Our Life On The Hill

Our icy Christmas Eve

We had a really icy Christmas Eve this year.  It covered everything and some people were even out of power for 15 hours or more.  Luckily, we kept our power.  I was relieved about that!  

We took the kids to see Alvin and The Chipmunks The Sqeakquel that afternoon.  The kids loved it!

On our way home, I had to take these photos of the ice.  It really is beautiful, but I hate being on the road when it's like that. 

The icicles on the lovely semi trailers, that now house the stuff from the barn and corn crib, were gorgeous!

The ice covered trees.

Sawyer lost his very first tooth!  What a lucky boy to have the toothfairy and Santa visit on the same night!

We always make out roll out sugar cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve.  They were so yummy!  

I take these same photos of the kids each year before bed

                           I'm so frustrated with this tree.  We bought it after Christmas on clearance at Target in Dec. 2007.  Last year was the first time we used it and there were a couple of strands of lights out and this year there were even more strands out.  I'm so disappointed!

    

They wanted to get their picture with our Elf on the Shelf.. Magic.  He leaves on Christmas.

Cookies and milk for Santa.  (they didnt' want to ice them)

Hadleigh wrote a letter to Santa and asked Santa to write her back.  She also left a blank piece of paper and the marker for Santa to use.   She wanted Santa to leave her a picture of Rudolph and the reindeer, but he told her he would have to e-mail that to her.  

Ashton also wrote a letter complete with about 15 questions for Santa to answer.  He left a pencil and a piece of paper too.  He also asked for a bell from his sleigh and Santa did leave him one.  It is really old and brass.  

They are ready to head up to bed

Sawyer is like "seriously, you have to take more?"  lol

So then I get this look from him.  lol  I think I can count every muscle in his neck!  

I love this centerpiece.  We have a lady in town that makes these gorgeous vases and candle holders.  She buys the glassware but she adds crushed glass to the item and it just sparkles.  I have a few of these and they all survived the tornado!  They were store in the corn crib will all of our holiday stuff and not one single one broke!  I was so happy!  I thought it looked so beautiful and I had to take a photo.  

         

Sleepy kids just dreaming of what will be under the tree in the morning

I love that you can see the glow of their Christmas lights on their faces.  

Sawyer has a silver foil tree in his room with white lights

Ashton's tree is a green foil tree with green lights

I couldn't get a good photo in Hadleigh's room, so this has to do.  I love how she's sleeping with her arm over her face, just like when she was a baby.  Her tree is the one she won at the Christmas in the Village event. 

The tree after Santa came.  You can't see the wrapped gifts because they are under the tree behind the huge boxes.  (Don't mind my family room.  I don't like it and plan on taking down the shelves around the top of the room and getting rid of most of the stuff on the shelves.  I also am dying to get new window treatments.  I love the grass shades, but I have 6 windows in this room and they are huge, which means it's going to cost a lot of money to make the switch.  :(  Oh well, someday! )

      

Family Christmas celebrations

The week before Christmas, we had quite a few of our family celebrations.  

On Saturday December 19th, we had Christmas on my mom's side of the family. 

Sawyer got a Transformers book and a gift card to Target. 

Paige with her doll from us.  She was so happy she even named her after me...at least for that day.  lol 

Hadleigh got a Cowboy Kate and Cocoa book, a notebook, and a Target gift card.

Denise is Hadleigh's godmother and she gets her an ornament every year. 

Hadleigh loves the ornaments from Denise.

Ashton is patiently waiting for his turn...sometimes being the oldest isn't so fun.

He has the entire set of Magic Tree House books, so when a new one comes out, he likes to add it to his collection.  He needed this research guide on ghosts and was excited to get it.  He also got a Barnes and Noble gift card.  

The next day, we had Christmas on Jerry's dad's side of the family.

Ashton's present from Jerry's grandma.  She's 94 and still likes to pick out what the kids get. 

Hadleigh got a Hello Kitty poster and a singing stuffed horse.  I think Papa helped great grandma pick things out.  I would have loved to see that!  lol 

Sawyer opening his Spy Gear and truck

The kids in their Christmas clothes

On that Tuesday, the 22nd, we had Christmas with Jerry's dad and his wife.  We don't go there on Christmas because they open in the morning, and we like to stay home with our kids on Christmas morning.  We want them to enjoy their presents, stay in jammies and just relax.  We do go to my parents later in the afternoon, but we made a rule that we weren't going to go anywhere on Christmas morning. It works out great celebrating with them by ourselves at another time.  We had pizza and just relaxed and talked. It was a good time. 

 

Hadleigh and Papa both have itchy eyes at the same time.  lol 

              

Ashton was very excited about this gift and after he opened it, he spent the rest of the night putting it together.  He even brought his little screwdriver kit with different sized heads with him.  He comes prepared!

Jerry's grandma also joined us.  It was nice to have her there with us. 

             

On Wednesday night, my parents had my grandparents over.  They still get together on Christmas Day.  We used to get together on Christmas Day evening, but they moved it to the day time a few years ago and we had my mom's side during the day for over 20 years and couldn't change it.  So since we couldn't make it, we have my grandparents over so we can celebrate with them.  My parents had it this year and despite the weather being so icy and nasty, we had a great time. 

Sawyer was wiped out after dinner. 

Ashton and my brother

The beautiful tree

My grandparents with my kids

       

Christmas parties at school

This was Ashton's last Christmas party at school.  I know we all celebrate the firsts in life, but I like to celebrate the lasts too.  If you don't, they just pass you by and you don't realize it might be the last time you ever do whatever it is you are doing.   I think they are just as important as the firsts.  

I helped in his class for his last party.  

They ate snacks.

They decorated sugar cookies

   

They did a book exchange

Ashton with his book

The class with their books

Of course 10 and 11 year olds love to be silly, and we always have to take a goofy picture too. 

He found a jingle bell in his goodie bag

     

I took a moment to go and pop into Hadleigh's class

While I was in her room, I took a photo of her display for being "Star Student" of the week.  They each get a week and can bring in a few photos, they write an autobiography, and they answer a few questions about themselves.  Their teacher then hangs it up and they have to read their autobiography to the class.  

I then popped into Sawyer's class quickly

My goofy boy

I caught him daydreaming

playing Simon says

           

Ashton's first band concert

Ashton is in 5th grade and they start band the year.  He plays percussion and loves it!  On December 15th, they had their first band concert.  He was SO excited!  

You can see from this photo just how excited he was!

 

They did such a great job and I can't believe they have only been playing for a few short months.  They were all excited and proud, you could tell.  The middle school band and choir and the high school band and choir also performed.  They were all amazing.  The jazz band was nice to listen to as well.  Our band teacher is awesome.  I've heard such wonderful things about him and it's obviously true. 

     

Christmas in the Village

Our town hosts a Christmas in the Village every December.  It's always fun and very quaint.  There is face painting, free popcorn, ornament making, Santa visits in the old one room schoolhouse, horse and carriage rides, a craft show, a piano recital, and much more.  

I make scented wax dipped snowmen and teddy bears and I always have a booth at this event.  Jerry will always come and give me a little break and work my booth so I can take the kids to some of the events.  This year, the weather was nice and not too cold.  We had fun!

Here they are visiting Santa in the one room schoolhouse. This schoolhouse was moved to town on the same grounds that the elementary school is on about 2 years ago.  Jerry's grandma actually went to school in this schoolhouse and I think that is so neat.  Whenever we are in it, I think of her as a little girl attending classes there with her siblings.  

making ornaments at the library

    

Mine and Hadleigh's favorite part of the event!  Mary is such a good horse!

The boys didn't want their faces painted, so they just took advantage of the free popcorn and Hadleigh had hers painted.  

We went back to the craft show to relieve Jerry.  The businesses in town each donated a Christmas tree, a fully decorated tree I have to add, and they were on display at the community center where the craft show was being held.   Ashton and Sawyer both loved a certain tree and we bought tickets to try to win it.  Hadleigh fell in love with a tree that was covered in cat ornaments.  She stayed with me at the craft show and Jerry took the boys home.  She stood in front of that tree the entire time we were there.  My friend Dana was selling the tickets for the tree and she said that a woman bought Hadleigh a ticket because she really wanted her to win it after watching her stand in front of it all afternoon.  It came time for the drawing and everyone was rooting for Hadleigh when it came time to draw the name for the cat tree.   The guy helping with the drawing was also rooting for her and she ended up winning!  She was so excited!  

Ashton called me on my cell phone during the drawing wondering if they had raffled the tree that he and Sawyer loved.  He stayed on the phone with me and they finally got to his tree.  I was hoping they would win since Hadleigh had won.  He was very lucky, because they called his name and he was screaming in the background and jumping up and down.  He and Sawyer were so excited.  Jerry had to come back to town to pick the trees up.  They are 6ft trees and came complete with lights and ornaments. 

The boys with their tree. We put it in the toyroom.  Excuse the mess, we are purging stuff again and it's all over. 

Hadleigh with her tree in her room

   

 

bye bye barn

Jerry was working hard trying to get the barn down before his knee surgery.  It's such a huge job and he's doing it all alone.  Here are a few pictures of it when it still somewhat looked like a barn.  

 

He finished the rest of this on Dec. 19th.  He had his knee surgery on Dec. 21st and still can't put any weight on his knee, so the clean up will just have to wait until he heals.  It's so strange looking without the barn.  I really miss it.   

             

elves, Santa, and reindeer...oh my

On December 12th, Hadleigh's class was able to wear Santa hats, elf hats, reindeer antlers, or anything else Christmas related to school.  She was SO excited and couldn't wait to wear her reindeer antlers and she also took her red flashing nose.   Her teacher snapped this photo of the kids that participated.  They are SO cute! 

 

Harvest 2009

This year's harvest was so late due to the bad weather we had in the Fall.  Our corn wasn't harvested until December 12th!  Yes, December!!  It's the latest I've ever seen a harvest taking place.  My uncle remembers harvesting in January one year.  I think he said it was in the 1970s. 

This year, the kids were in school when they came, so they didn't get to ride with.  I snapped this picture as I was on my way to the school.  I can't believe there was a dusting of snow on the ground and the corn was being harvested. 

I took a picture of the grain elevator with the dryer going when I went into town that day. 

     

 

This year's photos are so different from last year's harvest photos.  I take pictures every year during planting and harvesting, because I think it will be neat to look back on the different equipment that was used and the different weather situations that were going on.  Last year's photos were my absolute favorites.

These were taken in October of 2008

Hadleigh and Sawyer going for a ride with Bobby.

Ashton waiting for his turn.  You can see the bean dust in the air.

I LOVE this one

I really LOVE this one too

This picture makes it look like he's flying...but he's not.

This picture doesn't even look like it was taken at our house.  With the bean dust in the air and it being dusk, it  looks like it's in the mountains or hills somewhere. 

Done for the night

  

Christmas program at church

Our church Christmas program this year was a bit different than last year.  It really does vary each year depending on who is in charge.  There are some years that the kids just sing and other years that they put on a skit.  This year was both, and it was really cute.  I think they have just done the singing in the past few years, so it was a nice change.  It was early this year.  It was on Dec. 6th.  It was nice to have it early and done before everyone became really busy with the holidays approaching.  

Here is Ashton and his friend being silly.  They thought they were going to have to wear them and they weren't very thrilled, but when they found out they didn't, they were relieved and just had to put them on for fun.  

The boys waiting for their turn

 

   

Hadleigh and her friend laughing while waiting for their turn

Her group

 

Sawyer's turn

his halo is slipping

hanging with his buddy after his part was done

One part of the church Christmas program that has never changed is the gift collection at the end.  We even did this when Jerry and I were kids and we were part of the Christmas program in this same church.  They have giant stockings that the kids put their unwrapped toys into for area organizations that give to those in need. 

      

 

I missed Sawyer's turn.  I couldn't see him when he put his toy in the stocking. 

As always, we go to the basement for cookies and juice afterwards.  Santa is also there to see the kids.  

      

    

birthday party fun

My cousin Karen had her son Samuel's 3rd birthday party on Dec. 5th.  Hadleigh was at a friend's house, but Ashton and Sawyer were there.  They love getting together with their cousins. 

Karen had some craft supplies for the kids so they could make ornaments.  Sawyer loved it, especially the glitter glue!  He went a little overboard with it and his ornaments took a few days to dry.  

Sawyer and Claire with my uncles in the background

Really concentrating on his masterpiece

glitter glue overload

The girls picking out their embellishments

Paige working on her ornament

Pinata fun

Ashton's turn

Ashton had to put the destroyed truck back together like a puzzle.  He also snagged my camera and took pictures of his finished job.