December 14th!

So, today gets a few pics. First off is my house all decorated for Christmas. I can't stand a picture with flash. Just seems so harsh so I have been playing around for a while with lighting but I took the first one with no flash and then I decided to see what would happened if I added flash and check it out...IT IS SNOWING!!! :) Hee hee, not really but it sure looks like it huh?

and then there are these. No, I did not take the picture but I am counting the moments until they arrive at my doorstep! On a whim I bid on them on Ebay and oh by gosh by golly...I WON! These babies are in transit to ME as we speak! Be well new shoes!

December 13th!

Today calls for a variety of pictures. The morning started with the boys taking apart the power supply from the computer. It died a few days ago so we bought a new one and replaced it...by ourselves...and saved $50! It then became an item to disassmble. Pres loves to take things apart!

And then there was the cookie exchange...and Ms. Gerrie...with her Santa Necklace....
I love Ms. Gerrie! :)

December 12th!

Flash Gordon and Speedy Gonzalez at your service! Running has really become a thing for me. Jen and I are entering races once a month and have decided that we will run a marathon next (2011) January! In the meantime we are doing these shorter runs and loving every minute of it. This was a riot! The Jingle All the Way Run was in big bad Lugoff, SC and started at a strip mall. The start line really cracked me up!

It was my best race yet! 26:47 minutes! I am soooooo fast!

December 11th!

Sometimes I gotta bring a little work home with me but this was pretty fun! Our little albums are so darn cute and so darn cheap that I thought we needed to throw those together with some cute paper, embellies, sticker and ribbon and make some cute little album kits! Don't ya just love CUTE!?!?!

December 7th!

WOOHOO! You gotta love Christmas cookies! Especially when they are this easy! Ingredients:
Snyder's Butter Snap pretzels
Hershey Kisses
M&Ms

Cover a cookie sheet with Butter Snap pretzels. Place a kiss on each pretzel. Put it in the oven on 350 degrees for about 5 minutes. Keep a close eye on it or they will melt. When the kisses are soft take them out of the oven and gently press an M&M into the top of each kiss. YUM!

December 10th!

Life is good on choose what you want night and you can't beat a Christmas movie to go with it!

December 9th!

It's been a realllllly long time since I have been on my bike! WOOHOO! What great fun it was to get back on it again!

December 5th!

Party time! The annual Mandrell Christmas Party was today and I must say we hit a record for attendance. It was a great mix of scrappers and cyclists and just everyday friend people. What fun we had! Can't wait until next year! (More pics will be added!)

December 6th!

WOOHOO! My favorite guy's 51st birthday. Now strangely enough I have married a man that really hates birthdays. Has nothing to do with his age and everything to do with no fan fair...about anything...ever...well unless it is about his kids...then maybe...but just maybe. So, although this picture is only kinda sorta of him it tells you a little bit about why I love him so much. He is an amazing Dad. He loves his kids unconditionally and more emotionally than he does just about anything else. He is sooo proud of them and you can tell because he brags about them often.

Besides being a great Dad he is also very handy. He can fix anything, build anything, create anything...he is really quite brilliant!

He is also a great friend. When it comes right down to it, Henry is always there for me. I can count on him and that matters a lot.

And last but not least...I just love him.

December 2nd!

WOOHOO! It is advent calendar time! Yes, we are a day late in getting going with the advent calendar but better a day late than not at all. Preston remembers this tradition but John was too young last year to remember this year but they sure were excited when they opened the first to boxes. This is yet another great idea from Ali Edwards. Each box has a different strip of paper in it and every day holds a different surprise...a gift for the kids or a gift that we will work together to give to someone else. A few days just hold little treats. I LOVE CHRISTMAS!(yes, I know, all the days aren't up yet but hey, we aren't there yet! :)


And then there is this...pointed out to me by the wee one. A love note from the big one...

December 4th!

Although I didn't take this picture I was greeted by this sweet face in my inbox this morning. This is my sweet grandson Skyler. What a doll. 9 days out of 10 he has this grin on his face and he is a busy little 1 1/2 year old. Never thought that I would have grand kids at the YOUNG age of 39 but I do and I am so thrilled with the two that are already here (Skyler and his big brother Jakob who is almost 8) and the sweet baby girl that is on her way in just 24 days! More to come when she gets here!

December 3rd!

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by the spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lightened the flame with in us.
Albert Schweitzer

We are on day 3 of our advent calendar and today was the day to read our new Christmas book of the season. I get the boys a new Christmas book every year and this year was no exception. The Sweater by Glen Beck (no we will not discuss my distaste for GB) is the story this year and it is a wonderful picture book about the meaning behind a handmade gift and therefore the meaning of Christmas. It is a delightful story with beautiful illustrations. (Again let me say that it pained me to buy a book written by GB but it is a pretty good story and the boys really liked it.
I found the quote as I was hopping around from blog to blog and it was so fitting. These boys make me crazy lot of the time but they also rekindle my spark on a daily basis and I adore them for it!

December 1st!

WOW! A post this is actually happening on the day that the picture was taken and in no less than 2 hours after the shot!

These are my Two Tuesday Girls. Carla, Tracy and Christy. Carla and Christy and I came together through RTE PTO and have a special bond that will likely last a life time because of it and Tracy is Carla's sister who has been adopted into our group and is a fabulous addition. What fun we have every other Tuesday chatting about our men, our kids, our jobs and tonight...Tiger Woods! :)

November 27th!

How 'bout them Cocks! WOOHOO! Clemson dominates more often than not in the Carolina Clemson game but not this year. I tuned in to ESPN 360 on the computer and watched my Gamecocks beat the pants of the Tigers! WOW what a game!