Christmas around my house.

A little bit at least. There is sooo much more than this.

It's such a wonderful time of year isn't it?? The year that our first booger was born, this is what our family looked liked. Nice, simple, but oh so small.

This year, we added another bouncing baby boy to our family. He is just so sweet and precious.

Mr. B is his name. Or Bubbas, or Boo Boo, I guess we followed suit and it all falls under the "B" category, so we got it covered with all these nicknames haven't we?

Now our family this year looks like this. Sans a puppy. The oldest booger keeps asking for one, but hubby says he won't just get ONE, that they need to live with someone, so I am passing up the idea to take care of two more people around this joint. Hey, someone has to stay sane around here right??? What?? it's too late for that? Oh great!

This was the nutcracker for this year. Every year after the ballet, my son gets to choose a nutcracker for our collection. This was the one that made it home with us this year. He's real snazzy and I love the sparkly glitter that bedazzles him up. Oh, I just got the best idea!! Be right back!

And the candy canes that outline our walkway. They were a neat addition to this year's decor.

I'm always sad to take all the decor down, but alas, it happens, and we can't stop it. Sooooo. Onto a new year, new beginnings (thank gooooood ness) and the many wonderful things that the New Year will bring. Oh yeah, and Happy Birthday today to my eldest sissy. Wish I was there with you!!

You know it's almost 2010

When.............

you hear yourself saying these things on Christmas and you wonder if your grandmother would understand???

Now everyone has the Droid. How will I know if it's mine ringing?

Who's Vaio box is this?? Do they want to keep it?

If I step on one more Ka-chow, I'm going to scream!!

Ohhh, these Uggs are oh, sooo soft. I think I need a pair.

We have come a long way. I can say, "I remember the 80's, the 90's , and the 00's. Wow! I feel old now. That's all I'm going to say.

Merry Christmas, from our house to yours!!

Our Elf Jack has returned home to help in the giving of Christmas and now we wait for the boys to wake up.































This guy woke at 8 am. Not to shabby. Not to shabby at all. We were thrilled for that. We allowed him to open his stocking and start Christmas while the littlest booger still slept. He was very content with his stocking gifts.

But then when the mother load came, he was sooo darn happy! (nice blue mouth, btw, looks like the fun dip has already been enjoyed. Thanks SC!)





Finally the little one joins us and while he enjoys the gifts that he's opening,

He's just as content to chew on gift tags instead.

While we want to stay in our pajames all day. We should really go and meet with the rest of the family to enjoy Christmas. Afterall, our BIL, and uncle will get to come home today and share this day with the family before returning back to his care home.

This little guy, is just so content to just lay in someone's arms while presents are being opened.
He's still in his jammies as you can see. His new outfit is behind him in the picture, but when he's so content, why bug him right??

and this one's so content running around and getting his energy out playing with cousins.

This little guy was so tuckered out, he feel asleep watching "Ka-chow" as he calls him, typical male fashion. Why oh why does this photo make me laugh everytime I see it??

We had a fabulous Christmas. We are soo loved. We are sooo blessed. I made sure to tell my 6 year old this tonight as we went to bed. It's because we know Christ. It's because we believe in him. Don't you forget that. All this fun, all these presents, all this family that LOVES you, is because of Christ and what he has done for us. There certainly wouldn't be a CHRISTmas without him.

Hope you all had a fabulous day as well. LOVES.

Our week at a glance.

We celebrated the birthday of booger. His last year in his 30's. I think he is sad about that. He is getting to be an old man.

We made gingerbread houses

We went and saw our yearly tradition of The Nutcracker.

This year booger #2, sat through it almost the whole time without having to be bribed of treats. That was a good thing.

And booger #3, even though he was stuffed up and coughy, poor little guy, he enjoyed it and watched it almost the whole way through as well. Flapping his arms and moving his legs. all through the music and dancing.

We baked Gingerbread cookies, (of course the 6 year old booger, had to make dinosaurs instead)

and spritz Christmas cookies

we played Santa Claus and delivered treats and gifts to cousins. These were my adorable helpers; Santa jr. & a reindeer, (I think they decided he was Donner)

We got a date out together to see Avater IMAX in 3d (sorry no pictures of that, it was a surprise for me and camera was at home, shame on me!)

and then of course the hustle and bustle off Christmas Eve day and shopping and wrapping before the Big day. We went to bed completely exhausted and waited for the kids to wake up and see what old Saint Nicholas had brought to our house.

Baby Ellie is here!!

Get used to this James. This is how life is going to be for awhile.

My BFF had her baby girl. She came via c-section, not what mama wanted, but they are both doing good. Great actually! I talked with her not even 24 hours after "surgery" and she was up and walking around and talking. I was sooo impressed. She's not milking,er I mean taking the pain meds at all. Not that I think she should, but sheesh, after a c-section, taking just motrin to me, is a goddess. Congrats Jaime and Erik! Enjoy your new little girl. (and no more freedom--haha j/k) kinda. I mean, look at her. a day old and already showing daddy who's the boss.

All day I get to play!

Well, I should be doing laundry, I should be cleaning up those things off my counter that you see, I should be listing watches and or getting ready to go to Target but I can't. You know why?? I hear my little guy in the other room and I have to stop and document.

He is fun and cute and just so lovable! As I was brushing my teeth I hear Mr. B doing his new "thing" in his highchair. I ran to get the camera and I know that as soon as I walk in he'll stop doing it. I had to coax and bribe him to do it again, (OK, not really, he doesn't know about bribes......yet) but he did and I'm so proud of his new learned activity. Seems they learn sooo much right now don't they??? Has anyone invented a freezing time machine yet? When you do, contact me A-SAP. I'm in the market for one.



Technical Difficulties: I can not get the video to upload right now. Will have to enlist the help of my husband or try another computer. Stay tuned.

A New Home

My BIL has had his central line taken out, his treatments are done and he is going to a new home. I wish it was his own. I soooo wish it was his own, but for now, it will be. He will be going to a care home for, who knows how long right now, to do physical therapy and be taken care of. The other day he raised his hand by himself. It took awhile but he DID it!! This is great news. We are so happy for him. It looks as though the paralysis is going back down his body and he is regaining feeling in his upper limbs.
His family was able to go and visit him tonight for the first time since he went to the hospital and has been in ICU. Two weeks is a LONG time to go without seeing your kids. Not because you want to, but because you CAN'T. I've thought I would LOVE a few days away from these boogers to regain my sanity and I have gotten it before, but when you want to see your kids, when you want to hear their cries, their fits, and you can't. Ugh. I feel for him. He is strong and he is a fighter. I hope he improves quickly and gets home to his babies and his wife.
LOVE YOU Rich!

Progression--Finally!!

Richard seems to be moving forward instead of in reverse. YEAHHH!! Yesterday he had the first look of improvement with the immunoglobin treatments. He can move his hands a little and was able to pick up his neck. This is a great step for him and we hope that these treatments continue to be positive for him. They are still administering the Benadryl with the treatments to counteract anything that may happen or react with his system. We hope that he is able to keep moving forward.
Happy thoughts please.

The Uncanny truths about Motherhood- Labor

My most recent work.


Since my BFF is ready to pop any day now. It’s time to write about the last stage of being pregnant-labor.
Well the term says it all. It involves work. If you think you are going to get out of there without doing any work, you’re mistaken. Ok, so if you’re the few who have C-sections, you have more work afterwards so it’s still Labor!!
This is what I have to say about this. Expect the best; want the best, but plan for the worst. I don’t want to be a Debbie downer, but having “a birth plan” doesn’t always work. As you know life is not always planned as is the same with labor. You can have what you intended to do, but if this is your first time, just know that it always doesn’t go that way. I say it’s better to be ready to accept what’s coming than be so bummed about what happened that you get sad or even worse, depressed.
You can of course, plan out your birth, i.e. laboring, walking, drugs, no drugs, epidural, all natural and what not and get just that.
If you start on your own, your water may break (if you have a puddle of water in your pants, or your bed, and it’s more than a tinkle, it’s your water) and cause you to start, or contractions just may come on and start your labor. You may or may not see a “mucus plug” and you may or may not know that you are having contractions. Yes, it’s true; you can have them and not know that they are actually just that, contractions. If you are one of those few, consider yourself blessed.
You will hear numbers. You are a 1, 4, 7. These are centimeters. This is them measuring and letting you know or the Dr. know, how far you have progressed. You need to be at a 10 or pretty darn close, before you will push the baby out. You can start dilating any time up to about 6 weeks before full term. I sat at a 1 and 3 from week 36 and 37 with no progression. It is possible to dilate and then nothing else starts.
After you have hit about a 7, it is transition time which for some is the hardest time, for me, I don't know and remember this time, so I am no help there. Sorry. It begins the time that the baby is getting into position and after this time is when the actual delivery occurs. You will want to “bear down” i.e. push like crazy and get that baby out. You will have to push, most likely on your first child. Don’t be a sissy about it, do exactly what they say and bear down and push. I pushed three times with my first 9 lb. 4 oz. baby and twice with my second 7 lbs 8 oz. I don’t mess around. When it’s time for me to push, well, that is what I do. You do want to be careful about pushing though, if you go too fast you can tear, and well, that is not fun or pleasant. Hopefully you don’t have anything in your intestinal tract either, or you will push that out too!

My best advice is to relax. Enjoy and be in the moment. Take it as it comes, and soon you will have a wonderful little blessing in your arms. I had to be induced both times. The first time I wanted a natural birth, no drugs, and well, little did I know what inductions actually entailed. If you are hooked up to pitocin to start your contractions, or at anytime along the way, this makes the contractions very powerful, very strong and well, drug-free is quite intense. I went 6 ½ hours. That was the longest 6 ½ hours of my LIFE. I wouldn’t recommend induction without drugs or an epidural to anyone ..EVER!! I’m sure there is someone somewhere that has done it this way; it’s just not the most ideal situation. You want to be comfortable during labor whether you’re walking around, in water, or laying in bed, so if you want your pillows, bring your pillows, music, bring your iPod, balls, etc. Make sure that you have those things with you. You may or may not use them, but if you want them, have them with you. I hope that you have the fastest, easiest labor ever, but if not………….

Switching methods

They have decided even though Rich has an auto immune disorder, that they are going to change from the plasmopheresis to the immunoglobin treatment. He is having a reaction to it as expected so they are slowing down the treatment for the next five days. He is taking Bendaryl for the reaction and Tylenol for his fever.

Bradley went to visit him today and help him stretch and move his muscles. He said to Bradley,
"Shake my hand. (Bradley did)
Now Shake it like a dude. (where you interlock the fists-I guess)
Now grab tight and take my hand and raise it above my head, and move it around.
Bradley moved his hands around for him so he could get the movement he wanted.
"Aw.... that feels so good."
Bradley has great experience massaging, tired swollen feet of mine. He is quite good at it. He sat at Richard's bed and did this again to Rich as he did yesterday as well. Richards expressions were the same.
"Aww.... that feels sooo good."
Please continue your thoughts and prayers. They are much appreciated.

Meeting P Dubb, Ree, you know... The Pioneer Woman!!

Talking with the crowd. She was such a sweetheart!

Making faces probably about Cow testicles or something else. NOT, any of her recipes. Here's the story.

So a week ago, I just happen to glance at the Cookbook tour again, just to see whereabouts Ree would be traveling. Knowing well, that I had looked at it before, and she was north, and south, and in the south, some more. She headed kinda west, but not west enough for me in Southern Cal to see her. Ree Drummond, AKA, PDubb, The pioneer woman, is one funny lady that writes and blogs about her life on the ranch. How she got there, and what she's now doing there. I have turned to her blog to read, search and get any info I can, on how to take better pictures. She does step by step instructions on how to use your camera and how to fall in love with it. Thanks to her, I have been able to try and test some things that I have learned. She also does it with her cooking. This has become very well liked by the public. She has now put a Cookbook out. (just topped the number one bestseller, Right on Ree!!) So her new venture in life, has taken her out and about and FINALLY into my neck of the woods.
As I was glancing at her tour this night, (late at night BTW, as it always is, when I get a moment of peace and quiet, to be on the computer.) I saw that she would be in Southern California. YAYYYY! I enlisted a partner in crime, AKA, BF, and we ventured out to see her.
You never know how or what to say to someone that you think is neat, cute, funny, and down right adorable, without sounding, well........stalkerish. I feel like I know Ree, and want her to be one of my BFF's. I know everyone in her family, and feel like I know her as well, but she doesn't know me. Well, until now. Yes, I was, number, 100,475,542 in line. Well not really, I was sure to get there early and so we were only about 20 back, but now I know for myself that she is real. That she exists. I am so glad that she was just as funny and outgoing in person as I thought she would be. I know there's a shy, quiet, side to her, but she overcame that at this signing and was just a doll! So glad to meet you Ree, and thank you for taking the time to write and sign in all of our books!! You're the greatest. No ,no, You're the best!! No!! Your the best, greatest!!

Waiting for her to make her grand entrance

(Look at us!! Front row!!) That's a great story in and of itself.

Here she is!!! YEAHHHHH

I don't have any idea what I said to her. Probably something about the spanx (she DOES NOT need to wear). Gross picture of me, but I made her laugh!

Smile for the camera. ( Awkward moment) . Me and Ree.

And then I wanted to have one with all of us. Smile again!! Awkward moment, number two. Me and Jill and Ree, makes three!! (oops Jill wrong camera. )

We had a fun time Ree. I'm glad that we overcame our fears (well not really fears, but something) and came out. Hope we didn't seem too stalkerish! XXOO

And I didn't bring my cute, adorable, baby boy, just for you. (Had to bring his birth annoucement so she could see him. ) Be still your rushing hormones.

What a week!!-- But then there was a rainbow.

I'm sure we've all had these kinds of weeks. They are crazy, hectic, and we are so glad that they are behind us. Well, this week has been one of those for me. I am glad that we have a new one that we know will come upon us and we can move forward and put the past behind us. Hakuna matata!

This week my brother in law, who is one of the silliest, funniest, guys around, who will never keep a straight face when a camera is near by, was sadly rushed to the hospital. With the first visit he was dooped up on pain medication because he was , well, in such bad pain, and nothing seemed to help. He was returned home later that night (gotta love Kaiser) and was back there in the morning via an ambulance, because he couldn't move and had paralysis of his legs. Thank you for all the love and support that has been showed to our extended family and for the prayers. We need them,and he def. needs them and there will be more needed I am sure. He could be in there for almost a month. He was diagnosed with Guillan-Barre Syndrome and so his journey to recovery is a long ways away. So is what they say. We are hoping for the better. As we were cleaning the backyard and getting ready for Christmas decorating my husband called me outside to see what was out on the patio.

I ran out to see this:

It is a picture, that says By: Grace and then it says : I love dad, written in backwards.

After the week that her daddy has had. We decided that we needed to take a picture and share this with him. I'm not sure how long it has been there. I know, at least for a month or so. I know that I have passed it many times while taking out the trash and I really never (sadly) even looked close enough to see what was written or what was down there. Just figured, some chalk art on my patio. I am so glad that the lite sprinkles, and early dew we have had, has not cleaned this up or washed it away. I am so glad that we were able to take a picture and share it with her dad. It was so sweet and so special to him, especially now, at this week in her daddy's life.