It's Starting to Look Like Christmas!!

All of our decorations are up! We are ready for Santa to come. Here are some of our decorations around the house. I only put up about 1/2 of my stuff. It's getting to be alot of work, but I have to have my trees, nativities and mantle done. We have a new tree in the living room since our one we had have for almost 16 years was ruined in the basement. We also have my mom's "Snowman" tree in the front room. It's nice to be able to put her tree up and enjoy it. She always loved Christmas and always outdid herself. Our mantle is full with stockings. The kids still have theirs from all their "first Christmas'", Brian and I have one and even the cats and dog have a stocking. The kids did tell me we are short one stocking for Hugo. We just got him a month ago and he does not have a stocking!! Should I get him one too??? That would make 11 stockings!! Do you think the mantle will hold one more?? The ceramic Santa was made by my Grandma Betty in the early 1970's. I remember Mom putting it in our house growing up and now I get to share it with my kids. Cool....

We have a busy week....Abby has a B-ball game tonight againt T-town, Beau may be getting glasses Wednesday, Beau has his Mentor Party on Thursday night, I get to go to ELC on Friday and help Gabe's Class make Gingerbread houses and Brian and I have a DeColores Mass on Friday. Also Ben will be celebrating his first Reconciliation on Sunday Dec. 9. He is really excited about it and even had Brian take him again to the church to show him where he will be having confession! Brian is still doing great. He is busy with work, alot of changes going on and he is really excited about them.

"IT" Finally Came!!!

Ali was so excited to recieve her admissions letter to Southern Illinois Universary in Carbondale. She plans to study Cinematography and Photography. Now the real work begins....saving up $$ and trying to get some scholarships. Wish her (and us) luck. She has some real talent already in both these areas. Her photography business (click over on right side of page Studio A Photography to get a link to her site) is doing great.

No More Blue's Clues!!!

Here is the conversation between Gabe and me this morning.....

Mom: "Let's get your shirt on now"

Gabe: "Mom, you have to be kidding??"

Mom: "About what?"

Gabe: "That shirt....I am so OVER Blue's Clues...I am in Kindergarten Now!!!"

Mom: "OK?"

so....the Blue's Clues shirt is now in the Catholic Charities box for donation!!! My little man is even getting a style for the clothes he wears! This is the first time he has refused to wear something.

Thanksgiving is over......Now Christmas!!!

I can't believe that in less then a month Christmas will be here. I have only gotten 3 gifts bought (and several ordered but not here). The kids are luckily not looking for much so Santa will have a small load to deliver here. Last week was Thanksgiving week and we had a wonderful Dinner at our house on Thursday. It was our biggest "feast" yet and Brian was so upset that there was no leftover turkey that he bought another one for me to make this week so he could have some sandwiches! His 3rd Chemo went great and he is still feeling pretty good. I am so proud of him on how he is doing with all of this!!

I took some great "fall photos" of Ben and Gabe in the back yard with the leaves. I love the look on Gabe's face in several of them. They had a great time and they love to have me take their photos.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Brian and I wish everyone a Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving.

Happy 15th Birthday Abby!!!

Today is Abby's 15th Birthday. WOW....can't believe my "baby girl" is going to be getting her licence next year (she is already starting to look at cars). We will celebrate her birthday on Sunday with a cake or pie. She has an out of town basketball game in Paris tonight and Saturday we all have plans. I have attached several of my favorite photos of Abby. She is fun to photograph, she's a natural.

Just to keep those updated on Brian he had a echo cardiogram of his heart on Wednesday. This is normal. They just need to keep an eye on his "heart out flow" because of the chemo. He is doing great. Only thing is he gets really tired and when he does slow down, he falls asleep fast!!! His next chemo #3 is Wed 11/21. Please continue with the prayers and good thoughts, we can really tell they are working!!!!!

Abby's 1st H.S. Basketball Game

Abby had her first Fresh/Soph Girls Basketball game last night in Olney. She is doing so much better this year, however the team did not win this game (but this is the first one so there are plenty to come). She is #53 (in red). Some of the photos are a little fuzzy. I am not a sports photographer that's for sure (people more way too fast for me!!!).

Busy, Busy Week.....

We have been so busy this week that I have forgotten to update our blog!! We had a meeting about college financial aid for Ali on Tuesday, Wednesday we had a meeting regarding Beau and school helping him out more, Brian is away for a DeColores Men's weekend until Sunday and Tonight (Friday) we have Meet the Hearts -- Girl's Basketball for Abby. Luckily there is no school on Monday so me and the kids can "hang out".

Brian is feeling good. This is great for him (and me!).

Ok....Regarding these photos. I have no new photos from this week so I picked some great ones of Ben and Gabe on our last Camping trip to Walnut Point. It rained all day (almost 2.5 inches). Our camper was surrounded by water! The boys were tired of having to stay inside the camper so I finally let them out. They had a blast playing in the rain and mud puddles. They still talk about how they can't believe I let them do that!! The one of Gabe is from the next day. What do you get when the ground is still wet......FROGS!! They were everywhere and of course the boys had to play with them!!

Tony Hawk.....Watch out!!!

It was a beautiful weekend. Friday night Beau and Ben spent the night with Grandpa Bo and then Saturday he took them to their bowling league. We did a few things around the house that needed to be done but we really took it easy. Brian is feeling tired so he is resting as much as possible. The boys got their skateboards from Grandpa Bo's and wanted to go to the skate park. They had a blast and can't wait to go back again. Here are a few photos of them having a great time.

Hair Gone......Again!!

Brian has been waiting for about 3 weeks for his hair to fall out, ever since the big "Hair Cutting Ceremony". The hair was actually starting to grow back in, however this past week he was able to start pulling it out (without pain). He was pulling it out so much showing people he was getting "holes" in the hair that was left!! So finally he had Carmen shave it again, and hopeful this will be it for a while. See photo of his new "do" (or lack of!). As you can tell he's working AGAIN!

Chemo, Church, Chicken & Candy

Halloween 2007!! Our day started out with Brian having his 2nd Chemo treatment. After talking to the doctor it sounds like he will only have to do 6 rounds of treatment, so he is 1/3 done already!! Next treatment will be Novemeber 21. He did really good through the treatment (as you can see in the photo he worked through the whole thing), however by the end of the night he was out like a light. I took a photo of one the chemo drugs...Rituxan. I can't believe the bags says "TOXIC....Dispose of as Bio-Hazard!!!". Scary stuff they use to cure cancer, huh??

We later attended the PSR Mass for All Saint's Day where Ali helped serve and Beau and Ben helped take up gifts. Gabe thought it was neat cause Sr. Alicia let the kids wear their costumes to church so they could go trick or treating right after.

After mass the kids went trick or treating and got bags, yes bags full of candy!! See photo of their stash. Can you believe I did not get photos of the boys in costume? Beau went as a Pepsi driver (complete with cart), Ben was the Karate Kid and Gabe was the red Power Ranger.

The night ended with my dad bringing us dinner....Niemerg's chicken. It's nice he does that for us once in a while. It sure does help me out, especially on crazy days like yesterday.

FYI....if you click on the photo(s) it will enlarge them so you can see things more!!!

Annual Pumpkin Carving

So Brian and I always have this great idea to get the kids pumpkins and we will have some good ole family fun.......NOT.....There is nothing more scary on Halloween then giving 5 kids a knife and they start cutting and swinging them around!! It usually starts someone fighting and Dad (Brian) finishing all the cutting of the pumpkins. Honestly....the kids were very good this year. They all designed their own and only Ben and Gabe needed help with cutting. Ali did bring it to our attention that this will be her last year......next year she will be at college (Now that's scary!!!)

Do you like the photo of the newest member....this poor dog does not know what he's gotten into!!

Halloween Parade

Abby and Beau were in the Halloween Parade on Sunday, Oct. 28. They were both in the band (Abby...High school and Beau...Jr. High). It was a beautiful day for a parade.

We have a New Member of Our Family!!

Our family got a new addition yesterday.......HUGO. He is about 1 year old. He has alot of energy and the previous owners were not able to give him the attention he needed since they worked different shifts so I don't think that will be a problem here!! The kids love him (well maybe not Ali, since he came after her and she had to run and hide!).

Testing a photo

Let's try adding a photo!!

Testing.....

Testing to see if things are working!!!