My Christmas

Well I have to admit this was the most prepared Christmas I've ever had. I didn't shop any on Christmas Eve and that's a first. I actually enjoy Christmas shopping so it's never been a big deal for me. I love having this time with my family and we did alot of family type things...I do however regret not being close to family b/c we don't have "family gatherings" to go to. Rick's family celebrates Christmas in January or even later sometimes b/c of scheduling conflicts. My mom did come up to watch the kids in The Festival of the King and it was amazing BTW (that's another post) We had Christmas while she was here and she cooked enchiladas, rice, beans, tacos...it was wonderful! I was kinda over the whole traditional meals. I think the kids had a wonderful Christmas here are some pics from the last few days.

Ok so the kids got texting for Christmas and Justin who said he didn't even want texting is using it almost as much as Adrienne. Ok so my dad used to always make me take a pic in front of the tree with our outfits that we got for Christmas so I made my kids do the same thing. LOL They loved it...can you tell? Adrienne went to a friends so I haven't got her yet. Bren didn't really get any clothes but his Mario PJ's as you can see in Jere's pic. Oh yea we got a Wii FINALLY! My kids love it...not to mention Rick and I love it too! We are sore from playing so much. Here Adrienne and Jere are playing Wii golf. Pay no attention to my living room this was Christmas morning.
Bren got his portable DVD player and he's so happy he doesn't want to watch movies on our actual TV anymore. He's so funny. Oh and there are those Mario PJ's again...he wore them for 2 days straight we had to make him take them off and shower last night before bed. He was going to shower and put them back on! LOL He was so glad Santa gave them to him and we were too!

Enjoying this while I still can.

Well Bren was in a good mood last night and actually didn't mind getting his pic made. I was so shocked when I asked him to sit by the tree and he said Yes Maam. He is getting so big and I know I wont have pics like this anymore. He is my Lil Love Bug even though sometimes he's more like a pest. I wouldn't have him any other way. That's Super Boo Jr Bren doesn't go very far without him. If you look closely you will see Super Boo Jr's uniform needs washing...again. I know I have so many things to blog but I just wanted to share this with yall.

My quote of the day! :D

Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it!

This is awesome..don't know who said it but they were obviously very wise.

Psalm 33:22, NLT

"Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone."

God works in mysterious ways!

I guess being trapped in my house was just what we needed to get the Christmas season really started in our house. Yesterday freezing rain started in NE Arkansas and the schools let out at 1. Rick actually went and picked up the kids at 12 to beat the rush....yep him and everyone else LOL! We ran to Wal Mart real quick and picked up our favorite snack foods (shrimp, rotel, lil smokies, summer sausage, cheese and varietys of crackers) and munched out the rest of the night. We played games and watched movies. We also picked up Disney Scene It 2nd edition. Fun game for Disney fans!

Everyone piled around the chair during game time for a quick pic...yep we are all in our jammies.

Bren and Adrienne skatin in the driveway next door. That white stuff on the roads that looks alot like snow...is not it's ICE a nice 2 inch layer of ice. Oh yeah Adrienne is wearing several layers so no she's not outside in her PJ bottoms only.

This 1 of Rick's fave Christmas foods. His mom makes these for her kids every year. They all love them! Its not actually a cookie though. It's 2 Ritz's crackers with PB in them dipped in white chocolate. Rick's mom puts a M&M on top but I didn't have any of those I drizzled milk chocolate on top. Rick said they were great and I'm sure he will eat most of them. I dont really like them but I enjoyed making them with my husband. Adrienne, Bren and I made chocolate covered pretzels as well but they were all eaten LOL. My kids LOVED THEM. The kids are out of school tomorrow as well but I'm pretty sure it will start thawing once the sun comes up. I hope to get out and get some stuff done. I am thankful for being able to stop and enjoy my family and just relax ...God always knows our needs!

My handsome man

Well today was Jere's Christmas concert for the band. I was amazed at how grown he looked in his tux. In this pic he didn't have his tie on b/c he missed fittings b/c of a doc appt.(those pesky shots) I also wanted to show I actually got a tree up! YAY me. The kids decorated it! I think Rick may have put the star on top and that's really all we did. Well I hung Amelia's Cinderella ornament and my Angel Bear ornament,...basically the ones that are very special to me. You can notice Bren's train for the first five Christmases. Jere arranged it like it was driving up the tree. I thought it was pretty cute. The angels that are on the floor have got to go they are creeping everyone out! LOL Adrienne wont even keep her porcelain dolls out. Well this blog is kinda all over the place I have much much more to post...later. Right now, I'm gonna go to bed and enjoy some peace and quiet b/c there has been little of that this weekend!

Patience

Ok so this is a very sensitive subject for me b/c I have very little of it. Well God informed me this morning that I need to be a lil more like my Mammy and a little less like my Momma. Mammy didn't cry over spilt milk ...what's done was done. Well my husband and I went to lunch today and he said oh I just wanted to say you might wanna consider a little more patience with the kids I've noticed you've been more stressed with them lately. It almost made me cry but it really made me laugh b/c God knows me that well. Its funny my little "nugget" came in the bathroom when I couldn't find the T.P. I automatically assumed well when the boys were getting in the shower they got the T.P. wet. I was immediately angered and thats when God was like how many times have you done the same thing or worse! It's not a big deal. I instantly thought back to the time I wrecked my Mammy's truck. She was not mad she didn't make a big deal about it she was just thankful noone was hurt. She didn't even tell my dad. My kids are learning how to deal with life from Rick and I. I don't want them to be impatient stressed out adults. So pray for me as I try to be more patient. I didn't say pray for patience...let me clarify. DON'T PRAY FOR ME TO HAVE PATIENCE!!! Please and thank you! :D

Basketball

My daughter made the "A" team this year in basketball. I've noticed that she isn't playing to the potential that we have known her to play. I have found myself getting frustrated with her b/c she isn't doing what I know she is capable of doing. She is scared she is going to mess up and I think who cares if she messes up if she's giving it her best. I realized tonight after giving her my speech this is what God wants from us. Of course we are going to mess up. Maybe we don't have any friends on our "team" but he still wants us to go out there and try our best. I haven't been giving my best lately I've been wallowing in self pity wondering why people don't like me. I should be glad I'm in the game and I already know my team is going to win. I know that even if I fail my God is going to prevail. I have got to keep picking myself back up and staying in the game. I have the greatest ministry serving people and being able to love on youth and witness to preschoolers. I get to teach 4-6 year olds about Jesus! I get to listen to the problems of our youth and understand them better and be able to witness to them about Christ. I am so blessed to be able to serve and coordinate meals for people in the cast of this AMAZING production we have coming up. ...very soon I might add. Not to mention I have a husband who is pouring his heart into the children's church. I have children who are plugged in to soo many aspects of our church. I am so blessed with all of that. This game that we are playing will end and I will have Eternal Life in Heaven with all those who went before me.

Life in the Delta

So we went to the Delta for Thanksgiving and as we were driving to Amelia's gravesite we went the backroads and I snapped a pic of this apartment. This is the first place I remember living. I don't recall it looking so small. I almost stopped and asked if I could go inside. That lil bush well that was the bush my mom pulled switches for us. I played in that ditch all the time. Across the road was my Uncle Joes big "haunted" house. I wish I would have snapped a pic of that. I don't remember that pine tree I think it was planted in the last 20 years. Also the bare tree...it was much much smaller. Oh this is just the back side of the apt. Alot of good memories in that house and several not so good as well. I miss it but I really don't want to go back.

This is Parks Elementary where I attended from 1st grade to 6th. Actually we moved to Alabama during Christmas break of my 6th grade year. I loved this school and actually have mostly wonderful memories here. Its always fun for me to go the backroads in Cleveland and see all the same things. Life was different then...some ways better some...not so much.