Thanksgiving 2007

Forgive me for just now posting some Thanksgiving pics!! I just couldn't start posting some Christmas ones and just skip over Thanksgiving...even though every store seems to do that.

Thanksgiving 2007 - My mom came up and stayed with us for the week! We loved it. But I don't know how I don't have a picture of her during her stay! Guess we were too busy! We celebrated Thanksgiving at Mimi & Papaw's in Waxahachie with several of the Holleman clan! Then Preston's other Mimi (J's mom) came over the following weekend!

Home Sweet Home...

We are back from a little Christmas trip to Houston. I have MANY pictures to share, but that would require me to find our camera that's still packed somewhere and download pictures...and I am all about mindless activity right now.
Although it's nice to be home, we did have a wonderful week full of time with family and friends. It truly felt like a vacation. Jason and I had a nice technology detox... a week of virtually no cell phone use, Internet, and t.v. (we did sneak off to see a movie)
We are now back to the reality of fixing meals for ourselves ( yes, we're spoiled by my parents who still cook for us) and getting P back on some sort of schedule. He loved being held by anyone who would pick him up...especially when beckoned by his little whimper. He's got us all fooled. :0)
anyways, pictures to come!!!

Tour of Homes

Yes I decided to join BooMama's Christmas Tour of Homes. What a neat idea! I love touring homes, especially at Christmas time. Last year, we joined some friends of ours and did a tour of homes in Jefferson City...an old fashion Christmas with candlelight tours of quaint homes. It was marvelous!
But a virtual tour will have to do this year!!In our hats. Is this part of the tour?? NO, just wanted to put in the pic.
Now to the tour. He's saying, "Welcome to my home!"
This snowman greets you at our door. (This is for you Carol B.)
Our Christmas Tree. No, there are no gifts under the tree. We already had Christmas on J's side of the family, and we will go to Houston for my side. So if you've ever traveled with a dog and a baby you know to wrap your gifts after you arrive at your destination!
A little bit of Holiday cheer for the little guy. Never too early right? ;)
That's a lot of sugar kisses! love it. He might share with you too!
My nativity from Kazakhstan. The money goes to the local Christian women who make them! We bought several and gave them as gifts one year.
Another nativity...
And another. Don't judge. You can never have too many baby Jesus' right? J would disagree with me. He would be happier with 1. Make that none.
The 12 days of Christmas Nutcracker Collection. Zoom in if you can.
One of my FAVORITE traditions. Each year I hang the Christmas Cards we receive up on ribbons. This is a couple of years worth that you see in this pic.
One of my little tables. I love the little Polar Express lantern and the decorated branches idea I stole from Ang!

Not exactly INSIDE our home, but on the back porch. Cute little chair covers. They just make me smile.
You will also find amaryllis. J forced these bulbs early so we could have them in time for Christmas! Aren't they pretty? Can't have Christmas without them.
A little bit of garland. or a lot. So I have them hanging over several doorways. But the best part is my hubby wired all the lights to one switch. So when I flip the switch... the Christmas tree comes on, the lamps, the garlands, and the mantle lights! You didn't know J was also an electrician did you?
Merry Christmas!!!

Seven Months!

Laughing at dad.
Playing with plastic cup while sitting in Bumbo...which he can now get out of by the way.
Fascination with the Christmas Tree and also with the
Inflatable Snow Globe. I had this in my classroom for years. And brought it out to put in Preston's room. He seems to think it's as great as my third graders did. It plays music and of course blows snow.

Some of Preston's favorites:
Eating! And even though I started him with veggies he seems to favor anything sweet still. I have yet to find a fruit he won't eat!
Flirting! If I had a dollar for every person that stops me to comment on his hair I would be a very rich momma! But P seems to enjoy every bit of attention he gets!
The bouncy chair! I've GOT to get this on video and put it on the blog. He's hilarious to watch. We just introduced it to him last week and he would just twirl in it. But a couple of days ago he figured it out and now he won't stop. I even woke J up so he could see the priceless expression on Preston's face.
Bella! This has not changed. She has somehow won the heart of Preston. I think they have some sort of secret language.
Laughing and giggling!
Babbling! This is new for us. And J continues to believe that Dada will be his first word b/c he babblies the repeated syllable of BaBaBa...

Preston's Not so Favorites:
Getting dressed! Doesn't matter if it's for bed or for the day.
Wiping his face! This is a must at least 3x a day for getting the food off. But lately he's had a runny nose so I'm wiping more often. You can guess how that goes over.
Socks. He pulls them off in the car seat while I'm driving. No doubt that most places I go he arrives with only 1 sock on.
Getting strapped into the car seat...almost always accompanied by tears. But immediately stops once we start moving again.
Hats. Doesn't really want to wear them. Could it be that the hair gets in the way? Ha.
Being called a girl! I know, I know....that needs to go on my own list, but I don't have one so I'm putting it on his. Plus, it used to happen every once in a while and now it's happening on a daily basis.

I could go on and on, but will stop for risk of boring you to tears! ;)

At the store

Beware: The following is a collection of random thoughts...

I am at the grocery store and am in line to check out. As soon as I get to the cashier he asks me If I found everything I needed. So I decide to tell him that actually there were a few things that I couldn't find...and then I tell him the 2 items that I still need. And he froze and looked at me like I was crazy. So do they ask that question to be polite? Like when someone asks you how you are and if you reply with something other than "good" they also freeze with surprise.

Then this afternoon I'm at a different store and notice them putting out their Valentine's shirts!!! That's right folks, hurry and get your Valentine shirt before they run out. Don't the stores seem to be putting things out earlier and earlier?? Don't get me wrong...I love Christmas and all that goes with it, but Christmas came before Halloween this year and Thanksgiving was skipped altogether. Why can't we just enjoy the season that we are actually in?