Family Traditions

I love good old fashioned traditions. Christmas traditions are my favorite and I am still trying to create new ones each year.

Our Christmas Eve is spent with Mema and Pa. We will go to Christmas Eve candlelight service which is probably my most favorite thing, open presents and spend the day with each other celebrating our Lord and Savior. When we get home there is still one more present to open before bed, that one gift that we all know is going to be new pajamas. Of course you can't forget to put out Santa's favorite cookies and chocolate milk and carrots for the reindeer.


I love to make a big breakfast on Christmas morning. My family calls it "country fried breakfast". Everyone can have whatever they want for breakfast that morning. Hopefully when we move closer to the family, they can come over to enjoy breakfast with us.

What are some of your traditions?

Christmas Festivities

Have you all been as busy as I am? I love all the Christmas time festivities!

Visiting family!

My own personal pilot :) How did I get so lucky?

Parties!

Ice skating!

My sister Jame and I


Levi not loving ice skating

Jamie and her fiance Craig

Santa!

Santa's helpers!

Christmas Caroling!

I am so ready for the main dish!

Christmas Break

Today is the last day of school for my children for 12 days!! That's not all--Today is my last day of work for 5 days!! Now, in the past, this would have been a very stressful situation. Not only did I have to figure out how I could possibly miss work, I had to figure out what to do with my children because the daycare would also be closed.

Anyone else have all the mixed emotions that school breaks bring?

It would always turn out that I would "have" to stay home half the time and would feel guilty for the childcare I found for the other half. I never did enjoy any of this so called vacation time.

Now, I not only get to stay home but I plan to enjoy it 100%! Life is so much better when you have someone else invested in you. I blame all of this excitement on my husband! For taking care of me and our family and giving me the opportunity to actually enjoy it all.

Feelings of Inadequacy

I was so excited to come home last night to my ornament exchange package!

When I opened it, there were so many wonderful gifts that I became a little overwhelmed at the thought that the package I sent in return may have been a little inadequate.

Jennifer at Perfectly Imperfect was my exchange partner. I have enjoyed reading her blog and learning about who she is. I feel like I know her and if I lived near her, we would be great friends!

I tried to get pictures of everything but Jennifer even sent a package of baseball cards each for the boys--they didn't give me much time to take a picture. They were just as excited as I was to see the package!

The ornaments are perfect! Two of them. A Texas snow globe and the letter A. (Pictures don't do these gifts justice, I had to use my cell phone--batteries are dead on the camera)

And if all that wasn't enough--She made a plaque with our name and married year on it! Jennifer made this herself! It is so beautiful! It fits perfectly in our home.

Her mom also made a scarf which I didn't get a picture of but is so pretty as well!

This was a wonderful experience for me and I am so glad I participated! Thank you Jennifer for all these gifts! I will treasure them forever and every year when I put the ornaments on the tree, I will remember you and your generosity to me and my family.

I mean come on, not just anyone would include something special for my banshees too!

Far Away for the Holidays

I just learned about the foundation Do1NiceThing from a fellow blogger Newlyweds.

This Week's Idea -- OPERATION YOU GO, GIRL. There isn't much time left, the deadline is Thursday, December 10th.

Helping make the holidays sweeter for female service members in Basra, Iraq.

Any of the following gifts would be greatly appreciated:
1. Moisturizers: Fragrant lotions, shampoos, soaps, loofah sponges, etc. (Small samples are great)2. Magazines (nothing sexy, please) Issues you've read are fine too.

3. Munchies: Cookies in the can, hard candy, microwave popcorn, nuts
Also, ground coffee. (Strong. No decaf.)

Homey holiday decorations: an ornament, scented candle, stockingLOVE: Cards, letters and children’s drawings are the best gifts of all.

No chocolate candy, please. The temperature in Basra is still in the high 70s.

Address:
Meyers, Aaron D.

34th ID, Fires Cell

APO AE 09374

Attn: HOL

SFC Meyers will make sure that our gifts are delivered directly to female service members.

MAILING DEADLINE: DEC. 10.

Mailing costs the same as inside the U.S. You will need to fill out a Customs form. We recommend using Priority Mail flat-rate boxes or "America Salutes You" flat-rate boxes, special for mailing to the military.

All this information came directly from the Do1NiceThing website. Go check it out for the complete Nice list.

Five Question "Black" Friday

Happy Black Friday!

It's Mama M's 5 Question Friday, the blog carnival that poses quirky, fun questions so we can get to know each other better!!

Questions for November 27th: (Thanks to Adrienne and Tyler for their question suggestions!!)

1. Do you do a real or fake Christmas tree? For the last several years I have sadly displayed a fake tree because it was easier for me. This year we are going out together as a family and getting a real one!! No more fake evergreen smell for this house--I can smell it already.

2. What is your favorite Christmas tradition with your family? I love the togetherness of Holidays. My favorite Christmas tradition has to be Christmas Eve story time.

3. Do you celebrate Thanksgiving in your neck of the woods? Oh yes, it is my favorite holiday--the only one that hasn't been commercialized. There isn't anything better than getting together with everyone you love-friends and family-and enjoying each other's company.

And, if so...how many calories do you think you consumed yesterday? I'm not sure but I know that football game shaved off some of them!

4. Have you started decorating for Christmas, yet? Started on Wednesday.

5. What is your favorite Christmas cookie? I'm more of a pie person.

I'm off to eat leftovers....

Those $70 Red Heels

Sydney was a stray puppy brought home on Halloween 2007 by the Mr. and I clearly remember the conversation we had over the phone before Sydney showed up.

Levi (on his way home): There is something we haven't talked about before that we need to talk about now.

Me (heading out with the boys for some old fashioned trick-or-treating): Really, this sounds important, do you want to talk about it now?


Levi: I know your feelings about having animals but what if I were to bring one home?

Me: Ummm.....

Levi: I would take care of her.....


Fast forward a few days or weeks, a month maybe. I'm really not sure how long it was because I tend to block horrible some things from my memory, although I do remember it was after she chewed up the bottom of the kitchen blinds!

This was worse than the blinds though, these were those red shoes I spent way too much money on.

These $70 red shoes were purchased on a trip to New York City. After spending way too long in Macy's and almost leaving sans shoes, Levi was a little upset so I clearly had to buy something. I left spending more on a pair of shoes than I have ever spent on shoes before and not feeling to good about it either.

After Sydney got a hold of them I tried to wear them, missing one heel and all, but it just didn't work out. I had to throw them out.

Sydney has chewed up more shoes than I care to think about but this by far was the most destructive thing she has done to me. I have yelled "she's out of here" a few times but from the words of Kaleb "mom doesn't mean that, she's just mad". We love our Sydney.

This post brought to you by Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop.

5 Question Friday

1. What is your favorite "eat" on Thanksgiving? Everything! I love to eat Thanksgiving food especially all the wonderful side dishes. Oh yeah, and the desserts are fabulous!

2. What is the name your best girl friend and the best trait about her or how you met (or heck, both!!) My sister Jamie and I met when we were going into the 8th grade and hated each other from the first minute. We were so different from each other and had lived different lives up to that point. Now she is my best friend on so many levels.

3. What would you say is one of your "weirdest" quirks? I'm not sure OCD is a quirk.?.

4. What is your favorite genre of music? (Hip hop? Classical? Rock? etc.) Definitely depends on my mood but most often I listen to country, christian and hip hop / pop.

5. Are you a Night Owl...or an Early Bird? I'm really not one more than the other. If I have things to do I will get up bright and early with the sunshine but if we have night plans I can stay out and party with the best of them. Most nights though I am in bed by 10:00.

This Blog Hop Brought to you by Mama M. Head on over and link yourself up and if you don't have a blog just answer the questions in the comments.

Ornament Exchange

Co-Hosted by Deals, Steals & Heels and Mrs. Southern Belle to get you in the Christmas spirit!

There are two categories--The crafty type or the shopaholic. They will be taking entries, then pairing everyone up with a similar person to be mailed by December 1st.

Hurry over to sign up, deadline to enter is November 15th!!!!

DIY Award Winning Duck Costume

This is Kaleb on Halloween 2001 in his award winning duck costume.

And just for grins this is him pouting-- he had a long night and couldn't stand it any longer.

I started out with a glue gun, a yellow sleeper, hat, white boa, and some orange, black and white felt.

I first glued the orange felt over the feet of the sleeper and white felt on the tummy.

Then glue strands of the boa around the ankles, wrists, and neck and bunched up for the tail.

Next, take the hat and glue orange felt on the bill. Make eyes with the black and white felt. Then cover the entire hat with boa feathers.

Prize Winning Duck

When Kaleb was 2 I decided to make his Halloween costume and it was a hit. He was a duck complete with feathers. I paraded his cuteness around town and to this day I wish I had that evening on video. I will hunt our picture collection and scan the pictures I know I have buried in a photo album of his "winning" costume and post them here next week. You will have to stop by for a look--I'll try to post instructions too.

I say winning because we randomly went to Wal-Mart that night and they just so happened to be having a costume contest, which we were persuaded into entering. We won 1st place!! I think we were given a gift card and some other goodies.

We had such a fun time and Kaleb really played the part of the quacking duck.

This post was inspired by prompt #5 at Mama's Losin It.

Wordless Wednesday

Help Kaden Choose His Costume

Look over there →

We have added a poll to help us choose Kaden's costume this year.

Between scooping up clearance costumes after Halloween and sorting through his big brothers hand me downs, Kaden has quite the assortment to choose from. A few that he will only be able to wear this year before he completely outgrows them.

Kaleb had his costume picked out about a month ago, he wants to be on the Cardinals baseball team. It's a shame they didn't make it to the world series. Go Red Birds!!

Wordless Wednesday

Under the Big Top

Fun was had by all at the circus this past week. We "upgraded" to ring side seats and at first I thought it was a waste of money but then I realized by sitting ring side we didn't have to see the twenty or so workers peddling food and $12 swords and stale popcorn......you get the picture. So the extra $$ we spent to sit ring side actually saved us money--we watched the show without the disruption.

The boys loved the clowns. Kaden laughed and laughed all night at those silly clowns.

I remember the elephants being my favorite part when I was a kid. They boys enjoyed taking a ride around on one under the big top.

Dumpster Diving

This is how I spent my Sunday morning. This really isn't me and I didn't actually get in the dumpster but I would have if it weren't surrounded by bees! Why you ask, well because Saturday morning I lost my phone during our morning at the soccer fields. Today I still have not found my phone and I am pretty sure I threw it out with the half eaten apple and juice box that the little Mr. Kaden couldn't possibly hold because his hands were freezing!

I have searched everywhere with no luck--I am going to have to break down and buy a new phone. On the bright side I will get the phone that I really want. Hey, if you have to spend that much money on something might as well get the one you want, right!?!

Writer's Workshop

This week's theme over at Mama's Losin' It was all about moms and what it was like growing up.


I really wish I could have had the chance to interview my grandmother before she passed away--she was the woman who raised me. I remember every year at school for Mother's Day we would celebrate by making cards and homemade bouquets. I always made them for my Grandma who proudly displayed them all over her home. Although we moved around A LOT all over Las Vegas during my childhood, my Grandmother's was the one constant place we had to go to.

I have become friends with my birth mother and have developed a strong friendship with her and now I am looking forward to building a strong relationship with my mother-in-law. So I decided to interview her on motherhood.

"Motherhood changed me by having a child to focus on and they do become your life. You would do anything for them.

Can't say I have a favorite age, every stage of Levi's life was special and I wouldn't have missed any of it.

I do miss having him in the house. It was hard when he went to college, but I love it when I have my grandkids come visit and fill the void.

The most difficult time was when he got hurt in any way. I would have traded places with him in a heartbeat.

The most rewarding part was just having Levi, he continues to bring so much joy to our lives along with his new family."

She is a fabulous lady and my father-in-law is pretty awesome too!

My Nephew is on His Way

My sister might be going into labor right now!!! I am supposed to be with her except she is 3 hours away in Kansas City.

I was there for the birth of my niece three years ago and I want to be there again for my nephew's birth. I was honored that my sister wanted me in the delivery room with her. I raced to KC to be with her knowing that a crazy snow storm was brewing. Not only was it a crazy snow storm, it was one of the worst. I stayed a day later than planned to wait it out but ended up sitting on I-70 for 7 hours anyway. What normally would have been a 3 hour trip ended being 12 hours!! My phone battery had died. It was cold and dark and Levi was driving up and down the Hwy looking for me and we had only been dating 6 months. Who does that? My amazing boyfriend now husband! I was not about to let this one get away!


This is the first picture of my niece--November 30, 2006.















This is a video I found on Kelly's Korner and had to share it.




Edited to Add: False alarm. Is it selfish to say I'm glad because now I have a better chance of being there.?.

I'm The Day 30 Winner!!

Happy Friday to me!

I won my first giveaway--on the last day of this awesome 30 day giveaway at Lauren Nicole Gifts.

I am so excited to have won this typewriter charm from her site--I feel a little guilty having just received the wax seal necklace as a gift from my mother-in-law for my birthday. I will have to think of who would love to have this and give it as a gift to someone else. Is that OK?

~Bliss~

The one birthday for me was not 16 or 21 but 30.

I looked at women who were 30 and it seemed they had it together, they had bliss. My 30th has come and my expectations have been exceeded. I am living that bliss right now. I am more at peace and happier than I have ever been before.

I have my husband, the one man meant for me. God put us in each others lives at the perfect time. He knows how to "handle" all of my insecurities. He can put a smile on my face even when I am trying to start a fight mad at him. He loves me with everything he has and he shows me everyday.

My children are healthy and happy (most of the time). I have good friends in my life who enjoy my company for who I am. I found the courage through God, to rid my life of the "friends" who were hurting me and I am better for it.

My "new" family is wonderful and supportive, I couldn't have asked for better.

I am 30 now and I have found my bliss!


This post was inspired by Mama Kat, head on over to find out how others found their bliss.

One Step Closer

It's no secret that times in the real estate business are tough these days. The office I work in has been holding on by a thread and it's only just starting to show signs of improvement and at a very slow pace.

The people I work for are amazing and care very much about me as I do them--We are more like family. So I know it was hard for them to cut my hours about 2 weeks ago but I have to admit I am loooovvvving it!!! I now leave work in time to pick up my boys from school when before I worked until 5:00 everyday. Those 2 extra hours added to my day are the best!

I enjoy the extra time spent on the playground after school visiting with other moms and watching our children play with each other and look for turtles :).

Sitting and doing homework while having an after school snack.

Going home to make dinner without the pressure of having it on the table in less than 10 minutes because if I don't everyone will "just die of starvation".

It's only 2 extra hours a day, but it means so much more than that--I am closer to being the stay at home mom I dream about.

One Last Farewell to Summer

We live on the lake but really aren't boaters. But, with the wonderful weather we had this weekend, we couldn't pass up the invite of one more day on the water with good friends. It was beautiful and the weather was perfect!

A New Host for My Wishlist

Happy Birthday to Me!! I don't usually post about giveaways but I made an exception about a month ago here because I really wanted this wax seal necklace with stamp from Lauren Nicole Gifts.

I didn't win it, however my wonderful mother-in-law took notice and got it for me for my birthday--yay for me! Not only is the necklace beautiful, but the Mr. and I have the same initials so the stamp can be used on all of our mail plus!

Here I am in all my excitement

And the goods

Note to the Mr. who sometimes reads our blog: For ideas on presents for the Mrs., check back frequently.

Soccer All-Stars

Kaleb going in for the kill