Sledding

Sledding Fun.

Featuring:

The 4th graders: Brooklyn Muir, Bailey Pierce and Islin Hardy;

The 2nd graders: Rylee Muir, Amber Pierce and Aishlee Hardy;

and Preschooler Jaydee Hardy.

Now look out kids, it's Mom's turn!

Every sunset brings the promise of a new dawn...

This is my wish for you:

Comfort on difficult days, smiles when sadness intrudes,

rainbows to follow the clouds, laughter to kiss your lips,

sunsets to warm your heart, hugs when spirits sag,

beauty for your eyes to see, friendships to brighten your being,

faith so that you can believe, confidence for when you doubt,

courage to know yourself, patience to accept the truth,

Love to complete your life.

Author Unknown

More Pictures

Brooklyn, Rascal and I decided to get out and enjoy the sunshine today.

Nice days are few and far between for us!



10 years...and she still takes my breath away!

Take a picture of me!

Seriously...the dog doesn't run, he leaps.

Wanna Play?

A little neighbor out enjoying his Christmas feast.

Christmas Pictures

I should shower before these pictures!

I was just watching Rylee play her Hanna Montana Wii game, wearing Hanna Montana Pajamams, Hanna Montana socks, Hanna Montana lipgloss, next to her Hanna Montana stationary set. Talk about a million dollar empire at 15 years old. Crazy!

Christmas Eve

We had a quit Christmas Eve at home this year. Ryan worked all day and I taught a kick-boxing class in the morning. When I got home, the girls had folded and put away all the laundry. So we made cookies for Santa and then headed up the street for the Lutheran Church Christmas Eve service. It's a beautiful candle light service. The pastor reads the 2nd chapter of Lukes gospel and many hyms are sung, all the while, there are no lights and the whole congregation holds candles. The girls and I have been going sinse we moved here. While we don't belong to the Lutheran Church, it's such a great feeling to gather with Christians and celebrate the birth of our Savior.

After church we came home, the girls opened their christmas pajamas and their gifts to each other, and then we settled into a long game of Monopoly. Ryan won...as usual. We then left cookies out for Santa and it was off to bed.

Ryan And I

http://www.jibjab.com/sendables/view/8nTsHqW9ja3ajGQA4YegaGr9

We aren't elves...but it's pretty funny. Yes I need a life...but it's cold up here! I have to entertain myself somehow.

Parade of Lights

Friday night was the annual Carrington Parade of Lights. Some friends of mine do a float every year, so this year we just decorated a trailer and the kids rode and sang carols. We had a great time. Of course, the weather was crazy. All week long it has been in the high 30's and 40's, then at 5:00 on Friday it started snowing, the temp dropped and the wind picked up to about 30 mph. We did our float anyway. What a fun Christmas tradition.

The kids rode (Laura, Tiff, Tracy and I jogged) down main street from the police station all the way to the nursing home. Then at the nursing home we went caroling to the residence. We had so much fun that we decided to keep going around town and caroling. We stopped at the hospital and a couple of older peoples homes and sang some Christmas songs. By that time we were frozen and so we headed to Laura's house for Cocoa and treats.

Elfed

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1368258149

We finally elfed ourself. Well, elfed the kids and their cousins! Check it out!

December 20th Dance Performance

More dance pictures. Last night I had 2 groups performing. The 2nd and 3rd grade group, and the 6th and 7th grade group. It's always fun when they perform, but even more fun when my daughters perform. Last night was Rylee's turn (and no she didn't wear the pink boots on stage! We do like to call her Napolean.) I only had one out sick, so as you can see, we have a lot of 2nd and 3rd grade dancers. They did a great job. They danced to We Got the Beat. I wasn't worried about their performance, they go home each week and practice like crazy and it shows. They are so proud to perform at basketball games. At this age high school kids are like celebreties and it's very exciting to be their 1/2 time entertainment. The older girls were another story. They danced to Another One Bites The Dust. Super cute routine, but I have never been with a group of kids who talk so much. We can hardly get anything done each week and their routine was not looking good. So two weeks ago I became the drill seargent and put them to work. After Monday's practice I still didn't know how this performance was going to go, it just wasn't comming together like it should, but I told the girls to go home and practice their routine 100 times a day...and them must have, because they went out at 1/2 time and performed a perfect dance. I was so proud! Now I'm not afraid to take this routine to competition.

A Fargo Christmas

Christmas came a little early in Fargo this year. For us anyway! My mom, Brick and my niece Kaylee came to visit us in Fargo. And...we got to stay at the Pirate Ship Hotel (AKA: The Holiday Inn with a Pirate Ship slide). They flew in Friday evening and we spent the night walking the plank. Next morning we opened some gifts and then took off for some shopping, and to get Kaylee's first haircut. We finally got rid of the mullet. Now she actually has bangs and hair. Saturday night we went to see the much anticipated Alvin and the Chipmunks, and it lived up to every ones high hopes. Sunday was more swimming and more shopping. I actually got all my Christmas shopping done in 2 days. You have to learn to be a marathon-shopper when you live 2 hours from Target. While I was shopping today, I saw some massaging slippers. As I sit here typing this and elevating my aching feet, I'm wondering why I didn't buy them.

Mom and Brick...thank you for a Fabulous Fargo Christmas. We love you.

Busy Weekend

We have had a busy weekend. Yesterday for Girl Scouts, my dear friend Anna and I met our 30 Girl Scouts at the nursing home. We sang carols and then did crafts with the residents. I was so proud of my kids. I stood back and watched as Rylee helped a little lady that couldn't see well make a snow man. Brooklyn took charge at her table and demonstrated how the craft was supposed to work. When it was time to go, one of the ladies at Rylee's table couldn't find her snow man and was upset because she wanted to give it to her grand child, so Rylee gave her the snowman she had made. I was so proud because Rylee loves hanging her projects on our fridge, but she wanted the cute little lady to have one. I have to say one more thing. I am no longer the Girl Scout Leader. I just go along with Anna to help out. I don't want to take credit for the wonderful meeting she planned yesterday.

The other thing the girls and I did this weekend was bake 264 cookies and 8 coffee cakes. Yes, we are indeed crazy. You see, in a small town, there is always some kind of charity you are asked to help out for. This time of year, the way to raise money for this and that seems to be bake sales. I had several requests for baked goods, so I decided to say yes to all and spend the weekend baking. Just call me Betty Crocker. The good news is, I tried 2 recipe's I have never tried before and they are the best cookies I have ever had. We have also ate more sugar this weekend than should be permitted for an entire year. I even tried to go as healthy as possible. Whole wheat flour, splenda sugars and ground flax seed. Still, that's a lot of carbs! The last thing I wanted to share was from a church service I attended during a cookie break today. It was actually a performance by the Carrington Community Choir. On the back of the program was this:

"Let us at all costs try to avoid the temptations to make our Christmas worship a withdrawal from the stress and sorrow of life into a realm of unreal beauty. It was into the real world that Christ came, into the city where there was no room for Him, and into a country where Herod, the murderer of innocents, was king. He comes to us, not to shield us from the harshness of the world but to give us the courage and strength to bear it; not to snatch us away by some miracle from the conflict of life, but to give us peace - His peace - in our hearts, by which we may be calmly steadfast while the conflict rages, and be able to bring to the torn world the healing that is peace. When Mary and Joseph presented the infant Jesus to the Lord, Simeon said to them: "Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken again, that the thoughts of many will be revealed." (Luke 2:34-35) Christmas is not a retreat from reality, but an advance into it alongside the Prince of Peace. Jesus came to give light to a dark world."

This really struck me today. I always envision the perfect Christmas. No stress. Plenty of $$$ to go around. Ryan, the girls and I relaxing by the Christmas tree in need of no other entertainment but each other. Everyone getting the gift they want. All of us remembering the true meaning of Christmas. Somehow that vision never quite manifests. The words on the back of the program hit home for me. I truly am so blessed and it's silly of me to expect perfection. The only thing perfect is Jesus. Let us strive not for perfection, but for love.

Until next time... Peace Out!

All Dressed Up

These were taken before the 7:00 Christmas Concert.

Ryan's contribution to the Christmas pictures.

Christmas Concert

Yesterday was the girls Christmas Concert at school. They do one concert at 2:00 and another at 7:00 PM. They were so cute. I need a digital video so you can hear them, but for now...it's just pictures. These pictures were taken during the 2:00 show.

6 Somethings...

Rachel...I will get you back for this. I'm supposed to name 6 interesting and little known facts about myself. I will not be tagging anyone else, as all the bloggers I know have already been tagged.
1. I talk a lot. That is why this is going to be so difficult. I talk all the time, and I don't have secrets. So as far as little known facts...it's going to be tough.

2. My list. I actually HATE lists. I never make them for groceries, or Christmas or anything (although, I will admit a little organization would probably save on the stress level), but I do have one list. My Life List. It's an ever changing, ever growing list of things I want to accomplish in my lifetime. Some are crossed off, some are in progress, and some may never be, but it's always inspiring to sit down and read my list. I am proud of what I have accomplished. I'm excited about what I'm currently working on. And I'm optimistic about the rest. My list contains all kinds of goals. Some include travel (Take a canopy tour in Costa Rica), some are educational (I'd like a masters degree, but at the moment any degree would be an accomplishment), some are familial (see my girls graduate from college, hold my grand babies), some include hobbies (write a book, learn to play guitar), and some are just pure selfishness (those are kept to myself :). The list is long.

3. I read in the bath tub. Not so weird, you might think, but there is a strategy that you may not have heard before. I turn the tub on full force until it's 1/2 way full, then turn it to burning hot sprinkles. Just a tiny bit of water. That way I can stay in for an hour (sometimes more) without getting cold. Why not climb in my nice cozy bed to read? Because then I fall asleep. I fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow whether I knew I was tired or not. So rather that miss out on my reading, I just stay in the bath tub for hours. Now here's the worst part...sometimes when I know I'm almost finished with a chapter, I start draining the tub. But at the end of the chapter something comes over me and I keep going. Next thing I know, I'm sitting, naked, in a completely empty tub. Not a pretty picture.

4. I'm a very picky eater, but it's not tastes that bother me...it's texture. Some textures that are sure to cue up the old gag reflex? Potatoes (doesn't matter how their cooked), yogurt, jello, cottage cheese, milk, canned fruit, watermelon, bananas, peanut butter and many, many more.

5. I adore my brothres. I am so proud of them. I miss them so much. I feel so blessed to have such a great relationship with them. Andrew and Skyler, you guys are amazing. I hope my girls are lucky enough to marry men like you some day (some far-away day). I love you!

6. I used to bit my nails. I bit them for 25 years. During that 25 years I tried everything in the world to quit, but never did. I even went acrylic once and bit them off. Then suddenly, as soon as we moved to North Dakota, I quit. Don't know how it happened or why, but now I find myself complaining about how fast my nails grow. They are, however, gorgeous! My new obsession is fingernail polish. I have every color.

Weather

While I tend to have my complaints about the North Dakota weather (like the fact that today is the first day it's been above 0 for over a week) there is something to be said for fresh snow.




The girls have not even had breakfast yet. They threw their snow clothes on over their pajamas and set out to have some fun. I think we'll have hot cocoa with our pancakes today.