SLEDDING FUN

As I'm sure I've mentioned before, I'm not a let's go outside and have fun in the snow type of person. I don't dislike winter, I don't even mind snow. I just hate being cold!! So when a certain member of my family suggested this morning that we take the kids sled riding, I really was less than thrilled at the thought...so I did what I always do in these type of situations (you know, the ones where I don't wanna), I volunteered my husband, and that folks is why he loves me, lol. And this wasn't even ordinary sled riding, this was nighttime sled riding...YIPPEE, EVEN COLDER!!

Logan had spent the night with her Granny Julie who Ciara now lovingly calls JuJu, and Aunt Jamie, Uncle Jay and her cousin Gavin, so we all headed over to their house for the event. I wasn't sure if Ciara was going to like sled riding, it rarely got cold where she lived in China, but we bundled her all up in her new snowsuit that she got for Christmas from my mom and dad and gave it a whirl. And she had a blast. While Logan and her dad were trying to see how far they could make the sled go, Leyna was giving Ciara pushes down the little hill and she at one point was singing the whole way down. Roger stood at the bottom by the house to make sure neither one of them ran into it, lol. I did manage to stay outside for about 15 minutes to get some pictures, though. Go figure!

Ciara and her big sister Leyna comin' down the hill for the first time.

At the end of the first run.Gavin sledding with his Uncle Jesse (Logan's dad)Logan just having fun with her daddy!Now she's making...you guessed it...a snow angel!This little part of Ciara's face stickin' out was the only part of her body that wasn't covered and could possibly even get cold, lolGavin looks like he's having a good time, too!Even the dogs got to playin' in the snowGetting ready for another trip down the hillPapa and daughter taking a rideNow that's all bundled up!Logan is having some issues with the sled, lolCiara just chillin' (pun intended, hehe)Mush, Daddy, mush!The two sisters going back up the hillWEEEEEEEE!!!

FOR THOSE WHO STILL DOUBT CREATION...

With the chaos, disorder and randomness that evolution calls for, you just don't get beauty like this. Creation DEMANDS a creator!!

(NOTE: Please ignore the garbage comment pertaining to the "afterglow of the Big Bang," lol)

CHRISTMAS EVE 2009

Let me start off by saying, that we all are foolish for buying our kids any kind of toys for Christmas because they don't need 'em. Why play with the Wii or XBox 360 or games or puzzles of baby dolls or racetracks when you can play with stuff like what we bought my dad for Christmas? (And I apologize for the poor quality of pictures lately, apparently someone doesn't know how to operate her camera yet.)

First the three littlest cousins decided to play in it.And then their older cousin got in on the action.And even the two oldest cousins couldn't resist the lure of the wheelbarrow.Our family's most precious gift of all this year!Ciara talkin' to her peeps.Like father (and, yes, it was voluntary)Like daughter.A few snacksMy hubby Roger, youngest brother Chris with his mouth full, and my oldest brother Jeff.Brother Chris, niece Lyndsey, granddaughter Logan striking yet another goofy pose, lol, and my sister-in-law Amanda

FROM THIS...TO THIS!

all in about an hour!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL MY BLOGGY FRIENDS!

I just got done asking her if she was excited for tomorrow morning! I think that's a YES!!

FOUR TO GO!

With only four decorating days to go until Christmas, I am almost done, lol (notice I said "decorating" and not shopping 'cause I AM DONE SHOPPING!). I have the main tree almost done, and I guess I do need to get some icicles tomorrow, I love 'em. Some people don't, but I do. There I've said it, I LOVE ICICLES!!! My daughter hates them because she cleans the litterbox for our three cats and she's always finding them in there amongst the rubble, lol. Hey, if they want to eat those icicles, go right ahead. They surely know by now that what goes in must come out.

Leyna and Logan still have to decorate their little tree that they put up in the kids' playroom, but with some help (I use that term loosely) from the two yahoos, Roger managed to get the train together and running the other day.I only just realized when posting these pictures that in this one Logan has the remote control for the train and is about to run that thing right into Roger's foot, lol.On a side note, about ten years ago I started collecting Christmas head bands. I pick a few up usually every year after Christmas when they only cost a couple bucks a piece. When my family gathers for Christmas Eve I bring them along in a basket and spend the evening trying to convince everyone to put one on for a picture. I can always get the kids to wear them, but the adults...well, let's just say that some years they're more cooperative than others, so I'll have to let you know if I get any takers at this year's gathering, lol. I found four new head bands a couple days ago and Logan and Ciara have been trying them out. Here's two pictures of two of them.And this is my whole collection. I really don't see what the problem is with wearing one of these!

I've also taken some photos of some of my favorite ornaments, I collect those, too! Some of these may be repeats from last year's posting, but hey, they're still my favorites!

This is a new one I bought the other day. I try to get at least one every year that actually has the year on it.This is an ornament we bought for my daughter Leyna's first Christmas in 1984. That year it was hung on a little artificial tree in our tiny one bedroom apartment in Edmond, Oklahoma where we were going to school at Oklahoma Christian College.This ornament Leyna made for me when she was in grade school.Now, c'mon, cows are festive, too!If there's an ornament with a cow on it, I'm buying it!No story behind these next three, I just like them.These next three came from some of my family's infamous beach vacations. This one is obviously Virginia Beach.And then Cape Hatteras.And then finally, I got this one as part of a set of four at Myrtle Beach.And of course Santa on a gondola came from Italy. Venice to be exact where my husband and I spent our honeymoon 10 years ago. Wow! Has it been that long?In 2002 Roger, Leyna and I along with my mom and dad and my grandma all went to Ireland the summer after Leyna's graduation from high school. I picked up this one in Dublin.These next two along with two others I recently got during my trip to China to get my daughter Ciara. Although the details of this trip are somewhat foggy (except for details pertaining to Ciara), I do believe I got these in Beijing.And I think it goes without saying anything about this one, lol

CATCHING UP!

Wow! Where do I begin?

So I've skipped posting about Thanksgiving and anything that has gone on since then, although we did have a very quiet Thanksgiving dinner at my mom and dad's house, where we eat almost every year (11 of us). Okay, maybe not quiet, that's never been an adjective used to describe my family, but it was nice. Ciara likes turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and the cranberry drink with 7-Up in it that only a few at the table enjoy, myself included (I love the stuff!). She doesn't like baked corn, green bean casserole or the noodles my mom makes to go over the mashed potatoes. Why is that important? It's not, I just felt like sharing, lol.

The table pre-feastThe feastThe feastersThe Three Amigas: Ciara, Logan & McKaylaCozy Cousins Logan & Christopher watching figure skating.

So let's see...what's next? Oh, yes, tap lessons. After noticing Ciara copying the dance moves during Logan's tap class observation period almost exactly, the instructor came up to me and asked how old Ciara was. I told her 2 1/2, and she informed me that they had just started a much younger than normal class for under 3 years old. Yikes! Brave women!! So I thought...why not?!? That is, if Ciara would stay in the class without me, which at the time had been an issue during her little class at church.

We show up the next week and to my amazement there were 20 other little girls in the class. At least 1/3 of the class cried the whole time and their mothers had to stay in with them, and although Ciara wouldn't let me out of her sight and I couldn't leave, she was not one of the criers, thank goodness!! The class itself started in September and for the first 7-8 classes I had to go in with her, but for some reason after missing two classes when she had bronchitis in November, the next time we went Ciara just marched herself into the class and never looked back. I have not had to go in since and she has been doing fantastic. Oh, and outta the 20 girls that started, there's only maybe 12 left, lol. They will be performing in the big show in May their rendition of "I'm A Little Teapot."

Logan has always done well in class and will also be performing in May during the same performance. I can't wait to get them both all dolled up, if for no other reason than just to take a few pictures of these two sweet little girls.

A few "rad moves" (for all you Backyardigans fans).

And although that is by all means not everything of significance that has happened over the last couple of months, I'll stop for now and save some for later, but I will leave you with this photo that we had taken last week.

BAD BLOGGER...

I know, I know, I've been a bad blogger, but I'm going to catch you all up real soon I promise! Hey, I at least got my Christmas layout up!