dear valued postal customer...

So - I'm thinking I will NOT tell the people who sent us this card today about their torn-in-half Christmas card - eek!! THANK GOODNESS it was NOT a picture-card; however, it WAS handmade and is a beautiful (what is left of it) card...bummer!! :(

It says: "I want to extend my sincered apology as your Postmaster for the enclosed document that was inadvertently damaged in handling by your Postal Service......The U.S. Postal Service handles over 202 billion pieces of mail each year...an occasional mishap does happen..."

BUMMER!! Thank goodness it didn't have money in it! :)

12 days of Christmas...down in Africa...

Preschool Christmas Pageant

There were coloring tables set up for the kids and their siblings...that was neat...

***Now - this picture could be taken the WRONG way - please don't take it the wrong way!! We just made a quick trip to the girls room before the show and I still had my camera with me over my shoulder...I just couldn't resist - too funny!!***

We REALLY enjoyed Ms. P's preschool Christmas Pageant/program - actually - it was hilarious and yet so sweet! Just watching 3 year olds - of course - there is bound to be something unexpected happen - and there were. All the kids looked so cute in their manger scene costumes.....loved it!!

tea, anyone???

Did I mention that we like tea?!

I was just fixing myself a cup...and realized my "tea cupboard" (doesn't everyone have one of these?!) needed some organizing. How pathetic is that when you have so much tea that the area you keep it all needs organized?! Oh my...

I had to take a picture of this...we have 12 different kinds of tea in our house...those seasonal holiday ones I cannot pass up at the store...just bought 3 last weekend...and the good old stand-by "Stash" flavors are ALWAYS good. I call them "church tea".

CHURCH TEA: (definition) You know in church lobbies there is usually a countertop or table set up with complimentary tea or coffee? Most churches I've been to have the Stash brand teas...so - I call them "church teas".

If you're wondering - my all-time favorite tea - no matter what time of year - is (STASH) LICORICE!! sooooo good.....

Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride is my (and the kids) favorite holiday blend...(Celestial Seasonings)

But - I'll take a cup of Stash Licorice tea ANYDAY...

G-man will swipe your CHAI if you have a cup...YYYUUUUUMMM...

I was buying decaf Oregon Chai for him and I in the mornings...but he was drinking way too much of it...hhhmmm...an 8-year-old drinking too much tea? Better put the skids on that...!

CLYDE...

...HOOF...

...HUMP...
...HEAD...

IT'S CLYDE - THE CAMEL!


We went to a "live nativity" this weekend. We had no idea there would be a camel there until we saw him - "Clyde" - walking down the street with his handler (is that what you would call him?). Have you ever been to a parade with a camel walking down the middle of the street? Pretty neat...and the kids were fascinated...(is that the word???)...

MS. P WAS A LITTLE "UNSURE" (TO SAY THE LEAST!)

AND - SO WAS SWEET HUBBY!

G-MAN LIKED THIS GOAT...

EITHER G-MAN OR MS. K TOOK THIS PICTURE OF SWEET HUBBY & I. I LOVE HOW THE PICTURE-TAKER GOT OUR FEET AND LEGS *MORE* THAN THE BEAUTIFUL TREE BEHIND US...OH WELL... :)

OTIS!

We "dog-sat" for some friends the week of Thanksgiving...thought these pictures were cute of the 2 little guys~

Charlie (our poodle mix) & Otis (their shihtzu)

If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then giving Fido only two of them.

~Phil Pastoret

My goal in life is to be as good of a person my dog already thinks I am.

~Author Unknown

If dogs could talk, it would take a lot of the fun out of owning one.

~Andy Rooney

The average dog is a nicer person than the average person.

~Andy Rooney

A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself.

~Josh Billings

November News

I have not posted in a while!! November has been a fun month. The girls are still enjoying their weekly gymnastics and dance classes...we enjoyed a Family Movie Night (Journey to the Center of the Earth) at G's school...those are always fun. We stop at Walgreens, load up on candy and have a blast at the "Movie Theater" (ie: G's school). Ms. K had her 1st grade Exordium & Speech Meet at school this month. She and her classmates did GREAT! It's always fun to see what songs, Bible verses and poems her class has memorized. SH & I went to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert this month as well - that was incredible - it really got me in the holiday spirit! Ms. P is THOROUGHLY enjoying preschool. We had fun at her school's Thanksgiving Feast - (complete with inflatables set up in the gymnasium!). Are kids spoiled or WHAT?! these days - bounce houses as part of your Thanksgiving Day Feast at school?! Wow...times have changed...I remember thinking that wearing those white pilgrim hats and an apron was pretty special...Now as today is Thanksgiving...we will be having a small family gathering at our house - also enjoying the day with us is our friends' dog, Otis, whom we are dog-sitting. So - he & Charlie can be our floor cleaner-uppers...they will be a huge help, I'm sure...