Thanksgiving of Insanity and Madness

That was the Motto of our vacation.

I am thankful for our wonderful friends who hosted THE most Wonderful Vacation ever for us.... and to Melissa for letting me steal this post right off her blog! She did such a great job, thought I'd just use hers. Thanks Lissa!

4 families, Fowlers, Orrocks (O-Town), Taintors (T-Bone), Daughertys, 6 Babysitters, 12 kids, 1 White trash green bean casserole, 9 pies, 1 crock pot Turkey, 1 roasted turkey, A billion rolls (all consumed within 1 day), Jessica uncomfortable sharing what she's thankful for, charades, cupcakes on a stick, Home Depot, new bathroom, Valentino's Pepperoni Supreme with cream cheese, Piano concert at Mayo, Sprite rations, no naps, tri mayo, Jones sodas, Ceiling fan project 6 hours, Taintor in the attic, Sex talk, Matching jammies, Taintors bed breaking, shooting ballons, BB guns, hot chocolate, Danielle 9 months, Lucy vs Emma, Men shirtless in front of their Odysseys, Leftovers and leftovers again, Calvin and Isaac sneaking whipped cream, James Bond, Taintor laughing when it was dead quiet, Thanksgiving Day Soccer game, kids vs. dads, Cleaning up messes, cleaning up more messes, Steve's bedtime stories to the girls, Swings in the basement, 300 First, weird art, bathroom in BFE, 3 am, healthy snacks, unhealthy snacks, Jared's fart stories, fresh flowers, Thanksgiving play, Macy's Day Parade, Wall-E for the 20th time, Firecrackers, Joann's line, Recessed lighting project, holes in my wall, stains on the carpet, Kim Morely's sweet Potato casserole, Taintor trying to lead the way in his minivan, Pie for breakfast, Steve's pancakes, phone call to Sharps, forever friends, sacrifice.

I'm thankful for this wonderful week!

Nan (Lissa's MIL) always says "you take the first bite with your eyes". A beautiful table always makes the food taste better.

I was so happy to have an excuse to use my floral design skills again.(Isn't she talented!)

We're so THANKFUL for great friendsMax was NOT happy about eating mashed peas while the aroma of turkey filled the air

Its hard to think about pilgrims and indians and thankfulness when your gorging your face with delicious food.Steve taught them to chant "WE WANT FOOD" much to the annoyance of the moms.

Azalea safe in her daddy's arms

Larry carving the bird

The kids loved their blow-pop turkeys. Jessica's idea.

Too many cooks in the kitchen. Jessica putting the smack down.Calvin sneaking some pie

What we're thankful for... Prairie's bookWorkin' off the calories. Dads vs. Kids. Kids won.
Kids table

The annual Thanksgiving play. Prairie as Director, Producer and Writer.

The evidence in apparent

300 First. Our own private dining room. Adult time! Kids had a blast with their friends

Slumber party for the kidsSlumber party for the adults

Potty Trained... mostly!

SHE LOVES HER POTTY!!!!!


Push Azalea!

Happy Halloween~ From Neverland

We didn't find a Wendy costume soon enough, and my sewing machine was broken... so Bailey kindly accepted the idea of being Captain Hooks first mate, "Smee"

I got to choose between being "the mom, Mrs Darling" or Tiger Lily... I opted for the exotic ( :







Zellie LOVED being Tinkerbelle, especially the light up wings!



Thanks AUNT JASMINE for the great IDEA!!!!!

You've heard it said that:

“When it comes to the future, there are three kinds of people: those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened.” ~John M Richardson, Jr.

I hope none of us will remain content to just sit idly by and let the future happen to us.

That being said, I'd like to make a few comments about the future I see around the corner.

About a year and a half ago, Larry and I started a new tradition for Friday's called "Family Movie Night." Together we have enjoyed introducing many of the classic films we grew up with to our kids... such as Annie, The Sound of Music, Narnia, ET, Star Wars, Karate Kid, and It's a Wonderful Life etc, among others. As all good movies (or stories for that matter) hinge on a contrast between good and evil, war and peace, joy and sorrow; there have arose moments of intensity during a movie when my kids cry out in distress, "What's going to happen?, What's going to happen??" After pausing the movie (or just turning down that scary music), I have always taught them a singular principle: "Don't worry, They'll be okay, The good guys always win- they just have to go through the worst of it before they do." My children have since learned to deal with all those villians and power-seizing "bad guys", and on occasion I've heard them comfort each other with the words, "Don't worry Bailey, the good guys always win".

And so it is, while I have a perfect brightness of hope for our future, I recognize that before the "good guys win" we'll have to go through the pits before we get there.
And with that in mind, I'd like to share a noteworthy article with all my friends, from a source I trust for setting the record straight and making no excuses for either corrupted political party. This link offers many practical suggestions for preparing ourselves to get through what's ahead. And remember, if we are prepared, we'll have no need to fear. So check out Glenn Beck's: What Can I Do to Prepare article, and when the going gets tough, just remember, The Good Guys Always Win!

Franklin Science Institute!

Picture a sunken pirate ship loaded down with real treasure -"pieces of eight," the Jolly Roger, canons, pistols, rope tying, masonic dishes, a 300 year old fibula of John King, the 9 year old runaway turned pirate, and stories of true love, war, mutiny, robbery, slavery, and nor'eastern storms, and you will have the images of our family having a fascinating time at the REAL PIRATES attraction at the Franklin Science Institute. Thanks to "Communinty Day" we got to go for free! Lovin' it Philly!

CALVIN TURNS 6!!!

Happy Birthday you crazy, zaney, disctractable, incourageable, goofy, scavaging, brilliant, thoughtful, helpful, stubborn, proud child of mine! I love you, with all my heart, since the moment I delivered your 9 pound 14 ounce little fat body into this world,I have loved you and adored you! You are a treasure and a prize. You are a nucleus of endless potential. You are my special, tender, thoughtful, reflective little man, and I love you.
Happy Birthday Buddy! You rule the house today!




Breakfast in Bed... as requested!

A "happy birthday" call from daddy, who had to leave for work before breakfast!

Cupcakes in Kindergarten...


SIX dollars in a birthday card from Gramma Jane
Big Smiles, for the little banker!


Snuggly warm robe and PJ's from Grandma Burk


TOTALLY awesome new MICROSCOPE for our budding scientist, compliments of Grammy Peggy and Grandpa Larry


A LITE BRITE from Bailey, and a Rocket from Mom and Dad


Six Candles! Make a wish!


huffed and puffed and BLEW those candles out!


Happy Birthday my Brilliant Boy!

Still no camera battery charger...grrrr

BUT CONFERENCE ROCKS! WHAT BALM FOR MY PARCHED SOUL. LOVED IT!!! Can't wait for more tomorrow.

After spending all the grocery money this weekend, stocking the fringe full of delicious fruits and vegetables, and the cupboards full of nutritious whole grains, at this very moment I am lamenting my failure to buy any TREATS! I guess that's a good thing, because if we had any ice cream right now, I would eat the WHOLE BOX!

The Daugherty's Take Manhattan

My mom came to visit which afforded us all a great opportunity to take a holiday to visit New York City! We all drove drove to Staten Island (minus Azalea...thanks to my visiting teacher Lynnete for babysitting!) and took the Ferry (FREE can you believe it!) across the water and past beautiful Lady Liberty! We walked through the financial district (may it rest in peace...and may God have mercy on America) and scored AWESOME tickets at the TKTS booth there. (This is an insiders secret: There is a TKTS booth in the financial district with lines way shorter than the one at the booth in Times Square!) We had a lovely dinner over the water at the Southside Seaport before taking a subway up to the theater district. MARY POPPINS was the show of the night and it was SENSATIONAL!!!! I love that movie already and supremely enjoyed the broadway. When Mary actually rose up off the stage and up and above the audience at the end of the show, it truly brought tears of joy to my eyes!
I am a pure theater enthusiast
!

Thank you so much mom! What a great memory you made with all of us!

Ode to My Mother

Happy Birthday MOM!

You have been very present in my thoughts and I wanted to take a moment to honor you.
I am so lucky to have you for my mother. The older I get, (yes here it comes) the more I appreciate the values you always tried to teach me. Yes, you truly have always been wise. And I am more grateful to you and feel thankful to have been taught and learned so many things from you that I have previously taken for granted. I want to know what you know, I want to learn what you have learned, and I want to be able to do what you have done and pass it on to my children.

I am so fortunate to have been taught by you a deep and abiding love for our country, our constitution, and our Fore Fathers. Despite the tearing down of our country and a defamation of heroes that has indoctrinated others around me, I feel so blessed to have been taught the truth of something nobler and greater.

I love you for raising me on whole grains, fruits and vegetables. As the world goes on, my roots reach back to when I was a child and the values you instilled in me on health and diet. I so appreciate the anchor for truth and right that you have always been in my life. I appreciate the canning, the gardening, the drying and "laying up in store" you have exemplified to me all of my life. What better gift could a mother give her child than one of strong health!

Well, you gave me gospel knowledge. You taught me obedience and strict observance to keep the commandments of God. And I know, as taught in scripture, that this is the path that leads to freedom and life eternal. I know because of the opportunities you provided me as a child, to learn, and study and think, and understand the gospel of our Lord. You taught me with love and genuine sincerity, the precious gospel truths, and how to live so as to prepare myself worthy before God. I am humbled by the time your spend searching and studying the scriptures and how you share those gems that you've polished in your heart.

I love you for all that you are and all that you've sacrificed and all that you have accomplished in your life. I love you for teaching me to love and appreciate all things beautiful and lovely- in home as well as landscape- and how to work my knuckles to the bone to make it so. I love you for representing peace and modesty and decorum to me. I value your example of thrift and frugality. I envy your talent in crafting and creation and I covet your understanding of education and teaching.

You are a vanishing breed, a singular, stellar example of motherhood and womanhood. And you are exceptionally loved and honored by me. On this your blessed birthday, I celebrate you and thank you!

Welcome to Glenside Elementary: 1st day of Kindergarten, 1st day of 3rd Grade...

Bailey and Calvin started school this week. They start in Sept. here instead of August b/c the schools don't have a/c so they wait till it cools off a little... but it's still been 90 degrees here. Calvin says kindergarten is too babyish. And Bailey is happy to be in the same class as Mary Grace, a little girl she met this summer. I must have 10000 school papers to sign and fill out! What a joy!

I am busily taking care of a long back list of projects, like our bathroom plumbing that has been leakin into our ceiling and so redoing the bathroom while the plumbers are here anyway. Yesterday I picked out a new vanity and maybe I'll start painting next week.
We have an ongoing landscaping project in our backyard, leveling and replanting grass. Larry sold his HUGE desk and that has helped me to rearrange our house furniture and get my piano studio set up so I can start teaching next week. Our van has been having brake trouble so it has been in the shop for two days. Good news is the brakes are okay but it's time for the 90, 000 mile tune up so we spent the money on that instead of brakes.

I found a GOODWILL store (finally) and am very stoked about that. The few thrift stores around my town were pretty sad after coming from such a goldmine of a Goodwill that we had in FL. I found a Goodwill here about 20 minutes from my house and we took the kids shopping there and SCORED finding lots of nice looking, brand name clothes! I got Bailey about 25 new items, and at the check out counter the clerk told me the kids items were 50% off that week! So instead of paying $2.50 an item, I got it all for $1.25 a piece! Happy day for us!

Bailey starts gym up again this afternoon after a long break from it. Calvin has begged me to have a class of his own too, so I have relented...although this gym only teaches boys up to age 5, they made an exception for Cal b/c he really needs the coordination practice.