2012 Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas!

This may be the longest post I have ever entered.  I am way behind and figured I would group the entire holiday season into one, starting with Halloween. Here is the darling daycare and our Halloween parade.

 Trunk or Treat at church was different this year as it was held in the middle of a Saturday afternoon.  Not as much fun as years past.  Here is Kira and Sam in their gypsy costumes.

Sam volunteered to make 30 suger molded skeleton heads for her Halloween party in Spanish class.  What a trooper.  

Sam and her pals on Halloween night.  I was sad because it was the first year that I didn't go trick or treating with any of my kids.  

  Emily and the girls getting ready to go to church Halloween dance dressed as tourists.

We had two separate Christmas cookie parties.  First we had our 4th annual at our place.  It was lovely with the Cortez and Tice families. 

 I promised Michael Gannon we would bake cookies at Nanny's, so we made some more with all the Acker cousins!  

Sam trying to put frosting on Grace.  Naughtly, as usual.  

Christmas Eve arrives at Nanny's!

This is the line for the buffet.  The same scene we see every Christmas Eve.

We bought Nanny a talking bear that told the entire "Night Beore Christmas" story.  She loved it and made all the kids sit quietly while she played it.

Joy,  alive and kickin'...wait...is she alive?  ha ha (She is a sweetheart, I just couldn't resist)

Our humble little Christmas!

This year we didn't get anything HUGE for the kids.  Just practical stuff.  Most importantly, we got them all a personal portrait of Christ.  

Brad's pnemonia and hospital stay...yuck

Our evening visits were short and sweet since he was half an hour away and we couldn't get to him until about 6:00.   He was usually tired and we would leave by about 8:00.  

 I don't think this photos is funny at all-notice Brad!

When Brad finally came home we were to monitor his breathing, temperature and his mouthwash rinsing.  Samantha used our dry erase board to make an almost exact replica of what the nurses used in the hospital.  She was Brad's nurse!  

Light the Night Walk for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

Light the Night Walk for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  We walked for my Bradley and for so many others suffering from this terrible disease.  Unfortunatley, Brad couldn't walk because he was sick that night.  We had me with the family, including Mike, mom and Mark!

 My dear friend, Cathie, who has been volunteering with this organization for years.  She checked us in!

 The Tice family joined us!

 The balloons had lights in them, but my brother's was malfunctioning.

 Oh boy, cake!!

 Entertainment beforehand

 End of the night!