Let it Snow, Let it Snow

We have gotten so much snow this winter, it is unbelievable! I think we have had 4 measurable snows already and its not even the middle of January! Wahoo for snow! We have done all the fun things with the kids every time it snows; building a snow man, sledding, snow ball fights and the attempt at snow cream.

Lets just say the snowman was an adventure because the kids didn't like packing the snow and working at it and then once we were trying to decorate 'frosty' they were eating the candy pieces for the eyes and mouth! Ha!

 The kids really enjoy sledding with their daddy because they hold on to him and he takes off running and dives onto the tube, me I just set down and scoot. Lol.

Bryson LOVES snowball fights and he will camp out quietly getting all his ammunition ready to come attack you with a whole heap of snow balls. He is always prepared and has a plan.

Colton on the other hand is totally opposite with no plan and is complete reckless abandonment, thus he gets out his tractor and "goes tractoring" in the snow!

Brin likes the snow for about the first 10 minutes and then she is over it only because the only thing she wants to do is eat the snow and then it freezes her hands and face.

We have enjoyed all the snow this winter and hope their is more to come!!

I resolve for purpose....

Well, Happy 2011 to you all, or the two people that may read my blog...
This year has already been great (well considering we have had the stomach flu for days and days and days). We all have had it and some of us twice!

To kick off the year, I officially cut back to part-time again and I have such a peace about it! I had made the decision to go full time in September and the pressure for me to hit quota every month and to always give more than I was capable of doing was not a good mixture for me trying to still take care of my three little munchkins, a house and be sane was more than I could pull off. Also, people were seeing the stress on me and letting me know that I needed to do something about it. Finally, after a word from one of my spiritual mother's settled in my spirit I had peace to loose the income and go back to part time because her words will always be with me, "not to miss God on this one!"

SO I am much happier and back to being an overly hands on mom again, which I LOVE!!

This year I resolve for "purpose" and for all that I do to have purpose for God and for my family! I know that through him all things are possible and he can give back to you pressed down shaken together and overflowing so that you cannot contain his blessings. So watch out, I am on a mission to be fullfilled!

Santa Clause Came to Town

Our Christmas tradition starts off with Mamaw's house on Christmas eve, it always is more than imaginable. Mamaw(Ray's mom) really likes to spoil us all at Christmas time and she makes sure that everyone gets what they want or need! This year was no exception!

Santa came!! Wahoo!! Christmas this year was great! We got a little bit of snow, enough for everyone to post pone the 3 Christmas dinners we were supposed to attend. All the kids managed sleeping in our room on Christmas eve night and so they slept really late and finally Bry woke up and only after a few moments he remembered it was Christmas morning. He went to the living room to check it out and he came back and said, "whoa guys you gotta come see this!!", and woke Colton and Brin! Seeing their little faces is PRICELESS! I was in tears watching their little eyes scan over all the presents and my heart melted to know how blessed we are to give our kids everything they wanted!

Colton had asked Santa to bring him a helmet and a motorcycle to go with his jeep, tractor, and four wheeler in the garage and Santa delivered.

Bry asked for "dragonoid colossus" the ultimate bakugan with battle gears as he would describe it

Brinley still doesnt talk but she wanted the "baby alive" that bounced up and down. Every time we went to Walmart for anything at all she would cry for 'kiss kiss' that baby doll!

So after the kids got most of their presents opened, we had some lunch with Ray's mom, Lisa, Gabe, and Aly at our house since all of us had prepared food for all these meals it turned out to be a fantastic lunch.

We got to stay in our 'jams' all day and the kids played with ALL the new toys they got.

I must say it felt a little different not having to go to GG's, Madisonville, and my moms but getting to spend the whole day with the kids at home was great!

We didn't get to have Christmas at my mom's this year because our entire family had the stomach flu for 3 weeks starting the day after Christmas so I only have one picture from her house because it took a ton of effort to even go over there to let the kids open presents.

All and all it was a great Christmas!

Bry is my little wise man

Bryson's mother's day out does an annual Christmas performance for the 4yr and 5yr olds and I must say that it is adorable! The kids did exceptional this year considering the kids didn't have a dress rehearsal because school go cancelled for snow when they were supposed to practice.

Bryson loves these performances and does so well with memorizing his lines and movements for his performance! He did so good!!!! He asked me, "are you going to go crazy with the camera?" Ha! Yes, I will always be the kids number #1 fan but they don't understand that yet....give them a few years! :) Bry, Wwas a wise man along with his bud, Wyatt. I think he was just absolutely adorable! I got so choked up in their performance when they sang, 'Happy Birthday Jesus', and he signed to it! I love that they go to a school where they learn about God!

Also, Bry was surprised by his mamaw coming to his performance because he thought she was supposed to be at work. His reaction was priceless.

A December to Remember

This December is one to Remember!! It has been the BEST December I can ever recall!! I was determined to make sure we did anything and everything we could as a family to make sure the kids enjoyed the holiday season and hopefully made some great memories!!

Its the most wonderful time of the year!! One morning Ray and I decided to get up and take the kids to IHOP for breakfast and head up to Bass Pro Shops to see Santa! We had so much fun and the kids behaved so well! We didn't have any major melt downs the whole day!!

We also decided one evening that we wanted to do something and took the kids to Mellow Mushroom and then went to see the lights at Cove Park. The lights at the park were so pretty and we had a lot of fun!

We baked cookies and helped mamaw set up her Christmas tree then played some Wii one evening.

I took the kids to Dollywood with my sister and mom to see the lights the day before Christmas Eve and we got to ride plenty of rides and see the lights. We missed the parade because they were on holiday schedule and the parade started at 7:30, we were on our way to dinner by then!

We decided to take the kids to the mall and finish up last minute shopping. Finally, we got to see Santa and tell him what Colton wanted for Christmas, Bry is terrified of Santa and wouldn't step foot near him. Brinley wasn't too sure about him either until he gave her a cookie then she was perfect! Lol. While at the mall the kids had to ride the train, which I thought was adorable!!

All the activities and memories of December will be treasured in my heart forever!!

Baby Bry turns 5!!

Ok, I have one question, where has the time gone? I have REALLY struggled with the fact that Bry is turning 5! He is so brillant and challenging at the same time but he is my lovie and my friend. Bryson's personality is so much like mine and my sister's that it shocks me! I love this little man so much and can hardly wrap my mind around the fact that he is about to start kindergarten (that will be a whole other day of tears). Enough of my sobbing.

Bryson wanted a "BIG" party for his 5th birthday and we didnt want to go all out and be extreme wasting tons of money on a party...so my mother in law or Mamaw got us the hook up on an inflatable for his party and helped us host it at her church in the gym. Bry wanted a G.I. Joe themed birthday, so thats what he got. Bry got to invite all of his classmates, only 8, and a few more of his close buds for his party. They all had a blast in the bounce house and Bryson ended up with a ton of new toys from this party!

Happy Halloween

                                Happy Halloween from my little witch, spiderman and Snake Eyes!

 I really enjoy halloween and try to get the kids to all the fall festivals and activities I can. Some of you may disagree but I don't teach them any of the "evil" that is associated with the holiday and allow them to just enjoy dressing up and getting candy (for me to end up consuming)!!

Ray's family is the greatest family in the whole world, they always plan large family events and Halloween always proves to be great! This year, they decided to set up a small carnival theme and let the kids play games along with our traditional chili dinner and pumpkin carving contest.

We also went to the fall festival at mamaw's church.

Then, we trick or treated on Halloween to wrap up a couple weekends of Halloween festivities.