celebrating 9 months home

I looked at the calendar just a few days after Thanksgiving and realized that we are looking at 9 months of Jolie being home. How did we celebrate? WELL...Karlie studied for some tests, and then I took her to the testing center and she took 3 of them.  Karlie had enough of school for one day and  wanted to spend that birthday money in her pocket.

Jolie realized we were going somewhere and she grabbed her purse, gave us a wink, a thumbs up and started prancing around the house. I totally missed that photo so I told her to do it all again...this is what we got.

Karlie wanted a sweater from Target, and some boots from Payless...we went to several other stores in the area too..and found a few good deals...

We found this board game that Shek saw advertised on tv.  He wants it really bad.

I found this game and thought it would be fun to play or at least make a great gag gift. I hope none of our photos are in the box...I am sure we've had a few bloopers  over the years...see my last post.

Jolie had a MELT down over a pair of boots today too...they were on clearance and they were all sequins....WOW...but they didin't fit! WHEW! 

She cried like it was the first time she met me all over again. She laid in the floor an made  imaginary snow angels during her fit...it was a sight! SHE cried very loud in the line...and the line was LONG....

And that's how we celebrated 9 months home...

Even with 3 tests in one day and a melt down over shiny shoes...
Life
is
good!

SHOP with POP

This time of year when you hear the word shop one would think of black Friday sales, or Christmas shopping, but Shop with Pop has a completely different meaning. Back in my day, girls took Home Ec. and the guys took Shop class. I don't think they even offer those classes today, but as a home educator we can offer experiences for our children that we feel beneficial and appropriate.

SO...Shek enjoys some shop classes with his Pop every now and then.  Gam snapped this photos of the two busy at work in Pop's Shop.

Pop and Shek busy at work.

Shek with his work apron on.

Spray painting.

 working with a saw...see why mommas don't attend shop class with their young sons?

Thanks Pop...for taking time to teach Shek shop class!

Christmas Card Photo Bloopers

Every year after Thanksgiving dinner we pose for the dreaded Christmas card photo. I have such dreams that my photos will turn out like those I see of everyone else's family, the cute, sweet expressions, everyone smiling, looking like they love each other, you know what I mean...

BUT...sometimes you just have to go with what you get...so maybe this year we'll just send a blooper card...at least it would be good for a laugh, right...

Enjoy the following Christmas card bloopers, cause that's about all we got!

Why is everyone looking down? well...that would  be because Jolie was under the table and not participating.

 Jolie decides to pat Zach's head.

 Ok, Mom, let's practice our good speech sounds...let me hold your nose.

 Hey Dad is that you...and those left standing are very distracted.

 I have one of those MOM looks, Zach looks like he's either about to bust our laughing or throw up, Karlie has wild hair...and Jolie is patting Shek's head...notice Karl and Shek are the only ones to remain focused to the task at hand.

Someone is just over it...

We did however, find one photo that would suffice for the Christmas card...and I uploaded it to SAM's photo center and made my cards online...

This photo was the very best one as well as the first one snapped ...we should have just stopped then!

Merry Christmas...from the Berrys

Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving day was filled with lots of eating, fun and fellowship....here's some of the highlights.

Giving Thanks!

Shek lights the candles after lunch.

The pie had to be cut with a knife dipped in hot water...we had to bring in the big guns for the  cutting since it was frozen. IT was a  lot easier to eat than to cut.

Honey and Karlie

 Jolie and Honey

Zach and Honey

Shek

Gam and Pop putting together an idea as seen on pinterest.

posing by the  pinterest idea

 My sixteen year old and  me

Posing by that cute pinterest idea...thankyou, pinterest!

 Karlie brought out the make up for makeovers...and Jolie was loving in.

 Fun with make up

 Gam's new look...

Me

Still applying the makeup...

When Zach brought out the left overs...Jolie left the makeup and helped him eat.

 Feeling real comfortable eating brother's leftovers.

 The boys played some football...

 I have a sweet video of this too...

Trying to catch that ball.
We had our marathon Christmas card photos made. BUT that is a post in and of itself. And that post will be called: Christmas Card Bloopers....

Here's a blooper preview...more to come.
We also filmed Karlie interviewing Zach for her Belarus project. He was supposed to have a Russian accent, but it sounded more like an Indian accent, we also went to the racetrack to see the lights. The lights were rather disappointing, but it was a nice family outing. Thanksgiving was full of fun events with the family....
NOW for a little Christmas shopping!

Cookin' with the kids...

Karlie's favorite show is Paula's Best Dishes. In fact, we record them all. The other day they made a Key Lime Mousse Pie...and Karlie announced that we should make that for her birthday on Thanksgiving. Since it has to be made 24 hours in advance and placed in the freezer for a whole day...we got busy this morning. And I took Paula's advice and got in the kitchen with my kids...so basically they made this thing with little assistance from me...and if it tastes as good as it did when we all 'licked the pot'...it's gonna be mighty fine!

Crushing up the Graham crackers...cause Kroger was out of the boxes of already crushed crackers.

 Melting the butter

 IT took a lot of Graham crackers to make the crust.

 Some of the ingredients! Any recipe with 3 packages of cream cheese has got to be good!

Jolie enjoyed the graham cracker crumbs.

 Shek mixing the butter, sugar and graham cracker.

 squeezing limes

 squeezing limes is a workout...

 Who would have thought that 21 years ago when I used the red and white checked Better homes cook book that now, I would be using a  recipe on my iphone?

 Melting white chocolate in the gelatin key lime mixture...a recipe with white chocolate and cream cheese...will be awesome.

 where's the zest.

 Smilin' and zestin'

 lime zest, it's hard work

 had to beat the cream with honey's mixer because my mixer was busy

 folded in the cream along with the white chocolate, keylime mixture....

 Pouring it in the spring form pain.

 to the freezer it goes...for a whole day.

 Lickin' the pot is the best part of any recipe creation.

 Look! I was there, frizzier hair than usual, cause I'm outta hair mousse.

Now to deal with the aftermath...cleaning up! UGH

24 hours later...

YUMMY

Happy real 16th Birthday, Karlie!

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!

Pray for us...it's now time for the Christmas Card photo taking marathon...my family is always so over it...before we begin...BUT I am praying we get the awesomest Christmas card photo ever...after all it's Jolie's first Christmas...