Trip Home from Christmas

We ended up leaving early for our trip 'home' for Christmas due to weather, and decided to stay on through Monday as planned....well turns out the weather would have kept us there that long anyway!  The interstates and highways we had to travel to get home were not opened until Sunday, and not early enough for us to leave and get home before dark!  However, Monday we were able to have clean roads and enjoy the sights of 20-25 foot drifts the entire way!

This drift that was along the interstate would have easily covered our Suburban!

She devoloped this new pouty face for picture taking while at G&G's house!

Always happy to smile for the camera!

I can see the Hills!

It is amazing to me how much we LOVE being where we are.  Seriously, while we loved spending so much time with my family over Christmas it was just amazing to see the hills and know we were close to home!  I cannot even describe the entire feeling that happened when I saw the hills...but my heart was racing and my eyes teared up!  Seriously!

This was much more amazing IRL, the tiny little dot in the middle of the sky is the afternoon moon!  It was beautiful!

So pretty...but we did not know what awaited us at home!

Welcome back!

An easy three foot of snow kept us away from our home...my wonderful husband shoveled a pathway so we could unload and get in the house.  We then were able to go get a friends snowblower which made Handsome's job LESS but it still took him three plus hours to get things ready for Daycare the next day and so he could get his truck out for work! 

What an adventure!

Thankful Thursday

I just want to say that I am thankful for the fact that my mom WANTS to talk with me every day!  She has been vacationing this week (floating around somewhere between Miami, Cozumel, Jamaca, and the Cayman Islands) and we haven't had our daily chats...short as they are sometimes.  I have missed chatting with her, as a wife I made the decision to 'leave and cleave' and living so far away has made it pretty easy not to cling to my mom....but being able to have a friendship with her has been an added bonus.  Just hope she has plans of coming and visiting sometime inthe near future! 

Oh and Dad, you are missed too...but with your busy schedule we are lucky to talk once a week...and you are MORE THAN WELCOME to join Mom when she comes next time!

Love You Guys and cannot wait to hear from you on Saturday and all about your trip.  (Next time bring me!)  {Pretty Please!}

First Time Sledding!

We bought a sled several weeks before Christmas and hadn't had a chance to use it!  While we were at Grandma & Grandpa's we were able to pull them around!  There wasn't a hill that would work around there so Daddy got a work out...oh how they LOVED it!

Notice how The Princess' mouth is WIDE open?!?

BooBear got into leaning during turns to purposefully tip the sled over!

THEY LOVED IT!

We were able to go on some snowmobile rides over the weekend, but unfortunately those pictures are all on Grandma's camera and I didn't put them on a CD to bring home this time! 8-(

But here is a still shot!

*These pictures were taken on BooBear's actual birthday!

BooBears East River Birthday!

With the weather being as such we didn't get to have Aunt Lisa & Uncle Jody and their crew along with Aunt Dawn & Uncle Bob join us!  But we did get a special treat!  Tyrel (Uncle ReeeRe's good friend since elementary school) along with Aunt Christy's parents, brothers, and special friend Lindsey with us for the big event!  Dad cooked a big ham meal and we had birthday cake to celebrate after!  Then came the gifts...my children are SPOILED!

Singing to the Birthday Boy...his shirt says, "I'm kind of a BIG deal!"  Loved it!

Grandpa showing off his new AlanJackson cowboy hat!

Princess enjoying some cake!

A helicopter from Mommy & Daddy!

John.Deere book and Lincoln Logs also from us...

Swirlin' Saw Dust Work Bench from Grandpa & Grandma N!  He LOVES it!

He thinks the drill is pretty cool.  Since we got this home and put it in his room he is always asking if he can play in his room "all by myself!"  Cracks me up!

Ever want to see something funny?  Watch to guys try to play with a 3 year old's computer!  The kids had them figured out in minutes....I will say there was some words coming out of their mouths that I cannot repeat!  It was comical!  ♥ you B&T

Gifts with Grandpa & Grandma!

The kids were majorly spoiled with gifts this year!  Thanks to all the family members that took part in spoiling my children...now do you want to come help with the attitudes that go along with getting EVERYTHING you want for Christmas? Please?!?

This year we kind of splurged on my dad.  He is the person that never 'needs' anything because everyone else always 'needs' something!  That makes a person very VERY difficult to shop for.  This year was going to be one of those box of chocolate covered cherries and share in moms gift kind of years...just because I really had NO idea what to get for him.  But Black.Friday shopping changes all that!  When shopping on Moms side of the state our tradition is to eat lunch at the Cracker.Barrell!  MMMM!  But then we can do some shopping afterwards!  I scored big this year!  They had a line of stuff by Alan.Jackson (who my dad claims to look like...I kind of denied it in my High School years, but am coming around now!)  This picture is the cover of one of his albums that we happen to have, lots of good old hymns on it!  Anyway, when I walked by it the way the picture is taken it really does look like my dad, or AJ, or my dad...hmmm

So that was a no brainer...but when I couldn't say no to the second half the gift got a little pricey...but well worth it!

They had cowboy hats just like AJ wears!  I knew he NEEDED that too!

Think he likes?  He then had to complain about Mom making him get a haircut for Christmas because he looks more like AJ when he has the golden curls!  Gotta ♥ my Daddy!

A pizza for her kitchen!

A 'rolling tape' to help Daddy work!

Mom, Seester, n the ReeRe

Seester thought her husband forgot about her...good thing we made it to town that morning for some brother/sister shopping, huh?

She got Arctic.Cat gloves to match her knew coat!  She really was excited!

Some markers and Princess coloring pages!

A John.Deere plate, cup, & bowl...he was kind of excited!

Thanks Seester!

The cause of the adults staying up until close to 2 AM!  ReeRe got a John.Deere Monopoly game for Christmas from the 'rents and we all decided to play it.  What fun it was...and my husband should thank me for the win because I totally set him up.  Why did I ever break my rule of NEVER playing Monopoly with him again?  Actually Handsome & Dad won, the rest of were totally taken out.  I think Seester was kind of shocked at how serious of a game Monopoly is in this family!  But oh what fun it was...seriously, when are we gonna do it again?

My new pots n pans from Mom & Dad...thanks guys, they work great!

Handsome opening his gift from Mom & Dad...what is it?  What is it?

I think he is excited!  A creeper, floor jack, and heavy duty stands!

After it was all said and done we made a mess all over the floor, but I think it is safe to say that this was one of the most memory making Christmas' ever!  (We missed Aunt Wendy & Uncle Laural though!)

Thankful Thursday

So this last week I have been reminded over and over again what a lucky girl I am to have Handsome as my husband.  This guy is nothing short of amazing...and that isn't even enough of a word!

So I started this Ideal Protein Diet and 2 out of 3 weeks that I have been on it I have lost a good deal of weight (7-8 lbs) and the week in between I lost 2!  So, needless to say while I do have lots more energy...my body is doing lots of adjusting and I am pretty tired at the end of the day.  Not to mention the fact that making supper for the family that looks all yummy and then making supper for myself just isn't all it is cracked up to be!  I LOVE the IDP food, but I also still long for my glass of milk...anything with cheese on it...or cake! 

Anyway, so since I have been on my diet and slacking rather slightly in my duties as a wife and keeping the house my husband has been a gentleman!  He cooks, he cleans, he picks up, he does laundry...he literally keeps the house going!  I simply wake up, take care of the Pumpkins, and that is about it!  But we both know that this diet is much importante to my health and with the $$$ we are investing in it we want it to work, so he is being 100% supportive in any way he can!

I am thankful for the wonderful husband God has blessed me with, I really do not deserve him!  Love you Handsome!