Thankful

November has been a month of thanks at the Russell abode and I have failed to post/take pictrues of most of it...well done Kim.  To kick off the month we made a thankfulness tree.  The kids made leaves with their handprints and wrote what they are thankful for on each one.  It turned out super cute...next year I will try to remember to take pictures =0)  We also talked about all of the people we are thankful for and how we can show our appreciation to them.  I wanted the kids to come up with their own ideas and they had some really sweet ones.  They each picked people to send cards to and baked some cookies for our special neighbor and for the girls at the coffee shop.  My absolute favorite idea was when Lizzie asked to buy books for the doctors office.  It was perfect.  We spent so much time in there this month that she noticed the patient rooms could use some more so went to the used book store and bought a dozen of their favorite, baked them some brownies and wrote them card.  I actually remembered to take a picture of this!

We had a great Thanksgiving weekend and while I hardly captured any of it on film...here is a snip-bit

The kiddos Skyping their Uncle Paul...so sweet!

Making rolls with Grandma

Gingerbread House...the kids dessert of choice

Babies!

Spending time with family we don't see very often 

We have so much to be thankful for.  We are abundantly blessed by God with each other and with friends and family.  My list of thanks would go on and on. 

 I love that we spent the entire month reflecting about being thankful and I am super excited for advent as we begin to prepare for the birth of our savior.  

Happy Belated Thanksgiving!!!!

Like Father, Like Son

Joe and Michael have always had a special bond...all things sports.  Joe hooked Michael at a young age and at 5 1/2 he prefers watching ESPN over cartoons and can name almost every team during a football highlight real.  Whether that is disturbing or impressive he has a true love for sports.  Like his father he cheers on the Angels, USC and unfortunately the Raiders (YUCK).   Instead of teaching him the ever so popular "How big is Michael?  (hands up) Soooo big"  we taught him "USC Scores...(hands up) Touchdown!".  He has been indoctrinated to say the least =0)  Well last weekend was a special day...daddy got to take his son to his 1st USC Football game!  Michael was all smiles as they left at for the festivities...

The two of them had an incredible time.  They walked around the campus, visited Heritage Hall to see the Heisman trophies, watched the pre-game drumline, and tossed around a football on the grass before taking their seats in the Coliseum to cheer on their favorite team.  

His first game was a success and he is already asking to go back.  He has worn his new jersey 4 of the last 6 days including to church on Sunday.  He would have never taken it off if we hadn't made him =0)  

I am grateful that Joe and Michael got to share this special day.  USC football is one of many things Joe  and Michael love.   Like father... like son.

Halloween

I am not at big fan of Halloween.  As a kid I loved dressing up and getting a pillow case full of candy.  As a parent I struggle with this holiday.  I don't so much mind my kids wearing costumes or getting candy but dislike the gory decorations and inappropriate costumes they can be exposed to.  I tend to side on the "Harvest" theme not "Halloween".  That being said with no other alternative we let our kiddos go trick-or-treating this year in a friends neighborhood.  They had a blast and didn't seem to mind (or notice) the creepy houses we strategically tried to miss.  I on the other hand struggled.  As I saw bloody handprints in windows, dummies hanging in nooses from trees,  and creepy skeletons I questioned what I was doing out there.  I miss having a Harvest Festival on Halloween.  I miss the safe alternative for our kids.  Even if it didn't bother them, it bothered me.  I don't want my kids to be conformed to this world and I certainly don't want them to be exposed to such gruesome ideas at such an impressionable age.  Why should they see grave sites with arms sticking out, people with knives through there head or bloody images?  How could that possibly benefit their little minds?  I don't have a perfect answer or belief...I do however have 3 very inquisitive children who see, hear and ask.  What are ghosts?  Are they real?  Are they always white?  All this came from a Doc McStuffins cartoon...one Joe and I wish they never saw.  I don't know what we will being doing next Halloween...but  I have a lot to think about between now and then =0)  For now I am glad it is over and we are moving on to a month of Thankfulness!

Halloween was also "Crazy Hair Day" at Michael's school so I bought a few cans of hair spray and went to town.  Michael decided on blue hair with green spots and his two best buds joined in of the fun.

Despite my questioning the rituals of Halloween...my kids were adorable cowboys and cowgirls and had a great time with their friends =0)  Here are a few shots from the night...