Catching Up with KeepUp!

Like Simba, I have been on the go lately! Then, bugs and viruses slowed me down! Between the two, I have not posted in a while! Here's a little catchup!

Here's a picture of my Thanksgiving table. I've been looking for a ceramic turkey as a centerpiece, but haven't found one I could afford. My mom brought me this metal one on a recent visit. She's had it for a while. After her visit, she found a couple of turkeys on sale, so we might just swap turkeys ever year or two.


We celebrated mom's birthday! Betty Jo Clark was 76 on November 15th. We had dinner and cake at my house the day before. We went out to Macaroni Grill over the weekend where we celebrated again and mom got a solo of "Happy Birthday" in Italian from a very talented lady who worked there.

Here's mom and Becca in the kitchen (my trash can and mop handles
appear in so many of my pictures! argh!
Richard and Mom. Since we weren't getting together for Thanksgiving or Christmas, we decided to celebrate all holidays while they were here. Mom wore her Christmas sweater and passed out gifts and dinner was Turkey and dressing with all the usual holiday fixings!

Mom, opening cards and gifts while Tony goofs off and James David enjoys cake. We were tired of turkey, so ate Wendy's before cake and ice cream!

Here's my dad and niece Erin. I think dad was tired of being blinded by the camera flash. Damien was taking most of the pictures and he got carried away with the camera!

This is a picture of Damien's 7th grade band. He is in the middle, about 2/3rd of the way up.

Here's a better shot - 6th person in on this row. This was their second concert this year and first one in formal wear. They did very well.

Here's Damien with his trumpet after the concert. He is joining pep band next semester. He is getting better after forced practice (I remember those days!) and if he continues to enjoy band in high school we will get him a better trumpet.

This is Tony's 15th birthday. He asked for a Three Musketeers cake! I made a chocolate cake and chopped up mini candies and put them in the center between layers and then more minis all around the top and sides. I used low sugar icing with all that candy! It was good, but I had to leave off the candy - too sweet!

Tony asked for gift cards to several book stores and he has since bought a few books and is saving the rest for a new book coming out in a series that he enjoys. James David and Erin came over to enjoy Lasagna and cake/ice cream with us. Rich was sick with a cold.

Lilly is holding watch for santa! We put up a very small tree this year. Figured with two cats that were celebrating their first Christmas, a big tree might be dangerous! They tore up the first box we put the tree up on and they won't leave the white tree spread alone - they've pulled it off the box almost every day. They have knocked over the tree twice. We had to move all the balls off the bottom and they still attack the bead garland, but boy, do they love the tree!!


Mr. T. has also helped decorate. Here, he is in the middle of a wreath I was trying to make for the back door. He also likes to knock the nutcrackers off the piano. We gave up on putting any packages out. - They tried to open them!

Finally, here's T under the tree. He likes to nap there several hours every day. Lilly takes her turn too and I sometimes find them both there! Rich says we should leave it up year round for them and decorate it according to each holiday - New year's, valentines, Easter, July 4th, etc.!

The kids are out of school tomorrow. I am almost over my cold! Let the holidays begin! Love to you all!