Here We Go a Cookie Baking . . .

I just LOVE this little boy! He has got more personality than should be allowed!

Tonight, Jack and I started our annual Christmas cookie baking - a task that we BOTH look forward to every Christmas (at least since Jack turned two - before then it was just me and Ashley who waited with baited breath for this fun activity!

Since Ashley was busy tonight working on a research paper, Jack and I plowed ahead - making lots of goodies for the neighbors on our street! (and a few "samples" for us, baby Ryan, Ashley and Steve) The great thing about Jack is that he has got all my exhuberance and just really enjoys spending time with me! He LOVES to cook and garden with me just as much as he loves to go to Football games and Bass Pro Shop with his Daddy! We had such a great time together tonight - just baking and making a BIG MESS in our kitchen (but nothing that couldn't be cleaned up)!

We will continue baking again tomorrow - after sugar cookies, we are moving on to Peppermint White Chocolate Bark! YUM!!!!

Merry Christmas! . . . just another day in the life . . .

Our first batch of cookies!

Jack's new rolling pin that we got for him at the Paula Deen store in Savannah


This is Jack doing his "Richard Nixon" impression! (He just cracks me up!)

Can my little Jack be 5 already?!?!

Getting ready to blow out the candles on his birthday cake!

It's hard to believe that my little "Baby Jack-Jack" is a five year old little boy - and will be starting Kindergarten in August! It sounds corny, but where did the time go? It just happens too fast!

We had a wonderful time Saturday (two days before his actual birthday) at a "Firehouse" Birthday party for Jack - at our own Grapevine Firehouse! The kids had a blast playing games, eating "Firehouse Subs," birthday cake and ice cream, playing with a Firetruck pinata, hearing the story "Curious George Goes to The Firehouse," and getting to take a tour (lead by REAL FIREMEN) of the Firehouse, firetruck and ambulance! VERY COOL!!! Afterward he got to open presents and hang out with his family, grandparents, aunt and uncle and 4 month old cousin!

Then, on his actual birthday (when Mom, Dad and Ashley had to go to Ashley's Choir Concert - see post below), Jack and brother Ryan went to IHOP (Jack's restaurant selection) with his Grandparents, and the whole family enjoyed "plain chocolate cake with NO icing" as Jack's homemade birthday cake of choice!

The best part of Jack's whole birthday weekend was that this child felt so SPECIAL and LOVED - which he absolutely is! What a bright light this little boy is for everyone who knows him!

Little brother Ryan enjoyed getting to be a "fireman" at the party!

Jack with two of his church / preschool friends at the start of the party!

My friend made the coolest firetruck cake for Jack!

Jack playing "Pass Sparky the Fire Dog" game at his party!

Ashley and the Powerful Love of Music!

Ashley playing a beautiful arrangement of "We Three Kings" at her Christmas Piano Recital!

One of my favorite parts of the holiday season is the beautiful music we often hear - whether on the radio, in church services or at special recitals and concerts! This year was no different, but for our daughter Ashley, the beautiful music has taken on a whole new meaning and importance.

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After the past two and a half years of some very serious medical problems, which culminated in a intense reconstructive surgery and 8 week recovery at home, Ashley has spent A LOT of time in hospitals - both adult and childrens over that time. The greatest gift that Ashley has been given during that time (besides her obvious wonderful blessing of a clean bill of health) is that she has found a calling to be a music therapist to very ill kids in a children's hospital when she grows up!

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What Ashley found was that music and art provide a powerful comfort and relief for children during times of great fear and strife with medical conditions. My dearest friend, Lisa is a music therapist and child life specialist at Children's Medical Center here in Dallas, and she made sure Ashley was well cared for during all her times at the hospital! She also inspired Ashley to want to take up her profession - because music was (and continues to be) Ashley's greatest comfort during stress!

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So, now as we attend a high school choir concert, or a Christmas piano recital, or drive her to voice and piano lessons each week, it is so wonderful to be making an investment directly into Ashley's future! She wants to study music and psychology in college, get her masters degree in music therapy and then go to work - doing the job that made such a difference to her as a young girl during such a scary and uncertain time! God can bring amazing goodness out of every challenging situation!

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. . . just another day in the life . . .

Ashley and two of her best friends after the CHHS Christmas Choir Concert!

Ashley singing in the Concert Choir during the CHHS Choir Concert!

"Help Me Henry" - - - Again!!!

Well . . . here is the latest of my precious two-year-old's stunts! I simply walked out of the kitchen to get his shoes and coat from the entry-way (a 15 -20 foot trip at most), and by the time I got near the front door - CRASH!!!!! Apparently the sweet boy has decided to climb/scale/otherwise repel up the shelving unit hanging on my pantry door! Fighting back tears again (just from the frustration of continuing to have these little "messes" - see earlier posts), I called my dear husband, who did lend a sympathetic ear. My questions are many: Who does this? Why? Couldn't he just sit and watch "Mickey Saves Santa" with his brother? Is there a reason a 2 year old would scale the side of a shelving unit / a door / a wall? Does he even notice these incidents?

As you can see above, he was quite shaken, and once I determined he wasn't hurt, I just let him sit in the mess for about 10 minutes - crying from the fright of the whole CRASH thing!

God bless his sweet little 2-year-old soul! I am glad he is my last baby and just want to kiss all over his little face - even after THIS!

Now - I guess I'm off to clean up! Wish me luck!

I didn't know you could do this is such a SHORT amount of time! Only my 2 year old boy!

My daughter is following in Mommy's Holiday Footsteps!

Ashley's beautiful "Sugar Plum" Christmas Tree in her bedroom!

I had one of those fun and proud parental moments with my sweet 15-year old daughter this week! As most of our friends and family know, I am CRAZY about Christmas and really have to work at it to not go nuts with Holiday decorating! I've always been that way - as long as I can remember. I was always the one to decorate our tree growing up - - - and now, after many years of "learning" from her "Holiday Coach" Mom, Ashley has just hit a home run!!!

Above is her own vision . . . her "Sugar Plum" tree! She has been collecting ornaments for her whole life, and sugar plum themed ones for a few years. Then - last year, we saw the most beautiful tree in Chattanooga, Tennessee at Thanksgiving, and we asked her Gramma to pick up a particular amount of ornaments from that tree after Christmas - when they were 75% off. Well, Gramma did that - - - and then some!!! Then, after 14 years with the same Christmas tree, Ashley moved up to a 7 foot tree in her room this year. The result . . . this beautiful creation!

What's also neat is that she has started her own unique Christmas Village that we found in a little specialty shop (one piece at a time each year), loves my Norman Rockwell Christmas book almost as much as I do, and even created a special Christmas Tree for her American Girl doll, Emily!

It's fun to see my special affection for this wonderful holiday go on in my child!!!

Emily (and her cat Licorice) with their own personal Christmas Tree

Ashley's Christmas Village (and my Norman Rockwell book she had borrowed)!

Journey To Bethlehem

Tonight we took our two little boys to "Journey to Bethlehem" - an interactive "trip" from Nazareth to Bethlehem, sponsored by a Baptist church in our area. Finding out about this experience was so timely as Jack has been talking A LOT over the past week or two about what is would be like to be in Bethlehem, what the stable and the manger looked like, even asking me if I had ever been there. Very lucky for me, I actually have been to Bethlehem, but I told him that it wasn't safe enough for us to take him there right now, and I hoped he would be able to go someday when he was older. I also knew he was wanting to see what Bethlehem was like THEN, not what it looks like NOW - - - so this "Journey to Bethlehem" couldn't have come at a more opportune time!

Jack and Ryan looking at the camels (yes there were 6-7 LIVE camels - here in Grapevine!

We went on quite a long walk, "adopted" by a Jewish family, from their home in Nazereth to pay the Roman taxes in Bethlehem. We saw camels, Roman Soldiers on horseback (who were quite intimidating, especially to our two little guys), shepherds complete with sheep, an Angel, Wise Men following the Star, and were even "robbed" on our way through Samaria. (Little Ryan LOVED the robbing part - probably because he's just an ACTION kind of guy!)

Jack "bargaining" with an egg merchant in Bethlehem

The whole trip we had to keep our passports handy or we could be arrested and "thrown in jail" by those intimidating Roman Soldiers. Let me tell you . . . I've never seen my two sons hold on so tight to a piece of paper in their whole life - gladly showing it whenever they were asked - complete with "Yes Sir's".

We just couldn't believe that there were REAL LIVE CAMELS for us to see (and PET!)

Ryan was mezmerized by all the animals on the journey!

Finally, once we were in Bethlehem, our little guys (and Mom and Dad) were TIRED - and getting turned away from the "Bethlehem Inn" took on a whole new feeling. We got to go around back to the stables and the tents to see if we could find room to rest, and what do you know . . . there He was: The Christ Child, along with Mary and Joseph. It truly brought tears to my eyes to watch the children gather around the "Manger" and sing "O come let us adore Him. O come let us adore him. O come let us adore him - Christ the Lord" by moonlight. . . outside . . .in a stable on the hay . . . probably much like that special night so long ago!

The greatest gift of Christmas!

This was a very neat experience for our children - and for us. I know Jack and I will spend hours talking about it tomorrow during our once a week "Jack and Mom" day.

May God Bless YOUR Christmas!

Chritmas Card Photo Shoot, 2008!

Well, now that I have learned to use my new Canon Rebel Xti camera that I got for my 40th Birthday, Christmas, Anniversary, and everything else last year, I decided that Steve and I would conduct our own annual Christmas Card Photo Session! So, we got the kids dressed (after the trainride, lunch, sightseeing in downtown Grapevine and a Birthday Party for one of their friends), and took them and Ashley to the Grapevine Botanical Gardens by our Church! It was towards the end of the day, so the lighting was beautiful, and the kids were surprisingly cooperative. Other than our youngest being a "clown" beyond even his normal self, we had a good time!

Ashley positioned the boys (with my direction), I clicked and clicked and clicked while Steve laughed, jumped up and down, made funny noises, said there was a "cougar" on Mommy's head to get the boys' attention. And - what do you know - - - it worked! We got some good pictures in a very short time (total about 20 minutes - which for our kids is nothing short of amazing!)

Although we didn't post the actual picture that "made" the cards this year, we've included some "outtakes" of our session. Hope you enjoy!!!

. . . just another day in the life . . .

Young Ryan is destined to be a "class clown"!

Three beautiful smiles!

My little girl is all grown up!

I just love these three kids beyond what any words can say!!!

The North Pole Express - 2008!!!

An excited Jack and a tired (and a little grumpy) Ryan at the North Pole Express!

We had such a FUN time with Jack and Ryan today riding the "North Pole Express" at the Grapevine Vintage Railroad Depot! For two little guys who just LOVE LOVE LOVE trains, this is a wonderful experience that they look forward to around the holidays each year! They sang Christmas carols, rode the train, got to visit with Santa, and even went on a Pony ride and saw some fun decorations in downtown Grapevine!

As we walked through Main Street in Grapevine (yes, it really is called Main Street) and heard the beautiful Christmas music that was piped in through speakers throughout the historic downtown district, I told Steve that at times like these I am convinced we live in Mayberry! We feel very fortunate to get to raise our children in such a wonderful community!

See below for some more photos of today's adventures!

. . . just another day in the life. . .

Jack and Ryan with their favorite Peanuts characters in downtown Grapevine!

Jack greeting Santa Clause on the North Pole Express train ride!


Baby Ryan singing "Jingle Bells" at the North Pole Express!

Jack eagerly waiting to board the "North Pole Express!

My disheveled boy!

(Yes, he is, in fact, chewing on Santa's head!!! - Help me Henry!!!)

After a "rough" night for me - but a FUN night for him, my 2 1/2 year old son awoke this morning looking like this!!!! All I could think was "what a disheveled little guy!" He came into our room a little after midnight, was returned to his room repeatedly, was found wandering the house, "looking" at the Christmas Village, climbing on various family members, and getting a snack in the kitchen - - - all through the hours of midnight to 6:00 a.m. From 6:00 to 8:00. he actually slept - albeit on TOP of me!!! I'm tired, but the sight of this little boy this morning just cracked us up!

. . . just another day in the life . . .

Super-Heros Holiday Breakfast!

This is the site I saw this morning when I first woke up! Are these two just so stinkin' cute or what?!?! I was a little under the weather, so my dear Steve let me sleep a little longer and made breakfast for the boys. And when I got up to get their lunches made and dress them for Preschool, this is what I walked in on - "SuperMan" (with a holiday hat) and "Batman" having a breakfast of Super Heros together!

These are the memories I know I will cherish for always. And . . . they're the ones that get you through the days when the little guys are "challenging"! HA!

. . . just another day in the life . . .

O, Christmas Village . . . O, Christmas Village

THIS is one of my most favorite things about the Holidays - besides of course the birth of our Savior, the love of family, and general warmth and good cheer - MY CHRISTMAS VILLAGE! I started this village the first Christmas that Steve, Ashley and I moved into our home here in Grapevine (2001) and adding to it over the years has truly been a labor of love!

My latest additions this year are a moving Gondola and Ski Chalet, a Hockey Rink with active skaters, a Pet Shop and Pet Grooming Salon, a Rustic Cottage, and a Gas Station - complete with tow truck, a tractor for the farm, and a horse and sleigh! I was overwhelmed with glee when I finally finished and had everything in place and operational! I can sit for hours with my kids - enjoying every detail of the village!

Speaking of children . . . that brings us to Baby Ryan this year. Last year, he wasn't very interested in the village, but this year is a different story all together! At the not so tender age of 2 1/2, Baby Ryan is truthfully like a proverbial "bull in a china cabinet" with this winter wonderland! I found him just yesterday, with his hand STUCK in the hole of the movable Sledding Hill - evidently trying to capture one of the "sledders." Besides not being quick enough to catch a sledder, he got his hand stuck in the hill. This is where I walk in and the following conversation ensues:

Robin: Ryan - Did you touch the Village?
Ryan: No Mommy - I not touch the Village,
***Note: his hand is STILL stuck in the hole of the sledding hill!
Robin: Are you sure you didn't touch the Village? It looks like you did.
Ryan: I say Mommy - I NO TOUCH THE VILLAGE!
***Then he slings the foot long sledding hill around to me, pulling half of the snow and all surrounding items off the table and says:
Ryan: Mommy, can you take the Village off my hand now?

. . . You gotta love this little boy! I've decided that our character lesson this week for Ryan will be on Not Lying to Your Mother!

. . . just another day in the life . . .

Thanksgiving, 2008

Our family's traditions with the holidays are that we alternate. We spend Thanksgiving with one of our families, and then spend Christmas with the other one. Then - the next year, we switch. This year, it was our turn to have Thanksgiving with Robin's family, which includes her parents in Hurst, her sister's family who drives up from San Antonio.

We had a great Thanksgiving Dinner this year - Mom's food was delicious and the cousins really enjoyed getting to play together. Now that there are 6 of them, and baby Ryan is getting old enough to join the "Herd" (as my Mom calls it), it gets pretty wild when they all get together.

Steve and I and our children are very thankful for our extended families. Here are some pictures from this year's festivities:

Steve, Robin and the boys sit down for a Thanksgiving Feast!

Beautiful daughter, Ashley! (She's grown up SOOO much!)

Uncle Rick (my Sisters dear husband) and little Jack

The whole family (sans me - who's taking the picture, and my Mom - who's serving the lunch)

at Thanksgiving Dinner!

My Mom and Dad with 9 year-old nephew, Paul

Girls Are Such Fun!!!!

Me, my Neice, Chloe, and Ashley

I feel in many ways that I live in a male dominated house these days! My sweet Ashley is still at home, but with all her High School and Church activities, she isn't around the house as much as she used to be. And my little boys certainly make their presence known.

So . . . it was so nice to be able to go with my daughter, my mother, my sister and her sister-in-law to celebrate my Neice, Chloe's 8th Birthday at the American Girl Place & Bistro in Dallas during Thanksgiving Week!

We had such a great time, eating "girly" food, playing with dolls (I just never get too old for that), having sweets, and just having a really fun time in a very PINK building! As most of my friends and family know, I am a real "girly" girl, so I just had the time of my life!

Although I adore having my fun (if not exhausting) little boys, I am so very happy that the Lord allowed me to have my precious daughter - and all of my extended female family members, for that matter. Sometimes, it's just nice to be a lady!

Here we are on our fun day at American Girl:

Ashley and Chloe with a new doll, an old doll and some accessories

Ashley, Chloe, Me and my Sister, Sherry

Ashley, My Mom, Chloe and my Sister Sherry

Charleston and Savannah!!! (Part Two - See "My Wonderful Husband" below)

Here are just some of the places we saw on our getaway:

Me with "Paula" (actually a life size cutout of her!)

A beautiful Southern "city mansion" in Charleston (The owners also had a lovely Plantation home, but needed this one to have somewhere to stay when they came into town).

The Carriage rides that we took in historic Charleston

Robin outside the Savannah Candy Kitchen (they had the most delicious carmel apples

and chocolate almond clusters! YUM!!!)

Robin in front of Uncle Bubbas Oyster House (Paula Deen's little brother's restaurant on the water in Savannah - with delicious boiled shrimp and She-Crab soup!)

What a WONDERFUL husband I have!!!

Well . . . just when you think your life is just too exhausting and the two year old and his older brother and sister have just gotten the best of you - your knight in shining armor - AKA Steve Blankenship - comes to the rescue!!! My dear husband planned and took me away for 5 days to Charleston and Savannah and it was a wonderful and much needed time! My one appology to Steve was that I was SO tired that I literally slept most of the first day! We had a great time seeing all the Paula Deen destinations in Savannah and LOVED the history and beautiful architecture in old Charleston. And did I mention - the food was SPECTACULAR!!! I think at one point I had eaten grits 4 meals in a row!!! (How I LOVE Southern food!)

A friend reminded me that God won't give you anything you can't handle, but I feel pretty tested these past few weeks with young Ryan. I'm just glad my Steve got me out of here before my stamina failed me! Thanks Steve!!!!