Christmas Collage

Oh To Be a Kid Again!!

I can remember being a little girl and being soooo excited about Christmas and Santa Claus coming that on Christmas Eve I would have a fluttery stomach and could hardly go to sleep.

My sister and I got a Lite Brite for Christmas the year I was 7. I was over the moon for this toy. We played with that thing all day Christmas Day. I think my Mama got tired of vacuuming up lite brite pegs though.

I think back and remember some other of my favorite Christmas gifts.

Barbie was wonderful. She is still today. I got this one doll "Tuesday Taylor" you could turn the top of her head around and change the color of her hair from brown to blonde. How fun is that?

What are some of your favorite toys you received for Christmas?

Hears hopeing you have a wonderful Christmas Season. Remember Jesus Is The Reason for The Season.

Our Christmas Picture

I got the kids to wear Santa hats and sit still all at the same time. Not a small feat. Especially Niko. He told me he could only sit still for one or two pictures. "Not anymore than that Renee" he said. So I picked the best of the bunch and this is what I came up with. Take in to consideration that I had to use my cell phone. A camera is on my Christmas list.

I was playing with it on photobucket.

So it's a little blurred. It's still a work in progress. How do you think it turned out?

And of course we can't forget "Handy" and his cute little Christmas pic. He was the easiest to work with I think. Lol! We couldn't get the cats to settle down for a picture. But I'll keep trying.

I'm Giving Thanks With a Grateful Heart

Thanksgiving was wonderful. This year I did something I didn't do last year....I was organized! Lol. I started cleaning and baking on Wednesday, (but I think next year I might start on Tuesday.) We had 16 people. Our house seemed so cramped and small with all the people here. I told my Hubby. "We need about 10 more square feet"


We got a table from my MIL's church and also some chairs. We set everything up buffet style. I tripled all the recipes I made and we had a ton of food. My Hubby's mom always tells me she's concerned we are going to run out. I didn't want to hear it this time. So I made plenty. Guess what? She is now telling me we had way to much. Sometimes there is no satisfying.



My Mama, made some cute little party favor/napkin holders. She placed 5 kernels of dried corn in each little cloth sack and before we all ate, Hubby told the story of the Pilgrims and the Indians and the 5 kernels of corn. We all ate until we couldn't eat anymore. I was exhausted and then of course we had to get up bright and early on Friday to hit those sales.


Now I am getting my house back to normal, and ready for Christmas. I personally think that we should carry the season of Thanksgiving over into our Christmas season. I'm thankful for the manager that held my savior as an infant and Thankful for the cross that held Him as He died for you and for me.

Martha Stewart I'm Not

It's Thanksgiving and I'm waiting on my nieces and my sister and my mama and brother in law and mother in law and other brother in law, you get the picture.....they are all coming over and spending a few nights. I am frantically trying to get ready for all of them. Martha Stewart stinks. She gives me a complex. I mean, I want to get the guest rooms ready, and have all that stuff that you get ready for guest. But I'm afraid that they are all going to be fending for themselves.

Yesterday Hubby and I went to the grocery store to get our STUFF for the BIG meal and we only spent $150.00. I am so impressed. I was really worried that it was going to be much more than that. We had an entire grocery buggy full of stuff. But the store we went to had some super deals and we got our turkey $15.00 dollars off. And that's only one of the deals we got.

Oh and my Mama just called and ask, "did you get the stuff for the party favors tomorrow?" "No Mama, I forgot" Martha Stewart I'm not.

But as my blog friend Michelle told me "stop and take a deep breath and jump right in there and you'll be fine" So that's my plan, lots of deep breaths:-)

My favorite thing is going to be watching the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade in the morning. It's a tradition. And who knows maybe one day I will be organized enough to have a home run like a well to do hotel! Lol! But until then, hopefully no one will be too traumatized by my lack of "Martha" Skills.

Happy Thanksgiving Ya'll

Getting Pumped for the Holidays

I am really starting to get excited about the holidays. We are having about 20 people at our house on Thanksgiving and then I am going to start decorating for Christmas. Christmas is a holiday that I plan the decorations for months in advance. This year we are all having Christmas at Hubby's aunts house, so I am trying to think of some sort of gathering to have at my house before Christmas, sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Any suggestions? We are doing and ornament exchange at Hubby's aunts so I didn't want to do that. But I want to do something that is fun and easy. Please let me know if you have any ideas. I would love to hear them.

Small Talk 6 Saturdays

Hey Ya'll come on in. Kick your shoes off and stay awhile. Join in on a fun little meme from Momdot.com It's a great thing to do on those "slower blogging Saturdays" so link up and play along.

This weeks topic is "6 things you are most thankful for this year" you can answer this list with 6 words, 6 phrases, 6 photos, 6 videos...... you get the idea.

Ok, so here goes, 6 Things I'm most Thankful for this year

#1.) I'm very thankful for my family.

#2.) I'm thankful that this year I will get to spend Thanksgiving with my Mama, my sister, 2 nieces and brother-in-law. (they moved closer)

#3.) I'm thankful that my husband and I have jobs, especially during this tough time of joblessness.

#4.) I'm thankful that Jesus died on the cross and arose 3 days later....all for me, so that through Him I might be saved and one day join Him in Heaven.

#5.) I am thankful that all my family has a roof over their heads.

#6.) I am thankful that we are all healthy and happy.

I know the list said 6 things, but I am also thankful that I have such wonderful friends.

I look forward to reading your list. Hope ya'll have a great Saturday.

Bowling, Bowling, Bowling......

Yesterday Hubby and I spent the afternoon attending to issues with Niko. We, along with his other set of parents (Mom & Step Dad) met with his teachers, regarding his IEP/504 for school. As you know Niko has some issues that he is currently working on in therapy. Please click on the label at the top of the post and you should be able to read additional post re: Niko.

All went well at the meeting, he is now in 6th grade and the teachers at the 6th grade school, seem to be taking our concerns much more seriously. That is an answered prayer! How I want this bright, beautiful child to be able to reach his full potential in life. It seems all parents are getting on the same page regarding this matter too.

Anyway, afterwards we picked Niko up from school and we went bowling. What a fun way to spend a few afternoon hours together. We all had another appt. later that evening with his therapist. Niko is so engaging and he enjoyed getting instruction on the "proper" way to bowl from his daddy.

At the meeting with the therapist, she referred Niko to get a full psychological evaluation, to determine exactly what his needs are, so that he can get the full benefit of all services offered through the school district. Also, family counseling was again highly recommended for all 4 parents, and all of Niko's siblings, so that everyone can be on board for Niko and his behavior.

This is also an answered prayer. Thanks so much for those prayers. Please continue to pray that we "all" will grow and make sure that Niko gets all he deserves in life.

We had such a blast bowling together. We laughed and joked with each other. It was a good time.