A Snowboard for Christmas and Lanie's New Sled

"I'll try it on a little snow bank first"

"It's not as easy as it looks, Mama!"
"O.K., try again."

Sweet success!!!!

Nate got a snowboard for Christmas. He asked for video games until I was about to scream! I have regretted the purchase of a Gameboy since day one. We have always tried to get the kids at least one thing that they ask for at Christmas, but this year I threw that out the window because video games is all he asked for. I picked a snowboard, and a B.B. gun. Both All-American boy things. Right? He can get exercise and shoot squirrels for Grandma at camp. Anyway, he was pretty excited and tried out the snowboard today. Lanie asked for a new sled that was just hers. So easy! We have a little hill in the back yard, so we don't even have to go any further than the back yard for fun sledding. At least Lanie is still happy with it. Mikayla and Nate would like a steeper hill usually. but Nate agreed today that our little hill was enough for his snowboard. He actually didn't even make it to the hill, but tried it first on the snow bank. Wise decision, I must say.

Christmas

Here's some pictures of the kids on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. Pay no attention to the date on the pictures themselves. My camera apparently malfunctioned and put the wrong date on. Weird. Anyway, every year Nana sends them new PJs. They open them on Christmas Eve, which is a tradition that my Mom started when I was little. My Grandma sent me a new homemade nightie every year, and Mom let me open it Christmas Eve. It's nice to go to bed with something new and warm and fuzzy on, so since Nana started sending jammies, I continued the tradition. Thanks, Nana! We spent an afternoon over at my parents apartment with them, and my brother Carey and his wife Marie. Terry had to work Christmas Eve (Yuck!), so I got in a little more shopping. We didn't have the big Christmas meal this year since Dad isn't feeling well, and we weren't sure if he would have the energy for it. Our Christmas gifts this year, with the exception of gifts from Grandparents, were all made possible by monetary gifts from some wonderful folks. One man has given us a gift every year, but we really were surprised. The church folks gave us a gift. This on the heels of the gift that they gave us in order to make the trip to Michigan in November. They must really love their Pastor! Also, a little mission based here in Maine whose sole purpose is to encourage Maine pastor's and their families gave us a gift. We had told the kids that the trip to Michigan was our Christmas this year, and then I spent about thirty bucks each for a surprise. The Lord was good, and they made out like bandits after all. Several bills are paid off, too. To quote my preacher hubby, "He supplies our needs and sometimes even our greeds."

Lee Rand's Picture

OK, I got brave and asked Mr. Rand for a copy of the kids drink stand picture and I'm going to try posting it here. Yeah! I did it! Looks kind of funny after the snowy pictures, doesn't it? I just wish it was bigger, but.... The picture on his website is cropped and brought up closer. Mikayla started a mobile lemonade stand when she was about eight and this was a continuation of that. She put a cooler in the wagon and pulled it up and down Main street during homecoming weekend. She charged a quarter a cup, but everyone thought she was so cute that they handed her dollar bills and told her to keep the change. One lady even wrote to us and sent a picture of her that she took. Last year she felt like she was getting to old for it, but decided to do it one more year. When I mentioned this fact to someone buying a cup, they said that they would miss her, and that they looked for "Lincoln's Loveliest Lemonade" wagon every year. Who knew? It was a great way for her to learn about money, making change(when they let her), counting back the change, saving, spending, tithing. Even if you don't homeschool, you can teach this in the summer. When was the last time a cashier counted back change for you? I wonder if they know how.

Famous Kids? Well, sort of.

I just saw a great picture of my kids on Lee Rand's Lincoln, Maine website. I knew that he had taken the photo and posted it as a "photo of the day". I didn't know that he used it as a more permanent thing. You can see this wicked cute picture if you go to my links and find Lee Rand's Lincoln, Maine. Then click on "Our Area" , then "Business and Industry". Our kids where selling cold drinks on a hot day hoping to save money for summer camp. I think I'll have to ask him for a copy.

Tis the Season to be Freezin'

Our first snowfall was about 15 inches. Whoa!! Last year we had a brown Christmas, and it was probably 50 degrees. That was weird! This seems more like what we're used to. The kids went out today after being kind of cooped up. Lanie has had a wicked cold, so we have had her resting and doing everything possible to keep her from getting pneumonia. Today she begged to go out, so I let her go (bundled to the hilt) for a little while. Sunset today was at 3:42P.M. Tis the season for ... rosie cheeks, cold hands (warm heart?), runny noses (Ewww!), hot cocoa or mulled cider, 20 minutes of getting ready to go out only to run right back in to go pottie. (:

Alaska

My Dad went to visit my brother Chris and his family in Kodiak, Alaska. As you can see, they got in some good fishing. Check out how close they are to the bears!

All three kids played soccer during summer and fall. Nate and Mac had regular teams, so they got professional pictures taken. Poor Lanie. Mama forgot the camera every time she played. They just got them back. Here they are. Mikayla has played on the junior high team for two years. This was the first year that the rec department had soccer. They traveled around to different towns. We are hoping that there will be more interest next fall so they have a bigger team. This year it was new, so there was barely enough for a team, and then they couldn't sub. Nate is all sweaty in his picture because he played the whole game, plus he scored the teams only goal that day. That's my boy! Mikayla got an assist this year.