My last post.......

for 2007!
2007 was a good year......Johnny and I feel very fortunate to be able to take trips to the beach often, traveled to Texas to spend time with sister Shay and family. Feel so lucky and grateful for our children......watching Maddox overcome his obstacles, watching his health improve..and always rooting the little fellow on. My mom's health improving, my sister falling in love....wedding next year! My nephew coming to stay with us...watching him grow and discover God's love. Discovering what a blog is....haha and going out on a limb and starting my own. Everyone working and healthy..it's been a good year. And I hope 2008 will be just as good.

I don't really like making New Years resolutions but I will set some goals for myself. Is that different.....just sounds more attainable to me!

1. First off....Damnit......I WILL lose that "no smoking" weight. I know it won't be that easy but really, I have that new pink bike so how hard can it be!

2. Find more time for scrapbooking

3. Learn how to take awesome pics with my new camera

4. Learn to quilt

5. Spend more time with mom and dad

note the time on this post.....man oh man am I getting old. It's 10:30 on New Years eve....I'm in my pj's on the computer, Johnny is snoring on the sofa but yet, I'm very happy with this evening. We took all of the kids out to dinner earlier and now we're home keeping Maddox so Nicole could go out. Jacquelyn and Bucky went back to King William and Jake and Kayla are at Kayla's house.
life is good......
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE
later.......

Santa came by......

and brought me something black and something pink!
I have a lot to learn with my new camera and I may end up taking a class. But my bike......well, it's true what "they" say.....you never forget. Now if it will just stop raining so I can ride it!
we had lots of fun during this Christmas holiday. Christmas eve was busy around the house getting food ready, going to church and then coming home for dinner. Then we all sat around and watched a Christmas Story. And Jake, who may be 19 yrs old, wanted to know how early he could get us up..I just love that! We told him not before 6:00 am. Well, he woke us at 6:30 and told us he couldn't wait any longer!
We just had so much fun opening gifts and having our nephew Tommy with us for Christmas morning made it even more special. We did not wake Maddox that early....we just waited for him to wake on his own, which was around 8:30. And being only 2 yrs old, it took him awhile to open his gifts.

The rest of the week was spent doing a little shopping! Gift cards ARE fun.
Jake went snowboarding with his new board but it started raining so he only did 3 trips down. The black diamonds weren't open yet so he boarded the intermediate. He's hoping to go back tomorrow. They were supposed to get snow tonight up there.

NOT very happy about how the Cowboys looked today..as much as I love them, I am realistic! They are not going to do that well in the playoffs playing like that!
well, it's getting late......I'll post some Christmas pics tomorow.
later.........

Sunday night......

whew......I'm tired! Saturday was pretty busy with last minute wrapping and a couple of errands. Fixed some great appetizers for our pre-TSO party. And then off to the show......what fun! I can say it was even better than last year.......which is hard to believe. These folks are awesome...such talent! All of the kids enjoyed the show so much.....Jake loved the drum solo. Jacquelyn was amazed by the dualing keyboards. The show was 2 hours and 45 min and if you plan on seeing them.....don't leave early. Their last few songs were really a grand finale.

This evening we were at my sister's house with all of my family. So much fun...good food and we just laughed so much with the crazy gift exchange.

and now it's after 11:00 and I'm exhausted. Off to bed.......stockings to stuff tomorrow, a little bit of cooking then church.
sights around the house....

later........

A lot going on.....

Here's pictures of my little red sleigh in the foyer.....so cute and it's filled with the kids Christmas eve gifts. The only gifts they get to open on Monday.

Busy time coming up but oh what a fun time! I'm just getting my menu's planned out and need to finish up the grocery shopping.
Christmas shopping is DONE.....most of the wrapping is done. I still need to wrap Chrissy and Ziggy's presents. They may be dogs but they love opening their presents. So much so that we can't even put them under the tree. also, on Christmas morning, we can take paper and just kind of wrap around the toys they've alredy opened, and they will un-wrap again.......like it's all new, again! and don't laugh.....the kids are grown so we let the dogs entertain us!

We have the Trans Siberian show on Saturday which we are all excited about.....we are taking all of the kids and their boyfriends/girlfriend....so it's 9 of us. We decided instead of eating a big dinner, we are having an appetizer party........a pre-TSO party!
We will spend Sunday with my family. And it's so much fun. We all bring a couple of appetizers and then we do the crazy gift exchange...everyone has a different name for that but I just call it the crazy gift exchange. Where you draw a number and take turns opening a gift and stealing from each other. We just laugh so much......it's fun with my family.

and did you know that when you are a grandmother, you can just sit forever and watch your grandson play and it will bring tears to your eyes because you just love him so much.
later..........

Weekend recap.........

A really busy weekend and fun.........

I know I said I was all finished with my shopping but I think being finished with your shopping happens on Christmas eve when the stores close @ 6:00 and you're forced to be finished with your shopping!! haha......Of course, went out with Johnny on Friday night to just pick up a couple of things.

Saturday baked all day and then that night went to the Renegades hockey game. Which was fun but ended in a shoot out which I don't really like but what the heck.

Sunday had some friends over........ate chilli and had a good time.

and then the bad stuff happened........THE COWBOYS LOST. Can I just say WTFF.........I mean really, they did not even look like a 12/1 team! As I have said all year long........their defense is not good and needs a lot of work and then add to it the offense sucking big time..........well, there ya go, a big ole loss!

I think we play Carolina next week....let's hope those boys get in some good practice this week. And for Lord's sake.......tell Jessica Simpson to stay home so Tony can concentrate on the game!!

later............

Thursday...

and I don't really have anything to say or any new pictures to post.
We kept Maddox this evening so Nicole could work. I sure love that little boy. Who knew that grandchildren could be more wonderful than anything else on earth! Because I didn't.......I thought I loved my kids more than life itself and really, how much more loving can you do than that. And then Maddox came along and he is just the love of our life.
bless his precious heart.........my heart melts when I come home and he sees me and this big ole smile comes across his face. I just fall in love every day with that.

I've never really talked about Maddox's delays and health issues.......he's coming along. He turned 2 in September and he's still struggling to walk....taking 4 or 5 solid steps and then very slowly, with a grin on his face, sitting down. Still only says "mama"........but makes a lot of other noises which is more than he was doing 6 months ago. He is learning to sign a little better.

But what he did this evening.........well, it just melted my heart again. We were sitting on the kitchen floor and he had his cup of juice and he shoved it into my face and smiled so big. I pretended to drink and signed thank you. So then he took another swig and again, shoved it back into my face...........again I pretended then signed thank you and he just smiled. This is the first time he has really ever "shared" anything with me......Then granddaddy came into the room and I told Maddox to give him a drink..........and he shook his head no! haha.......that's my guy!
later...........

Tuesday evening.....

not much going on tonight. I made 2 batches of peppermint bark.....something else to check off of my list!

here's a pic of the tree in the den.......I decorate this one with just red and silver balls and keep the wrapping paper with the same color theme......stuffy...maybe....OCD.......who cares! I like it.

later...........

Weekend recap.......

in bullet points......

• Took 1/2 day off on Friday and went shopping. Hit up Short Pump Mall, Kohls and Va Center Commons and am about done! Except for stocking stuffers



• Saturday cleaned house and wrapped presents....and wrapped presents.....and wrapped presents!



• Saturday night Johnny and I went to a dear friend's cocktail party. And we were smart....we had Jake drive us there and pick us up. No drinking and driving for us!



• Sunday started slow but then we got all into cooking some of the Christmas goodies. We made a few batches of Russian Tea cookies, which won't last long as they are Jake's favorites. Then a bunch of Buckeye's.........also won't last long.....Johnny's favorites. But at least it's a start.



• Lots of football and we DID NOT get to see the Dallas game.....was not on our stations. And it was not fun watching the scores update and Detroit stay in the lead. But then they started showing the game with 18 seconds left.........and woo hoo, hallajuah, praise be to the football gods......The Cowboys won!!! Way to make us fans sweat!!



• I try not to decorate tacky....I believe my decorations are in good taste but I do allow Johnny to be tacky with the back yard and his pool room. That is today's pictures......enjoy
  

later..........

Oh no he didn't..........

oh yes he did............

and I told him you are out of control

and he said....I know and I won't buy anymore

later......

Snow........

We had some flurries today......it started sticking to the mulch area then the grass and then it stopped. Oh well..it sure was pretty while it came down. here are a couple of pics taken from where I sit at work.

I love the snow.....I want a big snow, the kind where you can't go to work, the kind where you can't really go anywhere and then when you're at the point of you want to kill everyone in the house and throw the boots, coats and gloves in the fireplace and burn them, then the sun would come out and the temp would be in the mid 60's and the dirty snow would be gone. yep...that's the kind of snow I want.

later......

The weekend......

In all of the talk about what a freak Johnny boy is, I never mentioned what a great weekend we had. Friday night Johnny and I went to the Renegades hockey game. It was a lot of fun but so very disappointing in the number of folks in attendance. People always fuss that they wish Richmond had a professional team but yet they won't support their minor league teams......not the hockey team, not the baseball team. Don't ya know......nobody is EVER going to look at us if we can't even support the minor leagues!!

Saturday I took my mom Christmas shopping. Her health hasn't been that great but she was finally up to shopping and I was really glad. We had a good time but I could tell she was getting worn out.......and she still wanted to go to Costco! So I suggested that we go back to my house, put our feet up, have some coffee and wait for the freak, I mean Johnny boy to get home and he would love to take us to Costco!

So Johnny gets home and we had planned on keeping Maddox Sat night so the 4 of us head to Costco......and did a.lot.of.shopping!! Maddox just loves Costco and Johnny loves showing him just about everything there....they have fun! We did not get home until almost 8:30 and poor little Maddox had not even had supper. (I was feeding him peanut butter crackers)

Sunday I made homemade beef vegetable soup (pot of vegetarian for Jacquelyn), wrapped gifts and watched football all day........my kind of day!!

and I did NOT reach my goal of finishing up shopping by Dec 1st. If I had been out alone on Saturday, I would have finished BUT......I did something better........I took my mom shopping! So I'm taking a 1/2 vacation day this Friday and will finish up. And then that's it......the upcoming weekends are full of fun!!

here's a couple of pics of Christmasy stuff around our house........

later.........

Here's another freaky thing..........

Johnny boy is a freak about poinseietta's! Yes....true...Mr. Manly Man of all Men loves poinseietta's. And he loves to buy them in different ways each year. Like one year, I came downstairs and every inch of my kitchen counters were covered in Poinseittas. Another year, a few would appear, a few days later some more........a few days later more. Just different each year.

So this year he comes home one night with this really big poinseitta. Really beautiful. A few nights later, another really big one........and yes, one more after that. Then a few days later, he comes in with 7 medium size poinsiettas. We're all laughing but thinking this is probably it because really, where am I going to put all of these. Then on Thursday night, we are snuggled in the den waiting for the Dallas game to come on and Johnny walks in...........you guessed it, 3 big poinseittas in his arms. But this time they were the colored ones.......one blue, one light purple and one dark purple..........we all just laughed. What a freak but I love him!

later........

A secret about Johnny boy...

Some of you who really know us, like know us for real, not through the blog.........you know that Johnny boy is somewhat a freak........a shopping freak! He is probably the only husband on earth who loves to shop! He loves shopping, he loves running errands........give him a list and that man is on cloud nine. Our "Road Runner" is the most happy at Christmas time! Because, well, that is the major shopping time of the year.....no other time during the year will I give Johnny boy list like I do at Christmas. And he is just in his glory.

I made the statement early on that I will be finished with my shopping by December 1st because I wanted to be able to enjoy the month of December. So on Sunday, I announced......THIS IS THE WEEK.......this is the week that I must finish! And then, just joking around, I said I guess I need to shop every night this week!! Well, I should have know Johnny would hear those words. Because on Monday, he calls me at work and ask what I plan to do after work. I said nothing.....I'm tired, going home, doing nothing. And Johnny said......WHAT????? you said you are going shopping every night this week......I thought we were going shopping!!

haha........don't even think I'm exaggerating because this is all true! So when I got home we went shopping!
later.......

Brine the Turkey......

This is the first year that I have ever brined the turkey.....this is also the first year that I ever even heard of brining the turkey. And this was the best tasting turkey......EVER!

I bought the brining mix from Crate and Barrel and it was wonderful! So that's what I'll be doing going forward.....brining the turkey!

Thanksgiving........

We had a wonderful time........brother-in-law, neice, nephew and one of Jake's friends joined us for dinner and it was fun! It's a lot of work doing all of that cooking but it sure is a good time. Here's a few pics of Johnny boy making his famous ice cream dessert. Pic of Maddox getting a closer look at the Macy's parade.

and then the fun began on Friday as we pulled out the decorations. The kids were making fun of my new "flocked" Christmas tree..........that is until they saw it after I had decorated it. Now they love it. Also, a couple of pics of the foyer.

later.........

The beginning of an exciting week......

I love this week....just love it! It's the beginning to the whole holiday season. Besides going to the beach in the summer......this is the.best.time.of.the.year!

here's a pic of the foyer.......I don't have the right lighting I'm sure but the mirror is beveled glass, trimmed in a deep burgundy and gold. I think it really goes with the "whipped apricot"...haha! There catwoman, I said it!

Got my hair done this evening.....must get rid of gray!

picture of Maddox with his haircut.

I will start cooking on Wed.....hopefully getting out of work a little early.

here's the menu........we have 11 for dinner.

Rolls
Spoon Bread

Turkey and gravy

Tossed salad

Sweet Potato casserole

String beans
Carrots & garlic

Mashed potatoes

Roasted potatoes

Pumpkin pie cake

Johnny's fabulous ice cream desser

so you'll notice there is no stuffing.........none of us like that stuff! Also, so many potatoes but I love the sweet potatoes, Jake must have mashed and Jacquelyn must have roasted. It's Thanksgiving so I'm fine with pleasing everyone!

later........

The weekend.........

I am worn slam out! OMG......I'm getting old or something but I cleaned the house today and I'm so tired, I just want to cry! Johnny boy wanted to do some shopping, what else is new, so we went over to Kirkland's and I bought this beautiful mirror for the foyer. I'll take a pic when Johnny boy hangs it tomorrow. Then we went over to Target..........bought a bunch of gold ornaments......just gold. The tree I'm putting up in the living room is going to just have gold ornaments and gold ribbon.

Then we went over to Petsmart......Pets Mart or Pet Smart........I can never figure that one out. And we were standing in line and I notice this guy who looks so familar and then it hits me.......Jacquelyn's cheering coach. Jacquelyn used to do competitive cheering at an all star gym and Moe was one of her coaches. And she just loved Moe as we all did. Now I haven't seen him in at least 8 years so it was really great talking with him. Turns out he bought the gym where she used to cheer....so that's very cool.

Jacquelyn and Bucky went up to NOVA to a Washington Wizards game. She has called me around 5 times today........letting me know about where they are, what they are doing and how cool it is up in NOVA. I like that.........I like that she calls me so much.......and they were sure having fun. They stayed up near Potomac Mills and plan on shopping there all day tomorrow.

Nicole, Maddox and my nephew Tommy went Christmas shopping today. Maddox, who loves to shop........not so much today so they cut their trip short and came home. And being like his grandma, he was happy once home!

and now, I'm off to bed. Going to Michaels in the morning to look for some gold ribbon for the tree. Then settle back to watch the games.........4:00 Cowboys vs Redskins! And work on the baby blanket for my friend K-girl........her new little baby boy due in January.

later..........

just stuff.........

It's been a very, very busy week at work on a project I'm not liking and at home with shopping and painting. I am so on track to finish my shopping by Dec 1st. Yeah me!

• been working on the foyer with the help of Johnny and my nephew Tommy. We still need to do the trim which will be a glossy white. This color is Whipped Apricot. I really like how it's turning out
  
• last night Johnny and I went to the Little Gym to watch our grandson Maddox take his class. He was a little surprised to see us there but every time he did something new, he would turn to us and just grin. And then my heart would melt


• look at these cute Christmas dessert plates and mugs......I love them. And what a deal.....found them at Costco the other night for ONLY $14.99. I have some sort of weird obsession with dishes nowadays......I just can't stop buying them.


• picture of one of the trees in the front yard the other morning when the fog was thick. And the closer I got to work, the thicker it was....to the point that I couldn't really see good to merge over......so I just eased over figuring someone would blow their horn if I was really messing up!


• a little bit of fall for Shay........I know she doesn't get to see these pretty leaves in Texas and loves Virginia in the fall of the year!
  
  and that's it......I have so much to do before Thanksgiving. Need to finish the foyer, clean the house and go grocery shopping and then the real fun begins...........decorating for Christmas. I can't wait!!
  

later...........

Getting ready for winter......

My bed is all ready.......snowman quilt, extra blankets, lots of pillows. Ahhhh.....you can just sink in on a cold winter night.

I think it's weird.....

how you feel like you become friends with other bloggers. I guess because I never expected it. I've never been one to go on the internet and go to chat rooms or boards....just didn't care to talk to strangers.

But then I started my blog.....and I met other bloggers, moms, like me, mostly younger but still, strangers that I now actually consider my friends. And I guess I wasn't prepared because what happened was this.......their lives and what they post actually affect me.

One that I read daily has struggled to become pregnant, became pregnant and then mis-carried. I shed a tear when I read it.

One who was bidding on antique napkins on eBay....won the bid and man, it just made me smile.

One who had a baby......of course didn't blog for a week and then once back online, just made me happy to see her post again.

One who loves the Cowboys like me......and has a daughter with my last name!

Two who have quit smoking like me.......one going through menopause like me......so many who like to scrapbook.....even more who like to decorate. One I'm learning photo tips from and one who lives on a farm and teaches us all about it! And the ranch......can't forget Pioneer Woman!

One who is battling cancer and one who is struggling with a sick child. These are people I don't know but people who I hold in my prayers every night.

I truly believe that through blogging you do become friends. I really believe that if I was down in Alabama, Cheryl would meet me for lunch!!

So I guess I'm just saying it kind of took me by surprise....I'm glad I started my blog and if I read your's, just know, I think you're my friend, whether you know it or not! And I have not updated my blogroll in so long.......and if I did, it would take up a lot of space!

later......

I'm in the mood.....

to re-do!

It's been quite awhile since I've done any painting and/or re-decorating downstairs. We did the den in February 07.......painted, new furniture, new TV.

and nothing since then. But now I'm ready and would like to get the foyer and dining room done before I decorate for Christmas. Would like to include the living room but that's not going to happen.

I stripped the wallpaper from the foyer over the weekend. That stuff has been up for maybe 14 years! If you look down a few post, you'll see it.......black wallpaper from the chair rail down. It had little flowers on it......this is from my "floral" decade.

So now I'm going to paint it a pale yellow, flat paint....call Whipped Apricot. Then the trim at the ceiling, chair rail and baseboard I'm going to do in a high gloss white. I think it's going to look good. We went over to Lowes last night and bought the paint......tonight, we're ordering pizza and I may start painting.

I am thankful...

http://southbreezefarm.blogspot.com/

love this blog.....

and a November challenge from Leah in Iowa........list on your sidebar each day what you are thankful for during the month of November! and let me know in the comments if you do so that I can check our your blog!

From ..... http://www.tracithorson.typepad.com facts about yourself......I don't really know how to link to other folks but would love to read others facts!
1. I have stated this before and I will state it again…….I may be 51 years of age but in my mind I’m still 25!
2. I quit smoking on May 14, 2007……I feel better and I know it’s good for me but I hate it
3. I love to drink ice cold beer
4. I can’t believe how lucky I am to have Johnny in my life
5. I might be lucky to have Johnny in my life but he drives me crazy at times…….and he knows it…..and I think he loves it
6. I hate my hair…..I used to have beautiful black silky hair but now that I have grown older (physically, not mentally) my hair is turning gray and is frizzy…..you know, that old lady frizzy!
7. I get very excited when John Grisham writes a new book. I’m not in a huge hurry to read it, just to buy it……I wonder why
now tell me

It was a dark and stormy night......

Nah....not really. The weather has been great tonight for trick or treating. Though it used to be a lot more fun than it is now. But for some reason, I still get a little excited about the evening. Johnny boy used to love taking the kids trick or treating. It was one of his favorites………him and a bunch of the dad’s would take all of our kids out, cold beer in each of their pockets and I’m not sure who had more fun, the kids or the dads. They would end the night at someone’s house with more beer, maybe roasting some oysters on the grill…..a lot of fun. Then there was a rash of divorces in our neighborhood and Halloween would never be the same! But Johnny boy still enjoyed taking our kids out and they always had lots of fun. Now they are all grown up.

Our grandson Maddox is only 2 yrs old but I know when he gets older, Johnny is going to want to tag along with the trick or treating.

My dogs hate Halloween. Chrissy, the diva, believes there is something very sinister about anyone dressed in a costume or a mask and she will attack! Bucky put a mask on Sunday and walked into the den and Chrissy went after him! So it’s a real pain trying to keep the dogs away from the door.

we have had a lot of kids come by....between 7:00 and 8:00 pretty steady.

a few pictures......kitchen hutch looking all halloweeny(even though I have started getting my snowmen out and yes, I have already gotten the snowmen dishes out), table in the foyer and our favorite little monkey.....Maddox!

later.....

Space bags babeeee..........

this is a post of pictures. I'm sure I cannot download them in the order I write but here goes.....

• here's a monkey crawling away
  


• cute pic of Maddox
  


• the damn yard sale.....look at that junk!
  


• spider webs for Halloween on the front porch
  


• Nicole and Maddox cleaning out the pumpkin. He actually gagged and threw up....no kidding
  


• Ziggy wearing his football jersey and sleeping on Bucky



• me working on my laptop
  


• And SPACE BAGS! who knew? These are most of Jacquelyn's summer clothes and trust me, she has a lot of clothes!!

and that's it for tonight.....

later.......