Christmas 2008

Here are some pics from our Christmas's this year. We did Christmas with my sis-in-law and father-in-law the weekend before Christmas and the kids were just too cute. It is so much fun to watch McKade and his cousin Peyton together. They both are just the cutest things!! Mavery had a blast opening her presents and playing with all her new things, she got alot of art supplies and DS games, so she has been VERY occupied. McKade recieved lots of new toys and clothes. We enjoyed the time with everyone. It was nice to get to sit and watch the babies play, or just watch how they reacted to each other!! There are also pics from our Christmas morning here at home. Maverys favorite girft was from Santa and it was a BlaBla Panda bear named Bamboo......she was VERY excited about him. McKades' favorite gift was also from Santa and it was a Pony rocking horse. He just bounces away on it with the biggest smile. (I will post a video soon of this) We went to my mother-in-laws afterwards and did more Christmas, it was very fun! I really enjoyed watching McKade and seeing his reaction to his very first Christmas.

Mavery and her Panda


Our Christmas Tree after Santa came....

McKade on his new Pony!

Mavery having some apple cider her Joe Joe made.

Nana and McKade

The 2 cuties! McKade and Peyton

Mavery is the only one looking at the camera!

Aunt Marla and Peyton

So Sweet

Mavery holding little Peyton

Another year going, going......

I just can't say it enough......where did the time go? I swear some days I feel 18, and some days I wish to God I was 2 again, and other days I feel 80. In just another day I will hit the big 3-1. I am still not completley sure I should be in my 30's already. I don't feel 30ish....of course how are you supposed to feel when you hit 30? I was pregnant and busy getting ready for a baby when I turned 30 and I guess I never really freaked out or anything because I had so many other things going on. This year however, I am starting to freak out a little bit. When I turn 31, I will have 9 years and I will be 40!!! 4-0.....OMG! That is sooooo scary to me. There are all these things I want to do, places I want to see, experiences I want to have, am I going to have time for them all? Will they ever happen? These are the crazy thoughts I keep having. So stupid, because I know my life is a gift from God, and he chooses when it is over, but still my brain keeps racing with thoughts of all these things. Time has gone by so fast these past years, I still am in awe that I have a daughter who will be 9 and a baby who is almost 6 months old. I feel blessed to have the family that I have, as well as my extended family, and I have the best friends. I really live a wonderful life and have enjoyed every year of it so far. I hope this coming year is just as wonderful as the years past. I guess I will find out in another day......

Family Pictures

This week my cousin came to town and took some really amazing pics of our family. She has her own photography business and we were so excited she took time out to come take some photographs for us. Here is just a sample of some she did. I don't want to put too many up because we are going to be framing some of them and giving them as Christmas presents!

No to the School Bus...

This is a crazy time of year for Mark with him being in the retail field. He is a Blackberry Rep. (Brand Advocate) for the Dallas area and has to train, assist, sell, and take inventory at pretty much every store in the Metroplex that carries the Blackberry brand. This week one of his bosses came into town and Mark had to go and train in stores with him. Well, this kind of left us in a predicament with Mavery because Mark usually gets his stores done so he can go grab Mavs when she gets out of school. Since I could not get her we decided to let her try out the school bus for the first time. Never again!!

She is pretty social, she gets that from me, but she is also reserved and does not like being around a whole lot of people at once, she gets very anxious. Well, it all started with her having to go to the bus line at school, it was very scary for her and then when she got on the bus the bus driver kept asking her where she lived and Mavery had no idea what to tell her because we had already given the bus people our address and everything so we did not figure that Mavery would need to tell them her exact address. On top of it all the bus driver would not allow her to sit next to anyone she knew. Then, to top it off, she had kids kicking her seat and hitting her with their jackets.

I was waiting for her when she got off the bus, she was crying her heart out. She was so upset, it was a horrifying experience for her. My poor baby! So, needless to say we will not make her ride the bus again, not until she is older and if she wants to. I remember hating riding the bus when I was little, kids were so mean and crazy back then, and today kids are 100 times worse. Thank goodness we are able to get her from school, and not have to worry about her being on a school bus freaking out everyday!!;)

CHRISTmas

O.k, after viewing the last blog, having nightmares about cupcakes and getting up with McKade, I want to clarify some of what I had wrote in my last blog about Christmas. In all the hustle and bustle and trying to buy for this person and that and making cookies for Santa, sometimes it is easy to forget the reason for the season.

I KNOW this is a celebration for Jesus Christ. This is a very special time of year where we get to celebrate the birth of our lord and savior. It seems like more and more every year people forget that. It has become more about gifts and sales than anything else. But, I want to take this moment to recongize that this is a birthday for Jesus who was born in a manger and saved us all. HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!! And, the best gift of all gifts is knowing the Lord.

O.k, I feel better, I hope I don't have anymore cupcake nightmares!!;)

Thanksgiving

Well, Thanksgiving is already over and it is almost time for Christmas. Time is just not my friend this year. My baby will be 6 months on December 20th and Mavs will be 9 years old in February! Where has the time gone??


So we had a really great Thanksgiving, we went to my Nana and Pa's where my cousins and aunts and uncles also came. McKade did AWESOME!! He loved everyone and was such a happy baby!! I guess his little personality is starting to adjust and he is realizing there are more people that love him besides mommy, daddy and sister. LOL! Mavery had so much fun playing with her little cousins, they were all outside most of the time due to the humid weather, it was quite a nice day. Her cousins, Gracie and Colton just got a new puppy and all the kids had to play and love on him, he was such a good sport and very sweet.



I get very nostalgic when it comes to going to Longview. I have some of the best childhood memories when it comes to my grandparents and my cousins. We really were more like sisters growing up than cousins. I didn't know very many people who were as close to their cousins as I was to mine, it seems like we were always together. But, Christmas and holidays had to be my favorite. We had so many little traditions and so much family time. We never have had a "perfect" family, but, who does? But, we all loved each other and had so much fun. I miss it. I hope I can keep tradition with my kids and show them the importance of family. I try now, but it is really hard. Hopefully one day it will get easier.

I guess now it is time for Christmas shopping and all the stress that goes along with it. I love this time of year, I just hate trying to find gifts for everyone that I think are perfect. I don't want to disappoint anyone and then there are people who have everything, and if they want something they can go out and buy it themselves so it makes it hard to shop. This year will be a bit harder with me not having a full time job, but hopefully it will all work out and still be a good Christmas. I am beyond blessed and this past year has been hard on so many people. I am thankful to have a home and have food on the table. I know this year will be hard for alot of families. I pray God will bless them all in some way. Well, I think I have rambled on enough.....here are some cute pics from Thanksgiving with my family.

Nana and Gene

Me and April


Mom and McKade

April and McKade


Aunt Barb and Brandi

April and my mom

Great Nana and Great Pa playing with McKade





McKade and his Gammy

Mmmmmm......Kitty!!!

Yesterday we met my mom for lunch so Mavs could spend the day with her. We had a great lunch and Mavs went shopping and to the movies with my mom and then she brought her back home. Well, one of the things Mavery got on their little shopping spree was the cute little stuffed kitty ornament that you can put on the tree, Mavery loves little bitty things and I'm sure this was the motivation behind the purchase. When she took it out to show me she also showed her little brother, who had a really surprising reaction.....he wanted that kitty!! BAD!! LOL!! He got so excited about it he was shaking!! He just had to hold it and of course it then went into his mouth. Below are some pictures I took and also a little video, I was laughing so hard I was in tears, it was the funniest thing he has done so far!!

My mom and Miss Mavs

Where's my kitty???


There's my kitty!!

Oh, thank you.....

YUUUMMMM....good kitty!!!

Sweet Siblings

The other night it was cold outside and both kids had baths and were sitting on the couch together watching cartoons (McKade doesn't really watch, he like to watch Mavery) and the fire burn in our fireplace. I was busy doing laundry, cleaning the kitchen and keeping an eye on McKade, but every time I looked over at him he was staring adoringly at his big sister. He LOVES her so much, she is the one and only person that can make him laugh over and over again. I grabbed my camera and caught a few of their moments together.....such sweet siblings!




Holding sisters hand...

Having a conversation...

Adoring his big sis!

Watching her play her PSP

Thanksgiving food + Friends= Wonderful Memories!

We had our annual Thanksgiving with friends last night. It was so much fun and there was so much yummy food! I am so THANKFUL for all my wonderful friends and family. I am blessed beyond my wildest dreams. Especially in times like these, I feel so very fortunate to be surrounded by wonderful people like them. I am truly in a great place and so happy to be where God has put me. Thanks to all of you for making our Thanksgiving so special and sharing your families with us!:)

Connie,Erin, Michelle and I

My mom and me, I swear I never noticed that our eyes are starting to be the same color.....


Mavery holding Ambers' new baby, Brady.

Some of the best girls EVER!!



Erin, Connie, and Michelle

Mom and cutie, Brady

Amber and her baby

5 months old today!!!

My little man is 5 months today!! I can not believe how quickly the time passes. He has had a fun week, he got to start cereal this week and he LOVED it! It was so funny, he was seriously attacking the spoon. The Dr. said we can start with this and then in another week we can incorporate some non-green veggies and introduce a new one every week. He has had a little cold this week so sleeping has not been a high priority on his list, but we have had him in his swing so he is elevated a little bit and can breathe better. He has his very first Thanksgiving next week and I know he will love being with family. Here are some cute pics I got of him this week!!:)

Cold Weekend....

We had a really great weekend mostly at home since it was so chilly outside. Here are some pics from our weekend. Unfortunatley, little man started not feeling too well on Saturday and has gotten a little cold. I took him to the Dr. today and he is just fine, just has the sniffles. Poor baby!



















I am so very excited about it getting colder outside and it was so great to get to use our fireplace for the first time!

I also LOVE to cook as it gets colder, it is mostly comfort foods and of course baking cakes and cupcakes! I made Chicken Enchilada soup and a pumpkin spice cake that was so yummy!

Marks dad and wife, Susan came by since they were in the area and Susan had a little conversation with McKade.....he was quite interested in what she had to say.

We ended the weekend with the Cowboys game Sunday night, here are the kids and Mark all on the couch watching the game and playing Golf on Mavery's PSP.