One week before Christmas

So it's the Sunday before Christmas. I really can't believe Christmas is in ONE week! Since mom had back surgery and she can't do the rest of the shopping it has giving daddy and I some good quality time together. Last weekend I met him in a nearby town at the mall and we spent the day together. Today we decided we needed to go to a different mall in a different town to finish up a few things. I think we got most of our stuff done that we had to do together.

Once we were done dad took me to lunch to Cheeseburger in Paradise. It was pretty yummy. We both love pickles so he ordered us some friend pickles. They were good but in my opinion my hubs makes better ones. Then we both just had the beach burger. Once lunch was over we went our different ways. He had two other stores to go to and I had three boys waiting on me to get home to make cookies.

I got home around 2:30 and Brayden and I dug into making some cookies together. We ended up baking a total of five dozen cookies! One set of cookies we made were peanut butter with reece cups in them and the others were cookies n cream. By the time we were almost done making the cookies n cream ones Brayd pooped out and decided he needed to play his video games of course! So next up for the baking are chocolate covered pretzels for the hubs.

The hubs and I are going to be so busy every evening this week! I have not started wrapping one gift! He is so much better at wrapping than I am. I like to think that I am just really good and spending the money and purchasing the gifts!




Do you have all your Christmas purchased and wrapped?

Merry Christmas!

This is our Christmas card made by my wonderful husband! I hope you guys enjoy!! 

http://sendables.jibjab.com/view/ugHzxirMpNGfb35aXKXY

My Big man

Brayden is my oldest. He is 7 years old and is in first grade. I just love this kid to death. He looks like his dad but his nature and attitude is all mine. He tries so very hard at school. I am so proud of how hard he works. His first semester in first grade he made the A, B, honor roll! I think we are track to make that same honor roll again!

Here he is doing some homework right after school. Look at that concentration! :)

Today he was able to take a break from his studies. He was on his way down to the library. My kid LOVES books! BUT his Kindergarten teacher from last year snatched him up. She was missing him and wanted him to help her out in her room. He loved every second of it. He loves Mrs. Moore. I think love is a total understatement. Mrs. Moore was our first look into his school. Last year was such a great year. Todd and I LOVE her to death. We hope that she will teach Gannon when he goes to school.

This was a picture taken last year. Can you tell Brayden loves Mrs. Moore? I am so glad that we have a school where they are there for the kids. Last year and this year both his teachers will call me and let me know if he is not feeling well, if it was a hat day and he forgot to tell me, or if he is just having an all around great day and did something fabulous that day at school! All the staff we have came into contact with has been excellent but hands down Mrs. Moore should be teacher of the year. She already is in mine and my families book! :)









Do you guys like your school system that your children are in?

To my momma

My mom is my best friend. I am daddy's little girl but I am also mommy's little girl too. Even though I am almost 30 I still call my parents mommy and daddy. I am an only child and adopted. I guess you can say I am spoiled. My parents tried for me for many years then one day was blessed with me! It's funny even though I am adopted I look at act like my family. A lot of people say I look like my dad. They also say that I look and act like my Aunt (my moms sister) My papaw swore that my aunt went off and had me for mom and dad but she promises she didn't! LOL

So tomorrow my momma is going in for one of her three or four surgeries she will have over the next few months. Tomorrow her first surgery will be on her back. It will be rough for her. She has a disease called Fibromyalgia. My momma is the rock of our family. There is only one other time she got really sick like this. I was still in high school, I was only a freshman I believe. The doctors actually brought her back to life twice. With being older and having my own family and not living near her it is hard. I am trying to take over while she has been down. She needs to hurry and recover because her two grandsons are ready to play play play with their mamaw!

Both of my parents are very close to my boys. I think my oldest Brayden and my mom are soul mates. He knows when mom says no to go to mamaw and he will get his way. He was the only one we had for six years! :) He knows how to work mamaw! LOL

Mom and dad have been together for the longest time. When I was growing up I watched their marriage and their relationship. I had always hoped to fine a partner that I could work together with like mom and dad worked together. It was usually mom and I a lot because dad was not only a teacher but he was also a basketball coach too. I think they make a wonderful couple. My mom is so beautiful and dad is handsome himself.

So mommy as you go into your first surgery tomorrow daddy and I will be right by your side. We will be there to hold your hand and kiss you as they wheel you off. We will be the first ones there when you wake up to tell you how great you did. I know your recovery will be hard but you have daddy and I to help you all the way. It will be tough at times and you will get frustrated with us but it's only because we all love each other. Remember growing up you always said it was "daddy, mommy, and me" now it has grown to us three plus Todd, bub, and monkey. We all will be there for you through everything. Know that you are loved so much and you are our rock that holds our family together. I still need you to teach me how to be that rock one of these days. I just hope that I can be as good as mommy to my boys as you were to me. I am the lucky one that got to be your daughter. You taught me how to be strong growing up, how to let Christ into my heart, how to be a wife, and a good mommy. You are the most unselfish person I know. You are my idol mommy. I love that I get to start my mornings talking to you on the phone and end my evenings telling you good night over the phone. Hopefully one day we will live close to each other again. When I go to bed tonight I will say an extra prayer that you will be okay and do so well tomorrow.

I love you mommy,

Love your little girl

So...

So I have been kind of bad on updating this little bloggy! It has been a crazy few weeks. Last Wednesday both of my kids got sick and we ended up in the doctors office. It really hasnt slowed down. The baby is feeling better while our oldest is not. We ended up at the doctor today and turns out he has pnemonia. Sucky!! Hopefully he will be able to go back to school on Wednesdy because he has his first ever field trip!

Did you guys do anything fun over the weekend?

Happy Thanksgiving

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

This year I made Thanksgiving at our house. It was the kids, myself, Todd, and my parents. We all always have so much fun making holiday dinners together. I am glad that I paid enough attention that I can recreate Thanksgiving dinner like my mom. Enjoy the pictures!

 Deviled Eggs made by my momma

 Green Bean Casserole

 Mashed Potatoes

 My Grandma Autumn's homeade noodles made by my daddy

 My Grandma Autumn's Sweet Potatoes

 Todd carved the turkey before I could get a picture of it so here is a little bit of it. I would like to add it was picture perfect looking. I never had one come out looking so perfect! 

Of course we had to have wine too! 

Is anyone going out shopping at midnight for Black Friday? Todd asked me if I was going to go do that this year and I have declined. My friend and I went one year to the outlet mall and it was just plain madness. I think we stood in line more than anything. 

IU Basketball Game

Last Saturday Todd scored us some IU tix! Being from Southern Indiana I LOVE IU total understatement. I also LOVE basketball. My dad was a basketball coach for 30+ years. I can remember my dad going to Bobby Knight basketball camps and the last day getting a shirt for me from the camp and getting it signed. So when Todd called to tell me that he was taking Brayden and I to the game I was more than excited! He also scored some hospitality passes! I spent all week thinking what IU shirts we were going to wear. The first up was to get Brayden's shirt. He has to dress to impress of course! Next it was mine and Todds turn. We had such a blast at the game! I can't wait until we can go to another one!! 

IU warming up before the game

Fashion Show

Today Gannon and I met up with Grandma and went to the mall. When we were there we decided to go to Old Navy and have an impromptu fashion show with hats!

Poor baby was such a trooper. He totally does not feel well. He got two shots yesterday for his 15 month check up and has been running a little fever. He is tiny little guy! He weighs 22lbs 4 oz and is 31.5 inches long. He is wearing 18 month shirts but 12 month bottoms.

Gannon 15 months

Gannon you are our little monkey! You love to climb on anything and everything. You are not scared at all. You will eat anything we give you to try. You have yet to object to anything. There are times that I will take a jar of baby food with us in case you might not like something. You will always pick big people food over baby food. You love watching big brother play video games.

You  also love lovins from big brother

 

My favorite time of the day is the morning when Brayden will say "good morning monkey how did you sleep"? You are always looking for him. You love it when we go pick him up from school. You watch every move he makes! The other favorite time of the day is after lunch when you want to lay on my lap and we watch Sesame Street. 

 

 

You like to end your evening sitting on the couch with daddy. Usually daddy is messing around on the computer and watching cartoons with you and Brayden. You also like to wrestle daddy. 

We love you so very much Gannon. I can not wait to continue to watch you grow and explore.

Veteran's Day

Today is Veteran's Day. I found myself this morning trying to explain to my 7 year what a Veteran was. Once I mentioned his Grandpa and his Uncle he gave me a look like he understood. My husbands side of the family goes way back with being in the Navy. I believe it goes from Great grandfather up to the present of my brother in law. My brother in law has served his two tours and thank goodness he came home safe to his family. The first time he left he had came home in time to get married. The second time he left was when my nephew was baking and he made it home just in time for his arrival too! So make sure you show your appreciation today!

The hubs, brother in law, and father in law

What is cooler than having an Uncle that flies F-18's. Let's also not forget that grandpa works on jets too!


Since it is Friday do anyone have any fun plans for the weekend?

Keeping it real

This past weekend the hubs decided to try to become a little country and go on a weekend hunt with his dad. This is a yearly hunt with his dad's old Navy buddies. So of course when I found out the hubs was going away for the weekend what is a girl to do? Call her bff of course!

The bff (LB)

So since our town is so huge with the whole three stoplights we decided to go to the town grill and eat. I had never eaten there so it was an adventure for sure! LB ordered a glass of wine. I am not a wine drinker at all. When I do drink its beer. I keep it simple. So I tried her wine and LOVED it!

Oliver Soft Red

Once having this wonderful drink I told the hubs about it once he finally got home. So when I went to the grocery I did what any respectable girl would do. I got two bottles of course.

 Keeping it classy on a Tuesday

So this has been my keeping it real for the week. What have you guys done to keep it real?

Spain

When the hubs and I were just dating he wisked me away for 10 days to southern Spain. His dad and mom lived over there. His dad worked on jets for the Navy.  There are no words or emotions to say how excited I was! The other day the hubs dad sent us an email of pix he had found. They really cracked us up on how young we look. You can tell tho how much in love we were.

Don't you love the hubs video bag?

 Clearly the hubs was excited over his beer and me over my Pepsi

 This is on the Rock of Gibralter

 He looks as if he is going to slap me which did happen at some point in time

 The mother in law and the two monkeys

Then came Gannon

Gannon is our second child. He arrive August 12, 2010 weighing in a whopping 8lbs 7oz. Both boys came via c-section. With Brayden it was just Todd and I in the O.R. but the wonderful doctor that was delivering Gannon let my mom come in with Todd and I. It was nice having both of them in the room. Todd stayed by my side the entire time while mom was watching the entire thing.

Gannon is now almost 15 months old. He is all over the place! Brayden is the best big brother to Gannon. It is funny watching Gannon follow and mimic everything Brayden does. Both of the boys keep Todd and I are our toes!

Then came Brayden

Once Todd and I were married we knew we wanted kids. I told him from the start I always wanted three kids. I am an only child so I always wanted a large family. Todd has one brother so it is still not a huge family but more than what I have. April 2004 we welcomed a handsome 6lb 4oz baby boy. Todd always liked the name Brayden so we went with it.

Brayden is the silliest little boy. He does well at school. He is in 1st grade and just made the A, B honor roll! He LOVES to be the class clown. You never know what he might say next! Brayden has brought Todd and I so many laughs throughout the years. We have enjoyed watching him play soccer and now he is getting ready to start basketball.

From the beginning

Hi all! I hope you enjoy this blog! The hubs tried to get me to do this over a year ago but with a new baby there really wasn't time. So now we are going to make time!

I grew up in a small town in southern Indiana, by small I mean only three stoplights in town. Everyone knew everyone and their business. Oh and a bonus we lived near Amish! The Amish are great don't get me wrong. Love them!

So lets fast forward to the April 2002. I was going to college and living in my own apartment. My friend was had been trying to set me up. The first guy total stalker wierdo. The second guy she was trying to talk me into meeting I was very hesitant because let's be honest the first guy was a total freak. So finally I said yeah okay I will meet this guy. She said awesome come on over they will be off work soon. (My friend was dating the other friend so obviously the two guys were roomies) So I got all gussied up and went over there. I got there before the guys thank goodness. So I told my friend Jen hey if this guy is lame I am going to go home and watch Friends...(I met this guy on a Thursday when my fave show was on). The guys pull up and he gets out of the car and says hello to me. Well at this time I forgot how to speak and walk. I always have a lot to say and I could not even remember how to say hello. After I figured out how to talk again I was thinking hmm guess I am missing Friends tonight! So Todd and I talked for a long time and hung out and started to watch a movie (Jay and Silent Bob..classic)! I could tell he was getting tired and I was really liking him so part of the way into the movie I told him I had to leave. The next day he calls me of course I have to act like oh who is this again? He ask me out for that evening I say yes. So of course I have to think of my cutest outfit ever to wear. Thankfully Jen was over at their house and called to give me the 411 on what he was wearing. Let me add he was an hour late picking me up. Once he finally got to my apartment and we chatted for a few before going out I knew it was over. He had me at hello. I knew that instant I was going to marry this man and grow old and gray with him!

Now in November of 2002 he took me out to dinner. He was acting weird that evening but I couldn't place it. I thought well hey maybe he doesn't feel good. Next thing I knew he was asking me to marry him! Obviously I said YES! So we set the day to July 2003. The day I married Todd was the best day of my life. He looked so handsome in his tux and I was so excited to be marrying my best friend. We went on an awesome honeymoon came back and started married life. From that point on our life has been one exciting adventure after another!