Another week down in the books of history!

We have really had a great week! Sunday we went to church, ate lunch with friends and I took of to get kids from their dad. When we woke up Monday morning, we were iced in. Needless to say, the ice storm of December 2008 was a chilling reminder of the ice storm of 2007. It made me thankful to have electricity, heat & good food. Those ten days last year were miserable! Don't want to repeat that anytime soon. We were stuck in the house for 3 days. Obviously, I stayed home with the kids all 3 days. With them out of school and no family around I get to take a "mini-vacation" if you can call it that! I got to listen to "I'm bored" just about all day! Oh well, we actually enjoyed having that time. Wednesday was my first time out of the house since Sunday. I attempted to drive to church. Surprising to me was the roads & my driveway was completely clear of any ice remnants. I was soooo excited! That meant I could go to work and talk to big people!!! Thursday found us going (after work) to the oldest grandchild's first Christmas program. He did not want to participate in that. He cried and cried...poor guy! When they did get him up for his turn, all you could see was hands covering his face the whole time. Again, crying the entire time. He's so cute!! I got some great pics of the hands. Couldn't resist. We went out to eat at Steak 'n Shake after the program. I wish they wouldn't have closed where we live!! I really like their food. Friday - TODAY - we are going to attend Andrew's make up basketball game tonight. After the ice cancelling school, that also means all activities are cancelled. It's going to be fun! His dad & his Poppy are coming up to see him play. They will also be able to see him play tomorrow in a game. The team won 1st place last weekend at a tournament. He was so excited yesterday to call me and tell me that he got a 1st place trophy from that tournament! It's all about the trophies right now!! Saturday - as mentioned before....run-run-run with basketball games, finalizing Christmas plans, menus, cleaning & enjoying the hubby! I can't wait! It will be just the two of us for about two weeks. We actually need this down time! It's been stressful the past few weeks. Always seems to hit about the holiday time with us. Don't know what it is but, we always make it through! THANK GOD!! Hope all are having a wonderful and blessed Christmas season! Enjoy your family and God's love! Blessings, Tamara

Weekend Tales

Well, I designated Thursday of last week to be the night we got all of my fall decorations up into the attic & pull all of my Christmas decorations down to start the "official" decorating for Christmas. Between basketball practice, picking up pizza and a few other tiny things that popped up, we didn't get things decorated BUT we did get all of the fall decor up in the attic and the Christmas things down. They crowded our garage area for several days. (I guess they still are a little) Friday was spent doing running around in Tulsa and preparing for the second game of the basketball tournament. What fun it is to see those boys play. They lost again. Saturday was the 3rd game. This was a different story. They did lose but, WOW did they ever play!! They tended to learn that if they were going to accomplish a victory, they had to get a little more aggressive with that basketball. They did fabulous! Can't wait to see them grow even more.

After the game, we went to the High School for the choir's Annual Boar's Head Feast. That was so much fun! We got to enjoy the choirs performances, a great steak dinner, and a fun time with the "King, Queen and Court", with Jesters and guards and an executioner. They really put on a great show! In the rush of it all, I was the bad mom and forgot the camera to be able to take pictures. I pulled out my iPhone and took a few. They're not the best but, I guess it's the memory that counts huh?? Hannah was at the school all day long and on into the evening. They did two performances so, I didn't want to decorate without her. Wouldn't be fair. She was so excited about decorating! Soooo, I took this time to do a little cleaning and catch up on DVR shows. What a great invention!

I also spent some of my day looking for a crew to put lights on my home!! WOO HOO! I was so excited when my hubby told me that I could put lights up but, I had to find someone to do it & take care of it. He really has no business up on the roof himself so, I was very glad to hear that! I contacted a couple of places. I figured it was too late! Me & my last minute ways!! BUT, I found a company (actually wound up being a friend of mine) that would do it on Sunday....YES, the next day!! YES!!!! I was so excited. I have never had lights on my home growing up! This was just as exciting to me as it was to the kids! ha-ha

Sunday morning we woke up and went to my step-son's church. They had a sanctuary dedication and then fed us steaks from Joseph's afterwards. We came home so full! It was such a beautiful remodel! While we were there we got to play with the grandchildren, OF COURSE! Again, in the hustle and bustle of getting my house together, I ran off without the camera. I used my phone again to get a few cute pics of the grandbaby. Forgot to get pics of the other grandchild! My kids had her occupied so, there was no time to stop and pose. He's gonna so love this when he gets older! Just could not resist taking this cute picture. He is the best baby! This is his "I'm hungry" look! What an angel! We enjoyed him so much! As you can see by the picture above, he knows when the camera comes up to smile! What a smart one! He's been trained very well!

OK, so, I am going to attempt to take house pics tonight with the lights on. We'll see how it goes! Hope they turn out good! If not, you can at least see my yard ornaments that I got this year. Hope all have a blessed week!

The Snowball Effect

We are half way done with the week and still do not have any of my Christmas put up (there's another friend of mine that said the same on her blog!!)! It's not that I don't want to, it's that there are so many things going on that I can hardly find a night at home to do it! That's what happens to me when I go out of town for Thanksgiving. This Thanksgiving fell at such an awkward time with Monday being the 1st. It didn't give much of an opportunity after Thanksgiving to get things moving! Looks like I have to wait until Thursday to start. First I have to get all of my harvest things up in the attic.....YUCK!! Don't look forward to that!

Drew's first basketball game was last night. He sure enjoyed it. Unfortunately they lost 14-12 but, wow did those boys play a great game! I was actually impressed! I didn't think much would come of the points in this grade but, they sure held their own! It was such an exciting game! Forgot how much I like basketball! Especially at this age! Hannah thinks she wants to play basketball next year. We'll see. She doesn't strike me as the athletic type but, she may surprise me!

Monday night was a wonderful time with our Ladie's from church for our Annual Christmas Party. It was such good food and good fellowship! I enjoyed every moment I could! Last night was the ballgame, of course, and tonight is church. Another busy schedule!!! IMAGINE THAT! Like I stated earlier, I am hoping that Thursday we can get the decorations put out in the yard & in the house! Would be nice to sit back & enjoy that knowing the hectic schedule we have the rest of the week, weekend & weeks to come! Christmas just rolls on like a huge snowball!!

Hope all have a great time during these holidays!! Hope to see most of you!! Love ya!

WELCOME DECEMBER!!!!!

Bring on Christmas!!! It is officially December & we are winding down the end of our 2008 year. WOW have we come along way "baby"! Jeff and I and the kids just got back from Mississippi on Friday. We had a fabulous time with my family. We also took along my mother-in-law. I believe she enjoyed it. My mamaw wants to make sure she comes back again with us. They spoke a lot about how sweet she was! We came home a day or two early so we could get together with friends and watch the OU/OSU Bedlam game. That all came crumbling down. It's probably a good thing. While we were in Mississippi, a lot of people had the stomach flu/bug...whatever you want to call it. It hit me Saturday late afternoon! I couldn't fight it! I was really miserable. To the point where even Sunday, I still felt kind of blah. I hope the rest of my household doesn't get it. Anyway, I sat on the couch (in and out of sleep) watching the game all by myself! Jeff cooped up in the bedroom & watched the game, Hannah went to a friend's house to stay the night & the boys, well let's just say they entertained themselves for a long, long time with video games & bakugan battles!! Yeah! When I got home, I realized that I didn't take hardly any pics while I was there. Where was my head?? I have slowed down in my old age...ha-ha! Anyway, not much to show by way of pics but, I can put one up of my cute little nephew! He's a spit-fire! He's so cute though! Yesterday was our typical Sunday. Go to church, chill out at home for the afternoon & go back to church that evening. We spent another Sunday evening at McDonald's!!!!!!!! I sure enjoy watching the two sets of twins that go & play. They are so funny!! Well, Happy December! Get your shopping done early so you can fly through the month!