February Happenings

February is almost gone and spring is on the way! We had a fantastic Valentine's, Ray and I got to go out on date night and the kids got to stay the night with Nana and Papaw. We were gonna go somewhere that we hadn't ever been and then we ended up at the same place we always go, Pelancho's, but that's what I love about us! Simple Folk!
For Valentine's Day, I had to work all day, delivering cupcakes and chocolate covered strawberries to all my 'key' accounts. Therefore, Nana stepped up and took the kids to the Zoo along with my sister for the day! They were adorable in their red and white for the day. It made me sad that Bryson thought we really celebrated Valentines day but we really don't do anything special for this day. Mostly, they did get to celebrate Valentine's and Mother's Day Out with little parties and valentine card exchanges!

Also this month, cousin Aly had her 6th birthday party at Chuckee Cheese. I will let the pictures explain how Bryson feels about Chuckee Cheese! Ha! I felt so bad for him but I had to take pics of him and all his expressions! After the mouse went back in his hole Bry was fine and started dancing and playing games. We had a great time. A sweet young couple gave us about 300 tickets and so the boys racked up with all kinds of junk at the end of the night!

So far its been a 'sweet' month!

To offset this sweetness we have been doing a little exercising and the kids have started putting in videos and working out! Here is a pic of Bry doing P90X! Ha!

Mountain Trip 2011

We decided for my birthday and for a little getaway for a moment to Gatlinburg, and it was so fun. We got a cabin for a couple of days for us and the kids and then had a couple of days without the kids and had some close friends come up and stay with us.

The kids absolutely loved the cabin and thought it was the best! They loved the hot tub and the theater room. It really took some convincing to get them to leave and go see the fish at the aquarium because they wanted to stay at the cabin all weekend and not leave. Moreover, they had a blast at the aquarium once we got there. We also stopped and Ray let the kids play some arcades in Pigeon Forge on the way to meet Nana for the kids to go with her so that the kid free part of the trip could begin! I felt terrible leaving the kids but after they found out that Nana and Papaw were taking them to 'Monster Jam', they could care less how fun the cabin was.

Our friends finally joined us late Friday night, we grilled out and enjoyed all the amenities of the cabin. Then Saturday, our friend, Jesse, had a birthday or "a life celebration" as we named it and we went to play some black light put-put. We opted to just go back and enjoy the cabin and had a nice relaxed evening of playing cards and shooting pool.
All in all it was a great weekend and we really enjoyed our mini getaway!

I'm 28! Wahoo

I must admit I am so excited to be 28! I wouldn't have ever imagined this is where I would be at this age but I am so blessed and highly favored!! Also, I love even numbers, thus 28!! Wahoo.

This has been a phenomenal birthday for me! I have celebrated with 'Birthday Week'!! Ha! And I'm loving every minute of it. It kicked off with me getting my hair 'did'. Then, followed by a day at the spa with an hour massage and facial. Next, was birthday dinner with my parents and sister and of course all the kiddos. Then, it was birthday dinner with my mother in law, sister in law and her boyfriend along with all the kids. I also scored a Kate Spade hand bag on my birthday that cost me $9.47, after the price tag showing it had sold for $365, that's what I call a deal! Not to mention it is an adorable hand bag and perfectly fitting for me! :)

Last but certainly not least, we got a cabin for a long weekend getaway in Gatlingburg!

Now, that's what I call a BIRTHDAY!

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.