How to Celebrate the New Year the Type A Way

How do 2 first born, big time type A personalities ring in the New Year........

MISSION ORGANIZATION!!!!!!

Michael and I are hard at work organizing our guts out and loving it. I can barely stop long enough to type this, but I know I haven't blogged in forever and I am in between closets. So far we have tackled the pantry, linen closet, paper goods cubby and Michael is hard at work in his shed. Up next-the laundry room, the office closet and the green room closet. We are boring and we love it. Michael keeps coming in saying how much fun he is having and I am glowing with fun myself, sick I know, but I guess that's why we are a great match!

Happy New Years!

Just to clarify this IS organized, it might not look like it, but I promise it is a huge improvement. We even threw things away-I am determined to stop the pack rat genes running through Michael's veins if it KILLS me.

We had a wonderful Christmas and I will tell you all about it later.

Happy New Years Eve!

Look Mom, I can work my scanner!

I have been a little bit slow in learning how to work the scanner on our computer, but I finally did it. Here is a picture of our little prince or princess sucking a thumb! We had so much fun getting to see Wee in all his or her glory a few weeks ago, apparently the stubborn genes are strong every time Wee moved it was a matter of time before that thumb clumsily made it's way back to the mouth. I'll be interested to see if that is still a habit when we go back at 30 weeks for our next sono.
Wee also had a great weekend for his or her room, Michael and his Dad put up the last of the crown moulding which just so happened to go into Wee's future room and the guest room. That marks a final chapter in one of the many of our house renovations and I am so glad to have the CM on the walls and out of my bedroom where it has been patiently waiting for YEARS! Michael and I are constantly reminded of how much love and generosity has gone into making our house a home by our families who were so willing to help us every step of the way on a major fixer-upper.

Christmas Survey

REAL OR ARTIFICIAL TREE - FAKE! We are allergy and asthma kids, poor Wee doesn't have a prayer of breathing easy with or without a real tree
WHEN DO YOU PUT UP THE TREE - As early as I can get away with it
WHEN DO YOU TAKE IT DOWN - When Michael really starts complaining
EGG NOG - Yuck! But, Michael loves it and my Papa made a killer egg nog shake if you are into that kind of thing
FAVORITE GIFT AS A CHILD - I don't remember actually opening it, but Popples would win seeing as how he is a part of my life 22 Christmases later
DO YOU HAVE A NATIVITY SCENE - I am embarrassed, nope, now I must add that to my list
HARDEST PERSON TO BUY FOR - Linde and the Wombles, they generally give NO HELP, but I will admit they were all much more helpful than usual this year
EASIEST PERSON TO BUY FOR - my Mamma, she like me knows that a good list leads to good gifts
MAIL OR E-MAIL CHRISTMAS CARDS - mail of course, once a year we can swing the 41cents
WORST GIFT EVER RECEIVED - well, it turned out to be great but when we got Winston Mom wrapped up dog bowls we thought they were really ugly plastic hats
FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIE - The Night They Saved Christmas or Snowman, all fabulous movies Mom taped and I still bust them out every year
WHEN DO YOU START SHOPPING - it varies, I usually do okay getting started early, but never wrap up until way too close to Christmas.
HAVE YOU EVER RECYCLED A CHRISTMAS GIFT - I plead the 5th
FAVORITE THING TO EAT AT CHRISTMAS - Breakfast at Mom's chocolate chip coffee cake and sausage balls-especially if Aunt Susan Jo makes them
COLORED OR WHITE TREE LIGHTS - white
FAVORITE SONG - I am a big fan of all Christmas music, I just don't think I can choose one
TRAVEL OR STAY HOME - we head to Tyler as we can around my work day
CAN YOU NAME ALL OF SANTA'S REINDEER - of course
STAR OR ANGEL ON TOP OF THE TREE - star
MOST ANNOYING THING ABOUT THIS TIME OF YEAR - grinchy people
FAVORITE ORNAMENT OR THEME - i love my silver and gold tree, and also found a little pink tree and blue ornaments for the pink and blue bathroom, it is pretty fabulous
OPEN GIFTS CHRISTMAS EVE OR CHRISTMAS MORNING - Christmas morning i have always lobbied and lost for just one on Christmas eve, I'm going to let wee open one on Christmas eve
GIFT YOU REALLY WANT THIS YEAR - normally i have a very long list, but this year it's not too long. i really want my couch recovered and some clothes that make me look sooo cute. :) oh and a nativity scene.

Black cup disclaimer-Thank you all for your concern about it's where abouts. I think that the guilty party probably lives at my house, Michael, it was long gone before Holly Jolly. It will be missed, but one of these days I will time it right to stop at the Dishbarn and replace it.

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas

We had a very fun weekend with our church family. Sunday was our annual Christmas party, Holly Jolly. We had an amazing dinner cooked by some of our very talented friends Josh, Jon and Jordan! They made steaks, mashed potatoes green beans and the best salad and you would not believe the budget these guys did it on. Talk about servants of the year. I got to be a table host which means you bring your dishes and decorate for your guests. My table last year was a little but cuter and definitely more classy, but Linde helped me. This one I did all by myself so I am very proud. Well, almost all by myself. Sarah found the garland and place card holders and a lot of our church friends gave moral support as it came time to get it all set up.

Linde also came by and took our Christmas card pictures last night, so hopefully I will get those going soon. I must say that Cleo was her usual photogenic self and we got some fabulous shots, it is going to be hard to choose her best look.

Not too much else is going on. I am very sad about the writers' strike, but luckily I have FaLaLa Lifetime and the 25 days of Christmas on ABC Fam to keep me in Christmas movies until this is resolved.

Happy Monday, only 15 days until Christmas!




By the way you will notice their is no black coffee cup, if anyone knows where it is just return it and I won't say anything..... And no, it was missing before Holly Jolly, so I am thinking the guilty party probably has a present under my tree that they aren't getting unless they fess up. :)

Now it Looks Like Christmas

Okay, so I am that obnoxious person that dresses their dog. I can't help it I think it is so hilarious and Target tempted me with this Mrs. Claus dress that was very reasonably priced. So, Cleo is making her Christmas debut! She really liked the dress because I told her how beautiful she looked in it, and gave her treats. :)
She did not love the hat so much.....
Things in our world are good. I got the last of my decorations up last night and Michael and I even managed to change a fuse in the Christmas tree without killing each other or electrocuting ourselves. I am having so much fun listening to Christmas music and I inherited all my Mom's Christmas VHS movies because they no longer have a tape player. So, we have been going to sleep to my favorite childhood Christmas movies. Michael is being a very good sport.

In Wee news, we had the big 19 week sonogram Friday and everything looked GREAT!!! I was so relieved to not see signs of the litany of problems my NICU self has been worrying about. I am now going to try very hard to relax and enjoy this pregnancy since I have been worrying way too much the last few weeks. Much to the disappointment of my friend Dara, we did not find out the sex. Wee will remain neutral until the big day! I think it will be really fun and I understand that it means I won't get any cute monogrammed presents. :)

Here's a 20 week belly picture for those who have asked I waited until last night so it would be as pooched as possible. Not much belly to report, but plenty of booty. Please excuse the mess the office is the Christmas storage wasteland....

Happy Monday!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Well, we are having so much fun getting our house all ready for Christmas and I have a fabulous picture to get you in the spirit. But, blogger is not cooperated. So, stay tuned.... It's gonna be great!

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope you are all having a wonderful Thanksgiving. Michael and I were talking last night about how we are so thankful for what a great year this has been and how much we will also have to be thankful for next year as well.

Some of my favorite Thanksgiving memories are from my Mom's side of the family when we would go to Wichita Falls and have dinner with my extended family Aunt Charlotte and Uncle Jimmy and their kids and grandkids, Aunt Doris, Mamma Rosa, Papa and Grandma Faye, Mimi and Aunt Susan Jo and Uncle Mark and their kids. Their were tons of people and it was great. I also think that and my Daddy is where my love for the cowboys came from, we all always watched the big game.

Papa always read this poem to us and I have always loved it, I can hear his voice reading it now. I hope you will enjoy it, too. We will miss him this year!

Drinking From the Saucer

I've never made a fortune
and it's probably too late now,
But I don't worry about that much,
I'm happy anyhow.
And as I go along life's way,
I'm reaping better than I sow,
I'm drinking from my saucer
'Cause my cup has overflowed.

Haven't got a lot of riches
and sometimes the going's tough,
But I've got loving ones around me
and that makes me rich enough.
I thank God for his blessings
and the mercies He's bestowed,
I'm drinking from my saucer
'Cause my cup has overflowed.

O, Remember times when things went wrong;
My faith wore somewhat thin.
But all at once the dark clouds broke
and sun peeped through again.
So Lord, help me not to gripe
about the tough rows that I've hoed,
I'm drinking from my saucer
'Cause my cup has overflowed.

If God gives me strength and courage
When the way grows steep and rough,
I'll not ask for other blessings,
I'm already blessed enough.
And may I never be too busy
to help others bear their loads,
Then I'll keep drinking from my saucer
'Cause my cup has overflowed.
-Author Unknown