See Some Changes

Thanks to David A. for coming and working a week on the house...here he is with Shawn and Scott eating some peanut butter chocolate chip cookies I made for them...

From Our House

...To your house...

--- Merry Christmas! ---
Love,
Shawn, Melanie,
Ethan, Landon & Morgan

Presentation

I love gifts. If you have been around me even for a short period of time, you will find out that I love receiving gifts. I love a beautifully wrapped gift. My mother, along with her mother, create the most beautiful gifts. Not only is the gift unique and meaningful, the presentation is breathtaking. Although I have failed time and again to have my gifts turn out with as great of success as theirs, it is something that means a lot to me. I only hope the older I get the better I will be at achieving this.
Anyhow, my husband's family is NOT "all about the gift wrap" (some of them will read this and they will nod their heads in agreement). Don't get me wrong, they give nicely wrapped gifts, but I have a tendency to really enjoy going "all out". (see last years gifts in a Dec. post) I love to wrap gifts and try to make them beautiful, but not everyone is as into presentation as my family. So...this year I had an idea for my presentation. One little bonus - the wrapping paper didn't cost a thing!

I used GROCERY BAGS!

Yep. Cut them out and taped them up! It was fun! My mother-in-law DID enjoy hers this year...she said it was great I saved money.
Also, I came up with the idea to use pictures as "name" tags. The family knows how Steve is if a gift doesn't have a name, so, I solved that this year! :-) Steve loves golf so we gave him a PLASTIC golf ball. All he had to do was discover there was $$$$ inside that ball!

For my side of the family they looked something like this...



Our families laugh and share our opinions. And no matter what the package may be enveloped in or no matter what is underneath the wrapping, we really do believe it is the thought that counts!

Everyone is different. Everyone is special.

"Always remember you are unique, just like everyone else."

Puppy Love

- Our English Mastiffs and their NINE puppies -

"Xander" - Alexander the Great
185 lb./30 in. neck (standing on hind legs he measures 6')

Hakuna Matata

For my birthday, my incredible man took me to see the Lion King on Broadway at the Murat Theater. My incredible parents and in-laws took care of the kiddos. Thanks!

Yep. The time has come. I was extremely sad to have someone wish me a Happy Birthday. Once was okay. I enjoyed the "extra" attention and of course, the gifts. But you can stop with one wish. Two just brought on the unstoppable agony of remembering that I turned another year older. Not just ANY year older, the big two-five older.

A QUARTER-CENTURY!
Ahh...at least I can feel better when I peer into the mirror and see all those "lived in" face wrinkles and just try to blame them on the fact that I ain't gettin' no younger! So, I guess I should take to heart the Lion King's phrase -Hakuna Matata (no worries) - and enjoy the ferociously fast ride (downhill!) of life!
Happy Birthday to me!

KrazE KiddOs

Morgan is 10 months old!

Look who found her way up onto the dishwasher door!

And that said person looks mighty happy atop her new seat!

Here are a few pictures of her brothers having some silly moments with her accessories...

Here I thought Ethan was doing better remembering stories and facts he heard from his teachers at church. Really, he had. Seriously, he isn't - again. Let's see...

Ethan learned about a baby being born (The Christmas Story) during Junior Church. He told Shawn and I that the baby was born and was lying in the hay. "Where did he stay?", I asked. Ethan answered, "A place that looked like wood...a cave? There was no crib." (We filled in the missing pieces about "no room in the inn." This is where the "no crib" part came about.) His interpretation of the wisemen went like this - "1 and 2 and 3 men were going in the barn to see the baby." "I don't know", was his reply when asked what the men brought to the baby. I asked him what the baby's name was. He didn't know. After being asked this twice, I tried to give him suggestions:
Me: "John?"
Ethan: "No."
Me:"Justin?"
Ethan: "No."
Me:"Jesus?"
Ethan: "Jesus? No! Noah!"

Shawn had warmed up a pecan pie for dessert so Ethan said, "I want some ping-pong pie!" (PECAN pie!)






Best one of the week: "My belly hurts; it has a headache!"

P for Progress

Shawn dug the footer for the M.B. and garage - all by himself...I was proud of him. He sees something once and then does it...

Thanks to all the family who helped out while they were around for Thanksgiving!