Christmas 2008

Christmas eve, we got ready .. we read the story of the birth of Jesus out of the Bible and talked a little bit more about the true meaning of Christmas! We feel very blessed this year, and though it has not been an easy one, with job changes, living in 2 states.. us in one Clay in the other, etc.. at the end of it all we can look back and count our many blessing for what we have. In the spirit of giving, as a family we decided to help a family in need this year, instead of buy presents for each other, we took the kids shopping for "the secret family". The kids used their own money, and got excited about being able to help someone else! Equally as exciting was the drop off.. all in secrecy.. the great thing was they told "Santa" what they wanted and not once did they complain or ask us for presents. One of them even mentioned doing it again next year!! Fortunately for my kids, they have great grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.. so they still had enough to open on Christmas day.. but the spirit of giving was the best gift this year!!

So the kids spread the Reindeer food on the front lawn..

The lights were on the house.. to make sure Santa knew where to come!!!

We got on our new Jammies.. I couldn't resist(though maybe I should have) the matching ones for me!!!

The we curled up on the couch to watch a Christmas Story.. you'll shot your eye out!!!

Santa didn't let them down this year... new bmx bike..

American girl stuff..

This one wouldn't sit still for a photo.. she loves her new bitty kitchen!!

Well enjoy the chocolate treats in our stockings!!!

One of many new aprons for me!!!


Here's my Oprahs.. pumpkin chiffon pie.. very yummy.. and I kept saying chiffon all day, and I think it was driving Clay crazy.. pumpkin chiffon anyone???

Needless to say, life has its ups and downs, you have to know the bad to enjoy the good.. or something like that.. Reagan was very upset the next day when we took the tree down and out.. she cried and hugged it.. she is dramatically hysterical!!! So there you have it.. our Christmas in a nutshell.. we stayed home and enjoyed just being together, we hope you found this Christmas as blessed and wonderful as we did!!! Here's to 2009!!!

Oh Christmas Tree.. Oh Christmas Tree..
This year We Clay wanted a real tree for Christmas, so the pre-lite artificial trees stayed up in the attic, and in came the grand Douglas Fir. We bought new lights and got it all ready to go for the holidays. I read up on taking care of your live tree, how to feed it, what, when, keep the lights off not to dry it out, keep the fan off, heat down.. etc.. I did all that.. and it was beautiful for 2 weeks, which isn't a problem, unless you plan on having it up for 4 weeks.. So our beautiful, green, soft, sweet smelling, full tree.. turned into..

A less than full, ornament dropping, less than green, and to be honest a bit of a hazard..so much for real, tree!!

This is what we have been up to this month!! Addison's Brownie troop had the wonderful opportunity to visit and sing carols at a local Senior Center!!

In case you were wondering how the dogs get a long.. we often find Cocoa curled up into Reese!

Here she is showing her new sweater off!! Its gotten cold.. and she is only 3 pounds!!

Thanks to Auntie Laura for the AWESOME aprons.. just love them.. and they were perfect elves helping me bake this year!!!
Our attempt at the Christmas outfit photo..

We even took a trip to the Gaylord Texan..

MERRY CHRISTMAS YA"LL!!!

This year Reagan wanted a Cowgirl themed Birthday party.. so I found this cute paper and made her invitations!!!

Got her all "Cowgirl" ready!!!


Even picked out a genuine cowgirl cupcake cake!!!


She enjoyed the bounce houses with her friends

there were pigs...

and goats

and Pony rides for all!!!

Thanks to all her friends who Cowboy'd up for the event!!!

Look out Broadway.... here comes Reagan!!!!

This year Reagan is in preschool, and her school put on a cute Christmas program. They got to dress up in their Christmas best.. and she found her best buddy (a total cutie I may add).. Hudson, before the program..

Here Hudson and Reagan are posing for the camera..

This is my dainty flower of a child.. ha ha.. this is how they really act!!!

So I tried to download the video of her singing.. very cute I might add, but after 2 hours of waiting, I don't think its going to happen!! So enjoy the few pics!!

What are your Christmas Traditions??

I ask this, and want a response from those who read this.. I am curious about what others do this time of year. What sort of things do you and your family do?? I love traditions, and have a few we love to do!!! Starting right after Thanksgiving, we become a Christmas only house, meaning music and TV.. Christmas music, on the radio in the car or on cd.. and we watch the ABC family countdown to Christmas shows.. Charlie Brown Christmas, Rodolph the red nose reindeer, a year without a Santa Claus.. you name it .. we got it.. but that's is just to name a few!!

So with that being said, up went the Christmas Decor this last weekend, and I openly admit I LOVE this time of year!!!

We are staying home this Christmas, which is a first.. we have traveled the last few years.. so we opted for the real Douglas fur this year!!! Ready for presents!!!



We have two Nativity scenes.. my friend turned me on to this one (Veggie Tales) a few years ago and I fell in love with Laura the carrot singing oh little town of Bethlehem slightly out of tune


We also enjoy decorating gingerbread houses.. or at least one house, and yes its a store bought kit, I mean really.. I can only do so much!!!
Lastly is our my favorite tradition, it started back in 1993, before I was married, or even thought of kids, my mother gave my brother, my sister, and I a book. You may have seen various forms of the 24 days till Christmas. Its a 3 ring binder with sheet protectors full of stories. Each day is labeled from Dec. 1 - Christmas eve, each day has a Scripture to read about the birth of Jesus Christ, a song (thanks to Cynthia) and then a story to set the mood. Every night in Dec. we read and sing (sometimes) and are reminded of the true meaning of Christmas. Then to add to the excitement of the season, a few years ago my mother in law quilted this fabulous advent calendar to count down, so each night the kids take turns adding ornaments one at time, to help count down till Christmas. This is a tradition we have started and love to do every year. The kids know the stories and take turns reading them, we all love the reminders, and it helps keep us ground when the wants are greater than the needs!!! So there's our traditions , what are yours???

Well, our family took a little trip down to Houston to have Thanksgiving at my Uncle's house. His 3 sons were there with their families as well as my Aunts brother and sister and various off spring as well! It was a full house, full of

taking pictures

bouncing on the bounce house.. both young and old alike!!

Various naps in various spots..

And fun had by all!!! My dad with Daisy and Mimi!!! Thank you for all the hospitality and it was so great to reconnect again!!!

Happy Thanksgiving to you!!! This year I would just like to express how thankful I am for all that I have. Its easy to look at what we don't have or what we could have, but I try not to look at life that way!! I am blessed to have a wonderful husband who provides for us, 3 great children who make me laugh, cry, and everything in between!! I am grateful for my family, both my side and my husbands side. They are a great support system, and I enjoy the time I get to spend with them (mostly on the phone) and for lending an ear with Clay traveling so much!! I am thankful for my friends who are there for me in good times and to pick me up in the bad!! Its been quite the year for our family, a roller coaster ride that hasn't quite finished yet!! Here's to all of you who have played a roll in our lives!! Happy Thanksgiving .. we are grateful for you!!

Set your DVR's, TiVo's, get out a VCR Tape.. if you still can, or just plain sit down and watch.. Fox has a new series coming out called the Secret Millionaire, and it airs on Dec. 3 from 7 -9 check your local listing.. but our dear friend, and founder/owner of Raising Canes will be staring, and from what we have seen, its a great show, based on giving back!!!

6 Quirks TAG
1. Link the Person who Tagged you. Laura
2. Mention rules on your blog.
3. Tell about 6 quirks of yours.
4. Tag 6 fellow bloggers to do the same.
5. Comment on their blog to let them know or leave a list of names at the bottom of the post
Wow.. limit it only to 6..







1. I love to clean, its very therapeutic to me.. to quote Bree Vandacamp "why would I pay someone to do something that brings me so much pleasure." I really wish it wasn't this way, but I guess its a beneficial quirk.. When I get stressed I clean. We had an incident with our boat last summer, Clay took the kids and let me go to town scrubbing and cleaning the house. I guess its my way of controlling my environment when all else is crazy around me!! I even got a Dyson for my birthday a few years back and besides new diamonds.. it was the next best gift ever!!

2. I go check in on my kids every night after they are asleep, no matter what time it is, or what time I get home I go in, hug, kiss and sometimes apologize love on them. I sit on their beds and really take them in. Its a great time, they probably don't hear me, but that's not different than during the day, but they don't talk back either. Perhaps some of it sinks in while they are sleeping!!






3. I drink a monster drink every morning.. not just for the pick me up, but it tastes really good, it really does, and to be honest I would never go to bed if I drank it any later.. it a bad habit, or just a quirk..

4. I read manuals for everything. Yep read both car manuals, new oven... check, the info on operating and installing the new bathtub, check, phones, watches, a new alarm clock, you name it, I read it, and store the tid bits of useless information in my Brain. I got a new mixer in June.. won an auction in Aspen, well when the mixer arrived it didn't have a manual.. now that's no good.. I called up the manufacturer and got one sent straight away.. then I read it. Wouldn't want to whisk something in stead of blending it.. now would you?!

5. I am painfully aware of the caloric intake/out put of practically everything I eat/drink/do. Its a crazy OCD thing, now it doesn't mean that I don't eat ice cream and what not, I just know how many calories are in a frosty/and how many calories I burn on a run....but I won't share this craziness, if you want to know look it up.. know one needs that info in their brain!!

6. I am a guarantee/warranty type of gal. I call any company out on their guarantee.. and that's a guarantee.. you say my bed wont sink 1/2 and inch.. or you will replace it.. and let me tell you 1/2 an inch is not a lot.. got a new bed every 2 years.. (it was a great bed, but with a guarantee like that.. I can't help but put it to the test.. ) and when the store ran out of that specific model.. we got full credit for the original purchase and got an even nicer bed!! This one has the 20 year guarantee.. so we shall see!!! I call on everything, and anything. I bought some protein drinks and one was funky.. so they sent a case. Its very tedious sometimes, having to call and bug co. about it.. but I am not below it!! Got new carpet a few weeks ago.. have a stain that won't come out.. called them out on their guarantee.. we shall see!!!

okay 6 that I get to tag!!!

April, Beckie, Jeni, Kristi, Leah , Amy

WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS... STAYS IN VEGAS

okay, it really wasn't that crazy of a trip. It was however nice for the kids to have Grandmas undivided attention for the week, and getting away wasn't so bad for us either!! The trip started with an unexpected visit.. 15 min. to be exact.. my dad was flying from GA to Mexico.. and had a layover in Dallas.. right when we got there, so we visited for a few min. and took a pic!!! Then off our separate ways..

Now for those of you who know me..who else would be reading this.. anyway, know that I am a nervous flier to say the least. Now, fortunately for those who fly with me, it has gotten much better with time, and frequent flights, but I am still painfully aware of what is going on at all times during a flight, even with a movie and sudoku to keep my mind occupied. So, on our flight to Las Vegas we were about an hour from landing and the plane started to descend, this went unnoticed by probably everyone, other than me, I knew we still had a while, approx. 30 min. before we need to start descending for landing, so I got a bit nervous/anxious/ crazy.. whatever, anyway this also made me take off my headphones (the noise reducing ones.. ) so I could hear the pilot announce our doom, but instead he got on and said that we were going to be taking a slight detour and would be flying over the grand canyon. He said that instead of flying at 38000 feet that he was descending down to 20,000 feet for a better view!! The pilot then turned slightly to the right so the people on the right side could see, then turned a bit to the left for those on the left side, and proceeded to swerve (in only the carefullest way) back and forth pointing out the various sights below. Now that was cool..

Here was the view from my window, needless to say it made the flight a bit more entertaining!!

Now we also had the wonderful opportunity to go by and visit Clays sis.. Kris and let Clay get the kids all worked up..

and you really cannot get enough of this cutie.. playing cards with here was really was the best day ever!!!

So all in all, we spent the time, relaxing, eating, relaxing, and more eating.. it was nice to take a break from the crazy day to day stuff.. the kids had a great time with Grandma, enjoyed her baking a pie and cookies, it was good to be gone, but good to be home!!!

So it pays to have connections!!! This season, Clays company generously sponsored Addison's soccer team!!! He even ordered one of those really cool soccer flags.. and we have been winning because of it!!!

No winning game would be complete without a trip to Cane's for yummy chicken!!! Its good for soccer players, didn't you know?



Here is Addison and her friends.. (she is on the far right..) getting ready to dig in.. and enjoying the soccer season, and yummy Canes!!

if you were wondering what the ONE LOVE stands for.. its for the chicken, but we told the girls its really soccer!!!

Happy Halloween

My VOTE is for Halloween to be on Friday every year!! We had a great time this year with out the rush of school the next day!! We started with carving the pumpkin last night..

We even cleaned and roasted the pumpkin seeds

We let Clay do the major carving this year

We headed to the church for some great Trunk or Treating

Addison said she had enough candy, so she stayed home to help pass out, don't ask who's child she is.. she is no child of mine.. the other two however..

didn't get enough and we hit the streets for some more Halloween fun!! We visited many spooky houses and had a great time with our neighbors and friends!! Happy Halloween to you!!