Thanksgiving 2015

This Thanksgiving was a little different.  In years past (as far back as I can remember) we have gathered with my Mom's side of the family.  My mom comes from a family of 7 and so there are several cousins and second cousins and 1st cousin once removed (you get the idea) that gather. Usually anywhere from 35-50 people gather.  Over the last few years that has started to be phased out and this year it finally was.  I wish it would not happen, but for a variety of reasons it did.  

Mark and I decided to still invite these guys up. My cousin Jason and his wife Cindy.  Then I also invited my cousin Lora and her family.  And then my sister, my parents and my Grandma ended up at my house as well.  So Mark and I hosted Thanksgiving for 18 people! 

Wednesday night the kids had a dance party in the basement! 

Upstairs we enjoyed soups and appetizers and some great beers! 

Thursday morning started early with a turkey in the oven at 7:00!  

The turkey was one by about 11:30 and then it was time to get all the casseroles in the oven, mash the potatoes, cook the rolls,  get the salads out, and so much more!  

Thanksgiving dinner included turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and grave, stuffing, sweet potatoes, mac and cheese, broccoli rice casserole, green salad, jello salad, cranberry sauce, pumpkin dip, rolls, veges, and lots of great dessert (six different ones!) 

It was great to visit with Cindy for a few days.  We could talk for hours. 

My cousin Lora and her family came to town as well! 

Here are all the big girls.  My Mom and sister, grandma, and cousins!  

The little kids table + Lauren for the picture.  

The big kids table.  Crazy kids. 

Addison and Claire had a blast playing all day. 

I insisted on a few selfies with these girls.  I hardly saw them for the 3 days everyone was in town.  

Thanks for the smile Addison!  

After dinner was ready, it was nice to step back and see everyone enjoying the meal.  If you know me, you know I completely stressed about having everyone in my house.  I am completely OCD about my house...and I admit it!  It is still very new to me :)  But after everyone left and I got everything cleaned up again, it was nice to look back and know it was a great place for everyone to gather and enjoy the day together.   I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving as well! 

Now, on to Christmas!

Halloween 2015

Better late than never :) Thanksgiving is next week and I have so many things from this month I have not talked about!  

Addison dressed up as a Monster High doll and her headband was a huge success! 

Lauren was my hippy.  This is one of my favorite costumes yet :) 

They agreed to smile and pose for me...they know I will continue to annoy them for pictures until they do! 

Then I let them to their own thing...

I love these 2 :) 

Although this is blurry, I love her little personality.  Addison is the most photogenic kid and such a funny little girl.  She makes everyone laugh! 

Lauren is quickly turning into a pre-teen (although she is only 9.)  She is growing up right in front of our eyes...but she is such a great kid.  I adore her.  

This year, for the first time, there was a trunk or treat at the school.  Lauren found one of her BFF's.  

Addison found one of her BFF's.  The trunk or treat was awesome.  I got to stand in one spot, visit with other parents and friends, while my kids ran from car to car getting candy.  It was a perfect night. And, we got home to see the Royals up to bat in the bottom of the first inning. 

Halloween night started out at a neighborhood BBQ.  Addison found her favorite BFF, Jenna.  

Lauren found her BFF's, Lindsay and Lilly.  

I found my BFF, Denise...and Mark found someone with some beer...

Halloween in our neighborhood is awesome.  We all bring wagons to hold the coolers filled with adult beverages while the kids run in the dark streets from house to house.  Our neighborhood goes completely over the top with decorations and haunted houses and so much candy.  There was the World Series game 4 on Halloween night and several houses had the game on out front on a TV for all to enjoy.  We trick or treated for longer than I thought, then hung out at a neighbors house for a while watching the game.  

Once we got home, both girls dumped their candy out to see what they  had...

Lauren quickly joined Mark on the couch to watch the Royals win game 4 of the World Series.  

World Series Champions- The Kansas City Royals 2015

What an amazing season these Kansas City Royals gave us.  These last 2 seasons have brought baseball back to Kansas City and given our girls the opportunity to love the sport of baseball.  (Something I never had growing up.)  The past several weeks, and even the last 2 months, every game has been on in our house.   Sometimes more than one TV on in the house so we don't miss a thing.  Lauren has loved it.  Addison has not.  Lauren said this morning "what do we do now that baseball is over."  Addison said "yea, no more Royals."  

Monday morning I stopped at the gas station and picked up a newspaper for a little piece of history to never be forgotten.  I got 2 papers, one for each girl.  

Lauren loved watching all the games with Mark this year.  She loved going out to the stadium to watch the games.  Each morning she woke up she would get Mark's I-pad and go to you tube and look at the highlights from the game the night before.  Every single morning.  

This is pretty much how Addison felt about the games.  But, to her credit, when things were exciting she would be sitting right there with us clapping and cheering.  It was just the innings in between that were boring...sometimes they are.  I have to agree with her.  

Halloween night, after trick or treating, the three of us stayed up to watch the game.  

Addison fell asleep almost instantly when I put this blanket on her!  

Sunday afternoon we had the opportunity to see the Budweiser Clydesdales.  They were in the parking lot of a local restaurant for all to see.  That was fun!  The girls enjoyed it!  

There were 4 or 5 of these trucks to transport the clydesdales.  Seeing the clydesdales got us ready for the game Sunday night when the Royals finally took the crown!  

It was a long game, pitched really well by the Mets, and by the Royals for that matter.  However, Lauren could just not stay awake.  

Neither could Addison for that matter.  Addison slept on the floor for several hours until I took her upstairs and put her in bed.  Lauren took a little cat nap...for maybe 20 minutes and then was ready to stay up for the rest of the game!  

It was an amazing ending to the World Series.  Top of the 9th inning and we are down 2-0.  We scored 2 runs in the top of the 9th and that took the game into extra innings where we ended up winning the World Series in 12 innings with a final score of 7-2.  I have some fantastic videos of Mark and Lauren going crazy, and if I can figure out how to get them on here I will!  It was an incredible ending.  So much fun!  

I figured I should include a picture of myself as well since I was around!  Sunday night during game 5 at the break after the 8th inning I went up stairs to wash my face, take out my contacts, put on PJ's and crawl into bed.  Something told me to go back downstairs and not crawl into bed.  Good thing I did or I would has missed an amazing inning!  But, I told Lauren "no pictures of Mommy!"  

The parade was Tuesday and apparently it was amazing.  I did not go, but Mark did.  I did however walk down to Union Station before 8:00 and this was the scene.  6 hours before the rally was supposed to start.  It was an incredible atmosphere.  

This picture taken from the Kansas City Star shows the Liberty Memorial lawn during the rally.  Such an amazing sight to see.

Thank you Royals for giving our family some amazing memories this year through the playoffs and the World Series.  We loved every minute of this ride.  Can't wait till opening day next year!  Go Royals!



Fall Soccer Champions!

This Fall soccer season flew by!  Practice started in August and we ended this weekend with 4 wins in the post season tournament and 1st place in Lauren's age division.  Way to go girls!  Lauren has grown to love the game of soccer and is an incredible athlete.  

I love this picture.  Her best one yet.  I wish she would wear her hair in a ponytail more often.  It's so cute!  Plus, that smile is incredible.  She loves soccer for sure!  

Here they are after the win Sunday afternoon.  The game went into overtime tied at 1-1 and ended in a shootout.  Talk about exciting!  

The weekend of games started out very early Saturday morning when we had to be at the soccer fields at 7:40....and it was cold!  But, well worth it as Lauren scored a goal in game 1 of the tournament!  Way to go Lauren.  

Addison was a trooper this weekend at the soccer field for several hours and reminding me many times she was bored!  

We ended up winning the early game 5-2.  Which was a great start to the tournament.  The girls came out early with lots of energy!  

These 3 are some of the fastest girls on the team.  The three of them can really hustle!  

The 2nd game of the day was a tough one.  We ended up winning 3-0!  

It's really fun to see the progress Lauren has made in 1 year and 2 seasons with the team.  She gave it a try and found that she loves soccer.  It is a great group of girls that she plays with and she has a lot of fun at practices and games.  

Sunday morning was game 3 and it was a big one.  Twice this year her team has played the pink team and twice this year they lost to the pink team.  The pink team is full of kids from her school and neighborhood.  They are some of her best friends from school, church class, and neighbors.  It has been tough losing to the pink team this year.  But, when it mattered most in game 3 of the tournament Lauren's team won.  2-1.  It was a tough game.  Lots of hustle by both teams.  I am so glad they came out with a win!  

Throwing the ball in has became a favorite skill of Lauren's.  Each time it needs to be done, she hustles to the sideline.  It's like she has found her skill to perfect and shine.  

After our win against the pink team we headed to Orange Leaf to celebrate and have an end of the year soccer party!  The girls received their participation trophies and the coach handed out soccer pictures....which I loved!  

Then it was time for the championship game and it was a  good one.  It ended in a 1-1 tie, 5 minutes of overtime, then a shoot out that we won by 1 point!  Lauren hustled and played her heart out.  She gave it her all and had a blast all weekend.  I know all the girls were tired at the end of the game as they played 4 games this weekend.  Wow!  

After the 1st place win, the girls got to spray paint the coaches hair!  Each girl got to spray a little pink and a little blue on the coaches. They loved it!  Their faces and smiles tell the story.  

Can't forget about Addison.  She is the team mascot.  A few of the girls on the team really love Addison.  The girls on the team that love Addison don't have a little sister, so they enjoy having Addison follow them around and play with them.  Lauren doesn't like having her little sister around her friends, but that's how it goes sometimes! 

Here they are with their 1st place medals.  Great team.  Great coaches.  Great group of girls.  We had a great fall season.  Can't want for the spring!  Way to go Lauren and you whole team!