Let it Snow!

Snow time again ... here are my little worker bees, clearing the driveway ... and a few still pics too. Rosie, our 10 year old Husky-Collie dog, loves to "snowplow" with her nose as you can see!

And Even More Christmas!

We spent the weekend with Mitch's family celebrating Christmas the Scott Family style ... always an adventure when there are 16 of us at my in-laws house. Thank goodness they have room for us!

Here are a few shots ... the grandparents with their 8 grandchildren, the madness begins with stocking surprises, and TJ and Abby modeling a few of their new gifts ... a big lego boat and Nike warm-up suit for TJ, and a tea party table and dishes for Abby, along with a new Tinkerbell swim suit, sandals and beach bag! She's ready to go to Destin NOW and use it! HA

Where are the Christmas Pics?

Hmmm, I guess I forgot to post them! Santa was verrrrry good to the Scott kids. Drew got a new car stereo and speakers, TJ got the remote control boat he has been begging for all year, and Abby got her first big bicycle. And so much other loot it's a sin. Then we get to do Christmas all over again this Saturday with the extended Scott family. Where are we going to put this stuff?

Our 25th Anniversary!

25 years ago today, Mitch and I were married. We started dating in high school, and by our wedding day had been dating 7 years. We were engaged the summer after Mitch graduated from college and took his first job at the bank in Tremont, and before I started my senior year of college. We thought I would probably finish college before we got married, but then my student teaching assignment came in for Pekin, just six miles from Tremont ... and so we pushed up the date so that we could be married on semester break; after my finals and before my student teaching began.

My parents had divorced just a couple of years before and we just didn't have the chance for the big wedding that all of our friends had. So we paid for our own wedding and didn't have a lot to spend just fresh out of college ... we had a simple ceremony that cost about $500 total. A borrowed dress, Mitch in a suit and not a tux, church poinsettias for altar flowers, a friend's dad took pics, and a cake and punch reception. But most importantly we were married, and we drove to FL for a honeymoon ... the first of many beach vacations to come.

We lived in Tremont a few years and then Lisa's job relocated to St. Louis. After a decade in St. Louis, Tremont bank called Mitch to come back, and we made the move.

Meanwhile, other life milestones continued in a 7's pattern for us. Drew was born in 1989, the year we celebrated our 7th anniversary. We were married 14 years when we found out TJ would be coming along. And 7 days after our 21st anniversary ... we left for China on our journey to meet Abby. I'm looking forward to our 28th year, but I think Mitch is a little bit scared! :-)

Much change has occurred since we walked down the aisle in 1982, and there have been good times and even some not-so-good times in life and marriage. But our experiences have made us who we are as people, as a couple, and as a family. I'm glad we have had the chance to experience it all, and I look forward to many years to come.

Mama's 11 Days of Christmas!

Let the fun begin! Mama is off for the next 11 days to enjoy her time at home with the kids! Lots to fit into that time, including getting ready for Santa, hearing Drew sing on Christmas Eve, an always fun Christmas morning, our 25th wedding anniversary on the 26th, family Christmas with the Scott's in Canton on the 29th-30th, New Year's Eve and New Years Day. And I'm sure I forgot something! Here's my to do list that doesn't include a 40-hour work week on top of it!

Mama's 11 days of Christmas is full of fun you'll see ...
Eleven days to be home,
Ten gifts that need wrapped,
Nine loads of laundry,
Eight rooms to vacuum,
Seven people for Christmas Eve dinner,
Six sleds a sliding,
Five mouths to feed!
Four gallons of milk,
Three hungry pets,
Two wired kids,
And a teenager sleeping until 3!

Merry Christmas!!

Dashing through the snow ...

TJ and Abby had a great time sledding down a small hill on the side of our house today ... hard to recognize the princess all bundled in an old (but warm) coat of TJ's, but she's in there!

7-8 Inches of Frosty Fun!

I'm guessing on the snowfall piled up on the patio table from my nice warm kitchen, but it looks like about that to me.

Winter Wonderland!

We waited for the snowiest day to go to the Christmas Tree Farm ... and we picked a good one! Lots of fun tromping through the frosty stuff to find the perfect tree this morning! Enjoy the slide show!

The Tremont Trio -- Elfed!

Did this last year with Abby's pic and it was too funny to resist putting the whole gang in action this year!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1379866252

THS Madrigal Dinner

Last night was the final performance of the Madrigal Dinner, and it was very special to see the kids and also King Drew! They put in many hours of rehearsal and preparation for the event, and it was great to see a full house of about 200 people despite the freezing rain and ice!

The after-show cast party was held at our neighbors, so it was great that Drew was not on the road ... but we also didn't want the other kids on the road, so we invited all of the boys to stay at our house overnight and the girls stayed with our neighbors. It was a late night for them and they had lots of fun ... and there were bodies strewn everywhere in our house this morning, kids on couches and couch cushions on the floor for makeshift beds ... but a good time had by all. Their cars were pretty icy and several had to work at even getting their doors open, but Mitch helped them with the window scraping and all were on their way home safely by about 10am.

I can't believe this was Drew's last high school production ... it has been wonderful to watch him in various events over the years, and I will miss that part of having a high school student in the house!