Christmas going up!

So rain and flooded in this weekend. Luckily we hauled the Christmas tubs from the shed to the back patio 3 days ago. Before the rain...expecting it.

Couldn't make it outside for lights there yet, so we only worked on the living room and dining room.

Trying to keep it minimal for lack of space. Just waiting on our new tree to arrive in a few days :)

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Thanksgiving Day

My loaded potatoes are ready to head to dinner.

I also made a small candied yams.

We ate with Jared's mom's side of the family.  There were so many people (50ish) that it was held downtown in a business.  We chose to be anti-social and ate upstairs.  Didn't really have a choice, there were only a few seats left downstairs scattered here and there.  Jared's brother, 2 cousins, cousin's niece, and mom joined us.

What's with the face?  Every time I took a picture, that was the face.

Mom is full!

2 hours later, Jared and Sahara went to eat with Jared's dad's side of the family.

I baked our turkey for later and for leftovers.

3rd meal of the day is prepared and we are off to shop.  

Was not going to partake in the Black Friday on Thursday shopping, but there wasn't anything else to do.  Sahara and I both picked up boots, a Christmas gift for Canyon was purchased, and I got a new Christmas tree :)  The last 2 years we tried harvesting our own.  That was fun, but also a hassle since the right kind of tree does not grow here.  Before that for several years we made do with part of a huge artificial tree or the whole thing that took up way too much room.  That one was bought at a secondhand store for $20.  We were due for a new one. So, after checking several stores, we found one at Walmart.  It was the perfect in-between size.  Of course they were out so I checked online on my phone.  Not only was it available, it was $40 cheaper with free shipping!  

(pictures from Walmart website)

Should arrive in 1 week.

HaPpY ThAnKsGiViNg!

Life in Arkansas

Is this a little redneck? I had to come up with a way to keep ice off of and out of the heat pump. Sure I could have built something fancy, but I had this on hand. I googled some images of what other people came up with and have to say this actually looks better. At least it's the back of the house! If it freezes up (which it will several times for days at a time) the heater will not work and could even burn up. Not good. And we've taken that chance every winter :(

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Poor Sahara

She broke out in a rash and a week later it got worse instead of better. She went to the doctor today and found out it's something that there really isn't a medicine for and it takes 6 weeks to get better. She should be clear by New Years. It happened just like this....one large spot on her back and a week later sprecked spots were all over.

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Arkansas Tech 2015 Commercial

             (right down there ^)

See that girl down on the first floor studying?  At 15-16 seconds?  That's Sahara! She made the commercial :)

Couples Picture Session

We did family pictures Sunday. Sahara decided they needed new couples pictures too.

My favorite :)

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Mad Science

Canyon's classroom got new microscopes.

His teacher is big on science, cooking, and crafts :)

Looks like they will be having a lot of experiments in the near future!

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S.O. Bowling

As usual, we are in the overflow area (pictured above).  But we are on the last lane which is good.  

Canyon had 3 other teammates:  Phillip

Garrett aka G Money

and Tyler

Not only did we get the last lane, we got all neon pins.  The boys thought that was good luck!

They were all very supportive of each other with cheers, chants, and high fives.

Canyon got a strike on the first roll of the 2nd game!  Whoot-Whoot!

Turned out Pottsville got first place (in their division).

This might mean we need to be ready for games in Little Rock!

Good job guys!

Halloween Night

For the first time since Sahara was 1, I believe, we did not go trick-or-treating.  We were invited to a Halloween party this year and since the party was from dark on, the trick-or-treating hours were consumed.



Costumes for us were a little relaxed this year.  I really didn't put much thought into it and we didn't buy anything.  We used our cruise boat cards (made one for Jared) and tried to be tacky tourists.

Other costumes at the party.

Our butler at the door.

There were games for the kids.  Canyon participated!  Dressing the dummy, skeleton bones scavenger hunt, pinata, and bobbing for apples.  He got one!  I was really surprised that he even had a care at all to put his head in the water.

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