Annual Christmas Reading

I love traditions, I love our tradition of reading Christmas books together. We started last night. I love snuggling with my kids. I'm so glad that they still like to snuggle and love picture books. Here is a list of some of our favorites that you might like to share with your family:

1. "Gingerbread Baby" by Jan Brett
2. "Santa Calls" by William Joyce
3. "Frosty the Snowman" Illustrated by Richard Cowdrey
4. "Santa Kid" by James Patterson Illustrated by Michael Garland
5. "Red Ranger Came Calling" by Berkeley Breathed
6. "The Polar Express" by Chris Van Allsburg
7. "Auntie Claus" by Elise Primavera
8. "Auntie Claus and the Key to Christmas" by Elise Primavera
9. "The Twelve Days of Christmas" Illustrated by David Delamare
10. "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" by Dr. Seuss
11. "When Jesus Was Born in Bethlehem Illustrated by Joseph Brickey
12. "The Night Before Christmas"
13. "The Christmas Bear" by Henrietta Strickland
14. "The Christmas Ship" by Dean Morrisey
15. "A Child's Christmas" Illustrated by Thomas Kinkade Writen by Douglas Kaine McKelvey
16. "Snow Riders" by Constance W. McGeorge
17. "The Mystery of the Missing Red Mitten" (the new version - it has more color pictures) by Steven Kellogg
18. "The Christmas Blizzard" by Helen Ketteman Illustrated by James Warhola
19. "An Elf for Christmas" by Michael Garland
20. "The Mouse Before Christmas" by Michael Garland
21. "The Christmas City" by Michael Garland
22. "The Light of Christmas" by Richard Paul Evans
23. "A Piggie Christmas" by Howard Fine
24. "Nicholi" by Cooper Edens Illustrated by A. Scott Banfill
25. "Crispin the Pig Who Had it All" by Ted Dewan
26. "Peter Claus and the Naughty List" by Lawrence David
27. "The Last Christmas Present" by Matt Novak
28. "The Snow Family" by Daniel Kirk
29. "The Elves and the Shoemaker" Illustrated by Margaret Walty
30. "The Worst Person's Christmas" by James Stevenson
31. "My Favorite Things" Illustrated by James Warhola
32. "Merry Christmas Big Hungry Bear" by Don and Audrey Wood
33. "The Gingerbread Man" Illustrated by Norman Messenger
34. "Snowmen at Night" by Caralyn and Mark Buehner
35. "Snowmen All Year" by Caralyn and Mark Buehner
36. "Snowmen At Christmas" by Caralyn and Mark Buehner
37. "It's Christmas, David" by David Shannon

Hannah's monthly parties with her friends

Thanksgiving

We ended up staying home for the first time in a couple years for Thanksgiving. We were going to Las Vegas to celebrate with David's brother, Dan and his family. We love to visit with them. They have 5 kids that mine are sandwiched right in between and they have so much fun together. They are some of the nicest kids that I have ever met. We sure do miss them, especially today.

We had some great food, David did a great job with most of the cooking. Derek made great jello and the fabulous drink, Hannah made amazing chocolate chip cookies. (that she made a tripple batch and we froze so we are doing our best not to wolf down in one giant gulp, our goal is to make the tripple batch last at least one day, I mean a week, no maybe we can even make it last a mont-who am I kidding...)

November 23, 2010, this was to be the biggest snow storm since 2003

Ok, this was Derek with the red cheeks after he came inside from the worst blizzard since 2003, no wait, that is just what it was advertized as by the drama queens on the news station. (ok it was a pretty good storm but definately not the worst since 2003.) Although in defense of the media, they did get those who could go home from work early to go at 3:00p. Which in reality did help when the storm-yes- I admit storm- came at the usual rush hour time at 4:30 so most of the traffic was already home which did cut signifcantly down on the potential accidents during the normal rush hour traffic. However. . . I was getting a little nervous to do my last round flight because of all the hype of the "mother of all storms" that was coming. I KNEW that we were all going to die or not make it home that night from my last flight. (we were due in at 7:00 right in the eye of the black, dark, no visibility, no break action storm) So. . . I called in to the company and told them that I could not do my last round trip. They asked why, I (at that time without the benefit of 20 20 hind sight) told them. . . that I did not feel safe doing that last round trip with the storm that was forcast to come in. I "flight tracked" my last round trip, to see what the fate of my crew was. They made it in . . . alive but 45 minutes late was all. Oh well, I was able to spend more hours home with my children and had a fabulous, amazing, homemade dinner that I made for my family. (I only feel a little guilty and embarassed for calling in scared off my trip, I have not called in off a trip since last January so there!)

The kids loved the snow. They even burried themselves. I did not so much, they wanted me to video them I was so cold I was shaking so bad I'm not sure that we'll be able to view it. Oh well.

My two brave Eskimos

My beautiful ice princess

My snow angel

my snow knight

Harry Potter day!

This was was us going to Harry Potter #7 movie with a friend, Carolyn, who might be as big a fan of Harry Potter as I am, maybe. . .

Visit with Grandma and Grandpa Ely, Roma, Delilah, and Debbie's family

This is the Museum of Glass that the kids and I went to with Grandma and Grandpa Ely. We have been there 2 times now. They have quite beautiful pieces of art. I really wish that we could take pictures inside, I don't understand why we are not allowed to do that. I would love to have the pictures to remember them. It seems very Amish of them.

This is coming back up the stairs from the creek from our traditonal hot dog roast.

We sure do enjoy being with our family. This is our our traditional hot dog and s'more roast at the Ely fire pit at the creek. This is Hannah, Brendon, Grandpa, Derek, Grandma, Roma, and Cassandra. I hope that the kids will take this memory far with them in their memories.

Derek playing with Cassandra and Brendon. He sure does love to play with his cousins.

Hannah with Grandpa's new toy, his red convertable Miata. They had a great time. Derek and I also had a great time riding in the car with Grandpa. I got to ride with him to see the sunset.

Derek and his good buddy, Grandpa

The two boys resting on Grandma Ely's garden bench. Grandpa told Hannah and Derek the story of the bench. This was a favorite place that Grandma Sandra Ely loved to sit in her garden. I love it when the kids hear famiy stories. . . I just hope they can remember them.

Derek outside of the bird cage. Grandpa has given him a love for birds. Derek loves to spend hours out in the bird cages with his friends. He can tell his friend love him. Derek saw one of the birds smiling at him. He feels so lucky to be able to feed the birds that is something he loves to do.

1st ever Barrus family get together

This was the 1st and hopefully not the last of the Barrus family get togethers. Hopefully it was a sucess if not I had no hand in organizing it. . .

This is my little cousin, Jed Copier. He is such a sweetie.

Ok this is the gang, Chelsie Miles, Nichole Miles, Sheena Miles, Brian Stuckie, Me, Jed Copier, Kristy Copier, Dionne Miles, and Derek Ely with Jake Miles in the back. It was so great to see everyone that made it. We had quite a few (many were not in the picture) show up. We were very fortunate that Kristy's husband has a very large building (a dance hall) that we were able to meet in. We hope to be able to do this a couple times a year. I'm not sure when we'll do it again, I'll face book everyone again soon to arrange another one.

Sharing a beautiful sunset with Hannah and Mom

Remodeling Project