A few random shares

I know that I haven't shared any pics of our new place yet. I will soon. Like when my fingers unfreeze from the winter and I can use the camera again.

But I do want to share just a few of my favorite things so far.


We have fired up the fireplace. Probably my one and only favorite thing about winter. That and this cool coffee table that we found in Canton. That I had to drive to Canton twice in one weekend for. Good times with my car stereo.

We also have some new friends that come visit every once in a while.

Aren't they cute? They have to be freezing.

The best part of that duck picture is that it was taken from the kitchen. While the fireplace was going. :)

We love, love our new home. It is perfect for us. Still pinching myself...

Tasty Tuesday (on a Wednesday): GIVEAWAY!

Who can resist Girl Scout cookies?



C is selling them. We got a case of each of these kinds. It is her first year, so I thought we'd ease in to the whole cookie selling thing. They've changed the names of them from when I was little so it's kind of weird. And I don't like change.

BUT, they are still just as yummy as they always were.

Enter to win a box shipped directly to your door. Just post what your favorite of these three flavors is in the comments section....or send me a text or an email if you are one of those peeps that can't figure out how to use the comments. ;)

They are:
-Caramel Delights (used to be called Samoas)
-Peanut Butter Patties (I think they used to be called Tagalongs...my favorites....I may or may not have eaten a whole box of them on the way home yesterday)
-Thin Mints (used to be called Thin Mints....thank you Girl Scouts of America for keeping this name the same)

If you don't win you are welcome to order some. Just let me know which ones you want and how many.

Good Luck!! We'll have the drawing sometime this weekend...so enter before Saturday!

Now excuse me while I go eat another box. Just kidding.

Maybe.

Meeting Aubrey Frank

The kids have been beyond excited to meet their new cousin. When he was born they were sick...so Mommy had to be the bad guy and tell them that they did not get to meet him right away. Why do I always have to be the bad guy?

Anyway, the day finally came that we got to get some snuggle time in with our new little man.

They were soooooo cute with him!


Everyone had to get their own individual "hold" time. :)








I could have held him alllll day. He is beyond precious and we love him so much!!!!

I don't get out much

There are a few things that I've learned lately.

This is so sad, but for all my years when I go buy spices at the grocery store I have my little list and I just sit there and randomly look up and down through the spices until I find the one I need. Who knew they were in alphabetical order all this time? Not me. I like to do things the hard way.

Did you know that there are self watering flower pots? Yes. Where have they been all my life?

But, in order to make myself feel better I have to tell you that I discovered a song that is becoming a hit before it ever thought about being a hit. I'm not sure why that brings me such joy but it does. I'm not even sure why I love the song so much, but I do. Zac Brown Band. Colder Weather. I was loving it and blaring it back when it was 100 degrees in September. Or something like that. But then Justin informs me that it was popular and I just didn't know it because I don't get out much.


It's great unplugged in this video but it has lots of piano on the album.

But you've probably heard it on the radio by now. Anyway, I love ZBB. I want to see them in concert.

And so here they are playing it in '09 at a concert.



Proof that Justin was right. I need to get out more.

Just for kicks, the studio version:



I just realized that I ate m&m's for lunch and a scone for supper.


Over and out.

It doesn't matter what we do,

they are game.


Love that.


We can head out of town to do some of this:



And then because some crazy lady is psycho about the weather and missing her flight home, we end up doing this:


Maybe I'm not made for the mountains. It also may have had something to do with last year's ski trip and being stuck in a traffic jam on a bus on a mountain in the middle of a snowstorm.

All I can say is that I love to ski. Our first two days of the trip were beautiful.


But I'm a fair weather skier.

And I sure am glad that they aren't fair weather friends:


Thanks for a super fun trip.

And thanks for putting up with my random snow freakishness. xoxo

Bring on the beach.

I have no words...

just happy tears.

This Little Boy...

cannot keep a secret. Period. There have been many occasions where we were trying to keep something a surprise and he lets the cat out of the bag. He doesn't mean to. He's really pretty cute when he's doing it.

Like when he accidentally told me what my Christmas present was. He and I have a lunch date at a little sandwich shop in town (Doug's...it's yummy, you should go there) every once in a while.

We were sitting and talking and enjoying our lunch.

"Mommy, I'm not going to tell you that you got a bicycle for Christmas. I'm just going to tell you that it's blue", he says.

There is silence and we are just sitting looking at each other.

Then the look of panic comes to his face. And the tears start rolling. He realizes that he just told the surprise that his Daddy and sister had made him promise over and over that he wouldn't tell.

It was so terribly sad and cute and funny all at the same time.

He starts telling me very loudly, "Mommy, no, I didn't tell you what it was, I only told you it was blue! That doesn't mean I told you what it was. It's just blue!"

Love him.

I also love my white bicycle that I got for Christmas.

Christmas in Pictures

We had a wonderful and busy Christmas! We are very fortunate that all of our family lives very close and we are able to spend time with everyone over the holidays.

Warning: Picture overload ahead!

The day before Christmas Eve we spent with J's family.


Of course Uncle Ted had to squeeze in a hunt or two or three over the
holidays. :) There is something about a guy in camo holding a baby...


Success! We got them all smiling and looking the same way...love this picture.


C opening her stocking at Nana and Papa's.


This boy is all about the farm. His farming terminology amazes me. He now has augers, grain bins, and anhydrous tanks. We have a major farming operation carried out daily in toys around our house. These grain bins were the missing piece to his operation.


The kids couldn't wait to give me my present from them and J. They knew that it was secretly stored at Nana & Papa's and they just couldn't wait any longer! I love my new bike and I will have to share the cutest story soon about G not being able to keep a secret.


Love this picture of G & A.


That night we had such a fun time hosting a little get together for some special friends that we don't get to see that often. In fact, the last time that we saw them was in Hawaii for their wedding! (so fun, can we go back?) They are both doctors in the Navy...stationed apart for just a little while longer. It was so, so good to get to see them.



A pre-hog hunting picture.

The guys decided to take Rachel on her first hog hunting adventure late in the evening. I was glad they had her along as a chaperone.

These three amigos grew up in the same neighborhood together, went to school together, played baseball together (pretty much everything together).... it is so fun to laugh at all their stories.

El missed the blue button-up memo and J missed the sportcoat memo.

Super fun times.


The next day was Christmas Eve.

We headed to Meme and Poppa's for lunch.

The kids had a fun surprise waiting for them.


Poppa had lots of fun with this one.


A very big remote control tractor!!



Love this boy's excitement.

I really would like to keep him this age forever and ever.

After lunch at Meme and Poppa's we headed to church for our angel and our shepard to sing in the Christmas Eve service.





Then our very tired little family headed home and went to bed.

And then the camera lady did not do a very good job capturing Christmas morning pictures. It happens. There is just so much excitement going on.

It turns out that C&G were on the good list and got a telescope for Christmas. We can't wait for a nice clear night to use it.

A few Christmas morning photos:






So glad that Nana and Papa stopped by for a little bit that morning because I didn't get pictures of them with the kids when we did Christmas at their house. Camera lady may need to be fired.

Then, we headed to College Station Christmas day. Anne Aunt's belly is too big for her to travel over the holidays. It was super fun to get to go to their house for the day.

We played lots of games:





And the camera lady remembered to take some family pics:




The day after Christmas we had the big Wiethorn Christmas at lunch and then that night we headed to Grandma's. It was very, very good to have almost everyone together. Again, with all the excitment we didn't get many pictures from that day other than this...

It was a busy four days. G was so tired!!

We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!!