Perfectly Fake

This year we opted for an artificial Christmas tree.

Gasp!

Yes, I finally gave in. My dear husband has wanted one for years, but I'm a big traditionalist and didn't want to give up the experience of picking out the perfect tree. Okay, so the experience is always better in my head than it actually turns out to be. Instead, it's usually always the coldest day of the winter; we're all standing in snow blizzard freezing our butts off while the kids are crying because their hands and feet are numb and the hubby is annoyed at my indecisiveness to pick the "perfect" tree.

So, this year Brian and Sam did some Black Friday shopping of their own and came home with "the tree"... all 7 1/2 feet of total fakeness.

Here stands my happy husband.

Happiest he's ever been in 10 years of putting up a Christmas tree!

Whoa!! Sam's reaction to the tree was priceless.

No prickly branches = happy 2 year old

Teamwork

Lovin' the new tree

Oh Christmas tree! How I love how tall and full you are! No fuss, no mess.

Perfectly fake!

Baas Family Fundraiser

This is Gerrit Baas. He is a beautiful boy who is battling brain cancer.

I've always hated cancer, but now I despise it.

I hate that his family has to go through this.

I hate that an innocent child has to suffer.

But... I know that God is bigger than cancer.

And I'm praying that he will show off in Gerrit's life in a BIG WAY.

Whether you know the Baas family or not, please show your support by coming to a fundraiser dinner this Wed. at Maranatha Church in Holland.

If you can't make it, then please keep Gerrit and his family in your prayers.

DETAILS

Where? Maranatha Christian Reformed Church

When? Wed., Nov. 17 from 5-7.

What? Potato & Chili Bar and dessert

Auction? Yes! Silent Auction and Line Item Auctions

Viewing begins at 5:00

Bidding begins at 5:30

Winners will be selected by random drawing at 6:30

There will be awesome items such as:

-Photography packages

-Fitness Membership packages

-Cupcakes, desserts, etc.

-Carpet Cleanings

-Packaged Dinners- ready to go!

-Overnight Stay at a Lake MI cottage

-Pedicure & Manicure at Gretchen's Landing

-Family Pass to Critter Barn Live Nativity

-Handcrafted furniture

-Horseback Riding Lesson

-Handmade Baby Accessories

-SoHo Salon Gift Certificate

-Electrician Services

-6 mo. storage unit

Plus MUCH MUCH MORE!

Hope to see you there! I'll be serving desserts & drinks, so come say hi! :)

Carving, Costumes, & Candy...Oh My!

The last two days have been packed with Halloween fun. Friday afternoon Sam had a Halloween party at school and I volunteered to help out. First graders are pretty hilarious (and clueless!) but they were all SOOO excited about the costume parade. I forgot my camera, but another teacher friend took a pic of Sam, so hopefully I can upload that soon. Then, on Friday evening we spent time carving pumpkins. In typical Beckham style, we waited until the last minute to do this, but it was still a fun family tradition that Sam really looks forward to every year. This year he wanted a scary face. He designed it, I traced it onto his pumpkin, and he and daddy carved it while I carved a happy pumpkin for Carter.

Carter getting ready to dig in...

Carter displaying his dislike for anything stick or gooey.

NOT a fan!

After that, he completely lost interest in the pumpkin festivities.

Why mess with yucky orange goo when you can play with trains instead??!!

However, they were both pretty excited with the final product...

Saturday was busy as usual with raking leaves, groceries, haircuts for all (including the neighbor boy) and then it was time to go Trick or Treating!

First stop, Grandma and Grandpa Kleinheksel's...

My Michigan Men

Super Carter!

Papa Ron and his little Cat in the Hat

Owen the Builder

Great-Grandpa Rudy & his annual attempt to scare the kids!

Cousins

Next stop, Trunk or Treating at Zion Lutheran Church with Sam's best buddy Kaedan

Then, we found more loot at Bethany CRC!

Next up, hotdogs, donuts, and more candy at Maplewood CRC.

Can you tell I've had sugar???

I'm out of control...can't stop me now!

Last stop, the "scary haunted house" in Colonial Court.

And for the first time ever, my baby went without me. All by himself. And didn't need me to hold his hand. And I didn't like it.

But, I am liking eating all his candy while he sleeps off a sugar induced coma. :)

Blown Away

No school today due to a "tornado watch" and high winds. I wouldn't exactly call this severe weather, but I'll take the day off! As the wind blows away the remaining leaves from our tall silver maples, it reminds me that this month has literally "blown away" too. I haven't updated much at all because we've been busy with fun fall activities, soccer practice and games, and battling coughs, colds, fevers and even mono. So...it's time to get my blog on and try to recap October...here goes!

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We made two trips to Crane's Orchard. I've been going here every fall ever since I was a kid and I love sharing the experience with my boys now. They think it's just as fabulous and magical as I did and still do.

Yum! Hot cider and donuts...my favorite!

Carter couldn't get enough of the old tractor.

The last couple of weeks have been hard on the boys. Carter came down with a terrible fever and was pretty out of it for about a day. Then Sam started getting random fevers and was diagnosed with strep throat, even though his throat never hurt. Wierd! He also had several blood tests and it turns out he has mono. :( Although, he's still stubborn about sleep and won't take naps or go to bed early. (I have no idea where he gets this from. :)

My poor sick baby.

This will be the last picture of Carter with his beloved "pipe". We couldn't find any pacificers last week, so we decided "tonight's the night" and put him to bed without "pipey". He cried on and off during the night, but overall it wasn't nearly as bad as I expected. And he hasn't asked for it since! Crazy.

My little brother Alex all dressed up for the homecoming dance. Can't believe how old he looks! This pic was taken at Grandma and Grandpa Frego's house. As usual, this is where we spend most Sat. afternoons in the fall watching the Michigan football games while the boys spend hours building their train tracks. (best investment ever!)

Most Saturday mornings this fall we got to watch Sam tear it up on the soccer field. He's quite aggressive and spends most of his time diving or sliding on the ground. Love it! (His daddy is quite proud too).

Finally, just a cute pic of my boys all dressed up in their Sunday best.

Oh, one last thing. Sam's school and the place where I teach had an all school fundraiser. We brought in the Harlem Wizards basketball team and packed the gym for a night of crazy basketball antics and lots of fun. I was a little nervous about playing because it's been YEARS, but I didn't humiliate myself or hyperventilate, so all in all, it was really a great time. Sam seems to dig it too even though he was up way past his bed time.