So This is Christmas and the Last of 2010

So this post was supposed to be all about Christmas but this is all I got...

the picture for our christmas card...



cutting down a tree with Papa...



and Landon getting to help hang Christmas lights outside...




And thats it. Of course, I have hundreds of others, but you see I got my camera card switched with Ashley's grandmothers and thought I had gotten all of my pics off of her card before I gave it to her, but didn't. So, now our cards are switched back, only all of my pictures from Chritmas and New Years are still on her card with her in Nashville. Whew! So, since January is just about over and I have a ton of new stuff I have been wanting to blog about but didn't because I wanted to blog about the rest of 2010, and well, anyway, I just decided to settle on my 3 chirtmas pictures that I do have. Whew again! I'll stop now. :)

One of my best freinds hosted a New Years Eve party to welcome in 2011 and it was a BLAST!! Ash and I were fortunate that my mom was willing to babysit overnite, so we had the night to ourselves! We enjoyed every minute of it, at least I did. A few of us may have had too much fun if you know what I mean. Anyhow, the pictures pretty much speak for themselves...

the hostest with the mostest...Julie & Steve



the delicous dinner that they prepared,cooked, and served to all 30 of us! It was delicious!!



the men (some of them)



and the women (some of us)



the fun is getting started now...cheers!



lots of dancing...



and oh the heels...these won the prize!



Waiting on the coutdown...



Countdown is on...5...4...



and the shoes start coming off after midnight...







and then the real fun began! :)whats that now...



Happy New Years!!!



It was an awesome time and a great way to welcome the new year! 2010 was a bittersweet year with a lot of sadness with the divorce of my parents and a whole lot of joy with the birth of sweet Lynlee. I'm thankful for my health and happiness and for the health and happiness of my children and I'm so thankful for this life I get to live! So long 2010 and I can't wait to see whats in store for 2011! And I can't wait to show you what I have in store of 2011...so stay tuned!!

a Birthday and a Baptism

This post has been sitting in my blogger for a while and just needed some pictures uploaded. So, this one is also a loooong post with some information that I wouldn't have added so late in the game, but like I said it has been written since November. Anyhow, back in mid-Novemeber we had a celebratory weekend for the girls. Lucy was turning two on the 17th and Lynlee was approaching 10 weeks and had a certain gown to fit into. So, we decided to fit the festivities into one weekend. I'm pretty sure our out of town family appreciated one less road trip. :)

And what a fun 2 years it has been! She has earned many nicknames, LucyLu, Lulu, Lucy Goosy, Luigi (don't ask), Goosy Girl, and she has the personality to match up to all of them.



She is the sweetest, most loving, independent, free spirited little girl with a heart of gold and is F-U-N-N-Y! This girl has us and everyone else cracking up all the time.  Here she is wearing every gift she could...





We celebrated last weekend with a big circus themed birthday bash...




with plenty of hotdogs, popcorn, and cotton candy....

 

and the kids ate and ate and ate...



...and played and played and played...





One day, I will learn, that I could simply serve cake and ice cream and let kids jump on the trampoline and call it a party. That trampoline has never failed me at any party...and check out that hair!!??




We had games set up all over and we busted up a pinata...







and we sang Happy Birthday. And would you believe Lucy got just a little shy with all of her friends and family singing to her!!??



Her shyness was short lived and as soon as the singing stopped she went to town blowing out those candles!




The next morning we got up bright and early for Lynlee's baptism. We arrived on right on time and the service went beautifully. Would you also believe that with all the family we had there on both sides, that the sermon was about toxic family members!!?? So funny in my opinion, because you know we all have them! :)I am so appreciative of all of our family and friends who love my children and were there to witness my sweet Lynlee being given to our Lord.







"And he took he children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them" Mark 10:16





There was a program immediately after the service so we weren't able to take any pictures at church. But we were able to take some afterwards at home...











The above pic is Lynlee's godparents or should I say godfamily. :)Its my sister Tiffany and her family. I so appreciate them driving up from Auburn.

The gown was made by my great aunt, Edna Mae, for me as a baby and has now been worn by both of my daughters.







I monogrammed it with all of our initials and the dates of our baptism, and am wondering whether to frame it and hang it in the nursery, or have it preserved for later generations...hmmm.

Afterwards, we had a baptismal brunch at our home that was so easy and delicious!





Because everything with the exception of the macaroni and cheese could be made ahead of time and served cold. I served it all with a honeybaked ham and white bisuits (that my brother-in-law made and brought with them) and an Edgars starwberry cake, which is hard to beat. So here you go...I'll let you in on the best kept secret, when serving a large group on a limited budget and time :) Enjoy!


Broccoli Salad
2 bunches of broccoli - florets only
6 slices of crispy bacon crumbled
1/2 c raisin (I prefer golden raisins)
1/2 c red onion
sunflower seeds

Mix together and toss with dressing - 1 c may, 1 c sugar, & 3TB red wine vinegar. I made this the night before (usually better that way anyways) but added the bacon right before serving because otherwise it gets soggy and not so crispy.

Fruit Salad
1 large can of pineapple tidbits
4 medium bananas
sliced strawberries
red or green grapes (I use both)
blueberries
1TB butter
1/2 c sugar
1 TB flour
1 egg

Drain pinapple and save juice. Beat egg, add sugar, flour and butter. Heat mixture on medium until bubbly and gradually add pineapple juice. Stir constantly until think (like pudding). Cool and store in refrigerator. When ready to serve pour mixture over fruit and toss. I washed and sliced all fruit and tossed in 2 TB of lemon juice to prevent browning the night before. I also made the "dressing" the night before as well. And put it all together aboiut 1 minute before we ate...decicious and easy!



Baby Blue Salad
bag of field greens
sliced strawberries
can of mandarin oranges (drained)
almonds
blue cheese
raspberry walnut vinaigrette
olive oil

Mix vinaigrette and olive oil 2 to 1.  Combine all other ingredients and toss with dressing right before serving. Make as much or as little as possible.  I made up the salad and dressing the night before. And right before serving I added the almonds and blue cheese and tossed with the dressing.


I'm almost there and caught up on my blogging from 2010, but I still have a few more posts before I can start on the new year. Up next...So this is Christmas...

Rebel Football and A Lot to be Thankful For Recap (part 2)

So here's another recap from this past fall. Just a warning that this is a loooong post and I know that the subject is old, but for my memory and this blog, I have to write about it...so here we ago again. Way back last year and maybe even the year before that, Landon started to beg to play football. I know we had a good excuse one year (he was too young) and last year I'm sure I made one up. But this year, we bit the bullet and signed him up for his first season of tackle football with the Vestavia Rebels!



I was pretty nervous about the whole thing, but from day one he loved it and I loved to watch him. It's no surprise that he had some natural ability (and I know some of yall are rolling your eyes, but he is my son, so I can brag a little, okay? :)) and the coaches did take a liking to him immediately. They had him on the line both on offense and defense.



At first he was a little upset about this. This is the first sport he had played were he would not be able to score (and be cheered for) and he started having some doubts about this whole game of football...but then Papa entered the picture...



Aside from Ash and I, he was Landons #1 fan. He was there for almost every practice and definitely every game and he talked to and coached Landon on how important his position was. One of his positions (left tackle?) is what is known as the blind side and according to Papa this is the second highest paid position after the quarterback in the NFL...who knew!! Anyhow, after all the pep talks, Landon was all in it again...



He played nearly the entire games only getting out ocassionally to catch his breath...



And after hearing his name announced on the loudspeaker for making the tackle or recovering the fumble, he really started to embrace the game and his position. His team had a pretty good season and made it to the last rouund of playoffs. This was the last huddle of the year after losing in the playoffs.





Landon was so lucky to get the coach he got, Coach Kevin. He played at the University of Alabama and was know as "Touchdown Turner" and helped them win the 92' National Championship with Stallings. He then went on to play in the NFL for the Philadephia Eagles and the New York Patriots and even played in the Super Bowl (although was on the losing team) However, how cool that Landon's first coach and the coach that taught him the foundations of this sport has such a history and legacy. And let me tell you what an awesome coach he was. Some of the others team's coaches were the type that try and live their own glory days (or lack there of) through the kids and would argue and yell and go completely over board about 8 year old football. Our coach had so much class, never lost his temper and wanted to teach the boys the love of the game which he did. Later in the season, we found out that Kevin had just been diagnoes with ALS or Lou Gehrigs disease and while fighting the fight of his life, was still taking the time to coach mine and other children.



I cannot say enough good things about this man. We are so grateful to have had him as our coach and can't wait to get him next year! :) He is the father of three kids the youngest being on Landons team and he is in for the fight of his life and the prognosis seems grim. But I beleive in the power of prayer and in miracles so please say a little prayer for him and his family! Thanks Coach Kevin for an awesome season!!



The news of coach Kevin hit hard and close to home and seemed to be followed by more bad news and more bad news. This Thanksgiving, I hit my knees and prayed hard for all of our family and freinds who had been struck with one thing after another and gave thanks for all of the blessings in my life...namely these 3!



A lot of the bad news, had to do with little ones, and I will spare you the details, but it made me realize how much I take for granted. So, my thanksgivings for Thanksgiving were no brainers. These three are everything to me and I love them with every fiber of my being...



And if your thinking Landon looks like a conquistadors, well, he does, it was part of a school program! :) Anyways, moving on, I don't have any pictures from Thanksgiving day, sad I know. But we ended up driving north to Nashville to spend the holiday with Ash's family. His sister hosted dinner at her new house in Brentwood and everybody got along and everything was delicious...what more could you ask for!? The day after we loaded up the crew and headed to a japanese steak house (one of our favorites) and ate way to much. The kids had fun watching the chef...



and Lucy didn't know what to think...



After dinner, Ash and I took the boys (Landon and his cousin Jackson) to a Nashville Predators game...



It had been a loooong time since I had been to a hockey game, and I had forgotten how much fun they were!!





We had a blast and I'm not sure who had more fun, Landon or myself!!!



Anyway, my little family has so much to be thankful for and I try to remind myself of that each and every day! Up next, a Birthday and a Baptism!