My brother chillin' by the fire.
Mom and her grandkids
Making smores at the ranch
Kid table at our house
M & M with Abby and jealous Popeye
Marshmallows at mom's
sweet nieces
crafts with Tia
Painting the old clubhouse
Watching a movie (on an ipod) in Grandaddy's old Mustang...
Reviving Eve!
Vance sporting his new Christmas sweater...work it!
Girl Power at GiGi's
White Elephant Exchange at Gigi and Grandaddy's
DeeDee and Little E
Waiting to open gifts
Love the peace necklace...may have to borrow it!
Christmas morning breakfast...breakfast casserole,
strawberries and Cool Whip, and sparkling cider
Homemade Christmas
Mark and Mana
Joaquin and Amy
Mom and dad
Super-cool siblings!
Me and my gals!
Me, Mark, and girls Christmas Eve
Mom, dad, and awesome grandkids!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
I'm so excited about the new year, I actually want to jump up and down! I'm not quite sure if my over-enthusiastic spirit is getting a little help from the extra-bold coffee I just drank or if it's a natural high. I guess I'll let you know in a couple of hours! heehee! A special thanks to mom and Amber for the single serve Keurig coffee pot they gave me for Christmas! I love it; it's a perfect cup every time!
I really don't know why I'm so excited about 2010, but I am! I'm believing for great things to happen this year. I like what mom said a few days ago. She said she believes it's going to be a year of restoration! That's exciting to me.
The first half of December my schedule was filled with the girls' activities, substituting, Girls of Grace meetings/Fiesta Texas trip, hayrides, planning parties, going to parties, and shopping. While all of that was fun, I was looking forward to a little down time with my family. That beloved day arrived on December 21st! My brother's family and my sister arrived at my mom and dad's that day. They stayed there until Christmas day. It was a relaxing time of just visiting, chilling out, and the occasional Wii bowling tournament! One of the reasons I feel so fortunate is because I honestly believe I have the best family on the face of this earth. While we are not perfect, we truly love each other and would not do or say anything to intentionally hurt one another. We also laugh a lot when we're all together. I am so blessed!
Christmas Eve at mom and dad's is always such a special time. Before opening presents, a Christmas story is always read, and then the 5 granddaughters are given the opportunity to sing, read a poem, play an instrument, etc... This year the youngest 2 granddaughters sang for us. It was so sweet! After that, we open presents. My brother is always "Santa." He passes out the gifts one at a time. I love opening gifts one at a time because it makes it last longer and everyone has a chance to see what each person receives. I don't know, it just seems a little more civil than everyone tearing into their gifts at once, and then it's over in 3 minutes. I like the anticipation of it all! Later on, the rest of our family arrives (cousins, aunts, uncles, and our grandmother -Meme). I love it that every member of my family and extended family has a sense of humor...this means lots more laughing! This year we ate Mexican food: tamales, rice, beans, homemade tortillas, and guisado. A couple of years ago, we brought out a Karioke machine and everyone had the chance to sing. It was hilarious! Everyone was in awe when our, 19 year old, handsome yet shy cousin belted out "Just Give It Away" by George Strait! This year we had a Chinese Christmas. Lots of swiping gifts, but no bloodshed! Everyone was very civil!
Mark, the girls, and I always spend Christmas morning together. Last year we started a new tradition and continued it this year. A few weeks prior to Christmas, we each draw a name from a jar. Whoever's name you draw, you have to give that person a gift. But, it can't just be any gift, it has to be homemade! This takes the pressure off the girls of thinking they have to buy a gift for everyone. This year I drew Kater Bug's name. I spray painted an old chandelier pink, bought lights for it and adorned it with beads (goin to buy tiny picture frames for it too). Mana drew my youngest's name. Since Mana loves to draw and is good at it, she drew Libby 2 pictures. (Last year she drew me a picture of an old church -love it!) Kater Bug made her dad a camouflage blanket (the kind you tie around the edges). He loved it! I was so excited when Mark had drawn my name, weeks prior. Visions of new shutters had crossed my mind... I was quite surprised when I opened my package. At first, I thought, "Wow, Mark knows how to make candles!" Then I saw Paula Deen's face staring back at me and I knew it wasn't homemade. Oh well, I'll let him slide, since he is one of the most hard-working and busiest men I know! He bought me tons of candles, scented wicks, a neck massager, perfume, lotion, facial products, etc... What a guy!
We usually eat Christmas lunch at Mark's parents' house, which is only a short walk away. A person could never go hungry at their house! There's always an over-abundance of food, which is making me think after I write this blog, I need to go for a jog! Anyway, for the last 5 years or so, Mark's parents serve steak and grilled shrimp for lunch! I really believe his dad's grilled shrimp is probably the best I've ever tasted! It was delish! The next day, after his sister and family arrived, we celebrated Christmas with his family. Lots of family = lots of food. We had a white elephant gift exchange, which was pretty comical! There were several gag gifts, that got a few laughs. I had fun visiting with my sister-in-law for several days and enjoyed watching our kids play together.
Christmas break would not be the same without my sister staying the night with us! We totally veg while she's stays with us. She got to witness a near death experience, while at the ranch. Let me explain: Amber and I were in the sunroom drinking coffee and looking at pics on face book, when all of a sudden, my oldest runs in the house crying. Thinking something was terribly wrong or someone was hurt, I jumped up and knocked my favorite mug over in the process (it broke). I was sad to hear that Eve (our 5 day old pygmy goat) was near death, but was thankful that my girls weren't hurt. Eve was born on Christmas Eve, hence the name, and was the runt of triplets. Since the mama goat couldn't produce enough milk for the 3 little goats, my oldest took on the duty of bottle feeding her. Mana has such a sensitive heart when it comes to animals. She's going to make a great vet someday. When Mana went out to feed her that cold morning, Eve wasn't under the lamp and was almost dead because of the cold! It's amazing the things I pray for at times (because of my children). I never thought I'd be praying for a pygmy goat, but that morning I was praying Eve would arise like Lazarus did! We've witnessed many baby animals die out here and on this particular morning it looked as though the little goat was not going to make it. It was so limp, it couldn't even hold it's neck up and was barely breathing. After holding it in a blanket and trying to feed it for several hours, it started baa-ing and drinking the milk! We all rejoiced! Then Mark and the girls went to town to run a few errands. Great! I was on goat duty! I prayed it wouldn't die on my watch. After they left, it jumped out of its box and started running around! It was a true Christmas miracle. Amber and I were hungry, so we decided to get a hamburger in a neighboring town. Guess who came along? That's right, Eve did! Most kids get new puppies for Christmas, mine got a baby pygmy goat!
All in all, our Christmas vacation has been great. I'm not looking forward to my girls going back to school on Tuesday, but I am looking forward to the wonderful things God has planned for our lives this year! It's going to be a good one; I can feel it in my bones!!
"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:11
I really don't know why I'm so excited about 2010, but I am! I'm believing for great things to happen this year. I like what mom said a few days ago. She said she believes it's going to be a year of restoration! That's exciting to me.
The first half of December my schedule was filled with the girls' activities, substituting, Girls of Grace meetings/Fiesta Texas trip, hayrides, planning parties, going to parties, and shopping. While all of that was fun, I was looking forward to a little down time with my family. That beloved day arrived on December 21st! My brother's family and my sister arrived at my mom and dad's that day. They stayed there until Christmas day. It was a relaxing time of just visiting, chilling out, and the occasional Wii bowling tournament! One of the reasons I feel so fortunate is because I honestly believe I have the best family on the face of this earth. While we are not perfect, we truly love each other and would not do or say anything to intentionally hurt one another. We also laugh a lot when we're all together. I am so blessed!
Christmas Eve at mom and dad's is always such a special time. Before opening presents, a Christmas story is always read, and then the 5 granddaughters are given the opportunity to sing, read a poem, play an instrument, etc... This year the youngest 2 granddaughters sang for us. It was so sweet! After that, we open presents. My brother is always "Santa." He passes out the gifts one at a time. I love opening gifts one at a time because it makes it last longer and everyone has a chance to see what each person receives. I don't know, it just seems a little more civil than everyone tearing into their gifts at once, and then it's over in 3 minutes. I like the anticipation of it all! Later on, the rest of our family arrives (cousins, aunts, uncles, and our grandmother -Meme). I love it that every member of my family and extended family has a sense of humor...this means lots more laughing! This year we ate Mexican food: tamales, rice, beans, homemade tortillas, and guisado. A couple of years ago, we brought out a Karioke machine and everyone had the chance to sing. It was hilarious! Everyone was in awe when our, 19 year old, handsome yet shy cousin belted out "Just Give It Away" by George Strait! This year we had a Chinese Christmas. Lots of swiping gifts, but no bloodshed! Everyone was very civil!
Mark, the girls, and I always spend Christmas morning together. Last year we started a new tradition and continued it this year. A few weeks prior to Christmas, we each draw a name from a jar. Whoever's name you draw, you have to give that person a gift. But, it can't just be any gift, it has to be homemade! This takes the pressure off the girls of thinking they have to buy a gift for everyone. This year I drew Kater Bug's name. I spray painted an old chandelier pink, bought lights for it and adorned it with beads (goin to buy tiny picture frames for it too). Mana drew my youngest's name. Since Mana loves to draw and is good at it, she drew Libby 2 pictures. (Last year she drew me a picture of an old church -love it!) Kater Bug made her dad a camouflage blanket (the kind you tie around the edges). He loved it! I was so excited when Mark had drawn my name, weeks prior. Visions of new shutters had crossed my mind... I was quite surprised when I opened my package. At first, I thought, "Wow, Mark knows how to make candles!" Then I saw Paula Deen's face staring back at me and I knew it wasn't homemade. Oh well, I'll let him slide, since he is one of the most hard-working and busiest men I know! He bought me tons of candles, scented wicks, a neck massager, perfume, lotion, facial products, etc... What a guy!
We usually eat Christmas lunch at Mark's parents' house, which is only a short walk away. A person could never go hungry at their house! There's always an over-abundance of food, which is making me think after I write this blog, I need to go for a jog! Anyway, for the last 5 years or so, Mark's parents serve steak and grilled shrimp for lunch! I really believe his dad's grilled shrimp is probably the best I've ever tasted! It was delish! The next day, after his sister and family arrived, we celebrated Christmas with his family. Lots of family = lots of food. We had a white elephant gift exchange, which was pretty comical! There were several gag gifts, that got a few laughs. I had fun visiting with my sister-in-law for several days and enjoyed watching our kids play together.
Christmas break would not be the same without my sister staying the night with us! We totally veg while she's stays with us. She got to witness a near death experience, while at the ranch. Let me explain: Amber and I were in the sunroom drinking coffee and looking at pics on face book, when all of a sudden, my oldest runs in the house crying. Thinking something was terribly wrong or someone was hurt, I jumped up and knocked my favorite mug over in the process (it broke). I was sad to hear that Eve (our 5 day old pygmy goat) was near death, but was thankful that my girls weren't hurt. Eve was born on Christmas Eve, hence the name, and was the runt of triplets. Since the mama goat couldn't produce enough milk for the 3 little goats, my oldest took on the duty of bottle feeding her. Mana has such a sensitive heart when it comes to animals. She's going to make a great vet someday. When Mana went out to feed her that cold morning, Eve wasn't under the lamp and was almost dead because of the cold! It's amazing the things I pray for at times (because of my children). I never thought I'd be praying for a pygmy goat, but that morning I was praying Eve would arise like Lazarus did! We've witnessed many baby animals die out here and on this particular morning it looked as though the little goat was not going to make it. It was so limp, it couldn't even hold it's neck up and was barely breathing. After holding it in a blanket and trying to feed it for several hours, it started baa-ing and drinking the milk! We all rejoiced! Then Mark and the girls went to town to run a few errands. Great! I was on goat duty! I prayed it wouldn't die on my watch. After they left, it jumped out of its box and started running around! It was a true Christmas miracle. Amber and I were hungry, so we decided to get a hamburger in a neighboring town. Guess who came along? That's right, Eve did! Most kids get new puppies for Christmas, mine got a baby pygmy goat!
All in all, our Christmas vacation has been great. I'm not looking forward to my girls going back to school on Tuesday, but I am looking forward to the wonderful things God has planned for our lives this year! It's going to be a good one; I can feel it in my bones!!
"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:11
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
