No news is good news....I guess!

Well, I'm sorry I haven't posted much lately - there hasn't been alot to talk about. 

Emily, her Mom (Jane), sister (AmyJo), Makalyn and I went wedding dress shopping the other day.  We started out at 8:00 AM and ended the evening around 7:30 PM.....yes, an all day experience but well worth it!  We went from Lebanon, MO to Springfield, MO...and found "the dress".  You know, they say that when trying on wedding dresses it's "the dress" that will make the Mother's cry.  After trying on 20+ dresses (Emily that is) I think the bride-to-be was worn out but when she came out with "the dress"....the Mother's cried!  It was a very emotional time.  All-in-all it was a very fun-filled day!!!!!  Me or AmyJo took pictures but I can't post any - we don't want to groom seeing the dress before the wedding.  :)

It seems all our conversations are about "the wedding"!  I love it!  I work with a lady who's grandson is getting married in July so it's been fun sharing "wedding" stories.  Details are starting to happen and come together.  OK....enough talk about that.

Is it snowing in your area?  It is ours.  The kids have had 2 snow days, one already made up.  The kids enjoy being out and wish they had more days off - so maybe!

Better go~

HUGE Cookies.........

I'm trying to teach Emily how to cook some.  Today she made cookies - chocolate chip cookies.  She made one "huge" cookie for all of us to eat!  She and Zacheri decided to try it out first.

8 months from today they will be a married couple!  Wow - hard to believe!!!

2011...........

hApPy nEw YeAr eVeRyOnE!!!!!!!!

CHRISTmas with the family........

 I wanted to share a few pictures I took at our family Christmas.  We got to celebrate on the 25th this year!  And, to make it even more special my whole family - nieces, nephew's, their spouses, sisters, bro-n-laws, mom and grand kids - were ALL there this year....everyone was accounted for!!!!

This is Paige (she is 6 and in kindergarten now...can't believe it) and Erin (Branon in the background).

Paige and Erin



This a my great-niece Claire (2)!



Makalyn and Claire!



Ryan and Branon

Puzzles going on in one room......


Leslie, Paige, Makalyn, Mom and Erin


Christmas Bingo going on in another......

Mom, Jonathan and Mandrea Windsor

Jonathan is currently serving our country in Iraq.  Please say a pray for him as he will be returning the 6th of Jan. until around May or June.  This was the first time I got to meet Jonathan after a year of marriage to my niece.  He is a great assist to our family!

All-in-all it was a great Christmas! 

Until next year!

CHRISTmas pictures at Mom's...........

 We had our family Christmas last night.  It's always an exciting time -  with dinner before gift openings or after.  With our expanding family, and so many families to share Christmas with, we have to fit our time in when we can.  Here are a few pictures to share......

 Cameron - I can never get his picture looking at the camera.  Those are Cd's he's looking at and shoes on his lap.

 Zacheri must always be in a picture of Emily.....here she is getting her Visa card to use anywhere she wants too.

 Zacheri showing us his Zac Brown Band CD!!!!

And Mak opening her gift card to Aropostal.....she was SO excited to get that!!!!












I was the picture taker so there will be no pictures of me.  I got a much needed Crock Pot!  I had worn mine out to the point that it wouldn't heat anymore.  AND, Em is so good to come up with neat crafty things, she made me a glass-scrap-booking-plate with a picture of my four kiddos on it!!!!  Those are just a couple of things that stand out.
It's always a fun time for us.  We LOVE ever minute of our time together!

To you and your family - Merry Christmas!!!!

CHRISTmas concert.......

Makalyn has had the honor of being in "Show Choir" her 8th grade year of school.  So far, they have sung at First Baptist Church, school assemblies, an SBU home football game and many other events.  Here is a pictures of the concert.  Yes, Makalyn had a solo....and she did AWESOME!

This is the 7th and 8th grade choir (show choir mixed in)!  They did a great job on the whole program.

CHRISTmas Sunday.......

I remember as a child Christmas Sunday was a big thing in our household.  My Mom would put my hair in sponge curlers the night before so it would be bouncy-curly the next morning and I would always have a pretty special dress (bought or home made) to wear for the Sunday program of which I would be participating.  This memory became real this morning as I was curling Makalyn's hair.  I used to put her hair in sponge curlers for Christmas Sunday, Easter Sunday, or any Sunday that she would let me.....and would have done it this year too but I figured she would protest the curlers.  HA!
I remember too, getting to open a special gift after the program for "doing a great job!"  Those were the days!

Times have changed, kids have gotten older (so has Mom) and new memories are being made.

It's so exciting getting to watch my children grow up to be adults.  To see their interests, their idea's and their ways.  I love each one of them in a special, unique way that only a Mother knows!!!!!

2011 will hold new and exciting things for us!  I'm anxious to see where God takes each one of my children!
When I look at them I know and see how TRULY blessed I am!!!

Happy Holiday's~