We started to get snow late afternoon on Christmas eve and it continued to snow until afternoon on Saturday. This is our backyard. Daniel wanted a white Christmas (and I did too!)
This was taken on our back porch. That is how much we got here!
Daniel has been busy doing this! I feel like a bad parent because I think this is all he has done since he got his laptop. He does manage to eat, sleep and use the restroom! Does this count as family time with him and Dan on their laptops and me reading together in the living room!?! 
Daniel's bag of coal! There really wasn't any coal in there, but I told him he would a bag of coal! He thought it was funny!
His favorite gift that he received was his new laptop! It was something he didn't really think he wanted but was VERY excited to get.
For those of you who have been following our blog since last year may remember how our gingerbread house turned out last year. It was not pretty! A tornado ran through the house year and it did not make it :) So this year I tried again. The house is still standing! I actually bought a pre-bulit kit. All I had to do was put the decorations on it! So much easier than last year! Maybe next years will be even better than this one!
I always get excited to put the Christmas tree up every year. But this year I wanted to make the tree different than I usually do. In the past we would put ornaments that we have gotten over years from people and what we have bought. But this time I went with a theme. My inspiration was a big bow (at the top) that was cream, gold, and silver. It looks really pretty when the lights are out. And it makes me happy!
Rosie came over to use our computer and Daniel & I got to entertain Little Michael. This was him at the table eating a snack!
Snack must have been "finger lickin' good!"
On Saturday we played Jenga. We all had fun trying to figure out who would be the one to make it fall.
I thought this was crazy!
Jenga!!
Daniel went trick or treating this year! He went with a friend across the street and he dressed up as Phantom of the Opera. He got alot of candy (plus what we still have leftover from handing out)! He had lots of fun and his costume looks great!
Before
After
Monday was the 5th anniversary of Deirdre passing away from breast cancer. We always remember her by getting flowers that she would have gotten herself. This time I decided to get pink roses. The pink is for Breast Cancer Awareness month. And to honor mothers, daughters, wives and many others who have lost the battle to cancer or who are currently battling cancer. My hope is that one day we can find a cure and that breast cancer won't be such a scary thing to watch someone go through.
We love you Deirdre and never does a day go by that we don't think of you and what loving, kind and wonderful wife, mother, friend and mammaw you are!!
Daniel gave me this flower yesterday. We picked him up from school after his play rehearsal and he had picked this from a bush in the school yard. He is so sweet! Thank you Daniel!
We went to the annul Old Settler's Day Parade last Saturday here in town. 
The school bands were great to hear. Daniel told us that he wanted to play the drums in the band some day. 
My sister and her little one, Michael meet us at the parade. He didn't care to watch anything but the bands.
I feel silly buying this candy! I was in Hy-Vee looking at their huge selection of Halloween candy and just happened to see at the very bottom shelf a bag of chocolates for Stephanie Meyer's New Moon! So I had to get them! I just hope that I'm not the only adult out there buying this bag of chocolates! :)
We were given this clock from my father-in-law. It was my mother-in -law's. She got it from an antique shop and took it in to get it working again. I'm not for sure about the history behind it (or if there is one). The only things we know is that it is at least 100 years old. Danny (my father-in-law) found the key to wind it up every few days. So now it works again. It is really cool to hear the tick tock and to hear it chime!
We found this weird looking bug outside on our house after church today. No one has any idea what it is. All I can say is it gives me the heebie jeebies!
If anyone has a clue as to what it is, let us know. It was in some kind of web.
Here is Daniel on his first day of 8th grade!! Can you believe that he is an eighth grader?! I can't and I sure don't feel old enough to be the mom of and eighth grader! We are hoping and praying that this year is really great! He has lots of plans to keep him busy this year. Hopefully all those plans come true! Have a great year Daniel!!
Dan has gotten into some poison ivy and it is on his face as you can see from the above picture.
He went to the doctors today. They gave him a steroid shot in the office. We then proceeded to the pharmacy to get his other medicines. He is to take Claritin and Prednisone in the morning. Apply an antibiotic cream to his rash twice daily and take Zyrtec in the evening! Right now he home resting and trying to see out of his eye! He should be fine soon!
Daniel's birthday was on Thursday! He turned 13! I had the day off from work and I took him out to lunch and a movie! Danny, my father-in-law came over for dinner and cake and to watch Daniel open all his gifts!
After breakfast on Saturday morning we took our parents to the River Market in Kansas City. We also saw the steamboat Arabia. This picture is the back of the boat where the rudder is. It was pretty big when you are standing there looking at it.
This gentleman that Daniel is standing with is one of the men who help find and preserve the artifacts from the Arabia. His name is Bob Hawley.
This is the snag that sunk the Steamboat Arabia in the Missouri River.
The paddle wheel is a replica of what would have been on the boat. But the engine is the original from the steamboat.
Here is the paddle wheel from a different angle. This thing was huge!
My parents came in Friday evening and spent the night at our place. So I had this great idea to invite my sister Rosie and her family to our house for breakfast on Saturday morning before we went out. Here is Little Micheal eating biscuits and gravy.
Here is me, my mom and my sister, Rosie!