'Tis The Season

People throughout the world have their different ways of preparing for Christmas. Some light candles. Some sing songs. Some eat candies. Some give gifts. Some hang wreaths and lights. Many do all the above and more.

In Sutton, they attend the Parade of Lights. It is the official commencement of the Christmas season in our community. This year the kids enjoyed a scavenger hunt, cookie decorating, bounce houses, hot chocolate, an airplane train, nachos, and a lighted parade.

Mason was pumped to ask Santa for a dirt bike and remote control boat. He then exited Santa's lap and immediately told the next kid in line, "It isn't the real Santa, it is only Mr. McElfresh and Mrs. Stone the bus driver." Ugh that kid! You can't fool him.

Tuck wasn't so sure about any of it and Jentry disappeared with her girlfriends shortly after the notorious kids pic with the big guy.

Another sign that Christmas is near is the arrival of David the Elf. Direct from the North Pole. He was in the kitchen when we returned home from Thanksgiving in Orleans and Mason took the bait...hook, line and sinker. He abruptly began asking Nathan and me, "Is there anything I can do to help you?" Wink wink! Oh Mason, I'm not sure any amount of spotless behavior could make up for a year of your shenanigans, but I have to give him credit for trying.

This year, I finally have a bit of elf assistance from one of Santa's older "Secret Helpers" and let me tell you it has put the Spirit back in this Mama's Christmas! Life changing for sure. Plus, the Secret Helper is much more creative. Win win!

A White Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving felt more like Christmas this year due to 8 inches of the white stuff dropping just in time for the big Turkey day. It was messy and cold but kids had a blast playing in the snow.

We enjoyed Thanksgiving Day at Papa and Onnie's with the Johnson tribe.

Friday morning we drove in the rain to Orleans for a weekend of more food and cousin fun.

"I don't always eat Cheerios, but when I do I prefer to use a play-doh spatula."

 

Tucker spent the majority of the weekend dragging out Grandma's vacuum so the Hamilton's let him open his birthday present early so that he would have something else to play with. This kid is a clean freak!

Winter Showcase

She simply amazes me!

What is it about watching your child perform?
It never fails to stir up all the feels. First I get the toad in the throat, followed by the misty eyes and then my face begins to burn hot while my mouth tightens to a beaming grin.

I could not be more proud of Jentry's Winter Showcase dance performance. The amount of skill that she has learned in just 1.5 years blows me away. Kirby's School of Dance is top notch, however this girl has worked hard and it is paying off. 

This year she decided to challenge herself to 3 classes and added Clogging to the mix along with Jazz and Hip Hop.

She rocked it!

And I'm proud to say that she had lots of amazing ladies there to cheer her on.

Grandma Patte, Grandma Kerry, Jentry and Erica

Jentry and Ella

Combine Rides

This year Tucker was fortunate to go on his first combine ride ever with John Huebert.

"There is something about the farming community and having your kids be a part of it. If they have never experienced a combine ride then you, as a parent, do not know about this kind of look! The look of curiosity, confusion, anxiety, pure joy, stranger danger, but most importantly the time spent together doing something you love and will cherish forever! "   ~ Nathan McKenzie

Mason got the opportunity to interrogate Craig Griess for a spell.

#ThankAFarmer

Halloween

This Halloween was a bit different for several reasons.

1. We got all dressed up and Trunk or Treated two weeks early at the local golf course. The weather was perfection and it provided a nice warm-up for the actual day.

2. Jentry is now of the age where she would rather be with her girlfriends than her little brothers, which I completely get. She had a blast with the girls and no doubt some fun memories were made.

3. We invited Papa and Onnie and their neighbor friends to our house instead of attempting the mad rush of...kids into costumes, drive out to the farm, drive back to town, trick or treat in town, eat some kind of nutritious food, manage sugar highs and bedtime routines all before someone has a meltdown. Which is usually one of the adults.

4. I was down and out with a kidney infection so dad was in charge of taking the boys around town. I was bummed to be feeling so rotten but was fortunate to have Mary Poppins, Papa and the Carpenters manning the house.

It was so fun to see the kids check out their costumes for the first time in the mirror.