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Just an update on the stuff Jynx has been up to around here...
Yesterday, being Chaz's birthday, he blocked his bedroom door with streamers..and sat on the door knob and waited to see him bust through it..lol
and then this morning, he decided to take a ride on a horse...on top of our armoire!
hee hee..that is it..
Goodness gracious..lol..time just FLIES! I can still remember bringing him home from Kansas like it was yesterday...and now look, he's getting all big and stuff :)
We had a little party with the family on Sunday..while sitting in church, my mind was wandering..I was making a grocery list of all the fattening snacks we could stop at Publix and buy for his party..lol..man, they were good!
(I realize that cake looks girly but in ice cream cakes, there aren't many choices)
That boy can blow out some candles faster than anyone I know...
We love you boy...even if all you talk about is football and baseball stats...this picture is so you :)
We really are so blessed to have such a wonderful son...funny, smart, sweet, loveable, LOUD, healthy...fastest runner (his claim) in all of the third grade..well, actually make that the fastest white boy, according to him..hahahhaa...
Happy Birthday Chaz!
The Friday night after Thanksgiving, we decided to adopt an Elf on the Shelf to add to our family..When I first mentioned the idea to Bailey a few weeks back, she said she was scared of elves and didn't want one..lol..but she saw a friend's elf on Facebook and decided she wanted one..and she was NOT giving up until we got one THAT night..grrr..so we loaded up and went to Books a Million and picked one out...it worked out well because the new Elf on the Shelf movie came on that night too...
We all decided on the name Jynx (sort of short for hijinks) and he lives on our mantel during the day...
and looks all cute and innocent...but at night...oh, at night, he gets into some mischief...
The first night he rolled the kid's/guest bathroom..toilet paper EVERYWHERE...
and he was at the top of the shower curtain..it looked like he had used the toilet paper to climb up there..
Chaz was wanting to sit down right then and write a note to Santa that THEY had not done that..the Elf had! lol...
and then last night, oh my!
He got into the kid's leftover Halloween candy! all over the table! Candy everywhere..half eaten suckers, pixie stick sugar all over the table, nerds, Smarties..it was a mess...and the kids weren't so happy about it..lol (but I was..I'm ready for that junk to be GONE..way to go Jynx!)...
Who knows what he may do tonight, especially seeing as how Chaz's birthday is tomorrow ;)
Figures we ended up with a very mischievous Elf...sort of like our puppy.. :)
We did..it's a lot of work hosting at your house, isn't it? Brad and I were tired before everyone even got there..lol
I tried my hand at some floral design..lol.. I always find myself stressing over centerpieces for some reason? The store had a not so good selection of flowers the day before, so I went with orange roses..I got that container at an estate sale for $3..it's perfect for a low centerpiece..turned out pretty good..
and for the "kid's table", I ran out of the roses, so found some fake leaves that I had and made this..lol..got that container at a thrift store for a few bucks too..
Brad bought a smoker to cook the turkey in..he was a little nervous about it being his first time "smoking" anything..and we had no back up plan..lol..but it was awesome! and it looked very pretty on my vintage transferware turkey platter :)
I wish we could all fit at one table, but we can't..so Aunt Cici and Uncle David always choose to sit at the "kid's table"..lol
For some reason, I only took pictures of the men?
and poor Ace had to eat out of the garbage..lol..yeah, right..he just got busted!
Thankful for this little family of mine :)
Now, let's get this Christmas thing started!
I hope your holiday is full of awesome kid turkey art like mine :)
Got the house all cleaned, turkey smoker bought, heading out to get some flowers for the two tables, dragging the Christmas village out to set up tonight, Christmas music playing on Pandora...
Life is good! We have so much to be thankful for! Have a warm and fuzzy holiday :)
I may be a bit absent around here...kids are out of school, I'm buried in photo session editing, we're having Thanksgiving at our house which involves some cleaning and cooking...etc etc...be back soon :) I have several layouts to share from my retreat weekend, there are many family photo sessions I will eventually post on my photography blog (I tend to post more on Facebook now because most everyone is on there...instant gratification), and I will have pictures from Thanksgiving...we are also planning on attempting our OWN Christmas card photo on Friday..I wouldn't be that worried about it b/c my kids know what to do to get it done with the self timer, but we're going to try to include Ace this year..my neighbor Jason has volunteered to come over and squeak a toy or something, so we'll see..pray for me..lol
lol..that's a lame title, isn't it?
We had Chaz's 9th birthday party this past Saturday at Urban Jungle..I had never been there, but Chaz went to a party there earlier in the year and declared it "the best party ever"...so I sucked it up and paid the price for him to have his party there..we usually do home parties... His birthday isn't until the 29th, but we always do his friend party early due to the Thanksgiving holidays...I have to say it's nice not to have boys tearing through your house..and nothing to clean up...
I know I was annoying our "party hostess" a bit, but I was determined to get a picture of them all suited up in their laser tag gear..turned out pretty good for being in the complete dark? Love Bailey with her pigtails...haha..holding that gun all serious like...
After laser tag, it was time for "laser frenzy"..they each went into this James Bond looking thing with lasers shooting across it...they had to get through it fast and not hit the lasers...it was funny..they had a big screen outside the room where you could watch them do the course...
After that, it was time to "climb the wall"...
Chaz did pretty good..he got really high on his first one and then gave up, but on his other climb, he made it to the top and rang the bell...
Bailey gave it a climb too and did really well..she got really high, but I think got scared..lol
and then things got crazy in the "party room"..pizza, cookie cake, gifts..and Mommy almost lost her mind when our "party hostess" started stressing me out with time constraints...we ate pizza and then she started telling me we only had 10 minutes for cake..and they generally don't open gifts there..well, WE open gifts at parties (I know there is some debate over that)...so I rebelled and let Chaz open gifts and then they had to swallow their cookie..It really disappointed me that we didn't sing happy birthday or blow out candles etc, but I'm having to let that go..lol...he still has his family party closer to his bday, so we'll make up for it..he really wanted to open his gifts..
There was LOTS of energy going on in that room!
Chaz is very "expressive" when he opens gifts..lol
OH MERCY!
We all had a great time (except for the being rushed part, but did the kids notice? most likely not)...the kids were bouncing off the walls..Chaz had a super fun time with his bestest friends, and there was nothing for Brad and I to clean up..what more can you ask for? lol...
Thinking of those who have served our country and who are continuing to serve to protect us..I can't imagine being a military wife..it must be hard.
My Grandpa in 1945..he was in the Navy..
My Great Grandfather, his father, was a very talented photographer...so years and years later, we have awesome images like this to enjoy because he took the time to document their lives...
Love this picture at the end of WW1 with my Grandpa and his little brother...
Maybe one day my ancestors will appreciate all the pictures I have taken, huh :)
Really? Well, today I went shopping for our outfits for our annual Christmas card picture, I guess you would call it...I already have Baileys' dress as a starting point..building off of that...I am determined this year I will NOT wear a turtleneck, ribbed sweater...and I want to look somewhat hip...and let me tell you, that is a tall order...I used to think I was pretty hip, but lately have began drowning in dowdiness...and it's all related to how I feel about myself right now...I feel so dang BORING! I try to mix it up with some bright colors and all,but when I go shopping, everything is drab and earth tones..where is the color this season people? And it's hard to fit a 5 ft body to look hip..in my mind, I want to wear stiletto heels as everyday wear with jeans and a funky top, but my feet hurt in those sort of shoes after about 30 minutes...and then the times I think I look cool, I will later see a picture and be mortified..what the heck was I thinking? lol..my picture in my head never matches reality..and that my friends. STINKS...! I ALWAYS feel fat and always pick out the crap I don't like about my body...I can't get past it...so what am I trying to say? I don't know, totally rambing , but so many of the outfits I pin on Pinterest are dreams of how I want to dress and look...sigh...lost cause, I guess...
These outfits are totally ME...I guess if my thighs were as small as the jeans above, I would be well on my way...lol..so discouraging..bear with me as I drown in my own self pity ....bleh. I'm getting on my own nerves...
I need an intervention....do other Moms feel like this? I go into stores and instantly feel frozen..I pretty much know that most of the jeans are not going to fit...I only have certain brands that fit this body...and then shirts? They are SO long and narrow? Those don't fit either..do you see where I'm going here? I need Stacey and Clinton to come in and find what I need to wear..dude, they could do whatever they want..clothing, hair, makeup...no ties here...
Did anyone watch this week's Parenthood? My goodness, I cry at the end of pretty much every episode, but the scene where Kristina is upstairs and Adam comes up and finds her upstairs....mercy..that scene got me...
