Great News!

I really wanted to put this post off so I could tell my bunko girls in person, but I can't wait anymore!! Since most of you read my blog, I figured this would be a great way to surprise everyone......yep......I'm PREGNANT!!! We are super excited. I'm only 5 weeks, so I still have a long journey. Please pray for our new baby's growth and for a healthy pregnancy. Love you all!

Vicks VapoRub

I know many of you know about this, but for those who don't...........If you or your child have a cough, put a thick layer of Vicks on the bottom of your feet -- then put socks on. Sleep like this and you will have a cough free night. I tried it on Landon for the first time last night. It works!

10 Years!!

Happy 10 year Anniversary BJ. I love you more than the day I married you. You are a wonderful man, husband, and father. I'm proud to be your wife. xxxxxxxxxxx

Christmas Bunko!!

Merry Christmas to bunko!! ............thank you Kelly for our beautiful bunko sign from Canton. We love it. (notice bunko is spelled with a "k"???!!)
And thank you Alice for my beautiful Christmas plaque. I really needed something next to my front door and this goes perfect :) I love it!!!!! (We did a Chinese gift exchange) What a great time with friends. xoxo

Gum Drop Garland

Have you ever made gum drop garland?? If not, DON'T! I thought it would be so easy........the line gets so "gummed up" and the line easily cuts through the drop that you have to ever so easily pull the drop down the line perfectly straight. Too funny -- some how I signed myself up to do this for our MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) table decorations. Just warning you in case you get suckered in to doing it :)

Cookie Exchange 2008

My baking day started out good....parchment paper and candy canes. However, the cookies I planned ended up like this... The thought went through my head -- no more cookie parties for me!! Alright, I can handle this...lets go to plan B. What is plan B? Luckily I dug up a receipe someone had given me...Spiced Apple Cookies. Not the best, but they will do. I'm all set and on my merry way.

When I arrived all these wonderful decorations were waiting for everyone! The party was an absolute hit! Great cookies, beautiful placemats, bags (notice the ornament on the bag), and new receipes for all! Can't wait for next year!! xoxoox

Nativity

I had to show off BJ's work. He got a templete to make this manger scene. He did a great job!!

SNOW

What a great day it was........Landon took pictures with Santa then low and behold....it was snowing when we were leaving! I wish I had a better picture. Tonight leaving church the cars were covered. Yea! A white Christmas :)

Christmas Ornament of the Year!

My mom was a hero when she brought Landon a new ornament for the tree. Can you tell what it is??? THOMAS THE TRAIN as Landon would say. My goodness.....moms will this obsession ever go away??!!??

Traditions

Two great ideas to make as traditions each Christmas...

1. Have your family do a birthday cake/birthday party for Jesus

2. Do only 3 gifts for each of your children on Christmas, representing the 3 gifts Jesus received from the Wisemen (you are taking the emphasis off gifts and putting it on the story of Jesus)

P.S. a cute story I heard recently was a mom telling a story of her 3 year old daughter asking "why do we get gifts at Christmas when it is Jesus' birthday and not ours?" The mom didn't really have a good answer (yikes). A while later the little girl came running down the hall saying, "I know why we get presents........they are our party favors at Jesus' birthday!"

Hodge Podge Soup

This is a tribute to Mimi.....when we lived with her 2 years ago (in between selling our house and moving to Madisonville) she gave me this receipe. I love it!!

1 lb. beef/turkey
2 cans Minestrone soup
1 can rotel
1 can corn (don't drain)
1 can pork & beans
1 pack of cornbread

*make corn bread as instructed on box
*brown beef
*mix all ingredients (except bread) in pot and heat through
*add cornbread on top.......easy and yummy.......winter welcome (no pun intended)!!

Christmas Time!

I know it is not even December 1st, but with the hustle and bustle of the season (and only 4 weeks until Christmas) -- decorations have to go up early in my house!
I LOVE my tree each year (I especially love the pine cones and berries)......
Some of my favorite ornaments....



My new Christmas decor addition...

And my very favorite....my stockings with our names newly stitched on the front :)
HO! HO! HO! and Merry Christmas!!!

Here and Gone

Perfect bird, perfect time, perfect love..........but here and gone! How do the holidays fly by so quickly!!?? Thanksgiving is already over. We had a wonderful time. Poor Denise was sick and BJ and Jeremy missed the festivities due to work. Other than missing bodies all went well :) "Buckeye Bars" is the name. This dessert came from the December issue of Kraft Magazine.......these were super good!!!!!

And as always......lots of cousin time!! ALSO, (picture not shown) my brother flew in from Oklahoma to share the time with us. What a great Thanksgiving!!

For my working, weary friends....

The Lord is my real boss, and I shall not want.
He gives me peace when chaos is all around me.
He gently reminds me to pray and do all things without murmuring and complaining.
He reminds me that He is my source and not my job.
He restores my sanity every day and guides my decisions that I might honor Him in all that I do.
Even though I face absurd amounts of e-mails, system crashes, unrealistic deadlines, budget cutbacks, gossiping co-workers, discriminating supervisors and an aging body that doesn’t cooperate every morning, I still will not stop for He is with me!
His presence, His peace, and His power will see me through.
He raises me up , even when they fail to promote me.
He claims me as His own, even when the company threatens to let me go.
His faithfulness and love is better than any bonus check.
His retirement plan beats any 401k there is!
When it’s all said and done, I’ll be working for Him a whole lot longer and for that, I BLESS HIS NAME!!!!!

Thanksgiving Art

Gotta love Thanksgiving Art!! I love having new kid art on my fridge each month. Here are a couple from Landon's Sunday School class.

Thankful Day

I am thankful for salvation, God's love, my husband, my son, family, my health, and my friends.

Happy Early Turkey Day....I'm making green bean casserole, 2 desserts, and mashed potatoes. I have two families to be with and lots of eating. It's a week away, but can you tell I'm ready!!??

What a trooper -- oh, I mean....what a fireman!

I have to brag on my husband. My co-teacher at the pre-school I help at asked if BJ would come talk to our 4 year olds about community helpers, specifically firemen. I thought, um.......not sure if that's exactly on BJ's list of "things to do before I die" so I told her I would ask. Thinking he'd say "no thanks" I reluctantly asked and...he totally said yes. He did great which shouldn't surprise me -- he's good with kids. The kids loved him (except the ones that were scared of the big fire suit) and he taught them lots of great fire safety. Thanks hon!

Hodge Podge Post

So I'm going to incorporate all my new "doings" in one post even though they don't go together.........

Landon's friend, Ava, came to play today. I love when Landon has friends to play with. They were so cute taking turns with everything. It's kind of easy when you have 2 the same age to entertain each other!
Next............Look at our newly painted walls! We painted a soft green in the family room and a tan in the front room. I know girls...I was going to be brave and do terracotta and gold/yellow, but we purchased those paints and they looked like ORANGE and primary YELLOW -- YUCK! Forget being brave, we went neutral and soft :) I likie! P.S. I did not paint one lick! My wonderful husband will not allow me to pick up a paint brush because he knows the job I will do (bad!) -- he did all the work xxxxx
After MUCH painting.....dad and Landon decided to view our newly purchased "Polar Express" (you must have this movie for Christmas!) in 3D........wow -- fun!

Tired

(Picture courtesy of Robin) Y'all, I am so tired!! This week has been too busy.....I feel like I can't keep up......so for all you worried about me......I'm here, just POOPED! Nothing exciting to report, just visiting friends, church stuff, and keeping busy....I haven't gotten on the computer in 2 or 3 days! xooxxo

Halloween

(forgive the picture -- I just realized there is a huge kid finger print on the lense :P)

Oh my goodness.....we had the cutest and most fun night! My mom brought my niece, Kenley, over to trick-or-treat and then go to the Fall Festival at church (Kenley is Sharpe from High School Musical). Well....we never made it to church because our neighborhood was so active and fun! Before we knew it it was 8pm! Our neighbors took us on a hay ride and we stopped to trick-or-treat along the way. Landon has enough candy for a year! I have never seen so many kids on a given night! People had their chimnea fire pits out and everyone was socializing. What fun neighbors!

Mommy Ideas

(Picture is from last year at this time -- hideous, I know :P)

Just wanted to give you a couple cute ideas I learned from an ADORABLE speaker we had at MOPS (Mother's of Preschoolers) a few weeks ago......

*put stickers on bananas -- it's fun!
*let your kids use shaving cream in the bath tub -- way fun!
*read books backwards -- kids think it's hilariously fun!
*make a conversation jar for the dinner table -- parents will find this fun!
*make your own instruments and put on a concert -- loud and fun!!
*lay on a blanket in the backyard and star gaze -- lovingly fun!

That's it for now.....stay tuned for more......

The Houston Zoo

Perfect weather, perfect company (my hubby and son), perfect sun, perfect day.....God is so good. We had a wonderful day at the zoo. We saw all the animals (they were ALL out!!), rode the carousel, AND the train!! Too fun!

Go Brandon!

What a blast from the past.....Spring High School homecoming football game!!

I had the honor of seeing my first nephew (he is first of 10 grandchildren on my side) be presented as Homecoming Sophmore Duke!! He's a super great kid. He makes straight A's and plays on the Varsity baseball team. He was escorted by my sister Lezli.

Go Brandon!
(you would think with stadium lights this wouldn't have turned out so dark!!)

Swing Set

My wonderful husband finished Landon's swing set yesterday. As many of you know, Landon has had an 'A' frame swing set literally with only 2 swings for 2 years. Now he has a slide!!! BJ did a great job. I look forward to MANY cool days in the backyard now that he has a slide :)