday night is Family Fun Night at the McDonald house.  We usually play games and the kids love dancing to the Sunday Night Football song.  One of the kids usually says, "Yes, tonight is Family Fun Night!"  We decided to make some Candy Apples this week.  The kids had so much fun and we had fun eating our yummy treat! 

Emma busy getting all the caramels peeled! 

Shane concentrating as he gets his stick in his apple! 

MMM ... look at that yummy caramel! 

What should we roll them in?  How about some chocolate chips and marshmallows!

Shane just couldn't resist and tried to sneak a little lick! 

Eric excited about his Candy Apple! 

How am I going to eat this thing?

Yummy ... this is good! 

"I think I might need a bath after this!"

The kids had so much fun making their Candy Apples and had even more fun eating them! 

Happy Halloween

3 eager kids + 3 empty bags = Time to Trick or Treat

The kids were very excited for the sun to start setting so they could head to the neighbors for a little Trick or Treating.  

Alexa aka Tinkerbell

Emma aka Cinderella

Shane aka Super Pooh (that's what he likes to be called)

And they are off! 

Trick or Treat!

It was a beautiful fall evening.  The kids had a fun evening Trick or Treating at some neighbor's houses.  We then jumped into the van and stopped at some friends houses.  We spent some time chatting and the kids had fun playing with their friends.  We even got to sit by a fire and chat with some of our friends while the kids ate some candy by the fire.  Someday the kids may catch on that stopping by friends houses for breaks means less candy.  

Harvest Party

The kids love going to the Harvest Party at church every year.  The middle school students set up different booths.  These were some of the highlights .....

Go Fish

the Duck Pick

the Cake Walk

Shoot For 3

Bowling

Plinko

The Sucker Wall

Face Painting

and last but not least with the clown who did balloon art! 

The kids left with big smiles on their faces, balloon flowers and animals, painted faces and bag of candy.  Life doesn't get much better than that when you are a kid!