Decorating for Christmas

This year, like every year, we pulled out the decorations first thing Friday morning (Black Friday). This year though I really didn't have to do anything. Sure there were some putting things away and a little dusting to do but the boys know were everything goes and they just took care of everything! I don't know if that's nice or if I miss being in charge in a way. I was able to get quite a bit done though. I did set the tree up and fluffed it up from being in the box, and then put on the star and the berries and then the kids took over again. Steve and I sat there and watched as our boys led the girls and taught them the art of decorating the tree. We have each child in charge of one type of ornament and they are to make sure that they are dispersed evenly around the tree and then they can move to another style of ornament. In years past I would pretty much redecorate the tree, redistributing everything so that our tree would look just perfect. This year I all but started crying as I watched the magic that was taking place in our living room as I watched my four kids decorating the tree. I don't know what it is but there is seriously something magical about it. Steve and I just kept exchanging glances, trying to keep each other from shedding a few tears. Lets just say that this year the tree was not redecorated. It is perfect just as it is and has the character of my older boys and my little girls, and is full of their perfect finishing touches. Everyday they adjust a few things to make it just perfect for that day. One thing I really love though, about our tree, is that it is filled with photos of when the boys were younger and Railey was a baby (that tells the last time I updated and added pictures) but they love looking at them and reminiscing about the time the picture was taken. It is my goal this coming year to get Kenna on the tree and more pictures of, well, everyone up there. I did get one photo before by camera was dead. Don't worry more will be taken later, I hope.

Thanksgiving 2011

We had a great Thanksgiving this year. We had it at our house and had all of the Baileys, plus Grandma James, Jenny, Amber and Aunt Helen. So there were about 30 of us in all. That might seem like a lot but when we are all in the living room it was a bit crowded. But nice and cozy. All the guys and kids came a bit early to go and play some football and eat all the appetizers that everyone brought. After dinner while Mom and I cleaned up and took down the tables everyone else ran down to the new park we have by the fire station. It's a fun little park and different from all others around. Everyone came back and ate pie only to clean up and leave to head up to Aunt Carolyns and Uncle Blaines for pie night with all the Baileys (or at least two of the other families.) It really was a wonderful day. I think I spent a lot more time this year thinking about all the many, many things we have been blessed with. It's quite amazing to me how much our Heavenly Father loves us and looks out for us and blesses us. I wonder so often if we truly do deserve all that we have. I am especially grateful for all of our families. We do love them so much especially our own little brood.

I took a few photos but then gave up and went and ate and forgot to pull the camera back out or to take any of all the food and fun and pies. So here's what I got. All 2!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Fall Leaves

We don't have too many trees at our house that require the raking of leaves every fall. All our trees are out on the park strip in the back of our yard and on the other side of the fence so they just blow away every year. So our kids have been terribly deprived of the opportunity to rake leaves. They have heard about how fun it is to rake up a pile of leaves and then jump in the pile. I know they have longed for the day to finally be able to do that but sadly they knew they would be old teenagers before they would get to experience it and then they would have to say they were too old to do such childish things, but they might just do it to show their younger sisters how to do it. Anyway this year we promised a friend that we would come and rake her leaves since she let us have all of her grapes and apples. We thought it was the least we could do. She has a couple of big sycamore trees as well as several others so we knew there would be plenty of leaves to play in. The weekend we were planning on doing it a storm rolled through so we didn't make it till Monday after school only to find out that her brother had come and raked up a bunch over the weekend so there weren't as many as there could be but we still raked up about 10 bags worth. Lets just say the kids had a blast. We told them there would be no jumping and playing until the last pile needed to be picked up. They went to town. That's not to say that there weren't a few leave throwing wars going on but we were done in no time flat and then I pulled out the camera and started snapping away.

I think this will have to become a tradition and with how much fun the kids had I don't think they will have problems jumping in them even as teenagers!