A Great day for giving!!

Linda, mom liked her pine cones.


Mom really enjoyed our company:)

Bert and Cecil

Erin and Allie

Joshua and Isaac

Grace, Anna, Faith , and Julianna

Julianna, Grace, and Anna

Everyone leaving the home.

The kids handing over the basket.

The Kindergarten class with Mrs. Bert

Today was lots of fun. I help teach the Kindergarten Sunday school class and today we took our annual trip to help out a family. Every year this class brings food to fill a basket and then we take it to a family who can use the help. The kids have been really excited to do this (they get to go to McDonald's afterwards.) I just love Miss Kathy Little and I am so glad that I get to share that class with her, she is such a blessing. Mrs. Bert Carbaugh decided to "retire" and we just can't let her, we keep asking for more help. She and her husband Cecil were such a huge help today, they took their time and drove an extra van so we would have enough room for all of the kiddos. Hope you enjoy some of the pics.

Today was also my mom's birthday, Happy Birthday mom!!! My sister and her daughter Allie and son Jake came down to celebrate the special day. We went to Ryan's last night, which was actually yummy. I have not been there in years so it hit the spot. Then we went home and watched the movie My Sister's Keeper, A+. Today after church we took a cake over to her and just sat and gabbed. It was so nice just to sit and talk. Can you believe how much her hair has grown in the last couple of months? She looks great!! Today she had her eleventh radiation treatment and has 22 more to go. 1/3 down!! It will be so nice when she gets finished up, it will also be kinda wierd, she has lived the last eight months around her cancer so it will be awesome for her to live her life for her.

Now we can get ready for the next birthday, George's is next Sunday :)

My precious little girl is 8!!

Ashley's Sunday school class.

Maggie and Ashley right before church.

Luke with his blankie.

Ashley very excited about her dsi.

Ashley and Luke snuggling.

Ashley talked Maggie in to trading PJ's.

We pulled Erin's old mattress out for a super sleepover in the living room.

Wow...time flies!! I just can't believe that Ashley is eight. It just seems like yesterday that she was born. She is such a precious little angel and I am so glad that I have been blessed to be her mom. She is a lot like me and many ways, I can remember when I was little how much I loved my birthday (not so much anymore.) I would start reminding everyone months ahead. All week Ashley has used her birthday to her advantage. She would say Mom since my birthday is Sunday will you eat lunch with me? Boy did it work! I ate lunch with her on Friday and took treat bags for her class. Mrs. Justus wanted something that she could easily hand out. They just don't have the time in second grade that they have had in years past. On Friday night Ashley went to spend the night with Nana. Nana is not related, but she watched Ashley when she was a baby while I worked and they really love each other. I think Nana loved it more than Ashley. Nana took her to McDonalds, to the Hungry House to eat breakfast, to Walgreens to buy her a webkinz, and gave her money. Nana also helps me now, she watches Anna and Luke while I go to school on Monday and Wednesday. When Ashley got home on Saturday we immediately called her best friend Maggie and she came over for a sleepover. This was the first time Ashley has had a friend spend the night and it was the first time Maggie has spent the night with a friend. We went to the movies, had pizza, and came home and played. Erin was a tremendous help, she always is. Thanks Erin!!

On Sunday morning we went to church and then out to eat. She took Dunkin Donuts to her Sunday school class. Ashley got the gift she has been asking about for about a year, a nintendo dsi. It was the only gift she received from us but wow was she happy. My mom met us at Outback and we ate and then she gave Ashley a razor scooter. Ashley told her cousin Jake that it is called a razor because the wheels are sharp. I just thought that was too funny. All in all Ashley had a wonderful day. Now we will gear up for the next few weeks of birthdays, mom's is next Sunday, George's is the next Sunday, and Anna's is four days after that. Yeah!!!! I hope they all go as well as Ashley's did. Unfortunately I did not get all of the pics I wanted to, but here are some of the ones I did take.

Back To Normal

Anna really wanted to be a "baby." Next year.....

This is the third time this costume has been worn..both of my step-brother's daughters wore it and Anna will when she grows into it.

Erin was very creative, her shirt says "costume."

Luke was a little JoJo clown minus the wig, we couldn't find it. It would have been cute!

We are finally getting back to the normal routine. Ashley went back to school on Wednesday and we went to church too. Now George and I are trying to get through the next five weeks. On another note, mom gets measured for her radiation treatments tomorrow which will probably start on Monday so she will be glad to get through the next six and a half weeks. Keep her on your prayer list. She is doing pretty good, we have not gotten to see her lately because we can't expose her to our germs. Germs or no germs mom, my sister, and I are going on a girls trip this Saturday. I am so excited to have a fun day with them. I can't tell you the last day we were together with no kids. We are going to go to some outlet stores and then go have lunch together.

With all of the sickness going through the house we could not have a typical Halloween with trick or treating so we held our own party here at the house and dressed up and did some crafts and ate junk food......fun times!! We just walked outside and took a picture. Since I knew we were not going out we used hand me down costumes.....they still had fun, and isn't that all that matters???