Decorating Trees with Nonny Moe

My parents braved the weather last weekend and came down so my mom could do her annual tree decorating with the girls. They each have their own little tree and it is their fun thing to do with grandma each year.

opening their new ornaments

Shelby with her new book

Morgan's new book

Shelby putting hooks on ornaments

Morgan's tongue always makes an appearance when she's hard at work!

Thanks Nonny for the help!

Gingerbread House Decorating

Jenn brought the girls a Gingerbread House decorating kit when she came to watch them early Friday morning. Daddy helped with the decorating and they had fun putting it together. Here are some pics of the architects carefully constructing their house.

Proudly Posing with the Finished Product

Slowly getting into the holiday spirit around here.

Shelby's Christmas Concert

Last Monday Shelby had her school Christmas concert. This year they had it at Parkside Jr. High which was a much better choice than last year. They have bleachers so the guests who did not sit in the front row were actually able to see. That was good considering Shelby was on the floor again this year. Friends of ours from church who have a daughter in Shelby's class got there early and saved us great seats in the second row right across from where Shelby was standing. Once again it was a short and sweet concert with K, 1st & 2nd grade. The bleachers were full as the 3 grade levels include 10 different classes.

All prettied up & ready to go

Here is video of part of one of the songs they sang. My card space on my camera was full before the end of the song. Notice part way through when she reminds her classmate in the red sweater it isn't their turn to do the actions to the song.

MERRY CHRISTMAS from Oakdale!

First Snow

I figured since the second snowfall of the season is expected this weekend, I better post what I have about the first snow. Last week at around 5:00 on Friday evening, the snow started to fall. And fall. And fall. It was sometime on Saturday afternoon when it finally quit. I never heard an official measurement, but my guess is we got around 5 inches. The girls got out on Saturday afternoon to play for a bit. I got out to take a couple of pictures.

Shelby the Angel

Mr. Snowman's hat supporting a load

Someone forgot to tell Morgan that scooters do not come with snow tires!

All the snow sure makes it feel like Christmas. Too bad with 2 weeks and counting, I still do not have the tree up. But, that's a post for another day.

Shelby's Thanksgiving Program

Yesterday was Shelby's class Thanksgiving Program. Her part was the female Puritan Narrator. Her pal Evan was the male narrator. The two of them greeted us at the door to the gym handing out programs. I was surprised to see her there when I walked in the door. She hadn't mentioned that she would be doing that. I also had no idea she was a narrator in the performance. I hate to brag, but that was a big part and she did an impressive job! She's a great reader and that had to be one of the reasons she was chosen for the part. She had to follow along in the program as she and Evan alternated lines with each other as well as with the other classmates who acted out the play. They were: Puritan Men & Woman, Native American Men & Women, Corn & Turkeys. It was a very entertaining play. They all did a great job but again, I was very impressed with my girl! It was one of those things I wish I had on video. Nate's mom is always saying she needs to get involved in a theater for kids program. She would have enjoyed seeing this I think.

The Puritan Narrator handing out programs

Reading her part in An ABC Thanksgiving

Letter A

Letter B

Reading her lines in the play as Narrator

Didn't have to ask her twice to pose with her favorite guy, Quinton

With classmates & church friends Emily & Christopher (Evan on the end joined in)

With Miss Hoelscher

Miss H was sick during the day and came back to school just to do the program

It was a fun program. They did a very funny song called Leftovers. As you can imagine it included all the ways one can eat leftover turkey! Happy Thanksgiving all!

Morgan's Stay at Papa & Nonny Moe's

A few posts back I had mentioned I was behind on my events, especially from this summer. This one should have come after the big Johnson Family picnic post. When Nate, Shelby and I returned home after that weekend, we left Morgan behind with my parents for the week. Now if I was on the ball (which I'm not), I'd have a picture of my little girl with her suitcase going off to her first week away from home without mom, dad or even big sis. She had no problems with us leaving her there. In fact, she was pushing us out the door! We left on Sunday and I think my mom said it was Wednesday before she mentioned anything about us. The only thing she didn't like was Nonny having to go to work every day. My mom cleans houses for a living. The second or third day of having to go to work with Nonny, Morgan wanted them to leave. My mom said the people wouldn't be happy to come home and not have a clean house. Morgan wanted to know why those people couldn't clean their own houses?! When my dad got home from work in the morning he would come pick her up and take her to McD's or the library or just to play or take a nap back at home. She joined them on a trip to Madison and stopped at the mall for some play time. I received a few pics on my phone while she was jumping on the Wisconsin Power and Light displays.

This one she is on a bunch of light bulbs and my dad said she was jumping across one to another. He said another kid tried to do the same thing and didn't make it. They slid down the side between the bulbs! What can I say, she nuts!

Sitting still on the big hard hat

Worn Out!

On one of the trips to the library, she posed with the Redbird mascot that sits inside the door.

Here she is giving him a kiss

Our old friends Ervin & Phyllis who died earlier in the year had donated the funds to build the new library. Phyllis picked out the furniture and other furnishings for the new building.

Here Morgan is posing with a doll that Phyllis had made years ago and now sits up on the bookshelf in the children's department.

When I returned the next weekend to pick her up, she was excited to see me and ready to go home, but overall she had fun and still talks about her next stay. She talks about going ice skating and I keep telling her she would have to visit in the winter time. And when Aunt Ashley was there since she is the only one in the family that ice skates. Big sis did not mind at all getting all the attention while she was gone. We took advantage of antsy pantsy being away and took Shelby to 2 movies. Nate and I took her to see Despicable Me and Ashley and I took her to see Ramona & Beezus before heading up to get Morgan. Shelby also got to do her school supply shopping that week so she really enjoyed it. Soon I will post about Shelby's turn away and Morgan's at home. Stay tuned.....

Fall Feast

Today was Morgan's Preschool Fall Feast. They had a short program guaranteed to be a little silly with a bunch of 4&5 year olds! For whatever reason, through most of the program Morgan chewed on one finger while using her other hand to pick at the earring hole in her ear. Very talented. They sang some songs and banged on their drums. Then we had some treats that they made together. After our snacks, we made a craft together and then headed home.

I got a new camera so here is Morgan posing before leaving for school to try it out.








Nate, Morgan and I dined with Henry and Claire from next door. Claire and I discussed me watching the 2 boys next week when she has her 39 week pregnancy appointment. I told her who knows maybe she wouldn't even need the appt. Appears I was right. She is laying in the hospital right now working on the arrival of Miss Alice! Nothing better to celebrate thanks for at Thanksgiving than a sweet new baby!