Party Time!

We had the ward Christmas Party last weekend, always a big of a roll of the dice. Andrew was in charge of the entertainment for the evening, and had the audience participate in the 12 days of Green Bay Christmas song, made up by the congregation with Green Bay only items. Here is the list they came up with:

1. On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me, a cartridge in a tree stand.
2. Green Bay Wards
3. Super Bowl Championships
4. Degrees below 0
5. Brett Favre retirements
6. Moua sisters (family in our ward)
7. Cheeseheads
8. Inches of Snow
9. Bowls of Booyah (local soup)
10. Schneider trucks a-hauling
11. Channel 11, WLUK
12. Months of winter

All too true!

Daddy as MC with his little shepherd girl.

Abby was the angel who brought glad tidings of great joy! Not pictured here: the cut under her eye and bruise on her face from a flashlight weilded by a boy who had been a convert baptism just two hours before. However, Abby has showbiz in her blood- the show must go on, and it did!




Apparently the glad tidings of great joy weren't as impactful to all the shepherds.


Finally, the Bishop as one of the wise men, who gave gifts to the little girls- no Santa this year, but hey, that's what the mall is for, right!?

The Holiday Spirit

We love the holidays at our house- of course it's mostly about the Christmas cookies, but also the holiday cheer and traditions and snuggling on the couch when it is cold. Which it always is in Wisconsin.

However, it is also the time for good cheer, and our Abby has shown us what it means to have a big heart at Christmas. We were discussing that we felt so blessed this year that we have enough food to eat and have a warm home to live in, and after thinking about it, Abby had a suggestion.

"Daddy," she said. "I have an idea. How about we share what we have with the people who don't have any toys."

"How would we do that?" I asked.

"We need to have a garage sale, but put everything out for free, so the poor people can have stuff. We have so much, if we gave it away for free, other people could have it who don't have anything. That's what we should do!"

I was, of course, floored to hear my 5 year old, who should be in the "Me, me, me, then a little more about me" phase suggesting we give all of our stuff away. I said we'd think about it.

Then two weeks later, she was on the phone with her Grandma McPherson. Grandma asked her what she wanted for Christmas. Abby said she didn't know, but Grandma pressed her, asking her if she could have anything in the world, what would it be.

Abby thought for a moment, and said in a serious voice "I would want everyone in the world to be happy."

Great lessons from a little person.

THANKGIVING FUN!



Thanksgiving was great fun- spent it with the Amezcua family, the A's Auntie Allison. Andrew's entire family was there for the holiday, and to attend Elder Jacob Amezcua's sacrament meeting address just before heading out on his mission to Chile. He gave a great talk, and we got to go through the temple as a family.


St. Paul Temple


We also got to walk the dogs (one escaped, but only for a short time. I think Uncle Hector would have been fine if we had not re-captured...)

Watched the men folk risk life and limb to put up the Christmas lights.

And of course play with the indefatigable Cousin Sarah, the be all and end all of all for the little girls! Thanks for the smile, Aubri. The best of four pictures taken.

A's Halloween Fun

The spooky fun of Halloween is wonderful for the A's, and that includes Daddy Andrew. The dressing up, the scaring, the free candy. Did I mention people giving out free stuff? Oh yeah, Dad is all over that!


We started with the pumpkins. Aubri's has a stomach flu, and so got sick on the table, Abby's is happy with his new toupee, and Daddy's has a bit of a runny nose. The cold and flu season starts early in the midwest!


Abby's school had a cute program a couple of days before Halloween.


Songs, treats, and here is Abby dressed as a mummy.


The whole class of mummies!


And make a mess... now!


Then it was "Sweet Street" at Shopko Hall that had a performance area, where Abby did a dance with the YMCA in her ballerina costume.


Then it was on to the free hair spraying station- pink with glitter! Like that didn't get all over the car... (Everything in there was "free". Of course it cost six bucks a kid and four an adult to get in, and they didn't let the adults get the candy!)


The finished product- so cute!


They went trick-or-treating, did the haunted house (tame even for the little girls) and saw the cool snakes.


Outside the spooky alley.


Then time for real trick or treating- our ballerina and piglet, ready to go!


Go get the free eats!


Our neighborhood is pretty good for Halloween- lots of participants, and plenty of candy! We'll be eating it for days, and started early, with candy eating by Dad and the kids before we were even half way through. Mom ended up picking us up after about an hour and a half- it was cold!

The Final Diaper!!!

After five and a half years of cleaning up the refuse of our two children, it is over! Aubri has decided she is done with diapers. We had been telling her for the last month that after she came home from Grandma's we wouldn't be wearing diapers anymore, and without us reminding her, the day after we got back, it was off with the diaper, on with the Dora underwear, and she hasn't looked back. Just one or two accidents, but that's it- her pull-up overnight has never been wet, and she loves being a big girl, though she is still little, according to her.




Her parents are just happy the expense, stench and all around gross-out period of handling the soiled messes has come to an end. And all her pants fit better! How about that?




Plus, what a day of firsts, Abby figured out how to blow a bubble! We now have a lifetime of self contained voiding, bubble blowing fun as a family!

A's at Grandma Smith's

Ahhhh, the trip to Grandma's house (and Grandpa's too). Our annual pilgrimage back to where the A's Daddy grew up. It is always a week full of trips to the Avenue Deli (Roast beef and swiss joe, please- three layers on rye with cole slaw and russian. Heavy on the Russian...) playing cards, helping Grandpa with the lawn, inpromptu teaching moments with the retired teacher Grandma, more food, watching the Yankees, playing some golf, swinging on the monkey bars at the park down the road, and trips to Delaware.

On the way there, a great and easy trip on the airplane- Abby and Aubri love to fly! A passenger on our flight to NJ said they were the best behaved children she had ever seen on a plane. Now if she had seen them in the airport...




Coming out of the airport, check out how close the guy parked next to Grandpa.




Didn't know he was so limber...


Grandma went on a grand daughter date with Abby to "Little House on the Prarie, the Musical!". Yes, it stars Melissa Gilbert, the original Half Pint, and she called in sick for the Saturday night performance. Way to step it up, Half Pint.



Sunday was church- the girls were very cute- and we showed them off to my old friends at the ward. Why is Abby holding Aubri's face? The ratio to "Aubri looking" to "Aubri looking away" photos is about 1:7.

Went to see Grandma's Cousin Phoebe- more than 90 years old, and we had a great visit!



It is always story time at Grandma's house! "Dooley and the Snortsnoot" was a favorite- one of Daddy's favorites as a wee one.




Always an adventure- the two A's in the teepee.




Home made pancakes! Auntie Allison's recipe- delish! Almost as fun eating them as making them.


Abby helped Grandpa with the yardwork- and got a free ride and $1 for the efforts. Yeah, big spender that Grandpa...

Halloween means pumpkins. Grandma helped with the decorating, Mom is in the picture. Sorry Grandma! (Notice Aubri isn't looking...)

Grandma did the solo trip to Turtleback zoo with the girls- Mom was in NYC, Dad golfing with Grandpa. Lots of fun had by all- Aubri still doesn't know where the camera is, however.

Both girls got a chance to get a pony ride as well- heaven!

Abby took this one- not bad! Aubri- oblivious.

We also spent a day in Delaware- a family photo in front of Great Grandfather's studios- Frank E. Schoonover. Lots of history in this place- Daddy used to visit when he was Abby's age.

Uncle John being a tour guide- also gave Abby a small palette used by her great great grandfather at some point in his life. A treasure to be sure!

And the eating continues... Grandpa's famous Ceasar salad and NJ pizza- yum!

Last night in NJ- one more story!

The way home, not as good- 15 hours and four airports. We got the first class upgrade from Cincinnati to Chicago, a city we had hoped we wouldn't see, but went through in a re-route that got us into our final destination only 8 hours late. We got some looks from the passengers filing past our seats in the front, but we deserved them! A great and memorable trip to be sure!

Kindergarten Days

Despite our best efforts to find a half day kindergarten throughout the summer, from checking other school districts (they have open enrollment in Wisconsin) to private (rejected the place who's teacher's favorite phrase was "there's a rule in school..."), we broke down and sent our dear oldest A to all-day school, much to her parents chagrin. To much weeping and wailing from Mom, though not much gnashing of teeth, we had our first day of school, sending our baby off to the clutches of the public school system, opening her up to peer pressure and teasing, but also to a world of learning, which she absolutely loves.

After Dad dropped her off, without a backwards glance from his eldest, and returned back to the car with a lump in his throat, we realized this is where our Abby begins living her own life, the life she will remember. She has a sharp mind, and now will begin the cultivation.



Her teacher is absolutely fabulous, Mrs. Neuens, who has a reputation of one of the best in the district. Abby says "She is a great teacher and is my favorite so far, and no teacher is as nice as her on the planet." Abby's experience probably isn't as far reaching as she seems to think, but suffice it to say she likes her teacher.

Of course that doesn't mean she doesn't like home better than school. Here she is coming out from her first day- as usual in a blur of motion. School has started, and so begins the next 15 years of our lives!