This picture only happened after 2 mall visits, a very long line followed by a holding area, dead camera batteries, an argument with an elf and two very whiny children (and possibly two whiny parents). I'm lucky I even have this picture. It was a rough day and Jim and I are not gonna talk about it. Merry Christmas!!!

LET IT SNOW! LET IT SNOW! LET IT SNOW!

My kids love snow! When we got our last big snow fall, they spent over two hours playing in it. They grabbed buckets and shovels and had a ball. I just kept thinking that we were on the beach in Florida playing with sand toys just 2 months ago.

This year we invited my cousin Becky, her husband Dave and their way too cute daughter Emily over for our gingerbread house decorating night. We set out a ton of candy and frosting and let the kids go crazy. The had fun making their house just right.

Jen mad a hearts out of mini candy canes on one side and a very elaborate design on the other side. I think her house weighed 5 lbs by the time she was done.

Jimmy slopped on a ton of candy and was very proud of his masterpiece when he finished. He was also crazy nuts after due to the self induced sugar overdose.

Emily ended up decorating her house all by herself and made sure all of her candy was put on in just the right spot.

Julie had won yet another set of tickets from a radio station-this time to a Piston's game. Jim and Julie took the boys and had a blast. Jimmy had never been to a basketball game before so he had no idea what to expect. Even though they were nosebleed seats, the boys had fun.

You have to get your picture taken in front of the big shoe - right?

Before the game had started the boys warmed up with a little basket throwing.

Jimmy's been to a Red Wings game , a Tigers game and now a Piston's. We just need to get him to a football game.

HALLOWEEN 2010

Since it's December 18th, I decided it's about time to post our Halloween pictures. Better late then never - right? A couple of days before Halloween we found out about Tillson Street in downtown Romeo that decorates above and beyond for the holiday. Just about every house had extreme decorations - some converting their house into an inane asylum, a pirate ship, a cemetery and a zombie ball room. Shawn and the boys came and froze with us.

This house actually borded up allof the windows and doors.

Every year Julie and Scott have a pumpkin carving party on Devils night. By the end of the night, we usually have almost 40 pumpkins carved.

We have a really good system down by now. Scott will usually have the miserable job of emptying out the freezing cold insides of the pumpkins while everyone else starts carving. It takes all night- but definitely worth it when you look at the yard at night.

My little pumpkin carving princess.

Uncle Jimmy and Madison

Jimmy knew right away that he had wanted to dress up as Batman- there was no question. Jenna however had a very difficult time as usual. For whatever reason, they now make very inappropriate costumes for girls, and you can guess what my daughter would like given the choice. I had to talk her into this pirate costume, but it wasn't until an employee told her there was an entire section of accessories to go with her costume that she made up her mind. So we got some earrings, a sword and an eye patch and we were on our way.

Every year we make our first stop at Grandma and PaPa Doptis's house. We show off our cuties and visit for a while until it's time to head over to Aunt Julie's for trick-or-treating.

Best buddies Jimmy and Lanie. She made the cutest pink kitty!!!

Jimmy, Spencer, Kaiden, Jenna and Lanie

The kids enjoyed going door to door for only a short time. It was very cold and all they wanted to do was go back to the house and play with everyone.

Later we always meet up with Shawn and the boys over at Grandma and PaPa Thornton's house. We stay until the sugar kicks in and head home.

For not wanting to be out much, they sure did snag a lot of candy this year.

THINGS NOT TO DO AT SUNDAY SCHOOL

Jimmy is not a very artsy kid. He doesn't like to draw, color, glue or do art projects of any kind. He will cut paper in a million pieces and that the extent of it. Each Sunday at Sunday School the kids will do some sort of project. Sometimes he will participate and sometimes he will not. He's not a difficult child, that just how he is. Today he decided to participate and brought home his project which he colored and glued crepe paper to. I was very impressed.
Now Jenna will make projects all day long. She loves to draw and is pretty good at it. Usually I am very proud of her artwork, but not today. This is what she made in Sunday School:

As we picked her up from her classroom, she announced that she had made a picture. A picture of Jimmy being the devil. Really? In Sunday School that's what you choose to draw? Not a rainbow, butterflies, hearts or even a cross? There it is my little Jimmy with horns and a tail. She could tell we were not happy about her art at all. On the way home she said "Guess what. A boy in my class said the word P-O-O-P." I asked her what do you think is worse, saying that word or drawing a picture of your brother as the devil. The ride home was quiet.

READY ....SET.....GO!!!!!!!!

Already to go at 5:30 in the morning waiting for Papa Thornton to drive us to the airport. This was the first time either of the kids had been on an airplane, so they had no idea what to expect.

Jjimmy was watching the airplanes being pulled up to the gates and the luggage being loaded. He loved every minute of it.

Jimmy liked the flight at first, but was bored within 15 minutes despite the backpack filled with goodies. He had no intrest coloring, playing games or even reading a book. I learned my lesson and packed cars and trucks for the flight home. Jimmy had an ear infection the week before of course, so I was a little worried about his ears on the plane, but he did very well with very little complaining. His doctor had given us a saline spray to use and it worked amazingly.

Jen had a backpack full of a weeks worth of homework that she was going to miss while we were gone. The entire 2 hours were spent doing it without much complaining. We still spent a good amount of time doing homework during the week. Both kids did great - no bathroom breaks, no whining and were very well behaved. I cant imagine what the car ride would have been like.

SUNDAY MAGIC KINGDOM

This is the sign I've been waiting to see. We finally made it and it didn't feel real at all. I had worked with with my friend Pat since I had graduated from high school at North American. She has two children roughly the same age as Jim and I who work at Disney. For years they all have said come and visit and they'll show us around. Finally Jim and I were able to take the trip. Not only were they our personal tour guides, they also got us into the parks which saved us a ton. Eric, Heather and Pat gave us the inside scoop on everything from good restaurants to how to work the park rides and lines. We wouldn't have been able to see half as much as we did without them.

Jenevive and Olivia became good friends right from the start. They bonded and held hands almost the entire time.

Pluto was in the front signing autographs as soon as we walked in..

He has a special way of signing autographs. He places the book on his nose and signs.

Years and years of dreaming of this moment. We couldn't have asked for better weather it was a cool 80 and breezy. The lines were short and the crowds were minimal.

Heather, pat, Luke and Olivia joined us for a picture.

We walked down main street and the parade had just started. We had great timing and a perfect way to start the day in the park.

Since the tea cups were under renovation the next best thing was the carousal.

Beware princess overload. Jimmy had decided that he was only going to let the "boy" characters sign his book. He wanted no part in pictures with the princesses. Jenna was thrilled to see Princes Ariel.

Aladdin and princess Jasmin

Mary Poppins

Princess Aurora

Cinderella

Belle

Tinkerbell

Rosetta

We also visited Minnie and Mickeys house. This is Minnie's living room.

Jimmy standing in front of Mickeys bedroom.

One of Jimmy's favorite things to do was ride the train.

And of course we had to get a picture with Mr Disney himself.

After we left the Magic Kingdom, we headed over to Epcot, which I thought the kids would like - but I was wrong. By the time we got there, it was already dark and they couldn't see much.

But they did enjoy the ice cream and some more characters:

Mickey Mouse

Minnie mouse

Donald Duck

Daddy even had to get in the picture with Goofy. We got home late only to wake up early for another full day.

MONDAY

On Monday all of the boys went golfing, and the girls and kids did a little shopping at a cast members only store. Everything in the store is a already discounted and when you check out, you get an additional discount. My kind of store. After we went back to Heather's house and let the kids play for awhile. They played so well together that you never would have know there were four kids in the house. Later we played a little bit at a park and played at the beach in White Cloud while we were waiting for the boys to return. We had a seafood dinner on the water which was a great end to a great day.