Granddaddy's Party

Today we had a party for Granddaddy at a buffet in Brookville. We also celebrated his and Mema's 65th wedding anniversary! The food was okay, but the company was exceptional. They had a good time visiting with friends and relatives they don't get to see often. Good times!

Ellie

Nathan, Granddaddy, and Me
It was hilarious seeing all of the older people at the party wearing neon necklaces.

Emmaline enjoys cake with Uncle David

Mema, Granddady, and their girls
(L-R is Anita, Janet, and Nathan's mom, Ginger)

Lots of cards to read
And Jacob's face cracks me up!

Happy 90th Birthday, Granddaddy (oh, and Happy 4th, too!)

We had our families over today to celebrate Granddaddy's 90th birthday. I cannot even begin to count the ways he and Mema have blessed our family. I have no grandparents left on my side of the family, so it is nice to have Nathan's set to look up to. Nathan's family is having a big several-day celebration for this momentous occasion, so both of his mom's sisters are in town, as is one of Mema's sisters, Erma Lee (whom I'd never met until today!). We had a really nice time together.

Granddaddy shows his excitement while opening gifts

Granddaddy and Nathan
He said that if he'd ever had a son of his own, he would've wanted him to be just like Nathan.

Granddaddy and Emmaline reading a book

Katie with one of Nathan's rifles
This picture cracks me up! Doesn't she look like she fits the part?!

Happy Birthday, Mema!

Nathan's Mema (his Mom's mom), turned 87 today, so we celebrated at his parents' house. It was a gorgeous day to be outside! We enjoyed turkey burgers for lunch and then had homemade angel food cake with fresh strawberries, raspberries, and cool whip for dessert. I don't have any grandparents left on my side of the family, so I'm grateful that our kids are able to spend time with Nathan's. His Mema and Granddaddy live across the street from his parents, so we get to see them every week. What a blessing it is for our kids to know them!

Jacob with Nathan's AT-AT (from the first time Star Wars came out)

We gave Mema this frame with pics. of the kids in it

Daredevil Emmaline

Jacob wearing his boonie hat from Uncle Andy

Ellie hiding in Papaw's chair

Easter with the Curleys

After church, we went to celebrate Easter with Nathan's family. We enjoyed yummy brunch fare (complete with my homemade cinnamon rolls) and then the kids had another egg hunt. Everyone was worn out by the time we got home...what a busy weekend!

Jacob made a silverware holder for Grandma and Papaw

Ellie goes through her eggs and finds lots of candy!

Jacob looks cool in his new hat!

Emmaline tries to open an egg to see what's inside

Blowing out candles on Papaw's birthday cake

Christmas with Nathan's Family

Today we celebrated Christmas with Nathan's parents, brother, and grandparents.

Tunnels!

Gotta love this happy girl!

Granddaddy tries to figure out Emmaline's new radio while she visits with Mema

Jacob and Daddy
The kids made us construction paper stockings for Christmas

Gabrielle and Mommy
They made reindeer ornaments too

Grandma and Jacob with the Easy Bake Oven for the computer

Ellie got lots of Littlest Pet Shop stuff

Emmy loves to cruise around the house with her new doll and stroller

Ellie and her new Barbie head
She can't wait to do her hair and make-up

Jacob and Uncle David

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! We ate lunch at my parents' house. My Mom did the bulk of the work, so I was able to just show-up and enjoy the fruits of her labor for the most part. Everything was so yummy! It was weird to celebrate without Katie (she is still in South Africa), but we still had a good time. After lunch, Jacob played video games, Ellie performed child labor (see photo below), and Emmaline fought taking a nap for the longest time. She finally gave in about 30 minutes before we had to leave to meet Nathan's family, but at least she was able to nap some.

For dinner, we met Nathan's parents and grandparents at Hometown Buffet. Since Nathan's parents are taking Jacob and Ellie to see a movie tomorrow, they decided to have them spend the night tonight. We dropped all 3 kids off at their house, went home to grab clothes, extra car seats and sleeping paraphernalia for the oldest two, and then went back to drop everything off and pick up Emmaline.

We have so much to be thankful for this year: Jacob and Ellie are doing well in school, everyone has been relatively healthy, Nathan has a job that he loves that allows me to stay home with the kids, we have a warm house and 2 reliable vehicles, Emmaline's heart condition is stable, our families are close by, we have a church and home group that we love...the list could go on and on. God is so good to us and I often take His many blessings for granted. I'm so grateful that He continues to provide exactly what we need despite my forgetfulness.

Emmaline reads her new book from Mimi and Papaw

Freckles had the best seat in the house as Dad carved the turkey

Ellie can't wait to taste the delicious food that Mimi made

Jacob enjoys a holiday beverage...7-up, cranberry juice, and fresh cranberries

Ellie loves to wash dishes.
She made up her own dishwashing song and sang it the whole time she helped.

Papaw and Jacob enjoy some yummy pumpkin and pecan pie

Ellie and Mimi put stickers in her new Maisy book

Happy Thankgiving to all and to all a good night!

Trick-or-Treat 2008

Following our yearly tradition, we had our parents, Nathan's grandparents, and our brothers over for an evening of festivities. We ate dinner, and then, Nathan and David took Jacob and Ellie trick-or-treating around the neighborhood while the rest of us stayed back at the house to pass out candy and entertain Emmaline. She still wasn't feeling that great, so we kept her inside for the most part. Jacob and Ellie came back with lots of candy which I have been enjoying way too much.

Mommy and Emmaline

We borrowed Emmy's costume from a friend. It cracked me up because it had a stinger on the back to complete the bumble bee look.

Jacob also went as "Bumble Bee" from the Transformers

Gabrielle was the cutest "Snow White" I've ever seen.

Jacob's pumpkin, in all its scariness

I'm pretty proud of how Dora turned out

Trick-or-Treat, Grandma

Look at all this yummy candy!

Aunt Janet Visit Ohio

Nathan's Aunt Janet is in town from Colorado. We had a cook-out at his parents' house this evening so we could visit.

Aunt Janet, Mema, Jacob, and Emmaline take a walk

Ellie races to the porch

Emmaline loves to ride in this stroller.
It was used by Nathan's mom, both his aunts, and all grandkids and great-grandkids on that side of the family.