Christmas In Kentucky (Decmeber 2007)

Well, here we are in Kentucky for Christmas---Round Two! This year was full of firsts..... Our first Christmas with Ariana.....

The first time (in a LONG TIME....if ever) that we had Grandmother's dinner on Christmas Day!

Our first Christmas with PanKe and Baby Anna (and Ariana....again!). (No firsts in this picture!!) TeeHee!
The first time Luke and Austin joined the "Boy Room!" (I think it was the first time!!)
The first time we had to fit 28 people in Grandmother's living room!! (and we were missing Laura and David!!)

The first time we learned how to digital scrapbook....Thanks to AL's vast knowledge of computers!
The first time Dad played online---looking at Judge Judy's website!!

And........the first time our mom Rocked Out to Guitar Hero! What a Christmas!!Not to mention....it was the first time we passed around that Godzilla virus!! Glad we're all over that!!

Christmas in Mt. Juliet, TN (December 2007)

Well, we rocked out this Christmas---RockBand was a huge hit....as you can see here! We even got Jane in on the action!! I have to admit....I got a bit carried away when Metalica was on! "Enter Sandman" is now affectionately known as "Enter Ju Ju!"

Our scrapbook was a hit again---Thanks to Johnna for all the prodding to finish on time!

The girls had a night out at Olive Garden-----We had a ball discovering how we eat Andes Mints! Some of us suck, and some of us bite!! :) And old habits die hard!

We almost don't fit at this table anymore!! We had to take two pictures to fit us all in!!

It is crazy to believe this is Ben's first Christmas with us....it feels like he has been a part of this family forever!! Look at sweet Hannah laughing at her Aunt Ju Ju!!

Adam, Melanie, Grace Ann, and Baby are celebrating this year especially!! They are Tennesseans again!!

Ahhhhh, the newlyweds....who stayed at their own apartment! Can anyone blame them! We love you, Andrew and Ashley!!

This picture is just too cute not to add.......Will and Alex, you are adorable!!

Aunt Ju Ju and Uncle Jonny could not be more proud of this bunch!! What a bunch of cuties!!

Christmas Around the World! (December 2007)

Here we are---a bunch of adorable third graders ready to set off for a trip around the world! This is one of my favorite units of the year.

Eliot was ready for any weather.....and any picutre. He was dressed like this everyday! What a good sport!! Students can select a country of their choosing and present (with friends and family) the Christmas customs of that particular country. Here is a picture of our friends from Israel--we learned all about Hannukah! We even made a living mennorah!
Anna and her family took us to China. We celebrated Christmas and Chinese New Year.......with the sounds of firecrackers!! (We are jumping on bubble wrap!!)



Here is Tristan and his mom, Queen Stephanie, presenting Christmas in England!

What a treat to have Jonathan's family present Poland!!
Hunter and Eliot took us to Germany---the Mother Country of Christmas Traditions!!
Bon Jour!! Noel!! Christian and Megan took us on a trip around France we won't soon forget! We ate and ate and ate and ate and ate!

Here is sweet Olivia being St. Lucia from Scandanavia! Isn't she lovely!!?

On to Holland! Precious Ellen helped us learn all about Sinterklaas!
Who is this Russian Beauty?? Why, it is Abigail! This was a fun day--we threw porridge at her dad!! (Someone even said after this day, "I wish I lived in Russia!!!")

Mexico was appropriately crazy with the Hales!! The very fun day was complete with a pinata!
Wes took us to Italy----mmmmmm! We made the yummiest Italian Pizzas!!

We arrived back home safely after 14 days of travel!! It was fun to see where many of our Christmas customs come from!

Breaking in the House!! Thanksgiving 2007!!

Two and a half weeks after we officially moved into our house, we hosted Thanksgiving for my entire family!! We had lots of folks in that house! It was a BLAST!! Here is the girl table......(L-R) My sister Joann, my sister Johnna, my sister Jennifer, my cousin Karen and her baby girl, Anna Grace, me, and Sam's new wife, Pan Ke!
The boy table.....Jonathan, Russ (Karen's husband), Austin, and Sam (not pictured are Al, Aaron and Luke!!)
We tried to line the cousins up on the steps, but this was seriously the best picture we got....Starting from the top is Luke, John David, Austin, Catherine, and Ariana.
Can you believe we actually fit 22 in my den!!??

Grandmother with John David and Austin....hanging out on the stairs!!
We had a roasted turkey and a smoked turkey----here are Aaron, Al, and Jonny carving them up! (Thanks to Andrew for the smoked turkey!! MMMMMMM!)
Our Thanksgiving feast.....2 turkeys, green beans, butter beans, corn, dressing, gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, and homemade rolls!! (Whew!!)
I'm hanging out at the dessert table.....Apple pies and pumpkin pies!
Here's the adult table.....My aunt Lois and Uncle Tom (in the small chair!) are front and center, next to Lois is my mom, Joyce, then my dad, John, next is Grandma, Grandpa, and then Grandmother!

Grandma and Granddaddy Green---with Catherine, John David, Luke, Austin, and Ariana!

This is what my dining room looked like before everyone arrived.

The turkey is done......but Aunt Ju Ju needs her makeup!! :)



I got the boys to clean the windows for me! (Al and Aaron will probably never want to arrive the day before if we ever do this again!! Tee Hee!)

All Moved In! (October 2007)

Well, moving day was a breeze (well, almost) since most all of our stuff was still in boxes from when we moved out of Chicago! Al, Jen, and the boys helped Jonny, Andrew, and I move our stuff out of storage and into our new home! It didn't take too long......We also closed on this day as well. We like to do everything all on the same day to see how stressed out we can get!!

One day I will have to tell you the rest of the story.......We didn't take pictures of what happened later in the day....after all the rain....when our moving truck got stuck in our yard......It wasn't pretty!!

Glad that day is over!!! Thanks so much to all who helped!! (This includes Keri, who fed all of us!!) :)