OH MY!!!

One might ask what my dear mother was thinking when she made me wear my hair like this!!!!!

That would be me...with the VERY short hair...haha!!!

Kindergarten Christmas program.  We were the elves.  That's my friend Jennifer in the middle.

Wow....we've known each other a LONG time!!

During this program it was also discovered I had a speech problem.  Nothing like Silver Bells to land you in in speech therapy!!!  My pronunciation: Thilver Bells!!!  Yep....had S problems.  All taken care of now thanks to Ms. Oliver.  I still at times find myself making sure I can say SOUP and SALAD--lol!!!

Thanks Mrs. Glenda for sending me this picture!!  If you cover the HAIR (I would like to permanently cover the hair)---it's a spitting image of my Cooper.

Merry Christmas Eve EVE!!!!!!

I'm Still Here!!

Wow....I can't believe I have not posted since before Thanksgiving.  I promise to TRY to do better.
Let's see....this post will just be a run down of what's been going on....to get back on track.  I really need to do this daily----or at least every other day :)

Thanksgiving:
I took absolutely NO pictures!!  This is very odd for me, but we had  a good day.
The kids and I went to Dad and Jen's for lunch with the Allison side of the family.  It was good to see aunts, uncles, and cousins.  The kids enjoyed playing---it was warm enough outside they were able to get out for a bit.  Later in the day we went to Mom and Pop's for dinner.  Mamaw, Papaw, Aunt Beth and Uncle Tom were also there.  Needless to say, by the end of the day....we were stuffed!!!!!

I have felt very stressed this holiday season----or rather UNPREPARED!!!  The kids (little ones) and I have still been doing crafts----but I didn't get as much done as I wanted to.  But, I can't dwell ....I'm just going to enjoy being with family.
Here is some of the crafts we HAVE done:

We went to the West Memphis Christmas Parade:  On the way to the parade (that the sign announcing all holiday events said started as 6PM) I went to pick Delaney up at Christina's house.  While backing out of the drive way I SOMEHOW got stuck in the ditch!!!!  I mean, REALLY stuck----SO stuck---the neighbor across the street had to pull me out with a chain.  So onto the parade (that starts at 6...yeah right)---to find out the parade starts at 7.  So we have over an hour to wait!!  But---we got pizza and they ran around until show time ;0)  

Peyton was in the Marion Christmas Parade.  She rode on the float with her dance group.



Peyton with her dance teacher....Ms. Taylor



Most of you who know me know that Cooper is obsessed with looking at Christmas lights.  Last year, we drove around and looked at them EVERY SINGLE NIGHT from Thanksgiving to Christmas.  Well, we started our tradition back up this year.  Our town has great lights!!!!  They light up Worthington Park and 2 of the streets have lights on ALL OF THE HOUSES.  It's great....and cheap entertainment.  This year Cooper likes to get out and run through the park---so it's a little more time consuming!!!!

It has also snowed TWICE already this season.  Here in the Delta, it usually doesn't snow until late December or January---but this year it got an early start.  It was just enough to be pretty, but not enough to close the schools and make the roads bad :)

My grandparents celebrated their 60th wedding aniversary this year.  We all went to eat at Uncle John's (the same group from Thanksgiving).  It is in the small town of Crawfordsville, and they had the courtyard decorated for Christmas.  Nice and country ChristmasY!!! 

The picture will all of us was AWFUL---so I left it out.....we all looked like demons---but I only had my phone to take pictures with :(

Our Elf, Snooky Mistletoe, has been quite busy.  Here's a few shots of what he has been getting into.

Last week Mom and I took the kids to Starry Nights at Shelby Farms----it will nice and the kids loved it.  I even had Alyson with me. ****I will take this time to say Alyson is almost 16 and while she loves us VERY much she doesn't like to make snowflake ornaments :( or pose for pictures as much as I would like.  She likes to also spend time with her boyfriend and friends.  And I try to be understanding....I was once that age---and I know I would not have made snowflake ornaments!!! (I also didn't have siblings 8 and 12 years younger than me though)----Stephen was bad enough---baaaaaahhaaaaaa!!!!!!! JK!!

Saturday we made our visit to the cemetary to place flowers on Chad's grave.  This time of year is bittersweet for our family.  I can't believe in January that it will be 3 years since he passed.  Merry Christmas in Heaven Chad.  We miss you!!!!!!

My kids have also enjoyed having fires in the fireplace this winter----we just use the fire logs, but they love to roast marshmallows and just sit and enjoy the glow.  I will leave you with those pictures and some ones we have snapped recently. 

MERRY CHRISTmas!!!!!!

Rainy Days and Mondays......

Hello All,
It's a gloomy, rainy day here in Crittenden County, Arkansas :(  Makes me want to go home....put on my pjs, and TAKE A NAP!!!  Hope everyone had a great weekend.  Time for me to play catch up again.
Friday 11/11
Coop and Peyton have been asking for a while to have a bonfire.  SOOO....we cleared a spot...moved rocks to form a circle---and I built my first fire ever :0)  AND kept it going I might add.  We roasted marshmellows and the kids had a blast just being outside at night.  The little ones played on the swingset and Alyson and I just sat by the fire and chatted.  Good night :)

Saturday  11/12  The kids and I went out and took some fall pictures.  They were so good.... (once Peyton started smiling).....actually didn't complain at all :0)  Here's a few!!

Afte that we made a quick trip to Garden Ridge for a new Christmas tree...and since we were already IN Memphis...had to breeze thru Starbucks.  I tried their Gingerbread Latte.....my NEW favorite--YUMMY!!!!

Sunday 11/13--Since all of my sickness and surgeries---we have not done to well about going to church---NOT GOOD, I know....but we are now back on track :)  I have started going back to the church I was raised in---Avondale Missionary Baptist Church.  Still feels like home :)



The kids before church

This past week we slowly but surely got the giant tree decorated.  As I mentioned, we went to Garden Ridge.  My plan was to get a tall, skinny tree....Well---came home with a 9 ft, very BIG tree.  But the kids have had a great time decorating it.  Coop puts on a few more ornaments everyday.  He LOVES it!!!

Thursday 11/17   Today was the 60th Anniversary of Crittenden Regional Hospital.  This is where I was born, have worked for the past 8 1/2 years, had 2 babies, many surgeries----as you can tell it holds a pretty special place in my heart. There was a big celebration, the town was invited---SO many people showed up.  I was asked to help at the reception---I make sure every signed the board.  It was made by Dr. Peacock and will be framed and hung in the hospital.  Loved hearing the stories everyone had to tell.

Back to the weekend :)
Saturday morning the kids and I headed to the Pink Palace to watch Santa Claus land in the Mid South.  It was GREAT.  He flew in via helicoptor---what an experience.  The children's choir from Belvue Baptist Church was there singing before he arrived.  They were wonderful :)  Cooper even let the Riverkings mascot hold him---he went right to him...WOW!!!!  Coop was excited because he got to sit in the helicopter.  We are so lucky to live so close to Memphis, where there are lots of family activites to go/see/do!!!!!

AND....we ran into the Elliots there!!!  Ruthie and Peyton are GREAT friends---so they of course had to run up to each other and give BIG hugs.  And John (Ruthie's brother) loves girls so he and Alyson had some cuddle time :0)

Aunt Beth and Uncle Tom were in town.  Their school football team (Smackover High School)  played Earle High School Friday night.  So after the Pink Palace (and after another Starbucks trip) we met them and Mamaw and Papaw at The Cracker Barrel. Afterwards we went to Mom's for a bit, then back home to watch the Razorbacks play.  WPS (that short for Woo Pig Sooie for all you non Arkansas folks :)--they beat MS State :0)



Sunday 11/20

We had a lazy day.  Went to church, then out to eat at Colten's with Dad and Jen.  Stopped by the grocery store (with 3 kids..ugghh) then the rest of the day I literally did nothing until 7pm when I decided Alyson needed clean jeans and Peyton needed clean uniforms.  Then off to bed we went :) 

So...back to today---the rain---my jacket is still not dry from the monsoon I had to walk in to get into work this morning :(  But I will leave you with a picture of a beautiful sunset we had one day this week :)

Hope everyone has a great week....glad it's a SHORT one!!!!