Stick 'em up

Who thought this would be a good idea?

Oh yes...Grandparents of course.  Merry Christmas from TEXAS...where even our 3 year olds are packin' heat.

Texas Mud Flaps

This hare is how we do thangs round hare.  Flatbed trailer loaded with boxes full a' Christmas gear but still wontin' ta do a little mud dobbin' in the ole' family truck?  No problem.  We got some a' that ole carpet we done tore outa our house after the dawg had dem puppies.  That'll do right nicely for some mud flaps.  Everyone's starin' cause they ain't never seen no engineerin' like this, not even in the Walmarts parkin' lot.  No siree.  This here's an O-riginal D-zine.  I may even stop sellin' whiskey an playin' the lotto (even though Grandma Meg done won $50 last week) and get me one a them fancy patens. 

Christmas with the Alexanders

We Love These People!  Mike and Mandy Alexander (aren't they pretty)

And all the little people that hang around them...Austin, Ava, Aubrey, Ainslee

Turkey Lurkey

Do you get extra Boone & Crockett points if the kill is almost as big as you?  Does Boone & Crockett even score turkeys?  For clarification...Jason shot the turkey...Emma was the point man..uh..girl.  We start 'em young 'round here.  But in our defense...she is a natural meat eater.  This is the girl that said, at age 3, as she was playing with DD's baby chicks..."I love chickens...I love to EAT chickens!".

New Tree on the Block

You know what I don't get...fake trees. I know...lots of my friends have them and swear by them. "It's so convenient!", they say. Or "there are no pine needles everywhere...it's more earth friendly...", My favorite, "It pays for itself in 3 years." But to me, part of the magic of Christmas is the tradition of picking out a Christmas tree...the kids running around like wild indians, playing hide-and-go-seek amongst the trees... Jason following behind saying "Whatever you want dear"...me haggling with the store worker for a tree that is "just a bit taller/fluffier/not so lopsided"...and finally leaving witht he perfect tree. And every year we say that THIS is the BEST tree we have ever had. Besides, I love the smell of pine needles in the floor, and in the vacuum cleaner, and in the fire place, and in my socks, and under the rug....

GO PLAY!

It's here!  After months of waiting, the trampoline has finally arrived in our back yard and we are THRILLED!  Thankyou DD and Pappy!  Now go outside and play!

Performance on the Square

For Georgetown's downtown Christmas stroll on the square, my children had the opportunity to show off their stellar abilities in their interest sof the moment...

Tatum's first piano recital after just 2 months of piano lessons...he had a 5 minute time slot...and he spent half of it just warming up (stretching his fingers, clearing his throat, making sure his assistant brought the right music).  While he played he would slit his eyes toward his audience to make sure we were watching.  After playing the 3 notes he knew he stood and bowed graciously to his adoring fans ...

He was rewarded with a piggy-back ride.  Only someone as strong as Pappy could pull that off.

Then is was time to run to the square to watch Emma's 10 minute dance recital.  I'm not just saying this because she's mine, but because it's the truth...she was the best dancer on stage...she took her role very seriously.

Slow Start

Gd was really being kind to me when he made my children.  Rather than make me change my internal clock He  made my children to also be slow wakers.  Oh Yeah baby, we like to do some sleeping around here and we don't much appreciate being woken up until we are good and ready...and that is never before 9 am.  So the breakfast table is as I like it...quiet.

Quantity Time

Which is better...quality or quantity?  For this Daddy they are one in the same.  Since becoming a father, Jason's main hobby has become children and every spare minute he has is spent pouring into them.  He is parenting on purpose.  Another reason I love this man!
(He and the kids hiked the San Gabriel creek and 3 hours and 3 miles later I picked up very tired and very happy children.  Oh yes, and I stayed home...yet another reason I love this man!)

Princess Peepers

I do believe it may be time to pass on the title of "PP".  But as I  was called  "Precious Princess", Emma will hence be "Princess Peepers".  I promise this was not staged...this is what I saw when I was about to wake her up.  Notice how storybook even the hair looks.

Mia Hamm?

Am I seeing some similarities betwee Mia and Emma?...

the form, the grace, the raw power...

the crazy aggressive ball skills...oh wait...that's our guy...

the ability to intimidate the opponent...we're not here to make friends people...

 the concern for her teammates...

and of course her absolute concentration at all times...

Did something just scurry?

I think I have a rodent problem...a big hungry mouse...who prefers peanut butter...and can unscrew jars despite the lack of thumbs...and knows where I keep my spoons...and has never been taught to CLEAN UP YOUR MESS! (uhem, excuse the outburst of emotion.  I don't quite know where that came from).   Or MAYBE Tennison decided to help himself to a morning snack....

NAH!  That's just silly.

Who's the boss

I can't say how many times the subject of "who's in charge" has come up with my children. They want to be very clear as to who exactly is the boss around here. On a regular day you might hear this being said...."because I'm the boss"..."you are not the boss, I am"...stop trying to be the boss"..."you are not the boss of your brother"..."Yes, Daddy is the boss of Mommy and Gd is the boss of Daddy"...but this was a new one. Today in the car after I had told everyone to get out of the car and Tatum to turn off his Leapster, he quickly responded with..."WHEN are you going to stop BOSSING ME?!". It was really pretty funny to hear from my 8 year old who used to be so compliant but as of late has begun to be rather combative. I deserve the gold star today or at least a "no talking" breakfast tomorrow, because I calmly replied (after I closed my jaw) "NEVER, that is the job Gd gave me, and I'm really good at it..."

A divine kiss

You gotta wonder if this was really chance or if Gd left this for my kids to find. He's funny like that. The things that most people see as chance or luck, I see as a divine tap on the shoulder or whisper...or a kiss... "Hello love, I just wanted you to know that I was thinking of you..." As a parent, I now understand that the things that used to go unoticed by me are now seen through the eyes of my children..and they delight me. I hear Him and I smile. And I say it outloud, "look at what Gd did!"...so that my children can also hear Him..."Hello love..."and smile.

What Daddy does

Jason is his model, his hero, his standard...he leaves his flip-flops by the front door because that's what Daddy does. He stands a certain way in the bathroom because that's what Daddy does. He has a certain pair of work shoes he wears outside because that's what Daddy does. And now...he walks around his room while brushing his teeth...because that's what Daddy does. I am so thankful and blessed that Jason is a good man who loves Gd and loves his family because if TC grows up to be like him I will be proud to say, "That's what his Daddy does."

Charis Hills

For the first time in his little 8 year old life, Tatum attended summer camp.  It was designed to be Christ-centered to serve children who otherwise, would not have a chance to be in an environment where they are understood.  He loved it! and it loved him back...okay, I know that I get all sappy when it comes to Tatum...but seriously...this made me cry...let me count the ways...
  #1 His cabin counselor was there because his life goal is to work with children with special needs.  His sister worked the summer before.  In fact all the counselors were there for that same reason.

#2  The directors and founders of the camp are retired educators whose passion is affording opportunities to kids with special needs...to show Gd's love...and they fell in love with Tatum (she cried when she had to say goodbye to him)

#3  The camp cultivated such a spirit of partnership that the other campers willingly and without being asked went out of their way to help each other...

#4  Tatum was expected to take care of all his own hygiene needs for a week (we had many frustrating tutoring sessions at home) and so became more independent...

#5 "...where everyboooody knows your naaaame....and they're always glad you caaaame...we wanna go where people know, your troubles are all the same...we wanna go where everybody knoooowwwws  your name..."

#6 ownership in something that is cool and an experience that is yours alone (it doesn't hurt that brother and sister REALLY want to come to camp here but aren't allowed)...all centered around the One who had this all planned out from the beginning.  I can imagine Gd rubbing his hands together, almost giddy with excitement to give us the next blessing he has in store.  I've always said, I know Gd loves me but he is CRAZY about Tatum.

SNAKE!

If Jason could have screamed like a girl while waving his hands in the air and wetting his pants...he would have...but since he is Jason he just busted into the house yelling "Get up, Get a Flashlight and come outside NOW!" The kids and I were all snuggled in the big bed about to enter dream land and in comes this crazy man I've never seen before. My first thought was that the house was on fire...what else could warrent such emotion? Then I he tells me my job is to sneak through the potting shed and all around the shrubs to find...A RATTLESNAKE that just tried to BITE him! As he was reaching over to put food in the dog dish this bad boy struck at him and sent him into this raging fit. It did make me swoon a bit to see my man take aim with his 22 and blow the caboozy out of this fellow. I love being married to a country boy. Tatum sauntered out of the house and in his best Scarlett O'Hara said "Oh thankyou so much for killing that snake, father" and then he was done and went back inside. Tennison and Emma however, couldn't get enough.

Random sayings...

Tatum: "I'm too young to die!!" after being told to turn around to receive a spanking
Emma: "Is there a problem over here because I can deal with it." while checking in on her little brother
Tennison: "I want a toka-tola"

Mini me

If Jason stuck a banana in his ear and did the hula in grass skirt, Tennison would be right there with him, because if Daddy is doing it then by golly TC wants to do it. I admit this may not age appropriate but he IS wearing ear plugs after all. Telling him that he is 3 doesn't seem to be a good enough reason for him.

Not much has changed

Cousins seperated by time and distance, grew up knowing very little about one another but enjoying the small winks of time we spent together....

(Bethany & Sarah)

Fast forward 31 years and not much has changed.

(Emma & Anna)

One of the sweetest things I'll ever hear...

Emma laying in bed, saying her nightly prayers..."Oh, and by the way God,...we really love you"

A Very Sad Day

Melanie lived a block away for 2 years and now she's gone...Moved to Tyler...which even though it's only 4 hours away it might as well be Oklahoma the way my kids travel. This was a very sad day for Momma. Good friends are hard to find...especially friends who are so easy to be around, don't take anything personally, are far from perfect and know it and don't try to sugar coat it, don't gossip, don't expect anything but give whatever you need whenever you need it. I felt kinda like Loretta Lynn when she heard her best friend Patsy Cline died in a plane crash..."I can't believe she's gone, who am I gonna talk to?!" Very sad day...

Old Friends, New Friends

We skipped town and jetted to Highland Park to stay with my college buddy, Marsha Hale. The kids had a blast with her two beautiful girls. Except for wetting the bed, pooping in the pants, and the threat of vomit...the stay was perfect. The Hale's were a blessing to me and the kids for a quick get away to start the summer off right. Thankyou my friend

Where is Mom?

a. Passed out in the front yard

b. At the grocery story leaving Emma in charge...again...

c. Watching the littles turn themselves into almost unrecognizable savages because... it is OFFICIALLY SUMMER!!!

...if you picked (a)...who exactly do you think is in charge of these children?! Someone has to be the responsible party around here! Besides, I know better than to start drinking in the middle of the day...