Tree Decorating

Once we hauled home the tree, it was time for decorating, which in recent years has become the responsibility of the kids.  I love hearing them comment about all the ornaments - where they came from, who made them, etc.

Emmy, modeling the angel for the tree.  She was most convinced it should be a star, not an angel.  Not sure where she got this idea, but she was adamant in her opinion.

 Cannon trying out an angel on London.

The only way to get the angel on the tree was for Stevie and Cannon to lift Emmy.

Guess I didn't take a picture of the finished tree...

Christmas Tree

It's that time of year again...time to go cut down a Christmas tree!  We decided this was the best weekend, and despite very cold temperatures, we bundled up and headed out to a tree farm to find the perfect tree.  We have a tradition of going to cut down our tree and usually we can quickly come to a consensus, but this year we struggled.  I'm not sure why, but we wondered through this tree farm in 30 degree weather for TWO HOURS trying to find the perfect one!  In the end we were all so frozen and over it, but we did find a tree.

Ready to find our tree!

Lots and lots of trees

 "How about this one?" the kids ask.

Too big.

"How about this one?" the kids ask.

Too small.

This one leans.

Ready to saw, but what tree?

Even Mick was cold and ready to go home.

We were there so long, the kids started to grow tree heads!  Just kidding.

Alright, this one.

Going, going...

Gone!

Driving off into the now setting sun to pay with Cannon hanging onto the tree so it didn't roll off.

Home School Science

We've been really enjoying all our home school courses this year, but I have to say that both Emmy and London are really interested in the science class.  We are focusing on animals this year and have covered everything from ungulates (hoofed creatures) to feliforms to our latest - rodents.  One of the suggestions by the curriculum as an extra project was to dissect an owl pellet.

What's an owl pellet, you ask?  Well all birds of prey eat their prey whole and the extra parts that are indigestible (like fur and bones) get compressed into a tight pellet and regurgitated.  We've actually found these on our back deck.  But since I didn't keep any of the ones that were conveniently donated to me by the neighborhood owl, I had to order one online.  Yes, you can order owl puke online!

Here's what it looks like.  It's pretty tiny and I thought I had wasted my money as there was no way anything was stuffed inside this little thing.

My future scientists ready to get dissecting!

Almost immediately they started finding miscellaneous bones which we could match to the diagram on the package.

Can you see all the bones!  This owl definitely had a taste for shrew.

At the end we were able to piece together a crude skeleton of a shrew.  Pretty amazing stuff!

Day 7 - Back to Stockport

The wedding yesterday was fantastic, but after breakfast this morning we all packed up and headed out saying our sad good-byes to our cousins Emma and Robert and their families.  Mom, Dad, and Nicole were all riding with me back to Stockport where we were to have dinner with the Clayton side of the family.

Outside the wedding hotel

I programmed the GPS to go the "shortest route" versus the "fastest route" by which I had driven to the wedding.  We quickly realized that might have been a mistake as the directions led us down unnamed farm roads that would have been the right size for two horses to pass, not two cars.  It was fun! It was exhilarating! But it was probably a bit dangerous and after we came to a "bash" between two cars that completely blocked the road, I turned around and reprogrammed the GPS to the fastest route.

Beautiful countryside on our scenic ride to Stockport

This was how big the road was.  And that's a rooster crossing it...

We arrived back in Stockport and drove to the crematorium where my Aunt Kay and Grandma's ashes are.  Sadly, Emma's mom, my aunt, passed away of breast cancer several years ago.  Emma had asked us to take her bridal bouquet to her stone where we laid it.

From the cemetary, we headed over to my Aunt Lindsey and Uncle Phil's house.  They were hosting a curry dinner for us since it would be the only time that my mom, dad, Nicole and I were in Stockport at the same time.  Nicole and I will fly out tomorrow while my parents stay until next Saturday.

What a rare and special time to have almost all the family together:  Mom, Dad, Nicole, me, Lindsey, Phil, Richard, Sandra, Don, Sally, Alex, Thomas, Matthew, Tamsin, Isaac, Elijah and Anaya!  Just missing Nicole and my families.

Sally and Anaya

Mom and Isaac

Nicole and Tamsin

The cousins

The next generation of cousins

Brother and sisters

Most of the gang - pretty funny!

  

Day 6 - Wedding Day

It's Emma and Dean's wedding today and we are all so excited.  Nicole and I spent the night at Emma's house last night so we drove with her to the hotel where all the festivities will be.  Emma quickly got busy getting ready while Nicole and I buzzed around being helpful in any way possible.  We all had roles in the wedding: Nicole is the matron of honor, Mom is doing a reading, Dad is making a speech and I am signing the registry.

The actual wedding ceremony was at 1:00 and then afterwards they took photos.  After getting all the photos done, we moved on to the first reception.  This was a 3-hour sit down dinner for about 65 guests and included all the speeches and laughs.  After the dinner reception, the room was cleared for set-up and then the rest of the guests came for a buffet, dancing and fun.  It made for a long day of fun!

Mom and Dad at the ceremony

Maid-of-honor

The "Clayton" family

Maybe I should have kicked off my heels?

And the wedding shots of Emma's special day...

The dress

Nicole had to lace up Emma's dress

Beautiful Bride

Putting the veil on

Walking down the aisle

Emma and Dean

Cutting the cake

First dance

Shakin' their thing on the dance floor

 Congratulations Emma and Dean!