So we joined this produce coop a few weeks ago. I bought 'one share' for $28. We get hand-picked produce from the manager at our main grocery store. Each friday we pick it up, and the kids are making friends with the family that coordinates it...they are a military-homeschooling-family-with-9-kids. The kids wanted me to post a picture of our fresh fruit and veggies for the week...

Boxing Day Run 2006
This was a fun event for our family. My stepbrother, Jason, ran in the race with the kids. Jason is a Marine, served our country in Iraq in 2006, and is slated to return for another 6 month term this spring. Memorable for the kids to have Uncle Jason run with them. BTW, Doug ran too, but I'm not allowed to post the picture I took of him LOL.




Notice the BOW in Ellie's hair?!
Emma ran a personal best...8:58 for the mile! She was so proud of herself. And so are we.

Merry Christmas! Wish we were with you. Hope you enjoy these pictures.

We discovered Everson sound asleep on the ottoman this afternoon and HAD to take a picture of it. Doug put the bean bags down in case he rolled off...which he did and then woke up in a very unhappy mood...
Our little Nutcracker soldier. For the performance, she had red circles on her cheeks and carried a white rifle (a fake one, of course).
Erik is enjoying his birthday present...a Star Wars battle game. It's quite a workout! He is having a blast fighting the bad guys of Star Wars, while learning some tricks from Jedi heroes. Doug is pretty good at the Qui Gon Jin Stike LOL.

Emma and her best friend Maddie in their cake baker costumes. So incredibly elegant! They carried beautiful artificial cakes. Didn't get a picture of Emmas...but since I'm in charge of props, I can get a picture if I get enough requests...

We survived The Nutcracker!
My pictures are all overexposed (still trying to figure out the flash w/my digital camera). I have a friend who worked in Emma's dressing room and took some pictures. She's supposed to email them to me and I'll post them as soon as I can! I promise! Emma had a wonderful time. A nervous meltdown Friday before the performance and we managed to escape "The Nutcracker Flu" that was taking out cast members. There were just a few glitches with the props, but all were relatively minor. I worked in the lobby for each performance - the soda station. All stickiness aside...the perk was that I was able to save great seats for Doug and the kids and I one night, and seats for my mom, stepfather and aunt another night. I even received a fun thank you gift - a fancy nutcracker mug. In it was a thank you note, telling me to get lots of rest because "in just 8 1/2 short months, we start again!"

Now I need to get on with Christmas...after we move out the props Tuesday afternoon...

Brrrrr!
According to my computer, it's 18 degrees outside! I think every night this week it should be like this, but go into maybe the 50s by afternoon. I won't complain too much though...the memories of 105 degree days are still fresh in my mind.

Saturday night, we rode in the San Angelo Christmas Light parade. It's only the 3rd or 4th year of the parade and was the biggest yet...about 30-40 entries, I believe. My stepfather Tom, who builds and repairs wagons (among 1000 other things he tinkers with), had an 'extra' wagon. It's actually been in our yard since February, because he thought the kids needed a wagon to play on LOL. Anyhow, my mom decorated the wagon with garland and lights, hooked up a generator, and we were the only non church/business/organization to be in the parade. The kids had a blast...and this town is so small, that we saw many people we knew along the parade route.

Nutcracker practice officially started yesterday in the Auditorium. As Props Manager, I was anticipating a very stressful afternoon. I'm pleased to report that I actually sat with some friends and did some knitting! There were some glitches to iron out - very minimal. Tonight we should have just about everything taken care of. The best thing for me, is that I DO NOT have to work backstage! I get to sit and enjoy the show...and help sell flowers in the lobby (that's my free ticket).

Well, Everson just woke up, so I'll go now.

Nutcracker Update
THE production starts next Friday. Tomorrow is only a 3 hour rehearsal...then we start to move props from 2 locations (studio & storage) for Tech Week. Sunday 2-8, M-Th is every evening starting around 5...going to 9:30 or 10. Then we have to have Emma at the theater 2 hours before the performance! For 3 days. Then we get to move all of the props OUT of the theater (as soon as the performance is over) and get to the cast party, then to the church kids Christmas musical. We would skip this in a heartbeat, but one of Emma's best homeschool friends is in the lead role... I took pictures of her in her costume a couple of weeks ago, but the lighting was bad. I'll try for more this week and I'll post them.

Running continues for all of us...walking for me ;-) We've even recruited a few more homeschool families. It's such a great program! $12 for a family for a year! That's 2 weekly 1 hour practices... And we pay $2/person for races. A much much much cheaper route than ballet LOL.

Basketball practice starts for Erik next week...during tech week...last year he had a nightly basketball camp. This year it's only 1 night.

School is plucking along. Seem to be needing to revamp my curriculum plans. I have been trying to get Erik and Ellie to follow along with Emma's 4th grade historical fiction readings...not a good plan. We've put that on the shelf for now and are working on a unit study on Explorers of North America...with hands on activities which the kids seem to enjoy. The great joy I have now is seeing Erik read every book he can get his hands on! We check out close to 40 books EACH WEEK from the library. Lots of picture books for the younger 2. Emma and Erik get 3-5 chapter books, plus other books that interest them for that week. I pat myself on the back and say, "I taught them to read!" It's a great feeling.

Well, it's not freezing outside anymore, so I need to get these kids outside for some fresh air. Then I'm going to do some baking...muffins to snack on during our busy week. Cranberry, banana, and pumpkin! Yum!