25 (really) random things about me- as posted on Facebook.

1. I was engaged, married, and a new mom before I turned 22 years.
2. I am amazed with the different kinds of friends I have- old & new! But I love saying that I have such best friends that I am regular contact with since I was 14...and one since elementary!3. Sounds really cheesy, but I have fallen in love with Tim so many times over the last 12 years. aww, it's true! Nothing sweeter than a man with his kids :)

4. It's really sad that all things Twilight come out in weekly conversations!!! Thanks Laura- I have never been this involved in a book series-- borderline to therapy needed. lol

5. I was so super judgemental for a long time....now I try and see different points of view...without losing my own. Lessons learned with age I guess.
6. There are so many things I miss about SA, but I can't see me living there again right now. I'm pretty happy where we are at.
7. Tim and I work in lines from various movies into daily conversations...like little inside jokes all the time.
8. When my dad was in the hospital in the hospital almost 6 yrs ago, I learned how to give everything over to God and move out of the way so His work could be done. It works!
9. I need a real vacation! and I'm counting on it this March...plans in the works :)
10. Love anything Star Wars...crazy, but I wanted to be a Jedi so dang bad!
11. I really thought for the longest time that Sandra Bullock and I could be BFF! No really, I did (and probably secretly still do)
12. I get a lot of cleaning done when I'm on the phone with Sarah Smith.....don't you girl?
13. Love to cook and create new recipes---although they aren't all winners.
14. As soon as I sit down....somebody needs something.
15. Or as soon as I sit down, I have someone in my lap :)
16. It took a while to realize that no one's life turns out exactly as they planned. Just gotta roll with it- good and bad...all lessons learned.
17. Before hurricane Ike in September, I hadn't read a book for fun since I don't know when. Now I have read 8! Trying to be a good example to Cayley. Who btw is an awesome reader!!!
18. The book "Love and Respect" changed my outlook on marriage.
19. I love photography, but the business of it was not for me.
20. Music is such a motivator with me! It can get me up and cleaning, cry, smile, remember things....
21. My blogging is both theraputic for me and sentimental. I love that my kids can look at those entries when they are older and know what I was thinking and what was going on. I would love to know what my parents were thinking weekly when I was little.
22. I love my on line friends!!!!
23. I'm in a mommy group in our town. And even though I don't get to see them as much as I'd like, I love knowing that they are there ((big hugs)) to cpg!
24. The clean laundry is my arch nemesis! it used to be the dishes, but the laundry has been a secret evil in my home for some time now. I just can't seem to get it all put away---because then there's MORE!
25. I am very strict at bedtimes....the kids are asleep by 8pm just about everynight....and I know why my mom did that with us too, lol! otherwise, i'd have some cranky kids in the morning and I'd never get a minutes quiet....thanks mom!

Amanda's Baby Shower!!!

happy mommy to be!


the chocolate fountain- not working out the way it's supposed to-



baby rattle cupcakes...

ok, so these pics were taken by my super wonderful friend Sarah! it was such a blessing to have her come to the party and bring her camera. she captured some great moments with my family....thanks girl! texas is glad to have ya home!

Us girls!

us all! missed ya tim, but thank you for the quick get away without the little ones.

Playing games and snacking- not to brag, but the chicken salad was the best i have ever had! really good stuff!

me waiting for stella to move a bit :)

my mom and niece!- she was a doll at the shower...sneaking cupcakes and chocolate! she'd sink her teeth in one and then ask..too cute. auntie sarah loves you!

presents!

can't wait to meet you baby stella!

finally!

I am really looking forward to seeing this! I had every intention of supporting this movie at the box office, but things get crazy around here...movie nights are few and far between. i'll be at the red box getting this on tuesday!

and march 21st twilight comes out on dvd...couldn't have a movie post w/out my drug of choice, lol- pun intented!

when it rains, it pours.....

ya know that saying- and it's usually said when a string of bad things are happening. so what do we say when things are going right? i know for a fact that i'm not perfect, my life is not perfect. but i know that instead of listing the imperfections of myself and the way life deals me the cards- i really should be looking for the wondrous things that somehow go right! - even when i am involved, lol!
yes, i'd love a new car, nicer things, manicures(lol), but that would mean i'd have to work outside of my home to afford it--- goodness knows i work here enough...but then i'd be missing time with my kids. so yes, for now (i will be getting a job again) i will continue to remember how blessed i am to have these three kids i chase around and laugh with - sometimes argue with too- and a caring husband to cook for each night. i know how long and hard your days are sweetie- you are loved! everything in the house stops as soon as he walks in the door at 6pm during the week and he braces himself for the three wild things that come up to hug on him. i wouldn't trade that picture in my head for the world.
so i leave you with this- i will in 2009- pray more, complain less. and if home is where your story begins...i want these chapters in my babies lives to be filled with love, hugs, and time together.

Christmas Vacation

making a gingerbread house!!!

tim and trav walking along the beach

by one of the pretty winter scene's in the hotel-- see what adam is holding! in front of the beau rivage in biloxi, ms adam's home state

this captured adam's personality!!!

our house is still trying to unpack, do laundry and keep up with everything - so here's a sample of our vacation moments. i'll post more details of our trip this week :)


---------------- oh before we left- we had a quick visit with dad and linda! i mean it was QUICK! we were outhte door and they came in with more presents! thank you pete, bobby & liz and dad & linda for the presents! they were on their way to lake charles, la for some fun :)
ok, so after a few days of rental car issues- for another, post another day- we hit the road friday around 10am and headed to biloxi. tim booked us a water view room at the beau rivage hotel and casino- it was amazingly beautiful! by the time we got there it was just about 8pm- more rental car company issues-and this thick fog had rolled in. so no gulf was in view from our room, lol! oh well. we changed and headed downstairs to the lobby/casino/restaurants and had a great dinner at the buffet. everyone had exactly what they wanted- trav had been asking for pizza and pasta ALL day and that's what he got. cayley was more excited about the fancy desserts, adam brought his own apple to dinner, and tim ate the kids weight in crab legs, lol! adam found the crab legs irresistible- not to eat, but to play with. he ended up carrying a CLAW around after dinner while we looked at the shops and the hotel christmas decor. you can see him holding it in one of the pics!!!
we have to go back and stay during the spring/summer! the pool was so pretty! tim and i took turns the next early morning to play some slots- lost it all, but had fun.
we left for florida the next morning and the fog had lifted! our saturday drive was a breeze! made a quick stop at the florida state welcome center- got some fun maps and info packets- the kids loved that- and a cup of fresh florida orange juice- YUM! kids should not play with big state maps in the back seat- LOL - and got to my in laws and relaxed!

sunday- ginger bread house day! that was a blast! tim and his sister teri worked on the structure and the kids did most of the decorating. - and sampling of the decorations as well.

monday we drove around panama city beach - like tourists visiting in the wrong season, lol! there's an open mall called pier park- where we shopped, did a mirror maze, a laser beam challenge game, cayley & i got hair cuts, and we had lunch at red brick pizza. --oh and dessert at marble slab- haven't been there in sooo long!

then we drove along the beach and hopped out for some quick pics- while the sun was shining! adam wasn 't feeling well and was sleeping in the car- poor little guy!

tuesday- tim, cayley and his mom ran some errands and ate lunch at po folks!!! anyone remember po folks restaurant??? well, it was THE place for my family to go when i was little- after every award ceremony, school function, good grades on report cards, you name it - it was time to celebrate with chicken fried steak and strawberry shortcake at po folks! tim brought me a dessert- which was good, but they make it different now after 18 years- he's a sweetie and brought me one of the old games i use to play there!! i'm bringing it to sa for the shower :)

wednesday- christmas eve! we went to the BEACH! the clouds did roll back in and the wind picked up, but there was no stopping some texas kids from playing the the turquoise water! ok- i didn't let them play too long though. long enough for them to have fun, get some pics and then have to clean them up!!! we cleaned up just in time for a christmas eve dinner at outback! what a great end to a busy day :) the food was super and the dessert was awesome! it was a huge slice of nutter butter pie! after dinner i was ready for a quiet evening. the boys had littletrouble falling asleep, while cayley was so excited about santa's arrival- it took her a little longer to dream of sugar plums. we put out a christmas cupcake- for a change of pace-reindeer food, and milk and left a note. we were in bed and sounds asleep not long after the kids- long day!

thursday- christmas day! santa did a great job! he brought cayley & trav each a nintendo ds and games! they love it :) grandma tami, grandpa chuck, aunt teri and great grandma betty all got the kids some really fun stuff! too much to name and 1/2 still packed in the garage- they did too much for us as well. thank you guys for having us! we shared a huge meal with turkey, ham, stufing, and on and on! super good!

it took me so long to finish this post- so i'll have more when the kids go back to school on wedensday. and now our adam is 4!

This Weekend

This weekend will be filled with cookie making, Christmas movie watching, nap taking, and snowflake crafts! oh and Tim's bday cake is to be baked on Sunday :)
There will probably be some laundry done in between and the dishes are never done, but they are always there. no tv shows or computer games for the kids-- it will be Christmas movies and music all weekend....breakfast for dinner, pizza night, hot cocoa....fun mom is here!!!
Tim's out of town on a deer hunt till Sunday...so mommy will be coffee'ed up asap.

I'm trying anyway....keep ya posted.

Whoa! Snow!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Yes! it really snowed here last night. the kids had so much fun-- mommy and daddy did too!!! it's 9:35am and there's still lots of snow on the ground- slowly melting away, but still there. amazing! God sure can throw us some curve balls like random snowy nights in texas..... His work is beautiful :)