Feeling the Holiday Spirit

This past week was US Thanksgiving and we were so lucky to have D&R down from Ray-town, it was AWESOME. We had such a great time, we had wonderful turkey dinner and did some shopping on Black Friday! We did find some nice bargains, about the best I found were jammies at Old Navy. I can't wait to wear them, I want to wear them now!!! :-)

I started my Christmas shopping and got a pretty good chunk done. I even wrapped my first gifts tonight. We still don't have our tree but I have decorated the house! We will probably get it this weekend, D didn't want to go out while there were still hunters out....probably pretty good idea!

I love this time of year!

I love the music

I love the lights on houses and when you drive by you can see the lights on trees

I love the spirit that is in the air

I love that everyone is jolly and happy and full of cheer...OK MOST everyone. :-)

I love Christmas scentsy smells (Winterwonderland is my current FAV)

Right now we are watching the lighting of the Rockefeller Christmas Tree.

I love the Christmas Devotional, it is going to be on this weekend. I just love hearing the messages that they have to share.

A few of my fav ME pictures that i found on google images!

Christmas is not a time or a season but a state of mind. To cherish peace and good will, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas. If we think on these things, there will be born in us a Savior and over us will shine a star sending its gleam of hope to the world.

CALVIN COOLIDGE, Presidential message, Dec. 25, 1927

Thankful

Wow! It has been a long time since I last posted. Well, lets see what have we been up to!

T ~ finished his football season, wasn't the season they had hoped for but they did win their last game and had a fun time doing it. He got to play on the 7th grade team and even go to start at QB in the last few games. It was so fun for him, he even go to score a touchdown too! It is so fun to watch your kids compete, can't even really describe it.

E ~ finished up her Vball season last week. M&M even got to come watch....it was fun to watch her play. She is so good, it is amazing in 4th grade that they can serve over-head and get it over the net. I can't even serve over-head! She is going to be quite the volleyball player, I think it is one of her favs! She, of course, in my opinion was one of the BEST on her team. I can brag, it's my kid!

T ~ started his bball season last week too and let me tell ya those 8th grade boys are quite the ballers! They are so fun to watch them, I can't wait for the next four years. Oh and this year will be GREAT too! They played in a tourney last weekend in E. Helena and got 2nd place. The team that beat them killed them on Friday night by 22 and then in the 'chipper' the boys only got beat by 9 points. They played again last night, the boys played so hard....ended up losing again but only by 5 points. I was so proud of all of them! I'm so proud of my lil T, he always has such a GREAT attitude!

T really wants to get texting he even got 4.0 on his last report card in hopes that a couple semesters of 4.0 he will be rewarded with texting. I have such mixed feelings with children and texting......so I gave in and got him FACEBOOK instead. LOL!

Now my favorite saying is who needs texting when you have facebook?!?!

I'm not ready for all of what life has to offer with teenage boys and just being a teenager. T even has his first little g-friend! Makes me laugh, I think I remember my first little b-friend in 7th or 8th grade....couldn't tell you who it was but I know I had at least one! :-)

E is doing so great on her piano.....she is a natural, of course I'm bragging again aren't I! :-)

Today I'm so thankful for two kids that are so easy to love and listen to! I'm thankful that they are healthy! I am just about the luckiest momma that i know of! Now if I could just be a "perfect" as they are. I am thankful for second chances, for forgiveness and the ability to say, "hey i was wrong" or "that didn't turn out very good"! I am thankful for kids that love me even though I lose my temper and expect way too much of them.....after all they are just kids right?!

I am so thankful for a husband that works his butt off and allows us to have all we have and loves us all so much! I am the luckiest GIRL alive! I am thankful for M&M for always coming down to support the kids in all they do and for all of their unconditional love! We are the luckiest FAMILY! I am thankful for a job! I am the luckiest GIRL alive, who graduates and get a job just a few months later? I love being Mrs. M and am so thankful for the opportunity to teach everyday! I am the luckiest TEACHER alive!

I am so blessed!

"Gratitude is a Spirit‑filled principle. It opens our minds to a universe permeated with the richness of a living God. Through it, we become spiritually aware of the wonder of the smallest things, which gladden our hearts with their messages of God's love. This grateful awareness heightens our sensitivity to divine direction. When we communicate gratitude, we can be filled with the Spirit and connected to those around us and the Lord. Gratitude inspires happiness and carries divine influence.

By Bonnie D. Parkin

"Gratitude: A Path to Happiness," Ensign, May 2007, 35

I am thankful...................

Happy Halloween

On Monday night for fHe we carved pumpkins! It was a family affair. The kids cleaned their own pumpkins and then Dave did the carving and I....well I took the pictures.

Enjoy!

Spook-tacular...time of year!

What is "funner" than jumping in crunchy leaves?

I love Halloween, for so many reasons. What's NOT to like about a HoLiDaY that is all about CANDY!!!

I love this time of year because Halloween will be here and gone before we know it and then it is Thanksgiving and then onto Christmas! I cannot lie, I'm getting kind of excited to bust out the holiday tunes and deck the halls! But I can wait, at least until after Thanksgiving but NOT one day past. I might start listening to some Holidays tunes ....in November (like the 1st).

What a chilly Sunday afternoon, I'm enjoying the peace and quiet of an empty house with the fire place on and the background noise of some footy-football!

I found these cute pics on the WEB (where else) and had to share a few of my favs...and another reason why I love Halloween!

I love these pictures!

Love this quote, "The BEST way to predict the future is to create it".

Fun IdEaS for a HaLLoWeeN PartY!

Love this idea, looks so goth!

Fun cakes!

Wouldn't it be fun to have a porch like this?

I love Mary Engelbreit, even she can make Halloween cute & fun!

Yup, that's MOI! Queen of Halloween!!!

The Fall Frenzies....Frenziness....

Is that even a word? Frenziness.....think I just made that one up but it works for now!

What a wonderful fall we have had! The weather has been unbelievable, I am in LOVE with Fall!

Well, since I posted last....we have been busy with school, football and just keeping up with life!

School is going great! I love my new job and especially love my 4 days weeks. I think every school should consider it. Might not work for everyone but it is great to have a day off in the middle of week. Amazing how much stuff I get accomplished! NOT as much as I would like to.....of course, but I figure I get things accomplished I normally wouldn't!

I have even had the chance to volunteer in E's classroom two times! How great is that?!?! I love being able to go into her classroom, especially since I'm NOT at the same school. I think we are all adjusting to that!

T had a GREAT football season. He ended up playing on the 7th grade team too. It was great, basically he got to play two games. It was fun to watch him play, I just love watching my kids in whatever they do. For the last two games he even got to play quaterback. Scored a 2 point conversion on the second to last game and scored a TD during the last game. He was so cute, on the way home, he said..."I think it is starting to sink in Mom...I actually scored a TD!". It was a priceless moment...just the excitement in his voice made my night!

E has been busy learning how to play the piano. One of the ladies we go to church with is teaching piano lessons. It is working out great and E LOVES it!!! And I do to. I love hearing her play and learn all her new songs. I think the boys are ready to kill us both but from one music lover to another.......it is "music" to my ears! (How cheesey...eh?!)

E started Volleyball and will have her first game next week. I love how we just roll from one activity to the next.....NO rest for the wicked! :-)

Onto another completely different topic...this is kind of random!

For my birthday we went to Bozeman/Manhattan. WE headed over to the Gallatin Valley on Friday night and stayed with our friends in their NEW house, which by the way...is absolutely gorgeous! They had pizza, cake and ice cream to celebrate my birthday...so much fun. Then Saturday we all headed into Bozeman to watch the Cats play. It was a great game and a very fun day. I'm so lucky to have such a great family to celebrate my birthday with!!!

I'm loving this beautiful fall weather and hope it sticks around for about another month! Is that too much to ask.....I don't think so! :-)

Here are some pics of T, in action. Once E starts Vball, we will post some of her too!

Thanks to the Centers mom BD.....She captured the photos. Thanks B!

T (#11) lined up behind P - getting ready to call the play or say HUT or whatever they do! :-)

T - runnin' the Ball!

T - runnin' the ball again!

Oh! There is again!

..And again!

Breakin' a tackle!

This might be my........

Favorite time of the year. The weather has been incredible around here the past few weeks...almost feels like summer has found its say back! I think I might have renewed my commitment to FALL. I have always loved fall because it is my birthday season but here a few other reasons why I love fall.

~ it seems like life has slowed down for us and we actually stay home on the weekends and enjoy life!

~ football, footBALL, FOOTBALL

~ Fall sports (football)

~ this weather, how could I complain when the weather was 80 plus degrees today and I was hot in my capri pants! LOVE that dilemma!

~ the smells of fall....pumpkin spice, cinnamon and baked goodies!

I am in my 5th week of school and I cannot believe it. Today was on of those days that I would chalk up to as a "good day". I am loving my new job and being called Mrs. Miller everyday but somedays, I'm NOT gonna fib....ARE tough! But NOT today, today felt like a well planned day, where everything seemed to fall into place and play-out like you planned it! LOVE it! I hope for a good one tomorrow too!

T had a football game tonight and it was GREAT fun to watch him play. This was his second game and they won....30 to 0. Tomorrow is another game, then 2 games next week and then 2 games the next week and done. Seems to go my so quickly but we are enjoying the time while it lasts!

Here a few pics of us lately!

Football pics to come!

T practicing swinging his rope with Sparky

Em was the photog, pics of T...up close!

T & I riding!

T and I riding!

My favorite pic of the day, T & E on their horses.

Kenny Chesney - The Boys of Fall

If this doesn't get you excited for fall, I don't know what would!

(Don't get me wrong, I'm NOT completely ready for fall and looking at the weather forecast, I think we have a few weeks of summer left).

This song is beautiful and the video is amazing!

Love my fall and football!

True Confessions of a Summah Lovin' Drama Momma

What are you favorite parts of summer?

Ever since we moved to the DL I have had summers off (for the most part). I only worked 2 days/week for 4 hours/day. To be honest with you it didn't even fell like work!

OK, so back to the question...what is your favorite part of summer?

backyard swimming

backyard bbq's

getting early and helping the kids with their chores

changing water (having green grass)

trips to the lake

day trips

staying up and watching the lightning

staying up and watching movies

watching Pawn Stars

true confessions of the summah lovin' drama momma:

I love to wear shorts but the older i get, the more I love capri pants! LOVE them!

I love my keens and flip flops but my feet do NOT love them.

I have learned because of the above how important it is to have a foot scrub in the shower....YUCK!

I love my shoes/flip flops to match my outfit. For example, if i"m wearing a red shirt, I like to wear red flip flops or my red keens! Am I the only one like this?

I love my $1 flip flops from Old Navy, like how can you go wrong with one in every color?

My last true confession, I am loving my green grass but come-on I do not remember a summer with so much rain and such cool weather!

It is so predictable, every afternoon/evening the clouds roll in and the thunder rolls and the lightning strikes. It has been fun to watch the storms roll in and out and in and out but I'm ready for some hot weather like major hot......

I think my tan might be fading!

And Also,

This summer, I ran my second half marathon in Missoula on July 11th. It was fantastic! It was such an early morning, I was beat by mid-day! Since the 1/2 was so close to home, the girls and I decided to just get up early and drive there instead of staying. The race began at 6am, because of the heat. So we left DL around 4am, that means I got up around 3am. We were in Missoula by 5am and ready to run at 6am. It was a beautiful course, starting along the river and ending up in down-town Missoula, it definitely was top-notch. I beat my last 1/2 time by almost 10 minutes. I ran this one in just a little under 2 hours! I was super pleased with that time.

In case you've ever cared to see what feet look like post 1/2 mara and after running for nearly 2 hours straight....have it at it! They were so sore. Blisters on my toes that were so big, I didn't think they were ever going to go away! :-)

The pictures don't do it justice but...I couldn't resist!

As if finishing the 1/2 marathon wasn't enough, I got a medal too. Everyone did but let me tell you how great it felt to get that medal when I crossed the finish line, made it all worth it! :-)

Dear Blog

This summer has been so hard for me to blog! We have been so busy and have a great summer but wanting to sit down and blog about it.......I haven't been that motivated!

Here is what we have been up to in a nut-shell!

The second week of July we went to Polson with D's company and the week by the pool, soaking up the sun! Let me tell ya, that is the life! We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and can't wait to do it again next year. Emmy and I swam and sun-bathed, the boys golfed and we ate some good food too! WE even took the kids to the waterslides at Columbia Falls, I haven't been there since I was a kid! It was so much fun. They haven't changed at all in like 20 years. :-)

Since then we have been busy with animals and entertaining. We have hosted a few bbq's at our house this summer too. We held the annual Branch BBQ/Pioneer Picnic at our house and also a surprise 30th birthday party for our friend (and T's boss) MH. The kids love swimming in the pool and everyone loves a good game of horse/pig or 3-on-3! :-)

The kids have been busy getting their 4-H animal projects ready for the fair. I can't believe that the fair is NEXT week.

Here are a few pics of the kids and their animals. They have been so good about taking such good care of them this summer, working with them and getting them ready to show.

The kids working together washing t's steers & heifer

E and her pigs

FAT pigs

Rigetta, Tina and Blondie

T & E and Ginger

T and his steer Reggie - "ta da"

T- washing

steer - Ronald

Heifer - Ginger

Reggie