Polar Express Train Ride

The girls - Ciara, Erin, Anna & Kate

Bodie and Ben - crazy boys!!!

Getting ready to board

Saturday afternoon the kids and I went on the Boone Scenic "Santa Express" train ride with some friends. Kate and Ben were both very excited. They were supposed to dress in their PJ's to have it be similar to the The Polar Express. The ride started out with the reading of the Polar Express story to everyone on the train. Hot Cocoa and cookies were then served while we were enjoying the ride. To finish the trip, silver bells were given to each of the kids by who else but Santa of course! Kate and Ben loved this part and I was treated to the "jingling " sound off and on all the way home. What a fun afternoon we had!!!!

14+ inches of snow

Kate taking a breather in the powdery bed of snow

Mr. Ben, enjoying the sledding Sunday afternoon

These flakes were some of the biggest that I have ever seen on Tuesday night

Ben's snow angel in the dusting Sunday night

What started as just a dusting last Sunday night (the 6th), turned into over 14 inches of snow by Wednesday morning - it was amazing! The kids and I went to dinner at the Wilson house Sunday night, and on our walk home the snow began. Kate and Ben were both "giddy" with excitement, they could hardly stand themselves! Both of them were rolling around in the snow covered grass. Giggling, laughing, like it was their first time experiencing Winter. It was so fun to watch. They even attempted snow angels in the dusting on the driveway that night. Little did they know that in less than 48 hours, we would have more snow than we knew what to do with! It started really coming down Tuesday afternoon when they let school out early and kept on through the night, and into Wednesday. We all played out in the snow Tuesday night until around 9. The weather was perfect, warm, and the HUGE flakes were just beautiful. We all enjoyed our snow day together on Wednesday, but Doug definitely "worked" more than he probably enjoyed. Him and a few other neighbors ended up helping many people on our streets that had gotten stuck more than once. That was a bummer!!! But thankful to have such caring people in our neighborhood.

Thanksgiving

We spent Saturday afternoon out at the Fett house with all of them. That was such fun and wonderful to see all of them. Becky & I snapped a quick photo. Love you old girl!


Ben is very "thankful" for Grandma's cookies (since he passed on pumpkin &/or blueberry pie

Mr. Ben and the "Mrs." is what he has been referring to me as this week - crazy kid!

Even though we were not able to be in Pender for Thanksgiving this year, they were all in our thoughts and we can't wait to spend the long weekend with all of them over Christmas. Love you guys!!!!!

Thanksgiving blessings

Grandma Cairney & Ben in a heated game of SORRY

Kate learning how to play SCRABBLE

Ben with his crazy face, showing off the Indian head piece that he made in preschool last week. I especially love the decorations on the feathers.

Jack, Ben, Kate, Joey, Drew & Abby

Jack, attempting to blow out his "12" candles in one breath....that was funny!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration with some of the Cairney's last week in Indianola. The festivities started on Wednesday night with Jack's 12th birthday dinner. WOW, I cannot believe how all of these kids are growing up! Thanks Lynne, for the delicious meal and wonderful fellowship for the evening. Also, a special thank-you to Miss Abby and Grandma for finding my missing gloves, I so appreciated that! Kate was able to sleep over with her cousins that night, so she was super excited! Who wouldn't want to have 3 extra "big brothers" for a few hours??? ( I know that you can related with how fun this is Aunt Lynne (-: ) Benny chose to head home with us for the night. Thanksgiving AM was spent at church and then we headed down to Indianola for lunch. Celie prepared a fabulous meal, and it was enjoyed by all of us. Thanks again for hosting us! We spent the afternoon walking on the golf course with the kids looking for lost balls, playing games, and enjoying quality family time together. Kate wanted to try her vocabulary expertise at "scrabble" and Ben has been working his competitive streak at SORRY lately.

Here at the Cairney's, we are once again, overwhelmed with the blessings of our families, our faith, our health, and our "stuffed animals" (that was on Ben's list).