~~~sigh~~~Christmas is over....

Merry Christmas...a day late! :~)

We had a wonderful time with family and friends. Richard's Mom, Ramona, came by on the 23rd and we had a nice visit with her.

On the 24th we loaded up and headed to Liberty for my Mom's family Christmas Eve tradition with the Watson gang. The family has celebrated Christmas Eve together for 60 years.
We had a memorial table set up to honor those that have passed on from our family. It was rather touching to see the pictures of the Patriarchs of our family and recall the special memories that are so dear to our heart. We always have such a nice visit!

The 25th was a marathon day! We were awoke by two of the most adorable kids at 7:00 a.m. Kensey Rae woke up first and woke up Cody.....(imagine that!) Cody actually climbed in bed with us and Kensey Rae bounced on us! :~)

We ventured off to find what Santa brought them... well scratch that...we had to wait for Aunt Jo to arrive. She arrived around 7:30 a.m. and then we headed downstairs....but Santa didn't leave anything! We tried to tell them all year long that they better be good! :~) K-Rae was starting to get worried, so she went off to each room in a hurry to make sure that Santa hadn't forgot her! Well, hidden in a room was a trampoline box with a note saying that Santa was running behind and needed Richard's help and to look in the garage....so off we ran to the garage! :~) There was the trampoline that Kensey Rae thought she would never get!

We opened presents which included an American girl doll for K-Rae, movies, clothes, games and Mizzou items, a Savage jacket, movies, games, and clothes for Cody. We showered and headed to Aunt Deb's for Christmas brunch with Uncle Cranky (AKA as Craig, Aunt Deb, Jeff and Jennifer. Toni, Jess and Joel Osborn, and the whole Esely gang.(mom, jill and family, jo, chase)

We then headed to Mom's house for our Christmas. Kam and Kade were hilarious! Karson enjoyed the empty boxes! It was so fun to watch them get so excited. Kensey Rae made them gifts, which I must tell you were the cutest things I have ever seen. She is so awesome with the boys and they totally adore her! Jill, Jo, and I typed ALL of Mom's recipes and put them in a binder for one of our gifts. I must tell you that was the coolest reaction. Mom cried, we cried, and the guys looked at us like we were crazy. Ha!

We came home for a quick nap and then off to Francis and Sue's house for snacks and get together with Darrel, Paula, and Jordan, and Glynn and Jayne..(all Esely and Farr gang were there as well) We treasure that time together with them. Paula and Jayne were such a wonderful part of my childhood. As adults, we can visit like time has stood still for years. I love that about them.

We then came home and fell asleep. Are you tired yet? I am exhausted! :~)

Our weekend plans include watching Kam and Kade on Friday night. Bryce is having surgery on his shoulder on Friday. Kensey Rae's basketball team is sponsoring a tournament this weekened so we will be working that as well. We are also getting together with the Hughes family on Saturday for Grandma's Christmas dinner. Richard's Dad, Keith and his wife Nancy, will most likely be stopping by as well.

As always, we are running around and we just go where the calendar tells us to go. :~)

We did take the time to stop as a family and thank our Heavenly Father for the precious gift of His son. The Christmas dinners are wonderful, the food is always awesome, the company is the best... but the real reason for the season is that precious baby that was born so long ago, THAT is worthy of our praise.

May this time of year be a Blessed time for you and yours-

First week in December

We just returned from a tournament in Kansas City that Kensey Rae played in--a little tough!!! She played well, and is fast asleep apparently she is worn out!

She went to a slumber party on Friday night and stayed up until 2 a.m. and then had a game at 11:00 on Saturday. She was worn out tonight after four games a slumber party.......I would be too!

Cody went to the church lock in on Friday night and stayed up all night, and was ready for bed tonight at 9:00. He has an early practice in the morning (5:30 a.m.) and then a game tomorrow night at 6:30. He is playing in a tournament in St. Joseph at the Spring Garden Middle School.

It has really turned off cold this week, so it is making it clear that old man winter is around the corner.

We have our Christmas trees up and the lights outside are up. I am done Christmas shopping and everything is wrapped and under the tree. I have to tell you that this is the first year that I have ever been on the ball like this!

Have a great week and enjoy the season!

THANKSGIVING WEEK!!

I love this week! I love the idea of getting together with family and just hanging out! Our plans have been constantly changing....but here is the latest and greatest! We are having Thanksgiving at our house this year. Jodi and I are preparing the feast. We are SURE that Rachael Ray will be calling to get OUR recipes soon! Jill is having Thanksgiving with her inlaws at her house...(and Mom is going down on Wednesday to help her cook) We will eat Thanksgiving at our house and then head down to Jill's house for pie. And because we are Esely's we are having a pie contest....who can make the BEST pie??? :~) Then over to the Liberty Junior High for a FRIENDLY game of Dodgeball! :~)

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!

Is it Monday already?

We had a great weekend celebrating Grandma Hughes' 90th Birthday! It was great to see all the family again! Ginger and the kids spent the night with us on Saturday night and I am very happy to report that Ginger made it to EARLY Church service! (We had to tease her!) Nancy and Grace came out Saturday night for pizza after the big party and the girls enjoyed playing together.

Cody's football team won the championship this weekend, which ended his Bantam Football career. He is growing up so fast! Next year it will be onto Freshman football! He went to a hayride with the youth group last night and had a great time. He had to be at basketball practice this morning at 5:30 a.m. and he was none to pleased when the alarm clock went off!

Kensey Rae went to a sleepover this weekend and had a great time. She has been busy with basketball this week and that schedule will continue until July 2008, so we had better get used to it!

Richard worked Saturday, but hopefully that will becoming to an end soon as winter is around the corner which usually means no Saturday workdays. Keeping our fingers crossed!

I wanted to post the new school pictures....Cody as the "I am too cool for school" look and Kensey Rae has the "who me?" look.....:~)

Have a great week!

I had to post my little Lola from Hannah Montana!

We had a great time Trick or Treating. We went with one of Kensey's BFF and they had so much fun! They are pretty cute!!

On Sunday we were honored to watch Jill and Bryce dedicate baby Karson to the Lord. It was precious. Kaden slept through a good portion of it,but woke up in a wonderful mood! (THANK GOD!) Kamden heard them say in the beginning that there would be refreshments served afterwards and he was ALL about that!! Karson was full of smiles and just adorable! It was awesome to be able to be a part of it!

How CUTE are those kids????