Bre tagged me. This is my fourth album, fourth picture. It's a pic of Noah at his Thanksgiving Feast at school in first grade (Nov. 2007). I love the two missing teeth! He had just been in a play at school and then his teachers had a feast for them and their parents. His face was painted according to real Indian meanings. The colors and the symbols meant something but I forgot what it was. Thanks for tagging me and bringing back the sweet memory!
Tonight Shep and Wynn brought me a book called "My Little Red Tool Box". Jen gave Noah this book 6 years ago for his 2nd birthday. This made me instantly think of her and all she has done for my boys. They adore her. When I go out of town they always want Mrs. Jennifer to come over and keep them. They are best friends with her daughters. Noah and MJ have literally grown up together and now the twins and G are doing the same. Many, many years ago she and I started our friendship. We have been friends since elementary school. When I was in the fifth grade I was Miss Thompson Elementary and the next year she won "the honors". I got to crown her. We grew up in much the same way. In high school we both dated the quarterbacks of the football team (not the same person). The four of us would sit at a table in the lunchroom by ourselves. We were in our own little world. I remember when she got her first car and she called me from the dealership (red Civic). We went on double dates to Six Flags and Vulcan where she made us take the steps because she was scared of the elevator. We wore matching outfits in our yearbook pictures (and we will show you). We lost touch a little while in college but soon after made our way back to each other. She sang in my wedding, helped decorate my first home and taught me a lot about being "real". We have been through more than anyone, besides us, probably cares about knowing. My point is that she is my best friend and I could not make it through the tough times and would not want to go through the good times without her. I want to send some love to her this week because I haven't had the greatest week but I know she hasn't either. She and I are a lot alike. She took a survey one time about friends and it said we were "twin souls". What an understatement! We are tough on the outside but not so much on the inside. We hate to ask anyone for anything. We can power through almost anything and have many times. We don't need words to express how we feel about each other but this week I want her to know I love her very much. She is what the term "best friends" was created for. You make me smile and allow me to cry, you entertain my husband with your thoughts and expressions and my boys think you rock! love...
Apparently, Millie Girl has nervous tendencies. She is constantly scratching her face. She doesn't have fleas or ear mites or anything else that would annoy her and cause the constant scratching. But she won't stop. She has scratched a hole on both sides of her face. I took her to the vet for this problem for the third time on Friday. This time, she got an antibiotic, a pill for the itching, and a calming spray for the areas. The vet said she is doing it because she is nervous and that she is causing these places on her face of her own free will. Fabulous! Do you see what living in my house will do to you? These boys are crazy. Of course, I didn't tell the vet about all the places the twins have put her: the warming drawer, the washing machine, the laundry basket, the bathtub...you get the picture. Anyway, I love her and can totally sympathize with the nervous tendencies you get from living here.
Jen had a New Year's Eve party this year. But instead of dressing up and toasting with champagne at midnight, we wore our sweats and toasted marshmallows and never saw midnight! The kids had a blast! Jen cooked chili and I brought hotdogs. Noah, Shep, Wynn, Maggie Joe, Georgie and Alex sat around the fire pit roasting marshmallows and hotdogs. The twins have done this before but it never gets old. Then Uncle Wesley shot off the fireworks in the street. I kept waiting for the big finale of fireworks but never saw them. I don't think Uncle Wesley is a professional fireworks shooter! Wynn was scared to death and Scott had to take him inside. Shep sat in my lap and never said a word during the show. Georgie kept saying "Do it again Wesey!" Alex and Noah helped Wesley. Then we all went inside to warm up. After a few minutes the kids decided they wanted to go light the sparklers. Scott and Wesley went outside to light them and supervise while Jen, Jill and I stayed inside. After a few minutes the door flies open and all the kids came running in and screaming crying! I mean screaming at the top of their lungs "The grass is on fire!" You know the song "Ring of Fire"? We had two of them. In the back yard. We jumped up to see Jen's backyard on fire. Jen ran out to help the guys put out the fire while Jill and I tried to settle the kids down. They were very scared. Apparently, some of the sparks got on the grass and ignited it. It made two circles of fire. A good size fire. And one of Jen's water hoses didn't work so they had one hose and had to stomp out the rest. I wish someone could have taken a video clip of it all. Scott and Wesley's pants have burns in them. Anyway, the kids calmed down but we didn't do anymore sparklers and it was a good lesson on why you should stay on the concrete when using them. Thanks to Jen for all the entertainment and food! I love watching my children have fun and am so thankful we have best friends and family to make memories with!
The twinkies turned three on Monday, the 22nd! We had a safari themed birthday party at our house. It was a lot of fun! First I had a craft for all the children to do with their parents. They could choose from a lion, tiger, bear or monkey and make a hand puppet. It is a Martha Stewart craft from Wal-Mart. Scott took a picture of us from the balcony overlooking the activity. Then the children played Pin the Nose on the Lion. I also had a carnival game of throwing beanbags through the jungle animals for points. And I had a safari themed growth chart to mark how tall all the children are but we never made it to that. We did birthday cake and opened presents and the children escaped outside. The twins didn't open half of their presents. Scott and I had to finish for them. Thank you to everyone who came to the party. It's hard when your children have a birthday party so close to Christmas. I was afraid everyone would have Christmas obligations and not be able to attend but I think we ended up with about 30 people. 
Shep and Wynn were in their Christmas Program at their school on Thursday. It was precious! They sang three songs and it lasted about 7 minutes. Shep was really into it and sang and did the motions. Wynn picked at his lip during the first song, picked his nose during the second song and sat down on the stage during the last song. During all the songs he yawned. Notice in the first picture where Wynn is pulling his shirt off. Luckily we made it through the whole program without either one of them taking their clothes completely off. But it was priceless being able to watch them.
