Almost Ready

Well I must say this is the first Christmas where I am done with shopping early. Been slim pickins this year due to the money situation but will make sure the little ones have a Christmas. We didn't even do any decorating this year except for a tree. Rick and I decided to not buy each other anything this year because we get what we need during the year if we need it and Santa can't afford me a new car yet so I will just wait. LOL I am going to try to go to the Christmas Eve service at church this year, never been and always wanted to go. Shall see.

Well last day to have little bit until the 29th, sure will miss her. She is growing and growing by the day and I know she will have changed so much when I see her again. Little ones grow up way too fast. She is getting at that helpful age where she wants to help me in the kitchen. She helped me fix tea yesterday and she told Mr. Rick when he got home that she made it and he had to be patient until it was done (not realizing of course it had been ready for some time). Can't wait until she and I bake cookies together, etc. Sure do love her.

Lot's Happened

Well I haven't had a chance to post in some time. A lot has happened since my last post. Sorry to all the family for cancelling on Saturday for the December Birthday Party but Tammy and her family appreciated the food. I made a stew and she said that everyone ate some and there was only a small bowl left, so I was glad to here they enjoyed it.

Yesterday was Rick's actual birthday and he took the day off and then the ice came. So needless to say we weren't able to do much until late in the day when the ice melted away. It hit us all the way to McKinney so with that, Tammy and CP were stuck in McKinney so I didn't even get to keep little bit yesterday. Rick and I had plans for her to go running around with us and out to eat. Oh well, she got to stay with her grandma and aunt and I am sure she had a blast.

After we were finally able to get out we went and tried a new mexican restaurant close to us. The food was good, loved their rice and beans, probably the best I have had. The only drawback is that the waitress didn't speak good english or understand it I guess because she got Rick's order all wrong, he wanted every beef and she ordered him everything chicken and he wanted a soft taco and she brought him a hard shell one. Then we got ready to pay and she didn't give me the right money back so I had to go through what I gave her and what the bill said and told her she owed me more money back. What an ordeal! I would think if they want to work in a restaurant they should at least understand what the customer is ordering and also be able to give the right amount of money back.

I promised Wendy I would bring some Apple Fritters for Christmas day so I am going to practice my hand at making homemade apple fritters this weekend. If it fails, guess what, not apple fritters for Christmas, hee! hee!

Say A Prayer for the Blake Family

Well has you know, Tammy's Dad was put in the hospital on Monday with a massive heart attack and went through emergency surgury. However, his kidneys quit working and they thought he would come around. At 2 am this morning Tammy got a call to go to the hospital, he was going downhill. She called me at 6 am this morning and said it didn't look good and he probably won't last the day.

Please say a prayer for this family to get them through this time of need.

This Past Weekend

This past Sunday was our church's Christmas play, which was just as good as it has been the past few years that I have gone. Sheila went with me again this year like she did last year and she loved it also. Since no one else went with us, Sheila and I made a girl's day outing out of it and went to Red Lobster for lunch after church. We then went and did some shopping and then we stopped at the grocery store to get the stuff so I could make Dad a stew. He is such a big tough man or at least he thinks he is. He went to work on Saturday and became really sick and still, even with me telling not to push himself, went back to work on Sunday morning. He said he was going to work so we could buy Christmas for the little ones. I tell you, he can be so stubborn sometimes. But he has always been this way, so it doesn't surprise me at all that he still his. However, when he isn't at work then he becomes a Moma's baby and wants taken care of when he is home. So I do, because I love him so much.

Cool Beans

Well we went to the gym and then we were leaving out of the parking lot. CP said stop! Eat at the house top. She was talking about McDonald's. Now mind you I haven't eaten at a McDonald's in probably 20 years. Anyway she wanted a happy meal because she wanted one of the Madagascar's. Evidently she knew about them. So she got her prize and played with it for a matter of a few seconds and decided they weren't for her. However, I know Landen will like them so we are going to start collecting them to replace the Yo Gabba Gabba's that she took yesterday that I bought for him. I know Landen will think these are cool because they talk.

Worst meal I ever ate but don't think there is anywhere I could take us both for $6.00 and get a toy with it. LOL

No More Christmas Shopping with CP

Well we went Christmas shopping early this morning at Target and I got Leighton and Landen some toys. Hannah wanted a Yo Gabba Gabba movie so I bought that. Everything was fine and she showed no interest whatsoever in what I had picked up for them so we went to Le Peep to eat a mid-breakfast. What an angel.

Then we got home and I took her out of the car seat and she started yelling Help! Help! Toys. Wasn't sure what she was talking about. She fought me all the way into the house and was crying real buffalo tears. I kept saying baby what is wrong. And she kept yelling toys. I tried to give her everything and she was throwing them down and having a knock down drag out fit. Then it hit me.

She thought the toys I bought for Landen were hers. So I said you want to go to the car. She walked to the back of the van and yelled toys. I said those are Landen's and you got a movie. She wouldn't have anything to do with that answer. So guess what she is playing with right now. Yes, Landen's toys.

So I have learned that she doesn't understand what it really means when you are buying toys for other kids and we will not be going Christmas shopping anymore together. LOL

Overjoyed with Love

I am sure being overbound with lots of hugs and kisses today. I guess CP missed me as much as I missed her. LOL

Thanksgiving Done

Well Thanksgiving is over with and I feel that is a blessing in itself. The holidays are always so nerve racking and hectic that at my age, it just flat wears me out. When I was younger and had little ones at home I couldn’t wait for this time of year, now I just can’t wait until this time of year is done and gone. It sickens me to see all the Christmas decorations in stores and cities being put up and lit before Halloween has even come and gone. It seems like more and more people are forgetting what Christmas is all about anymore.

It was so nice though to get together for a lovely meal and see all the loved ones. We missed the ones that couldn’t be there for one reason or another but we had a lot of them there. Rick, Wendy, Landen, Leighton, Becky, Ryan, Clyde, Wendy, little Clyde, Christopher, Madison, Donella, Dale, Elisabeth, Rick and myself. It was great to sit around and all of us tell what we were thankful for, which most all of us for thankful for the same things.

Then it was off to my house and we had a crowd follow us since Danny, his wife Shannon and their daughter Shelly came over. It was great to see him again and what a nice looking young man he turned out to be. I am hoping they can come to the birthday celebration at my house on the 13th. It will be nice to include him in all of our family events.

Well it is Monday and I must get ready for CP to come. It will be so nice to see her again. I sure of missed that little squirt.

Been Busy with Sick Baby

Haven’t posted much this week. I have had a sick baby. Mommy and Daddy finally took her to the doctor last night and she had a really bad ear infection. Never complained about the ear so that surprised all of us. She is on antibiotics and a decongestant. Hopefully, she will be better for the holidays.

So Upset

I tell you I am so upset. Went to let Mirabelle outside and down comes a car on Cobblestone. A dad driving with his two little ones in the front seat. Now mind you the little girl was sitting in the front seat without a seat belt, bad enough right? Wrong, the little boy (who couldn't have been older than 2) was standing, yes standing on the floorboard in front of his sister.

I tell you, these parents have no brains. It just takes one time of having to slam on your brakes and then those kids will be lucky if they don't get hurt. I will lay you a bet that some of these parents are the same ones that couldn't understand how a parent could accidentally forget about their child in the car. Well they probably never do because they are in the front seat with them. Okay, I had my say. Thanks for letting me get that off my chest.

We Are Getting There

Well today went wonderful. Donella went with CP and I to IHOP this morning for CP's second lesson on eating outside the highchair and on being patient. And she was absolutely wonderful for us. What a champ! She is learning very fast. Now if we can just get her to do it around other kiddo's. Anyhow, Donella and I are going to practice with her every Monday until Madison is out of school during the Christmas holidays. By then we are hoping CP has it down pat and won't be one ounce of a problem. I will keep everyone informed of her progress.

What A Wonderful Weekend

I sure have been blessed this weekend. Got a call from some friends out here in Savannah and they wanted Rick and I to meet them for dinner on Saturday night. Haven't spent any time with another friend couple in almost a year because we just have been busy with family, etc. It was so nice to go meet them at the Texas Roadhouse. We just took our time and visited and just talked about so many things. Usually Jackie and I got together with her granddaughter, Madison and CP and myself. Since her granddaughter moved back to California, it has freed them up to have some time again. We are suppose to try to get together next Saturday evening and play some games. I love playing games with friends.

After getting home from eating, Wendy said I could come over and she would help me with my snapfish photo album. What a sweetheart, after working all day at the show, I know she was tired, but she still gave the time out to help me. Plus not only did I get to spend some time with her but got to sneak some time in with Landen and Leighton. Landen and I played noggin on the computer for a while and it was so much fun having that time with him.

Today, I went to church with the family. What a wonderful message that our preacher gave. I signed up for a prayer time to pray for our president and all of his cabinets, to pray for our missionaries, to pray for Christians that our being treated unfairly in other countries, and to pray for my family and friends. So tonight at 9 pm I am retreating to a quiet place to do my weekly prayer that my church asked of me.

What a lovely surprise I got after church. Rick was tired and stayed home to rest and then watch football, so I was on my own and Craig wanted to go play golf, so Linda was on her own. Linda asked if I wanted to go eat lunch with her. My heart was filled with joy. Linda and I haven't had any one on one time in a very long, long, long time and I sure have missed it. I love this lady and she is my closest christian friend I have. What a joyous time I had. We went to Mimi's to eat and then off for a little shopping spree. Of course, I had to get home to do laundry so I couldn't play all day and I think Linda was a little exhausted herself since she has been sick and then worked at a show all day yesterday. But for that little time we had together, I was so thankful.

What a wonderful, wonderful weekend.

Wonderful Lunch

Well CP and I went to Olive Garden to work on her patience today. She sat in a toddler's chair for me for the first time. She was absolutely wonderful. Yes, I had to remind her several times to sit down but she did so without one little fuss. She finished her meal and then played with her toys while I finished my meal. I told her that I was so proud of her and so was Mommy and Daddy. She said, Mommy, Daddy proud of me. I said, Yes baby they are!

She scared me on the way to Olive Garden though. I was pulling out of Savannah and she yelled, STOP, I SAID STOP. NO STOP. I looked back and said, Baby what is wrong and then realized she was talking to the Wiggles on her DVD movie. I just started laughing.

Staying Young

I have come to realize how one can stay young after your kids are grown and that is by having a little one around in your life on a day to day basis. I enjoy doing this with my grandbabies but that is only when I see them, however when you have a little one every day it is just that much better.

I didn't realize this until CP came into my life and now is a little older and we get to enjoy so many things that are so much fun. For some reason we forget these little enjoyments after our kids grow up.

The little things you see through a child's eyes and they are:
Watercoloring
Finger Painting
Tea Parties and dressing up
Coloring
Doing Puzzles
Building things with blocks, etc.
Making things out of Playdough or clay

and especially playing in the bathtub after you have the paint all over you. LOL

Peaceful Day

Today, CP and I are going to take a rest from other kids playing with her stuff and give her a day off. Three days of it was just a little much for the little one. Monday it was Madison, Tuesday it was Cora and Wednesday it was Landen and Leighton. I think she was thinking, why do I always have to do the sharing! So today we are going to just play together and then go out to eat lunch.

Time outs just do not work with this child. I told her twice yesterday that she was going to get a time out, once when Linda was here and once after she left and both times CP said, okay, I will go do a time out. She climbed into the chair and then said, "I am doing a time out". Even though she had been bad, I had to turn my face, because I was laughing inside and didn't want her to see the smile on my face. It was just too funny.

After Landen and Leighton left yesterday she was ready for a nap. We got her stuff together and went into the bedroom, watched the Wonder Pets and played some tickle me. She turned to me and gave me the biggest kiss (I think it was to say, sorry Drue Drue that you had to get on to me) and then she just rolled over and fell asleep.

So today we are just going to take it easy.

Learning to Share

Well, CP was so looking forward to seeing Landen. She even asked if Ricky J. and Wendy were coming. However, we are going to have to work on sharing our toys. After the last two days, we are getting very upset when we have to share. After working with CP for a while, she got very back on track and started to share some, she even gave little Leighton some toys to play with. I think this may take us a few more times to get the hang of it again.

I did get some cute pics of her and Landen playing together and little Leighton having her lunch.

Plans for Today

Well, we have gotten ready to go to the gym and I put her in one of the outfits I bought her yesterday. Showed Tammy the clothes and she just loved them, and was telling me that David had a hard time getting the Minnie Mouse shirt off of her last night. I know they must have because she got it out of the bag the minute we got home and wore it to take her nap in and then wanted to wear it home. Hannah is so easy to please when it comes to clothes.

When we get back from the gym then Landen and Leighton are suppose to come over, so we will have to hurry back from the gym. I had planned on Hannah and me going out to lunch but that is okay we can always do that tomorrow, so it was no big deal to change our plans. Tammy and I talked about me taking her to eat more to teach her patience because when Hannah is through eating them she is ready to go and if your aren't done then you better hurry up. I know it will be easier to teach her this if it is just her and me going to eat. She is always so much better when it is just the two of us than having others join us. So now we have two assignments, learning patience after eating and potty training. Got my hands full for a few weeks.

Appreciation Dinner

Well tonight Savannah gave a dinner for all of the volunteers of Savannah. It was really nice and people won some great gift cards, except for Donella and me (LOL). They served Fried Chicken, Mash Potatoes and Gravy, corn, green beans, biscuits and cheesecake. Of course after the Fried Chicken and fixins, I couldn't eat any of the cheesecake, but others told me it was good.

Back From Mall

Well we are back and what a time we had. I went ahead and bought CP some winter clothes to keep here just in case she runs out. Couldn't resist. Penney's was having a 50% off sale. I also bought both her and Landen a sweatshirt each from Disney. It was 2 for, however they didn't have any small enough for little Leighton. I will have to get her something else.

It is time for nappy so off we go to sleep.

Off To The Mall

Well CP and I are headed off to the mall to meet some of her friends there. I know she will want to ride the carousel, never can get out of that one without a minimum of two rides. She loves to go shopping. I don't know if I am a bad influence or she is a bad influence on me. Maybe we both are a bad influence on each other when it comes to shopping.