CHRISTMASY STUFF

It's Christmas Eve...

This Christmas came way too quickly and I was not prepared for the chaos.  Of course, I had my tree up the first week of November but have been playing catch up ever since.  Nathan was out in California working for 3 weeks off and on right after Thanksgiving.  That was very stressful but he's good at his job and so, no surprise that everyone wants his help.

He got home on the 20th and just in time to go straight to Cole's basketball practice.  Last minute Christmas shopping AND grocery shopping is NUTS.  I really do need to try the online thing a little bit next year.

 

Here's our little photo session that I forced the fam to do for Christmas cards the night before Nathan left for California.  My thighs were sore for 2 days from running back and forth to do the self timer on the camera and squatting up and down.

This is the family photo that made the card.

  

I did one of those multiple picture cards that had 5 pictures on there.  It was pretty cute but, it's so hard to choose which photo to use...Especially when you're exhausted.  Once I put these pictures on here, I'm wishing I would have chosen a few different pictures for the card.  Oh, well.

Nathan seriously wanted me to use this one.  I think my mom would have flipped out.  LOL

 

These 2 of the Cole and Brooke made the card.  My beautiful babies are getting so big. 

I spruced up last year's wreath, which looked like poo, and made it into something much more fabulous looking.  Thanks to a little tutorial on Pinterest it came together quite nicely and very quickly.  Not a single drop of hot glue or anything.  Just wrapping and stuff with the branches from the wreath.  It really looks sooo much better in person.

 

I ended up adding all the trinkets on it outside while it was hanging on the door.  That worked much better with those glitter sticks because that stuff went everrrrywherrrre.

Merry Christmas Y'all!

HALLOWEEN & THANSKGIVING

Brooke was Taylor Swift for Halloween...Cutie Patootie.

Cole got sick at school and had to go home.  We thought he was possibly faking it since no one actually so him throw up but, he ended up throwing up horribly several times the rest of the evening.  He was not happy at all that he didn't get to go trick or treating but, Brooke said she'd share with him.

Nathan stayed home with him while I took Brooke out in the cold.  We didn't get started until about 7:15 pm so, it was kind of lonely just us being just the two of us.  We saw several parents riding their 4 wheelers door to door instead of walking...Great idea!  I'll take two for Christmas, Santa!

Look at this child with her make up all done and without the wig on.  She sat through dinner like this and Nathan kept looking at her in shock and shaking his head.  Of course, he thought she looked beautiful, but he said she needed to take that make up off because she looked way too old and he wasn't ready for that AT ALL.

 

Thanksgiving was just the four of us this year.  Cole requested ribs but waiting to go find them already made the night before Thanksgiving and the morning of didn't quite work out.  Oops.  Luckily, he gave a thumbs up on chicken.

The kids enjoyed being lazy while Nathan and I made dinner.

Chicken Kabobs, Risoto, Red Potatoes, French Bread and Dr. Pepper. Oooh the kids had Dr. Pepper 10.  They actually like it.  Yep, we went BIG for Thanksgiving. Oh, and I think we had left over pizza for lunch. And all on paper plates.  Lol...Awesome, I know.

Who doesn't like licking the bowl of cake mix?  Yum!

Brooke and I worked on these little beauties.  The cancer ribbon has a special meaning for our family for many reasons.  I tried to make some with Nathan's thyroid cancer colors but the icing gel was a little old and runny.   They didn't look so cute but he was sweet enough to eat them.

We finished off the night with the Cowboy game and some silly pictures.

Cole will not cut out the goof ball faces.  Just look at him in the background...Little punk.

The goofy faces are annoying but yet they do make me giggle.

 

I skipped over a few posts so I could try and put up a Christmas-y post before the actual holiday comes.  So many posts to do about football, fall baseball and such.  One day I'll catch up...One day.

BROOKE'S 8th BIRTHDAY

I won the mother of the year award and accidentally deleted all of the pictures from Brooke opening all of her presents and the first half of her horse fun.  I...was...so...upset.  I had one phone picture that I took to send to the grandparents. 

Brooke had a present waiting at the door the next day after school

and I sent these phone pics.

 

One of our friends took us over to a little ranch by her neighborhood so Brooke could enjoy some horses on her birthday.  The guy that runs this place owns the land that their subdivision was built on and puts on a weekend rodeo camp.  They had mostly adults that came in from all over with their horses and fancy trailers learning to calf rope and compete.  I took a few videos of the cowboys but those got deleted, too. :-(

The ranch owner was so busy and we didn't want to wait hours until the competition was over but, Brooke was able to love on a few horses from the riders who were there just hanging out.  Such nice people.

  

This poor brown horse had no eye...EEEK!!!

 

Saylor is a sassy mess but she sure is cute and has the most adorable hick accent ever.

Brooke had so much fun picking out and trying on clothes with her Justice gift card.  Going shopping was the only way we got her to leave the ranch and the "free" puppies that were begging to be brought home by both kids.  I almost got sucked in but finally put my foot down and said no.  Whew!

It's really sweet that the kids want me to make them a cake and request what they want on it but, it's so much trouble for just us.  Of course, I do it, and try my best...Even if it means the cake isn't ready until after showers and minutes before bedtime.

 

OH MY GOSH...I'M SO PROUD!!!  Really, I am. :-)

Brooke, your birthday actually turned out to be pretty great and you were so happy with something so simple.

We love you Pretty Girl!