It's WINTER time...take a look!

Let me start by saying...I love a lot of things about blogger, but the one thing I don't like is loading pictures...and this time I loaded ALL of my pictures in backwards order...and it takes FOREVER to fix it...so if you could just start at the bottom and scroll up, you will get time order....so...scroll down now and the comments will go from the bottom, too! Thanks for playing!

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'til next time...

So now you're back to the top (or the end...whichever way you look at it!) We're expecting more precipitation this week...we've missed three days of school already...but we have two more...can't let them go to waste, right!

...well, let's just say they get all their mad skills from their mama!!

And now...the highlight of the weekend...a MOM free-throw contest during half time of Jake's game...one mom from our team...one mom from the other...guess who won?!?!

Kate was so happy to bump into her buddy, Emma!

Bernie kept whining wanting the kids to play with him!

Does this grin say "NO FEAR" to you?!@?

again...no snow pants...just jeans...

Kate's favorite way down the hill!!

and a long walk back up...

It is a very fun, long ride down....

Later in the week we decided to hit the big hill between the library and the pool...we don't have any pictures of Cody because he was TAKING the pictures...I think he may have a career in photography!! Both Connor and Jake did a lot of snowboarding (is it called snowboarding if they spend more time on their rear ends than the board?)

Real men don't wear snowpants...they wear pj bottoms...

Can't shovel without a snowball fight, right?

Some of our very favorite people shoveled with us!

Bernie LOVES the snow.

Are they cute or what?!

We got 12 inches of snow last week...and we decided to shovel (and play) around 10:30 pm when the majority of the snow had already fallen...enjoy these fun pictures! My favorite is this first one of the three kids!

A busy weekend...full of family and fun!

My Mom's maiden name is McGee...she was one of six children...and I have 14 first cousins on the McGee side. This weekend, the McGee family came together to celebrate the life of George Rencher, my uncle. Uncle George was married to my Mom's sister, Aunt Cora. Her three kids, and 9 of my other cousins were all in town this weekend. We did not have Tommy, my cousin who died last year, and my cousin, Wes, who is getting his law degree in Denver, CO. But everybody else was at my house on Friday night...it was a ton of fun visiting and catching up...see for yourself...Wes, you were missed! (You, too, Mandy!!)

"the thirteen"

"the thirteen" plus 2 kids, three husbands, a wife, a couple aunts...and Bernie!

the sisters...cora and wanda

the next generation...

kate and brooke...

only two of the twenty-seven...

(if I counted correctly!!)

playtime!!

So, Saturday we had a beautiful ceremony at the St. Ignatius Country Church for Uncle George. Connor did a reading and did a remarkable job...he makes me very proud! The service was followed by a reception and Jenn and Bryan's house...it was very well attended and catered by Bob!! Needless to say, the food was great!

Then that evening, many of the cousins, my mom, my dad, my sis, and aunt cora, returned to my house to eat crabs...it was an evening of food, fun, and football.

All the while, Kate and I were nextdoor for a "Miss America Pageant Party"! The idea being that beautiful, intelligent, talented women all come together to watch beautiful, intelligent (?), talented women compete against each other!

It was a ton of fun...the hosts are pretty spectacular ladies...take a look!

the hosts

"miss world"

(she named herself)

the contestants were knockouts!!

the competition...

perfecting the "Miss America wave"

beautiful, talented, intelligent women

professional makeup artists ;-)

Overall we had a wonderful weekend...let me not forget to mention the three basketball games that were played as well! Jake had a game Saturday, he played really well and his team won! Connor had games Saturday and Sunday...his team won both games and he also played well!

Thanksgiving and Christmas 2010

Last time I blogged, we were just finishing up the science fair...right after that we celebrated Thanksgiving...it is by far my favorite holiday of the year...and one I never take for granted...I have so much to be thankful for! This year Kate wrote the prayer that is said before our meal and delivered it beautifully...she is so grown up. The boys had their annual football game joined by one of my dearest friends from elementary school, Kenneth. He spent the whole day with us which was such a treat, and hopefully the beginning of a long standing tradition! There was a lot of football watching done by all, delicious food on the table thanks to Pat and Bob...and so many other memories made. We had 21 sitting for dinner and 24 by dessert time...and we were all so happy to be together for the day.

The kids and I hopped in the car the next morning headed to Rehoboth for our annual "after Thanksgiving trip" with my sister, little Francis, and my parents. We did some Christmas shopping, some relaxing, and we made our annual trip to see the lights in Ocean City. It is a weekend I always look forward to! Unfortunately, Bob did not come with us...he is very busy looking for a job...he was unexpectedly laid off in the middle of November...so he stayed home to edit and revise his resume as well as get some things done around the house!

We met Bob on the way home from the beach at Gaver Tree Farm where we found two beauties and cut them down. We love this tradition and topped it off with hot chocolate, lots of marshmallows, and yummy cookies!

We spent the next week getting the house ready as I had my annual ornament exchange with the ladies AND...and more importantly...we were preparing for the arrival of ROBERT and KIM!!

The rest of the next week gets a little dicey...

-LATE Thursday night (12/2) - Robert and Kim arrived

- Friday morning - I FOUND OUT I'M GOING TO BE A GRANDMA!! This was extremely exciting news...Robert and Kim waited until they got to see us in person to tell us...Kim is three months pregnant already and due in June!

-Friday at noon - Bob took Connor (who had been sick for a week) back to the doctor only to be sent to the ER and admitted...worried about his breathing due to the asthma brought on by the virus

-Saturday, Sunday, and Monday - we all tried to go about our weekend and enjoy each other while taking turns staying with Connor and/or hanging out in the hospital together (it was crazy)

-Monday night - Connor was released from the hospital

-Tuesday - "the Wills Family shut in"...all kids and I took off school to hang out with Robert and Kim - that evening, all family came over to hang with them before they left

-Wednesday - Robert and Kim went back to Tennessee

All in all...it was a wonderful time...luckily, although Connor was kept for three nights, we knew he would be ok...not every parent in the Pediatric Ward has that sense of comfort...we knew it was a matter of time before his numbers stablilized and we could take him home...and while he was there, we made the best of it...lots of take out food and meals for 7 in the hospital room!! The biggest bummer is...I was so crazy those few days, I never took pictures. ;-(

And since then....we have partied our way to Christmas...we had the Anastasi Christmas Party first...FIVE generations of Anastasis in one room...eating, singing, visiting with Santa...and organized by "you know who"...I didn't come by it by accident! My Mom and Dad are a big part of the organization of the party and they love to show off their grandkids!

This event was followed by Kate's dance recital (no big deal...she just played CLARA in the Nutcracker for her studio), we saw A Christmas Carol at the Weinberg the next weekend, baked Christmas cookies for two days straight...and no surprise here... a few basketball games were thrown in the mix!

I love this time of the year...and it has proven to be full of excitement...I wish each and every one of you three readers a joyous holiday season and a healthy and happy new year!

Love,

Karen aka "Nonna" (that's grandma in Italian)

To see a video of our December happenings, click on the words "Christmas 2010" below. Enjoy!

Christmas 2010

We are Scientists!

Kate and Jake participated in the UES Science Fair this past Thursday!

Jake's class was required to do a project and he chose a topic on his own that he enjoyed very much...his question was, "Does the diameter of a coin affect the amount of time it will spin?" He had fun and learned quite a bit about diameter, weight, and rotation. He found that none of the factors that he considered affected the amount of time the coin would spin. He concluded that his grip on the coin and the force were definite variables in the experiment!

Kate was not required to participate, but, as you can imagine, she wanted to! She also chose her topic, inspired by our neighbor's project last year...Kate's question was, "Do people like chocolate chip cookies with a sugar substitute as much as they like them with sugar?" She and Bob had fun in the kitchen preparing for that one! Turns out the cookie with the applesauce substituted for white sugar beat out white sugar and Splenda...big time...you should try it!

Both kids worked very hard and were very proud of themselves yesterday as they posed in front of their project boards!

Other fun Halloween pictures!!

"Fall Festival" at school!

A quick trip to the pumpkin patch...

Carving pumpkins...without Jake...he was at a sleepover!

Daddy made a special pumpkin just for Jake...can you find it?

The gang ready for trick-or-treating!

A motley crew...on their own for the evening...


Are they gorgeous or what?!

Hope everyone had a happy Halloween!! We sure did!

Kate's 7th Birthday Party

Kate celebrated her 7th birthday a week early with a Halloween birthday party on HALLOWEEN!
Click on the words "Kate's 7th Birthday Party" to enjoy the fun memories from the day!
Enjoy!

Kate's 7th Birthday Party