Photo Medley Dec. 2011

I knew I better post some Christmas pictures before I get a family group thrashing.  muahaha!

This isn't all of them, so more will follow when I begin tomorrow's post prior to 11:25 p.m. 

Visiting cousins when we came to Granny's

on the eve of Christmas Eve

Tree on Christmas Eve morning, auto setting on camera

Tree on Christmas Eve morning

with different camera setting ;-)

Christmas Eve poses in traditional new pajamas

After Santa visited (camera on auto)

After Santa visited (different setting) 

I like this pic a lot!

Zing lets his new toy know

who is boss dog around here!

xo xo  ** xo xo

P.S.

My yearly revamp of the blog will be forthcoming closer to the new year.   Gotta get the visitors count up.

12.21.2011 - Curious!

Whoever is viewing my blog from Cape Coral, Florida, please tell me who you are!  I'm freaking out from curiosity ;-D

Dear Christmas Carter Balls

Dear Christmas Carter Balls,

I miss you.  I am terribly sorry that I have not made a batch of you for several years in a row now.  Please know that each holiday season you are constantly in my thoughts, and also in the thoughts of friends and family members who are reprimanding me for not making you--again.

Self annointed Queen of the B Plus

I shall no longer be known as Fran, I prefer to be addressed as "Her Majesty the Queen of the B Plus."

You may curtsey if you like.  LMFAO!!!

Charlie Brown Tree

It was time for this year's Christmas tree.  I was feeling a little anxiety (guilt??) about not being able to get a big tree like we're used to having, and was hoping the kids would not be disappointed or sad.  So we went together and got a small tree, and I called it our Charlie Brown tree, and the kids LOVED it when I said that :)

It turned out to be a beautiful tree.......just like always.......and Santa is planning on leaving some presents underneath it for my two good chickadees.....just like always.

Before

After

Only 13 shopping days left!

Full house

Is it just me, or does everybody's house seem smaller now that the littles are turning into bigs??

I specifically remember not granting permission for all the growing.  Apparently my sage advice is not being listened to.  I'm used to that by now ;-D

Yellow!

First two blooms from the new yellow rosebush at Harding.  When I came in the office this morning, I could smell them when I sat down at my desk.  Wow!  Velvety petals, too.  And wouldn't you agree they look gorgeous in my fancy red Corelle mug?

Have a beautiful, rosy Thursday--

Cleaning day is tomorrow

Have let the new digs go somewhat due to mi vida loca.  As of now, the final exam is done, I'm checking the weather for tomorrow, and hitting the hay.

Tomorrow, I clean.  Then I'll get out some festive decor afterwards, which is my reward for finishing the cleaning.

No before pix of the dirty house.  After decor gets put out, I might take some after pix.  Maybe not.

snooooooooooooooooooooooooooooze

Besties

The three musketeers-

the actual birthday

Nine  years ago today at 7:13 a.m., Caroline Grace was born.   Here are two of my favorite baby pictures.  She was exactly 2 months old in the first one, and Papa said she looked like Granny in that one.  She was 5 months in the other photo.  She's wearing the little ring that Nana Shuman gave John Sam and her first bead bracelet, and yes, the letter blocks were purposely arranged by me to read "C.B."

 

That was baby Caroline.  Here is the almost 9 year old Caroline at the park, who, a few days after this picture was taken, burped on me and said, "That was the I-don't-like-what-you're-saying-burp."

This morning, when she was "really nine," she opened the last of her presents.  She thought the bigger box was a pair of shoes, and when she opened them, she said MOM I ALREADY HAVE THESE SHOES! I had used the box to be sneaky and wrap her new slippers in. Ha! Gotcha kiddo!

She took her birthday cupcakes to school and chose Olive Garden for her birthday dinner.  Goes without saying that vanilla ice cream topped with chocolate syrup and whipped cream was the dessert!

The red eye feature on my camera is very bright and it makes Caroline blink her eyes, so that's the reason she has her eyes closed in a lot of pictures. 

Happy Birthday Caroline, and many more!  We all love you!

Birthday Month

When a birthday falls on a weekday, it's possible to have more than one celebration--one on the weekend, and then another on the actual day and possibly another on a different weekend.  I guess if we called it birthday month, it would be a bit more accurate.  Caroline thinks it is a smashing idea!

 

 

 

 

 

  

The top photo are the presents from John Sam, Mom & Dad.  I told her she could pick 2 to save for Monday morning.  She picked up the ones she thought she'd figured out.  Especially the tiny gift in the front of the rest--she said it was OBVIOUS what it was.  I said the color would still be a surprise :)  She left the two presents she couldn't figure out.  She couldn't believe her eyes when she saw the VicTORIous themed stuff set up at Aunt Cheryl's house!  She loved all the gifts and has opened every one since we got home. Even though her eyes look a little goofy in the one closeup, her beauty still shows and it made me sentimental, so I had to put it up.  Nine years old.  How has it been nine years since she was born?!

December 2011

Did I really just type December?  I'd like to have another last week of November, if you please.  Thank you.

It does too count

Changing the background of the blog is a legitimate post.  I swear!

#5 for G.P.G.

I hope this cupcake cake is a big hit!  Grayson, hope your birthday has been wonderful.  There is no way you're really five years old!

We all love you!
Tia, John Sam, Caroline, Tokyo & Zing

This is what moving looks like

These pictures don't look too bad, but it got much worse after I put the camera away.  So much junk and so much stuff.  If I could afford a pink She-Can, I'd get one delivered in the front yard and have it filled up in about a week.  That is, if I could work on it continuously, instead of between life, work, and school.  The worst part is, I don't even have everything moved over here yet.  Gah!

Moving and changing are stressful things.  Some parts of my heart are very sad.  Some parts of it are extremely pissed off.  And don't forget that secret compartment where I stash all the guilt.  There is also a place that hopes a new start is the right choice.

Life has changed for me in the last 12 years.   A little good, a little bad, and a little ugly.  This is one of those times when you wish you'd learned how to refold the map, so when you have to get it out again to use it, it's not so faded or crumply that you can't read it. 

I pray that I can smooth out the map so I can figure out where I need to go. 

Turkey 2011

It is not Thanksgiving unless we

have the oyster cracker mix 

This rose is from that first

batch that I cut and posted

previously. Long lasting-

Zing says gobble, gobble!

Goofy due to sugar, I

mean, turkey cookies...

Happy Thanksgiving!  Notice the

height and CG's artwork behind

my head. 

Whew, I'll be glad when I'm past the "letting

the bangs grow out" stage. John Sam

has perfected the stance ;-D

Grandma/Great-Grandma 

Happy Thanksgiving

Petty

Tomorrow I’ll post about things I’m thankful for. Today, however, is one long petty vent.

Clean up after your dog. This doesn’t mean everyone but you. There’s no excuse for your dog to go to the bathroom right next to the poop bag pickup dispenser that the City gives you free of charge and not clean up.

These “all in for clean air” radio commercials and billboards are annoying the crap out of me. If you are in a city park outside, and someone is smoking next to you, get your derriere off the bench and move out of the vicinity of the smoke. Just like, if a car was running and stinky diesel fumes were coming out of the exhaust, you would move somewhere else. You wouldn’t create a website and an advertising campaign to rid the world of cars that use diesel fuel. Trying to outlaw cigarettes in outdoor public parks is stupid. And selfish. And, probably illegal. At least I hope it is.

November is for celebrating Thanksgiving. It’s not the warmup lap for Christmas. Is it silly that I feel Thanksgiving gets the shaft every year? Heck, Halloween even got ripped off somewhat. Is there anybody really out there who buys Halloween candy and tinsel at the same time? If you do, please post a comment because I’d like to meet you.

Why isn’t anyone bitching about gas prices anymore? Currently it’s $3.26 per gallon. When gas prices first started going up a couple of years ago, everybody was outraged, but now, it’s just the new status quo. Yeah, yeah, it’s not $4.03—but who else remembers when it was $1.88 per gallon? I do, and we need to get back to that.

Speaking of high prices, the coffee creamer I use has gone from $1.89 to $4.79. Huh?! That’s one little luxury that has now been eliminated from my budget. The creamer is delicious, but hardly worth $4.79.

If you’d like to cut in front of me at Publix, I would mind a whole lot less if you would just ask if you can go first since you have 1 item and I have 12 items. I’d gladly let you check out first. You don’t need to gab on your cell phone and act like you’re not paying attention and drift in front of me accidentally. Also, it is horrifying to hear you tell the person you’re talking to that you’ve had a stomach virus for a couple of days…….right before you cough on me.

The tiny dry scratch in my throat needs to move along. That’s right baby, just MOVE ALONG. I’m not hosting you for Thanksgiving. Sorry!

I believe I’ve covered everything on my mind. Thanks for listening!

Big Time Rush!

I'm going to be on the Cool Mom list until further notice.  Look who the kids met today at the K-mart in Kissimmee:

No, you aren't seeing things.  Your vision is not wonky.  From left to right at the table, it is CARLOS, LOGAN, JAMES & KENDALL from BIG TIME RUSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I guess the tall guy in the middle probably works at K-mart--he is not part of the band.  LOL!!

JS and CG got all their autographs on both of their posters, and got to talk to each of the guys personally.  They were so nice and gracious, and um, very cute!!  Both kids got high fives.  It was hard to get all of BTR in one photo because of the mob. I took as many pictures as security would let me! Here are some more highlights.

 

I think this is one of the best surprises I've pulled off for the kids.  And just for the record, Logan is my favorite.  :)