when you are a 4 year old boy....

you can find an adventure...

in just about anything...

 there is always something to climb on...

hang on...

crawl on and under....

sometimes you come right out of your boot...

sometimes you just need to wear a basket on your head...

 you have to stop for Bunny kisses every now and then...

Buster is happy to oblige....

 a walking stick and a shovel...

so many possibilities...

 sometimes you have to change your clothes...

a few times...

so you grab a green hat to match...

your shirt and boots....

flying on a swing...

wearing your hat...

just icing on the cake...

 what better way to spend a dreary Sunday afternoon...

at a Christmas Dance Gala...

it is a good thing I don't have a grand daughter...

my pocket book would have been a lot lighter...

I did win a door prize....

a girly basket of goodies...

will be perfect gift for my great niece...

 the studio was a packed audience...

lucky for me I'm short...

I managed to wiggle my way to the front...

to sit on the floor...

so I could see these cuties dance...

or....

 cling to their teacher...(my daughter)...

the triplets started the crying....

 not at all impressed by an audience....

 this one didn't want to leave the stage...

once her dance was over....

so she stayed and danced with the next group...

 there were cameras...and phones...

snapping and recording...

lot's of laughing and clapping....

they also had a silent auction...

I was in a bidding war with a 8 year old boy...

at the last minute I won...

he was not real happy with me...

but I really wanted the basket...

and I wanted to donate to the dancers...

and no I don't feel guilty about it...

the basket will be split with Stringbean and my niece...

 I do not have my tree up yet....

we are getting a live one...

I want it to still be fresh on Christmas...

we will get it this weekend...

 Stringbean and I decorated his play room...

we have made Christmas ornaments...

a Christmas village...

made with frosting...ice cream cone turned into a tree...

sprinkles... Peep trees...chocolate santas...

he did a great job...

Today we baked Sugar cookies...

I cheated a bit...

bought the roll of sugar cookies...

then we rolled them out...

cut...and added sprinkles...

he was happy as a clam...

 after several snags...

my Christmas cards are ready to mail...

just have to add a stamp...and send...

looking forward to our Fun Girl Christmas party on Saturday...

with a Ugly Sweater contest...

I have mine already to go...

Keeping Stringbean Saturday night...

so my Son and DIL can celebrate...

my son's 31st birthday...

now just how did that happen????

Next week it Linda...from Linda's Life Journal...

annual Christmas Tea...

this will be my third year to go...

so excited to see her amazing Christmas house...

she decorates every room...including her Gazebo...

you could spend hours just wandering around....

enjoying all the beauty...

Lot's to look forward too...

Santa Baby....or Mr. Claus....

 Saturday was our annual Christmas Parade...

 the big man is always the star of the show....

 I'm learning to use the manual modes on my camera...

lots of photos get deleted...

this is a big step for me...

I've always had a hard time deleting...

 there are so many tutorials on Youtube and pinterest...

some are extremely helpful...

some are just above my head...

 Hubby and son call it being "Youtube certified"

we had a really nice day for a parade...

afterwards was the Tree lighting ceremony...

with fireworks to finish...

I didn't take my camera to that part...

it was a long walk down...

me with a stiff neck and shoulder...

not a good combination...

Enjoy....one of my favorite Christmas songs...

 It is December....

and we still have a lot of leaves on the trees...

even after all the wind we have had the last few days...

 I have been playing with manual settings...

also with using my tripod....

I'm feeling more comfortable with them both...

 Stringbean and I have started listening to Christmas music...

reading Christmas books...

 We usually wait till 12 days before Christmas to put up our tree...

I love Christmas...and I don't like to put it up to early...

or I get tired of it...

the tradition was started when my son was little...

him having a December birthday...

I wanted to keep the two separate...

when he was 8 or 9 he told me he didn't care...

but I liked the way it was...

so have pretty much stuck with it all these years...

there's no better love...

thank grandparents love...

 one of my Fun Girl friends invited me to take some night photos....

I've been very excited about it...

we did it tonight...

 the Dallas skyline....

 we got done there early...

so we got some before the sun set...

 She taught me a lot about shooting night shots....

I've been working on using my manual settings..

using my tripod and remote....

 it has been a busy weekend...

I helped my daughter with a Festival on Saturday...

it was set up in our downtown area...

Small Business Saturday...

it was really nice seeing so many come out to support...

local small business'....

she was selling for her Dance Team...

I worked on Friday...

got a lot done in the office...

I had no distractions...

it's amazing how much you can get done...

without the phone ringing...

or people around...

I've enjoyed the long weekend...

I think I need a day to recover though...

Thanksgiving Texas style

 my son cooked the turkey...

he deep fried it...

it was really good...

 the weather was perfect....

for running...playing...giggling...

 four year olds know how to have fun....

 so do not so four year olds....

my silly Dad....

 a tired couple of sweeties...

they worked hard...

making a wonderful Thanksgiving for us all...

 Great Grandpa enjoyed watching Stringbean...

and maybe did a little picking on him...

of course Stringbean is used to it...

being around Pawpaw...

Yep seems like fun was the name of the game...

my Silly Brother....

I'm truly blessed with a wonderful family...

It was also Hubbies Birthday....

a double celebration...

 this big guy is already 9 months old...

just seems like yesterday I was doing newborn photos of him....

 we are actually having fall colors this year....

I love seeing all the yellows, oranges and reds....

 makes me even more in the mood for Thanksgiving....

which also happens to be Hubbies birthday this year....

 our weather is bouncing up and down....

cold in the mornings and evenings...

and warm mid day...

We have had 5 small earthquakes in our area...

in the last 4 days...

today I think I felt it a little...

I just thought it was a big truck going down the street...

it was a 2.7....

the biggest  so far was 3.2....

 Rooster was not happy with the sound of the camera...

I had it on a tripod with a timer...

that is why he looks so intense...

 I don't enjoy working with a tripod...

or timer..

I like my hands on the camera...

Happy Turkey day to you all...

I am thankful for all my sweet blog pals...

some of you I have never met...

but feel like I know you well...

some of my blog pals...

have become FRIENDS in real life...

Please send up prayers for my two Uncles...

they are driving from Missouri to Texas...

to be with family for Thanksgiving...

it will be a tough drive for both of them...

It was a nice..busy weekend...

my daughter and her BF....with the grand dogs...

aren't they the cutest family...

I asked them why they didn't bring the 4 cats...

not that would have been fun....

 Saturday we went to my Dad's for our first Thanksgiving...

he lives in the country....

seeing a flag always makes me proud...

 he was a lot of deer...

he only shoots them with his Wildlife camera...

 I was so happy I had just put on my long lens.....

there were two cutting through...

 of course I had to go visit the neighbors horse...

he and I had a nice time together....

 Dad and Hubby never run out of things to talk about....

Hubby took a few photos of us...

with my cell phone...

My uncle who is 7 years younger than me...

has two beautiful girls...

they are very active...

and both hunters like their Dad...

He brought us some Moose and venison...

we had Moose burgers on the grill last night...

it was very good...I've never ate it before...

very lean and fresh tasting...

Stringbean and I have been working on Thanksgiving crafts...

he is really enjoying the holidays this year...

we have also started making Christmas ornaments...

he is making all the ornaments for my tree this year...