Gymnastics

I got to watch the kids at gymnastics again. We aren’t going to sign up for another course for a while even though they love it. Gavin is taking piano, is in cub scouts, and participates in running club. Renée is in dance. I just felt like this was something we could cut out right now. Both Gavin and Renée are getting really good. It has been fun to see their progress.

Miniature Gingerbread Houses

I found a kit from Target that had five miniature gingerbread houses in it. It was perfect for the five of us. The kids ate more than they decorated, but it was fun.

Christmas Renée

Renée picked this dress out last January when it was on sale. I couldn’t narrow this post down to one picture. She is just so cute!

Gavin's New Suit

When I was born

Sam was telling the kids about when they were born. Gavin was the biggest loudest baby in the nursery. Renée wouldn't cry. The nurses had to flick her heals.

"When I was born I came out with tools and I scared the doctor with my drill." -Carter

Sam's Brothers Visit

Christian and Tera and their kids were able to come up from Austin for a day. John came from Shreveport and stayed two days with us. Tera and I left the men with all the kids and went shopping. We went to Sam Moon and had a blast. My kids love Bennette their oldest cousin. He is fourteen and is so sweet with them. Emma, who I didn’t get a picture of, is a little overwhelmed with the noise of our house. Renée was really kind to her, getting her blankets and leading her to Tera. Emma was born blind. Cooper and Carter are partners in crime. They are only six months apart and have a blast getting into trouble together. Cocoa is Tera’s baby and she smiles all the time. It was so much fun to hold her. John came in a full length Matrix black leather trench coat and wore vampire contact lens. My kids were very entertained.

Gavin and Renée with their cousin Bennette

Cocoa smiling as always.

Carter and Cooper.

Me and Tera with our Sam Moon find.

99 Blessings

I had a relief society lesson about counting your blessings and I thought it would be a fun family home evening activity. I find this list hysterical and the order that they put them in. I am number 45. It does make me realize how very blessed we are and to appreciate the little things, like bees. This is what the kids and I came up with:
1. Sam/Dad
2. Jesus (because he helped us find the keys that time we prayed to find them)
3. Gavin
4. Toys
5. Renée
6. Carter
7. Tools
8. Beach
9. Country
10. Earth
11. Driller Stuff
12. Food
13. Families
14. Birthdays
15. Animals
16. Horses
17. House
18. Neighbors
19. Constructions sites
20. GG
21. Pap-Pap
22. Grandma Debbie
23. Grandpa Charlie
24. Refrigerator
25. Hiking
26. Pool
27. NRH2o
28. Balloons
29. Flowers
30. Our Van
31. Jinx
32. Plants because we need oxygen
33. Furniture
34. Bees because they give us honey
35. Legos
36. Bikes
37. Aunts
38. Uncles
39. Cousins
40. Clocks and watches
41. Water
42. Scriptures
43. Church
44. Salt and Pepper
45. Mommy
46. Primary Teachers
47. Cups
48. Light
49. School
50. Mrs. Logsdon ( R’s teacher)
51. Mrs. Cooley ( G’s teacher)
52. Preschool (Who do you think counts this as a blessing, me or Carter?)
53. Clothes
54. Friends
55. Tyler
56. Seth
57. Aaron
58. Danny
59. Grill
60. Emily
61. Alycia
62. That we can get married (or how could we have children)
63. Temple
64. BYU
65. Education
66. Sunshine
67. Texas
68. Milk
69. Christmas
70. Santa
71. ipods to check the weather
72. Drawing
73. Gymnastics
74. Money
75. Water Bottles
76. Science
77. Exercise
78. Arms
79. Siblings
80. Recycling
81. Paint
82. Books
83. Gym
84. Gems
85. Museums
86. Shoes
87. Singing
88. Music
89. Hugs
90. Kisses
92. Air
93. Parents
94. All kinds of people
95. Atmosphere because it keeps the oxygen in.
96. Travel
97. Camping
98. Palo Duro
99. Hair because if we didn’t have any we would get sunburns on our heads.

Thanksgiving

I hosted Thanksgiving this year. It really isn’t stressful because Alycia, Marie (Alycia’s mother-in-law) and I split up the food. This year I made the stuffing, mashed potatoes, bought cranberry sauce, sparkling grape juice, helped with the crème brulee. I did have a fun time decorating the tables with tips from my friend the tip junky who is actually in my ward. The kids table had placemats that the kids could color and do activities on. They also had die cut leaves and pumpkin name tags. I also used pumpkin place holders on the adult table. The Nelsons, including Nick’s parents joined up. We have been eating together since we have moved to Texas. This year Ben Layne join us because his family was helping their grandmother move. I am not sure why I didn’t get pictures of the adults. I must have been tired.
We had a relaxing day. Alycia and I planned our black Friday route and looked at all the adds. I was in bed by 8:30. The race and set up took a lot out of me, but the early bed time worked out well. We were up at 3:00 to be at Target by 4am. Fun! Fun!

Trey

Doesn't it look good?

Turkey Trot

Last year Alycia, Nick, and I participated in Fort Worth’s Turkey Trot. We had a fun time but the race was unorganized and it was a pain going into the city when we still had a big meal to prepare. Alycia had the idea to host our own Turkey Trot this year. We charged $10 for the 10K and $3 for the fun run. Alycia was in charge of money and refreshments. I designed the course and made signs. Great idea right? Well, the day before Thanksgiving it was 80°. When we ran the race it was in the 30s with horrible winds. I opened my garage at 6:30am so we could start marking the course with signs and the wind hit me and I though, “we must be crazy.” My biggest fear was that someone would get lost because one of the signs blew away. Even in the cold it was a blast (literally). We had 10 people run the 10K in the following times:
Matthew 48:19
Todd 48:49
Brent 50:51
Tim 51:10
Tiffany 53:54
Glade 53:55
Nick 53:55
Alycia 58:18
Kelli 58:18
Spencer 63:01 (it was the farthest he ever ran)
Cory 63.02
No one got lost and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Everyone had fantastic times!
We had over 30 people participate in the fun run. It was a tough course because I live at the top of a hill, but everyone made it back. We have been asked to host again next year. We think we will add a 5K so more running levels can participate.  Here are some of the highlights.

10K start Spencer Rhoades, Cory Rhoades, Tim Porter, Brett Massengale, Mathew Jones, Nick Nelson, Todd Weight, Glade Nelson, Kelli Price, Alycia Nelson, and me.

After we finished!

Lining up for the 1 mile fun run.

The other half of the fun runners.

Renée, Sam, and Jinx finishing the 1 mile.

Gavin and Blake coming in strong.

Me and Carter finishing the 1 mile.

It was so cold that Carter ate his donut with his mittens on.

Aycia and I after planning it all and surviving it.

Sam and I showing off our medals.

Kindergarten Thanksgiving

The kindergartners had a feast in their class to celebrate Thanksgiving. They dressed up as pilgrims and Indians. They also sang a song for us. Renée was a pilgrim.

Renée and Mrs. Logsdon

Sick Kids

I have had sick kids for a week. First Carter had a fever that lasted off and on for six days. I took him to the doctor because Trey had strep, but he didn’t have it. When he was fever free for a day I thought we were finally done. I got a call from the school. Gavin had thrown up in his class room thirty minutes after school began. Then the following morning at 5am, Renée threw up in her bed. Yuck!