Christmas 2010

We had such a nice Christmas this year even if it may be remembered as the year everyone was sick! Williams family Christmas was at Peggy's this year. The day started with Mike waking up around 3 am shivering and shaking. He was miserable. We were in charge of the turkey breast and Mike going to smoke it. That plan was out and I was in charge! Luckily LuLu and Joe took ME to Sunday school, so I could cook and wrap presents then get myself ready for church. We had fun at Peggy's and the turkey was a hit. Christmas week Mike felt better but ME and I were sick but we still shopped, visited Santa, wrapped presents and cooked! Christmas Eve Mike felt yucky again and he and ME both had a fever on Christmas Day and the day after. Christmas morning we had Santa stuff at our house and at LuLu and joe's. Santa delivers the stockings to LuLu's house in our family. We had a good breakfast and opened presents at LuLu and Joe's with the family, then went home for naptime! After nap we went to Poppy and B's for more presents and dinner. All in all a very nice day. We had a nice snowfall in Montevallo on the day after Christmas which was a welcome break from the sleet of Christmas Day. ME seemed thrilled that Santa brought all three requests (Woody, Jessie and a duck pillow pet). She really enjoyed the Christmas season this year. Christmas is so special with a little one around!

Callaway Gardens 2010

We had such a nice trip this year. We left early the morning after Thanksgving. Pat came wth LuLu and Joe which was great. ME is sucha good traveler. She enjoys the car and sleeps well in a hotel room (in her tent). We got a room as soon as we arrived and had a picnic lunch while we waited on the Iron Bowl to start. Pat, LuLu and Joe took ME to see the lights Friday night while Mike and I went to dinner which was nice for all of us! Auburn amnaged to pull out a win and ME loved the lights, so the first day was a hit. Saturday morning Mom, Dad and I went for a walk then met Mike, Pat and ME for breakfast. My girl loves waffles and bacon! After breakfast we went to the Butterfly center, Sibley Horticultural Center and the Discovery Center. Pat, LuLu and Joe left for home after we had lunch. We headed to the beach and I shopped at Christmas Village while ME and Mike played at the playground. After that Mike and ME hung out in the rom while I shopped downtown. When I returned I found Mike asleep on the bed and ME passed out in the floor! We watched some football then ordered pizza and went to see the lights. It doesn't matter how many times I go, I want the ride and lights to last longer! It is so much fun with ME! After the lights we went back to the room and settled in for the night. ME's new favorite movie is "It's a Wonderful Life" which I love! We came home after breakfast Sunday morning and got busy decorating for Christmas!

Random photos

Tattoo is here to stay!

The pony that we had all grown to love is now ours! The family that owned him decided that their kids were ready for a bigger pony and agreed to sell Tattoo to us for a very reasonable price (saddle included). These are photos from ME's first ride after Tattoo became officially ours! She has fun at the barn these days as well, whether it is playing in the arena sand or "helping" to clean stalls. I hope she continues down this path!

Halloween 2010

I think I can truly say that ME loved Halloween this year. Pumpkin carving was a hit this year. ME helped Mike do everything but scoop out the guts of the pumpkin. She thought that was gross! She really liked her ghost costume which was nice since last year I couldn't get her to leave her costume on!. Trick or treating on Main Street was a success. She was brave enough to get her own candy from the baskets and she wasn't afraid of any scary decorations. On Halloween night we trick or treated to Poppy and B's, Pat's, Annie and Jim's and finished at LuLu and JOe's where we had a great soup dinner.

Horse show

My mare Doodlebug has been struggling with a recurring eye infection for the past month or so. I had been missing riding so I rode Seymour last week and took him to a little local show. My friend Alyson usually rides him, so I had forgotten how much fun he can be. Our scores weren't great, but we did get a 2nd and a 3rd in our classes!

Random photos

This is just a collection of random photos from the past few weeks. ME has started reading books in her bed most Saturday and Sunday mornings. Last Saturday when I tried to get her up she just asked for some more books! She also likes to watch "her tv" while Mike and I watch football, which is great! Friday night we went to the fall festival at her school and she enjoyed playing with her friends at the "party". She wanted to take a picture with her mommy before we left.

Missing JoJo

My granddad and ME's great-grandaddy, JoJo passed away Thursday morning Sept. 30th. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in December 2009 and fought it all the way. I feel so lucky that ME got to know and love her JoJo, but we still miss him. JoJo and Pat only live about 5 miles away from us, so ME got to spend a lot of time with them. In the past few months we had many good visits, but I wanted to write about 2 of them so ME could read about them when she is older.

On Good Friday of 2010 ME and I took JoJo to Veteran's Park. He was feeling really tired and didn't really want to go, but Pat and LuLu really encouraged it, so off we went. The weather was beautiful! JoJo sat in a lawn chair and just watched ME run and play at the park. We stayed about an hour, then loaded up to go home. All the way home JoJo kept saying that he was so glad he had gone, and that ME was so much fun. It was a really good morning.

The second time was this summer. ME and I dropped by for a visit and it turned out that Pat was on her way out. Since it was almost lunch time JoJo offered to take ME and I to lunch. We somehow convinced him to go to Jack's instead of MacDonald's! ME sat by JoJo during lunch and held his arm and petted him. It was the sweetest thing ever!

I of course could go on and on about everything JoJo has done for me through my life, but the biggest was probably making my dream of having a horse come true. When I was 11, JoJo bought my first horse (the first of several actually). My parents had to work and sacrifice to make it all work, but JoJo got the ball rolling. I sometimes wonder where we would be now without that first horse purchase. Horses led us to our current property where my parents built a house and now many years later Mike and I built our house. ME can see the barn and the horses from her bedroom window. I am sure JoJo is smiling down watching as ME rides her pony!

Saturday morning ride

We had fun at the barn this morning. Mary Elizabeth decided she wanted to ride Tattoo, so off we went. Mike even helped! Yes, she does have on her Easter dress. It was her idea, not mine!

Books, books and more books!

Mary Elizabeth took her cereal bar and cup and went to her playroom this morning. When I went to check on her this is what I found! She loves her books.

Playing on a Sunday

Mary Elizabeth is turning into quite a ham for the camera!

Future shopper?

Mary Elizabeth loves to look at catalogs. We got one in the mail last week and instead of coming upstairs with me she wanted to sit down and read her magazine!

Dinner with the cousins

As school as started I have really neglected the blog! We had Holder, Kendra, Scottie and Harper over dinner in early August. It was nice to just relax and catch up. ME had fun playing with Harper as well! She even slept in her pack and play for the next few days!

Playing after school

We started back to school Monday August 9th. Mary Elizabeth has a great teacher this year. She was glad to see her friends as well. I am in a new room in the new 9th grade building. It is nice to be in a new, clean space. My kids seem like they will be a good bunch also. After school the first day ME got some placemats out of a cabinet and want to wear them on her head, then she wanted to hide in them. Where do they get these ideas?