SEEK Family Night 2010

Since the first week of SEEK, Madeline has been so excited about her performance for Family Night with her Flip and Shout class.  What they were doing was a big secret, but through the semester I was told that there would be pom-poms, matching shirts, and black shorts.  And sure enough on Family Night, her class performed cheers and gymnastic moves for the full auditorium.  She was SO excited and I was SO proud of her!

Madeline and her good friend, Lydia

Madeline and Annika, another little girl in her class.

Waiting to go "on".  Madeline told me that she got more and more nervous as it got closer for them to perform.  So cute!!!

Ryan's Birthday Party

For Ryan's 5th Birthday Party, he invited some of his friends to the movie theater to see TOY STORY 3.  It was a wonderful time.  My favorite part was watching all 7 of them chuckle in delight at the funny parts of the movie.  They were adorable.  Of course, Ryan, Ty and Jackson ate their weight in popcorn, though they managed to save room for cake and ice cream.

After the movie, we drove everyone back to our house and had cake, and let the boys play.  It was a wonderful way to celebrate Ryan's 5th year!

Ry and Lance play with the football guys on the cake.

Elijah and Jackson

Can you tell that Ryan LOVES cake?

Paige and Ben get Daddy.

Everyone joins in.

It's official. . .the wrestling has begun.

Ryan's UNC Cake

This year Ry wanted a UNC football cake with Johnny White. 

International Fair

Madeline and Daddy worked hard this month, putting together a project on Brazil for Dayspring's International Fair.  Aside from making a display, Madeline got up in front of at least 50 people and gave an oral report on Brazil.  She was one of the youngest presenters.  I was SO proud of her.  She was very nervous and a bit scared, but she persevered and did a fabulous job.

Madeline with one of her best friends, Lydia

Trick or Treating 2010

This was Daddy's Welcome Home from Brazil.  We each took different letters and decorated them, and Ryan even added a UNC flag he had made at Marbles.

Fairy Madeline

Snake Eye's Ry--aka GI Joe ninja

Trey, Conor and Ry pose for Daddy.  Do you notice something similar with all 3 of them?

Fairy Madeline and Dorothy Ali.  Just a couple minutes before we headed out to get candy!  Madeline ended up with a jacket, as it was a chilly evening.

 

This year was another wonderful celebration of October 31st in the cul de sac.  We grilled hot dogs, ate chips, and watched as the children played around us.  Camden crawled in the grass in his Lion costume, the boys played football in the cul de sac, and the girls were off playing make-believe.  Debra and I enjoyed sitting together, cutting coupons for Super Doubles at HT.  It was a wonderful time with neighbors.  Once the candy getting was done, we met up at Shanda's and ate pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and apple crisp, while the children watched the Charlie Brown movie and sorted through their candy.  The only part that stunk was having to take Daddy to his office, as he left that night for a week long business trip.

Boo!

Our sweet Madeline is such a treasure.  All last week, she would tell us not to enter either her room or the school room--she was making something.  I did not think much of it until we came home from our date on Saturday night.  While putting M&R to bed, Matt told them that tomorrow we were going trick or treating.  They were very excited.  Before they could talk more about it, Madeline ran out of Ry's room, grabbed something in her own room, and came back with a brown paper bag.  The outside of the bag was painted and had the word "BOO" on it.  Inside were cards for Daddy, Mommy, and Ryan that said Happy Halloween from Madeline, and the bag was filled with candies for us.  She is so thoughtful and tenderhearted and sweet.  This will be a memory forever cherished.

Braden's Birthday

Braden's Birthday was awesome again this year!  It was baseball themed, complete with favorite ball field food, baseball to play, and Wool E. Bull!  The Andersen's know how to have a party!

The next 6 pictures must be looked at in sequence.  Matt and I cannot stop laughing over this sequence. 

We love Ry's intensity with anything "sportish".  The look on his face says it all!

And our sweet girl, who just loves having fun.

Of course it was a madhouse once the pinata actually broke.

Kenny and Wool E. Bull.