2008 IN REVIEW

2008 was a good year! It started off kind of stormy!

We were in the storm shelter in January 2008 along with several of our neighbors and their children.

Coco had her 1st Valentine party!

Coco learned how to ride her bike without training wheels on the first day of trying! Yea COCO

A fabulous week spent in Destin Florida!

Taylor Swift in concert, for Coco's birthday

I had a birthday! 40 has been good so far!

Coco started 3rd grade!

Took my first photography class! I need more!

I learned a new craft or 2!

I learned my father-in-law is a funny man, but he better watch out for next year!

I got tired of downloading photos!

Scott got 2 deer this year!

His diet was a success!

Mine wasn't

I started Weight Watchers

Gave up on Weight Watchers

Planned on being very frugal

Failed at being very frugal

Planned for this to be the year to read the bible through!

Didn't make it through the bible!

All in all a good year and even with the failures, there is always tomorrow!

2009 is going to be a great year!

Happy New Year Everyone!

ARTSY CRAFTY

Here are a couple of things I have been working on this weekend. I tried to win one of these zebra crosses on another blog recently but I didn't win so I did the next best thing. I made it myself. I like the first one the best.


This zebra was on crack, his stripes didn't turn out like they should have. I'm going to take this one to work for my cubicle!

This is the latest tassel I made when my sister was here last week. It was a ornament of a old fashioned camera. Perfect for my scrapbook room.

I am looking forward to lots of crafting and scrapbooking in the cold months ahead. Do you have any projects planned?

Blessings,

Pam

A WONDERFUL FEW DAYS

We have had a great Christmas. It was different this year with Mamie being in the hospital, it didn't feel the same since several activities were cancelled or rescheduled. Funny how changes can make you feel out of whack!

Christmas Eve is usually when we get together with Scott's cousins to have a ornament exchange, this has always been done at Mamie's house. Since that was cancelled we spent a very quiet night at home getting ready for Santa.

Christmas day Coco woke me up at 5:30am. I talked her into snuggling until 6 and then we got up to open presents. She wanted Scott and I to open all of our gifts first. Scott got a GPS, bunge cords, track suit, candy, socks, shower mirror and more. I got scarfs, jewelry, watch, external hard drive, garage door opener, keychain that says #1 Mom and lots more. Coco got American Girl doll, metal detector, video camera, Taylor Swift CD, Jon & Kate plus 8 dvd, clothes and more. Since we were up so early and didn't have to be at moms until 2pm Scott and I took a little nap.

We went to Mom's for lunch and presents. The food was delicious as usual. Mom made us girls tote bags which are so cute. She made the little girls bath towel wraps to use when they get out of the bath. She is so talented. Tammy Lou had my name and got me the beautiful beverage dispenser from Sam's, I will have to plan a party so I can use it. We went to see Mamie on our way home and give her gifts from us. The facility she is in is beautiful. It is a nursing home and rehad center. It is pretty new so it was all nice and decorated for Christmas. She was proud that she can lift her leg up. She has lost 6.5 lbs in the past week and she won't eat. I worry that is her way of giving up.

Friday day Coco and I left the house at 8:30 am to hit some of the after Christmas sales. We got some great deals on gifts for next year and a few things we wanted. I found a gorgeous green corduroy coat at Belk for pennies! Our best finds were at Kirklands, nativity scenes for .75 cents. We were out until after 2pm and were exhausted when we finally got home. I took a nap while she played with all her new toys.

Today has been a lazy day. It was so stormy this morning and this afternoon the temp dropped into the 40's. It probably doesn't help that I have been battling a cold all week.

Looking forward to church tomorrow and hopefully lunch and a movie.

Blessings,
Pam

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

All is ready for Santa to come! The story of the birth of Jesus has been read along with Twas the Night Before Christmas. We have sprinkled reindeer food across the lawn, the cookies and milk are out, there is a sign on the tree outside with directions for Santa. Coco is asleep with her new Christmas PJ's with sugar plums dancing in her head. The Stockings are filled, camcorder and camera are charged! I think that is it!

From our home to yours we wish you many blessings for Christmas and everyday!

DON'T SHOOT YOUR EYE OUT!!!!!

Apparently I made quite the impression on my father in law when I watched " A Christmas Story" with them years ago or something!

He got my name this year and this is what I opened from him tonight! The leg lamp! He had to have a friend order it online for him! I was getting this lamp no matter what! My MIL and SIL were afraid that they might end up with it someday! Well maybe but I will keep it around just for laughs! He even wrote me a little note that I had to read before I opened it.

Here's what the letter said

Pam,

When I drew your name I began to think of something to get you. After agonizing over it for hours I remembered seeing something with you that although you never said anything I could tell it just amazed you and you thought there was nothing else in the world like it. After a long hard search and help from my friends, I found the perfect gift for my favorite daughter in law! I hope you enjoy it and place it in a special place so everyone can enjoy it. I know all who see it will envy you.

Merry Christmas

Love, Dad

He is a great Dad to us all! But I will be on the lookout for something special just for him!

This is him opening his Papa sign!
Yesterday we had Christmas with Scott's bff and family. Scott and Vance became friends in jr. high and Vance's family accepted Scott just like a brother. Vance's parents always have a dinner and we play the white elephant game. We have alot of fun. They live about an hour and a half away from us so we don't get to see them often enough!
Mamie (Scott's grandmother) is doing ok. She will be moved to a rehabilitation center tomorrow for ongoing therapy. She is having some disorientation today but we hope that is just the medication making her a little loopy. It wasn't the same tonight having Christmas without her. We plan to go spend Christmas eve with her and take her gifts.

I am off to bed for now. Be careful of any odd shaped packages, you might end up with a leg lamp!

Blessings,
Pam

PRAYER REQUEST

Scott's grandmother's birthday is today and she turned 94!

She fell earlier today and broke her hip. We are on our way to the hospital now. They haven't decided whether or not to do surgery tonight or wait until tomorrow.


She is tired and says she is ready to go home. She is the sweetest little woman in the world and we are not ready to let her go but her health seems to be failing fast. This is the 2nd time for the hospital in a month.

Please pray for God's will and that she will not be in pain and discomfort.

This is a recent photo of Mamie (on the right next to Coco).

Thank you in advance for your prayers,

Pam

UPDATE: Mamie had hip surgery tonight. The surgery went well, her hip was broken in 4 places and they used screws to put it back together and the surgeon said it went back together like a puzzle. He also said that he didn't see alot of osteoporosis for someone that is 94 years old! That was good news. She will have to go into a rehab facility for about 3months because she won't be able to put any weight on it until it completely heals and then she will have to learn how to walk again.
Please continue to pray for her comfort and peace. It is going to be so hard on her not to be in her own home and she is so afraid of being a burden to someone.
Goodnight
Pam

THE PRESENT

I should say presentS!


While at walmart this week I bought myself a present. I even put it in my stocking. These adorable black / zebra rubber gloves! For the whopping price of $2.97. They are spectacular, I think. I know I am a crazy woman, but I am easy to please.

I also bought myself this ornament. I am a lover of GREASE !!

GREASE IS THE WORD!!!!!! Can't ya hear that song in your head????? IS THE WORD IS THE WORD!!

This little ornament is like the drive -in movie and changes scenes on the screen and plays Sandra Dee! Love it too!

But the best thing that happened today is that I had guests tonight. My sister and her family and my Mama came up to see the house and have dinner with us. Do ya'll say up and down for north and south??? Weird I just thought of that!

Anyway they came up and I made french bread pizzas and had leftover pies from the office party today. We had the best time just visiting and the kids got to play together. I even made a couple of tassels to show Tammy Lou how I do it. She took one home and I forgot to take a photo of the one I made. I am just so glad they came to visit. I love my family and we don't get together just to hang out enough! Maybe that can be a new years resolution!

Tomorrow I get to stay home until evening when we will go have Christmas with Scott's family! I look forward to the rest and spending time with them!

It is supposed to get really brrrrrrrr cold sometime this weekend and I am not looking forward to that!

Have a great weekend and I will post my newest tassel tomorrow (if I can pull myself out of bed)!

Blessings,

Pam

BUILDING A HOUSE AND MY NEW LOVE

Last night Coco and I made our first Gingerbread house. Scott bought us the kit over the weekend. It was so fun making it with her. Making memories!

She is proud of her work. I was the official icing doer upper while she placed each little candy where she wanted! Now she wants to eat it but she has to wait until Friday when her Mimi and cousins get here.

This Christmas home tour is a dangerous thing to my checkbook! I have found so many ideas that I want to do and I keep arranging and rearranging and adding !

Today I went to lunch and planned to go to Kohls because I had a $20 coupon to spend but when I got to the parking lot Kirklands shouted at me to come in and have a look see!

Look what I found!

I got 2 of these pillows. I love this one and it is something I would probably say if I had thought of it! The other says "DOES SANTA TAKE BRIBES" I hung that one on Coco's door and then she asked me what a bribe is. Sweet little naive girl, now she will know what I am doing when I bribe her with a trip to Build A Bear if we just skip this one event ! I know bad Mommy! It didn't work I still had to go to the event and then gave in to Build a Bear too!

Ok back to my finds!

This little sign was only $4.50. A steal in my book!

And now my new love!

Is it not the cutest stinkin thing you have ever seen ( I know Ballard's is really cute too) but this one was only $9.99! Can you believe that? I just love it, almost to much to let people trample it with their dirty shoes! I think I got the last one, sorry but you can't have mine!

Enough of my rambling for tonight!

Blessings,

Pam

PS. Stacy please leave a comment so that I can find your blog!

THE REASON FOR THE SEASON

These are a few of my nativity sets that I have. The first 2 are my favorites. What a precious gift we were given that long ago night in Bethlehem. Thank you God!

These next 2 set under our tree!



Lets all remember the reason we celebrate this time of year and all year long!

Blessings to all!

Pam

CHRISTMAS HOME TOUR

Welcome to our home, please come in and have a quick look around!

This is our main tree in our dining room. It has all our handmade ornaments and one's we have been given or picked up when traveling. I usually change the ribbon and topper from year to year. This year we went with a red/white candy cane theme.

This is the top of the tree. Love these Dollar store candy canes. They are meant to go outside but I love them in the top of the tree.
Here are a few of our favorite ornaments. This is the first one Coco and I made together when she was 2. It has lost a candy cane now but I don't want to add a new one. I like the character of it as it gets older each year!

Last year I started adding photo frames to the tree. This one is of our engagement photo!

I also get us a new one each year that has the 3 of us and our names!

Oh look some presents under the tree! I wonder who they could be for !

This was taken right after I put it up and I have since added some more feathers to the top.

The top is much fuller now.

This sign is on the dresser in our bedroom. I found it after Christmas last year and the colors fit in perfectly in there.

This is a craft project from last year. I took a jar and glued a tree, people, presents and snow into the bottom. Added some stickers and ribbon. Kind of like a snow globe without the liquid.

I have lots of Santa's and these next photos are of my favorites.

I also love the nutcrackers. Here a just a few of what I have. The snowman is holding a chalk board and as you can see Coco has said she has been great!!!!

This tree is on top of my refrigerator. It is decorated with kitchen utensils. I found this plate at Gordmans the other day and just loved it!

My reindeer plate on the cabinet, I use this alot during the Christmas season!

From our home to yours we wish you all a very Merry Christmas.


For more of the home tours click here to go to Boomama.

And when you are finished there go to Hooked on Houses for another. Have fun!

Ornament Exchange

We had our ornament exchange at Aunt Ruby's today. I got to see lots of my aunts and cousins that I hadn't seen in awhile! We also had lots of good food!
This is Terri, Schonda, Me, Mom, Ruby, Diane, Carol, Tammy, Scooter and Brittany.

The children exchanged first and this is Coco with her ornaments.

Stacy made the most delicious hot dip. She called it Hot Reuben. I shouldn't mention it on here without the recipe but maybe Stacy will comment and give us the recipe. HINT HINT

I am off to prepare my Boomama tour for tomorrow.

Blessings,
Pam