Reindeer Dishwashing

Reindeer Cop

Like Father Like Son

Just like Daddy. Don't feel so hot and it's Christmas Eve.

P-man the Scrunch Nosed Reindeer

Pearce got a hold of Claire's antlers from the Christmas program. He proceeded to parade around with his nose scrunched up saying "I'm Rudolph do you like my red nose?"

Christmas Door Update

Last Minute Napping

'nuff said.

Last Minute Email to Santa

Gotta make sure St. Nicholas has the latest info since I don't have an elf assigned to me, yet.

The Christmas Door.

The Elkins Christmas Card tradition lives on the pantry door. The most viewed door in the house I do believe.

Purple Elf Princess

How do you like my new outfit from Aunt Shelly? I really like it.

Cleaning the Extra Room

Gotta get the extra bedroom ready for Christmas Eve. We're going to be busy, busy, busy. One part cleaning to two parts cleaning up after.

Sick Day With Daddy

Nesting in Mommy and Daddy's Bed

Coffee is for this little birdie. That's one way to keep Mommy and Daddy from going back to bed.

Prepare the Way

Pearce really likes doing the Advent Candles. He thinks Daddy is silly when we turn out all the lights to light the candles. He looks like an angel in the candle light though.

Pearce's Purple Christmas Tree

Pearce chose the color himself. Made me pretty happy. I call it his Young Harris Christmas Tree. Do you notice the one ornament?

Some Serious Movie Watching

Pearce is busy watching the "Magic" Tales (Veggie Tales) story of St. Nicholas. He loves this story almost as much as Josh and the Big Wall.

Mack Convention

We are in so much trouble. If Pearce does it Claire has to, too. Uh oh, Claire just came sprinting (literally) around the corner holding a coat hanger and hiding behind me. Time to investigate.

You Like My Tree

Daddy put these up here for us to look at. Of course the odd ornament goes missing and reappears in a bedroom or hallway. Who could be responsible for that?

Advent is My Favorite Season

Advent at the supper table. Pearce is loving the candle lighting nearly every night.

O Tannenbaum

We're off to a pretty good start. Tree's up, decorations are up, presents need wrapping and goodies need to be eaten.

Ahhhhhh Memories

Just saw this driving down Shorter Ave. in Rome. Just about made me cry.

Got a Haul From Uncle Phil and Aunt Shelly

How ya like this backpack. I LOVE IT!! I got some John Deere socks and a purple jacket w/pants and a pair of PJs. Pearce got a load of stuff. He got a John Deere Gator and Tractor (uncle present so they make noise), some Lightning McQueen slippers and PJ's, and 2 puzzles. I think we'll go back again. In addition to the presents there was all kinds of good food. Daddy liked that, too.

Look what I drew!

Daddy got a new toy.

Christmas Cold is Dripping

Sometimes you get to see the neatest things when your sick at Christmas time. I can't sleep and my movie just ended. I turned off the tv and all the other lights and there was the reflection of our tree in the lower left corner.
Nevermind I could roll over and see the real deal. It's just that the little reflection in the corner of the tv is neat, and it's my moment I chose to share.

Andrew Elkins

A Cup O Tea for the Invalid

Suze got this for me in her and Sam's globe trotting days. When ever I am really getting into a book by a British author I'll pull this tea cup out. More often I pull it out to help bring me back to health. It holds green tea most admirably. To tell the truth I love this tea cup so much the lid has been glued back together twice (same fault line). Well, it is off to supper.

Little Farmer Boy

Pearce is helping Daddy take the compost out to the pile. We really need to do some prep work in the yard for the spring. There will be greens (salad more than likely) by the basement door, maybe a raised bed for corn, beans, and squash, there will be beans along the fence. There also might be blueberries along the side of the deck (facing the neighbors). Winter is a busy time.

Howdy Pardner

Can I have some cattle, PLEASE!!!?

Driving Lessons

Driving Lessons

Thanksgiving Greetings

1-2-3 PUSH

Yes, Pman got to bowl also. I think he helped Mommy and Daddies score some tonight. Definitely something to do again.

Strikeout Child Abuse 3

Mommy, Daddy, and Pearce enjoying a night at the bowling alley. The Family Resource Center has a fund raiser at the bowling alley every year. Mommy even won one round.

Playtime

Pearce and Claire playing in the yard. This is Claire's slide and it sits next to the big Pearce slide and swing set.

I Love Brazil

... or at least my interpretation of this awesome Brazilian dish. Black Bean Stew is wonderful. The way I made it I put a pound of bacon, a pound of chorizo, 3 cans of black beans, a big can of Martha Holmes collards (shameless plug, I love MH greens), 32 oz. of chicken stock, one honking onion that'll make you cry to look at it and at least 4 cloves of garlic.
Now, with all these things in hand you chop and brown the onion, and mash one can of beans with a fork. Then, you remove that and toss in the cut up bacon and crisp it (about 7 min). Remove that, put in the chorizo. I decided tonight that I like the real Mexican stuff. I cut off the ends and just squirt it in the pot. After that, you put it all (including stock and garlic) but the greens in and bring it to a boil. When you reduce it to a simmer you put the greens in. After about 15-30 minutes of simmering your ready to go.
Did I tell you how much I like this receipt.

Andrew Elkins

Knitting Lessons

Claire and Mamaz sitting down to a little knitting time. Knit one... Purl one...

Go Georgia Bulldogs

This Halloween stuff might have possibilities. Dress up, look cute, and get candy. Maybe next year Mommy and Daddy will let me have some of it.

Side Sliding

Taking some time to hang out and play in the yard. Claire and Mommy are napping so Pearce and Daddy are playing. First, our on personal playground then a trek up and down the street.

Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys

Pearce and Daddy heading out for a Saturday night on the town.

Cowboy Napping

Getting ready to go line dancing at the church.

Stuck Her Foot in it Now

This is Claire trying out Aunt Betty's gift. She's got a while to figure the proper use of the chair.

Thank You Aunt Betty

Bob the Builder (Pearce) and Handy Manny (Daddy) put these Lightning taQueen shelves from Aunt Betty together in a jiffy. Pearce even got to drive the screws with the electric screwdriver.

Red Beans, Sweet Tea, and Zydeco

Pearce is enjoying some good Cajun eats and better Cajun music.

Ingenuity is a Box of Decking Screws and a Drill

I borrowed a rake yesterday to get the leaves next door up. Then today when I got home and started after the leaves I thought. "I haven't tried running a screw into the handle to hold it on!"
Well, I did and the handle did not split. How cool. With nothing to hold me back I went to town on the leaves and got a pile up in no time.
When I went to get the lawn mower to haul off the leaves...it wouldn't crank.

Andrew Elkins

Ready for Church

Sunday Morning Getting Up

Claire fussed and yelled till I put her in the chair with Pearce. Aren't they just adorable? I have to admit I'd be happier if they'd be this cute an hour or two later. We are blessed everyday by our little monkeys.

This Reunion Stuff is Fun

Monkey girl climbing the ladder at the Moore reunion today in Ranger.

Jack's First Visit

It is October 22 and we have frost on the ground. Of course four days ago it was in the 80's. It wasn't a killer but look at it all over the yard.

The Good Big Brother

I picked this just for Claire.

Things That Make You Think

Frontwheel Drive Broom

Pearce has the latest in broom technology.

It's Like This Papaz

When no one will put the bottle in my mouth I take it like this in my hands and do it myself.

Wild, Wild West

Just your normal day riding the range to Miss Claire's dance hall tunes.

Farming is Fun

Trying to get some leaves in from the neighbors yard this evening. Well, everything was going well. Pearce even demanded to have a turn. He succeeded in not spreading the leaves back out. After a few turn swaps I was getting in to a rhythm and the shaft of my rake split. Run to the garage and hammer a nail crosswise through the shaft and rake head. Two strokes with the rake and the head went flying again. Tomorrow I'll buy Pman and myself some new farm equipment.

Andrew Elkins

Pearcey, Pearcey Pumpkin Picker

We had a huge day today. Kristi and I had to take Claire down to Marietta for her year eye check up. That turned out amazingly quick and painless after last years 3 hour ordeal. When we finished in Marietta we headed home and picked up Pearce. Then we hit the "Punkin Patch." Pearce first had to pick out a pumpkin for Claire, then he started patrolling for his special punkin.

So Much Fun I Gotta Stand On My Head

Pearce absolutely loves his new swing set. Well, for him it is a slide set until we get some size appropriate seats to swing on. His favorite thing at the moment is to run his trucks down the slide. Oh and to stand on his head after sliding down himself.

Fall Saturday

Pearce and I went running errands this morning. We picked up some shin guards, took the recycling to the center, then we looked at a barn at Home Depot. Pearce just had to. When I got home I looked up some under deck roofing systems. I'm gonna turn the underside of the deck into our barn. The happy side benefit will be added water collection for use on the veggies in the future.
Kristi is out with Regina and I'm here with a supposedly sleeping boy and a wide awake little girl. I get a little done on the dishes when not pulling Claire out of the "chim-chimmey". I hope to get a little more done on the front flower beds today. That'll mean more compost and a free reign to work on the back. If you've been here you know what a mess it is up against the house in the back. I also have at least 5 more trees to "prune" after the leaves fall. That is for composting purposes and weight issues. I'm waiting to take out some trees till they loose their leaves so I have a better chance of them falling where I want them to fall.

Andrew Elkins