Funny Videos of Caitlin

Did I mention that I am loving my new camera? Here are some videos we took in Phoenix, and it just shows how cute Caitlin really is!

Christmas in the Desert

This past Friday we flew out to Phoenix to spend a few days with Brent's mom, sister, brother-in-law, and our very cute 2-year-old niece. We did lots of shopping, eating, and playing, and generally had a great time. I tried to have a couple of photo shoots with Caitlin, and now I understand how all of you mothers of 2-year-olds feel. She would NOT sit still or cheese for the camera, but these turned out cute anyway.

Playing the pianio wtih Gamma.

We did lots of cooking in Caitlin's kitchen (from IKEA). She also liked to give her babies their baths in the sink. Mostly head down, but whatever works.

One day, Caitlin and Lala made a gingerbread house. There was lots of licking of the icing and candy, but overall it was a success. Until the roof fell down, but by then we didn't care. We were too strung out on generic powedered sugar icing and cheap hard candy.

Caitlin had to test each piece of decoration before it went on the house.

Once again - wouldn't look at me and smile. But this is too cute.

Opening presents...

Lala and Caitlin

Gamma and Caitlin

Merry Christmas!

Hope you have a great day with your family!

Christmas Parties Galore!

I've had SO many parties and celebrations this week and have been super busy, so here's a quick rundown of what we've done this week:

• Celebrated Monkey's birthday with dinner and Christmas lights at the Capitol and Sherwood Forrest
• Ugly Christmas Sweater party with OBU friends
• Sunday School Christmas party at the Veazeys
• Celebrated 2nd wedding anniversary with take-out from Coltons and Tastee Freeze (Exciting I know).
• Birthday party for Jesus at Awanas on Wednesday night
• SPP Holiday Luncheon - HUGE deal for me, but it went off great. Nothing like planning a party for 400 of your closest friends.

Now for the pictures - I know that's what you're really interested in seeing. P.S. I am really loving my new camera. It takes great quality pictures.

Next stop...Sunny Phoenix! Hope everybody has a very Merry Christmas!

Tis the Season

It's that time of year, and I am loving it! I've been singing Mele Kalikimaka for the past few days (much to Brent's dismay), and I am already counting down the days until we leave for Phoenix to have Christmas with Caitlin. Because of that trip and the previous one to Branson, I decided not to put up the actual Christmas tree. Gasp! But before you start calling me Mrs. Scrooge, please know that I dragged out various other Christmas decorations. I couldn't not do something! Another reason that the tree didn't go up was that with the addition of the new furniture (i.e. recliner, piano), I really don't have anywhere to put the tree without having to move some piece of furniture. (And you know Brent isn't going to get out of his recliner!) ha!

I have vivid memories of what decorations my grandparents put up at Christmas. Included with the short Christmas tree with the blue star angel and red lighted bells in the windows, Ma and Pa had a nativity scene made out of olive wood from their trip to Israel in 1984. They brought my parents one, so I also remember my mom getting hers out every year too. Fast forward 25 years, and I am so excited to have my very own nativity scene from Israel! My parents bought one for my sister and I when they were there this past March.

Since I don't have a fireplace, I use the top of my piano as a mantle, and this was what I came up with this year. I love that mesh stuff, and would probably string it up everywhere if I could.

The focal point of our living room isn't a fireplace. Can you guess what it is?

This is what I'm calling our Christmas tree this year. I got this a few years ago at a Christmas wedding shower I had, and I love it.

More Christmas decor...

I had some leftover mesh, so I tied it on my wreath and made a bow. It's all sparkly and shiney.

Here's my little garden flag. I love that everything is lime green and red this year. It's really cheery.

Here's the front of the house. It's hardly Clark Griswold's house, but I like it. My mom used to do the candles in the windows, and for me they're easy and quick to put up. I bought my little trees that go out front a few years ago, and surprise  - this year, covered them with mesh.

All of these pictures were taken with my present from Santa Clause. I've been needing a new camera lately, and found a good deal on a Nikon P90 last weekend in Branson. It's not an SLR, but it has a lot of functionality that I've missed having with a point-and-shoot. Now if I can just learn what buttons do what and how, then I'll be doing good.

Hope your decorations are going up and you're enjoying this Christmas season!

Thanksgiving in Branson

Wednesday afternoon, we drove up to our home away from home - Branson, Missouri. This past year, we've been there three times, and it is just a great place to get away, eat and shop. Oh sure it has the cheesy shows and tourist attractions, but I've been going to Branson since I was a little girl and I love it. We met Mom, Dad, Sarah and Josh for the long Thanksgiving weekend, and had the best time just being together and hanging out. Wednesday night we ate at my favorite place in Branson - Texas Land and Cattle. They have a fun atmosphere and the food is great, but not overpriced.

The next day, we got up and had breakfast, and then after a quick walk through the golf course (illegally), we drove to Springfield to spend Thanksgiving with my mom's side of the family. We haven't all been together in several years, so it was good to be around them. Here's my aunt, mom, and grandmother cooking enough food to feed an army.

As you can see, the rest of us watched TV and played with the kids. Leave it to Brent to make a face.

Here's Sarah playing with Landon, Grace and Ethan (our 2nd cousins). Grace followed Sarah around and was almost mesmerized by her - it was hilarious! They are all very cute and bright kids.

My cousin Michelle is about two months younger than me, and when we were growing up, I loved it when she would come visit. We would giggle so much! It was so good to see her.

Here's our spread...we had turkey, ham, dressing, fluff salad, rolls, green salad, mashed potato casserole, sweet potato casserole, dutch apple pie, pecan pie, red velvet cake, and Italian creme cake. Oh my word it was good!

The next day, we avoided the Black Friday shopping areas and headed to Silver Dollar City. I haven't been in several years and couldn't wait to go with Brent. The weather turned out to be warmer than we expected, but we couldn't have asked for a better day. (Dad had to shuck his longhandles when we got there). There were TONS of people there, but once we got in the gate, it didn't seem so bad. Here's Sarah and Josh riding the tram to the gate because we parked back in Arkansas.

See - more people

This skillet conglomeration was so stinking good!

I'm not a big fan of roller coasters, but the one thing that I did want to ride was FIRE IN THE HOLE! I can remember riding this when I was younger, and it was so much fun. (It's an indoor moderate-thrill ride). We all had a discussion whether or not we would get soaked at the end. Josh and I said no, but Sarah said that we would most certainly get drenched. She was almost right (see below), but because it was winter time, they turned the water sprays off, so we only felt a few drips.

Funny stuff...this should be the name of Sarah's practice - Dr. Yank M. Wrightout.

We also rode the Flooded Mine ride, which it was just a boat ride where you shoot these fake guns at targets through the ride. It was cheesy, but fun.  I think Josh was getting mad at me taking so many pictures.

We stopped to have dinner (Philly cheesesteak sandwich), and every night during the holiday season they do a light parade. It was cute, but the cutest thing was to watch my parents watch the parade.

During the day, I saw a little kiosk that was selling Smores. WHAT? I waited all day to go back to get one, and let me tell you, they were fabulous! Two huge cookies, smothered in chocolate sauce, and then topped with your own melted marshmellows. They even let you roast them yourself! Brent and I shared it because it was so huge and rich, and I will probably have to spend some extra time in the gym because of it. But MAN was it good!

One of the favorite things to do at SDC is to ride the train, and apparently everybody else had that idea because the line was super long! It's best to wait until it's dark so you can see all of the four million lights they have up. They also stop on the back side of the park and do a presentation of the Christmas story. You can't find too many places these days who will celebrate the real reason for Christmas. Here's Ronaldo and Lovely Linda - all covered up for the train ride.

The day was winding down, so we grabbed some family photos in front of the big Christmas tree.

The next day, Sarah, Josh, Mom and Dad went to the outlet mall to shop. Since Brent and I had gone there last month for my birthday, we decided to go to the new shopping area at the north part of town and go to Best Buy and Target. We got our Christmas presents to each other, and by the time we were done, it was time to head back to the condo. That night we enjoyed semi-homemade pizza and an exciting Hogs game. It would have only been better if the wind had pushed that football over a foot into the goal post, but it is what is it. It was a moral victory.

This was probably one of the best family vacations we've ever had, and we are so very thankful for the opportunity to spend time together. God has been very very good to our family this year, and we have to give all of the glory and praise to him for that.