MERRY CHRISTMAS

**You can double click the picture to see it LARGER**

Here are a few pictures of the kid's from Christmas! There are pictures of them spreading the reindeer food out on the side walk and looking up to see if they could see Santa!! Setting out milk and cookies, opening presents and later in front of the tree!! We had a great day!! I hope you all had a Merry Christmas!!

Cookies!!

The girls and I have a tradition of making and frosting cookies! The other day we baked them and tonight they frosted and sprinkled them!!

Children's Wonderland

After the dance program we headed to Children's Wonderland! Cassidy & Brooke were so excited to meet the "real" Santa! They still are convinced he's the one and only!! I LOVE it! We had a great time looking at all the Christmas lights and displays. Then we went to eat at Smokey Bones, we had BBQ pulled pork nachos and they were so yummy!!

"Spring Time Melody" & "Baby Face"

Cassidy & Brooke had their tap program yesterday. It had been cancelled last Sunday because of all the snow we had gotten. So they tapped their little hearts out. I don't know why but this time Cassidy seemed to be VERY nervous, but she did well. Cassidy is in her fourth year and she had a jump rope, ball & bat all in her routine. Brooke was antsy but also did well!! I'm very proud of them both.

The GREAT mouse catcher...that's me!

Okay well today I noticed some mouse type droppings and we have lived here six and a half years and we have never had a mouse in the house. So why now? Why when Shawn isn't going to be home tonight? Cassidy is terrified of everything so she was a perfect target to tease all day "there's the mouse" and she'd scream and Brooke & I'd laugh. Then we'd tease Brooke too. Well Cassidy woke up about 11:30, she was having bad dreams about the mouse. Poor thing! Her heart was beating so hard it felt like it was going to beat right out of her chest! We should have been more kind to her fear. Well I was in the restroom and she was asking from her bed for some water and I said sure but we are out of TP and Brooke is to busy watching Spongebob and it's still in the breezeway from shopping. So Cassidy ran right out and said I'll go get it for you momma! So she did and as she came back in that damn mouse ran out from the bathroom pantry right behind her like two inches from her feet. I was in shock so I said real calm Cassidy the mouse is right behind you please come closer to me, now! So she did and Brooke came running in (Spongebob came less important now), and they were all scared so Cassidy went and got me a shoe crying and what not the whole time mind you. I tell her to call your dad and I shut the door. I open the pantry and stirred some things around and out it came again!! I yell eww and the kid's come are you okay are you okay and I can hear Shawn on the two way!! I'm sure he finds this amusing out on the big road! So anyways I decide to go grab a bowl and try to catch him, who wants to kill a mouse with MY shoe? He was a fast little sucker to boot! So I stir things around again and out it comes and it climbs up the bath and on the edge starring me down so I swat it down into the bath tub and put the bowl over it!! CAUGHT at last!! YEAH GO MOM!! lol So he's under my pyrex in the tub, where it will be waiting for Shawn tomorrow!! I'll be using some bleach tomorrow after it leaves! Brooke just said it's so cute can we get a cage and keep him! Cassidy & I say NO WAY!!!

An early Christmas present!

Shawn & I gave the girls an early Christmas present from us! By the pictures you can tell Brooke was so excited to see a Wii! They both wanted the Wii and know we can play in on these snowed in day's! It's good exercise too!! Brooke's favorite is boxing and Cassidy's is the bowling.

*SNOW* *SNOW*

Just in time for Christmas, snow snow snow!! It's everywhere, I love it just before Christmas it sets the holiday spirit into high gear for me! It started last night kinda late and when we woke up this morning it was still falling!! The news said between 8-10inches fell in our area but I'm not to good at measuring snow, who knows but it's a lot of snow. The kid's were so excited they wanted to go out first thing, we did hold them off until noon. They went out and made snow angels and the sled off the deck on the steps. They LOVED it!! They finally came in for a hot cocoa and sandwich break! Then back out they went! I think they lasted over two hours out in that cold! They had a blast!!!!!!!!!!!

Cassidy's school play.

This was Cassidy's first school play and was she ever excited. There were shows at 9, 1 & 7 but because of fog they had a delay and the 9 o'clock show was a no go. So daddy had to go trucking, I did video tape it for him!! We had to miss the 7 o'clock show due to the tap rehersal on the big stage! What a day! She was a snowflake. She was even more excited to see Mommy, Brooke, Grandma V., Grandma, Grandpa, Amanda, Kennedy, Emmy, Mimi and Pa (Kennedy & Emmy's grandparents). Thanks to all of you for coming to watch, we LOVE all of you!

**Thanks for the pictures Grandma**

Christmas Pictures 2007

Brooke ate a smurf...say what?!

So tonight Shawn was online looking and what was going on behind his back? I was in the other room and Brooke came to give me a kiss and oh my her whole mouth a lips were bright blue! She eat a smurf?? She was practicing writing her B's and must have gotten bored. Worst part Cassidy & Brooke are supposed to get Christmas pictures taken tomorrow or maybe NOT. I hope it wears off by then!

HAPPY SHOPPING, BAKING & TREE DECORATING TO ALL!

I hope you all have embraced the holiday season in one way or another. Wether it be by shopping for those special people in your life, starting to bake your favorite Christmas foods or by decorating the all to important tree. We started a few days before Thanksgiving allowing the girls to put up there "Disney Princesses" tree. Thanksgiving was at my Aunt Midge's! I made a JELLO mold that everyone was talking about. It was new and yummy!! Then Shawn & I headed out for Black Friday shopping!! I had a blast, he is still complaining (but I think he LOVED it). We got to Toysrus at 3:50 am and waited for an hour and ten minutes in 27 degree weather! Shawn broke his time up by sitting in the car going for hot chocolate and passing a few out to the ladies behind us!! We had so much fun calling to check in with Matt & Amanda and my sister in law Korina. Korina was scared by the "mobs" but Matt, Amanda & I are old pro's! I think everyone has something someone else wanted or need so we will be getting together to swap soon. Yeah were CRAZY like that! It was an awesome day, I loved spending the time with Shawn. I owe a BIG thanks to Matt my hero who found the three pack of Hannah Montana dolls at Target! We did get the tree up, went to a holiday parade, got some outside lights up and really are starting to feel the holiday spirit at our house, I wish the same for all of you and I hope you having as wonderful of start of the season as we are.
*I had to steal the picture of the Jello from online, mine looked just like it* - **PROMISE**

Football + Food & Friends = FUN

Yesterday we enjoyed a great party at our dear friends The Sinks!! It was all in good fun of the big border battle Ohio State vs Michigan. Most everyone was for Michigan but we like Ohio having lived here most all of our lives. Brooke wanted Michigan though, I think Aunt Amanda & Uncle Matt had brain washed her earlier in the week at her sleep over with Kennedy & Emmy. LOL It was also a celebration for Matt who is the old guy of the four of us. LOL He will be all of 29 next week. It was a great time with lot's of food and fun. We even had fun playing with "Uncle Mikey"'s WII. Shawn, Annie, Matt, Amanda & I played a good game of Monopoly and we laughed so hard playing that game. I can't wait to play again!! What fun!! Although I hope us women can kick Matt & Shawn's butts!! By the way Matt LOVES money wether it's real or fake!! Can't wait until the next Sink's affair!