Well Kiddies...It's that time of year again

Time for fat lips...courtesy of Isabel stepping on Jonah's face today

Because school is closed due to the snow. Which in turn means the kids get crazy in the house. I prefer not to send them out when it is 13 degrees. I can handle getting them bundled up & sending them out in 25 or 30 degree weather...but not 13. After a screaming fit, I went to get Isabel & she ran from me & didn't notice it was over her brother's face.

The gate between the living room and kitchen/computer room has come down. They are 4 now. They should be able to handle it. But oh my, it has been a challenge.

Mr. Jonah fiddles with everything.

And he drags Jasper in...at least they had fun.

Thanksgiving at The Wrights...with a little metal thrown in

We spent Thanksgiving at Nate's parents as we have the last few years. And as always, it was a nice time. The tables were decorated in true Wanda fashion....**translation**very festive, fancy & beautiful. So lets see; Rachel & Matt (sister in law & brother in law) and 2 of their kids were there, as well as Nate's grandma & her husband, Nate & I and our brood & Mark & Wanda. The food was fantastic and I ate all weekend.

We spent Thursday, Friday, Saturday & most of Sunday there. The kids were very spoiled and absolutely dreaded coming home. Typical for anytime they go up to the Fort to see Grandma & Grandpa.

You like Nate's face in this picture? He always has to act like he is gorging himself on his food. Me? I don't act. I just gorge....hence the weight problem. And he gets poor Ryan in on the action. Way to be a role model, uncle Nate :)

I'm thinking this was Hannah's mask, but each child loved wearing it.
Grandma & Jasper

Hannah

Ryan

Matt & Rachel

The cute cupcake cones that Rachel made

Kids enjoying cones

Now comes the spoiling! "Grandma, can we take a bath in the sink?" Grandma says, "Sure!"

This photo is great! It looks like they are having a deep conversation.

Jasper & the mask

On Saturday, my in laws watched our kids & Rachel's kids to allow us to drive to Detroit for one of Nate's shows. Thanks Mark & Wanda. The drummer & his wife drove up to Nate's parents &

we all left from there...six of us adults in my stylin' mini van headed to a metal fest in the good ol' city of Detroit. I will say, I was a bit nervous. It was Detroit! I'm a small town girl. I begged Matt (Rachel's husband who is a deputy sheriff) to bring his gun along. He informed me that he couldn't take his weapon over state lines. Now before you say anything, YES, I am a peace advocate, but I wanted our children to have one parent come home alive. Nate had previously let us know that the venue was in a "not so safe" part of town.

Alas, no one was shot, stabbed, burned, peed on or anything like that. We had a good time. It was a loooong night, but it was good to be out. We drove about 1/2 hour out of Detroit & ate at a good Mexican place at 11 pm. We ended up getting to our hotel around midnight or so & everyone went to their rooms & met up in the morning to head back.

The venue, "Harpos"

Nate (with the bright green guitar) & the drummer, Steven.

The bassist (Tony) & Nate

Steve (the vocalist); he has one set of screaming pipes on him. I have no idea how he can scream like he does & still have a voice. He doesn't even act like it is hard. But then when I look at the pics of the veins bulging out in his head & neck, I realize it does take some talent to do that.

And God bless Steve, he usually gets the crowd all riled up & wants them to start a "circle pit." I think that is what it is called. I'm probably totally wrong. There I am, at the front of the stage taking pictures and all these smelly metal boys start slamming in to each other. Sometimes I am in fear that I will be knocked to the ground. Just don't break my camera, that is my life!

See how close they are!

Daddy's Back

In the years past, my dad would go crazy on outside Christmas stuff. It was awesome. He lived around the corner from Nate & I. We would all go down to dad's & he would turn the lights on just like they do in the movie Christmas Vacation. One year, his whole roof was a humongous peace sign. It was amazing!

Sadly, dad's huge train was stolen out of his yard. Then, his crazy ex wife turned crazier (she'll probably take me to court for saying that), and dad's love of Christmas crazy lights & decorations started to fade. Sniff, sniff. BUT....DADDY'S BACK! In the words of Jefferson Airplane, "Nothin's gonna stop me now!" He called me on Tuesday & wanted to know if the kids & I wanted to come to he & Rhonda's (the not so crazy new wife) house to see the lights since we wouldn't be there on Thanksgiving for the big reveal. Heck yes we wanted to go!

Check out that Santa!

Dad & the kids
Gotta incorporate a peace sign!

Jonah by one of the trees

Now comes the creepy part....talking & hip shaking Santa. As soon as we walked in the house, this thing was standing there. I said, "No offense, but that Santa is creepy." Dad & Rhonda agreed & had apparently been trying to pawn him off on one of us kids. Apparently my step sisters did not want him & neither did Ash or Lee. Rhonda said I was there their last hope. I think they were slightly disappointed when hip shaking Santa did not leave with me. I did, however, contemplate on taking him home & putting him on the front porch for Nate to see when he got home from band practice. I was going to try & hide outside & push the button as soon as he walked up. MERRY CHRISTMAS, NATE! Now go change your pants.

Jasper had several looks on his face while he watched scary Santa. He wasn't sure what to think. But I do know that none of them wanted to take him home with us.