Random Happenings for the Week...

This has been a fairly normal week with the exception of Valentine's Day which we got to spend eating a delicious free dinner with our sweet friends from college and beyond David Todd and Lisa. The University Church here in town has a Valentine's dinner every year that is put together by Carl and Smitty Brecheen.(Dr. Brecheen is one of the best bible and marriage teachers in the world.) The decorations were very cute and the waitstaff was top notch...I mean how often do you have a chance to be waited on by Dr.Gary and Sylvia McCaleb. I do not think I met Dr.McCaleb the whole time I attended ACU, well maybe once so I was a little awe struck. There was a wonderful speaker and free childcare too. At the end of the evening I was even in the chair that got to take home the centerpiece which was a beautiful potted plant. I am going to try to keep it alive. What a great evening!

Kaylee has a great week at school of course who wouldn't when there is a party involved? I do not know who enjoyed her Valentine's box we decorated more her or me. I remember being so excited to open my box and check out all the goodies and what my friends had written to me. It was fun to watch her excitement. When I picked her up from school I had a Valentine's balloon for her which had Hershey's kisses in a sack at the bottom of the string. I told her it was from Daddy and I. She quickly inserted, "and Campbell". I said "oh yes and Campbell" Campbell pionted at the one she wanted me to get. (reached and pulled would be more accurate) Then Kaylee said,"Campbell you are so smart to pick the one with candy. You sure are a smart baby!" Does somebody love her sister or what? Next we were off to visit Cary at the office and take him some balloons and candy. All of the women there are so sweet and make the girls feel so special when we stop by. Kaylee enjoyed showing them her loot. She is at such a fun age right now and I am enjoying our talks so much and watching the world through her eyes.

Campbell is now up on hands and knees rocking back and forth. Cary said she crawled a little last night but I was in the other room. I was surprised to open the door to her room the other day and find her talking and sitting up in her bed looking around. It is a little startling when you are use to them just laying there. She is getting a little more hair but alas still no teeth. I am happy to report most of the time that she is still a "Momma's Girl" which is fine with me except when I am trying to attend Ladies Class and they come get me in the first 5 minutes. Oh, well. That's my girl:)

A few thing that never happened in Dallas:

1. We got ready for church Sunday night only to arrive and find out that they were delivering cookies to the nursing homes that night.(Obviously not the church we had gone to that morning or we would have known that.) So we went to Wal-Mart and Cracker Barrel instead.

2. I stopped to get gas at the HEB on Tuesday and as I pulled into the pump the attendant came over and tied bags around the 87 and 89 octane gas because they were out. I was about to leave instead of paying $2.29 a gallon for super unleaded when he knocked on my window and told me in a minute the price would change to the 87 octane price. I got a full tank of Super Unleaded gas for $2.09 a gallon. That was by far my deal for the week.

3. I went to Sam's for a few things and after checking out the cashier told me that "I looked young for my age". Am I that old? I think 32 is still pretty young. I am going to take it as a compliment since she looked to be about 21 years old. I suppose I would be old to her. I wanted to say, "Your day is coming sister." Maybe I will wear the outfit I have on today everyday. Good thing it is comfortable.

4. I had about 10 people 50 and over stop me in Sam's to tell me how cute Campbell looked in her "bib" overalls. Yes, I am in the country now. It was pretty cute though.

5. I had a 1/4 pound hamburger with all the toppings and a large drink for $1.88. It was delicious and homemade.

6. Last of all I left the house at 12:10pm and went to mail packages at the post office. I was at Sam's shopping by 12:40pm. Checked out and went home to unload the groceries at 1:45pm. Stopped for lunch at 2:05pm. Sat in the school parking lot and ate my lunch and still picked Kaylee up early at 2:20pm. I think I am finally getting use to having more time. What a blessing!

That is all for us this week. Hope you all have a wonderful and blessed weekend. Anyone coming in for Sing Song better either stop by or call to atleast say "Hi". Love to you all!

Happy Valentine's Day, Sweetheart!!

I just wanted to take today to tell the one I love Happy Valentine's Day! Sweetheart this one's for you.... where do I even begin with my wonderful husband?? I thought I would start with the Top 14 Reasons I Love You:
1. Your wonderful Christian leadership in our home.
2. The way you always know what I am going to say before I say it.
3. The LOVE you have for me unconditionally.
4. When you smile my heart still beats faster just like it did the first time we met in 1996.
5. Somehow you make each year of our marriage better than the one before.
6. Just watching you with our daughters and the way you absolutely adore them and they you.
7. The way you always encourage me to take time for myself while you watch the girls.
8. Little things that you do for me each day that do not go unnoticed even though you may think so at times.
9. The servant heart and love you have for the Lord.
10. Comfort you give me when I am feeling down just by holding me and not saying a word because you know when I want to talk and when I just want to be silent.
11. The way you are always striving to do what is best for our family.
12. You helped give me the two best gifts I have ever received. Our beautiful girls!!
13. How you always make me feel like I am the luckiest girl in the world when you look at me like I am the most beautiful girl in the room where ever we go.
14. I always knew that you would be a wonderful father but I never knew just how great you would be until the time came. You are amazing!! Our girls will be blessed to find someone like you one day.(in the distant future)
As Kaylee always says and Campbell will too one day,"Daddy you are the best...out of all the Daddy's in the world I am glad you are mine....I love you to the moon and back." Thank you for being my Forever Valentine!! Thank you for being my rock and my soft place to land at the end of the day. Out of all the men in the world I am glad the Lord blessed me with you as my husband. I love you!!!

A Wonderful Retreat

Well I had an awesome weekend with my dearest girlfriends. The weekend started a little early for me because I went to stay with my friend Stephanie a little early. So on Thursday night I got to have dinner with Stephanie, Amy, and Amy's sweet family. It was nice to catch up on all of the events we have missed in the past month and a half. Next we went to meet Steph and Traci for a little talking and fun at Chili's. I also got some great birthday gifts! We laughed so hard that I almost cried at some points which was a reoccurring theme for the weekend. By the time we went to bed for the night I was so tired but looking forward to the Canton trip the next morning.

Friday we went to pick up Whitney and met Nicole then we were off to Canton to shop by 10:30am. I really enjoyed the ride because Nicole and I got to catch up since she was not able to go on the retreat later that day, somehow I managed to talk her into at least shopping with us. It did not take much convincing! Shopping in Canton at First Monday Trade Days is the best! I do not think I could go every month ( mainly because my pocketbook could not take it) but a few times a year is great. We all found some great deals for about 1/2 the price you could find them other places. I now have some cute outfits for the girls for this summer, an iron piece to hang above the bed, fancy pants for Campbell, and a full tummy from the yummy food. After shopping for about 5 hours we decided to go eat dinner then drive on to the retreat facilities. We had to say goodbye to Nicole but were about to say "hello" to many other friends I have been missing.

Now for the awesome part of the trip which was to take place at Sky Ranch in Van, TX. Our first speaker on Friday night was Kimberli Brackett from Faithbuilders who was extremely encouraging and inspiring. If you are ever planning a Ladies Retreat or have the opportunity to attend one where any of these women are speaking please attend because it will be worth it. The Friday night topic was on being a Child of God and learning to accept ourselves and others as such. It was enlightning and powerful. We had a chance to look at her Faithbooks after the talk where she has scrapbooked prayers and scriptures for her children to have along with photos of memories and special times. I am definitely going to get started on a few of these soon.

After a little sleep on Friday night it was Saturday and time for a good talk by Pat Scott which is always a blessing. Then we had free time which meant off to Canton for more shopping in new buildings and a return to some booths from the day before that we regretted not buying something in. Amber, Amy, Whitney, Stephanie, and I were all making our lists in our heads on the way there. I accomplished the purchase I set out for today which was getting Campbell some curtains for her room since the old curtain will not work in the new house. Everyone else managed to get the items they had set out for too. Four hours later we were back in the car complaining like old women about all of our aches and pains from two days of walking around. I have not laughed so much or so hard in a long time. We were able to get all of our purchases in the car so we did not do too much damage.

Saturday night we got to hear Kimberli speak again only this time it was on "Teaching Us How to Journal with God". The main point I took away from the talk is that I need to listen for God more and try to just do things on my own less. We were all given journals to help with our daily walk with the Lord by writing down prayers, hopes, things we are thankful for, and even times when we may be a little frustrated. I was also encouraged by the fact that this does not have to be done everyday so I do not have to feel like a failure if I skip a day or two.

Later that night I got to catch up a little with my friends Traci and Steph who had been very busy making sure the snacks were out for all of us to munch on! They always manage to make me laught. It was unfortunate we did not get to spend more time together:( but the time we did have was great!

Sunday was the last day and after a morning service we were off to Dallas of course we had to make one more quick trip to Canton on the way:) By the time I got to Dallas I was so tired but felt that I would only be more tired if I sat down for a minute so I got in the car and headed home. By the time I arrived home I was exhausted physically but filled spiritually. I found the house in order and the girls both happy upon my return. They had a great weekend with Daddy going to the ACU baseball game and he even managed to get them to early service at church. Thank you sweetheart for being such a wonderful husband and father to our girls. Most of all thank you for being able to handle things so I can have a weekend away every now and then. Everyone needs a weekend with God, friends, and renewal of the spirit. Now comes the hard part of applying all that I have learned daily. I am looking forward to the challenge. May each of you have a blessed week!

Until Next Year...

Well my birthday came and went with a few nice surprises. My morning started with my husband bringing me breakfast in bed.(surprise #1) Then I had Campbell sitting in the bed with me eating some bread (just small pieces) and she said her first word which was "Momma"! (surprise #2) Cary was my witness to this event so I know that I did not imagine it. She even repeated the word. I am so proud of her! Then my sweet friends Honey, Amy, and Heather called to wish me a "Happy Birthday". Next I spent the day doing laundry so that everything would be clean for my wonderful trip this weekend. Kaylee and I did enjoy a little one-on-one time while Campbell was asleep. Then while the girls were napping I got ready to go out on a dinner date with my sweet husband. (Thank you again to the Mayos for babysitting for us so we could have a free evening together.) On the way to dinner Cary gave me my present which was a new watch to wear on days when I am a little more dresses up. We had a great time at dinner and actually got to have a little adult conversation. The night ended with a sweet call from my friend Kathy in Tennessee. All in all it was a good birthday.

However, I think my best present is coming today when Cary is coming home from work a little early so I can go to Dallas for the Ladies Retreat. Kaylee is very excited about a weekend alone with Daddy...the jury is still out on Campbell because she is quite a Momma's girl. I do not think anyone is more excited than me though:) I have not seen my girlfriends since we moved which was over a month ago. What could not be fun about a Ladies Retreat, a child free weekend, shopping in Canton, and catching up with friends??? Well I am off to pack!!! Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend...I know I will.

One Birthday Weekend gone and a SUPER Week ahead!!

Well the weekend went super! The girls and I both got a little spoiling from, Great Papaw, Papa, and Nana. Cary got taken care of too because my Dad helped him get some Honey-Dos checked off the list I have for him. Mom, Kaylee, and I went to eat at Becker's Loft and shopping all over town. She found the cutest outfits for the girls and a shirt for me. Of course the fun did not stop there for Kaylee because she managed to talk Nana into a few more things which was not very hard. We celebrated my birthday Saturday night with a nice dinner at home and a few presents. (Let's just say I am looking forward to shopping in Canton this weekend now.) There was also a very large cake that could feed about 30 people courtesy of my Mom. We will be eating on it for a while I am afraid. Sunday we went to church and to lunch at Red Lobster (my choice) and it was delicious. (Unfortunately my Papaw was not feeling very well and is having surgery tomorrow on his pacemaker so if you could please say a little prayer for that to go well I would appreciate it so much. It is very hard on him and us for him to not be feeling up to par.) Thanks again to my parents and grandfather for everything!

The best news of all came Sunday night because we got an offer on our house and if everything goes well we will only be the owners of one home come February 13th! Thank you for those of you who have prayed for this and keep the prayers coming that everything goes off without a hitch.

Kaylee had another good day at school today. She was most excited that she and Campbell matched when I went to pick her up. On the way out the door the Director stopped me to tell me that they had a parent come observe today to see if they want their child to start school there or not. She went on to say that the lady came back talking about the cutest little girl in a poncho in the threes class singing "Tomorrow" from the movie Annie. Can you tell what Kaylee has been watching lately? She even wanted to know if we could rename our 7 year old dog Sandy. I told her she could call him that but I doubted he would answer to it. If you know Kaylee then you know she sings frequently and makes up her own songs very often. (Maybe she can go with her friend Kylie to American Idol one day.) After school we went to Bahama Buck's to get a sno cone. This was our first time to try them and it will definitely not be our last. Kaylee and I both give it a thumbs up! (Thanks for the tip Leslie!)

Well laundry calls so until tomorrow maybe.

A great Thursday and Weekend ahead!

Well Kaylee had a super day yesterday according to her. She got to do all of her favorite things! First of all it was Cowboy/Cowgirl day at school and they got to ride the white horses that are associated with Hardin Simmons University. Kaylee could not wait...we have heard about it for a week now. She said that she did the best riding the horse because she had practiced at her friend Chloe's party in Sachse last year.(For my friends in Dallas you all live in Sachse according to Kaylee.) Then they got to eat hot dogs and have trail mix which are two other favorites. They made stick horses and huge cowboy hats. When she got in the car she had both things with her. In a few minutes I heard her say,"It's okay Campbell it is still sister I am just dressed different than usual. Can't you hear my voice...it has not changed it is still sister." I asked what Campbell was doing and she said that Campbell was just looking at her and not smiling like she usually does so she wanted to make sure Campbell knew it was her. (How cute!)
After a good nap she and Daddy were off to soccer practice with her new blue soccer ball. (I stayed home with Campbell since it was cold out and we were both just starting to get well.) We saw the shirt in the picture at Wal-Mart last week and she had to have it. She thanked me before practice for buying her the "Best shirt ever". Cary said that the practice went well and Kaylee is continuing to make progress. Not the play by play I would have given but oh well.
Today she is waiting for her Great Papaw, Papa, and Nana to come visit tomorrow. She is so excited that they are coming to see the new house, her room, and to have a sleep over! I am excited too.

Now on to "little Miss Thang". Campbell is feeling much better this week as you can see in the picture. She does know how to smile for those of you that have doubts. I think she got well just in time to start teething because she is constantly drooling and putting anything she can reach in her mouth. We have had some interesting sleeping patterns too. I had forgotten how much fun teething is, of course Kaylee already had teeth and was crawling at this age. I suppose Campbell just wants to take her time which is fine with me. I am just soaking up each day because they grow up so quickly. Speaking of growing my baby will not get to wear this outfit again because it is a 9 month size and she is wearing a 12 month size now, especially if it is a one piece outfit. My sweet long girl! I am really sad to have to give up a few of them because they are just so sweet. I am even more sad that it is January and already all the Spring clothes are out so it is hard to find anything for her here in Abilene. Now if I was still in Dallas I could do some real damage with the wallet and the sale racks:) Oh well! Maybe by next week Campbell will be crawling since she had been scooting backwards for two weeks. I have to admit I am a little glad the next stage has not started yet.

Well as I mentioned above my parents and grandfather are coming this weekend to celebrate my birthday a little early. I just love birthdays and especially mine. It is nice to be fussed over a little bit even in your thirties! I am off now to clean before they arrive tomorrow. Hope everyone has a great weekend! Please pray for Seth(9 months old) who is in the hospital fighting a severe cold and having to have oxygen and breathing treatments. Say a prayer for his sweet parents Kevin and Kristen too.

Another weekend has come and gone...

Well our weekend was spent mainly doing home improvements around the house since there are a lot of them to complete. Major decorating disasters were done by the previous home owners but at least I have part of my kitchen back and it looks much better than before. I will have to post pictures another day. I did manage to get out for a little "girl time" with my sweet friend Leslie. She took me to all of the shopping "hot" spots in Abilene and to an amazing place for lunch. Until my house is in order and I know more of what I need I just could not bring myself to buy anything but it was so much fun just to shop. Next time I think we are going to try a little shopping in Albany. "Girl time" is the best especially when most of your conversations during the week are with a four year old and a 7 month old.
Speaking of the girls here is a picture I took before we went to meet Cary for lunch on Friday! They are both growing so much. They both love each other so much. Everytime Campbell wakes up from a nap Kaylee screams,"Campbell you are awake...you are the best little sister ever and I love you so much!" Then of course Campbell grins from ear to ear and Kaylee says, "I know Campbell you love me and think I am the best big sister too." No one can make Campbell smile like Kaylee can. I feel so blessed that the Lord has chosen me to be their Mother.

Our Soccer Star

Well Kaylee has been talking about playing soccer for a year now. I did not know if it was because of Dora or if she was really interested so we decided to let her give it a try. (James Mayo being her coach was a big plus too.) She went to practice tonight for the first time and loved it! The first picture shows the team doing their stretches...the famous "butterfly" stretch because they are the Butterflies. She had a big smile on her face the whole time except when she was cold and asked for her jacket. The first highlight of the practice for me was when Kaylee flashed me the "I love you" sign in sign language from the field. That was priceless to me. I know one day she will be too cool for that but I hope it is a long time away. She concentrated so hard on the ball as you can see in this picture. During the hour practice she tried so hard. She so wanted to please her Coach. I have to say James is wonderful with the girls. It was easy to see why the girls love him so in the first few minutes because he is so patient and gives so much praise to them.(Thank you James!)
I cannot wait to see how Kaylee progresses during the season. She already wanted to come home and practice with her soccer goal Great-PaPaw gave her at Christmas. I am sure at some point this weekend we will be off to find a new soccer ball too. As she was walking off the field she said she was not going to quit and that she liked soccer and could not wait to get a trophy! (with a huge smile on her face)
The second highlight for me was seeing Cary walk onto the field at 6:00pm and getting to watch her practice for 30 minutes. Kaylee was so excited to see Daddy too! This never would have been possible in Dallas because Cary never got home from work till seven o'clock or after. At moments like these it is very clear that moving was the right choice...these are the moments to treasure!

Back to Normal....I hope.

Thank you to everyone who called to check on us over the weekend. I did break down and finally go to the doctor on Saturday morning where he confirmed that I was indeed sick and not going to "get over it" on my own. So two antibiotics later I was on my way home in a fairly timely fashion. I have to say I do love the Abilene traffic.(ha, ha) My sweet husband sent me to bed for the day to get well after returning home. That is a very hard thing for a Mom to do. Campbell continued to be sick and running a fever until yesterday. So far today she seems to be back to her normal self and schedule. I am doing better but still continue to have coughing attacks at random...usually when I am trying to talk. Hopefully we are on the mend and Kaylee & Cary will continue to avoid the sickness I pray.

Sunday we stayed home to recover some more and hopefully avoid getting anyone else sick. Cary painted the first coat of paint in the girls bathroom and I began the process of stripping the wallpaper in the kitchen. I had forgotten what a pain that is to do. Especially if there is another layer of wallpaper under the existing one. What a nice surprise for me...not! I have to say the blank wall looks better than the wallpaper that was up there. I still have half the kitchen to do but hopefully it will go a little smoother now that I kinda know what I am doing. Maybe after next weekend I will have the kitchen finished!

Hope everyone has a great week!

A Long Week....

This has been a long week for many reasons and it is only Thursday. Sunday started with me and Campbell continuing to be sick. Campbell got antibiotics on Monday for her ears and runny eyes. I chose to wait out my sickness and "will" it away as most Moms tend to do since we do not take time off to take care of ourselves. I am finally starting to feel a little better and have a moment to slow down when in comes a curve ball. I woke Campbell from her morning nap to get her dressed and fed so we could go pick Kaylee up from school and she felt like she was on "FIRE". I proceeded to try to remain calm and take her temperature with the temporal scanning thermometer which showed a temp of 102.5*F. I proceeded to try the old fashioned method which is said to be more accurate thinking the forehead calculation had to be wrong... well the new temp was 103.5*F which is freak out mode for me when my baby is only 7 months old. I would have been calmer had we not been in a new town with a new doctor and had she not been on an antiobotic and still running that high of a fever, I think. I, of course, called Cary crying a bit partially because I was scared and partially because I am emotional when sick. After getting in touch with the doctor's office they said the nurse would call back but I decided not to wait and just went to the office. They were very nice and worked me in probably thinking I was a "spaz" but who cares at this point. By the time we saw the doctor which was not too long the temperature had gone down from the Tylenol I gave her an hour before. They tested for the flu and it was negative so they are thinking it is just a virus. Please pray that Campbell feels better and I do not have to call the doctor in the morning to tell him she still has a high fever. Also pray we are not starting a trend with two doctor's visits in 4 days.

On a happier note Kaylee's second day of school went GREAT! Cary said she did not want his help when he dropped her off this morning and that she put her things away like she had been there all year. She was excited because they had her name on her cube and hook for her backpack today! The little things that please a child...isn't it wonderful! We get to decorate a placemat for her to use at lunch over the weekend. She also made a friend named Keaton, I think it is her teacher's daughter. So Kaylee is off and running!! Thank you Lord for her good week and sweet heart!

Sickness and Kaylee's first day

Well this past weekend consisted of Campbell and I taking turns being sick. I have to say she coped much better than I did. She has had a cold and a crusty eye for several days. I made an appointment for her on Thursday for Monday. Yes, that was the soonest they could get to me being a new patient and all. The doctor was quick and nice but it really made me miss Dr. Blair and his staff. I did not miss the drive though since my appointment was at 1:40pm and I was home by 2:10pm. (Did I mention the Doctor's office is two minutes from the house and that is if I hit the light red?) Turns out Campbell has an ear infection and a cold in her eyes so we are now on medicine. I started feeling bad on Saturday night and have just gotten worse. My throat hurts, I cough everytime I try to talk, and my neck is stiff. Enough complaining...maybe I will go to the doctor on Thursday if I am not better.

Moving on to the best news of the week!!! I got Kaylee into a pre-school at Highland Church of Christ for two days a week. Kaylee and Cary read out of her daily devotional book last night about not being bashful as she can be at times when she does not know someone and it must have worked. She walked into the classroom like she owned the place. The teachers said she was very sweet and acted like she had been there the whole year. The director even thanked me for bringing Kaylee. I have to say my heart smiled when she said that. As a parent you always want your children to behave and for people to enjoy them as you do. Thank you Lord for Kaylee's good day! She cannot wait to go back on Thursday. I am so glad she is making some friends and adjusting to our new life. I think she is adjusting better than me. i thought I would have to be strong for her but she is the strong one. She is constantly pointing out the positives about Abilene where as I sometimes only see the negative. I have a lot to learn from my sweet girl!

AMAZING!!! Hook'em Horns!!

What a game!! Amazing is the best word I could think of to describe the performance. I do not watch very much football (however I am a big UT fan) but this was probably the best game I have ever watched and it was not just because Matthew McConaughey was on the sidelines. Althought that did get my attention a little more:) (I am sure my fellow friends understand the obsession.) It was amazing to watch Mac Brown and Vince Young stay so calm and level-headed throughout the game. The best part was watching my husband try to not scream because Campbell was asleep. I thought he was going to burst with some of the facial expressions he made. It was a well deserved and earned victory! It has been nice to see the media finally giving TEXAS some respect today. Go Longhorns!!!

One of the other highlights was having the Mayos over to watch the game. It was great to be able to talk with someone who is familiar with the same friends and can relate. It was like having a piece of "home". I am looking forward to getting to know them even better now that we are living so close. Kaitlyn is a doll and Kaylee had a great time with her. I see more playdates in their future and maybe even a few double dates with James and Leslie. Of course they may stay away from us for a while since we kept them up so late:)

What a night...TEXAS Longhorns winning a Nation Championship and Matthew McConaughey:) YEAH!!! It just doesn't get any better than that!

Beard Christmas

We also went to Cary's Mom's house a few days after Christmas to celebrate with his family. Kaylee is always so excited to see Catch and Colt. As you can see from the picture it is hard for them to actually look at the camera because they are so distracted and would not be still unless opening a gift. They have so much fun running around together. Campbell just enjoyed sitting on everyone's lap and checking thingss out. I think the kids had the best time opening presents of course. Kaylee's favorite was the remote controlled blue truck from Grandma. Yes, you heard me right a blue truck. No baby dolls for this girl. After the presents we had a good time visiting and eating. Tiffany, Chiara, Landrea, and I all went shopping for a little bit too. I love after Christmas sales:) This is KAylee with her Aunt Rae-Rae, actually it is Landrea but when Kaylee was little all she could say was Rae-Rae. Then Catch and Colt call her La-La. I think both the names are so cute and something we will be able to laugh about when we are older.

After all the festivities were over it was time to return to the new house which still had some unpacking to do but at least the girls rooms are together. Hope you all had a great holiday:)

Christmas Past

Well we are finally "Home" and I use that term very loosely. Until we have found a church home I do not think we will feel truly at home here. I also cannot feel at home till the house is in some kind of order which if calculations are correct we are down to around ten boxes in the house and I do not even want to know what is in the garage. Advice for anyone wanting to move for the fun of it...Don't move. (At least do not move during the Christmas season.)

I am so glad December is gone and am looking forward to some type of normal routine developing around here. We spent Christmas at my parent's house and Kaylee had a great time. She loved everything about Christmas as I usually do when I am not too exhausted to enjoy it. The lights on the houses were a real treat for her. You would have thought they had put them out just for her. Papa did of course...even though my parents just moved a month ago my Dad managed to get the lights and snowman out for Kaylee and my Mom decorated every corner of the house just for Kaylee. One night all the women went to look at Christmas lights (my Mom, me, Kaylee, Grandmother Jane,and Aunt Trudy) which is another tradition. My Mom was talking and Kaylee was trying to interrupt so Aunt Trudy said, "Kaylee say excuse me to get Nana's attention." My sweet girl replied with "But Aunt Trudy I did not do anything. I did not toot or anything!" We all laughed so hard the rest of the trip. Kaylee also enjoyed getting us to sing in the car while she was the "conductor" she said. She loved every gift and really enjoyed being the center of attention for my cousin, Aunt, Uncle, Papaw, and GG. Kaylee noticed that she got everything on her list so she said that she must have been very good this year. I am sure we are going to pay for that in the future. Her favorite gifts were her Madagascar game for her Leapster L-Max, Baby Anabelle, and the Barbie laptop computer.

The best part for Kaylee was getting to spend a few extra days with Nana and Papa while we went home to try to get the house or at least Kaylee's room together before the next event.
I also have to show Nana and Kaylee's handywork for the second year in a row. I thought they did a great job on the gingerbread house!
Notice I did not mention Campbell. She was miserable. Shortly after we moved she developed a cold and seemed to feel the worst during Christmas Eve and Day. Somehow we managed one picture of her with Cary opening a gift. She is back to normal now but I was beginning to wonder. Her favorite toy was the Fisher Price Puppy that sings and lights up. She will enjoy next year so much!

After a few nights at my parents, a lot of spoiling, and shopping the after Christmas sales with my Mom which is one of my favorite traditions we were off to see Cary's family for Christmas. Kaylee had a great time playing with her cousins and opening her presents there too. Her favorite toy was a remote controlled blue truck. She loves to drive it around the house. Campbell thinks it is hilarious too! I had a good time doing a little shopping with my sister-in-laws.(and Tim too) We stayed there for two nights and were exhausted by the time we returned home. Unfortunately no elves visited our house to finish arranging and unpacking the house for me. Oh well!

My favorite part of the holidays was watching the girls together. Kaylee adores Campbell and she adores Kaylee. They are both growing so much and changing. I cannot wait to see what the next year brings for them and us too. Hope you all had a great holiday and are home safely. We miss you all!

Christmas Memories

I have so many wonderful Christmas memories so I thought I would list a few:

1. Making cookies and any other kind of tasty treat with my Nannie...she always encouraged me to taste as we went along:)
2. Looking at neighborhoods full of Christmas lights with my parents and grandparents too sometimes, while listening to Christmas music.
3. Appple cider brewing on the stove.
4. Waking up Christmas morning and opening the treats in my stocking while we waited for my grandparents to arrive for the Santa gift opening. ( They lived in the same town till I was in sixth grade so this was a very special treat for me.)
5. The big Bogart the Basset hound stuffed dog I got one Christmas.
6. My Mom (aka Santa's helper) shopping till she dropped looking for all of the things on my list. (Yes, I was spoiled.)
7. The Christmas my Dad drove a few hours from where we lived to wait in line before the store opened to get me just the right Cabbage Patch doll I had my eyes on. (Thanks again Dad.)
8. The singing Santa on Nannie and PaPaw's back door which sang when you pushed its red nose. ( Nannie and I loved it but I think it annoyed everyone else.)
9. The house covered in decorations and holiday magic.
10. Walking in the door and hearing Nannie whistling to the Christmas music on the radio or the old record player.
11. My Mom always wanting to make everything perfect...her divinity candy is the BEST!
12. The years of pictures with Santa as Mom and Dad looked on with smiles on their faces.
13. My Dad getting the presents down from the attic and me pretending not to hear in my bed.
14. Seeing just how early I could get away with waking my parents up on Christmas morning.
15. Christmas Eve with all my relatives, catching up on the many activities of the year.
16. The love of our family.
17. Christmas carols on the radio all day.
18. Making my list for Santa along with cookies and milk.

I am sure there are many more memories but those are definitely the tops from my childhood. Who knew (besides our parents) how much better Christmas would be when you have children to spoil? The looks on their faces Christmas morning are priceless. I am having so much fun this year with Kaylee since she is old enough to understand what is going on and wants to immerse herself in everything Christmas related. It is definitely more fun through the eyes of a child whether it is yours or someone else's. May you all have a very Merry Christmas!!

Christmas Tag

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate definitely!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa wraps every present. I just love unwrapping them. I have seen that I am in the minority on this one.
3. Colored lights on tree & house or white? Definitely white lights...is there any other color??

4. Do you hang mistletoe? No, but I would if I had some!

5. When do you put your decorations up? If I am home the day after Thanksgiving...if not as soon as possible.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? For dinner, honey baked ham, dressing, green bean cassarole, etc...

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Waking up Christmas morning and opening the things in my stocking while waiting for my grandparents to arrive so I could open the good stuff from Santa.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? Are you kidding? I still believe..those who do not believe do not get any gifts. Right?

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? I always got to open one present from my parents. I always picked based on size and shape.

10. What kind of cookies does Santa get set out for him? Usually the slice n bake sugar kind with canned frosting on top.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it!

12. Can you ice skate? I have never tried so I do not know. I have always thought it sounded fun though.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Probably my diamond tulip ring from Santa one year. I have always been addicted to jewelry.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Watching my children experience the magic of the season, being with family, and seeing people think of others for a while who normally would not.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? I would have to say pecan pie.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? All of them are great! I would have to say driving around and looking at Christmas lights while drinking milkshakes and listening to Christmas music, decorating cookies with Kaylee (Campbell in the future), and watching the sparkle in my girls eyes with ever holiday sparkle.

17. What tops your tree? An angel I searched for and finally found the perfect one.

18. Which do you prefer Giving or Receiving? Definitely giving, especially to my children or to other children who need so much.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Carol? Winter Wonderland or White Christmas

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? Yum!

Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and New Year!

We finally LOVE Santa!

Yeah!! Kaylee finally sat on Santa's lap and actually enjoyed it! She was a little hesitant when we were about three people away from him but I bribed her a little and things went great. She even talked to him for a little bit and gave him her list. He gave her a wink and told her to be good till Christmas and he would see what he could do. She made sure he saw Campbell's list too! It was so nice to not have crying or screaming. If only she had been looking at the camera but I will take it after three previous years of trying. It looks perfect to me. The highlight for Kaylee was Santa giving her a Chronicles of Narnia snow globe which her picture can be placed in later. (She adores snow globes. That is all she wanted Cary to bring her back from Seattle when he went a few months ago.)

Then there is Campbell who immediately pulled the poor Santa's real beard the minute I sat her in his lap. He just smiled and gently pryed her hands off of the beard. She just grinned from ear to ear like a pro. Too bad the smiling was not there this morning when we were getting the girls Christmas pictures taken and Campbell's 6 month pictures. You will see a somber faced girl in our Christmas cards. Oh well you cannot win them all I suppose. Hope everyone has a great weekend!!

Letter to Santa

Well here is Kaylee's letter to Santa. Why do they always surprise us by adding something they had never talked about before? She may be a little surprised on Christmas morning when a few of these are missing or maybe she will have forgotten since her list changes all the time due to different commercials. Hope every one is enjoying their holiday season. We go for pictures tomorrow to put on our Christmas card. Wish me luck! We may try to squeeze in Santa too if I feel really brave. ( If you cannot see the list very well you can click on it to make it larger.)

Christmastime or Crazy time?

Well the past week has been a blur. There is so much to do with so little time. We are officially moving a week from Friday so not only do I have Christmas stuff to take care of, doctor's appointments to fit in, suitcases to pack, special keepsakes to pack, friends to see, and many other last minute things to do. Where has all the time gone? Who's idea was it to move during the holidays? We have never moved from one house to another and may never again! (My only saving grace is that the new employer is paying for movers to come and pack everything!)

It was nice on Saturday night to attend our class Christmas party after the crazy week. Little did we know all of our dear friends were going to surprise us with a sweet going away gift. (To all our class friends who read my blog the gift and love behind it meant more than words could ever say. We will look at it often and think of each of you. We love you all!) I do not think the reality of moving had hit me till that moment. I think I spent the whole time we were standing up trying not to break into what Oprah terms as "the ugly" cry. I am excited about the new opportunities for our family I just wish we could take all of our sweet friends with us. We have been fortunate enough over the past 6 1/2 years to develop some of the friendships many people spend their whole lives searching for. How many people can say they have a list of 20 people they could call at a moments notice and they would drop everything and come running? I dare say not many. I know in my heart the friendships will remain but just take a different path for a while. We will probably be back so often they will wonder if we really moved. (I am already planning on coming back for a very special baby shower and the ladies retreat.) Some of my best girlfriends have even changed their cellular plan to our plan so we can call each other anytime and all the time at no charge. I am just going to cram all the fun I can into the next two weeks.

I just realized I still have to get... pictures with Santa, a picture of the girls for our Christmas cards, and change of address cards printed. Off to get things done!!

Happy FOURTH Birthday Kaylee!!!

Two Months
One Year
Two Years Old
Three Years Old
Four Years Old

I am sitting here today wondering where the time has gone as I am sure most mothers do. My sweet baby girl, my first born is FOUR today!! It seems like just yesterday when we were in the hospital waiting to see if we were going to be blessed with a boy or girl. Much to my surprise it was a beautiful baby girl with a head full of hair. Kaylee Nicole Beard came into this world on November 27, 2001 at 6:11pm and has been a joy ever since. I cannot even remember life before her and I do not really want to. Cary and I prayed for so long for this precious little angel. She has taught us many things over the years about ourselves. We have learned to pray much more than we ever did before, to stop and enjoy each accomplishment she has, and to never take a day for granted. The way she lights up a room with her smile and the twinkle in her eyes is wonderful. The zest she has for life is amazing and the way she never misses anything. (Thanks for keeping us on our toes.) I never could have imagined my personality on a little girl, but I can now strong will and all. She has the biggest little heart for those around her and she loves everyone. (especially her sister)
We love you to the moon and back sweet girl! Daddy and I cannot wait to see what the next year will bring for you. We already know for us it will be more joy and blessings because you are our daughter. We are so proud of you each day and thankful you are ours.