The Holidays

I know it has been forever since I updated my blog. I have finally recovered from my 70 hour work week, and feel almost normal. In no particular order, here is what happened during our holiday season. We had a wonderful Christmas and New Year!

We did Christmas with the Downing Family at Aunt Joyce's house early in December due to the Mopps family vacation trip. We had a good time & played American Idol on the Wii.

On Christmas eve, we got together for Pizza King & Rock Band!

Bryce, Shannon, John & Spencer rockin' it out!

Elaine, Shannon, John & Bryce with
a total Rock Band Performance!

We give the kids new pajamas every year on Christmas eve. I love how they act surprised

and I love how we make them smile for a picture every year. I think they really

love each other.

Christmas morning at the Downing House

You'll notice our skinny tree in the background. Our 9 ft tree was

pre-lit (Don't waste your money!) and the lights gave out this year. Needless to say,

I did not have the time or money to relight the entire tree this year and at the last minute.

Christmas with the Davis family is a breakfast on the Sat after Christmas. We had the usual

egg casserole, pancakes & bacon, fruit and mom's homemade coffee cake.

John & I did find time to attend a Christmas Party at our neighbor's house.

As always, Beau & Julie are great hosts & we have a wonderful time every year.

Maddie, Kate, Allison & Spencer enjoying hot chocolate at Fort St. Clair. We did get to

enjoy the lights, hot cocoa, and cookies, but Santa had already left for the evening. We drove through Story Book Lane before heading back home. We even had snow flurries that night.

Kate & I went to the Yuletide Celebration at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.

We enjoyed lunch at PF Changs before the event and went to Circle Center Mall afterwards.

John & Spencer opted to attend an Indiana Pacers game

instead of paying for a nap at the symphony.

Kate has acquired a love for baking. Santa brought her a denim cupcake apron & cupcake baking kit. She could hardly wait to get into the kitchen.

Kate mixing her icing and waiting for the cupcakes to come out of the oven.

She hasn't perfected the icing yet, but she still loves being our little baker.

New Years Eve we went to the Saliwanchik's house. Kate brought her friend Hailey & they had a great time. We do a gift exchange, play card games, have fireworks, and stay over night. After a big New Years Day lunch, we head home & rest up.

Hope everyone had a Happy New Year!

Downing Disco Elves

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Tribute to Halloween

Halloween is my favorite holiday. I just have such great memories of all the fun & candy. I decided to take a look back of Halloween photos.

Halloween 2003

From left to right...Chelsey, Allison, Maddie,

Spencer (The cutest Harry Potter!), Adam,

Kate ( A adorable little lion) and Jarrod at the church Halloween party

Kate and her best friend, Skylar

I had to share this one...Ken with the mullet.

What do you think Sarah?

Another great photo I have to share...Josh as Spider Man scaling the walls

Halloween 2004

We made a trip to Disney World that fall and attended

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party

Halloween 2005

We couldn't resist making a Mystery Machine too!

Scooby Doo, where are you?

Our neighbor's house all tricked out for Halloween.
He gives out a 10 pack of candy bars to every kid that comes through the house.



Halloween 2006
Kate as the traditional witch & Spencer has a NBA basketball player
We realized he was a total sports junkie this year!



Halloween 2007
Allison, Kate & Maddie
Spencer stayed home to pass out candy, but later threw on a basketball jersey
and made a run around the neighborhood. He couldn't resist!



Halloween 2008

My burglar, mullet man (hot, huh?), and my crazed HSM girl as Sharpay

Halloween candy 2008

We hope everyone had a great Halloween!

Fall Break

The kids were out of school Thursday & Friday for Fall break. After school on Wednesday, we left for the Great Wolf Lodge in Mason, Ohio. We were able to go with John's sister, Joyce & her family. We had 2 nights there & the place was pretty vacant.

I have to admit the water rides were fun & the kids had a great time. I don't think I could go when the place is over flowing with people. The capacity is 3700 people...that's crazy! The temperature is a balmy 85* which is great if your swimming, but not so good when you want to relax & read a book.

We had PF Changs for dinner Wednesday night & again on Friday for lunch. Kate & I love the lettuce wraps. John & Spencer can't get enough of the Kung Pao chicken. We went to the bookstore and managed to leave without buying any books or magazines. That's a first!

Overall, it was a nice get away & not too far from home.

High School Musical 3 Premiere

Last Thursday, John & Kate were able to attend the High School Musical 3 Premiere in Hollywood, CA at the USC campus. This picture is was taken before leaving for the premiere at the hotel. From left to right... Shauna, Kate, Gabby, Chloe, and Don Schain (co-producer for HSM3).
In the theater, they were able to get a photo with Paula Abdul. If you look over Kate's shoulder, you will see Blair Underwood. Can you believe that Kate is almost as tall as Paula Abdul?

This shot was taken on the Red Carpet prior to the premiere. From left to right...Dana & Gabby, John & Kate, Tamera & Chloe, and Shauna. Everyone had to wear the HSM3 movie credential to attend & walk the Red Carpet. Kate brought home HSM3 pom poms, popcorn buckets & an autographed picture of the HSM3 stars.

On the Red Carpet, the girls also met Roshon Fegan (Sander) from Camp Rock. They not only were able to get a photo, but they got to chat with him too!
The girls stopped for one final pose on the Red Carpet before taking their seats in the USC Galen Center. The center had the East High Wildcat logo painted on the floor. The pre show entertainment included, the Wildcat mascot, USC cheerleaders & the Laker Girls. The movie was shown on a giant movie screen covering one side of the center.

John and Kate did have time to go to Universal Studios & Santa Monica beach. Kate loved having time with dad, visiting with Chloe & Tamera, and making new friends.

On the video below watch for Tamera, Dana, Shauna, John & Kate (only the back of her head) in the background. Look over the right shoulder of the interview with Zeke Baylor.

Special thank you to Tamera Miller & Don & Shauna Schain for making a lifetime memory for Kate. She had a GREAT time & it would not have been possible without you. Thank you so much!

Another interception for Spencer

Spencer played his last regular season game Thursday night. They beat the Jaguars 19-6. They lost to them 2 weeks ago in the final seconds of the game.

This win qualified them to play in the championship game this Saturday. They will play the Bears team. The Bears only loss this year was to Spencer's team, the Packers.

We are looking forward to a great game.













John took this shot of Spencer right after he intercepted the ball. This was his 2nd pick of the season. Unfortunately, he was forced out of bounds and the time ran out.

Despite his knee injury early in the week, Spencer played well. He can't wait to play Saturday.













Is that another $5 Uncle Ken?

A Good Read

This is the second year I have read this book. At the end of each day, I read the daily thought and find it relates perfectly to me in some way. I have given this book as a gift & am always amazed at the response it receives once it is read. I read this thought a few days ago & thought I would share.

October 14

The Ultimate Result of All Ambition

To be happy at home is the ultimate result of all ambition.

---Samuel Johnson

The wisdom contained in this sentence is worth meditating on for the rest of our lives; it's probably the reason Dr. Johnson earned his final resting place with the "Immortals" in Westminster Abbey.

Why are you working so hard? To be happy at home. But you're never at home--in mind, body, spirit--because you're always working. So why are you working so hard? To be happy at home.

This is not a Zen koan. Life is a paradox, but we don't have to make it any harder than it is already. We've been on this path for ten months, but if you're on the cusp of grasping this insight, you're miles ahead of most of us.

Hold this thought: the ultimate result of all ambition is to be happy at home. Engrave this truth on your consciousness. Lay the track deeply, so that even when you're on your own version of automatic pilot, you'll be homeward bound. Write it on the palm of your hand; sneak a peek at it three times a day. Mutter it under your breath before attending a budget review that starts a half hour before the children need to be picked up; before agreeing to entertain out-of-town clients on your anniversary; before answering faxes on Sunday or leaving voice mail messages at midnight.

What is the ultimate result of all ambition?

You know.

Inscribe it on your heart. Needlepoint it on a pillow. Say it out loud when you get up and just before retiring. Make it your mantra--that personal phrase that brings all things into focus. Doing so will help remind you that the greatest adventure of our lives is finding our way back home.