Christmas Morning

This is a picture I took after Santa came! I was ready to go to bed...I am becoming a wimpy Santa in my old age. It is hard to wait for the kids to be fast asleep when I want to be fast asleep myself! Morgan discovered last year that Santa is us, and she was really wanting to help up stuff stockings this year. When Mark went to get her up though...well she wast too busy sleeping to care! I guess she decided sleep was better than stuffing stockings! Haleigh (who has a bit more common sense than Morgan) decided that she had the whole Santa thing figured out. So, when she asked me flat out, I couldn't lie to her anymore. She figured it out a lot earlier than Morgan did. Still lots of fun for Jacob though!


Mark's work truck doesn't even have a CD player in it, so we decided to get him an IPOD for Christmas. We got him the Nano since it was $100 cheaper than the others, and we got him an adapter so that he can play it through his truck radio/speakers. He loves it! Yeah for us - he loved something that wasn't fishing stuff! Mark got me a new digital camera and a gift certificate for a day at the spa! He did really good too.

Here are the kids with their new DVD's - this was the year of the 3's (Santa Clause 3, Pirates 3, and Shrek 3). The only one we're still missing is Spiderman 3. Jacob liked his movie, but he decided that Santa didn't read his note and bring him the ONLY GIFT HE ASKED FOR!

Well...he did get that. He wanted this camera so bad; just like his best friend Luke's camera! He has been taking pictures and videos ever since then! He is so proud of the pictures he takes - most of them are of the tv shows he watched!

The girls were wanting a Wii sooooo bad, and we convinced them that they couldn't be found...which was ALMOST true. With much searching and searching and searching, Mark happened to come across one right after they were delivered at a Wal-Mart in Southlake. We were so excited, and we could hardly wait to get it open as well! I have never been a fan of video games because I think the kids can just waste their life away in front of the TV/video game, but this one is truly family friendly and it can really get your heart rate up! I also now have a way to bribe my kids to clean their rooms and finish their chores...you can't play the Wii until that is done! I can beat my whole family in bowling too!

One thing Haleigh was dying to have was some toe socks, and she was so delighted - I love her face - she can get so excited about the simplest things!

We had a great Christmas, but I am glad it's over! The tree has already been taken down and become "structure" in our pond. Hopefully I can catch a great big bass off of it in a couple of years! I hope everyone else had a great Christmas - on to a great new year!

Christmas Eve/Mulitcultural Christmas

It has always been a custom in my family to open one gift on Christmas Eve, so that is what we do with our family now. I knew what the kids were getting on Christmas morning from "Santa", and I knew that the kids would care less what they got from "us" for Christmas. Therefore, I decided to let the kids open both of their gifts from us on Christmas Eve. Morgan got a much needed new pair of tennis shoes. She looks thrilled, doesn't she! She really does like them ~ she's just not great at showing it!

Haleigh needed a new pair of Nike's as well since Morgan got some ~ that's how it is with her!

Jacob got some Black and Decker "tools" ~ hopefully this will keep him from playing with Barbies!

The girls got a gift to share! This is the newest thing from Leap Frog - a writing device for the computer. They both want to be writers when they grow up, so hopefully this will inspire them to keep writing.

Jacob's other gift was Spider Man Operation. This game is really cool. He is the master surgeon! If Spidey ever needs help, Jacob will be on his way!

We collectively decided that Santa probablly gets tired of cookies, so we make cupcakes. Here the kids are making cupcakes for Santa on Christmas Eve.

On my next post I will show pictures from Christmas morning. After we opened presents and ate breakfast, the neighbors came and asked the kids to come break pinatas with them and their cousins. Our kids have never done that for Christmas, but the neighbors do it every year. It was neat for the kids to experience a multi-cultural Christmas. They also gave us tamales for lunch and their special "punch" (similar to cider). It was very nice of them to include us!

Jacob didn't have to wear the blindfold since he is younger!

The mad dash for the candy!

The day after Christmas we had to unwind and head to Joe's Crab Shack!

You can always count on Haleigh being the life of the party! I will post our X-mas day pictures during my next post.

Our 3 Chipmunks

We went to see Alvin and the Chipmunks a couple of days ago - Mark and I decided that we have all three of them. Haleigh is Alvin (always mischevious), Morgan is Simon (tall, skinny, and smart), and Jacob is Theodore (so stinking cute). Jacob woke up this morning and said "Theodore is awake"! He and Haleigh thought the movie rocked - Mark, Morgan, and I would have rather seen National Treasure! Here are our three little chipmunks!

They think it is really funny to take "pretend sleeping" pictures - this was our first attempt. I love the look on Haleigh's face!

Retry - much better this time! Merry Christmas!

Chirstmas Tree and Gingerbread House

So, it is that time of year - I'm not a super big fan of Chirstmas time - I just like for it to pass so that all the shopping and planning will be done. I am looking forward to two weeks off, and it will be really nice to just spend time with the kids at home. We are not going to Colorado this year, so it will be very different for us . We are kicking off our "Christmas celebrations" this weekend. We have one side of Mark's family get together on Friday night in Rockwall, and then we will be going to Gunter Saturday morning for his other side of the family. We will have to quickly get back here for Morgan's basketball game, and then Mark and I will be spending Saturday evening in Ft. Worth for Mark's company Christmas party. We have a very full weekend up ahead, and hopefully we will make it to all events. Mark woke up Sunday morning around 4:00 with a stomach virus. He is back to work today, but he is still feeling weak from two days of not eating or drinking much (by the way Jeff, he said he is not playing in the basketball game tonight). Morgan woke up this morning at 3:00 with, what appears to be for now, a weaker version of Mark's problem. I am not feeling well either, so I am anticipating it hitting me today too. Anyway, here are a few pictures of us getting ready for Christmas. As mentioned in previous blogs, Jacob cannot take a picture without Lightning anymore - here are a few to enjoy.

Mark is trying to protect his ears from Lightning - in case your wondering what he's doing!

We have found, over the years, that not too many people in Decatur buy the live tree for Christmas. That means that not too many people sell them either - Wal-Mart used to be the only place that sold them until Lowe's moved in! Wal-Mart sold terrible trees too, so I am glad that Lowe's came (great trees by the way). We used to drive to Denton to buy a decent tree! We have a very small house that we are living in right now, so as you can see, the tree had to be short and skinny. This is Mark's favorite part of christmas (sarcasm here)! He did say this was his favorite tree rather than the ten foot trees we had at our old house with the tall ceiling!

Haleigh really loves Christmas, and this truly is one of her favorite things to do!

Morgan decorating! As you can see, we had to use the entry way to put up our tree - good thing we use the back door!

This picture shows Jacob's two "things" right now - 1)being in his undies and 2)sticking his tongue out. I don't know where either of these areas of interest came from, but he does look cute in his Spider Man underwear! I could live without the sticking out of the tongue!

The final touch - putting Santa atop the tree! Only, there was a problem with the skinny, wimpy tree...

Santa was too heavy...so, our tree is topless right now. I guess we need to look for something lighter or just go without a topper.

On to decorating the gingerbread house - if you'll notice, Jacob is not completely unclothed this time - just slightly! Morgan got a new haircut too! And, yeah for our b.ball victory against Paradise - we are 1-0!






Isn't it lovely?!

Okay, now to answer questions about my interview - the principal said it went extraordinary, but they cannot give me the job. I am not yet certified in Texas, and they cannot even make a recommendation for me to the administration building because they won't even consider me. Well, that really stinks, huh? I have worked my butt off for the last two years to finish school, and I'm not "highly qualified" according to the "GREAT STATE OF TEXAS". I was already going to have to start the process of getting certified in Texas, but I wasn't aware that it would keep me from being employed. Apparently the state is able to withhold funding from any school district that hires a teacher that is not certified by the state of Texas...well, they don't want to take that chance on me. So, I will continue my aide job that pays really well (ha ha) until next school year. The next available test date is Feb. 23, 2008 - so, I have lots of time to study!

The Next Five

6. I am thankful to be a college graduate - this has been a huge life goal of mine, and I am done! I won't have my diploma in my hand for another 2-3 weeks, but I am a graduate! I never thought it would take me 14 years, but life doesn't always work according to my timeline. It's funny how things just really seem to work out when you least expect it. There is a tremendous weight lifted off of my shoulders, and I am proud to be an example of an "educated woman" for my daughters.

7. I am thankful for the convenience of my life - can you imagine life in the "old days" when people didn't have running water, heat/ac, a stove, a washing machine, Wal-Mart, etc. I am thankful that I didn't have to give birth in my home or without an epidural (Morgan was my exception, but after that I was TRULY thankful for the invention of the epidural)! I am just so thankful for the intelligent people that came before me so that I am able to enjoy the conveniences of my life.

8. I am thankful for my family; my sisters, my brother, my mom, and my dad - what would life have been like as an only child? I know people that are only children, and I don't mean to imply that it would be a bad thing, I just can't imagine it for myself since I come from a large family. There was/is never a boring time when we are together. I am thankful that my dad was willing to come into a family that was already quite full. For those of you who don't know, my real dad died when I was three. So, my dad came into a family with three children already. He has never treated us like we were not his own flesh and blood, and I am extremely thankful for that gift. I am thankful for my mother, who in her 20's, became a single mom with three very young children (1, 3, and 5 years old). She is an amazing story of survival, and I am thankful for her perseverance. I am thankful for the siblings I have - they have made my life so fun!

9. I am thankful for my friends - when we first moved to Decatur I was somewhat isolated. I was really young - not much older than the kids in the youth group that we were working with but much younger than the other young couples in our church. I hated it here in Texas, and all I wanted to do was move home to Colorado. It took about five years, but I started to find my niche. I have some very special friends now that I wouldn't be able to function without! They are a true blessing and a gift from God!

10. Finally, I am most thankful for the gift of Jesus - what an amazing sacrifice. Without that sacrifice, none of these other things would even matter. I don't even think that I can begin to describe how thankful I am for that sacrifice, that amazing gift that I don't deserve and can never repay.

The time of Thanksgiving comes and goes without a second thought - onward to Christmas. I just think I need more time to dwell on my thankfulness, but I shouldn't only do it on Thanksgiving - it needs to be a part of my every day. Hopefully it will be.