Quick update

I last posted in July after we went to TX to visit the fam. That was fun. Joe redid the basement while we were gone. That's the best way to do a remodel! After we got home a lot of things happened. I realized I hated my job and I missed my kids soooo I quit my job at Children's Place in September and started working for PNC Bank. I love my job! I am home every night and I am off every Sunday and all holidays! The Sunday thing worked out great cause Joe and I got called to co teach the 12-13 yr old Sunday School class which I just love. It's Alison's class!
Here we are one week til Christmas. Tree is up (in fact 2 trees are up) gifts are bought wrapped and under the tree. We are on top of stuff this year! I even got Christmas cards set! We are doing well. The kids are happy and healthy. We are in a lull between sports and Alisons plays. That's fine by me. Less running around after work and school. We are planning on making 2012 our readiness preparedness year. Our goal is to have our year supply of food and our house in order. That's the goal!

Cousins

We made a quick (too quick) trip to TX to see family. I just love my nieces and nephews. They are soooo cute!

Kelsey's Sweet 16 80's Party

Happy Birthday Kelsey!!!

Kelsey opening her loot

Jon dressed preppy. The sunglasses we found at Kmart were perfect!

Alison eating pop rocks


Jon and Nico rockin out to 80's tunes

Pac man cake that Joe made. It turned out sooooo perfect!

Kelsey and her hair

We have lots of posts on here about Kelsey and the hair on her head. Well the latest thing we did was color it purple. She is so adventurous I wish I could be like that!

New Years Cruise

Well I am sure there is a clever cruise saying but once you do it you want to do it again. This time we sailed from Mobile, Alabama and had stops in Progresso and Cozumel. We had a good time. The older 3 made some fun friends and Jon claims to have met his future wife!

Progresso Mexico just walking the beach shops

Progresso was crazy warm. It stank soooo bad. Our captian had joked that the weather for Progresso was going to be partly cloudy or partly sunny lol. It wasn't even partly cloud. We walked around for a bit before we jumped on a bus and headed to some Myan ruins.

The kids minus Kelsey. That girl is in no photos.

Jon on the steps

Steep steps

The sink hole you could swim in. It was crazy cold and it had little fish that would nibble your feet!

Jon getting eaten by the crocodile in Cozumel

Joshua is getting eaten by a crocodile.

A quick cruise tip. Do not buy an excursion on the ship. They are crazy over priced. We just got off the boat and found a guy pimping rental cars and asked him about beach fun and he suggested Paradise Beach so a $26 taxi drive later and we were on the beach. We paid $2 for chairs with umbrellas and $12 for access to everything. They had kayaks, snorkle gear, water trampolines, rock climbing, pools etc. We just paid for the kids. Same exact trip through Carnival was $40 for adults and $36 for kids. Crazy.

Paradise Beach Cozumel
It was fantastic. So warm! So blue!

Jon and Alison spent all day out playing in the water. Josh and Kelsey spent their time in the pool and at the beach collecting shells.

Pool Area

My favorite thing about Carnival is the animals, chocolates, and turn down service you get after a fun day. When we got home I was so sad no one was around to clean my room and leave me an activity schedule for the next day!

This was our great waiter Ktut. Joshua loved him!

Kelsey Homecoming

Kelsey all dressed and ready to go sans shoes

My beautiful girls!

Tyler & Kelsey

Kelsey had a great time!

Texas Trip

We made an impromptu trip to San Angelo to see the fam. It was a long 14 hours both ways but it was worth it. Jeremy and Steffanie have Scottland (who I got no photos of) and Samantha. Tyler and Michelle have Shaylee (also no pictures), Cayden, Addy, and Zachary. We had so much fun playing with them that we didn't take enough pictures especially with the kids all together!

Addy and Samantha

Kelsey taking close up of Samantha

Samantha

Joshy and Zach

Jon and Zach


Josh and Cayden playing the Wii .
This is what they did for 5 hours while we all sat around talking.


Zachary

Jon reading to Addy

Game of chase turned into a wrestling match.

It was hilarious! Cayden could not get enough.

Cayden holding his own. Plus he had a secret weapon....
Farts hahahaha