More decking of the halls...

Took down a few 'rest of the year' things and replaced them with Christmas items today.  

Some decorative, some FUNctional.  Some of the decorating is easy: place items in the same place as last year, and the year before, and the year before that...

May be boring but it sure is quick(er) and easy!

Daddy Buffalo decided to do something different in addition to the standard outside lights we've done for several years now.  You'd have thought we were setting up a winter wonderland the way the boys were jumping up and down with excitement.

Truly warmed my heart to see them so thrilled with simple lights on a tree.

And speaking of trees...

We got this one up.  With a 1 year old in the house I decided to leave off some of the more breakable ornaments.  Still lost one though.  Thanks to a little Buffalo my Ornament o' the Year for 1991 is now busted.  I think a little superglue will fix him right up (the ornament, not the kid), but sure hated having one go down.  And yes, I was briefly quite angry, but squelched it in record time.  Just didn't seem right to get mad at the kiddos over a silly tree celebrating the birth of the Savior.  Still.... I think I'll be even more selective of the ornaments I allow out for another couple of years!

Do you decorate?  Does everything go back to the same place each year, or do you like to mix it up?

Deck the halls. Or at least the kids!

This shirt was a gift from Daniel's Aunt Kristin.  It cracks me up!

Little Birdies Beware!

Today Alan came running from Brooklyn's room -where he and Dale were supposed to be putting away toys- calling me with some urgency to come look at the bird on the birdbath "with a white chest and brown spots."

Because he was so enthusiastic about it, I left what I was doing and went to the window in Miss B's room, expecting to see a little songbird.  But this is what I saw: 

I grabbed the camera and first took a picture through the screen and then started creeping closer and closer to our hawkish guest.  I was amazed at how close I was able to get before it flew away!

Thankful again to be home with my kiddos all day every day, and happy my boys enjoyed this unusual bird-sighting as much as I did!

Thanksgiving Happiness

Our days have been full this weekend.

Lots of visiting... lots of eating...

....a little bit of napping, and lots and lots of playing!

4 of the crew of 6 cousins

I hope you have had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!

O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.

I Chronicles 16:34

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

2 Corinthians 9:15

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:57

Backyard Campout

The boys have waited all fall to camp out in the backyard barn/playhouse with Daddy, and tonight was finally the night!

They gathered up pillows, sleeping bags, and books... 

 ...and headed out in their warmest pjs.

 Brooklyn went with me to take pics.  I love how she looked at them like they were crazy!

Then again, how would you look if you had this looking back up at you?

Aren't they attractive with their marshmallow stuffed mouths?

Just one more thing to be thankful for this week of Thanks Giving!

Did you see what I saw?

Before the event we went to almost 10 days ago gets any more stale, I want to show the pictures from the booth that was a favorite for all of us.

I would love the say something poignant and inspiring about brothers and working together and so on and so forth, but the tiniest buffalo brother has spent more time crying than not this evening, so creative writing just ain't gonna happen.  You and I are lucky at this point that coherent is happening.

With that said.... pictures!

Chaps...

Gloves...

Ready...

Pull!

Pull!

Getting closer...

Almost there...

The prize!

Proud of my muscle men. :)