Thanksgiving 2012

We decided to do something a little different this year for Thanksgiving.  Delores (Kelda's mom) spent the month of November at the beach in her RV so we were not going to be able to spend Thanksgiving with her this year.  We got an invitation to spent the holiday in the Tennessee mountains, in a cabin with Kelda's lifelong friend Jodi.  We decided to go and allow our two exchange students to see Tennessee.

We, like most everyone, ate too much but somehow the only pictures I got of the food was sweets.  Maybe these will become our traditional Thanksgiving staples.

It was great to spend time with Jodi and her family.  It is amazing how they all have grown up.  Too soon we will be empty nesters.

We also got a chance to go shopping and see Santa.  Zhibek and Therese had never sat on Santa's lap so we "had" to do it.

 Therese

 Zhibek

 Victoria

 Gabriel

 Tuffy (of course I had to get my picture too!)

 Kelda

I think this is the non traditional Santa picture.  Not sure if it will become a family tradition or not.

Here are some of the other photos while we were out shopping, eating, etc.  As you can tell we had a blast.

 See Therese in the jug by Annabelle Victoria?

 This is the road that Kelda and I will retire on!!

 Beautiful Gabriel!

On the way home we decided to go through the Smokey Mountain National park so Zhibek and Therese could add North Carolina to the list of states they visited while staying with us.  The drive was beautiful and we even saw leftover snow from a couple weeks back.

 My beautiful bride!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 I think the high elevation got to somebody!!!

 All my girls!!!!!!!

I will try to post more pictures of our adventures.  We can't wait for Christmas so we can spend time with our family.  

October

A tradition continued this year.  Kelda and I have been going to Burt's pumpkin patch since the year before we got married.  24 years!  In recent years we have taken friends and Gabby's boyfriends on this journey.  This year was no different.  We took Gabby's boyfriend Stephen, Zhibek, Lacie and Casey (neighbors).

Per our tradition, we got very large programs which require two people to pick up.  Many people ask us how do we move them.... here is how we do it.

I thought it would be interesting to see a comparison to previous years.  2012 verses ?

Enjoy these pictures from previous years.

Just so you know we DO carve these pumpkins.  Typically we carve them the weekend before Halloween so the pumpkins do not go bad.  Take a look at this years action.  Zhibek and her friend Andrew had the honors this year.

Lame

OK.  I admit it.  I am not a very good blogger.  I do not keep this thing updated.  Most of you see our family status updates on Facebook.  for the rest of you I am sorry.  I will try to be better.

We have had a pretty good last several months and school has started back.  Gabriel is a Junior and is driving everywhere.  Victoria is a Freshman.  It is going by way too fast.  Both of the girls are dancing and love it very much.  They are also still playing the piano.  Since Gabriel can drive them, Kelda and I are having more time together.  We have more and more "dates" together and we are loving it.

We remembered Kelda's dad as it has been a year since he passed away.  God is comforting all of us and we are all doing well.

This summer was a little tough as our exchange student Alina went home.  They all talked about how great the year would be...... they did not talk about how hard it would be to give her back.  There was not a dry eye.

We had planned to take it easy this year and "recover" from last year.  God had other plans.  We are hosting another exchange student this year.  Zhibek came to our house Friday September 7 @ 5:00 to a house full of teenagers.  What a welcome!  For those of you who speak Russian, here is her name.  Жанар Даубаева.  Zhibek is from Kazakhstan so we are learning a new culture.  Again we are fortunate that she speaks English very well.  We are excited to have her staying with us!!!!!

Andrew (exchange friend), Victoria, Kelda, Gabriel, Casey (neighbor) and Zhibek

We look for another year of adventure.  God has blessed us and wants to use us and our home.  We said yes now we get to see what happens. 

Please check back to this blog from time to time.  I will try to keep it updated.

Eighth Grade Formal

The last big event we had this weekend was Victoria's eighth grade formal.  She went to the dance with Devon Womack from her school.  I am feeling really old these days and having girls are causing me to have gray hair.  Enjoy the pictures.

Victoria and Devon

Beautiful couple

Wow!  Stunning!

Classic photo

Victoria, Devon and Gabriel

Victoria, Devon and Alina

Great looking couple.

Prom

As I said in an earlier post, we have been very busy.  We had three events this weekend-Prom, Company Dance tryouts for 2012-2013 and Eighth Grade formal.  All of these were before Mother's Day.

Alina went to the prom with her boyfriend (Alonzo) and Gabby went with our neighbor Lacie.  They had a great time.  Enjoy the photos!

Gabby and Lacie

Alina - Looks too good!

Alina and some old man

Alina and Kelda

Alina and Alonzo

I love this picture!  It is Gabby's personality!

Alina had a hard time pinning this to Alonzo.  I think

she was afraid she was going to stick him.

I love this picture of Alina

Beautiful Gabby

Gabby and Mom

Three of my girls

Alina and Alonzo

Some of the prom crew

Classic Prom photo

Company Showcase

Sorry I have been slack on posting to the blog but we have been extremely busy.  Dance competition in Chattanooga, Kelda to Romania, Cruise, Kelda in the hospital, dance competition in Gwinnett, School stuff, etc.  This will be the first in a series of posts for the last 7 days.

We had the last dance show last weekend.  On Saturday we had two recitals then dance showcase on Sunday.  These dances we special because they are Alina's last with us before she goes home.

Special thanks to Nana and Papa for coming to watch on Sunday.

We had try outs for next year yesterday.  We will know in a week what Company's they are in next year.  This summer we will have privates, dance camp and many other things.

Gabby's Solo

Gabby can jump

Alina, Gabby and Victoria

All three girls again

Victoria on pointe

All three girls

Victoria

The end of "Fix You"  We love this dance!

Gabby and Victoria