We're having a..........

A Little Christmas Joy

I have a couple of pictures that I want to share with you. These are 2 of my favorites that I put out each year. I didn't get one of them scanned in time for BooMama's Tour but if you saw my video, you've seen one of these pictures.
Here's the first one, taken in 1973. I am the bald-headed 2 year old screaming in the picture.

Now, look at this picture taken 28 years later in 2001. Dougie is the bald-headed 2 year old screaming in the picture. Isn't that hilarious?!?!

Merry Christmas,

Last night, we took the kids to see some Christmas lights. Now remember, we live in a rural area so we can't just drive through neighborhoods to see lights. We'd been told about this place and so we decided to go last night. After about 10 miles, you feel like you're in the middle of nowhere because you are but then you see this:

You drive about a quarter of a mile under these lighted arches. It was amazing! After you pass through then they have lots of different displays, the blow up Santas, Frostys and what not, then you reach a pretend railroad crossing, the whistle blows and as you continue this is what you see:

The people that own this property have built these building facades to look like an old western town! I have never seen anything like it! We parked and let the kids walk around.

Emma and Dougie at the outhouse. Another building on the property.

Caleb liked these as long as Emma and Dougie were with him!

We had a great time, it was definitely a unique experience.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Tour of Homes 2008- BooMama Style!

Well, it's finally here! BooMama's Christmas Tour of Homes! I just love seeing other people's decorations and I'm glad you've stopped by to see mine. I wish you could smell the fresh cookies baking, could taste the yummy hot chocolate and hear the beautiful Christmas music playing in the background..........but just pretend!

So let's get started~ Our Christmas tree. We have blue and silver ornaments and a beautiful silver star. All the other ornaments are the kids' yearly ornaments, ones we get on trips or ones that we've received as gifts. Maybe someday I'll have a designer Christmas tree but for now I think it's just perfect! This is my Willow Tree Nativity. I bought the pieces over a 2 year period.

Every year, I face the dilemma of where to put the stockings. We don't have a fireplace so I can't hang them on the mantle. In the past, I've put clips on the door going down the hall and hung them there but I've never been thrilled with it. A man in our town has started making wood crafts and he built these cute stocking hangers. It has Santa on the top and has lighted garland going down the post. When I saw it, I thought there's our solution! It even has 6 hooks so next year we'll have a place for the baby's stocking!
Out of all the Christmas decorating that I do, this is my absolute favorite part. I made a little video. Excuse my voice, it's really starting to get shaky, but oh well!

I don't want to keep you, I know you have lots more homes you want to visit! Thanks for stopping by.

I may post some more pictures later, if I can get them scanned today.

I hope you a blessed Christmas.

Love ya'll dearly,

My sweet friend Natalie gave me this special award! To summarize, it is given to someone who's blogs purpose is to make friendships and build relationships.

"This blog invests and believes in the PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time and relationships! This blog is exceedingly charming. This kind blogger aims to find and be friends. This blogger is not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to writers like this one and those nominated below!"

The rules...Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

I'm giving this award to:

Amy
Angie
Fran
Kaylan
Laura
Mindy
Shelley
Susan

Thanks again Natalie!



And now for your viewing enjoyment~

Ornament Exchange

The Siesta Fiesta blog hosted an ornament exchange. I received some ornaments from Judy in Irving, Texas. A cross that says 'Love', a cute snowman and 2 angels, one says 'Joy' the other says, 'faith'.

We don't have a 'theme' tree, our ornaments are a collection of ones we've received as gifts, kid-made and ones we've purchased, so these ornaments fit right in on our tree! Here's a couple of pictures of 2 of the ornaments on our tree.

Thanks Judy!!! I love my ornaments!!

The Siesta Fiesta blog should have a link where you can see others ornaments but it's not posted yet. I'll let you know as soon as it is!

Thanks!

Thanks for praying for me yesterday, I could sure tell it! It was a challenging day but my voice held out pretty good! I had forgotten the hectic pace of an elementary school teacher! whew!
I'm going back today and tomorrow in the same class! Pray that I will be firm because this class needs A LOT of structure and discipline!!!!

Hopefully this evening we're going to take the kids Christmas shopping and to see Santa. I sure hope Caleb doewn't freak out! Maybe I will have a cute picture to post!

Love you all!

I could sure use your prayers

Steven and I decided a while back that we would start doing some substitute teaching, so we went through the process to be put on the sub list. Steven actually subbed yesterday in a 4th grade class, I had already left to take the kids to school when they called. They needed someone for the rest of the week, so I'm taking over!
I'm a little nervous, it's been over 3 years since I've been in the classroom. This is a challenging class but fortunately one of my best friends teaches the same grade.
Please pray for my voice, specifically, to be strengthened.

Ok, here I go, I hope I survive!!!!

Thanksgiving 2008

We had a great Thanksgiving holiday this year! We spent Thanksgiving day with Steven's family and I'm sad to say, I didn't take the first picture!! We had a wonderful meal and had fun loving on the newest addition to our family, Kinsley. Emma was thrilled that she drew Kinsley's name for Christmas. She can't wait to buy her something cute!

After we left, we drove to 'the farm', which is my dad's parents' home. After they both passed away, my dad and his siblings did some renovations on the house and now it's a gathering place for all the family. We met up there with my parents, my brother and his family and my sister and her family. My younger sister couldn't make it. Several of my aunts, uncles and cousins still live in this town so it's always like a family reunion.

One of our traditions is to attend a syrup making that takes place the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving. There's lots of hanging out and eating good food.

Here's Dougie with his 2 favorite cousins on Friday night, eating some kind of meat on a stick. I think it was rib meat, all I know is that it was delicious!
Emma and all the girl cousins waiting on them to finish taking up the syrup, you'll see why next!
If you've never seen how syrup is made, the old fashion way. Here's a brief explanantion. The juice from sugar cane is boiled in a large bowl for several hours (that's why there's lots of hanging out time!) When it's done, they pour the syrup through a filter and into bottles and that's when the kids gather around, because they get want to get some 'candy'. They take a small piece of sugar cane and scrape around the edge of the bowl to get the leftover syrup. It hardens pretty quickly and it's like taffy and it is soooo good! Filling the jars with syrup.On Saturday, we went back to the syrup shelter, as we so fondly call it, to celebrate Emma and Jessi's birthdays. Jessi is my first cousin's little girl.Caleb enjoying the cupcakes!Another great part of the syrup making is teaching your kids to chew on a sugar cane (only in the south!) If you peel away the outside skin, the inside is sweet and juicy. My dad, aka Paps peeling the cane.

Caleb's first taste. Can't you just hear Dougie saying, "whaaaat?"

If you're still here, I hope I didn't bore you too bad. We had a great Thanksgiving and I hope you did too!