Thanksgiving

I just wanted to wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

This year kinda stinks. I have to work a twelve hour shift the night before Thanksgiving and work at eleven the night of Thanksgiving. My mom really works with whatever time will work out best for everyone to be able to come. She is doing dinner around four-ish. The bad thing is Jamie's aunt is having dinner at five all the way out in Pacific. So we won't be able to attend both with me having to work that night. I told Jamie that he can go to his families and I can just go to mine, but then the issue is who Grace gets to go with. I want to be with her on the holiday, and Jamie said that he wants us all to be together. So I guess we will figure it all out on Thursday. My mom makes some yummy food, the standard things- turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole, corn, salad, macaroni, rolls, etc. All of the kids are home and it is a fun time. I love being with the ones that I love and love me on the holidays.

Bad News

When I moved into my condo a few years ago my loan officer obtained a grant for me that paid for all of my closing costs but in return I had to stay in my home for five years. I was under the impression that it was prorated if you sold before the five years. I called yesterday to ask and the lady told me that it is not prorated and you have to pay all of it back at the time of closing.

SO- BLAH!!!! Guess that makes our decision easier about selling our home. We will have to just stay put for eighteen months. I was bummed out all day yesterday but I have to keep on reminding myself that we are so fortunate to even have a home and are still doing really well in this terrible economy.

Grace's Fall Pictures

Okay so here are a few of Grace's Fall pictures. These are the ones that I had done by Emily Miller Photography. She did a great job, we are absolutely thrilled with the way they turned out. If you want to see the rest please email me or leave me a message and I will give you the information on how to do that. Please don't copy these!!! These are her proofs and I do not own the rights to these.

Leave me a comment and tell me what you think!!

Friday Night Lights

Okay so I was skeptical at first too.......... but I love love love times a hundred Friday Night Lights. Hands down the best show I have seen in years. It is so much more than football! It has a great story line and leaves me in tears every week. For those who haven't seen it, go ahead and give it a chance you won't be disappointed.

P.S. The characters in the show are really easy on the eyes!!

Leave me a comment and tell me if you watch the show.

Shopping, Shopping, Shopping

Yesterday my sister, Grace, and I went to Chesterfield Mall. We had a great time. We mostly window shopped but found some really cute things. We put Grace by the window at the Pet store and she was SCREAMING hi to the puppies, and getting so frustrated with them. It was HILARIOUS!!! We let her play on the playground, and ride on the carousel.

We ate lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. Sarah was in awe of the restaurant, she kept on saying that she never ate some where so fancy. These two little old ladies sat next to us and Grace worked her charm on them the entire lunch.

I finished off the day by stopping in at my brothers house. I hadn't seen them in awhile and couldn't believe how much my nephews have grown. Collin is getting cuter every time I see him. Grace played with them and Sarah, Shawn, and I caught up.

Just wanted to say that I love my sister very much and love that she loves Grace so much. She is always loving on her, willing to watch her, and loves playing with her. Thanks again for making yesterday such a wonderful girls day out.

ENT Visit

Today I had to take Grace for her six month ENT visit to make sure that her tubes in her ears were still looking good. We see Dr. Hardeman and just LOVE him. Grace had frequent ear infections and since the tubes she has been a whole new child. Dr. Hardeman said the tubes still looked great but this is the season that would be the most challenging because it is ear infection season, so cross your fingers for us.

Also, I am off work tomorrow and plan on doing a craft project. I will post pictures later. I plan on making my own version of a glass hurricane. Please feel free to leave me a comment if you like it!!

What is new???

What is Grace up to now a days?? Well what she is not up to is more like it!!!

-Grace is now seventeen months old- SIGH- She is getting so old!!
-She is talking up a storm. It doesn't all make sense but she tries and is trying to repeat everything (I now have to make sure that I sensor everything).
-She is really into playing with purses, she carries one around all the time. She carries it in the bend of arm, it is too cute. She puts random things in the purses but has a ball filling and un-filling them.
-She is a sorter. What I mean by this is, she puts things in piles and then picks them up and puts them other places. She do es this all day!!
-She is starting to dance to music. She has been hitting a button on her book that plays a song and then she shakes her booty and arms. It is adorable!
-She loves to play in the bath.
-She loves to have us read books to her.
-She is no longer drinking from a bottle. We took her bottle away last week and it was for sure harder on me than her. She called out for it and asked for it every morning- "Ba Ba Ba"!! We stuck to our guns and now she is calling it her "Cup".

Grace is so small but has already made such an unbelievable impact in Jamie and I's life that we don't know what we would do with out her. She is incredible to me. I love everything about her. She has this beautiful smile that just makes my heart melt. I love her little voice and giggle. Can't wait to see what the future holds for her.

The Holidays

I am so excited about the upcoming holidays. I know that I have talked about it before but I can't say it enough- the holidays are so much more fun now that I am a parent. I look at it all differently now. For instance, I can't wait to tell her about Jesus and his birthday. I can't wait to do special things with her and make traditions for our family. To bake Christmas cookies with her, hide things in her stocking, etc. all of it the years are just going to get better and better.

I am so sad that she isn't a baby anymore but every single day gets better and better. She is mocking words right now and to hear her mock the words I love you just makes me want to melt. I love being a mom!!!!!

Jamie is such a great dad too!! He is always reading to her and talking to her. I love watching and listening to them play. It makes me love him in a whole new way.

Deer Hunting

I have had this ongoing worry every time Jamie talks about deer hunting that I hope that he will be safe and returned home safe to me without any scratches. And I know he probably thinks that I am crazy but my concerns were totally validated to me today with how dangerous deer hunting can be.

My friend Julie just got married three weeks ago, she just got home from her honeymoon last weekend, and her new husband and father went deer hunting this weekend. Her husband's father was accidentally shot and the bullet entered through his stomach and exited out of his back. He was transported to the closest hospital in Columbia. They were having a hard time getting the bleeding to stop and passed away within hours of arriving at the hospital.

I couldn't imagine losing my father and would be utterly devastated. One sad thing that I have left out is that when she was notified that someone was shot she was told it was her husband. Her brand new husband. I couldn't imagine what was going through her mind at the time. I think it is beyond sad that Brett's father passed away but would had been crushed if it was Brett. Julie has been searching for love for so long and for her brand new husband to be taken away so soon would had been horrendous.

So with all of this being said, it makes me even TEN times more nervous for Jamie to be out there deer hunting. So pray that Jamie will continue to be safe when he is out hunting and please say a little prayer for the Brett's family. It stinks that a hobby that Jamie is so passionate about is so dangerous. I am just crossing my fingers that he gets a deer he wants one so badly.

Christmas Shopping

Friday night my mom and I got some Christmas shopping done. We had so much fun. Jamie had to go to bed early because he was going deer hunting the next morning and my dad and brothers are out of town deer hunting, so it was the perfect opportunity for us girls to spend some time together.

We went to Toys R Us and Target. I had some coupons and with the price matching got some great deals. I bought for Jamie's nephews and nieces and got a few things for little Grace. We aren't buying Grace any toys this year so I have been pretty creative with her gifts. I just can't wait to spend time with her this holiday season.

We finished the night off with a kids meal at Culvers. We had a great time!

Picture Time

Saturday morning we had Grace's pictures taken. My friend Angela had referred me to this nice lady that meets you at an outdoor setting and takes pictures. We met at a BEAUTIFUL church in Crystal City at 915 in the morning. The photographer was sweet as can be and felt like an old friend my the time we were done.

She got some great shots. Grace was a little ham. She kept on smiling so cute and wanting to hold the photographers hand. I should get the proofs on line in a week and I will share some with you at that time. Cross your fingers for us that they turn out as cute as I think they will.

Thank You Mom

I couldn't have made it the last couple of weeks without my mom. Jamie spent a few days in Texas with his friend and I happened to have to work a few of the days when he was out of town. When I have to work, I mean I have to work twelve hour shifts and hour drive time to and from, so I am gone for a good fourteen hours straight. My mom babysat Grace from Thursday evening till Saturday evening and was so nice about doing it. She says its not babysitting its spending time with my grand-daughter. Grace always has so much fun over there and is loved to pieces.

Well this weekend Jamie went deer hunting, and I had to work again. She only had to go over there from the late afternoon till this evening but it still was so nice of her to watch her. Jamie is so cute, he stopped and got her a fountain soda to thank her.

I just makes my heart feel so good knowing that I can depend on her so much and we are so grateful to have such a wonderful mom. Grace is such a lucky girl, I wish I would have had such a great grandmother that was so involved in my life growing up.

Thanks again Mom!!!