Our Christmas

We had a great Christmas! Seems like you stress, plan, and get ready for a long time, and it is over in one day! The kiddos thought that life couldn't get much better than having Christmas Day finally come!

A little something to make you smile (:

Anxiously awaiting...

to start the gift opening!

Something that Jenny has wanted for awhile. Unfortunately, they already lost the one when it was forgotten on Daddy's truck bumper and went for a ride. Jenny was disappointed that she did not have a big box like Amber and Rissa, but we had gotten her a bigger than normal birthday gift (her bike), when she seen what was in their boxes, she understood. They got new bikes.

New PJ's and slippers

Rissa was surprised and excited about this gift!

Treyton's favorite gift that Daddy picked out for him!

Supplies for when his "Man Cave" is finished in the garage.

I had been wishing for a bird feeder. I hope the birds soon find it!

The rest of my Christmas present, David took the picture to show how romantic he can be. (:

Amber finally got a new bike. As is the case with her, she finds all these daring things to do. Well, she set up a bike ramp using the big piece of cardboard from her bike. Till I realized it, she had already rode over one of the big metal staples in the box which resulted in a flat tire! ):

She really does like her bike!!

Davids afternoon chore

The picture says it all!

I guess when you live in a place where snow and ice are very rare, you have to figure out other ways to ice skate, a frost covered deck works great!

Happy New Year!

Getting Ready for Christmas

I hope you are enjoying the Christmas season as we are! This past week has been bliss as we took off school for the whole week! I put the books in the closet last Friday determined to not look at them for a long time! (:
I saved my baking to do this week. I did my cookies today, and hope to do some candy tomorrow. Maybe that is procrastinating, but I knew better than to try to fit it in our school schedule. I did procrastinate though with my gift shopping for the kiddos and regretted it, and learned a lesson at the same time!
We are actually going to be here for Christmas this year. We are going to PA in January instead. The kiddos were disappointed, but are still excited for Sunday. The Sunday school classes are each doing a short program on Sunday. I will be doing Amber's class.
Last weekend found David in Tennessee at the main barn headquarters for a Christmas Banquet/Meeting. We were all going to go, but I was trying to get extra school done, and found it overwhelming to prepare for a trip too. So, he got a friend from work to go with him instead.

The kiddos had fun at a little Christmas party at the library.

A rare moment when Rissa and Treyton do something together, happily anyway, during school.

Last Sunday night we took the kiddos to a gardens in town that had free walk-through lights. We were bussed there, so Rissa and Treyton had their first bus ride. Treyton was not impressed and Rissa thought we were goners cause the ''driver goes too fast''. (:

It was cold, (for us anyway), but we still had fun.

One thing I am celebrating this Christmas is fulfilling (almost) last years New Years resolution of losing weight. I have lost 50 pounds and hope to go at least 10 more. And yes, as you probably noticed, as a result, my hair is going through the falling out stage, which I hope it VERY soon gets over with.

Aiken is very big into horse stuff. This statue was in the gardens.

The girls unwrapped and Treyton tried to steal my Christmas candy for baking.

Personally, I would have been okay skipping the whole holiday baking thing. It is time consuming and fattening, but decorating cookies has been very much anticipated by the girls. So, I guess I will have to work extra hard practicing self-control and let them have fun!

Finally, getting to do a favorite Christmas activity! Yes, Rissa is being an emotional wreck, but she was missing nap-time, and she thought that it was ''too hard'' of a project, but she was to stubborn and independent to let anyone help her. /:

About Our Thanksgiving-Finally

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving, I trust y'all did too! It was great having family here with us this year. Unfortunately, David's two sisters could not make it, but we still had his parents, and his brother, and his wife and daughter.
The time went by quickly, as always!

David's Mom braved the chore of taking our family pictures for us. She did a good job, considering the fact that we have got to be the worst ones for getting our pictures taken!
She was very patient, even when dealing with behavior as shown below:
(you will have to wait till our Christmas cards to see the ones that actually did turn out) (:


Cousin Alea was the life of the party for the girls. They literally spent hours at a time playing in the woods together.

Jenny was pleased to have a second birthday party with the cake Grandma made for her

Grandma so graciously helped make the favors for our Thanksgiving lunch table. I had every intention of having them done already, but as is often the case anymore, they were still on the list of "things to get done before company arrives!"

The turkey favors

The meal was very yummy! Thanks Mom for the food you brought to help out!

As always, when we get company, we put them to work to help earn their keep! (just kidding). The men hung dry wall on the ceiling of the garage.

Finishing up

The kiddos all found Uncle Kevin entertaining and fun to play with!

Just chillin'

Treyton giving Foxy a kiss

One evening we made a campfire

Treyton thought it was fun

Treyton with Grandpa

We ladies got to work making applesauce. We froze 41 quarts.

We will not think about all the yucky things that were on this apple. It kept him happy, so I just left it at that.

Amber still talks of missing Alea

Treyton loves jamming on the keyboard. It is a very common sight to see him with one shoe on, not ever his own. He usually manages to get one on before he gets too frustrated to get the second one on!

Christmas came early to the Summy house this year! After wearing out two used Ellipticals in the past year and a half, my Honey got me a brand new one!!