Christmas 2009

Winnie (Kim and fam's new dog) playing with her present from us.

Christmas celebration with the Edwards and Hollidays - the kids are handing out gifts.

Christmas night. Poor David and Teddy just dropped!!

Em and I got Monopoly City and it is such a fun game. We have played it every night after David has gone to bed. Staying up way too late in the process!!

Em got a 32" flat screen for her room and Guitar Hero for her Wii. As you can see from Sponge Bob in the background, David is enjoying the new TV too.

David exercising/video gaming on his Smart Cycle.

Em's been asking for Heely's for years (the crazy roller skating shoes), so I finally bought her some this year. She's been practicing around the house, particularly the kitchen. I told her she'd make a great roller skating waitress.

The "marble castle" as David calls it. He has one of these in his classroom at school and talks about it ALL the time.

Aww - except for the "fog" I really like this shot of them.

We opened presents from mom and dad the night before. This is the Santa "loot".

Here's Em and her Santa "loot".

Bad Economy, Bailout, Health Care..

All those things have pretty much sounded like buzz words to me. I mean I know what they are and what's going on, I watch the news regularly and my husband and some of my friends do to so we discuss it. But I guess I live in such an insulated world that I didn't really "get it". We have just gone on over here as if all was the same, not paying attention to grocery prices, gas prices, retail prices, etc. Well that was my first mistake :) Next we haven't adjusted our rental rates up to go with the increase in costs of supplies, gas, etc. That was my second mistake! And yes "my" mistake because that part of the business applies to me.

So here we sat 10 days ago really looking at the numbers and FREAKING OUT!!! Nothing we could say or do would change it. And Christmas already bought & under the tree (over the top as my usual) and vacation already planned (again over the top). We decided to tighten the belt straps and "get religion", albeit a little late, at least we now have it. So out comes the "tight" budget, we dip into savings and we cancel our vacation. I'm such a baby, that part was really hard for me. I was so looking forward to it. But - the wonderful thing is that we hadn't told the kids so they had NO IDEA when we cancelled it.

Now - it's New Year's Eve and rather than celebrating at our vacation destination, we are home. But you know what, it turns out I am really glad we didn't go. We've supplemented with lots of family hang out and game time and it has been really great!! The best part has been having Emily here for a week straight. Usually when we have her for that long it's because we are out of town. Her being here for this long and just hanging out at home and being together is really nice.

So Happy New Year everyone. Obviously my New Year's resolution is to become a much better employee of our business. New hours are 9:00 - 3:00 each day, until further notice LOL. What are your resolutions this year? Leave me a comment and let me know what you're planning!

Christmas Eve

Am I the only one that feels like Christmas just snuck up on us this year? I mean I have been shopping, wrapping, decorating, partying and all that holiday stuff, but it just doesn't seem like the DAY is actually here. I'm ready though - or as ready as I plan to be. I will wrap the last few things today that have been hiding in the back of my closet - they are really to big to go under the tree so I didn't want to wrap them until the last minute lest they take over my living room!

Ok - side note here. I am eating a clementine (you know those cute little tangerine oranges that you can easily peel) and I totally wasn't thinking about the mix and I just took a sip of my coffee - UGH!! What an unusual taste LOL.

So anyway, back to Christmas. I can't wait for the kids to open their presents and see what Santa brings them. Watching their faces and hearing their exclamations of joy is always so amazing. And I must admit I am excited about opening my presents too!!

We stay home for Christmas and actually don't have alot going on. With mine and Dan's mother's both being deceased there are not many family obligations. We go to my dad's the Saturday before Christmas for the blended family gathering and that's it. Dan's dad is in Texas and we don't go there over the holiday's due to Emily. Since we share her with her mom during this time there aren't enough days for us to travel. Dan and I both have brothers we are close too, but mine lives in MS and always comes here for Thanksgiving and Dan's lives here and spends Christmas with us. This weekend we will also get together with our close friends and share a meal and exchange gifts - we are really looking forward to the time with them.

Today David and I are relaxing around the house and will babysit later for my best friends new puppy, Winnie the Weimeraner. She is 12 weeks old and precious!! Dan is working and Emily is at her mom's. She will be here tomorrow after lunch and we plan to open what's under the tree then and Santa has arranged to not come here until tomorrow night so we can get up all together on the 26th and see what Santa brought!

Hope you all are having a wonderful season and pray that you all are taking the time to remember the birth of our Saviour!!

What's better entertainment than a 4-year-old?

Nothing and I mean nothing is quite as funny or as cute as when your kid starts spouting off with some of the original things they come up with. I am constantly giggling and sometimes even cracking up at the things that come out of his mouth.


Here are a few of the latest:

• as we were discussing Jesus' upcoming birthday and the little party we would have here, "Mom do I have to go to Heaven to get a cupcake?"
• regarding his new Bat Cave my parents gave him the other night, "My batman house isn't as fun to play with here as it was at Granddaddy's!" I said do you think that might be because cousin Luke was there and yall were playing batman together. "Nope, toys are just more fun there."
• our closest friends have a new puppy, named Winnie, "Mom, we need to get 3 new dogs and get rid of Teddy (our boxer) and we need to name them all Winnie." I gave him some line about not having the same name because they'd get confused when we called, etc. etc. and he says, "No, they won't get confused because each one will have a different colored collar!"
• regarding toys in the floor and needing to pick them up so people won't trip over them, "that's ok, I can just show them how to jump over the toys and then they won't trip on them."
• out of the blue he says this morning, "Mom, I think we need presents all year!"
• "when we get our baby, I'm going to do ____"; does he know something that we don't? We are done and have been fixed and don't plan for more, but he doesn't believe me
• he thinks he is a "cool surfer dude" because he caught some beads at Mardi Gras and the design (to him) looks like a surf board
• Dan and I were talking about our kitchen remodel and we didn't agree on some aspect or another and we were talking the pros and cons out and David just walked in and said "Daaaad (you have to drag it out, real Southern), don't you know that mom is always right!"

I know this is not all the funnies lately, but I am still on my first cup of coffee so not as fresh as I'll be later.

The other thing that has made me smile lately is his enjoyment with Christmas and cold weather and traditions and snow and Mardi Gras and all the fun that winter has to offer.

• very into decorating this year, especially the colored balls for the tree
• asked me would we make sugar houses ?? again this year like we did last year (realized he was talking about gingerbread houses we made when he was 3)
• now drinks hot cocoa out of a to go coffee cup
• knows all the good traditional Christmas songs and Alvin and the Chipmunks Christmas
• loves the concept of wrapping presents and is very particular about which wrapping paper he wants used on his presents, his favorite is the nativity paper we have. He calls it the Mary/Joseph paper
• thrilled to see Santa and actually looked forward to it and really talked to him
• wants to listen to Christmas music and watch Christmas shows everyday
• rode the Christmas train at the mall again
• went to his first Mardi Gras parade
• played in the snow, made snow angels, snow ice cream and a snowman
• gave Valentine's to his friends, made one for me, shopped for flowers with Dan and enjoyed being part of the big family dinner and present exchange
  
  

Christmas at my Dad's

Required "Kids in Front of the Tree" Shots

David's Christmas Party at School

David's PJ Party / Polar Express Day at School

Past Due Soccer Pics

all about being a little boy

David had a fun weekend, despite the cold and the rain. On Saturday he watched movies and played cars and trains with Dan, while I shopped. Sunday was his really fun day. He loves loves loves to race (ride his vehicles around the pool deck). He has a Big Wheel, a Corvette, a tricycle, a tractor, a Model T and a scooter. He is fastest in his Big Wheel and he knows it. He careens around the corners and around the slide and diving board and it is 'ilarious (as he says). Watching, however is not for the faint of heart... he appears about to fall into the pool many times!! And actually did once last year (only upset about the tricycle, not scared whatsoever). Well Sunday there were lots of mud puddles due to the insane rain we've been having. And for little boys - mud puddles and Big Wheels = bliss!! The first outing was in pj pants, t-shirt and crocs - all soaked after about 30 minutes. He came inside to dry off and change clothes. This time he puts on boxer briefs and a t-shirt and a pair of canvas slip-on play shoes. These last about 30 minutes and he is soaked again and the shoes are soaked and covered in mud. Next comes boxer briefs. This is about the time I arrive home from the grocery store. He informs me that he will bring in the groceries because he is a big boy. Ok great - I love help!! I tell him that he needs on clothes, shoes, etc. and he heads to his room and I head out to start unloading. He meets me outside in - get this - spiderman boxer briefs, spiderman sunglasses and dark brown Merrel's. It was so cute!! I didn't have the heart to make him change because he was cracking me up. I know the neighbors were probably laughing, but hey at least we made someones smile :).

He's growing up so fast and turning into such a boy. He talks about mud and dirt and cars and trucks and rockets and space and tools and hitting and "stinky". But, alas, the good and the bad are all part of the experience. I guess next thing he'll come home from school talking about cooties or something, LOL. One things for sure though - he'll come home talking. He NEVER NEVER NEVER shuts-up, unless he's asleep. I have to share one of his "funnies" from this weekend. He was drinking a soda and had it on the coffee table (yes, I let my child have soda!). Then he proceeded to "crash" his cars into the can, which pushed it closer to the edge of the table. I said David, you know better than that, please stop so you don't spill the soda. He said, but mommy I'm just driving my cars. I said what will daddy say if your "driving cars" knock that soda on the floor. He said (with no hesitation), daddy will get my butt and put me in my bed! Doing all I could do to keep a straight face, I said, well then - don't you think you should stop crashing your cars into the can. YES MAM!!!

It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas!!!

Can you believe 2009 is almost in the books and that Thanksgiving is over and Christmas right around the corner? This year has flown by as they all seem to do now that I am an adult.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving at my dad's - there were 19 of us and we ate like kings. My brother was in town from MS for the week and it was great to visit with him. He and I did the crazy black friday shopping scene - from midnight until about 8:00am, it was tiring, but fun.

Our house is ready for Christmas. We have a real tree this year, which is a first for us. It is beautiful!! I'm so happy with it. The kids and I decorated while Dan "supervised" and then put the star on top. David is at just the right age this year to really be into the decorating. He had so much fun and was quite upset that we couldn't just keep loading up the tree - we kept telling him it was done and looked great, but he wanted LOTS more ornaments on there. I need to get my wreath on the front door and that will be all for outside this year. We have a surprise trip planned 2 days after Christmas so I wanted a little less to put up this year.

This is getting long so I'll try and wrap up with a quick update on everyone.

Dan is doing great - still in remission and handling the lingering side effects well. He still has a little more fatigue than I'm 100% comfortable with, but all things considered - he's GREAT!! He's been really busy with more vacancies than we like - this economy, combined with Christmas expenses are causing lots of our tenants to be late with their rent. He is also working on several projects around here in his shop and about to start on a new kitchen pantry cabinet for me - woo hoo!!!

Emily is currently dealing with strep, but aside from that her health is great. The thyroid medicine is working well and she has actually (finally) gained a little much needed weight. She is all teenager now and it is "interesting" to say the least LOL. Dance is over for the year and she's thinking of doing gymnastics over the winter. She was here this weekend for the Christmas decorating and present wrapping and we had lots of fun - that girl LOVES to wrap presents (yeah me!!). She had to build a marble roller coaster with lots of specifics and she and Dan worked on it over Thanksgiving - cutting, grinding, welding, etc. It turned out really well and the teacher asked to keep it so she could show classes in the future. Emily scored two 100's!!

David is his usual pistol ball self. He still loves school, loves people, loves trains, cars, balls, etc. Just as active as ever. His soccer season is over and sadly he missed the team party because he had strep. He is much better now though, oh and so is his ear. We went to Children's last Monday for his final ear surgery check and doc was thrilled. The ear looks great on the inside and out and the 35db hearing loss is no more - his hearing was great!!! He is playing basketball this winter and practice for that starts this week.

Whew - I've got to get back into my update routine so these aren't so long and that will enable me to share the funny little day-to-day things that really make life worthwhile!!!

Being a soccer mom, literally... not sure that's a good thing!

How many jokes, cliches, stereotypes are there about soccer moms. Just hearing the phrase you get a picture in your head. It's really funny to me because I always had a certain picture of a soccer mom and I did not fit it. And the picture didn't always connotate a literal soccer mom just a type. Then I went to www.urbandictionary.com and looked up their definition of soccer mom and it is HORRIBLE. I, as we all do, know people EXACTLY like that.

But it's kind of scary because I do drive a SUV, my life does revolves around my kids, we are middle-class, I do like expensive coffee and my cell phone... The list goes on. But if you read some of the derogatory definitions I hope you will see which parts I don't agree with.

So you ask, what brought on all this talk of soccer? Well primarily because David played soccer for the first time this season on the 4 & 5 year-old team at his school. He had lots of fun and is looking forward to playing again in the spring. The sport is good for him because it's all about running around - non-stop!! Anyway, as I was scanning in his team picture this morning I started thinking about soccer moms, so here we are ;-)

Oh one little funny thing before I sign off. We are avid college football fans and I am often screaming at the TV say go baby go or something to that effect. I use the word baby loosely if I don't know the players name or can't see his number, etc. Well David always expresses mild interest in this and asks which one is your baby and I'll say all the boys in Blue or White (whether Auburn is home or away). So yesterday he and I were flipping channels after we came in from playing and I came across a U17 play-off game and asked him did he want to watch the big boys play soccer on TV. YES!!!! So we watch for a few minutes and then he starts yelling go baby go!! I am cracking up and trying to not let him see me laugh. Then he turns to me and said mom I'm just going to have 1 baby, not all of them. I said OK, which number is "your" baby and he said no number just the one in the yellow by himself, which was the ref LOL.

Well my scanner is being tempermental this morning so I'll add some pics later.

Halloween

We had a great Halloween here this year. The morning started out rainy and David's soccer game was cancelled, but the weather cleared and turned cool in time for all the festivities. We started our night at Flip's. My dad's GM Car Club always hosts a Halloween Cruise-In and we took pics, ate dinner and snagged some candy there. Dad has quite a collection of cars these days, but the Corvair was the one chosen for that night. Check out how cool Barbara decorated the car. Dan skipped Flip's this year and went on over to the Holliday's to help Bill get ready to scare the trick-or-treaters. Dan was a "monster" and Bill the TX chainsaw guy. They had tombstones, a coffin, dry ice, a fog machine, strobe lights, black lights and scary music. It was great. Me and the kids picked up the cousins at Flip's and brought them back to trick-or-treat with us. Kim & Jackie held down the fort, the men scared kids and me and Dianne followed the kids around the neighborhood. It was a really fun night. Oh - David was Batman, Emily a hippie, Hayden a gangster, Hope a go-go girl, Lauren a pumpkin, Heather a indian and Justin a doctor.

Pumpkin Carving

We had a really fun night a couple of weeks ago carving pumpkins. The Holliday's and Edward's came over and we ate homemade vegetable beef soup and mexican cornbread and pumpkin pie. The kids did a great job with their pumpkins. Hayden's is the fire scary face, Hope's the haunted house, Emily's the Boo, and David's (or rather Dan's LOL) is the scary pumpkin. We (I) also sorted out the the seeds and toasted them the next day while we watched football.