Happy Thanksgiving

What a fantastic Thanksgiving yesterday. There was food, fun, and family. Here's just a brief recap.

So much good food!

Time to eat!

Isabella and Lauren performing for us.

Our little princesses.
Snuggles with Grandma.
Aunt Chrissy and Isabella who later did a hillarious rendition of Jingle Bells for us.
Our whole family
Stephanie is again the undefeated Bakugan Brawl Champ!

Impromptu pillow fight!
Whoa Grandpa, there's a kid back there!
Trying to get a family picture for the Christmas Card. Nope!
Generations of Thankfullness. One of my favorite moments yesterday was a pleasant surprise. My grandmother is a simple woman who loves her family. At the end of the movie, Santa Buddies, there is a part where the music to Silent Night is played. All of a sudden, I heard my grandmother singing along to the tune and it was the sweetest thing I have ever heard. There is something about the simpleness of the holidays (that is lost all too often) that reminds me of the important things. Thanks Grandma.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Thanksgiving Preparations....

The coffee is flowing freely, the pumpkin muffins are almost done, the twice baked potatoes are in the works, and the husband keeps doing the dishes! Who doesn't love Thanksgiving?

Finally!

Greg is on vacation this week and instead of going out of town we have decided to do some fun day trip type stuff. Today was all about the Mouse (unfortunately, not Mickey like our relatives). The kids love going to Chuck E Cheese. We usually go every other year for Halloween. This year it was supposed to be our Chuck E Cheese year but due to some circumstances it didn't happen. Sooooooo, today was the day. The kids finally got to go to Chuck E Cheese and were so excited we couldn't get a word in. Talk about "are we there yet"! I lost count of how many times we were asked that after about 8.

There was so much fun to be had by kids and dads alike! Greg got his play time in as well. There was no slowing the kids down. It was like 2 hours of whirlwind. There were sweet sibling moments and laughter the whole time. I am so thankful for my family.

Watch out Jordan!!

Mikayla taking a ride with her little brother.

Jordan teaching Isabella how to ride the quad. Too cute!

Hi 5's as the good times roll on the rocking horse.
(Yes, they are supposed to be seated)

That is one happy couple! I love this guy!

Silly Faces and Pizza. Does life get any better?

Isabella and Mommy

Silly Ducks. Ended up eating a token but the kind staff gave it back, plus 7 more. They were very generous.

Tricky Egg game. Isabella was brave and tried it.

She loved the sea doo. We might have to get one someday!

Jordan must remember this one from when he was younger because he just had to ride it. Yes, that's all it did. Just back and forth in the chair.

Isabella very excited to score on her brother at the Air Hockey table.

Our little princess.

Dad's turn. That guy can shoot!

Their favorite by far. The simulated rollercoaster.

UP, UP, UP, UP.....

Jordan is loving the way down.

All three in hysterics at the end. Good times.

It's X time!!

Greg and I have officially ordered the P90X work out system and we are ready for the challenge. Unless it involves picking anything up off the ground today! Let me explain.

Greg and I have been wondering about this program for a while now. We have some friends that own it and were gracious to lend it to us this weekend so we could try it out (thanks Alyssa)! We did a workout on saturday morning and then got up today and did another one. We were already sore but expected to be as this is a very high intensity work out system. Well, needless to say that after two straight days of a crash course in P90X, there is nothing getting picked up off the floor today. Our inner thighs and legs are HURTING! I think I've stood more today just because it's easier than having to get back up off the couch or out of a chair.

But it's a good kind of hurt. Or will be when the Aleve kicks in tonight. So, wish us luck on our 90 day journey. I will NOT be posting before pics. But hopefully, great progress will be made in the next 90 days and after pics will be soon to follow.

On a little more personal note, I can't wait to do this with my husband. We have not worked out together since we were first married. We are like a couple of giddy kids after the last couple of days. Sure, we don't quite move the way we did 3 years ago and sure, those kicks aren't quite so pretty but man are we enjoying time spent with each other. OH, and you should see our kids right now. They are pumped about getting healthy (although they already are). They were trying to beat each other's best times on the chin up bar this afternoon and Greg told Mikayla that he'll give her $10 when she can do 10 pull ups. I wonder what her goal is going to be??? And Isabella is doing some arm exercises tonight like the instructor. "You raise your arm like this....Like you're starting a lawn mower" (said as she raises 2 lb weights and does about 10 reps). Very very cute. And then there is Jordan, who spider man walks up the wall to get to the chin up bar so that he can hang for a crazy long time and just swing like a monkey. Our family time just got a lot funnier folks!

Here Fishy Fishy....

Well, we had an exciting week for our pet fish this week. I wish I would have thought to grab the camera. Mikayla happened to be looking at the fish tank on Tuesday afternoon and realized that there were little baby fish swimming around. Upon further inspection, it became apparent that we were getting to wittness the many many live births of our fishies. We were so excited. There were about 30 of them in the tank when all was said and done. Super cool. I had been warned by a friend that sometimes the mommy will eat the babies. Mikayla wondered what we should do, and I, being the fish expert that I am not, said that there was no way she would eat them all. I was wrong. By morning there were about 4 left and by the mid afternoon there was not one baby fish to be found.

What in the world? Why would she eat all her babies. Of course, my kids are very realistic about pets and that they die occassionally (especially fish) so it wasn't too traumatic but we did decide that the next time we are fortunate enough to have baby fishies, we will definitely get them in their own tank till they are big enough to fend for themselves.

Happy Veteran's Day (a little early)

Jordan has been learning this song to sing in the assembly this week for the Veterans. They do a fantastic job of recognizing the people in our lives that fight for our right to be free. Jordan loves the song and couldn't wait to sing it for me. Enjoy!

Hot Cross Buns

Mikayla is loving her recorder. She has her brother and sister backing her up now. Oh the talent these three have!!

All it took was a change in ME!

This week has been a week of awakening (again) in the Earnhardt home. Unfortunately, the volume and tone of our conversations, especially those between my children, had been becoming louder and more disrespectful in our home. I just couldn't understand why this change had come so abruptly (or at least it felt abrupt). Then, last Sunday, I was challenged. The gentleman who will be leading out sunday school class for the next 8 weeks or so started his topic by giving us a picture of a pyramid. The base was our relationship with God. The next level was our relationship with our spouse. The next, our relationship with our kids (immediately red flags went up here in my head). Next, their relationship with each other. And finally, their relationship with thier friends.

I could write a book about all the ways things have changed this week. But all that to say that it just took a change in ME. It took me remembering that God is my first true love. It took me remembering that the order of how things work only truely works if God is first. My marriage is amazing but it is even better when I am giving God the first part of my day. My children are wonderful. But I am a better equiped mom for them when I am purposeful to approach the throne of grace and ask God to lead me every day to raise them up according to His will.

My children learn their behaviors from what they see in the home. They had begun yelling at each other a lot and disrespecting each other a lot. So, this week, I have turned my attention back to me. I have had to check and double check my responses to them. I have made sure that every moment is a teaching moment again instead of a "how can we get through this moment as quickly and painlessly as possible".

Greg and I knew that we had to get back into God's word WITH our kids. That was the part on the pyramid that was missing. Our children's relationship with God. But we were quick to realize that this piece had been missing for a while and it needed to be put back into the puzzle. One night imparticular, we were tired and after reading the bible story and devotional our kids sat there waiting. Greg was going to pray. Our kids stopped him and reminded him that they still wanted to read the story from the actual bible. "You know dad, the scripture verses." My heart leaped for joy. Not because I wasn't tired too, but because my children want to be in God's word. All it took was Greg and I remembering what our family's focus needs to be.

Although, I am humbled in admitting that things have been a little out of focus around here, I thank God for His unfailing mercy to wait patiently for me. I thank God that He is pursuing Greg and I and our kids. I pray that as every day comes and goes, I will stay focused and committed to the challenges of raising my children. Please pray for me that God will continue to refine me and make me aware of the areas in my life that I need to keep working on!

My Little Indian

Today was Jordan's first big presentation in school. He did his report on "The Indian in the Cupboard". He had a great time creating his mask and did a great job today presenting. I'm so proud of him!

Happy Trick or Treating Everyone

The kids had a blast last night trick or treating. Daddy took them ALLLL around the neighborhood while mommy got comfy on the porch and handed out candy (and studied for a bone practical next week!). Mikayla was a gypsie indian princess, Jordan was Bumblebee the Transformer, and Isabella was a 50's poodle girl.






When they got back it was a bit chilly so we went inside. The kids enjoyed handing out candy and then Daddy swiped a popular treat. The older two were determined to get it and they tried their best. I can't believe the shot I got of Jordan's crazy leap off the stairs.






Can you believe the amount of candy that we ended up with???? CRAZY! I think we'll be donating some of it to the kids teachers this week for rewards!

It's time for Sugar Cookies

It's that time of year again. The sugar cookies are in great supply as the kids begin showing all of their creative talents in decorating. The pumpkin cookies were fun. Although, half of all the sprinkles that are put on the cookies are on the paper towels by the time the cookie is eaten.

Bounce House fun

We had so much fun at some friends' birthday parties on Halloween morning. They were at the bounce house in Sumner and man did the kids have fun. Oh wait, did I say the kids had fun....well Greg and I might have had a little fun too.