PIZZA PARTY

When our friends Mac and Sara found out that we weren't going home to Texas for the Christmas holidays, they immediately invited us to join them in their Christmas Eve festivities.

For the last 20 years or so they've made home made pizzas and have a judging contest on the taste and presentation of them. Something completely different than what we could have ever imagined doing on Christmas Eve but, it turned out to be a really good time with some great company. Brooke was so proud of her pizza. Cole did the scarce half.Cole could have really cared less. He took off as soon as possible to goof off with the boys.Is it a secret? What's Daddy saying, Brooke???My pizza wasn't allowed to be judged...Because I was talked into being a judge...But I couldn't resist making one anyway. Oh my goodness, I ate way too much and tasted some weird concoctions that can only be a good recipe for a belly ache.Nathan tried to bribe one of the judges (ok, it was me) by making a pizza that said I "heart" U. The other two judges said that was cheating. I thought it was sweet though. :)Thank you, Sara, for inviting us to join in your family tradition and make some wonderful memories on our first year away from our families on Christmas Eve. Loved it!

FAMILY PHOTOS

It came as a shock to Nathan but, I actually decided to do a picture with all four of us in it for our Christmas cards. I normally refuse to be in pictures but, I'm getting better about it. We tried two different days to get it all right until the kids couldn't take it anymore. I don't know what they were complaining about because I was one the getting leg cramps from running back and forth to do the timer on the camera.

So here are some of the shots that were worthy of avoiding the delete button.
Nathan wanted this one for the card but I didn't like how my hair was all limp since it was after work and the curl was long gone.

I love this one...Too cute!

Brooke had lost another top tooth by the time we did the second session, and she refused to show her teeth because the gap was soooo large in the front.
And this was the choice below for our Christmas card. The coloring was a little orangey once it was printed but, it's not too shabby for a 10 cent photo in our living room with poor lighting and our little camera.

A SPLITTING HEAD ACHE

So, I haven't even been at my new job for 2 weeks yet and I see the kids' school calling on my cell phone. I quietly answer thinking it was just going to be a recording or that one of the kids forgot their lunch or something. I was beyond wrong.

ME: Hello???

LADY: Hi, is this Brooke's mom?

ME: Yes it is.

LADY: This is the school nurse and I'm going to need you to come pick up Brooke.

ME: Is she ok???

LADY: Well, she was in the gym and a basketball goal fell on her head.

ME: WHAT?!?!

LADY: She's not crying right now but she's going to need stitches (as said in the sweetest most calm voice).

ME: (Jumping into panic mode) WHAAAAAATTT?!?!?!?!?! Are you kidding ME???

LADY: Yes, and the goal also hit her leg and she couldn't walk so you probably need to get it x-rayed to make sure it isn't broken. Oh, and someone will need to keep pressure on her head.

ME: Say whaaaattttt?!?!?!?!

I called Nathan on his cell phone from mine, which I rarely ever do while he's at work because he's really not supposed to have his phone on him due to safety protocal. He said he knew something was up just by me calling instead of texting. I barely finished telling him what happened when he cut me off and said he was on his way to the school. Thank goodness his work is only about 5 minutes away. Mine, on the other hand, is more like 25 minutes away.

It was the P.E. teacher's second day at the school. Poor guy. He's maybe 23 and Nathan said he was white as a ghost. He picked up Brooke and just ran with her to the nurse with blood pouring out of her head...Which is why the nurse thought she couldn't walk. Nathan said he saw her teacher before he saw Brooke and she told him to brace himself. They had just gotten it all cleaned up but he still saw all the bloody towels sitting there. Yikes!

I tell the girls in the office what happened and that I didn't want to look bad for leaving but, they demanded I leave right then and they would tell the lawyers. I tore out of there and drove like 90 the whole way. I'm about half way to the emergency care clinic when I get this picture on my phone from Nathan.

OMG!!!!!! That is what happens when a portable basketball goal with no water/sand/bricks or anything weighing it down is pushed over by some little terds that won't friggin' sit still. Grrrr!!!

Brooke started crying the second she saw me walk in the room. Awww my baby girl...She stayed in my lap the whole time. I grabbed a few toys from the car to distract her...Which was good...Thank you, mommy intuition. I held this numbing medicine on her boo boo for quite a while before they came to put in the staples. Yep, staples. The doctor said that way she wouldn't have to get painful shots in her head and, they would be easier to put in and take out because of her hair.We had her put ear phones in and listen to Justin Bieber songs in hopes that she wouldn't hear the clacking of the stapler. It was so quick that she didn't even have time to cry. She just said, "Ow, ow, ow...It hurts."Aside from seeing my daughter's head split open, the worst part was that we couldn't get the wound wet for about 5 days. Yea, that was not fun. Brooke did not enjoy this AT ALL. Brooke wanted to go back to school the very next morning because she said she didn't get to finish a Christmas project that they were working on. So she did. So many of the school's staff checked on her that whole next day. Most everyone already knows who she is and says how cute she is because of her bows but, now she's even more of a familiar face. The P.E. teacher called me at work and apologized repeatedly for the whole incident. I know it wasn't his fault but, it still sucks that it happened. It would be nice if the principal would at least inform the parents of the kids who did it...And they see the pictures of what their brat kid did to mine.

Oh, well. She was flopping around and jumping on the trampoline within a couple of days. We just had to constantly remind Cole to be careful when throwing a ball. Ohhh, boys and their balls...How they drive me insane!

One week later...

Brooke asked if she could take her bear and hold it while she was getting her staples out. Well, of course! She loves that stanky, old thing. She was excited to get to pick where we ate for dinner, too.

We were all smiles waiting for those staples to come out because it was really freaky seeing something that generally holds paper together shining from my child's head all week long.
Pop, pop, pop! And just like that those staples were out...Quick and easy. She said she didn't even feel it.

Look at how nicely it has healed up. Her hair has a weird hump going on now since the hair isn't growing in there. It's to the left of her natural part but hopefully it won't be that noticeable the older she gets.

BACK TO WORK

I'm still blogging about Thanksgiving at the end of February but whatever. Speaking of being thankful...

Thank goodness I put our Christmas tree up on November 1st and had the house all decorated early on because out of the blue I ended up starting a full time job the Friday before Thanksgiving.

That was complete chaos to do a very awkward 10 minute interview with 3 lawyers at 5:00 pm on Thursday, get a call at 6:00 pm that night asking if I could start the very next day, and suddenly have to put the kids in after school care just like that.

Oh, and then have the kids go from being one of the very last to arrive at school in the mornings to one of the very first. Not to mention, me having to figure out how to get my rear end out of bed super early and actually have make up on before noon. Like I said...Chaos.

This is right after I got home from my interview. Nathan forced me to take this picture. Grrr.

I'd been at home since Brooke was born...7 years. That's a long time that actually flew by very quickly. Except for Brooke's first year of life because that little beauty cried sooooo much and only wanted her mommy.

The last 3 1/2 of those 7 years I did real estate research but I officed from home, made my own schedule, and could do my work in my underwear if I felt like it. Of course, I didn't...because that would be weird but still. And even when I did meet with clients it was showing mostly dirty foreclosures so I just wore jeans.

Now, I work at law firm as a legal assistant and have to look slightly more professional on a daily basis. I have to admit that it's actually kind of fun dressing up after all these years though...Especially since I get to buy pretty clothes in smaller sizes. Yay!

I have to say, as crazy and stressful as it has been with me working so much and Nathan having to pick up the mommy slack, I'm still very thankful for this job. Obviously, for the financial burden it relieves but, also for the fact that I get to really use my brain again and feel like a productive part of society. Who'd a thunk it???

By the way...Your eyes are not playing tricks on you. I have no clue what's up with the font changing sizes. And I can't seem to fix it no matter how many times I slap this laptop up side its grill.

THANKSGIVING

It's still hard to believe it, but we actually had family come to visit us for Thanksgiving. My oldest brother and his wife and kids made the long trip out from Texas. There's not much to offer in this little city so, I was very surprised when they mentioned coming. It was a houseful since we can't quite accommodate people like we use to but, it was still very special to have them here.

We don't need no stinking turkey! Our family really isn't a big fan of turkey so, besides the fact that I don't know how to cook one, I just flat out don't want to. So we opted to do chicken kabobs and a few other things. Luckily, my brother and his family didn't care to have all the traditional stuff either so we kept things fairly simple. I will say that it was a huge step up from the tacos we had for dinner at last year's Thanksgiving.

It was raining so Nathan had to chill with the grill in the garage.Breanna and Brooke made cookies to serve as our only dessert. That's right...No pies.

And here's all of our Thanksgiving dinner. Pretty impressive, I must say, since we rarely have more than 3 things with a meal.
We also let the kids exchange Christmas presents the day after Thanksgiving.
Breanna made Brooke this beautiful necklace out of a domino...I'm thinking I may have to borrow this idea for some teacher gifts or something. Too cute!Nobody really wanted to participate in my infatuation of pictures so I didn't end up with very many good ones. And just like that the weekend was over and the Monday after Thanksgiving kicked off my first full week at a full time job...In an office...In 7 years. Say whaaaaa?????