July 4th, 2009

As most of you know, July 4th is our big family thing. It is great time to see the whole family, eat lots of great food, and just have a good time. So here are a bunch of pictures from the day. I am so what of the family photographer, so I took a lot of pictures, 268 to be exact. However, I am not going to show you that many, but here is quite a few. Fireworks, yeap, this is our show brought to you by cousin Jon.

Tywee and sparklers.
So, one in the knee brace would be my sister the athlete. She was had ACL reconstructive surgery twice, once on each knee. Two evenings, I think, before the 4th, back on the ball field, she tore the first repaired ACL again. Surgery is schedule for the 21st, with the use of a cadaver ACL because she has nothing left to reconstruct.

The mom-in-law. They came up from Mississippi this year. I talked my father-in-law into slow cooking the ribs for us. Yummy, about 7 - 8 hours on the grill.
Cousin Jon and the Hubby. This is the truck of fireworks, between $600 and $700. The family pulls all their money together that we would normally spend individually and end up with a show better than you could get at a city display. Cousin Jon tried to miss one year, we booed the whole show and called him and told him he was never allowed to miss again. He just knows what to buy.

The 23 great grandkids, but I guess technically they are just grandkids now days.
There's the gang. We are missing a few do to feedings, milk runs, and other toddler issues.
There's the crippled one not able to enjoy the woffle ball game.
Cousin Jon's wife and newest addition to this growing family.
Ash and dad.
Kid-O
Grandpa, father-in-law, Mini-Me, and the father of Little Man's woman.
Aunt Jerry, my grandmother's sister.
Mini-Me loves soda.

The girls. I get a picture similar to this every year. It will be neat to look at this pictures years down the road.

Christmas pictures

What a cousin. Tywee is about to be 13, but yet he will still allow his cousin to put beads in his hair. According to his Mommy, it is only because it is Kid-O, he would not dare let his sister do this to him.

Little Man riding his four wheeler and Kid-O on her moped, that Grandma and Grandpa got for them.

Kid-O excited about her hair beader.

Little Man excited about his new Mario Kart Wii game. He has been playing it a lot.

Mini-Me was the first one up on Christmas morning. He stood there and looked straight at his stuff and asked, "What stuff come from?" That was his words, then he went straight to his pile.

Christmas Eve

Here are a few pictures from Christmas Eve.

This first one, was mini-Me hidding under the stairs, when all the kids were playing hid and seek. Little Man, Kid-O, Ash, and Tywee playing hard.
Mini-me enjoying the pastors punch.
I really liked this picture of Little Man asleep holding his head up. I don't know how long he had been that way. It does not look all that comfortable to me, but he did not seem to mind.

Catching Up...

We took the kids to Santa's Village a few weeks ago, but of course in the craziness of the holidays, the move and Little Man's doctor appointments, I have not taken the time to blog much about the going ons of our life. Here are the pictures of the kids' with Santa Claus.

My three little snowmen.

Mini-me with Santa. He climbed right up into his lap, just like the older two did. The older two thought mini-Me should get a new tricycle, since the youth from the church messed up his old one in a race one day. No crying, Yeah.

Kid-O with Santa Claus. She asked for a tiara, a candy stick like last year and a moped. Maybe we have a couple more years of fun with her.

Little Man eating it up. He asked Santa for a skateboard with his name on it, a new Lightening McQueen car like the one he had to give Mini-Me, and two new wooden chairs.

Christmas Eve

Today, we, the family that is, are in Tennessee for Christmas. The Hubby and I got a lot of unpacking done over the last couple of days in the new house, but there is still lots to be done. I have lots of pictures to upload, but not right now. Lots of blogging to come over the next few weeks, with the new house, Christmas, seeing Santa, doctors appointments etc. Fun, Fun. Still no home phone or internet yet, but hopefully within a day or two of getting back to Alabama, we will be up and running.

Being that it is Christmas eve, I pray that each of you are keeping in mind what Christmas is truly all about. It is not about the gifts, food, or even family. All these things are great; however, Christmas is truly about the greatest gift of all, Christ our Lord and Savior. December 25th is not, that we know of, the exact day that Jesus was born; however, it is the day that we celebrate the His birth. I ask each one to stop the busyness long enough to enjoy what we have truly been blessed with.

On a side not, I can't remember if I posted Little Man's doctors appointment, so here you go. We go to the Pediatric urologist on January 7th, the Pediatric cardiologist on January 22nd, and the back to the neurosurgeon on February 3rd. After that we will know exactly what we are doing and maybe have some dates.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

As most know, life here is a little crazy right now with the packing to move from one home to another with the closing date being on December 19th. I hated for the kids and myself if I am honest to not have a Christmas tree this year. I love putting up the tree and being able to sit in front of it for as long as I want at night after the children are in bed, and relax in the Spirit of the Christmas season. This year though is different, so I decided that I would put up one of the children's room trees with this years new Hallmark mini ornaments. I thought it turned out cute, but it makes me think of the Charlie Brown Christmas.
God has used the last few years to ever so gently remind me and keep me focused on what the Christmas season is truly about. This year he is using the moving and Jonah's appointment at UAB, to keep me focused, because I don't have the time to focus on presents and trees and lights and parties, etc. I know that all of us Christians, know what Christmas is about, but how many of us actually take the time during the Christmas season to thank God for His Son. Try sitting in front of the Christmas tree, and ponder what God has done and is doing for us every moment of everyday. Think about it for just a moment, Jesus sitting on the throne being honored and praised, gave that up for a dirty diaper and a manager. Are we willing to give up our throne (cushy life) for someone or something else that needs us? When was the last time you actually smiled at someone and meant it; gave someone a helping hand because you wanted to, not because someone was watching to see what you would do? Or better yet when was the last time you stopped long enough to have a conversation with someone that you don't even know? The love of Christ can be and should be expressed each and everyday, and it is very simple to do, if you allow the Holy Spirit to do it through you.

Packing and more packing

Thanksgiving was nice and relaxing, although it rained the entire weekend, so we were not about to get out and ride the four wheeler until Sunday morning. So, today it was back to the packing gridiron. I began the day, working on the home inspection report for our new house. The hubby and the trooper went down Wednesday and did the inspection. Now we have to get the report together and the stuff we want fixed. Then it was off to the attic. I have been packing up the stuff that is to move to the new house and throwing out the stuff that is not moving to the new house. For example, stuff that was never unboxed from the move from Mississippi almost six years ago.

Next on the list, finish the laundry and fix dinner. Ham n' cheese chowder. Hummmm.

Thanksgiving

We are in Mississippi with the in-laws and some other family came up from Louisiana. This is Little Man breaking a geo stone. When you bust these rocks open they have crystals of all kinds on the inside. Maybe later, I will get around to posting some pictures of the stones. Kid-O was trying to break some of the geo rocks as well. Watching her with a hammer is a little comical.
Grandpa and his dog relaxing on the dam while the grandkids fish.
Little man is doing a pretty good job of figuring out how to cast out a reel.
Kid-O fishing. No fish this time and it is supposed to rain all day today, so I don't think we will be fishing today either.I hope everyone has had a blessed thanksgiving.

Out of Here...

We are headed to Mississippi to visit the family for Thanksgiving.

Stressed

I still do not have an update on Little Man. I called the neurologist office today, but Doctor Limbo has not reviewed his images yet. The nurse was going to try to get her to review them today. Maybe I will know something tomorrow.

Life is a little busy right now, and not because of the holidays coming upon us quickly. As you all know, three weeks ago, the hubby and I put our house on the market to see if God really did want us to move. We believed that is what he was telling us, but we were not sure. Well, three weeks after being on the market, we accepted an offer on the house. Saturday is when we accepted the offer, so we have been busy looking for a new home to move too. However, we have know real clue where God wants to move us too. He has blessed us in a significant way through the sale of this house, so we will see. Of course I am nervous because the closing date on this house is December 19th and we have no clue where we are moving too. I am excited because we are most likely moving to a larger house. I'll keep you informed about that as well. Please keep us in your prayers over the holidays, since basically we will be homeless. We have family and friends that we will spend the holidays with, but none local. Plus through this process, Kid-O will be changing schools as well. She is excited about that though.

I still don't have my computer back. The hubby brought home a laptop from work for me to use tonight. The neighbor should be done with it is a couple of days.