Thanks Giving and a Few Important Things

With the Thanks Giving Turkey all snug in it's bed, 

the dinner began with 

George making a toast: "To the toughest year over and new one to begin." 

 The dinner was perfect with the table set so fine. 

With many things to be thankful for, we sat down to dine. 

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Ya, Ya, Ya, 

All that IS really nice! 

But! 

 It is time to get serous! 

Everyone knows Thanks Giving Day is ALL about football! 

You know the kind: The kind were you separate the "Boys from the Men".

AND 

The kind you separate the men from the girls. But then again. . . every one knows: "Behind every good man there is a better woman." and This is were the training begins! 

at Nana's house...Thanks Giving Day, the back yard turned into a football field. 

Where the girls and the boys are tough and "play hard or go home". 

They play Son against Father

Uncle against Nephew 

The competition IS. . .

Doggy, Dog....

Okay, just Dog. I got carried away. . .

But, just look at the size of these guys! 

They meant business. . .NO one was safe! 

And "Brother" did they mean business! 

It was do or die! 

The dads gave it their all. 

AND 

The boys. . .Didn't give in.

UNTIL

Someone mentioned Whipped Cream dessert. 

From Our Family to Yours

Hugs and Kisses,

Lisa 

Lungs 4 Life. . .Standing United

Editors Note: Because I have received many e-mails and comments saying the information I have in this post about Lung Cancer is vital to our community, I thought I would keep this post going for the week by playing many memes. I have also had many comments and e-mails telling me people would be putting this post on Facebook and Twitter. Thank you for stopping by my little blog and taking the time to read this post.   If you need more information about Lung Cancer and it's stigmas please go to the Lung Cancer Alliance Link I have on my blog. 

Lisa 

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The Cain Halter run was last week and since it IS a cause we ALL care deeply about, we thought we would get together and give this run our all. 

It didn't matter if we were runners or not. . .We know first hand that Lung Cancer kills. We know the Facts: "Lung cancer remains the leading cancer killer in men and women in the United States among every ethnic group, yet still receives the fewest research dollars. Lung cancer causes 1 in every 3 cancer deaths and took 160,000 lives in 2009."  

160,000 Lives in 2009! 

We know this is true because, one of those 160,000 was our father.   I will tell you this,  when you lose just one of those 160,000,  it really does feel like you lost ALL 160,000.  It's devastating to think. . . HE never smoked. He never lived with smokers. HE always lived a healthy life style. HE exercised everyday, even up to the last weeks of his life. When he couldn't get up anymore, HE exercised in bed. . .YES! In Bed.  

And still he died. . . of Lung Cancer.  

So here is another fact for you: "Over 60% of new lung cancer cases are never smokers or former smokers, many of whom quit decades ago. One in five women and one in twelve men diagnosed with lung cancer have never smoked." 

Just in case you missed that, I want to make sure you heard me; Over 60% of new lung cancer cases are never smokers or former smokers, many of whom quit decades ago.  

Because we really care about Lung Cancer and we have to change the stigma. . . we turned into Team Finnell. . .AGAIN! 

But, this time with shirts.

We hit the road! To walk. To run. To support. 

Friends came out and ran with us.  

Speaking of beautiful friends and woman heres another fact for you:  Lung Cancer has surpassed breast cancer as the leading cause for cancer death in women.  Do you know: you don't have to be a smoker to get lung cancer?  

 

With this in mind, we clung to each other and supported. . .like we always do. 

We made it to the end. . .Like we always do. 

All of us

We ran on the Faith of our Father. . .We ran with his spirit by our side.  We ran meeting people who were survivors. We ran with people who lost loved ones ,  who were runners. . . 

It effected us deeply as we thought of what was. 

 It effects us deeply as we think of the facts. We stand united AS "Team Finnell" . . . now with shirts.

Even though everyday we remember . . .There are some things none of us will ever understand.   Maybe, just maybe a little family run for Lung Cancer might help us heal, one year at a time. 

The Brutal Days of Home School

This home school thing really gets tough sometimes. There is so much to learn and study some days I just don't know how we get it all done. Like, a few weeks ago the kids and I headed back to Furman for another Debate Lecture about the United States Policies towards Russia. 

I am not sure if my older three are learning much from these trips but I know Liz and I are learning a lot! 

We have already learned the Swans really like us. When they see us standing by the pond they come right over. 

We studied Puddle Jumping 101 

There was a cloud class. . .and strangely enough, we did really well in that one. It was even a little relaxing. . .  But promise you won't tell anyone. We don't like to brag about how smart we are. Sometimes people find these college classes really hard. 

Even though we did really well in the cloud class, I think we smoked the stopping to smell the roses class 100. 

These Home School days at Furman are brutal I tell you!  

So brutal, we had to stop for ice cream. 

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Did I say Furman was brutal? 

Gee, I thought Furman was tough. . .but it has nothing on Clemson.  The debate club took our little class to Clemson last week. 

There were more Lectures about Russia that we had to attend. There was a lesson on how to use the college  library and a tour of the school. Clemson is a great big school! The lecture was tough. 

Kathryn seemed to love this school and fit right in. 

After the lecture, tour and library class Matthew and Stephen visited with friends toured the school and talked about the future. 

Liz and I attended a journalism class and  interviewed the Elite.  

They shared their thoughts on the war and how tough things were for them. We took some time to really ponder things and then we went back to our brutal home school life. 

There was little time to waste. The leaf  throwing class was about to begin and these Clemson Tigers don't mess around. When it is time for class it IS time for class. 

There was a final run the grounds 

AND THEN 

It was time to call it a day. Yes! Sometimes these home school days can be brutal. But don't worry, we try to take it easy and enjoy each other every now and then. 

Feeling like a Million Bucks

You know how you feel when you put on your best outfit and you just know your beautiful?

This is Liz's "best outfit"! 

When she puts it on you can tell she feels like a million bucks! The clothes are old and raggy but she doesn't care. She feels loved in them. 

The T-shirt is her favorite. It came from as she says "My Best Nana and My Best Grandpa".  The shorts ~ she just likes the blue in them and they have same colors as the t-shirt. In her opinion, it works.  Her shoes have diamonds of all colors on them.  What girl wouldn't love those.  

THE TIGHTS? 

Well, she is four and she loves tights! When your four, you can wear anything. If you wear it  with confidence, it works. If you think you look like a million bucks. . . Then, you must and you do.  

We could all learn a lot from a four year old.

Me. . . Mothering & A Little Sunday Snapshot

This picture was taken by my sons friend. I'm not sure who took the picture but I just love it!  Stephen had it on his face book page when he showed it to me the other day. 

I just fell in love with it. 

My two boys ~ together, enjoying each others company, smiling and laughing at each other's jokes. This is the way they usually are. This is the way I hope I will always remember them.

Stephen and Matthew

Together

Brothers!

It warms a mothers heart see this this picture.



OKAY! You cought me!

The truth is, this is the picture that was taken. This is the picture that Stephen had on his facebook page and was on some girls facebook page. As soon as I saw it, I promptly stole the picture by dragging and placed it in my pictures.  I uploaded or it could be down loaded, I don't know. . .I always get them confused. Anyway, I ran the picture through photo shop.

I croped, brightened, whitened, touched up a little here and there. I placed a little border around the picture that I love and called it a day. . . at the photo shop. After that I ran over to Stephen's face book page, took off the bad other picture and replaced it with the better edited picture. After all, I read in one of Pioneers Womans posts she just can't let a picture go without just a little photo shop here or there. 

That's when my kids started teasing me and calling me a photo snob! 

ME? 

Ummph! 

I'm just a novice playing around with my camera and photo shop. I have NO! idea of what I'm doing. I just like play these things. Besides, as a mother I want my little guys to look as good as they possibly can.

Well? Don't you honestly think this picture is uhhh much nicer. 

AND 

Just look at my them. . .my little boys. . .

I mean, as a mother,  how would you have edited the picture?