Christmas Is Coming

A couple weekends ago, after we all gained a few pounds from Thanksgiving we geared up for Christmas. The inside of the house is nicely decked out...not too over done. The outside however, not so much. The weather has NOT been on our side. More on that to come.

We put up, fluffed and decorated our new/used artificial tree. Now a few years back, I decided I would NEVER have a fake tree again. I HATE fluffing. However, after the constant mess of pine needles on the floor and trying to keep the thing alive for a month, it occured to me that an artificial tree just might be the way to go. So we did just that(thanks Lauren!). The tree looks beautiful. I love getting to go thru the ornaments every year and see the ones the kids have made over the years. I think we have a picture of Ethan on ornaments over the past 5 years. Going back to when he was 4 in Pre-K. Love them. We still have the ones we got when I was pregnant with Ethan and Corbin. Corbin, the little darling, wanted to take all HISornaments to his room. Taya tried to eat a couple made of gingerbread. In her defense, they do look pretty tastey. The boys have since the tree went up, brought the new ornaments home from school and added to our growing collection. I am SO excited. This is the first year little miss tot will make an ornament and put on the tree. She can't wait.

The stockings are hung on the shelf with care...One for each of us plus the dog, Maci. However we may need to add 3 more since Maci has given birth to 3 puppies over the weekend ;-)

For the first time, we decided to get the kids their own trees...for their room(thanks mema). The boys is red and gold... They have stockings in there too.

Taya's tree is purple and gold. Also with a stocking to match.

The boys(Corbin mainly) wanted to make sure the stockings in their rooms get filled on Christmas eve as well(of course-he makes me smile).

*I tried uploading pics for all to see, but it's a no go...comp is tarded.*

Thanksgiving 2011: Today I Am Thankful

Today, I am thankful for my kids. The ones who stress me out, test my patience and make me call on a higher power to keep me grounded. The ones who, with a simple smile can light up any room. The ones who with a single touch can melt my heart. The angels that God has entrusted to me.

Over the past few months, things have been...rough to say the least. Financially. Spiritually. Emotionally. It's been a constant time of worry, doubt and prayer. In this, I have taken a step back and seen our life and family from the outside. Honestly, at first, I wasn't at peace with what I saw. After the realization of it all sank in, I began to see things differently. More free. More relaxed. Something refreshing. I see happy, healthy, smart, fun, feisty, beautiful souls in all of my children. They are typical kids in the fact that they love to go places and keep busy. Most things they realize cost money. Money that we haven't had. To me, our kids are different. They are perfectly content(most of the time) staying home, enjoying the outdoors(beautiful thing about country living), getting to know the horses down the road or going as a family to play baseball at the school. Our kids are simple souls and really only ask for small things in return. Love..laughter and peace. And for that, I am thankful.

Today, I am thankful for my husband. A man who loves me. A man that has stood beside me even when he didn't think he could. A man that deserves so much more than I have offered.

I'm not gonna sugar coat it or make it seen all warm and fuzzy. That's a joke. The sad, hurtful truth is our marriage has been crumbling. At times it felt like it was beyond repair. The anger. The hurt. The resentment. But, with countless nights of crying, prayer and faith, we somehow have managed to get back on the pathway of hope...and rebuilding. It's going to be a long, trying journey to get where we need to be, but I have a strong, selfless, amazing man to walk beside me. We now have faith and hopeful future. And for that, I am thankful.

Tots Hair Scare

As everyone knows, Taya is our pride and joy. Sweet, sensitive, yet fiesty and determined. Everything about her is beautiful. This includes her hair. We get it trimmed from time to time but we NEVER cut it.

Last Thursday she went to school with 2 equally long braided pigtails and came home with a bit less hair(a LOT less hair in my book).

This is what she came home with.

(You see the right piggy is obviously shorter than the left?!?)



We made an "emergency" hair appt and were able to salvage her beautiful hair.


We've asked her numerous times over the past 5 days what happened and her story never changes. She didn't do it. She tried to "scape" but her little playmate "trapped" her, held her down and cut off her hair. Yes, I know it sounds crazy, but in my experience with Taya, which has been her whole life, she has NEVER shown intrest in cutting really anything other than papers, much less the hair on her pretty little head.

Luckily, she has such a sweet, kindred spirit that I don't think this has tramatized her at all. Me on the other hand? Well, that's another story.

My Beautiful

Taya, I love you THIS big.

Halloween 2011

This year for Halloween, we had Rambo, a baseball player(who at picture time thought he needed to be a dracula player), and the most beautiful cowgirl you will ever see.


I think this picture should be on a poster. 100% "Breezy", AKA Ethan.


Our first stop...church, for TRUNK or treat. All the cars were decorated and had drivers to match. Kids took the candy staright from the trunk. Then we were off to a real NEIGHBORHOOD for more fun stuff. The boys decided the houses within the neighborhood were "mansions". That was a blast. So much candy, the kids couldn't even see straight. After a while, Taya, of course had to potty so we ended our festivities and headed to the house. The kids have all decided that from now on, that's the neighborhood we need to hit up.

Our New Found Loves

Now that we live in the country, we have lots of open space and acres and acres for the kids to play on. Along with that comes neighbors...neighbors that own horses. 5 horses to be exact. I believe the boys say their names are Chico(my absolute fav), Bity(apparently this one likes to bite), White Socks(self explanatory), Sophia(who we decided yesterday is probably a boy, but the kids swear it's a girl) and the last horses name escapes me at the moment. At any rate, all 5 are magnificent creatures and absolutely beautiful. Here for the past year we have been going to visit them a couple times a month but only stopping at the fence and petting them from there. Well, this past weekend, the boys decided to venture out and jump the fence and be IN with the horses. Good idea? Bad idea? Being the good parents we are, we decided this is okay, as long as the kids respect the horses and their space. Of course Taya wanted in so after a couple minutes, Taya and I shimmied over the fence and got up close and personal, too. A-mazing. I fell in love. All 5 are wonderful, but Chico stole my heart. He gave me a few nudges as if to say hello.

These pics are from our Saturday visit. We went back Sunday too but with no camera.

I think this one should be in a magazine. So calming and peaceful.


This one puts a smile in my heart.


Love them.




Corbin has decided that we are going to spend time with the horses every Saturday and Sunday from now on. Who knows, maybe one day they'll let us ride em'.

Report Card Time

It seems the first 6 weeks of the school year has FLOWN by. Before we know it, school will be out for Christmas break(I REALLY should have been a teacher).

AS the kids(boys) get older I keep thinkin school will get tougher and their grades MAY start to slip. Nope, not our boys.

Corbin for the umpteenth time has once again gotten staright A's. So Smart.

Ethan once again has gotten A's and B's(3 A's and 3 B's to be exact-89 in MATH!). So Proud.

We love them both so stinkin' much and they make me SO, SO proud.