New Year's Chuck E Cheese trip

New Year's Eve began with my last day working at UAB Med West. More on that later but I was able to get off around noon. LakeLynn stayed home with Coco while Logan & I took Stryker to Chuck E Cheese! Our friends, the Hellands, met us there! I absolutely love how close Stryker & Lucy are. They ran around to every game or ride they could & then finally sat still for a few minutes to enjoy some pizza. On the way out, tickets were redeemed for prizes. Both kids were passed out on the way home. We always enjoy our time with the Hellands! The rest of the night was spent chasing ("playing") Stryker around the house, laying with LakeLynn, & being with my hubs. Definitely my ideal New Year's celebration.

Christmas Eve 2012: part 2

After the kids' nap at home, it was off to Springville/Oneonta for Logan's side of the family. We all met at Paw Paw's for dinner & dessert. It was nice seeing Logan's aunts, uncles, & cousins. Following dinner, it was present time at grandmomma's house. Stryker & LakeLynn were spoiled again with all kinds of toys. Stryker received a tool box set, dinosaurs, cars, & even a real keyboard! Logan will have to teach Stryker musical instruments. There is not any musical instrument ability in this mom! LakeLynn received a glow worm, diamond earrings, & a dancing/singing puppy dog! Logan & I was given a laptop computer (maybe I can update the blog better), a new comforter (makes the house look nicer for selling), a Cheesecake Factory gift card (yay for date night), & a few other gifts. Thank you for all of the wonderful gifts.

Christmas Day 2012

Merry Christmas everyone & happy birthday to our Savior Jesus Christ!! It wouldn't be a normal Christmas without staying up late watching Christmas Vacation & The Christmas Story & waking up extremely early due to excitement! Yes, I am still a little kid at heart waking up early & sitting impatiently as others are asleep, contemplating how I can make just enough noise to cause everyone to realize it's Christmas morning. Doesn't everyone do this?! And yes, I did wake my husband only moments before Stryker was calling our names from the banister. I quickly grabbed LakeLynn as we rushed to the bottom of the stairs saying "Merry Christmas" to our little boy. Logan carried him down as I prepared to capture the first facial expression as Stryker saw what Santa Claus had left on the coffee table...a dinosaur set! He ran over in complete amazement & kept saying Santa brought what I asked for! Oh to see Christmas through a young child's eyes! We played with the dinosaur set for awhile before Coco & Fletch arrived. We proceeded to let Stryker open LakeLynn's gift from mom & dad. She loved the seahorse that lit up & played music. Stryker enjoyed ripping the wrapping paper off the remaining gifts. He was determined to get every piece of wrapping paper off the boxes before wanting the toys opened! Stryker was able to get a Chuck race track & play doh table including 11 cans of play doh with accessories. Stryker was running from toy to toy while Lake enjoyed watching her wild brother. Logan surprised me with a tree topper for my Hotty Toddy Christmas tree! Now, all I need is an Ole Miss tree skirt next year & it will be complete. For Stryker's final gift, we led him upstairs where he discovered a game table from Coco. It has several changeable tables: foosball, ping pong, air hockey, & pool. Not sure who had more fun, Stryker, Coco, or Logan. I'm thinking there may be some competition nights ahead for Logan & me! The rest of the day was spent playing at home. I do have to admit that I made a crockpot pecan pie (see a before & after pic below). I was skeptical at first because I am extremely picky with pecan pie, but it was delicious! Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas Eve 2012: part 1

Well, Christmas festivities are now in full swing!! My favorite time of year! But we don't want the presents to overshadow His presence. He is the true reason for the season. We began early this morning heading to Coco & Fletch's house. Fletch had us fresh Dunkin Donuts (a tradition Fletch started with Stryker). After grabbing some doughnuts, it was present time. Fletch opened his candy bag stuffed with a note indicating his gift of an Ole Miss car tag would be arriving soon. Coco opened her goodie bag of candy stuffed with LakeLynn's fingerprint charm (matches the one we did of Stryker's left index finger at 3 months) & a check reimbursing her for LakeLynn's furniture. Fletch actually asked to hold Lake (first time) while the rest of us opened gifts. Logan was overwhelmed with dress shirts, shorts, socks, & Trionz wrist band from Coco & Fletch. Stryker was given his big gifts: punching bag from Coco & John Deere tractor with mini front loader & mini backhoe from Fletch. He was ready to box with Fletch (ex boxer), then rode the power tractor all through the house & down the street. Coco gave him a new sports lamp (bat as the base, whistle as the light switch) & sports painting for his bedroom along with a car track for the bathtub, sports nap sack, jumping toy, & 3 in 1 sports goal. Fletch gave LakeLynn a bouncy play seat that she laughed & bounced in for awhile! Coco gave LakeLynn a silver bracelet, shoes, bunches of clothes, pacy set, elephant ball toy, aquarium toy, octopus musical toy, & a kicking car seat toy. Coco & Fletch showered me with wonderful gifts including clothes, perfume, purse, Maurice's gift card, & a Nike fuel band. After cleaning, Coco & I cooked breakfast (our traditional cinnamon coffee cake, scrambled eggs, sausage, & bacon). Thank you such a wonderful Christmas Eve morning!