Maggie's Dance Recital

For the past four years, Maggie's dance class has done a Christmas recital as a fundraiser for Toys for Tots. This year, the class presented their numbers for the residents at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cameron.

She is not yawning....she is feigning surprise for the camera!!

The beginning of her jazz number.

The freestyle dance part of her gymnastics number.....she's in the middle.

Christmas Cookies

It has been a few years since I have made cut out sugar cookies, but I was in the mood to make and decorate them this year and thought that the kids would enjoy the project as well!

Maggie helping me get the dough ready to roll out.

Morgan with his cookies.

Morgan decorating his cookies.

Cheesy grin Marshall!!

Hard at work decorating his cookies!

The finished product!!

Using the icing for the first time!!

Gingerbread House

This year, the kids and I tackled making a gingerbread house. I had never done one before but bought a kit and I think it turned out pretty good!! We had lots of fun making it, so I'm sure it will be a repeat project next year!!

The back of the finished product.

The front.

The kids adding candy to the house.

All assembled and waiting to dry so that we can decorate it!

I'm piping in icing to hold in the sleigh.

Christmas

Santa was good to the Farrell children this year.....although I have a few issues with him!! We celebrated our first Christmas in our basement this year since it was finished. As I have mentioned before, the kids wanted to have our Christmas down there, so two trees went up this year!! However, apparently Santa didn't get the 411 on the change in locations and missed out on his cookies and milk!! He left the kids' presents by the upstairs tree with a note asking about his goodies!?! We have decided next year we will either leave the milk and cookies upstairs or leave the big guy a note directing him to them!!

We celebrated Christmas with my dad and his wife on the Sunday before Christmas and had a very relaxed and enjoyable afternoon. The kids got to run around and play with their cousins for a few hours and we had a good food and a great visit. I even learned how to play Bunko with my nieces and nephew!!

Christmas Eve we were at my mom's house with more good food and company. We ate until we were miserable!! We had fun opening our presents and then after a small bit of karaoke, we headed to church for a candlelight service that was wonderful!! After that, it was back to Granny's to change into our new Christmas jammies and then home to go to bed!!

My pictures are in reverse order, but as you can tell the kids were happy with what Santa brought them. Morgan got a new Harry Potter wand. Maggie got a mini Miche bag and Marshall got a .22 rifle (Santa---a gun!?!)

We spent all day at home with most of it in the basement playing with our new toys and spending time together!!

We will celebrate our Christmas with the Pollard and Farrells this weekend. We can't wait to visit with everyone!!

Getting ready to rip into the presents.!!

Mags with her mini Miche bag!

Marshall with his .22 rifle!

Morgan and his new wand!

Look what Santa brought!! Guess we were good this year!!

Winter Update

Alas, I have no pictures to post at this moment, but I do need to update everyone on what is going on in our lives!

Morgan has completed his first-ever junior high basketball season. I'm not sure what the team's record was, but I think they probably broke even on wins/losses. Some of the boys on the team have played together for several years, but were playing with different kids this time and in different positions! They had a great season and lots of opportunities to learn! Morgan did a really good job and had a great time! I am very pleased to say that he has a good attitude and takes it in stride when the team loses as well as wins! He begins a league with a "travel" team tonight in St. Joe for the next several Wednesday nights. I am sure that he will enjoy it as well. He seems to be getting settled in to junior high very well. During the first week of November, he was very sick and missed 3 1/2 days plus a day the week before, but he got caught up in his classes and is working very hard! Last night, at the Winter Concert, the high school band played and they sounded great! I know that he enjoys being in the band and works hard at learning the songs!

Maggie had her Christmas dance recital last weekend and did an outstanding job in both her jazz and gymnastic numbers! She was joined on stage by her dad for a special number! I will post pictures later! He was wearing a tutu over his jeans and white top with a snowflake pinned to his shirt and a snowflake tiara! There were almost 20 dads up on the stage with their daughters! It was a sight to behold! If I can figure out how to load video, I may post it as well!! School is going great for Maggie! However, as usual, her favorite part of most days is spent at the daycare helping take care of the kids. We have a 5-month old that she LOVES to hold and love on! Last night at the Winter concert, she did a great job on the trumpet!!

Marshall is doing well with school and is getting involved in 4-H. In fact, he has his Christmas party tonight! We haven't gotten hogs yet, but will be sometime in the near future! He is very excited to get to show them this summer! He is busy going to open gym and "Rowdies" during the morning before school and hanging with his best friends! At the Winter concert, he did a great job singing his class's songs! He claimed he was so nervous that his palms were "all sweaty", but you couldn't tell it by looking at him. He smiled the entire time!

We have almost completed the basement. All that's left to do is "finish" work: hanging the pocket doors on the stairwell, the baseboard in most of the rooms, and wrapping one of the exposed columns! Greg has done a terrific job and we have a cozy place to hang out. Of course, we had to put two Christmas trees up.....one upstairs and one downstairs. Marshall wanted to know if that meant Santa would leave presents under both trees.....UUUUHHHH NO!

We hosted two Thanksgiving dinners this year. Thursday with some of my side and Saturday with Greg's side. It was a very fun time (but hectic). I think I will be taking next year off and letting someone else host! I enjoyed having everyone at the house, but the preparation wore me out!!

I will try to post some pictures at a later date! See ya later!

Family Photos

We recently had our family photos taken by our pastor's wife who does an outstanding job and is very budget friendly!! Below are just a few of the many shots she took! Thanks LK!!

Sock Hop

The last Friday in September, the Elementary StuCo at our school put on a Sock Hop for the elementary students.

Maggie in her poodle skirt.....that is a coffee filter colored black with the center cut out of it.....desperate times call for desperate measures.....she had a felt record from a dance recital, but we couldn't find it!!

Marshall as a greaser......

Aren't they cute!!??!!