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!!!!



Happy Friday AND Happy Veteran's Day!!!!!

Wow...one week back at work already.  It is getting A LOT easier everyday---thank goodness.   HAPPY VETERAN'S DAY to all active and retired military!!  Thank you to all my military friends and family---Josiah Barker (active), David Allison Jr. (active), David Allison (retired), Jim Allison (retired), Derl Cordell (retired) Bryan Woods (active), Keith Alpuente (disabled)---I know there are SO many more!!!  I was able to see first hand how some of our military bases functioned while living in Virginia for 12 years.  I made many dear friends---and at times I didn't know them very long--because they were always being transferred.  What a hard life that must be....for the military AND their families!!!!  SO....thank you for all you do and sacrifice to keep me and my family safe and for fighting for our FREEDOM!!!!   My Papaw, Derl Cordell  My poor daughter, Alyson, has had a "place" on her leg for 5 days.  It started off VERY small, and of course being a Mom/Nurse I "doctored" it myself.  Yesterday when she woke up it looked HORRIBLE.  No amount of motherly love and Neosporin was gonna help.  So off to see Dr. Ukwe  (we LOVE Dr. Ukwe)  Diagnosis---spider bite...ugghh!!  SO he "doctored" it (while Alyson cut off all circulation in my hand) and now she is on antibiotics...and needless to say---I bought spider spray just to be on the safe side.Sorry...I have to post a pic (memories and all).....and I'm a nurse, so grossness doesn't bother me :0) Last night was the ZAC BROWN BAND concert!!!  I took Alyson, Peyton, Cooper, and Alyson's friend Logan.  It was AWESOME.  The opening bands left a little to be desired, but once ZBB hit the stage...the kids were singing and dancing.  Could not get too many good pics, but have some great memories in my head :) We got home at MIDNIGHT...so we are all kind of dragging today :(  But they were troopers and we got dressed and headed to work and school---except for Coop, but he had to keep his Shoney's appointment!!  (he goes to Shoney's to eat breakfast every Friday with Mamaw, Papaw, Ms. Joyce, and Mr.Jerry---lucky little boy)   THIS morning it was quite chilly here, so I told Cooper to get a hat on....he gets his knitted cap Grandmommy made him and says "I'm gonna wear my Zac Brown hat"  CUTENESS!!!! Well---I'm sure everyone is as ready for the weekend as I am!!!  I plan on cleaning out closets and doing laundry---but I'm sure we'll find time to throw in a few "fun moments" Til next time.....Laura