Hey Daddy!

I am 40 years old, but still love it when my daddy comes around and I can walk in the room and say, "hey daddy!"  Taylor just has to look at him and she starts laughing!  Before he leaves a visit, he has told us the same story at least two times! 

He retired a few years ago and I had been meaning to get his lunch box all this time.  I knew he was coming over yesterday so I called and asked him to bring it.  This thing is around 50 years old and I love it!  Mother used to always put a piece of pan friend round steak or a hamburger patty, two pieces of bread, a honey bun, a banana and a Snicker bar (you wouldn't believe how health conscious he is now!)  Inside, he always had a folded up paper towel, a little plastic container that held his tooth picks and I'm pretty sure Anacin (which he chewed - sick!)

One day, mother got our "bread" mixed up for lunch.  I got two pieces of plain bread and he got a peanut butter sandwich!

Its new home for now!

B's New Clubs

I think it's pretty cool that Brooklyn likes golf.  Let me rephrase that.....loves golf!  She really, really, really wanted new clubs for Christmas.  After searching on line, calling pawn shops, shopping trips out of town, we decided we would just get her a new set.  And we were in luck - one of our local golf shops here had a 2011 set for a $100 off!!  They are the Adams brand (okay....?!) and red.  She really wanted pink, but hey.....be happy!  She hit some balls in the yard with the protective plastic still on the clubs!  Luckily, just before we left to go play with her friend Alexa Sanchez, she reluctantly took the plastic off!

At Alpine Target Golf Center, Divine Nine Golf Course - really cute course....if they can be called "cute!"

We were freezing!

B was sweet to share her clubs.

Even with her daddy!



Illegal drivers!

I was the score keeper but was too involved in my Words With Friends on my phone.  They were all winners!



B and the Eye Doctor

Brooklyn has had headaches her whole life.  She had a couple of bad falls when she was a toddler and I have always been convinced the headaches are caused by that.  We have had an MRI and EEG, which were both negative.  The last week of school before Christmas break, she had one so bad she started throwing up.  Maybe it's her eyes?!  After her appointment this past week, she is okay!  It was funny watching her though - especially at that horrible glaucoma machine.  You never know when that puff of air is going to knock you out of the chair - oh the suspense!  And I couldn't help laugh!  The dilation of her eyes was kind of funny too - the after part with her lovely glasses and her one eye still huge!  I hate having drops put in my eyes, so I felt a lot of sympathy for her going through that part.  When the doctor was finished he asked her if she had any sunglasses.  Of course she didn't and he said, "Okay.  I'll give you some."  Not what B expected!  Old lady!

Since the eyes are okay, we headed back to the pediatrician.  And since our beloved Dr. Brown moved to Galveston, we saw Dr. Whitney (love her!)  She gave her a nose spray for migraines and in the meantime is working on a referral to a neurologist in Dallas.  We will see where that takes us!

Again, I'm thankful for my insurance!

Gus' Manicure

These girls are always primping with Gus - poor guy!  It's so funny though!  Especially when Carey comes to his rescue.  This time it was painting his nails.  The girls got some OPI (my favorite), nail polish for Christmas.  At least it was the gray glitter and not the red right?!  Crazy thing is Gus just sits there and lets them do it!

Christmas 2011

You mean I only took one picture of the girls on Christmas morning?!  What am I becoming??  Maybe it was because I had to speak in church at 10:00 and I was kind of nervous?  We have a very small ward and this year all three wards in Longview were meeting together for Christmas.  Got really anxious when they opened the overflow - yikes!  It was a beautiful day - had my whole family with me at church!

Can't leave Gus out!

Ready for Church

We had our usual ribeyes and baked potatoes for our Christmas dinner.  And those gosh awful Rolo cookies that my friend Sarah Harwood introduced me to.  Everyone must be making them because Wal-Mart hasn't had Rolo's this entire Christmas season!

On December 28, the cousins came to Longview (BB guns and all!)  Here are some pictures of our fun day!  Disclaimer:  I did not dress any of these kids :)

Keelie, Brooklyn & Mallory

One of the cousins got a tattoo kit.  I do not in any way encourage tattoos, so of course all of the girls were covered in them!

It was Mallory's idea to play in the leaves.  She told Brooklyn they didn't have leaves in Dallas (Rockwall)!

Taylor & Kelci making cake pops!

Kaden, Tristen & Kamden

I promised the boys I would only take one picture and this was right before they headed home!

Speaking of the boys, we hardly saw them this visit.  They were outside with their BB gun and the sling shot around Kamden's neck!  I even warned the uncle's that we had put the broken glass that was on top of my dining room table, behind the shop and to let the boys know to be careful.  I was worried that one of them would cut themselves on it.  No one was injured, but we did find a bullet hole through a piece of the glass.  Yikes!

This brought on the conversation of how as when we were kids, we would be outside all day playing - doing crazy stuff that I would never let my kids do - riding dirt bikes (no helmet), jumping off the roof, climbing all sorts of trees and just going deep into the woods where anything could happen.  What if we had been bitten by a snake or fell out of a tree and was seriously injured?!!  Not to mention the many trips to Lake o' the Pines riding in the back of my aunt and uncles truck hanging onto our floats for dear life!  But we survived!

Good times!