Gingerbread House

Send my Mom of the week star! I let Sam talk me into buying a Gingerbread house kit. And as you see we decorated it. I let the kids do this by themselves, so it's their creation, at least Sam, Jenna and Seth. Cody wasn't interested, I am thinking there was probably a football game on TV competing for his attention! Anyway we are 'merrily' (sarcasm intented!) working our way throught the holiday season. With one fun activity after another. (refer to the above note) I know that we are making great memories and I try to remind myself of that as I was 'chipping' dried icing off the table that had almost cemented the gingerbread house in place that night! My kids were really fired up about the gingerbread being edible until they tried it....... Maybe next year we will bake our own. Maybe not........time will tell.

I have to take this moment to BRAG, I think I am done shopping or if not done VERY CLOSE!! WOO HOO!!!

That's not to say I am just sitting back and waiting around for Christmas, I don't have cards done or baking or sewing, but I have 'part' of the work done, so for that I am THRILLED! I would love to add some pictures of some of my creations, but I am not really sure who all is following this, so not ruin any surprises, I guess I will wait to post those pictures till after Christmas. But know that my sewing machine, has ran EVERYDAY for the last month and I still h ave alot more to go!!

Well I see as I type, that picture finally uploaded, gotta love that slow dial up, going to close for now, tonight is practice for the Church Christmas Program and about a million other things, you know same old, same old around here.

From Tulip~

KH

The Tree

We decorated our Christmas Tree last night. Does everyone else go down memory lane every year withyour ornaments? I do. Guess it's made me feel 'nostalgic' this evening. I have been very blessed with family and friends who have over the years given us beautiful ornaments that have helped us relive and remember good times or times in our lives. I blog about things that I feel strongly about and what a great thing to share some of our favorite ornaments an the story behind them.

I have a set of 20 ornaments, dated from 1980 to 2000. They came from, in the first year or two, my Aunts Olivia and Ethel. They signify life changes that happened throughout those years. Starting in 1989, David has ornaments, in 1990 Aunt Ethel made us a 'Our first Christmas', with our wedding date on a wedding bell ornament. Cody has ornaments from 1994 on, and Sam from 1998 on. There was the year that Aunt Ethel moved to Texas and the ornament is a cowboy hat. After that year the ornaments changed from ceramic ones to wooden to better withstand being mailed to us. Most of them were little mice in winter wear, there was one that was ice skating, one that is leaning over a chalkboard. Several years they were mice or teddy bears. The very first one was a Snowman. This year that snowman is on a little bitty tree on top of my refrigerator, as he kind fits the theme of my kitchen, which is Coca Cola so the snowmen and Santas are here and there among the Coke things.

We have many ornaments that were given to our children over the years. The boys have enough ornaments among them that they have their own tree. From Batman to the 101 Dalmations, to Scooby doo and the St Louis Cardinals their tree is their own creation, filled with their memories. Jenna, who also has her own tree, opted to 'borrow' several of my 'old' ornaments.

Our tree (s) certainly are a reflections of our life and our passions. There's one from my favorite Christmas movie, 'It's a Wonderful Life' There are several farm themed or tractor ornaments. There's Americana ornaments, stars and flags. There's ornaments to remind of us of places we have been, things that we love and so many stories that I am not even sure I could tell them all. It's is one of my goals to 'write all the stories' of our ornaments for my children. With my passion for scrapbooking, I even bought a really cool Christmas Album one year with ornaments on the front of it. Hopefully one day, I will get it done. But days like today, just getting the tree decorated seems like such a big challenge, that one might have to wait till our tree is sized back to 'just' mine and David's ornaments......... but I think that will be shame as there such good stories in all those ornaments that will leave with my kids, hopefully I will get it done and SOON. As Sam and I drove to do some errands today, we were talking about things (I love taking him with me alone, as then HE really talks ALOT and I love that!) We figured out in talking about currents events and mention of the new President, that Cody will be able to vote for the NEXT President. That was one of THOSE moments for me, that wow, OMG my kids are growing up. Made me really relish decorating our home today for the coming holiday with them as there won't be many more of those years where we are all here to decorate the tree, where I tell them the stories that I have told them every year of the ornaments on our tree. Maybe my New Years Resolution will be to make that album, maybe I can have them help me, while they still are around to.

Told ya I was feeling nostalgic today.

From Tulip~

KH

Little 'Angle' Girls

Don't have time this morning to write a long blog, but wanted to share a picture of a couple of little angels........... Jenna Claire whose last name might be Hasekamp, but anyone who knew me about 30 yrs ago would swear her name should be Angle! And the absolute thrill of Thanksgiving Day for her, holding her new little cousin, Trinity. I had to wait a long time for a 'girl' cousin, 11 yrs! Jenna was very lucky not have to wait that long. She picked out the outfit that Trinity has on, right up Jenna's alley, pink and brown and cowgirl themed, Trinity I hope you realize that as long as your cousin is picking it out, you have no choice, you're gonna be a cowgirl! I would love to write all about our thankful Thanksgiving, and we had a great one, hopefully I will get the opportunity soon!

So, from Tulip~

KH

Counting my Blessings

With Thanksgiving looming on us quickly, I thought this was the perfect opportunity list my blessings, and there are alot so bare with me!
I am thankful for four beautiful children who entertain me, frustrate me, laugh with me, make me cry (mostly in the good way) have wonderful and different personalities. I couldn't be any luckier unless there was more (which is pretty unlikely, BTW)
I am thankful for my husband, who's my best friend, my lover, the guy who makes me maddest and gladdest (is gladdest a word?) all in one.
I am thankful for my parents. They are my number one biggest fans, they totally support anything I do, no matter how crazy they have thought some of the things were. They always encourage me and remind me often that even on those days I wonder if anyone does, SOMEONE loves me!
My baby brother, I can remember wondering what mom and dad were thinking, they had a perfect kid and then went and had another, ugh!!! But now you're my best bud, we can talk or not talk and we totally know what the other one needs and we try to be each other's solution, not their problem.
I am thankful to be 37 years old and have a grandmother who is my best friend, who I talk to 3 or 4 times a day, everyday. We talk about cooking, sewing, parenting, and just stuff. My grandma is the coolest lady I know!
I am thankful for my aunts, they are my 'second' moms and I love them for all that they do for me, whether its a shoulder to cry on or just someone to gossip with, I am very blessed as I have FIVE of them!! O,E,K,L, and P~hugs to you!!
My uncles, OMG, where do I start, from the one who was my big brother growing up, to the one who delights in scares my kids with his false teeth (just like he did us as kids!), to my Anchor Fest co-worker, to 'Ugly' (yes you're hair is on straight) and my almost birthday buddy and my actual birthday buddy, man have I got some cool ones. Of course I was thankful to have a really super cool one, who's watching my boys play sports from a play way up high and I know he'd just love to see them.
I can't go through and name everything about all of my cousins, 'cause I'd never get through it. 15 first cousins, plus steps, plus more....... but you all have such a special place in my life. From fishing with the Angle cousins and always having those great times at Wilson park, to cruising with E.D. being thrilled when that girl (then that second one) cousin arrived, I love you all very much, and I am glad that you are part of my life.
Friends, how do you start counting friends, you'd never catch them all, but here's a few, you know who you are, the ones I scrapbook with, the ones I grew up with, the ones that I email, the ones that I talk to on the phone ten times a day, the ones that I sit with at school/sports functions, the ones I go to church with and so many more.
I know that so far I have only mentioned people, well there are alot of things that I am thankful for as well, some of them being,
health
a home
security
to live in a free country where even if we don't like how things go, we have the right to choose
I can attend the church of my choice, worship how I choose whenever I wish to
I can feed my family healthy nutricious food, or junk, again my choice!
And there are so many more things, but I just don't think that I can list them all.
I am glad that I have this forun to share these thoughts, and I am very thankfully counting my blessing here tonight,
From Tulip~
KH

Misc Ramblings

I feel like I always have all these little tidbits to add to this and then never get it done, because it doesn't seem like a developed enough idea to add it to the blog, so this blog will just alot of updates and odds and ends......
Our magazine is out at least to subscribers. I got my subscriber copy yesterday. I love it, maybe it's because I love the subjects. But I was really thrilled with the finished product, I was a little involved with the editting, sometimes it's just interesting to see someone else's take on what we do. Locals, the Centralia grocery stores are both going to try and get extra copies. I have discovered that HyVee and Gerbes in Columbia both usually carry it as well as Barnes and Noble. I would venture the guess that any store that carries a large variety of magazines will have it. I believe eventually it will be for sale on the website, as there is a link to order the current issue, but right now it's still offering Oct/Nov.
Okay for anyone not local who might not know I don't think I ever mentioned the end of the football season for Centralia. The 8th grade boys ended out 4-2, which I thought was a very successful year, they lost to Troy, who had about 100 boys and I am guessing is a much larger school and I don't have any opinion on the Macon game as I didn't go, but Cody says that have a running back (I think remember my football knowledge) that was a super star and was unstoppable..........
The High School team ended up the District Champions and the Conference Champions. Their season ended at Regionals with a loss to Blair Oaks. They had another phenomenial (sp?) year, we are all proud of them.
Now wrestling has begun, High School and the club have started practices. The Open house is Monday night and we are looking forward to a new sport getting started. As I know of them I will post the boys' tournaments on the side bar. There are only 4 8th graders this year, so Cody and compnay will have a big responsibility of leading the rest of the club, I feel confident that they will rise to the occasion. Seems like the club is smaller this year, but I have been in there when the younger boys practice, I may be very surprised when I see the whole group together. The boys weighed the other night and if they were in the same age group (and THANK GOD they aren't) they could probalby wrestle each other, Cody is 116 and Sam is 111 (and YES four years apart in age, but built so differently) Not sure when to say the first tournament will be that they will participate in, because there are ALOT of Sunday ones, which we aren't thrilled about, ours is now on Feb 8th, which is also a Sunday. Getting an available date that wasn't another teams tournament, not a High School tournament, not a Freshman basketball game, you get the picture........
I am getting alot of Christmas shopping and sewing done. I am looking forward to my annual shopping trip with my college friend Toma, we are trying to work out the details. We giggle and go out to eat and sometimes actually shop, but we do this every year and sometimes thats the only time we get together. I am glad that we do get together. I don't know if I am feeling nostalgic or what, but I have been craving time spent with friends and family who seem to far flung from us. Was telling Kimberly how much I missed Kenneth Earl today, you know its bad when I am whining about not seeing his ornery @$$ :)
Okay so since I have mentioned it in this blog, Trinity is cute little sweet pea. I have spent some time with her and her brother and her momma this week. We had Riddick stay the night here one night, to help his momma get a little more sleep and rest up some. Seth and I went down one day and helped her do some things around the house and we've regularly checked in on them this week. Seems like everyone is doing really good. We are celebrating Riddicks third birthday tomorrow night at the pool hall for which I am baking a 'Lightning McQueen' birthday cake.
We've had 4+ deer shot off of our land during fire arms deer season, Jason shot one of them and right now David is cutting up the meat, which we will enjoy this winter. David and the boys have went a few times, but not with much luck.
This coming Sunday David, Cody, Sam and my Dad will go and watch the KC Chiefs football game, I guess they are looking forward to it, mostly they are trying to figure what they will wear to stay warm. It's 4H Day at the Chiefs and the tickets were available at a very discounted rate, so they are going to go.
Well since I have sat down to type, everyone has suddenly gotten 'needy' so I must close this entry. I am looking forward to the holdiay season, actually looking forward to getting out the boxes and boxes of decorations and starting to do some baking and all of that.
From Tulip~
KH
PS~Happy 6th Birthday, Brennan and Brayden Swann in Houston, TX!

We are on the Web!

Hey there,
Well Farm and Ranch Living has updated their website to feature the Dec 08 / Jan 09 edition of their magazine, which is the one that we are diarists in. The following link will take you to a slide of pictures from our story. The magazines should available very soon. I believe I have read the stories online before as although ours isn't on there yet, it may be after the next magazine is out, not sure, anyway, I was just very excited to share!
Here's the link:
http://farmandranchliving.com/2009/DJ09/slideshow2.asp

Go and check us out!
From Tulip~
KH

Trinity Leigh Angle

Riddick is a big brother! At 10:48 am this morning, Trinity Leigh Angle arrived. She weighed in at 7 lbs. 12 oz. She's got some blondish brown hair. She has already proved that she's related to her father and is hard headed. She apparently didn't care for that whole upside down thing that babies are supposed to do and instead was sitting on her bottom in there, so the doctors tried to turn her this morning and she didn't like that either, so she arrived via C-section. I think that she had her Daddy more than a little nervous, but everyone is fine and dandy now. I am going to say that she must favor her momma, I compared her pictures with Riddicks newborn ones and she looks a little like him, but I thought that he looked 'just like my babies' which Marshall (nephew on David's side!) disproved that theory this spring, because he REALLY looks like my kids............ so the jury is still out on who she looks like, so stay tuned I guess!

Jenna is very anxious to see her, the boys yeah maybe, they are boys. Seth and Riddick are staying all night together at my parents tonight, we'll see if Grandma Linda survives. wish her luck! I guess afterschool tomorrow we will go and check her out, so watch for further reports.

BTW, they are Regional Hosp in Columbia and will be till probably Saturday. If Wayne and Brittany put her picture on WebNursery thing, I will post the link on here!

Okay so its been a long day, maybe I will get a chance to sit here again very soon and update this blog, I know it's sorely needed it, lots of stories to tell, coming soon I promise.

From Tulip~

KH (Trinity's Aunt!!)

:)

PS--don't you love the 'half blink' thing that my brother is doing in that picture!?!? He'll be THRILLED that I choose t hat one to post on here!

Cinderelly

Jenna our resident princess decided to be Cinderella this year for Halloween. So I got to further my skills at dress making. I actually can proudly say that this costume actually has a zipper in it, something I haven't done since I had to in Home Ec class over 20 years ago. I wouldn't have gotten an A on this project or a blue ribbon at the fair, but it's done, in fact already been wore and laundered and in the dress up box now. You'll notice (or maybe you can't see them, the picture is uploading while I am typing) she's sorting 'glass slippers' (jelly shoes, with glitter!) and of course she topped it off with a crown, since she's only got about 8! we of course needed a NEW Cinderella crown.

From Tulip~

KH

PS-hoping my luck holds, have been having trouble getting pictures on here lately!

There's a New Sheriff in Town

Here's Marshall in his first Halloween costume. He was a Marshal, how appropriate. Also here's another brand new update, he's no longer the baby on the Kable side, Jason's sister Amy (Shelton) had a baby this morning, Jaycie Faith weighed in at 10 pounds! 2 oz.

Cody Garrett, 14 yr old picture

You know when you're cool and your mother can't tell you what to wear, etc etc etc, these are the kind of pictures you get taken. But I decided that it would okay, since this truly depicts what Cody is about at this age. So thought that I would share his 14 yr old portrait. More to come, hopefully I will get the other three taken over the next few days.
From Tulip~
KH