The Christmas Blues

All the decorations are down and the house is a mess! LOL...

I so love Christmas, I hated to see if go.. I normally leave the decorations up till New Years! however, got to get back to work on the remodel...

I am off work for the next 5 days, so looking forward to resting some what now that all the hard work is over..

Gonna get up in the morning and clean and do laundry, and I hope not much of anything else the rest of the week...

David and I are staying home for New Year's Eve this year... first in many that we have not had our annual Party... but we wanted to stay snuggled up and eat a lot of junk food...
Then I will cook the normal diner Thursday and then we may work on the bedroom some, then again maybe not!

Well, I am off to bed, as morning will be here soon enough!

Hugs to all in my world... thanks for stopping by!

Where did Christmas go??

Wow,
With all the prep that goes into the days leading up to Christmas, it sure did go by in a flash...

The kids arrived home last Tuesday around 8:30 or so, we ate supper and visited until 1:00 AM... Christmas Eve started off with coffee 7:00 AM I started cooking and making candy... The kids went and picked Mom up for a few hours we had finger foods and visited until 5:00 then the kids took her back home, and we headed to the in-laws at 6:00 PM...

More finger food, and then the gift opening started... we had allot of fun... David's Mom and Dad decided to give money this year to everyone... always a great gift!

The 4 of us left about 8:30 and headed to the big Drive through Santa Land on I-20 as Callie had never seen one.. we had a blast! back home and stayed up again until a little after 1:00 AM... Santa had to come so lights out!!

Christmas morning started around 9:00 AM this year... I LOVED staying home, we eased around in our PJ's for a bit, drinking coffee and visiting.... started cooking and then we opened gifts around 1:00, then the kids went back after Mom... David's parents came by to visit for a bit, then around 5:00 we chowed down on Turkey, dressing and ALL the trimmings! YUMMO!!

We rolled into the family room and watched Jeff Dunham's Christmas DVD that Casey received... had so much fun just laughing away and chit chatting... David and I took Mom home around 8:00 and headed back home where the fun carried on again until after midnight...

The next morning we left the house at 8:00 AM and hit the stores ALL DAY!! Then we drove and looked at Christmas lights at Holley Tree... LOVED THEM...

Headed back home and ate again watched TV and headed to bed sometime after midnight...
We slept in Saturday morning until about 8:00 where David and I stayed in our PJ's all day and did nothing but watch movies... The kids went back to Tyler Saturday afternoon and purchased a 52" LCD flat screen TV! they hooked up with some friends and arrived back home a little after 9 PM...

Off to Arlington Sunday morning, as we had to carry the kids TV in our Truck... set it up and headed to Best Buy for cables and surge protector... Went to Hooters for hamburgers and wings... back to the kids place and visited for a bit more... David and I got back home around 8:30... where we crashed!!!

I so loved having the kids with us! but back to the real world... both of us headed back to work today, dragging!!!

Tonight, it is pulling boxes down from the attic, and after work tomorrow, stopping by Sam's for some New Year's Eve groceries, coming home and trying my best to have everything boxed up and put away... I am taking Wednesday, Thursday and Friday off... want to get up Wednesday morn and clean clean clean... and then nothing else the rest of the week!!

Can't believe it is all over, but I have to say, kinda glad, as we have to get back to the remodeling soon!

Well, gotta get up in the attic.. More later...

Hugs to all in my world...thanks for stopping by!

Christmas 2008

Here are a few pics that were taken Christmas Eve and Christmas Day...

Twinkle Twinkle... a few decorations around the house!

OUR GODCHILDREN!

This is my best friend Traci, loving on Grayce!

This is little Miss Kassidy, she loved her little people mini van...

Sweet little one!

This is Peyton, showing one of his Star Wars figures...

She loved her Cabbage patch kid!

COUNTING DOWN THE HOURS

My kids are coming home tomorrow night! I am so excited... it now feels like Christmas.. the weather has been bone chilling for the past several days, the high today was 33 and lows last night was 22...

However, it is supposed to be in the 60's on Christmas, it missed the mark by a few days... but at least it will not be too hot!

I have had a busy week! Saturday I spent all day cleaning the house, then we headed to Tyler to the grocery store...

Our God Kids came for Christmas on Sunday... had a blast with them... was up until 1:00 am this morning, could not shut my mind off... watch several Christmas movies... now I am ready!!


Well, off to bed in a bit... hugs to all in my world... thanks for stopping by!

OH MY GOSH!

What were we thinking?????

Remodeling during Christmas? The stress of it all is starting to get to me...

My house is a WRECK! I am not getting much done at a fast pace... the first of our Christmas company is coming next weekend... I am no where ready for that...

I have not started my Christmas candy making, let alone the shopping list.. UGH!! I need a drink. haha...

The next two weeks are going to be so hectic... it took me 9 hours yesterday to wrap my Christmas gifts... I still like my Mom's and my secret Santa gift for work, need that by Tuesday...

Tuesday I am taking my best friend to lunch for her birthday... after work, our work Christmas party at On the Border... at least there will be drinking! Friday night I have my scrapbook workshop (the one thing that will relax me)...

Sunday, my Godchildren are coming for their Christmas! I will be huffing and puffing in high gear to get my house ready between now and then, I have to squeeze a manicure and pedicure in this week somewhere...

Next Monday, I have my annual Christmas dinner and gift exchange with my best friend at Olive Garden... we have an annual tradition to eat and drink wine, then we walk over to Marshall's, Goodys, Lowe's, Drug Emporium and Pets Mart till we sober up, so that we can drive home... we have been doing this for the past 8 years... we have such a blast!

Then I pick up my Turkey and Hams and deliver those to some of our friends that night, then Christmas Eve I will be cooking most of that day, then it is off to the In-laws for the night... then this year we are starting our tradition of Christmas day at home, just the 4 of us... I am happy to say, this is what I am looking forward to the most this year...
My mother in law is not too happy, BUT, we have been going to her house for the past 25 years on both Christmas Eve and Christmas day, and it is time for me to host my kids, and someday grand kids... she will just have to understand that...

I am exhausted just thinking about all this amongst the muck of mess that is in the back part of my house... again, what were we thinking... LOL

Pray for my sanity, as I approach this task... Well, better get back the laundry and chores... I will check back in with all later on...

Hugs to all in my world... thanks for stopping by!

Can't believe only two more weeks!

With all the prepping we do for Christmas, it amazes me how quickly it seems to fly by...

I still have so much to do... my tree is almost complete, tomorrow night I hope, as I had a hair appointment after work, then I had to stop by Wal-mart to pick some stuff up for work the nights go by in such a hurry...

Our house is still in a mess... I have got to get up early Saturday morning to do some much needed tiding up... hide what I can ... hahaha... then it is time to drag out my cookbooks I bet I have over a 100 of them... I love to collect them too... I just need to remember to use more than just the same little handful.. I love Rachel Ray's and Paula Deen... and I have TONS of others...

I am going to try some new candy this year along with my family favs... the house will really seem like Christmas once I start on that next weekend...

I need to finish up with my gift list... just like a few from scratching those off my to do list...
Will start wrapping next week, if not this weekend...

I am loving the cold part of this weather... the cold front moved in today after all of the storms that blew through... we have started our fireplace tonight FINALLY.... is was showing 38 when I got home around 7 PM... it feels allot colder now... love it when we crank the fire up... feels like winter...

Well, better get off to bed, as the morning will be here soon..

Hugs to all in my world... thanks for stopping by!

DECKING THE HALLS AND ALL!

This is a first... the first year that I have not decorated every single room in my house... with all the construction going on in our bedroom, we have things scattered EVERYWHERE, therefore, I am having to scale back this year.. :(

I am going to try and enjoy my family room and entry hall, and not think too much of what's missing...

Next year David is promising me that we will decorate inside and out and spare not one box in my attic...

I have my tree put together, just have to finish it up tomorrow... I will post a few pics once I am completed...

Tomorrow is going to fly by I just know, it always does when we are in full force...
David is wanting to start tearing out walls tomorrow, so I am pretty much on my own to finish up...

Well, I am off to grab a quick bite, then it is lights out... full day Sunday..

Hugs to all in my world... thanks for stopping by!

Come to me my Child

Today, my son, got a taste of this cold cruel world... he called and poured out his heart of frustrations that he was having at work... It took me back 20 years ago, as I traveled down that road of management, and all the heartache I went through, finding my way...

I so hate to see him go through this wicked and difficult career world, knowing that I can no longer shelter him from all of its woes...

After talking for more than a hour, I felt it helped... I am so thankful that at the age of 23, he still feels that he can and does still come to Mom to make him feel a little better... I love you Casey... and as I said, things will look better... just do not sway from what you know in your heart as the truth, and God will continue to lead you where you need to go...

I found this poem... it helped me to remember this too...

GOD IS ALWAYS NEAR

One thing can always cheer me When I'm feeling sad and low When I tire of daily trials that I have to undergo,When those who should seem closest, seem like people I don't know,One thing can always cheer me I know that God is near me.

One thing can always cheer me when I do not understand How pain and sadness in our lives can get so out of hand,When the best of human efforts doesn't meet the days demands,One thing can always cheer me I know that God is always near me.

One thing can always cheer me more than anything I've known And show me I will never have to struggle on my own For no matter what might happen I will never be alone The thing that will always cheer me is just knowing God is near me.

Our lives are in God's loving hands, in everything we do He is with us constantly,He always sees us through.
And if our faith is strong enough we'll never walk alone,for with His great and perfect love He takes care of His own.

(Amanda Bradley)

HOT OR COLD

I wish this weather would make up its mind... one day hot, next day cold... no wonder everyone is sick...

I am so happy that today is Wednesday, just two more to go till the weekend...
I have so much to do, I have not yet taken my decorations down from the attic, I have got to start on that first thing Saturday...

The walk in closet is coming along nicely... we should start knocking down the wall that separates the two rooms soon!

I am going to Roadhouse FINALLY tomorrow... our VP is taking all of us around 4... I can taste that roadhouse roadie... hahaha...

Well, it is that time of night, lights out... Until tomorrow,

Hugs to all in my world... Thanks for stopping by!

I HATE MONDAYS...

The only good thing about Tuesdays, it is closer to Friday!

I still as of yet, pulled my Christmas stuff out of the Attic... I always dread doing that part of it... IT IS SO MUCH STUFF... I did however, just come down from there... a few years back I bought all of us some new stockings to hang over our fireplace...
I bought 4 knowing that someday Casey would have a wife... well, he is saving for the ring, and I am taking a leap of faith and going tomorrow to add Callie to our family stockings... I am going to surprise her when they come home for the holidays...

I hope it stays cold this week, as that will put me in the Christmas spirit, I will put on the Christmas tunes and start having a ball, not thinking too much of how tired I will be once it is all done...

Need to finish up my shopping... not too much left to do and I hate to wait too long, as the crowds start getting to me... Can't wait till the day after sales though, I know the crowds will be big... we just try and make the best of that one...

Annette's Daughter, Ashley, is having her baby shower this Sunday, I really hope I can make it, as I really need to make a huge dent into my decorating, and David likes me near by to help work on anything he might need me for... Hopefully, I will get to go only for a little bit... it would be so nice to spend time with them...

Well, better sign off for now, as it is bed time... Sandman, I am a coming!

Hugs to all in my world...thanks for stopping by!