Thanksgiving 1sts.

Every Thanksgiving we go to The Lake Livingston Lodge and just have lots of fun. Here were a few firsts that we got to be a a part of this year!Robyn's 1st Christmas Tree (we always help decorate it the Friday after Thanksgiving).A cousin caught her first fish (a 21 in. Drum)!!!Hunter and the younger cousins helped make their 1st salad using fresh spinach from Grandpa's garden.

If you're wondering about the swimsuits (Hunter's only wearing his)...Only in Texas can you go swimming in the lake on Thanksgiving.

Baby or Turkey?

I took the turkey out of the fridge to move some stuff around not realizing that I had set it next to Robyn. I just laughed...had to take this photo:
I can tell you right now that that Round Hill All Natural Young Turkey weighs several pounds more than Robyn. You'd get more meat from the Turkey anyway...so choose the turkey.

Playtime

A typical evening for us!

Aidan is seriously Robyn's own personal comedian. Whenever he's close or just simply walking by she always throws him a smile.

Sometimes she laughs and sometimes she's just absolutely content with the boys' efforts! I'm absolutely thrilled how much the boys want to help and be with her.

Although, they still refuse to help change her diaper...what's up with that??

Birthday Party Anxiety!

Okay, so do you remember that handsome picture of that young man on my previous post? Do you remember a post a while back that mentions that I'm a "party pooper?" Okay, I enjoy parties...when someone else is planning them! Well, I promised Aidan a party for his 8th birthday before we head up to Washington. The sheer thought of planning a birthday party just gives me a headache. Aidan's been to many parties. And, to be honest--very few of them are planned by the parent. Most of them are at some party place where the parent pays outrageous amounts of money for these children to bounce around on inflatables, eat LOTS of cake and...pizza. Not to mention the goody bags are just ridiculous. He would rather have a smaller party in his home. By the way, Aidan hates pizza (and hot dogs) and has never been impressed with those types of parties.

So, I've decided it's about time I gave in and "got over" this fear of birthday parties. I know, y'all are probably thinking how crazy I am for being afraid of a bunch of 8 yr. olds. The fact that most of them are bigger than me just doesn't mean anything, right? It's embarrassing that I fear a room full of 8 year olds that must be entertained! Sad but VERY true! Give me as many 3 yr. olds as you want and I can handle it just fine. But, once they get to be five or six...

I also know how much Aidan would love this party so as his mother, I feel it necessary to do this for him. Honestly he doesn't ask for much. And, it takes a lot to get him excited about anything. To see him excited about a party excites me so we're gonna do it.Took very little to excite Aidan for his 1st birthday...

Anyway, I have less than a month to come up with something.

Seriously, anybody...everybody...I need ideas!

Elder Fort

All the boys in the Sr. Primary are preparing to sing a verse of "Called to Serve" for the Primary Program. Last week when they practiced Aidan made an oh-so-important realization: he was the only one NOT wearing a full suit. And that disturbed him. So, he asked for one for his 8th Birthday. How many 7 yr. olds do you know ask for a suit for their birthday? I was cool with that! Then, Aidan told me that he "wanted to look like a missionary for the performance and missionaries wear suits." So, he got his new suit as an early birthday present so he could wear it for the Primary Program.

Words cannot express how proud I was at how handsome he looked in his new suit:

My New Outlet

These last two weeks my piano students began learning their pieces for our up and coming Christmas piano recital. Did I ever mention how much I LOVE Christmas music? I had such a blast searching for the piano music for these students that I found myself completely immersed in it. I decided I wanted some new Christmas music too! I love the piano arrangements that I come across. Some I toss out just because they aren't my style. And then there are some that I love playing so much because I get a major adrenaline rush every time I play them (even if they are riddled with mistakes). This morning I found my Christmas challenge for the season: Jon Schmidt's Christmas Medley (What Child is This, We Three Kings, Carol of the Bells). When I printed out the nine pages I started to get anxious. But, I just dove right in! And by the time I got to the end of page nine I had worked up quite a sweat! Total adrenaline rush...WOW! Okay, so the actual feeling is hard to explain...

With all the emotions that have been running through my veins as of late I desperately needed an outlet. I needed a new challenge of some sort. But, I was having a hard time finding it. If feels good to just let go. Playing and practicing a good piece of piano music does the trick for me!

Thanks Gayle for leading me to Jon Schmidt's music.

Robyn's Story Time

Oddly enough, Robyn does her best "storytelling" while on the changing table...


Every time she's up here, we always get to hear another chapter. Course, we're still anxiously waiting to find out if she gets her prince or not. Will she finally win his heart? Stay tuned...

The Fort Family

Okay, last year we just didn't bother. We did do one to go in the Christmas cards. But I wasn't very happy with that one. I was displeased enough that I didn't do anything more with that photo...it definitely wasn't getting framed.

So, we tried again. I'm not gonna say they're perfect...just that they are MUCH better than last year! And, I might actually get copies of these!

Yep, I'm talking about family pictures. This year we had some good friends take the pictures instead of me and that made things so much easier!
These pictures were taken by the playground at Jesse Jones Park.

The "Woobie"

woobie \'wu-bee\ n : small blanket roughly the size of a cloth diaper used in place of a regular sized blanket. Commonly used as a travel blanket that can be tucked and carried anywhere. It is widely used by younger children who suck their thumbs (namely those with the last name of Fort). Always handmade. Usually created with fleece fabric. Designs, size and colors must vary. Be prepared to create half a dozen of these small blankets. origin: the word is taken from the 1983 flop-of-a-movie called Mr. Mom starring Michael Keaton (though, in the movie the "woobie" in question was actually a very much loved blanket).

The First Woobie:
For Hunter's 1st birthday his mommy made him a very special blanket out of fleece complete with the perfect fringe. He loved this blanket and it was literally attached to him from that day forward. If the blanket ever got lost Hunter was unconsolable. Sometime shortly thereafter he became very sick. So much so, that in the middle of the night he vomited all over this very special blanket. After cleaning him up, the blanket had to go in the wash. But of course, Hunter would not calm down and go back to sleep without his blanket. So, his mom went to the fabric box, pulled out a small piece of fleece left over from making the original blanket, quickly cut some fringes around the edge and gave it to unhappy Hunter. Hunter calmed down and went right to sleep. And thus the "woobie" was born!!
Since then, Hunter has had several woobies. All made from various designs, but all fleece. The thing about these woobies is that they do get lost or left someplace. So, it's always good to have the materials (fleece and scissors) to quickly whip up another one. I always got tired of lugging around a big blanket to church, on the plane, etc. so the woobie was a great "replacement" blanket. Hunter has grown out of them but I still find a "lost woobie" every now and then (I have found two since we moved here in 2006: one tucked inside the couch). The woobie was definitely a vital part of Hunter's existence when he was a toddler.It became a big thing with us Forts. So much so that their Grandma Fort starting making woobies (the yellow one on the left of the picture is one made by her) and giving them as baby gifts. Naturally, she made one for Robyn. I write this post for this picture. You probably can't tell that she, on her own, has a corner of her 'woobie' tucked up between her chin and her thumb.And thus, a new era of "the woobie" has begun...

The Cub Scout Follows Akela.

The proud moment when Aidan begins his journey into Scouts is fast approaching. So, we agreed it was about time we started thinking about how we, as parents, could be involved. This past Saturday was the first real preparatory experience that Jaren and I have had the privilege of experiencing. We attended some Cub Scout training known as Akela's Trail. While there we attended various classes from "Flag Etiquette" to Puppetry skills; Rocketry to Games. All geared to help any parents or leaders learn and teach in Cub Scouts. We had an awesome experience!! We're finally starting to get our feet wet in the world of Scouting. I'm afraid we'll drown in it all! Definitely a wonderful group to be a part of. And, I think after all these years of not being a part of Scouts, Jaren is excited to once again put on the uniform.

And, I have two words for Alice and Gene Hamilton...YOU ROCK! Gene and Alice Hamilton @ Akela's Trail

They put together this entire event and it was phenomenal. I've been around Alice as she's been planning for this. While I could offer opinions or an ear that would listen I never really knew what she was doing with all this information. So, it was great to finally be a part of the finished product and to understand what they had been working on all these many months. WOW--I learned so much about the Cub Scouts! The coolest big sister in the whole, wide world!!

Now I completely understand why they have such a passion for this organization. And to think at one time I thought she was just crazy for devoting so much time and energy to Scouts! But, I get it now! How blessed we are to have such wonderful people so heavily involved!

If you want a place to belong--Cub Scouts is the place to go!