...and Ben turns 12...

I'm pretty sure I say this every year...but how can it be? It seems just like...I bet you are expecting me to say {yesterday} ...I'm not...lol because it actually seems a bit longer than yesterday but certainly NOT 12 years ago...that we are right here meeting Mr. Ben for the first time...

...gotta love how young Stuart and I look...we look like babies ourselves! ...ok well Stuart does...you can't see me...just all my hair...I don't even have that much hair any more :'(

{excuse the blurry photo...Meemaw took the picture this morning and she is not used to taking digital photos and she was a bit shaky}

...so this is US today {LOTS} of changes...huh? Mr. Ben is growing up for sure...making us proud each and every day...lol ok not every day...we have some bad days but for the most part he is a super great kid! I LOVE who he is growing up to be...a strong...funny...likable young man...ASB Rep for his grade homeroom...As and Bs so far...hoping he keeps that up! ...having a great football season...hoping YOU make it to the SUPERBOWL this year...I know YOU will be playing for Peepaw who I know has the best seats in the house each and every game! ...cheering YOU on...GO Benny!!! I can hear it each and every game...Happy Birthday Ben! We LOVE you!!! ...and though spending your birthday in a car and then on an airplane isn't going to be too fun...we do have something {FUN} planned...just wait! ;) {It's going to be a LONG DAY...but I'm sure it'll be a birthday you never forget}

CARDS instead of LAUNDRY

...so instead of doing the much needed laundry this morning I made some cards so they could hit the mail this afternoon...


...and this afternoon...I'm STILL not done with the LAUNDRY! ...this morning Ben informs me...he has TWO pairs of pants that fit..I think to myself...how in the world do all your pants that fit last week no longer not fit you! ...I'm telling you that boy is growing like a weed...in just 2 very short days he will be 12 and he is nearly as tall as me...and weighs over 100 pounds now...who would of thought! ...makes me want to cry :'(

...I really need to stop procrastinating about this laundry...and get every organized...and I should do that NOW! I'll have more to share later...

Happy {FALL}

...well it is finally starting to look and feel like {FALL} around here...recently I made a {FALL BANNER} that is hanging in my entryway...it is using LOTS of SRM!I apologize for the crappy photos...my camera is about to die :( ...on one hand I'm not happy about this...but on the other :)




...and just to start to get in the mood for {HALLOWEEN} ...yes I know it's right around the corner...I have a Mini Tube to share with you...



Thanks for stopping by today...now I need to get busy and finish up Camryn's Halloween costume...I'm about 90% done...at least {MY} part is done...now I just need to do the shopping part...Mason needs to decide what he wants to be...every 5 minutes he changes his mind...and it's easy for Ben...being in Middle School...in fact...he's going to his 1st boy/girl costume party this weekend...I can't believe he's growing up!!! I have 6 days to have all this Halloween business taken care of...that's all the time I've given myself...think I can get it done?

It's October...and with that...

...it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month...I know too many people it seems that are battling this disease...last month I made this card for one of my old students who's family member is battling breast cancer right now...

{I used SRM Stickers: Express Yourself #42032 Celebrate Life}

...and I also made this Mini Tube...

{I used SRM Stickers: Live Life #49010 Think Pink ...and the Mini Tube.

...one day I hope there will be a cure for all cancers...

...the weekend came and went...

...but we survived...I even got a quick nap to try and get rid of my headache...but it didn't really help...

...this morning I'm off to work...my first sub day of the year...working tomorrow too while my friend is in California at a scheduled doctors appointment...many prayers being said for her...I'm a bit anxious to hear how her appointment goes...

...this afternoon I hope to come home and finish this post and share about the weekends activities...BOY WAS IT A BUSY WEEKEND!!!

...this is not how we expected to start the weekend...by picking Camryn up from school early...we received a phone call from the school saying that there had been an accident on the playground...the swing that Camryn was swinging on had broke and the chain fell and hit Camryn in the head...and to be honest when I heard those words I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I got to the school...I knew how BIG those chains were and how HEAVY they were...but when I saw her I knew that she definitely had her guardian angel with her at that moment...


...Saturday morning we were all up bright and early to walk in honor of Tom...in the 4th Annual ALS Walk at Columbia Park...Uncle Ted had some really special shirts made for the family and we all {LOVED} them. Team Dezember raised over $3100 in just two weeks of collecting money...I hit my goal of $500, Ben, Camryn and Mason all went WELL OVER their goals and Stuart was SO CLOSE...just $55 short of making his goal...just between the 5 of us we raised $1450.00...and that's because yesterday Ben received a very nice email from a family in Florida who made a recent donation in Tom's name. We want to {THANK} everyone who donated in Tom's memory...your donation to the Walk to Defeat ALS® allows the ALS Associate Evergreen Chapter to provide programs and services to families affected by ALS and fund global, cutting-edge research. Donations can still be made at {TEAM DEZEMBER}.


...Saturday night...Ben's football team had a tailgate party...LOTS of fun!!! ...and LOTS of food!!!
...after all that fun and food then it was time to warm up and get ready for the game...
...Ben had a great game...all of his Uncles and Aunts were there except Uncle Ted and Aunt Ashley but I am pretty sure if I had tickets to Seinfeld I might have missed the game too ;) ...and Uncle Marc...but he had to take Madi to her soccer game in Spokane so that was a good excuse to not be there too...so we forgive him as well ;) ...Marc we know you guys wished you could be there!

Ben got to be the kicker this game...and he even got an extra point conversion as a receiver! GO BEN!!!