Merry Christmas From Our Family to Yours

Christmas 2008

Dirk: Searching for His Present

A Visit from Aunt Sherrie (and Uncle Bobby too)

Piano Recital

Our friends from Church held a piano recital for the Missionaries.

Melissa played "Away in the Manger" and "The Nativity Song"
L. played "Up on the Housetop"

and T. played "Jingle Bells".

Cub Scout Dirty Santa

The Cub Scouts did a Dirty Santa gift exchange for Christmas. Jacob ended up with a Concentration Game.

Christmas Play

Melissa played Mary in our Ward Christmas program.
Melissa and Levi

Alexander and Brother Strong.

Brrrrrrrrrr!

19°Feels like 2F

Winter Weather Has Arrived in Oklahoma.....

I took this picture of the moon peeking through my favorite tree......it even looks cold doesn't it?

A Visit with Santa 2008

Abby's Baptism

Zoey

This is Zoey. She has been hanging around our house since Halloween. We've been feeding her and so finally decided it was time for her to come on in.

She thinks the Christmas tree is just for her. She swipes the ornaments from the tree, one second you see them moving around and the next second they are being swiped into the tree, it's actually quite funny!

How to Cook a Turkey by Abby

You have to get a turkey from Walmart or the Commissary. My mom sprinkles salt all over it, then she adds pepper. She bakes it in the oven for 1/2 an hour at 300 degrees. She take it out of the oven and slices the turkey off of the bone. I get the wishbone. My mom makes pumpkin pie for dessert. Dad puts up the Christmas tree.

How to Cook a Turkey by Jacob

My mom buys a turkey from usually Walmart. It weighs 20 or 30 pounds and costs $20. She brings it home and cooks it. She puts it in a pan, and puts pepper on it. She wraps the pan in aluminum foil. She bakes it in the kitchen, in the oven for 1 hour at 90 degrees. Actually I'm not sure what she does, I just think it's something like that.

How to Cook a Turkey by Melissa

Mom buys a turkey at Walmart for $20. I'm pretty sure that she looks for the biggest one and it weighs about 20 pounds. She unthaws it and then puts seasoning on it, paprika maybe? She sets the oven for 450 degrees and bakes the turkey for 4 hours. She makes gravy, stuffing, corn, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie and lemon meringue pie!

The Best Places to Raise Your Kids 2009

BusinessWeek Published their list of

"The Best Places to Raise Your Kids 2009".

Lawton was on the top of the list for Oklahoma!

Now if we just had a TARGET....

Oklahoma:
Lawton

Nearest city: Oklahoma City

Population: 89,304

Median household income: $47,988

Lawton is 90 miles from Oklahoma City in the southwest part of the state, and just north of the Fort Sill Army post. The area has 22,400 acres of wildlife habitat and many lakes that are good for fishing and boating.

She Was Waiting for Him.......

Robert Clifton Higgins
Robert Clifton Higgins, 95, of Mannington, passed away on Monday (Nov. 17, 2008 at his residence. He was born March 24, 1913, at Camp Run, Marion County, a son of the late Robert Clarence and Lillie Belle Ernest Higgins. He is survived by five children and their spouses, Robert and Brunetta Higgins of Mannington, Jerry and Delene Higgins of Mannington, Lucille and Terry Parker of Mannington, Sharon and Paul Asher of Mannington and Carolyn Roupe Fletcher Higgins of Mannington; 14 grandchildren, David Higgins, Kevin Higgins, Jerry Higgins, John Higgins, Bobby Higgins, Kathy Higgins, Lorie Culotta, Lisa Slater, Shelly Jones, Buddy Roupe, Michael Roupe, Jeffery Roupe, Brian Asher and Scott Asher; 28 great-grandchildren; brothers and sisters, Donald Higgins of Hartsville, Ohio, Louise Hayhurst of Canton, Ohio, Freda Mansfield of Mansfield, Ohio, Elenore Riggs of Mannington, Harold Higgins of Mannington and Frank Higgins of Mannington.In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his wife, Isabelle Mae Parrish Higgins; one son, Robert Clifton Higgins Jr.; one brother, Burtis “Pete” Higgins; two sisters, Mildred Stevens and Betty June Higgins; and one son-in-law, Harvey Roupe Sr.Mr Higgins worked for the Mannington Pottery and also drove a logging truck. He worked for the City of Mannington and served on the water board. He retired from the West Virginia Department of Highways. He enjoyed hunting, gardening, woodworking and drawing. Friends may call at the Masters Funeral Home, 209 Main St., Mannington, from 2-9 p.m. on Wednesday. Funeral services will be held on Thursday at 11 A.M. in the funeral home with Evangelist Michael P. Reese officiating. Burial will follow at the Higgins Cemetery at Camp Run.

Halloween 2008

Dirk in Drag. ( No he didn't keep the wig on). Maggie didn't dress up, but I gave both of them bones for trick-or treat!

The Witch.
Laura Ingalls.


Ghouls Love Him, Mummies Don't.

Too old to dress up, but still wants the CANDY!

Andrew in Uniform.

The tree in my front yard. I love this tree.

The kids didn't seem as excited this year as in year's past. Maybe it was the 80 degree temperatures? Also, it was a LONG day. The elementary school had crazy hair day and at the end of the school day we had our class "Fall Parties", so maybe they were all partied out. And of course the High School (Eisenhower) had their homecoming game tonight. Andrew was on the JROTC saber team when the Homecoming Royalty took the field at Halftime.

Guest Post: Marisa

Get Out There and VOTE!!!
I voted. Not only did I vote, but I thoroughly researched the issues and the candidates before I did so. I don't mean to toot my own horn, but I am mortified at the people all around me-- the gym, the preschool, the church, the store-- who haven't sought out any information for themselves, but get their information from other people's opinions or political ads. Some people I have talked to don't even know if they are going to vote at all! One of the saddest things is how simple things like the rain affect how many people show up to vote. Throughout history, people would, have, and do kill for the right to vote and it is not something we should take lightly.
This is, no doubt, a treacherous time for Americans, and we cannot afford to be in the dark about the future of our country. Have we gotten so lazy that we can't even spend a few hours of our time to educate ourselves, and then get out there and vote?
It was less than a century ago that women in the United States couldn't vote. Most of our grandparents lived in that time. Thankfully, in America we have a democracy- where we can and do bring about well-deserved change.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony

I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to live in a country, which is not perfect, but at least gives people the chance to create change and progress and have a say in our government. If we don't want to help govern ourselves by being informed and active citizens, then we really can't complain about the people we allow to be voted into office. There are so many who have made this country the wonderful blessing that it is- The Founding Fathers, the troops throughout history, and active citizens everywhere. God Bless America.

~Guest Post by Marisa

They Clean Up So Well!