Oaks, Maples, and Broke Toes...Oh My!

The week before Christmas we had 14, yep that's right 14, trees delivered.  I'm not talking little 4 foot things you can get at Lowe's.  These were 15 to 20 foot 200 to 300 lb trees.  Five Natchez White Crepe Myrtles, 4 River Birch, One Laurel Oak and 4 Maples.  They are all beautiful trees that we got a GREAT deal on from a tree farm in Columbia.  But they arrived the day before we were to have 20 people over to our house for a Christmas party, it was COLD, and it was raining cats and dogs.  Yes, a recipe for disaster!  The tree guy delivered them in a car-type trailer that had pull out ramps.  So they (the tree guy, Andrew and Andrew's Daddy) were rolling the trees down the ramp into place around the property.  About 6 trees in, the ramp fell off the trailer with a tree on top of it as they were rolling it down...right on Andrew's foot.  Believe it or not, they finished unloading the trees.  Then we went to the emergency room.  Big toe broken.  I was a little relieved it wasn't worse.  Andrew has broken a toe before so to him it wasn't that big a deal although it looked horrible.  So the next day he was out in the freezing rain putting those trees in the ground.  Now that's dedication!

Cinnamon Ornaments

I love to do craft projects.  I love to do craft projects with Michael and Mary Ellen.  But I especially love to do craft projects with M&M that they can actually do.  This was definitely a winner!

The recipe is super simple; a cup of applesauce and a cup of cinnamon, roll it out and cut into fun Christmas shapes.

Not only did they help roll out the dough...

But they chose what cookie cutters they wanted and were able to cut them out too!

They were so proud when they saw how many they cut out.

They loved to watch them in the oven...just at their eye-level.  The ornaments take a few hours at a very low temp in the oven so they watched them off and on.  The best part was the AMAZING smell.  Perfect Christmas activity for a cold winter day!

My Little Owl n Puppy

My friend Jen Wood  http://www.etsy.com/shop/jenniferwood917  made these adorable crochet hats for Michael and Mary Ellen.  When they first got them, I swear they must have worn them around the house for  2 days straight.  It is always a special day when they get to wear them out.  Took these cute pictures in the back yard when we were playing one COLD afternoon.  Mary Ellen's is a sleeping owl and Michael's is a puppy dog.  Super cute...thanks Jen!

A Four-Wheeling Thanksgiving

We spent Thanksgiving again this year in Laurens.  Uncle Jamie's family generously hosted all of us again and it has now really become the 4 wheeling Thanksgiving.  That's all the kids want to do...and eat!

Pryce, Mary Ellen and Brygs playing around in the kitchen while waiting to eat.  The last one is so cute...Mary Ellen getting kisses after she bumped her head on the counter above.

Daddy giving M&M a ride on the big 4-wheeler.  These things always freak me out a bit.  Maybe I've read (and known) of too many accidents on these things that end horribly.  Of course, I trust Andrew and he is always very safe.  And Michael and Mary Ellen could stay on it all day!

Beautiful farm.  Beautiful fall day.  Couldn't ask for a better Thanksgiving.

Andrew giving Ryals and Michael a turn.

This little John Deere was the most favorite because they learned how to do it all by themselves.  The best thing was that you could lock the wheel to one side and they just did big loops the whole time.  Contained them a bit.  They still seemed to love it every bit as much.  Micheal was so funny how he was reclined way back with his gun in his hand...Joe cool!