6th Anniversary

Yesterday, the 27th was our 6th Anniversary. It's amazing that we've been married for 6 years. Life has been wonderful and we are still as happy as ever!!

Christmas Day 2009

We had a wonderful Christmas this year!! We have had such a busy year and have felt so blessed. Christmas Eve we started the morning off by having Marshmellow Matey's--I know healthy huh? This was a new tradition we started this year that every Christmas Eve morning the kids get to have cereal of their choice. Kelsey picked out Marshmellow Matey's at the store. Unfortunatley they both only ate the marshmellows--yumm and yes, double healthy!! The rest of the afternoon we spent coloring pictures and making sugar cookies for Santa. I watched two of my friend's girls while they were packing a moving truck--they were moving a day after Christmas. That evening we had a special Christmas Eve program. We watched the Nativity and then talked about Jesus and why we give gifts at Christmas. We sang some songs. Mylee requested that we sing Popcorn Popping, so we did. The girls then opened some Christmas jammies that I sewed for them and some lanterns that they can only use on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning (another new tradition). We talked about light and how light reminds us of Jesus. The girls thought that was pretty neat. Kelsey was so excited she had a hard time going to sleep that night, but eventually dosed off around 10:30 or 11 PM.

Mylee mostly just ate the frosting and M&M's

Kelsey and her new Doll Ashley and her new horse

Christmas morning Blake made a fire in our fireplace and then the fire alarm went off because we forgot to open the flu, opps. I then set it off again when the sticky buns in the oven over-flowed and started a small fire in the oven!! Other then those two mishaps, the day was wonderful! It was such a joy to see our girls open presents and see the excitement on their faces. That evening we had a nice dinner. Blake cooked us up some delicious prime rib and we had salad, orange rolls and a fruit salad along with sparkling cider for a drink. Dinner was a hit. Mylee kept wanting more prime rib--she loved it.

Blake opening some cologne from all of his girls

A new art set for our little artist
Mylee's new baby. She carries it around on her back and it says "Momma, Da da, cries, and laughs" When her baby does one of those things she says, "What baby?" or if she cries she says, "Baby crying."

Oh the excitement!!

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas.....

Looks who's going to get a White Christmas this year!!!! This is what we woke up to this morning on Christmas Eve. Mylee runs into my bedroom this morning and says, "Quick Mom, snowman!!!" It snowed a couple of inches last night. The girls lasted about 5 minutes outside before they were back inside in tears--it was pretty cold. The wind is pretty strong today. It's around 30 degrees, but according to reports, it feels closer to the single digits because of the wind. This is quite the weather change for us. It's been in the 50 and 60's. I was just telling Blake the other day that I missed the snow. Kelsey asked yesterday if we were going to get snow for Christmas. I had to explain to her that it doesn't snow a lot where we live, so we probably won't get snow. Well here's to a child's wish!!

Spa Night and Ortho Christmas Party

I'm a little late in journaling this event, but I have some time this morning to give you all some updates. The Orthopaedic Department sponsors a spa night every year around Christmas time to honor the wives in the program. It was SO much FUN!! I got a pedicure!! I had never had one before and it was WONDERFUL!! Not only because it felt so good, but I can't reach down there very easily these days. My nail polish was bright red and best of all called Pretty n' Privileged (I didn't know that until after she had put it on). I also got a little snowflake painted on my big toe--so cute!!! They had lots of yummy appetizers and treats and it was great to visit with the other Ortho wives. They are such a GREAT group of girls!! I'm so lucky to have them. There are 8 of us and we get together once a month while the boys attend journal club. What's funny too is that 4 of the 8 of us are pregnant and 2 just had babies.

A couple of days later was the Department Christmas Party. They had it at Cagle Stakes Resteraunt (very Texan!!) in a building they had rented on the resteraunt's property. When pulling up to the resteraunt they had cowboys on horses asking us what party we belonged to and showed us where to go--very cool. The party was fun and the food was good. I had never been served such a large stake before!!

Kelsey's Dance Recital

Tuesday was Kelsey's last day of dance. We was a super star and was there for all 10 lessons!! She LOVED it!! I'm going to sign her up again for this Spring--starting in Februray for Jazz, Ballet and Tap (combined class). Can you believe it is only $15 for 10 weeks!!?? It's such a deal. They have some really nice programs through the community here. Kelsey learned a lot in her dance class and I was so proud of her. Blake was even able to come for her last lesson and see her dance.

Hurry Quick Before it Melts!!

On December 8th, we once again woke up to snow. Blake had pulled down our snow supplies the other day, so we tried to hurry and get dressed to go out and play in it for a while before it melted. Unfortunately by the time we got all dressed and ready, most of the snow had melted. So what did Kelsey do, she resorted to the sand box. Mylee just thought she was cool in her snow outfit. What could be better then playing with Dad in the backyard too!! We are loving having him home. We're not going to want him to leave when he has to go to work tonight (he works graveyard, 7 to 7). He will have that schedule through Sunday, then he has Monday through Friday off again!! Wha--hoo!! It's like he's on vacation. Next week we are going to paint the girl's room and maybe some other rooms in our house. Did I mention he has Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Years off too!! What more can I ask for? This is great!!

Gingerbread House 2009

Kelsey and I made our annual Gingerbread house again this year on Monday Dec. 7th. I put the frosting down and she decorated it!! She did an awesome job. She had been asking me for days when we would be able to make it. Thank goodness Monday came and we were able to do it for FHE.

Blake the Wonderful!!

Blake is on Emergency Medicine this month and we lucked out because they didn't schedule him to work until Dec. 10th. So what did he do, he started on a project!! He built us a covered patio!! yeah!!! It is still a work in progress. As I write he is caulking and then will have to paint. I will have to keep pictures coming. Our neighbors came over in amazement one day and said, "Wow, how do you know how to do that?" What can I say, my husband is superman!!

Our First Snow

If you think we don't get snow in Texas and that it doesn't get cold, think again cause looky here!! We woke up to our first snow on December 1st, 2009. Kelsey had to go outside first thing in the morning. Mylee yelled, "Mom, snowman!!!" She calls snow snowmans. I think it comes from "Once there was a Snowman" song. She loves that song. I love the snow and am really going to miss it. We do get snow in Texas, but it only lasts for a couple of hours.

Thanksgiving 2009

This year Blake had to work on Thanksgiving (2nd year in a row--what's up with that?). Thankfully, however, he didn't have to work overnight. Our sweet friends next door invited us over for Thanksgiving dinner and much to our surprise they were having their meal at night, so we were able to be together as a family for our Thanksgiving feast. Blake was a little late to the party, but he was there for most of the time. Our friends has also invited other people over for dinner. I believe we had about 21 people over for dinner including the missionaries who stopped in for a while--we love the missionaries, they stop by our house often.

I brought over all my left over pies and surprising a lot of them got eaten, yeah!!! I also made orange rolls, sweet potatoes, and cranberry jello salad. The meal was delicious! The girls didn't really care about the food, they were all into playing with new toys and friends.

Look Who's At It Again

I couldn't help but post this picture. Blake and I were working on finances (yuck!) unawares of what our kids were up to (not a good idea!!) After a while Blake went to go see where there were up to and this is what he found. PEANUT BUTTER!! All over Mylee, all over my pantry, pantry walls and door. Parenthood, isn't it great ;)

Pie Night

This year we had our annual pie night the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. I had been preparing pies all month in anticipation for this night. It's something I look forward to every year. I have to give a special thanks to my mother-in-law who shared with me her secret, yummy recipes and for giving me the skills. I made 7 pies and a friend brought an 8th pie. I made Pumpkin, Apple, Praline n' Apple, Lemon Meringue, Key Lime, Cherry, and Chocolate Cream. My friend brought Banana Cream. So there were a lot of options to choose from. We had 18 people over and enjoyed visiting with them. I learned though that 8 pies were too many. I had so much left over pie!!! And no one took any home. Next year I don't think I will be quite as ambitious. It was a good activity to do along with Kelsey though and for her to get exposure to this tradition and the art of making pies.

My Mom Comes to Visit!!

My Mom came to visit the week before Thanksgiving. It was so wonderful to have her come. Kelsey and Mylee LOVED having their Grammy around. I realized this was the first time my mom had come to visit me with no other kids in tow. It was nice to have her all to myself--that hasn't happened in years!! The first night she was here we played around our house and the girls had Grammy read the new books we had just gotten from the library. Kelsey was in heaven. My mom even read her this huge Disney Princess book (pictured above) that I hadn't had the patience to read yet. Mylee couldn't say Grammy, but instead called her Magga. It was SO CUTE!!

We of course went shopping and did some Christmas shopping for the girls. My mom even brought the girls new Christmas dresses! I enjoyed showing my mom around Lubbock and letting her get a feel of where I live. Saturday my friends threw me a baby shower and I was lucky enough to have my mom in town so she could come too. It was a great shower and I got some really cute and needful things!! I have such sweet friends here and have felt so welcome and loved.

Sunday Kelsey sang in the Primary Program and got up to the microphone and said her part perfectly from memory, "Family prayer strengthens my family, IT IS A BLESSING!" She enunciated that last part really well and I couldn't help but smile proudly when she finished. I really didn't think she would do it, but she surprised me. Kelsey did a great job singing and looked so beautiful in the new dress Grammy got for her. I have to admit though that she did get quite wiggly near the end of the program. She is quite the active little girl and has a hard time sitting still for very long. We are working on that though.

My mom left the next morning on Monday. My girls still talk about Grammy visiting. Thanks for coming to visit us Mom!!!