Giving Thanks... And Chaos, Too!

Sorry for the delay in posting our Thanksgiving note... but life has been rather chaotic around these parts. Better late than never, right?!

We had a nice and quiet start to our Thanksgiving Day. Tony made a wonderful turkey while Emmalie & I made some good ol' holiday pies. We ate, watched some college ball, and shared our thankfulness... which for all of us seemed to be the rather lazy and quiet day we were able to enjoy together... then, Tony saw the weather prediction and everything changed! Our early Friday trip to southwest Kansas for a weekend of weddings (yes, pleural) turned into a quick packing and late Thanksgiving Day road trip instead. But the girls managed to be good during the 3+ hour car ride and we made it in time for a late supper at Kamie & Roger's house. It turned out to be a good call by Tony to get us on the road earlier than planned. Needless to say, this Thanksgiving we were not too thankful for the weather. See what we awakened to Friday morning at 7:00 am...

I could've sworn there were more days between
Thanksgiving & Christmas!

Friday was a sisterly shopping day... though I'm happy to say Lisa & Kamie were able to out-spend me this time! Then there were the weddings on Saturday. My Uncle Leroy got married at 4:30 pm and my cousin Travis got married at 5:00 pm. Take my word for it: Bouncing around town, even in a small town, to share in two different couples' joy is REALLY tiring. Especially when everything is happening at the same time. The highlight of it all was getting some family pictures out of the ordeal and getting to see Emmalie strut her 3-yr-old stuff out on the dance floor. Just so those of you with kids under the age of three know, they DO catch on to line dancing almost as easily as to undesirable adult words. Only it's much funnier to enjoy the fumblings of line dancing! (I wish the video clip I took of Emma doing the "Cupid Shuffle" hadn't stopped mid-stream or I'd share it with you).

My cousin's daughter Macy & Emmalie...
What a couple of hams?!

Emmalie on the dance floor...
Not quite ready for "Dancing with the Stars" yet

Devin demonstrates what a 16-yr-old boy does at a family wedding (text)

Dad and his little girls (though not so little anymore)

Grandpa and some of his muchkins
(we're minus the California trio)

The "Great Eight" and Tow (Dad and his siblings... plus spouses)

Emmalie has been again asking for a new dressy dress like Sleeping Beauty's. The best thing about being in the Garden is that they do have some little girl's dress shops there with much better prices than here locally. So, Aunt Kamie & I picked up Emmalie a real "Princess" dress for her to shine in. It was supposed to be for Christmas... but have you ever tried to hide something in an SUV to where a wondering toddlers' eyes CANNOT find it? It's virtually impossible... so Emma found it and had to at least try it on.

Our Princess Emmalie

That is all the wonderful words of our busy past five days that I have the energy to share (as I'm sure you all can understand). If you don't hear from me in the next week... it's because I'm still recovering! Until then... Happy belated Thanksgiving from the land of ladybugs and bulldogs!


Shelia, Tony & the Gang

12 Years Later

I cried the day I went into the hospital to have Dalton.... I didn't want a girl. But 12 years ago today I was in the hospital delivering what the doctor had believed to be a little girl based on earlier sonograms. Boy was he wrong... and I couldn't have been happier! At 12:21 pm I delivered Dalton James. At 6 lbs 12 oz, he had dark brown hair, the biggest "tweety bird" blue eyes, and a traditional Murphy (big) head with forcep & vaccum marks to prove it!

Today, twelve wonderful years later, I am still glad that Doc B was wrong. Dalton now stands 5' 5 1/2" tall and weighs nearly 130 lbs. A far cry from the fragile baby boy I took home that Thanksgiving years ago. It has been such a joy to watch him grow up and experience life so far. Though I could share stories of DJ's onery nature through his early years of life (toilet paper incidents seem to top the list), I'll restrain myself and give you this instead...

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Happy 12th Birthday Dalton!

Shelia, Tony & the Gang

Funny Little Emmalie

The girls and I attended what Emmalie refers to as her "funnest birthday party" on Saturday... the Graf Quads turned one! They have to be some of the cutest babies I've seen. (Their blog link is to the left if you don't believe me!).

Miss Em provided her own funny entertainment for Tony & I this weekend. You know how retailers and the radio stations seem to think Thanksgiving has already passed and it's now Christmas time? Well, Emmalie paid attention and put her own little dance & skit together. Something about the holiday music, holiday dress and Halloween teeth somehow seemed to fit for her. Don't laugh too hard!

Well, that should tide you over until Dalton's clip tomorrow! More to come from the land of ladybugs & bulldogs...

Shelia, Tony & the Gang

What do you get....?

What do you get when you put nine pre-teen boys in the same home for 14+ hours? One heck of a LOUD group who won't sit still! And, who have more stories than a golfer!

Actually, I'm so utterly amazed at Dalton's friends for keeping his birthday party last night a surprise! Dalton didn't have any idea that he would be walking into a house filled with his closest friends. ALL of the boys kept it a secret... FOR TWO SOLID WEEKS! How tough that must have been for this crowd. And they actually quieted down at bedtime so the girls could sleep well. What a great group of kids!

I do have one suggestion to other mothers though... when planning a birthday party for 11 & 12 year old boys, prepare to be eaten out of house and home! I thought Dalton and Devin were eaters, but nine of them together is like the black hole of bottomless pits!

I do have pictures from Dalton's party. (YES! He actually let us snap a few this time without complaining). However, I'm saving those for his actual "birthday post" on Tuesday. Soooo, you'll just have to check back then....

Shelia, Tony & the Gang

P.S. Sorry to keep you hangin' my Denver Mamma!

All About the Dessert

My adoring older sister knows me sooooo well. She sent me this wonderful website full of dessert recipes... more importantly, CAKE recipes! There is nothing better than dessert in my eyes (and my pant size knows that fact all too well!). With the holidays coming, you'll have to try out this site. It has a recipe for any kind of cake you can imagine. Now to figure out which ones are the lowest in calories! Check it out at...

http://www.northpole.com/Kitchen/Cookbook/

Shelia

Never TOO Old to Learn...!

Well, today I learned that you really aren't too old to learn! It was a beautiful day outside, so I thought the kids & I would enjoy it by spending some time outdoors. We played in the yard, rode tricyles/bicycles, and I even got the bright idea to rake the leaves up into piles for the boys to bag up. YEAH! I know.... "bright idea" right!? I turned my head for a second and this is what I get...

Emmalie "hiding" her flip-flops in the leaves.

Emmalie trying to find her "hidden" flip-flops in the leaves.

So, needless to say, I have learned that no matter what orders you give a toddler... playing in the piles of leaves is much too tempting to resist! I also learned from this experience that a little girls can hide her flip-flops sooooo well in a pile of leaves that it takes an act of Congress to find them again! The neighbors even offered to help (after laughing at us, of course)! Too bad Tony had to work and miss our day of outdoor learning. But... how can you be mad at that face...

Emmalie's "I'm Sorry Mom!" look.

That ends my words on a lesson learned for today. Next news.... a Birthday event in the making!

Shelia, Tony & the Gang

OMG! How Aweful!

Okay, I have to tell you.... I was soooo very excited about Dalton's presumably last ever music concert event of his school career. WAS I WRONG!? This was the absolute most aweful one his teachers have ever put together! They were taking us around the world in 45-minutes of music. The musical choices were so "blah" that Dad offered to walk Bethanie a little and I started to nod off once or twice. They did sing a great rendition of "Circle of Life" that was good. But the highlight was Emmalie. She sat on my lap laughing out loud when they started to dance and sing 'Havah Nageela'. I tried to quiet her laughs & giggles, but she thought Dalton was doing this funny dance to make people laugh! By the time the song was over.... Emmalie's giggles had become contagious to those sitting around us.

Though it was a rather depressing experience that left much to desire, I did manage to get a couple of SHORT video clips... you'll get the drift!

Dalton playing a tamborine or mini drum or something of that nature! (Look close & you'll see him look at his buddies & smile).

It's nice to know that my little Mamma's boy still looks for me in the audience... even though he won't walk within three steps of me in public! (All you mothers of pre-teens/teens will understand that).

And for you, Grandma Teri, I did get one picture while they got set to sing. (Dalton is in the middle of the top row, just in case his handsome face doesn't POP OUT at you!).



That's it from our wonderful world. I'm sure I'll come up with more to share later....


Shelia, Tony & the Gang

All GOOD Things must come to and End:(

As with everything, there must be an end. It is sad to say that Dalton's football season has officially ended because it was such a fun year for him (and us!). Here's how it all played out...

The Eagles made it to the Championship Game on Sunday night (8:00 pm start time... YUCK!). It was a hard fought game on both sides of the ball. Definitely a defensive battle of the "big men" and, with 16-seconds left on the clock, it was a tie 0-0 game. The Eagles had the ball for a 4th and 10 from their own 40-yard line... Cole snapped the ball with 10-seconds left on the clock... and this is what happened next...

YEP! THEY WON! Dalton scored as the clock hit to 00:00 ... Final score 6-0. What a wonderful end to a very exciting final junior football year for ALL of the boys!


In other news....

I called to set our family portrait up... but they were "totally booked up" unless we could come in NOW (go figure!). So, we gathered up the kids and did the whole photo shoot thing. I have never seen two teenage boys so disgusted by the thought of a little picture. Dev & DJ pitched such fits over the entire thing... they both temporarily gave Emmalie a run for the "high-maintenance child" award of the day! Devin didn't want to shave at all... and Dalton just didn't see the need in getting a family picture when we "just took one three years ago" (which is two years before Bethanie came along!). After owing Tony more gratitude than ever before for his peace-keeping abilities, we made it through the ordeal unscaved!

That is the latest and greatest words of life from our end. We still have a busy remainder of November approaching. So more to come....

Shelia, Tony & the Gang

OH! And to all of my blog followers... Does anyone know where I can get Emmalie one of those cute little elastic hair-ties with the tiara on them? I saw a girl with them a few weeks ago and cannot seem to find them anywhere! THANK YOU!

OH Happy Day!

It has started out to be another busy weekend at the funny farm! It's cold outside and the winds are bitter... but all-in-all it has been a rather good and happy day.

• Dalton won his football game today and will be playing in the Championship Game tomorrow!


• Bethanie has reached the 17 lb. mark... So there is hope that we may actually be able to turn her carseat forward facing by the time she's two!


• Though I did have to work today, everyone was in good spirits with patience enough for things to move quickly AND smoothly. (I know, aren't you shocked to hear those words from a nurse!).


• My little Diva and I, along with Baby Boo, spent a nice quiet "girls night out" to supper and birthday shopping for Dalton. We had an absolute blast... and (best of all) the Diva ordered her own meal, ate it ALL, and didn't throw one fit the entire time we were out! I'm still in shock and amazement because this might mean that she's starting to realize her part in her own independence.

Well, that is the quick update some have asked for. Nothing too much... but I'll hopefully have some more wonderful WINNING words after football and Senior enrollment things pan out tomorrow! Until then...

Shelia, Tony & the Gang

Playin' Dress UP!

Another long weekend down... with one more football weekend left to go! Funny how fast this fourth year of little league football has gone. I could cry just thinking about how much I'm going to miss this.... That is, unless one of the girls decides to play football and I REALLY don't think Daddy's gonna let that happen! Dalton won his first tournament game yesterday (big!). They then lost a heartbreaker in the closing seconds of the second game. BUT... that's alright, because both teams are in another tournament together next weekend... We'll see if this meeting will go the other way! I just have to say "WAY TO GO EAGLES!" They played their hearts out, and I think they were all a little more upset at the loss because each one wanted to win for their 'fallen' teammate, Drake. (Who, by the way, was able to make it to the tournament to help motivate the boys!).

Drake getting some help onto the field

Dalton (#54) trying to find a gap to run with the ball

Like every Sunday morning, I went to dress Bethie-Boo in a frilly dress ... and it turned into a free-for-all dress up play date! Emmalie started going through my closet looking for something to wear as a new "princess dress" and, of course, she had to have some jewelry too! It was so much fun watching them play dress up just like Lisa, Kamie & I used to do. OH TO BE THAT YOUNG AGAIN!

Emma smiles while playing with Mom's pearls (while wearing Mom's sweater)

This is when the camera came out... Bethanie trying to put on Mom's pearls (with the sun coming through the window just so...)

In other news from the home front:

• Bethanie has her 4th tooth in... with her two top "eye" teeth soon to be following!
• Emmalie & Devin are at a tie to see who can sing and grab attention the best!
• Devin has decided to join back into "Public Policy Debate" next semester. Tony & I know what that means... THANK GOD the Presidential Election will be done by that time! We can only handle so much politics in this home!
• Bethanie has learned to say her brothers' names: Dalton comes out "Dah-unnn". And Devin comes out "Deb-unnnn". IT IS SO DARNED CUTE!
• Dalton has his first Middle School musical program next week... I'm so excited because this may be the last time we actually get to see him sing & dance (as he has vowed to take anything for his Fine Arts requirements that does NOT require music or dancing!).
• Emmalie has learned what will be her most valuable thing one day... The art of GAB! She talks on the phone like a 10-year-old and can really keep the conversation flowing. It's cute when she's playing with her own phone, but not so cute when she answers the home phone and runs away trying to keep you from catching her (and the phone)!
• A birthday is soon coming our way!
• NOBODY is sick right now.. and it's past November 1st!
  
  

Well, that is the latest from our humble abode. There is so much to do coming up... weekend work, final football tournament, birthday planning, a holiday photo shoot, weddings to attend, basketball starting, doctors appointments, and on and on! At this rate, you may not get an update from us until after Thanksgiving! Oh, well.... maybe there will be a miriad of wonderful words by that time!

From the land of ladybugs and bulldogs...

Shelia, Tony & the Gang