It's Beautiful...

Our Backyard

I am kind of a Florida basher, the heat, the humidity, the crowds. A lot of times I long to move where the leaves change, where there is more snow than people-sigh. Drew loves it here...

However, there is a small window when Florida is the most beautiful place in the world to live, the humidity disappears, the temperature drops to the 70's and maybe even the 60's! The sky is crisp and beautiful and it is lovely.....now is one of those times.

Black Friday

Going to the stores at 4:00 am on Black Friday has become a tradition for Anna and myself. It works for us on so many levels:

1. We are both night owls.
2. Since we are not frantically running for one of the 20 flat screen tv's in Target, there is no stress. We really aren't looking for anything.
3. There are, believe it or not, A LOT less people out there than on a regular Christmas shopping day, and that fits into my comfort zone.

We get some good deals, share breakfast and laughs, avoid the crowds, then we come home and go back to sleep, a perfect day with my sweet girl.

Jia's Preperation for the Dinner Feast

Happy Thanksgiving to our family, friends and blog readers!

The Asian Pilgrim

As a Geography Teacher this picture makes perfect sense. The first native Americans crossed the land bridge from Asia...

Jia's class made honey butter, put it in little preseve jars with fabric and ribbon, she was so proud. (Notice her silver purse, she loves purses, has tons of them and they are all filled to the brim.

Jia and her honey butter. Notice her "big" tooth is almost in.

Giving Mom the butter, I am so thankful for this beautiful little girl.

The sisters and yes, yet another shot of the butter.

lighting the Thanksgiving candles

We thought it would be funny if we made the vegetarian carry the turkey to the table

Drew got the gravy right this time, no soy sauce or barbque sauce (note: last years horrible Christmas dinner)

Katie and her dog Benny Foo. We were watching a dog show today and Benny actually climbed up toward the tv and watched the dogs.

Happy Thanksgiving from Parnham South!

ps. it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without this one!

Jia calls Thanksgiving the "dinner feast". She is very confused and we confused her more by watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade and watching Santa Claus coming to town.
These pictures are of Jia's Pilgrim hat, her Native American outfit and her honey butter all of which she made in school. Her teacher is just wonderful with the kids!

Then, of course, we have our family's annual tradition of putting the raw turkey on someone. Days ago, Jia said "please don't put the raw chicken on me" but she got it anyway...poor kid!

HAPPY 15TH BIRTHDAY WITH THE FAMILY!

Katie's cd was wrapped in a shoe box with socks and underwear (her dog, Benny-foo, also in the picture collects undergarments)

Anna's book was wrapped with pantyhose to make it "squishy"

This book was the next installement in a series Katie is reading, so she was very excited.

Anna loves the "Ripley's Believe it or Not books"

More cd's in shoe boxes

Anna got two pair of jeans rolled up in a shoe box

Katie is reading already

A game that Anna wanted

I bought Katie "The Complete Worst Case Scenario " book, because she is always worried about how she is going to get out of bad situations.

DISCLAIMER: The next several groups of pictures look like we never put the clothes away, but they are actually clothes I am selling for my Ebay business, so please disregard.

The girls had to wait until after school to open their presents. Since they specifically asked for most of them, I wrapped them in unlikely ways and with other things so they couldn't guess what was in each box.

I think they were happy with the day.

Anna's Birthday Goal

Anna had a soccer game last night on her birthday. During this game she scored her first goal of the season and her first goal as a Varsity player. I wasn't able to make it, so I didn't get a picture, but she was very excited.

Disco Bowling!

Happy 15th Katie and Anna!

Katie and her best friend Rabia

Doing the Chicken Dance

One of the few pictures of the girls together although Katie's eyes look scary

Katie getting a drink, the soda came in bowling ball containers, very cute!

Katie and Rabia again

Is Drew getting grayer as he watches the party?

Having fun

Jia bowling with one of her two best friends (Anna) Jia bowled with Anna and two seniors
Now she has decided that her party will also be disco bowling (which is fine, as long as we don't have it i our house and we can walk away from the mess!

Anna with her yearbook friends. Kristen (on the left) is the editor of the yearbook.
Both are Seniors, they love Anna in her class!

Best friends forever

Katie and her friend Liz

Anna and her friend Sam, who is the soccer goalie

Checking out the stinky bowling shoes

Liz, Sam, Alyssa, Yun Soo, and Katie

Katie, Yun Soo (Katie's other best friend) and Anna

Anna and Katie's little "Mini Me"

I can't believe our babies are 15, they are the most wonderful girls a parent could have.
We have been so very blessed!
Anna had a happy day!

Here are many, many pictures of "Happy 15th Birthday" Part One. The girls decided they wanted to go disco bowling with their friends. We had a combination of Katie's friends, the Flanagan High Soccer Team, and Anna's Yearbook friends. They all seemed to have a really good time...

next year....boys?????? agggghhhhhhhhh.

Jia Just Hanging Around

Katie took some really cute pictures of Jia today. She looks so cute with her hair in braids!

Anna Falconette!

Finally remembered the camera, although it is so much harder to take pictures because I am basically sitting in a football stadium. I did get a couple good shots of Anna Banana and I asked Jia to pose and the picture of her is what she came up with as a great pose! Anna's team won 8-0!

Tomorrow is a day off in the middle of the week. We Honor those who serve our country and those who gave their lives for our nation. Also their families who wait and worry.

We also ask our Lord, to please bring peace to our country and throughout the world.