------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Very Nice November
December 5, 2013
Hello everyone! Sorry, a little late with this blog entry! Of course with people staying a few days past Thanksgiving there's never any time to get to the blog till they leave. Man, I wish the Thomases would just eat the food and then go, you know?
I'm kidding. :-) We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. How about you? Along with the Thomases we had the Long family and the Wong family to celebrate with us. That's not a joke or a sudden speech impediment. The Longs and the Wongs. Talk about creepy, but talk about a great time!
I'm tired of typing so I'll just get to the pictures. We're supposed to get snow tonight! Yeah! They're predicting like 4-6 inches but we'll probably get like 2. We'll see. Would love a winter wonderland this Christmas/Advent season.
So here we go ...
----------------------------------
Video Blog - November, 2013
----------------------------------
Fall this year wasn't as colorful as last year, but while on the roof of the house I risked my life and snapped a few shots for your viewing enjoyment. The Locksley Rock Garden is doing well.
And the field side.
Time for a family walk, with Willy sporting his goober smile. Yes, out here in the Ozarks you can stand in the middle of the road without fear of being run over ... by a car at least (watch out for the reindeer).
Hello, Marian Kathrina.
Looking awfully pink today.
Our annual tradition of eating fallen persimmons from the tree. Beautiful weather that day.
And we feed our local donkey, Shrek (yeah I know Shrek is the ogre in the movie but you can take that up with my neighbor Betty).
Cute.
Almost looks like an over-pixelated image, doesn't it? Just the millions of leaves still hanging on the trees and lying on the ground. So beautiful.
So beautiful.
Happy Birthday, Mom! Yes, Mom was quite surprised when we invited almost every neighbor (within 30 miles) we knew to her surprise birthday party. Dad, Melissa and I cooked a ton of food and it all thankfully turned out to be a wonderful time.
Dad even got some local singers to perform for us while we ate.
They were really good, especially that young fellow. He did some amazing stuff on the violin.
Mom and Connie Smiley.
My Aunt Beth was over from California, and just loved it all. Definitely the party type!
The Anderslands asked if I could take their family Christmas picture, so I happily obliged! Probably not the one they're gonna use but I just wanted to show off my rock garden again.
All right, a new tradition is starting. Folks who visit Locksley Manor have to take their picture by the sign. Best tourist trap in the midwest!
Mom and Beth are back from their weekend getaway in Branson so why not have everyone over for another party (as we collapse)? Jer and Danielle had just gotten back from their trip to Hawaii too so is was great to get together again with everyone.
Table shot! Your favorite!
Mom's birthday was October 15th and Beth's November 11th, so after much deliberation we decided to let them both blow together.
Meet Marian Skywalker, leader of the Baby Rebel Alliance.
"Marian, I am your father." - "NOO!!!!!! "
She somehow crawled into this basket by herself, where-after I realized it slides very well over hardwood. Took her for a few spins around the house that she just loved (btw, take a wild guess as to which grandmother gave that outfit to her).
Family picture time! These rascals definitely belong with the cattle behind an iron fence.
A verse that is only too true.
The Jeremy Niednagel family.
Thanksgiving morning! And look at the fruity turkey! Oh, and that plate of fruit in the shape of a turkey too!
Pa assumes his patriarchal role as the turkey ... carver ... guy.
I hear Melanie has to diet for weeks after Thanksgiving.
Tiny Tim is thankful!
Thing 1 and Thing 2 give their gastronomical approval.
Michael Jackson joins us at the table.
Another table shot! Yes, here we have the Niednagels and the Thomases and the Longs and the Wongs! Indeed, a most motely group of thankful people!
I share a quote from William Bradford that's been meaningful for me lately. "It was answered, that all great and honourable actions are accompanied with great difficulties, and must be both enterprised and overcome with answerable courage. It was granted the dangers were great, but not desperate; the difficulties were many, but not invincible. For though their were many of them likely, yet they were not certain; it might be sundrie of the things feared might never befall; others by provident care and the use of good means, might in a great measure be prevented; and all of them, thorough the help of God, by fortitude and patience, might either be borne, or overcome." Meaning, don't fear the things that might happen, for they may never happen, and even if they do happen, God's grace will help you overcome them.
The Wong boys get Brain Typed by the Brain Doctor.
All right, time for the annual outdoor festivities! With the Longs and the Wongs, you can't go wrongs! (I know that 's cheesy but I don't care.)
The bean bag toss! Here goes my elegant mother.
lol, I like this picture.
Love the angle of this one as William let's fly.
Ma practically flies forward with her bean bag.
Time for archery!
I go against the reigning champion for the last two years, Pa Thomas, also known as "Mark the Shark."
Feeler hugs!
Marscel and Micaiah draw bows as the crowd waits in nail-biting anticipation.
Jordan of Locksley takes aim. Great shots, Matthew!
I call this one of Morgan and Melissa ... "Sunset over ENFJs."
In the end, it was only Matthew and Pa left. And yes, we have a new champion this year, folks! Congratulations to Matthew "The Marksman" Thomas!
Jordan quickly and suddenly turns his head towards the TV screen, glares at you, and says in a creepy, deep voice, "So join us next year for another episode of 'The Ominous Archery and Bizarre Bean Bag Show.' "
Some great singing and praising time afterwards.
Thanks for the bringing the great music, Long family!
No, this is not a picture of us playing Mario Kart at 1:30 in the morning.
Some more outdoor fun the following day. Ben let me try out his sweet compound bow (which I almost broke).
Guess who wants a 4-wheeler ride.
Going for a walk with everyone. I call this one, "The Four Frolicking Feelers."
Yep, I'm really starting to like this new tradition! Ya'll come back now!
So we see these guys like the NEXT day. "Is Thanksgiving over!? Huh!? Tell us! Ahhh!!! RUN HERMAN!!!"
Nearly six years with my beautiful bride. How I love you, Melissa Lee.
"He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord." Proverbs 18:22
Out for some golf! I mowed the field lower so thankfully we only lost a few hundred balls this time.
Another lovely, sunny, 50 degree day. The weather was just PERFECT.
"A creepy doll that's bigger than I am! Thanks, Grams!"
Marscel painfully gets his hair straightened.
As does Meliss.
Before parting with the Thomases after church on Sunday we headed over to the Hansen household for some food and games! Hello, Erik and Amber! Baby number two is soon on the way!
Playing Cranium. That game is really fun with a lot of people.
Good times!
Zany times!
It's late, but we need a Christmas tree! Let's stop by Lowe's real quick and get one!
And we decide.
Hey, at least it beats "A Charlie Brown" Christmas tree.
lol, this picture is funny. I'm clear while everything around me is blurry. That's exactly how I felt that night, come to think of it.
Marian watches as the tree is trimmed.
That is so stinking cute (and you can see me running in the background as I forgot my wallet).
Don't be jealous of my sweet Christmas tree and my even sweeter wheels (car trouble so had to borrow mom's).
And that's it! Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to leave a mild, wild, or zany comment! Merry Christmas!
