Thanksgiving Weekend 2012

Mom & Walter came to DFW for Thanksgiving this year.  EVERY year I'm TERRIBLE of getting Thanksgiving day pics...so here's the one I got this year of Olivia...with food in her mouth. Nice, huh.

On Friday, mom & I went to Pottery Barn Kids in Dallas to do a little Christmas shopping.  We both were able to get what we went for, so we were excited about that!

Friday night, we went to the Fort Worth Parade of Lights.

Olivia waved at all the floats.  She was so precious.

The parade was LONG.  I don't remember it being that long last year....we were all ready to go about halfway through, but Olivia wanted to wait and see Santa, so we waited.  He FINALLY came!

We had a good Thanksgiving weekend!  Now half of our house is sick, but we're thankful it waited until after the holiday!

Picture free post!! Wha?!?!

I just wanted to take a minute to document what we've been up to.   It's bedtime for me, so I just don't feel like getting up and getting my camera....and to be honest, I've been TERRIBLE at taking pics lately and am not even sure what's on it!

I've had pneumonia.  I'm over it (I think) but I do still seem to get tired quickly.  I tried to go for a run last week.  That was a bad idea.  I may try again by the end of this week.  My half marathon training needs to start ASAP!!!  NO time to be sick!!!

Olivia's school had their Thanksgiving feast this past Friday, so I blocked out the time on my calendar and went to have lunch with them.  Olivia was SO EXCITED that I was coming to eat lunch with them (and I was shocked by the number of parents there).  There are definite benefits to working from home!  So far, I've gotten to go to their Fall Carnival and now the Thanksgiving Feast....things I missed out on before being blessed with this job!!!!!!

Saturday morning we had pictures made...I'm hoping to get them back in time for Christmas cards, but we shall see.  Olivia was AWESOME.  On her absolute best behavoir and was beyond cooperative with the photographer.  I was so proud of her.  I really hope we got some good ones!!!

I spent ALL DAY TODAY (literally...since 8am) decorating for Christmas (GASP!).  I don't think I have a free weekend until after the new year (and then it'll be birthday time for Miss O), so I decided to try and get it all done.  My house is now a WRECK.  I'm probably 80% decorated.  Maybe after another 2-3 hours I'll be done.  Sigh.  I love it when it's done...but I always forget how long it takes to get it done and how BIG of a mess it makes!

Hope you all have an awesome Thanksgiving.  I'm excited that my family is going to get to come and having Thanksgiving at our house.  It'll be my first turkey --- I think I better let my mom cook it!!

Happy Thanksgiving Week!!!!!!!!!!!! 

We are ALL blessed beyond measure & well beyond what we deserve.  No matter where you are in life, there is something you can be content about....there is always a brighter day ahead....and it could always be worse!  CONTENTMENT.  Just do it.  BE THANKFUL.  Discontentment comes from the enemy.  God doesn't want that for our life.  Give thanks for everything...always!!!

Trick or Treat!

For the past month, Olivia's been telling me that I am going to dress as her Grandma for Halloween, cause afterall, Little Red Riding Hood needs a Grandma.  I've continued to say "we'll see" thinking she would just let it go.

So here's the conversation we had before bed October 30:

Olivia:  So, do you have your costume yet?
Me:  Um, no?
Olivia:  Why not?
Me:  Cause I'm not dressing up.  Just you are.
Olivia (with lip pouted):  But who's going to be my grandma??? I need a grandma.

SIGH

I couldn't get her little voice or sad face out of my head.  So I purchased a grandma wig and some wolf ears/tail about 4pm on Halloween.  I game home, dressed up, then went to surprise her at school.  She was so funny.  She didn't recognize me at first, then just grinned ear to ear.  She was SO proud to have a grandma, and so excited when I told her daddy would be the wolf.

So we walked around our neighborhood trick or treating looking like this: 

Daddy refused to let me take a pic of his tail....but I managed to get a quick one. LOL. He's such a good dad!!!

Olivia LOVED trick or treating. She wasn't a bit shy or scared to go up and ring the bell and say "Trick or Treat".  She said "Thank you" to everyone (YAY) and was polite and would only take one piece of candy!  The last house we went to was handing out $1.00 coins...she's already put it in her piggy bank!

After trick or treating, we came home to hand out candy to other kids, or "customers" as Olivia called them.

Now....it's time for the REAL holiday season!  So excited for the rest of the year!  Love it!

Little Red Riding Hood

For Halloween this year, Olivia is going to be Little Red Riding Hood.

She always tells us "I'm going to be little red riding hood....but not for real. I'll still really be Olivia". Such a mess!

I thought it was only appropriate to take her to a "forest" and take some pics of her on her walk to grandma's house.  I was sick and so thankful that she was so cooperative with me!

*love* this one...she's so happy.

I'd bribe her with skittles to stay on task. Lol

she found tons of gigantic acorns

My sweet sweet red riding hood....we love you so much!!!!

Mary & Bert

I woke up Friday SO excited to go running in the cold weather that blew into North Texas overnight; I was very disappointed to find out that not only did it blow in colder temps, but it blew in something that my body did not like!  It's now Sunday night, and I'm beginning to wonder if I'm not getting the flu.  I feel awful...chest congestion, chills, fever I think, soreness....BOO!

Ok, enough of my sob story....on to our weekend....

As moms, life must go on, right?!

I woke up at 5:30am and volunteered at our Bountiful Baskets site.  I think 2 hours in 35 degree temps probably wasn't my brightest idea when I was already feeling a little puney.

Saturday night we went to a Costume Party and Olivia spent the night at Gram E's. 

We had about a week to prepare (as I seemed to lose track of time in planning).

And I present....

Mary Poppins and Bert, the chimney sweep

I made a few trips to Good Will (Jason's vest, shirt, my jacket, skirt).

I made the chimney sweep.  I cut off the bristles of an old broom and stuck it into styrofoam and spray painted it.  Then I wrapped an old broomstick with black duct tape and pushed it/glued into the styrofoam.

I bought daisies at the Dollar Tree and glued them and cherries onto a hat.  The hat wasn't spot-on, but I think we got the point across.

I made the red bow tie with a $0.34 piece of ribbon from Walmart.

Hope you enjoyed our costumes!  I'll share Olivia's soon....I'm tired and ready for bed!

Busy Saturday

We were busy little bees this past Saturday. We started with going to our town's annual Heritage Fest.  We have gone for the past 3 years, although I'm not really sure why.  It's kind of lame. LOL.  There are a lot of craft booths and a stage where people are dressed up from the "olden" days and dance.   We didn't stay too long, but we did manage to pack in a few activities.

Olivia and I rode the train.

Then she dunked a police officer.

She got her first face painting.  I've never let her due to her sensitive skin, and sure enough, when we got home and washed it off, she had broken out. Glad it was a small one and not her full face!

Saturday afternoon (while Olivia and Daddy napped), I went and painted with some friends. We had such a good time!  We all bought Groupons a while back and still have 1 more to do before January. I can't wait to go again!  Several of us were really worried about "messing up" and probably a little on the OCD side....but in the end, they all turned out good!

After I got home, we took Olivia to a little pumpkin patch and she picked a couple more pumpkins to bring home (as if we didn't already have PLENTY).

Over time, her pumpkins got heavier and heavier. :)

They had a bouncy house/slide that she insisted I go on with her.  Last weekend we went to a birthday party at a Pump It Up (bounce house place).  She was SO cautious and didn't want to do any of it, so I was shocked she wanted to do this one.

I basically had to pull her to start sliding.  Once she got up there, she wasn't quite as interested in doing it!

I think this weekend should be fairly low-key....guess we will just have to wait and see!

It's FALL!!!!!!



L-O-V-I-N-G this weather!

This weekend I finally got in the mood for Fall (pretty sure highs in the 50's will do that).

So we attempted a Pinterest idea.....it was pretty much a FAIL....the stickers for our polka dot pumpkin weren't sticking enough I guess....oh well :)

Before we could do the painting, we went to the nursery to pick out some pumpkins.

We are hoping to make it to the pumpkin patch with some friends soon!

We also picked out some flowers for the yard and went home and planted them.

Olivia is such a helper!

Olivia brought this home from school.  My favorite drawing EVER.

So I asked her if she'd draw me another picture of herself....and I got this! Love it.

Other than art, planting flowers, picking out pumpkins, going to church, we didn't do too much.

Oh, well, except our weekly trip to eat frozen yogurt of course!

September Shenanigans

Ohhhhh September....how fast you came and went!

We didn't really do a lot during the month...just our normal everyday stuff!

(and I'm going to get back to blogging more often...or at least try!!!)

We made cupcakes....

We played in our tent...(& watched tv from it)...

Daddy built what we have deemed to be a shanty :)

We ate plenty of frozen yogurt!

Olivia started gymnastics and LOVES it.



 We made daddy be our Prince

And she even got him to dance....

And finally, we played & danced in the rain...