Where Did Two Weeks Go?

Hard to believe two weeks has passed, I haven't blogged and the kids went back to school today. We sure did a lot of nothing for three weeks and it's just what we needed.

Each night Fred the Elf on the Shelf made his magical trip to tell Santa how the kids behaved and each morning came back to a new spot in the house to keep an eye on them. Olivia and Lucas had fun finding him each morning before going to school. Fred has now gone back to the North Pole until next holiday season.

Meet our two new family members.... Mary the red slider in the back and Frankie the Mississippi Map in the front. Not that I was in the market for turtles as they live 40 years and are messy, but we saved their lives. Not sure if we'll keep them or find them a forever home, but at least they are alive.

 Christmas morning....

 A present not finished.... it will be a Tam Hat for Nick's dreads in the Rasta Colors. I am so much farther than this and could actually finish it tonight if I find time.

 No one is ever too old for toys.

Emily was a happy girl on Christmas sandwiched in between her siblings.

 Stylin' in his new coat.

I got Nick a Zelda ocarina (the musical flute from the Zelda game) which was probably the most unique gift of the season. He said he's halfway through learning a song.

The deal of the year was a television for Olivia and Lucas. that Nick and I froze driving to Salcha to get. It's a 50-inch projection that came with a surround sound and the two side tables with drawers all for $150. They ended up throwing in a huge box of food that had a dozen movies in it and we also got the turtles. They  were headed to a hotel right after we left and there is no doubt in my mind they were leaving those turtles to sit in the sink. They had nothing to put them in or feed them so they surely weren't keeping them. We ended up stacking them on top of each other in a diaper wipe container for the freezing ride home. I'm amazed they survived and I really didn't want them, but I could not leave them there to die. We'll see how it goes.

We didn't have all our kids this year, but it was still the best day this Mom could ask for.

We got Dad a new-used recliner and it wasn't long before he took his first (of many) naps in it.

On to New Years.....