The wishbone from the Thanksgiving turkey. Lily got the big side.
Christmas pictures we had made.
Lily with the pumpkin turkey.
We always visit Santa at the mall the day after Thanksgiving. It's so nice not to have to wait in line!!

We had a great Thanksgiving. We left Thursday morning to go to my parents' house in Lexington. My mom cooked everything and it was SO good!! We went shopping the day after and visited Santa. Jeff had to go back to work on Friday, so the kids and I stayed and my parents drove us back on Saturday. We shopped all day again at the outlet malls on the way back--I think I'm a little shopped out for a while! Boy, was it crowded everywhere! Got a little bit of Christmas shopping done, but I still have a lot to do.

Lily's arm seems to be doing fine. You would never even know she has a cast on. She still gets herself dressed and doesn't complain about it at all. Well, the only complaint she had was that it smelled funny! 3 more weeks to go before she gets it off!

OK, here's the story........
On November 9, I was called up to school by the nurse saying that Lily had hurt her arm on the playground. I actually even wrote about it on my blog that day. Well, when I went up there, she seemed fine and wanted to go back to class, so she did. Nothing more was really said about it, except every now and then Lily would say her arm hurt. It didn't stop her from doing cartwheels or going across the monkey bars at school, so I just thought it was a sprain or a bruise that needed time to heel.
Cut to this past weekend when I was gone to Chicago. Jeff was sitting with her in the big chair, and she said it hurt. He started feeling around on it and felt a small bump. He insisted that I take her to the doctor. So this morning I did, fully expecting them to say it's nothing and send us on our way.
Boy, was I wrong. The doctor sent her across the hall for an x-ray. As soon as the x-ray tech was done, she said--wanna see what your picture looks like? I asked, is there a break or anything? She said she was not allowed to tell me--the doctor was supposed to--but she nodded her head and pointed to it. It was as plain as day! I could not believe it and started bawling! It is her ulna and it is broken clean through. Luckily, though, it is not displaced at all and had already started healing. So after going back to the regular doctor's office, where I was consoled with hugs( I was feeling like the absolute worst Mom ever!),it happens that there is an orthopedic doctor in the same complex and we were sent there.
Here I was so upset and Lily was SO excited to be getting a cast! She picked pink of course and luckily it is waterproof. She got her pick--Wendy's-- for lunch and I took her back to school 4 hours later.
The kids in her class immediately swarmed around her when we walked in and she was eating the attention up!
Well, lesson learned------I have a pretty tough little girl and I need to pay better attention when she says she is hurt!! Also, sometimes I guess---"Dad knows best!"

Tracee and I at the comedy club.
The windy city.

Chicago was awesome! Tracee and I had a great time. We ate at some wonderful restaurants and went to see a really funny improv comedy show called Comedy Sportz. It was very crowded on Michigan Avenue, but really neat with the Christmas decorations and decorated store windows. We're already planning a trip back this summer with Emma and Lily (IF Santa brings them their American Girl dolls) to take them to the American Girl Place for a tea party.

Jeff had a great weekend with the kids. He took them to see Chicken Little and out to eat a couple of times. He loves spending time with them. They kept telling him what a great weekend they were having and what a great dad he was--he loved that. To top it all off--all of my laundry was done when I got home and even folded!! AND the house was clean! What a great hubby! Guess I'd better be nice to him for a while--HA HA!

Well, back to reality today. I have a super busy few days ahead before Thanksgiving!!!

OK, I just have to brag on my daughter a little bit. Lily had 2 very hard words for a 1st grader(in my opinion) as bonus words on her spelling test. Perseverance and Thanksgiving. I was so proud of her because she got them both right! She is doing so awesome in school. Her teacher, Mrs. Cammack said she will have to decide whether she wants to be a socialite or valedictorian--HAHA. She does like to talk a lot--just like her Mom!! Anyway, she has come so far this school year and I'm so thankful for that.
Wyatt is doing great, too. In Math, they started division this week! WOW, don't know how much longer I'll be able to help him with his math homework--definitely not my strong suit!!
My friend Tracee and I are headed up to Chicago in a couple of hours for the weekend! I'm so excited-should be lots of fun! I'll hafta get some pics to post when we get back!

Here comes a strike!
Lily and Abbey keeping score.
Wyatt--he's not as happy as he looks--he was mad they had to bowl with the bumpers up!
We went bowling Saturday night with a group of friends. We have a new bowling alley in town and wanted to check it out. Well, so did everyone else! It was an hour and a half wait for a lane when we got there! I quickly called our other bowling alley and they had 2 lanes available, so we grabbed them! We had 6 adults and 6 kids. The kids took a lane and the adults the other! Wyatt was not a happy camper because he didn't want to bowl with the bumpers up--they "make him nervous". We had 3 year olds with us, so it wasn't an option for him. Anyway, it was a fun time! My friend Ashley bowled a 157! I was just happy to break 100 with a 112! All of the women beat all of the men in the second game!! Girl power!! HA! HA!

Here is Lily's first "masterpiece" from the drawing class she is taking. It is done in prismacolor markers and took them about 1 1/2 classes to complete. The teacher demonstrates the line drawing for them on a paper in front of the class and then they do it all by themselves. I think she did a great job! They are working on a snowman now that looks very cute. I'm so excited to see everything she will do. They actually have an art showing in the spring where they have the students' art displayed and friends and family come to see. The students wear name tags and walk around and show people their art. I'm sure Lily will love that!

Lily has been waiting all Fall for a leaf pile to jump in. She even wrote about it in her journal at school! We don't have that many big trees in our yard, but Jeff raked the leaves we did have. When we got back from choir practice today, Jeff told her he had a suprise for her in the backyard. She was so excited. The simple joys of childhood!! It's amazing how little it really takes to get them excited!!! Wish we could all stay like that forever!!!

Lily in her tap outfit.
Her ballet outfit.
Checking her make-up before recital. Sign of things to come?!?!?

Nothing too picture worthy has been happening around here lately, so I dug up some old ones that I like from Lily's dance recital this past summer.
Got called twice from the school today. First, the school nurse called right after lunch and said Lily had hurt her arm at recess! I went up there and she was lying on the nurses couch with an ice pack on it. As soon as I told her that her class was at art and she could go there or come home, she perked up and said she wanted to go to art. She is still complaining a little about it. Guess I'll see how it feels in the morning. Then, Wyatt called and said he missed the bus! The classes get so noisy when they are calling buses, I'm suprised it doesn't happen more often.

Lily with her friend Gracie.
Wyatt and Matt with their trophies.
Wyatt had his football pizza party today. He was glad to see his team again. I hardly recognized them without their gear on! They got a really nice trophy and a certificate with their name on it. It's definitely the biggest trophy he has! Lily was really glad to see her friend Gracie, too. They became good friends running around while their brothers played football. I don't know what Lily would have done if it weren't for having her to play with! Oh, yes I do, I would have been the one entertaining her!! It worked out really well.

Yesterday was Grandparent's day at the kids' school. My Mom drove up for the occasion (all one hour of it!) This year, for the first time, she had to divide her time between Wyatt and Lily's rooms. Rachel (the little girl I babysit) has no grandparents living, so she was there for her, too. That's her in the picture with Wyatt and my Mom. It worked out, because Rachel and Wyatt happened to get in the same class this year. The kids had a great time. It's such a big deal to them and they just love having their "Nema" there!!

I just had to add this picture of the kids from last night with all of their "loot". As you can tell, Wyatt has candy in his mouth! I'm surprised they didn't both have tummy aches last night! The candy is still everywhere--I need to get it out of sight and out of reach!!
I subbed today in Kindergarten--it was a great day. It's my favorite grade to teach so far--they so want to please their teacher(well, most of them anyway!). I'm subbing for the next 2 days also and then my mother is coming for Grandparent's day on Friday----when am I gonna get it all done? The kids are so excited for her to come.
Lily went to the Principal's office again today. She got 100% on her math test. She said--"since I went 2 days in a row--I got a handshake"--like that was the most wonderful reward she could imagine! It's so great for her, because she doesn't have the confidence in her abilities that she should--and I think learning is so much about confidence in yourself! She also started her art classes today at Monart Drawing School. I don't think she has been more excited about starting anything before. We got there early and they had a warm up page on their table. She asked the teacher if she could go ahead and start--she couldn't wait! Her friend Lauren from her class also started with her. I was afraid they might socialize too much, but the teacher said they didn't. They are working on an Indian face with a big headdress on(it was in marker). What she had so far was really good-they are going to finish it next week. She told me when it was over---"I NEVER want to quit this--I love it!" I wish I could take it with her-it looks like fun!!