BES Christmas Party

What a day! We had the field trip earlier, the party and still to come, dress rehearsal for the Christmas Play at church. The boys had a great time just being boys. Mrs.Davis is a great teacher. Controls the class as needed but also allows them to be children. They are so "programmed and over scheduled" that just being a kid is rarely a part of school any more. However, Mrs. Davis gives a great balance of both! We have had a great year thus far and Levi really enjoys his class. They are a very close class it seems, but I'm sure they are still a little young for "Clicks" which I hope they never grow into!ha Anyway, some pics from the party. And the toys and snacks were enjoyed by all!

Birthday Supper

We all love to eat at Outback. However, we never all get to eat together except for once a year. My Grandaddy loves their steak and since he rarely leaves the city limits of Berry, we all try to take him for his birthday. Usually there are a few who can't make it but we try to get as many of us there as possible. The meal was wonderful as always and the boys really enjoyed themselves. Grandaddy really loved seeing the grand babies. You could tell by the big smile on his face the whole time. I love him so much and hope he's around 'til at least 100!

Reindeer Walk '09

The boys truly enjoy this every year. I do too! The classes gather at the walking trail and sing Christmas songs. Then visit both the Methodist and Baptist churches, to sing more Christmas carols. Then we split up and sing at different merchants in Berry. This year we sang at Tuugies and Piggly Wiggly. Levi is growing up too fast. I only had one pair of antlers that were not broken and he said, "That's ok, I don't need them anyway, I'm about to big for that part of Reindeer Walk, Momma." Oh my poor breaking heart. Can it please slow down?! Great weather for it and cookies waiting when we got back. Love this time of year!!

Houston and the stuff he comes up with.

He says some of the funniest stuff. He told people all day that I was 55 today and not 35. He's always getting his words mixed up. But anyway tonight, we went out with my family to celebrate mine and my precious Grandaddy's(77) birthday. He's into looking cool these days. "Momma I want to wear one of them tank-top sweaters and a long sleeve shirt under there and let it hang out. Them tank-top sweaters are real cool. And then I want to get my hair cut short so I can spike it up in the middle." Well, the tank-top sweater I have on hand. I prefer to call it a sweater vest but the hair, Not gonna happen. Who would cut off that adorable cute head full of hair for a spiked do. He's just too cute for his own good. I LOVE MY BOYS!!:)

I Have Arrived!!

I can't belive it! I have arrived to my mid 30's! Thank you Lord for every day, every breath, every smile, every tear, every laugh, every cry, every hug, every kiss, every touch, every one that has filled these 35 blessed, wonderful years. May I be thankful for it all and give you the glory for everything. For without him, I am nothing! I'm not all that I want to be, but thank God I'm not what I used to be! I hope I'm blessed with many, many more and can help share the Love of God to everyone. Thanks to all of you who make my life....perfect. That's right, as perfect as it can be on earth. Here's to the next 65 years, oh yeah, I hope I'm still kickin' at 100!! Love to you all!!

I Am Blessed

My health is good
My mind is sound
Family loves me
And friends abound
I am blessed.

I live in freedom
My home is mine
My life is like
A vintage wine
I am blessed.

My faith sustains me
When I am low
God supports me
I know it's so
I am blessed.

For everything
I was denied
Other blessings
Were mutiplied
I am blessed.

I know not what's
In store for me
I'll trust the one
Who's sheltered me
I am blessed.

When I am gone
Don't pity me
I lived a life
Both full and free
I was blessed.

"I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart." Psalms 40:8

I LOVE THIS MAN!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDADDY!

WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH! OVERALLS AND ALL!!

Tiger Woods...

Well as you know, this all you hear about. On radio, tv, internet, it consumes everything. Why is it, when people mess up, people just continue to beat them in the ground? Not excusing his behavior, but enough already. We are to pray for people when they mess up, not continue kicking them while they're down and for heaven's sake....MIND OUR OWN BUSINESS!! Anyway, Levi has heard bits and pieces of the Tiger Saga. If anything comes on, I just try to turn the station or channel, etc. But he did finally ask and this was pretty much the conversation.

L: Momma, what did Tiger do? Is he getting fired from golf?
M: No, he's not getting fired from golf, but a lot of people who sponsor him with his golf stuff are deciding not too because he made some very bad choices.
L: What bad choices?

OK, should I just brush it off or explain. Rather, he hear it from me than any one else, so here it goes.

M: You know in the Bible, The 10 Commandments?
L: Yea, thou shalt not steal or lie or kill.
M: Yes, that's some of them. But another one is "Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery". And that's what Tiger did that was so bad.
L: Well, what's that?
M: It means that when you marry a woman, she is to be your wife, forever. Til you die. You are never suppose to like another girl again. Only your wife, but if you do, then that's called committing adultery. And Tiger had a wife but also had a girlfriend and you CANNOT do that.
L: What? So he has a wife and then he liked another girl and made her his girlfriend too?
M: Yes, once married, she is your wife and no more girlfriends. Girlfriends are for when your dating but only 1 wife for when you're married....
L: Well, my goodness, he should've just kept 2 girlfriends, then!

OK!!! I think he gets it, as a matter of fact, gets it too good for the age of 7!!! Oh Dear Lord, I don't want my Baby committing adultery but I do not want him having 2 girlfriends, either! Are you kidding me, girlfriend/boyfriend stuff wasn't even in my vocabulary until around 7th Grade not 7 years old. Should I be worried?!

A Little Get-A-Way

Josh and I had planned a little get away for the weekend. My birthday is this week and we wanted to finish up shopping. We planned to go to my favorite place at CHRISTmas time, Nashville. Houston woke Saturday AM with an upset stomach. He threw up about 4X until lunch and it was gone. SO, assumed it was something he had eaten. Being a Momma, I just couldn't go thinking he may be getting sick and if it was the stomach bug, I assumed Levi's turn would be right around the corner. We changed plans a little and took them with us. IF they were sick, they would be away from home BUT they would be with their Momma. We packed their stuff and headed out. Houston must have not had a virus or if he did, THANK THE LORD, none of us got it.

We had a wonderful time! The hotel is always so beautiful and the shopping is great. The boys enjoyed the get-a-way as much as we did. A little change of scenery is nice every once in a while. We are pretty much home bodies but do love the occasional road-trip. We also met up with some of our friends, who live in Nashville. We had supper and let the kids do a few things. Josh, Mike and the 4 oldest kiddos rode some kind of roller coaster simulator thing that you get in and it closes and the whole thing moves around. They loved it! Little-bit, Gracie, opted for the "Ferris Wheel" which happens to be a carousel. She loved it too. It was a short but eventful weekend. Took a few pics, but stayed so busy, really didn't snap a lot of pics. It IS the most wonderful time of the year!

The view from our balcony.

My handsome fellas Oh my goodness, be still my heart.
A passer byer took this.

Baby, It's Cold Outside. But not in here.
The boys loved getting to swim.

ONE of my favorites.

"MY KK"(per the boys) wears many hats. Radiology tech, wife, sister, aunt, daughter, Deacon's wife, scrapbooker, adoptive parent to Hope, ha. I'm sure there are many that I have left out but anyway, she also serves as "The Family Photographer". She recently took some pics of us down by the River. We were pressed for time and with Josh being out of town and in the tree stand, photo time is hard to come by. Anyway, she took some and they turned out great. Our Header pic is one and the one I used on my CHRISTmas cards. But this is one of my favorites. I ask her to take our family pics with my camera. After "the session", she gave my camera back. Josh and the boys were walking ahead. KK and I were falling behind while dealing Jeremy misery. I called the boys they all stopped right where they're at in this pic and I loved it. So I said SMILE and they did and this is how it turned out. Just wanted to share. Because, I'm so proud of my family. I'm so in love with them. And I'm so glad the feeling is mutual.(hee,hee)

HAPPY 75TH BIRTHDAY, PAWPAW!

I miss you more than words can say. You are still so alive in my heart and thoughts. Heaven is definitely sweeter with you there.

Johnny Edward Bozeman

Dec.7, 1934-Feb. 26, 2007

"Nana-Cam"

Here's a few updates from Nana's camera. Believe it or not, there are times that I don't have my camera with me. If I don't, she usually does.

We usually eat Sunday Lunch Pop and Nana's. Jason, Kelly and the boys, live in Dora. With his job and her part time, Sunday is usually the only day, we all see each other.

This was actually last Sunday. On Saturday, Josh, Levi and Pop went fishing. So, we had a fish fry for lunch. Pop had also cut down an old tree and wanted the wood burnt. He ask Levi if he wanted to build his first real campfire and of course, he did. And what's a good campfire without fun roasting marshmallows?

Is he hot or what?! Almost as hot as all that grease frying up the artery corroding fish, fries, and hushpuppies.

JJ & Kelly
THE Campfire
CAUTION: MEN AT WORK & PLAY
This was actually yesterday. Nana fixed lunch for us as usual. But this was actually a birthday dinner for Kelly and I. We both have December birthdays.
Oh My Gosh, Look at that. I could just eat 'em up!

At Church, yesterday.
Can you believe how big my boys are getting?! Levi is almost up to Poppy's shoulder!!

Berry Baptist Ladies Christmas Banquet

We had a wonderful time last Tuesday night. I have been to the banquet for the last 3 years and have always enjoyed it. We were asked to do a table this year. The place is so beautiful with all the tablescapes and lit candles. I love to see every one's creativity. Our minds all think and see things differently. It's so amazing how God can create us all individually unique. Mrs. Linda asked Debbie, if she and I would like to do a table. She agreed. I just followed directions. Debbie is very creative and always decorates her own home beautifully. So, the table was no different. All the stuff she already had and it made for a gorgeous gold and cream table. Loved the food, loved the music, loved the speaker, loved getting to see my friends, loved the night. If you haven't been, you should try it next year.

We missed MeMaw and KK. They were a little under the weather. Our group shot did not take very well. Very blurry for some reason. But here's a few pics.

Let It Snow!

A little more next time, please. The little dusting we got was very pretty, though. We came in from town last night to find we had no power. That would happen on the coldest night thus far.ha It was back on by 9:30 and was a great excuse for all 4 of us to cuddle up in the same bed together. At about 2 AM however, I had had enough bonding and went to the boys bed. Shortly thereafter, I heard pitter patter steps headed my way. Houston came and joined me saying "them boys take up too much room"! When I went across to the boys room this AM, I saw the snow coming down. It was so pretty. The timer on our spotlights outside, apparently got messed up due to the power outage. So they were shining bright at 2 AM allowing me to really see the snow. What a beautiful sight even that early in the AM. I did manage to get a pic or 2 of the 1/32" snow that we got. Already melting, but isn't God's handiwork really amazing?!

By the way, McKinley and Henderson had managed to pull a stool over and climb up in the window seal to watch the snow. "I think they was really missing the North Pole, wasn't they Momma?" Levi said.

Look who dropped by.

The boys elves made it. Henderson(Houston's elf) and McKinley(Levi's elf) made their entrance sometime today while we were all gone. The boys are so much fun at this age and this time of year is really exciting watching them. I have it priority for them to know the real meaning of CHRISTmas but I also love to watch their eyes light up at all the magical stuff that takes place this time of year. Who knows what these little guys will get into before they return on CHRISTmas Eve. What is so weird is, as you know, the elves have already been named by Santa, but McKinley was actually a girl name I had picked out some 7 years ago for Levi if he had been a girl(named after my Dad)...WEIRD. Merry CHRISTmas!!

We have no mantle, we have no living room drapes. We once had living room curtains. Curtain rod thingys were left on the windows, hence we use them as stocking holders. Go ahead and say it..Redneck. Anyway, the elves found it perfect to grab the stockings after they climbed through the window.

They were really excited.

They have been sprinkled and left with their crackers and water for the night. Wonder where they will be in the AM after a night of mischief and fun?

Houston keeps me laughing!

My youngest, he's a hoot. He says stuff all the time that just keeps me laughing. So, he loves TV. I know, he needs to be outside playing, playing with blocks, coloring, etc. He does, only not much. He had rather sit in front of the TV and watch "His Shows". So, he's 5, he can do that. Bad Momma, Bad Momma.

Anyway, this time of year, you know CHRISTmas toy commercials are on all the time. He came to me and was singing this..."H to the O to the C H I C." He sang it a few times and then said, "Momma, I bet Anna Lee would love one of these for CHRISTmas." WHAT?! Ho Chic. What has he been watching? Thought it was Disney or XD or Nick. Anyway, a little later he came back and said "Momma, I got it wrong it says S to the O to the C H I C. What's that spell?" Whew! Glad he cleared that up.ha Apparently, it's some kind of little salon like thing. How thoughtful of him to think that Anna Lee would like one~a So Chic. And it sounds so much better when he goes around the house singing S to the O to the CHIC. His Daddy wouldn't think so, but he's 5, he has no idea what this means. He just likes the tune. It's catchy. You know how songs get in your head and you can't get them out? This one can do that. Love these boys!