rayner shine: December 2013

Sunday

November, part 2

one day in the middle of the month we were surprised by a call from the housing company, telling us they have a 4 bedroom house available for us.

here it is!
we've been #1 on the waiting list since this summer, so we thought it would never happen. it was actually a hard decision bc we love our neighbors and have made this little place a comfortable home. HOWEVER, as it gets colder, i am SOLD by that 2 car garage. :-)
we should move (only two streets over) in mid january. woo hoo!!

we had a couple of sick kids that week. it actually wasn't that bad. they each threw up one time and then really didn't have any other symptoms. the worst part was when laurel threw up all over the top bunk… and the wall… and freddy in the bottom bunk… GUH-ROSS!!!!

marjorie went to NYC to pick up her boys and they went on a little vermont adventure.

meanwhile, one day laurel and freddy and i drove up to summit, nj, where eleanor and her kids were visiting bubba's sister's family. it was a super short visit, but better than nothing!

betsy and laurel. :-)

they played HARD

happy thanksgiving!!

we are ready for the dreyers! (i started cooking on sunday...)

"reunited and it feels so good"
we were so happy to see derick and andre and fourie
(and marjorie of course!)

the boys were in charge of the bird

"always remember to let your turkey chill in the sink." HA!

good grief. cutest little duo ever. i think they both have the same "love language"

just 'cause

the rayner tradition of milk punch is growing on me!

amber and the hess kids joined us. jude is so good with the younger boys

ready!

in the garage. ha!

look at him acting like he cooked that! poser...

a really fantastic thanksgiving meal. we missed you doug!!!

eliza, babysitter in training, reading to the crew.
then they got some of their energy out in the park.

time for round two

tom still and his parents, david and esther, drove up the next day from atlantic city just in time for a delish lunch of leftovers.

good idea to walk some of that off!

go daddy go!

love this lady :-)

that night we took the kids bowling

i can't look at this picture without smiling. love my marge!!

this is right after i fell down flat on my backside. sweet kiddos!

i think this is when we crossed the line to crazy tired!

the next day we all went on an adventure together

the train to NYC

kids did a great job on the subway. freddy's favorite thing about new york is "the choo choo twain under the gwound!"

that afternoon we went to see Dinosaur Train Live at NYU. the kids loved it!

washington square park

priceless memories!

we hung out with the dreyers' friends, jurgens and shelley that afternoon/evening

they really are great kids. thankful!

*love*

Friday

November, part 1

halloween night, while i was away, laurel fell out of her bed for the first time in a few years.

she fell off the top bunk and we're not sure what she hit. poor thing!!

she was fine, but she didn't look like herself for a few days

he's a good daddy!

meanwhile, i was staying at a beautiful house and eating incredible food in charleston

and spending time with old friends!
(i'm so happy i got to meet little max ball. what a good baby!)

it was a beautiful day in grove park. pat said our he hung out with our neighbors on our porch ALL morning while the kids played

black eyes setting in

daddy forgot his ID one day, so we needed to take it to him. i threw some clothes in the laundry and a pair of laurel's pants in the utility sink to soak. then we went to the commissary. met daddy there to give him his ID, shopped, got gas in the car, stopped and talked to a couple of friends in the neighborhood. when i opened the garage door i heard and saw water streaming out of the light fixture. i knew immediately why. i had forgotten to turn off the utility sink faucet upstairs.

and i flooded the whole house.

OOPS!!!!!

it was a disaster that day. but the next day i realized it was simply an inconvenience. our neighbors really came to my rescue and NONE of our things were damaged!?