Previously mentioned

I thought I'd add a few pics from Thanksgiving before I forget, and before the year is out (as i said i would try to do in the previous post)...

 

I made a 'Thankful Tree' for the girls to add leaves to. They would put the things they're most thankful for on the leaves and add them to the branches. I added some too.

 

The first two Caitie thought of.  :)

 

We went to Michael's Brother's house on Thanksgiving...

I took sweet potatoes and brownie bites.

 

The girls enjoyin' some pool.

 

The girls playin' with their friend Joshua and their cousins Jonathan and Ashley.

 

Remember my mentioning in a previous post (this is where i got the post title from, which continues in most of the pics below) about the girls riding in a red sports car on Thanksgiving... well, here it is. ha :) Thanksgiving was also Joshua's birthday, and he got this red car for his birthday that night. The kids had fun ridin' around in it. Here is Caitie with Joshua...

 

And here is Bailey with Joshua.

 

I also mentioned in a previous post how Caitie was a monkey in a tree. I took this flash pic (you know how I detest flash, but oh well) of her and Joshua climbin' a tree.

 

And here is another picture I mentioned in a previous post... Michael drinkin' a shot of whiskey and smokin' a Cuban cigar. There were also pics of David doin' the same, but he looked pretty out of it, as did Michael in most of those pics, but decided this pic was okay to share. ha

 

 

As I mentioned in a previous post... I took this pic when we got home from Thanksgiving dinner.

 

 

It was a nice Thanksgiving. :)

 

   

      

It was a 'Super' Day

With the Christmas post below, and now a post about Michael's birthday, and the post after this one being about Thanksgiving (i'm going to try and add it tomorrow so i can get it in before the end of the year)... it seems I'm going back in time... which shows just how disorganized I am. ha

Here are a few pics of our outing to Cracker Barrel for dinner and then to the Frozen movie on Michael's birthday. Our original plan was to go to Williams and hop aboard the Polar Express as we've done in the past, but when we went to schedule it, we found out the day we wanted was full (his birthday, and all the days surrounding it), so we had to change our plans.

Michael and I had yummy fried catfish for dinner and the girls had pancakes. Yeah, pancakes, which were ginormous! If we had known how big they were, we would have ordered just one serving instead of two. Here the girls are playing a game of checkers; the best they know how, anyway.

 

We love to look around the Cracker Barrel store. We usually do so before eating, but this time we got seated quickly so we looked around afterwards. We didn't have long to look around though since we had to get to the movie theater in time to see Frozen.

 

In line at the movie theater to get tickets for Frozen; it was a late showing.

 

I got a quick pic of the title of the movie.

 

We got home pretty late, but I was able to get a quick pic of the girls with their daddy and all his 'Super' birthday presents before heading to bed. Our theme carried over from Halloween... Superman. We thought 'SuperDaddy' would be a nice theme for his birthday. :) We also thought Super Elf had a nice ring to it... as you can see by the jinglin' boxers to the left there. (we made him wear them on Christmas Day. ha)

   

  

  

Luke 2:11

I decided to post some things while they're still fresh in my memory... while eating several, one after the other, Twix gingerbread cookie bars... Yum! I've gained five pounds since Thanksgiving. If I were into New Year's resolutions, I would say I'm gonna lose those five pounds, and a few more, but I'm not into resolutions, so I haven't a clue when I'll get the motivation or desire to do somethin' about it. My jeans are extra tight right now, and I've gone the last couple of nights without brushing my teeth, and washing my face (due to going to bed so late) to make me feel even worse. It's been a hectic last few days, and the house is in complete chaos. So, how are you doin' since all the Christmas rush? Hopefully better than moi. ha


I took pics of Bailey in front of our Christmas tree wearing Caitie's santa dress. I got Caitie's pic in the dress as well when she was three years old; I used it on that year's Christmas card. I think that was the last year I made Christmas cards; I don't make them anymore, but I wanted to get similar pics of Bailey in the dress.

Jasmine made an appearance again this year... Caitie's elf that reports back to Santa on her behavior during the two or so weeks before Christmas. It's more work than I like... the timing and trying not to get caught, etc., but it was kinda fun.

We took the girls to see Santa the weekend before Christmas, and got their pic with him as well. Bailey kept saying that she wouldn't cry or be afraid of him. She did really well.

We got our Christmas tree from Costco again this year... nice tree at a great price. The poor thing dried out about a week before Christmas due to not checking the water often enough; it still sits in our family room, shedding needles everywhere.

We went to Michael's brother's house on Christmas Eve. The girls enjoyed playing with their friend Joshua and getting presents from their Uncle David, especially their princess chairs. We didn't get home until after midnight. We had to go back out to do something, so the girls didn't get to bed until after 1am. Michael and I were up until around 5am tending to last minute wrapping and organizing things under the tree. We went over to the girls' grandparents' house on Christmas Day.

A few more pics...

 

Grandpa helped bring the Christmas tree in the house.

 

 

Putting an ornament on the tree.

 

 

Putting up the Nativity Scene.

 

 

This pic isn't Christmas related, but since it happened at Christmastime, I included it in this post. I took this pic right before Bailey got stuck in the underside of the footstool. I thought I was going to have to call the fire department to get her out, she was that stuck, and yes, I panicked, but all was well.

 

 

Caitie's class had a fun winter party. They made neat lookin' snow globes, and did other fun stuff, and had lots of sweets.

 

 

Snow globe craft made at winter party.

 

The girls with Santa.

 

 

Princess chairs and other gifts from Uncle David. One of the other gifts was a Frozen doll. We went to see the movie Frozen just before Christmas, so Caitie was excited to get the doll.

 

 

Caitie lookin' at one of Joshua's gifts.

 

Family pic taken on Christmas Eve at David's house.

 

 

The girls in the sleepers they got on Christmas Eve from Jasmine the elf. Bailey's showin' off her webbed sleeves on her Spiderman sleeper. Caitie got a Lalaloopsy sleeper.

 

 

Christmas morning after Santa paid a visit.

 

 

Christmas Day at Grandma and Grandpa's house. The girls like to wear their sleepers all day on Christmas Day.

 

 

We're into The Voice program that's on twice a year on NBC. It just finished a couple of weeks ago, with my favorite contestant winning, just as my favorite contestant won in the last one which was last spring. This YouTube video shows Kelly Clarkson (she was a special guest, not a contestant) doing a peppy version of the song 'Underneath the Tree'. I know it's after Christmas now, but thought I would share it anyway. Click on the 'play' button below if you want to listen to it.

 

 

I do hope everyone had a great Christmas and took time to remember the real reason for the season... Jesus' birth.

 

This is one of my favorite Christmas songs: Mary, did you know. Click on the 'play' button below to listen to it. (click on the small 'x' at the bottom of the screen to get rid of the ad)

 

Luke 2:11

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

 

  

  

  

  

  

   

  

  

  

   

Call me crazy

What, and how long, does it take to get like this (referring to the pic below)? I don't know, but it works for us. I've always liked 'crazy'...

Happy 'crazy' Anniversary to my crazy other half that makes up one quarter of our crazy whole family... or somethin' like that. I'm crazy, so I have no idea what I'm talkin' about... um, yeah...

The pic above was taken when we got home from Thanksgiving dinner... where Michael had a few swigs of Wild Turkey Whiskey and a taste of a Cuban Cigar (hence the look on his face), and Caitie and Bailey had a wild ride in a brand new red sports car, and Caitie hung from a tree like a monkey, and I, as usual, took several blurry, awful quality, low-light pics, of which I will share a few of those pics in an upcoming Thanksgiving post. On another note... I can see that I need to get in shape; it was hard holding my leg up like that. ha
  
   
   
   
   
  
   

M&M

Even though I do love this pairing, this is not what I mean...

 

Now this is more like it... They are the reason I watch Downton Abbey, and also the reason I probably won't continue to watch Downton Abbey Season 4. If you're a fan, I'm sure you know what I'm talkin' about.

 

Downton Abbey started in 2010, but I just started watching it this last summer on Amazon Prime. I've seen all three seasons, but probably won't be watching season four and beyond. Season four just finished airing in the UK, and will air in the US on PBS Masterpiece Classic this coming January. It was to air for only three seasons, but since it's grown in popularity, they have extended it. I wish they had stuck to their original plan, it could have ended on a happy note instead of the sad and depressing way they chose to end it in season three in order to carry on in season four. The show does have many interesting characters and storylines, but my main reason for watching is for the main love interest, which are in the pic above... Lady Mary and Matthew. There is another reason to watch it though, and that is to see more of the Dowager Countess Violet, played by Maggie Smith... love her wit. Oh, and the music... love it.

 

I feel like getting into the girls' Halloween candy (the few I hid away... shhh) and finding me some M&M's and turning on one of my favorite shows from either season one or season two of Downton Abbey... sounds good on a rainy day. Yep, that's what I'm-a-gonna-do. Ta ta... until next time... :)

  

  

   

   

   

  

  

We miss you, Holly Hoo

Our dear, sweet Holly Hoo passed away this last Friday, just as her sister Molly Mae did over a year ago from the same illness. We knew it could happen at any time, but that didn't make it any easier. Both Holly and Molly lived long lives and brought joy to our family. Molly was the more serious and smart one, and Holly was the more silly, quirky, and people lovin' one; not that Molly wasn't loving, she just showed it in a different way. Holly loved people and would show it by rubbin' on them... nonstop sometimes, which was a bit annoying at times, but cute as well. We miss them both. We brought them home the same year we moved in the house we're in now (you can read more about that here), so it's a big change having them both gone now.

Here are some pics of our sweet Holly Hoo...

She was a silly...

 

lazy...

 

lovable cat.

 

 

We called the thing around her neck the 'cone of shame'. I don't remember how we came up with that name for it, but it stuck over the years (whenever a pet needed to wear one). Holly had to wear the cone for a couple of weeks; poor thing. She had surgery on her stomach and had to wear it to keep her from chewing or licking on the stitches. She had the surgery in August.

 

Bailey was gentle with Holly after her surgery...

 

even after the cone came off.

 

Caitie gave Holly lots of attention. I took this pic a couple of days before Holly passed on.

 

We love and miss you, Holly Hoo... you will always be in our hearts.

  

  

  

  

  

  

Super Halloween

We had a 'Super' theme for Halloween...

Here is Caitie after her fall party at school, which was held the Thursday before last. I love the owl pic project. The yellow moon glowed in the dark, as did most of the things she got at the party; the theme was 'glow in the dark', which explains all the glow-in-the-dark stuff.

 

We went to a Halloween event at the Foothills Aquatic Center the weekend before last. This is where Caitie took swimming lessons the last two summers. Here are the girls in their costumes... Both were Supergirls.

 

 

I took the pic above with my DSLR camera, but I forgot to take it with me to the event, and I couldn't find my cell phone to take pics with, so I borrowed Michael's cell phone to take pics with. These next few pics are of lousy quality, but decided to display them here anyway (i didn't use flash; you know how i despise flash. ha).

 

There was a haunted house walk-through, where they also did trick-or-treating. Here are the girls with one of the pumpkin scenes.

 

 

We showed their daddy the pool area where Caitie had swimming lessons; he had never been there before.

 

 

The girls going on a train ride in the parking lot; there were firemen helping out. There was also a bounce house and games. It was fun.

 

 

After the event we went to IHOP for dinner. There's nothin' better than breakfast for dinner.

 

 

 

I got a quick pic of the girls when we got home; they're holding their bags of candy and fireman hats they got from the event.

 

 

 

Michael made Mr. Scarecrow Man, also known as the Jack Man, again this year. He skipped making him last year, so we were happy to see him back again this year. We kept him inside this time so we could skip the rock throwing that occurred when he sat on our upper deck last time. We ended up with a broken window; we didn't want that to happen again.

 

 

We did the traditional pumpkin carving this year...

 

 

 

I took this kind of pic of Caitie at this age, so decided to get one of Bailey as well. Bailey is posing with this jack-o'-lantern in the previous post as well.

 

 

I got a quick pic of the girls on Halloween before we headed out to go trick-or-treating around the neighborhood.

 

 

Who better to take you door to door than Superman, or to the girls he's Superdaddy, when trick-or-treating. Look at that muscle, and the flowing cape. I wore a Superman t-shirt and baseball hat, but I was without a cape; I just didn't fit in. ha :)

 

 

We stopped by Grandma and Grandpa's house. This is where each of the girls gets an actual bag of candy instead of just one or two candy bars.

 

 

I took a quick pic of Superhubby, I mean Michael, while we were there. When's the next chance I'll get to get him in such a getup? ummm... Like NEVER! ha

 

 

Here's the girls with all their loot. Caitie was tired; can you tell? ha She had to walk the whole way, whereas Bailey got carried by Superdaddy most of the time.

 

 

And last, but not least, my favorite part of Halloween... my Salted Caramel Mocha from Starbucks. Ahhh... So, so good. :) The girls and their daddy had shakes from Chick-fil-A.

 

 

I couldn't resist...