While Dad and Mom Cruised ...

The girls, Tyler, Jasmine and I hung out. Due to hurricane damage at her school, Jasmine attends school from 7-12 in a shared building. So while Hunter and Jessica were gone Tyler slept at their house, walked their huskies and got the girls up and ready for the day. He entertained them until about 11:30. Then I picked them up, went and picked Jasmine up, and we'd go on our adventure for the day.

The first day Hunter's mom had them and we met at a park.

We tried to get photos of them together. It didn't happen.

On Monday I picked Jasmine up and we headed a ways away to a snack shop that had a beach right across from it. I did not realize that for some reason Winter no longer likes the feel of sand. Trying to put her down brought on a major screaming fit, so after letting River play a bit, we loaded up and went to Conservation Park and walked a short trail, then drove back to a park not far from us.

On Tuesday Winter was fussy part of the day--until we got a banana split!

On Wednesday we went to Dave and Busters for lunch and to play games. They wore shirts I'd bought them at Old Navy on clearance the day before.

More photos to come. But this is enough to put everyone into photo overload.

New Year's Eve

I'm trying to catch my blog up, but most of my time is being spent sorting out our shop inventory which ended up in our house plus multiple storage units. Yes, there was that much plus furniture.

We spent New Year's Eve at home, just the six of us.

We spent the evening playing board games and lighting fireworks.

The next morning we had our third annual Cassel Crew Polar Bear Plunge. I know, I know. It's not cold enough here for a Polar Bear Plunge, but it's cold enough for us.

Before the Polar Bear Plunge

After the Polar Bear Plunge

Rick started water boiling for hot chocolate before we jumped into the water. He also had eggs, sausage and bacon ready to go on the grill.

Here's to a great new year. Some things that are ahead this year are: hopefully moving into a new home, a contract for The Christian Girl's Guide to Middle School, a possible contract for a Locker Devotions book, Jasmine' graduation, Jasmine going on a TMI mission trip to Mexico, a possible trip to New Orleans and a possible trip to NYC to celebrate Jasmine's graduation. The trips depend on finances. I had the money saved, but it has to go to the closing costs on the new house. So time will tell.

Hunter and Jessica are on a cruise this week, so we are watching their girls for the week. Plenty of photos to come. 

Two Christmases

Since we were going to Adam's for Christmas, we celebrated our own Christmas here at home on the 22nd. It didn't feel like Christmas, and we didn't have any decorations up. 

I put a wreath I made on the door and we set the gifts on a table near it. That was it. But the kids were good with it. It has been hard on them too coming home to huge debris piles all down our street since it's a small street and the city didn't bother to clear the debris like they did on the bigger streets. The condition of the house has been discouraging too. But Christmas is about hope, and we all need hope.

Although Kaleb knew the plan was to get everything done we needed to so we could celebrate, he decided to make life miserable for Rick. That's his usual Saturday behavior. Ty and I have been traveling to a flea market 90 minutes away on Saturdays, and the others have been working on the house. Kaleb likes to do the opposite of everything he's told, then act innocent.

After coming home and hearing about his consistently poor behavior, I told him that he had to write what he should have done instead. He decided not to do it thinking he'd ruin our celebration by his stubbornness.  

Instead, I removed him until he decided he could do what he was told. Then he'd be allowed to join us. Any other day that would not have been an option. He would have given up the activity.

 I miss the years of having everyone here for Christmas, but times change and children grow up and go out on their own. Normally everyone who can joins us here on Christmas eve, but the condition of our house didn't allow for that this year. We didn't want the babies where there is black mold, and most of our shop contents is still in the house.

This Christmas will always be the Christmas with the cats/kittens.

 We all spent Christmas Eve and Christmas day at Adam's house 3 hours away.

 Front: Jasmine, 17 Middle: Kayla 13, Jessica 27, Kaleb, 13 Back: Adam 23, Hunter, 30, Tyler, 28

Everyone spent most of the day playing, hanging out and playing board games.