Proud Parents!

I hate to brag but....I am so proud of my kids and how well they are doing here.  I was so worried when they started a new school and didn't know anyone and being the only LDS kids in the school really had me scared to death!  Fortunately, they are doing great and have adjusted so well and carried on without skipping a beat!  


Kaylon just received another straight "A" report card and got on the High Honor Roll.  He was also just awarded with the 
"Tiger Pride Award" at Thompson Jr. High which is the highest honor you can receive at the school!  His Science teacher nominated him and she had a lot of nice things to say about him.  They held a breakfast for the parents and had an awards ceremony to honor the kids that earned it.  

                        

He is also doing well in his church and Scout responsibilities.   He was just put in as the Deacon's Quorum President and is a Trainer in his Scout troop.  He just got back from the Klondike and had a great time!  He is currently working on his Eagle Project and expecting to receive it early this summer.  We have been getting him all registered for high school and I am still in denial that he is really going there next year.  I keep telling him that I was much older than he was when I went to high school and started the ninth grade!  (at least I thought I was ; )  He will be taking Honors Biology and Honors Geometry.  YIKES!  It's a good thing he got his Dad's smart brains cause he definitely didn't get them from me!  I'm still trying to figure out how      2 + 2 = 4!  Just kiddin' I'm not that dumb, but almost!   

Danielle also got straight "A's" this term and she too is doing great in school!  She has made lots of new friends and enjoys helping her teacher.  She has several handicapped kids in her class and she especially loves helping them and has grown to love them so much. She gets to go everyday and help out in the younger handicapped kids classroom and she has really developed a love and special relationship with the kids she takes care of.  They love her and get so excited when she comes in.  She has a really big heart and loves taking care of people.  She is growing like a weed and becoming quite the young lady.  Unfortunately, with that, comes mood swings, attitudes and lots of drama!  Heaven help me get through the teenage years!!!  She goes to Jr. High next year and I'm not sure if I'm ready for that either!

Sorry for gloating but I am just proud of what they have accomplished since we've been here and I like you all to know what's going on with us and our life in Illinois!  

CHRISTMAS IN OSWEGO - 2010

I can't believe another Christmas has come and gone.   I always get sad when Christmas is over and all the hustle and bustle is done.  It's such a magical and special time of year and there's so much excitement and build up that when it's all said and done it's such a let down.  The decorations come down, the holiday music goes away, the kids go back to school and now what, just more snow and cold and looking forward to spring and summer!


We had a different Christmas than we've had before but it was kind of special this year.  This is the first time EVER that we haven't celebrated with other family members.  The past two years we celebrated in Georgia with Rodger's sister and her family.  Every other year, my whole life, we've always gone to the annual Lewis Family Christmas Eve Party!  For all of the Lewis family it was a different Christmas since Grandma Beulah wasn't there to keep the party going.  Every year we would have the same ol' party thinking it would be our last but this year, after 50 years, the end of an era came.  We kept that tradition going as long as grandma was alive, she wouldn't have it any other way. Without Grandma Beulah here each individual family had their own party with their own families.  I don't know how many would admit it but I think everyone couldn't help but have a heavy heart that night thinking and wishing we could be together, as a family with our grandma, just one more time.  I think everyone was kind of lost not knowing what to do after doing the same thing our whole lives.  It's time for new traditions and time to create new memories but change is hard.  I know there won't be a year that goes by that we won't remember the old parties and reflect back on the only way we knew Christmas Eve.  Even though every year we would complain about going to the same ol' party I know we will all miss it!  

On a happier note... so my little family was all alone this year which ended up being kind of fun!  We were invited to go to a friends house, from the ward, and celebrate with their family but we were actually looking forward to doing our own thing and plan and carry out what we wanted to do.  The kids were all excited and that's all that matters.  

It couldn't have been a more perfect Christmas Eve day!!!  We woke up to it snowing and it didn't let up all day!  It totally set the mood for the day's activities.  With the Christmas lights on, the music playing, the girls in our aprons and the oven cranked up we spent the whole day baking and singing and enjoyed being together.  The kids had so much fun!  We baked sugar cookies and they decorated those and then we dipped pretzels and made chocolate dipped cake balls.  While the kids were busy decorating I was busy making chip dips and other goodies for our dinner that night. 

          

        

 

We played games and watched the nativity.  Right after that some people from our ward came caroling and brought us some treats.  It meant so much to us to know that someone was thinking of us on such a special night.   

The Allgaiers

We then opened some presents, the usual new pajamas (the kids have that figured out!  I think next year I'll surprise them and do something different!)  We then exchanged each others gifts so on Christmas day we could just open up the gifts from Santa and from our parents. 

Rodger had to go to work late that night so after he left we played some more games, fed the reindeer outside, got the milk and cookies out and FINALLY got the kids to sleep at 1:30 a.m.!  Needless to say it was a very late night, or morning depending on how you want to look at it.  

  

Feeding the reindeer!

 

Sleeping on the floor waiting for Santa! 

Santa definitely made a stop at our house!

Unfortunately, wouldn't you know that Christmas happened to fall on the same weekend that Rodger's night shift works an extra 4 hours.  UGH!  At the least the kids were understanding and didn't mind waiting but he didn't get home until 10:45 a.m.!   They woke up at 6:30 a.m. and didn't want to go back to sleep.  I tried but they didn't even want to go peek until it was time to go down.  I ended up waking up at 7:30 and thought I would go back to sleep until at least 10:00, being as I was up all night but, it was CHRISTMAS, I couldn't sleep in!  I was excited too so, the kids just stayed in their room and watched videos and I ended up getting showered and ready for the day since I had plenty of time to spare.  I did finally end up convincing them it was ok to go down and see if Santa really came and then they were really excited!  Finally Rodger got home and it was time to go see what Santa brought!!!

 

Everyone loved what they got and was thrilled with everything so that was good!  We had our usual Christmas morning rolls for breakfast then Rodger went to bed and the kids played with all their new things.  I fixed a turkey and stuffing and when Rodger woke up that evening we had a nice dinner and relaxed and enjoyed the rest of the day.  It was kind of nice  being on our own but obviously it would have been great to spend it with the rest of our family too.  

I didn't end up getting cards out this year

but I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas 

and may you all be blessed with a Happy New Year!