The Holidays

Well...Thanksgiving (the holiday) is now over but I am forever thankful for the wonderful family I have! This year was our first Thanksgiving in ouir new home and our first time to host Thanksgiving. My mom's side of the family all came and it was wonderful! We all got caught up with each other, the kids played, and some of us watched some football. And the food... can't forget that! I think most of us ate a lot! I have cousins that are quite a bit younger than me, even some that are very close to the age of my own children. It was so great to see my boys playing with and having such a good time with them. I have to say, the kids in our family our the best around! I don't know many teenage boys that would be so willing (and enjoy themselves) while entertaining a 5 year old. Nelson was on top of the world! The day was really wonderful. I was stressed a little bit before hand, worried how it would go but it was really a relaxed day! Everything went smoothly, as far as I know not a single person was bored, the food was good...I think everyone felt comfortable. It created a wonderful memory for me that when I think about it, makes me feel all warm & fuzzy! :)

Friday we went to Memaw Dailey's Thanksgiving (my MIL Gale's side of the family). It was nice too.. more great food, visiting with cousins that we don't see often (we live so close so we should get together with them more often!!), and played dominoes... a staple at the family gatherings! The boys got to run around like crazy and be rowdy with their cousins. On that side of the family i t's mostly little boys so you can imagine how rowdy they get! It was lots of fun!

Saturday we went to my Grandmother's in Louisiana (my dad's side). We celebrated my dad's 55th birthday with a fish fry. It was nice to see all of them too. My aunt Tammi & Glen have two little ones that Nelson and Henry got to play with... I wish they lived closer so they could really grow up together! Although, Henry & little Josiah are so much alike they did butt heads a few times! My little sister, Shay, & brother Nathan were there too.

All in all it was a great holiday weekend! I am glad things are settled and quiet now though.

But... it won't be that way for long. Tomorrow is day one of Christmas shopping and we need to get the little tree up in the toy room for the boys to decorate AND we need to go buy a real tree for the living room. The day after Christmas I'll go shopping for a fake tree at a discount, and new decorations, and outside lights. I can't wait to have lights on the house!! James is going to do some this year but we don't have a lot and I dont want to spend the money on it right now. Don't be surprised if in a couple years our house looks like the Chevy Chase Christmas.. ha ha ha!

Let's see.. I'm sure there is more I can ramble on...... Oh yes! I REALLY want a wood burning fireplace or stove. James wants to do a gas one but yeah, I prefer wood. Here is the fireplace I like http://www.napoleonfireplaces.com/Webshare/wood/wood%20fireplaces/nz6000.html Not very likely that we'd get it but it is sooo pretty! The wood burning stove I like is here http://www.napoleonfireplaces.com/Webshare/wood/wood%20stoves/1600c.html But I prefer it in the traditional black instead of that shiny stuff! What do you think? I can def. picture the stove in my house since it's sooo old!

Well, I better go. Talk to ya later!

Nelson Lost His First Tooth!!!

We've been waiting for Nelson's to lose his first tooth. He has had one that was just tiny bit loose for so long and the last couple of days it got really loose! He wanted so bad for us to tie a string around it and the door and slam it to get it out. James was home tonight so we tried that but every time the string slid off the tooth. Finally we talked him into letting James just pull it out with his fingers. It was so cute... I could hardly look though because this kind of stuff freaks me out... I've always been scared of loosing teeth. Anyway, Brave Nelson stood there while James wiggled it back and forth and *pop* out it came! Nelson didn't realize it at first and looked really surprised then worried and then cried a little when he saw the blood. James had him swish salt water in his mouth which he thought was very cool! Then we had to make our phone calls. Mema and Gramps, Nina & Pops, Nini & Papa, Mimi & Papa, Papaw & Shaylynn, John & Kristin. It started out as "Dad pulled my tooth" then to "yanked my tooth" then "jerked my tooth" and finally "Dad RIPPED my tooth right outa my mouth!". So funny how the story grew and grew. He got a certificate for losing his tooth that we put under the pillow with the tooth so the tooth fairy will know to stop here since it's never been here before (James idea!) and we sang the "Loose Tooth Song". We had a fun evening! Here are a couple of pictures of Mr. Snaggle-tooth. I'd have more but I left my camera at Mom's and I had to use my cell phone... ENJOY!

Good News & Bad

So today was my first official Scentsy party and it went surprisingly well. I'm very pleased with the outcome. But.... On my way home from said party, I stopped at a friends to pick up my boys. We then went on to the gas station and then on our way home. At about 9:30p.m. I was almost to beer store city and I saw a large Doe approaching the road. I put on my breaks but still managed to hit the deer. Apparently it ran off but not before tearing my van up!! It scared the crap out of me! Nelson was scared and crying, my knees were weak and Henry was yelling "Big deer! Big Deer!" Much of my bumper was hanging off and I couldn't pull it the rest of the way off so I could drive home so James left work at the fire department to come rescue us. I had my hazard lights on so he could see me but after the SIXTH person pulled over to help me I decided to turn them off. I was surprised at how many people were so helpful at that time of night bu I was also afraid... after all, I was near the only beer stores for miles and close to the lake and...well, you never know what kind of person you'll run into there. A couple guys in a pick up truck stopped to see how we were and as soon as they realized it was a deer and not a car that I hit they wanted to know which way the deer went. I wasn't sure but I pointed in some direction anyway and these rednecks went looking for it!!! They drove up and down the ditch for a good ten minutes looking. A few minutes later an office pulled up... a passerby had called in... and then James arrived. Five seconds later an ambulance was driving by and just happened to be James supervisor from his other job. They helped him pull the rest of the bumper off and check it out to make sure I could drive it home. While this was going on, a wrecker pulled up and some "first responders". Wow did it get blown out of proportion!! Anyway....James followed me home so now I get an ugly van to drive and have to deal with insurance now! Hooray! Did I mention how ticked I am about the fact that I have only had THIS van for about a year and a half??!! I got this van to replace the one that was totaled by a drunk driver. What's the deal?? Do I have "I like wrecks" painted on my auto somewhere??

Well... if you know me you know I can't do anything without taking pictures so here you go:

Fun Weekend

We had a good time this weekend! Friday night we broke down and bought a tv & surround sound system for the living room... FUN!! We have now turned into movie watching bums! Ha ha!

Saturday we went to the Shrine Circus in Ft Worth with my dad, sis, and some cousins. It was fun! The boys loved it.

Sunday my dad and sister came over and we just watched movies (see we're bums!). Later Eric came over with his Playstation and he and James played some game where you shoot people while the boys watched Transformers. Then.... we all played Guitar Hero.. now that was fun!

Nelson earned a reward for selling so much cookie dough in October. They had a "megabash" at school then for lunch he got to ride in a limo to Sonic. He thought he was SOOOO cool! He had to get all dressed up and have his hair spiked just right this morning...too cute. When I got to school to take pics of everything he was a mess! Apparently he got wild at the party! Ha ha!

Here are three slide shows for your viewing pleasure!