My Long Hair Friday, December 29, 2006

Just for my sissy who requested them, and apparently the ONLY one who has been here yet (so if you have and I don't know it leave us some love by clicking on "love" underneath this next to the time), here are pictures of my long hair. I grew out my hair for the last two years with my amazing hairdresser in Cali cutting a quarter of an inch off every few months to keep it looking behaved. I haven't had long hair since I was 13, now that I'm back in yeehaw state I've had trouble finding a hairdresser who can keep it tamed so it's chopped off again. I tried to go in stages this time, but I hated the layers in the back so I found somebody to cut it without chopping it off too much.

Sexy hubby and me. I love this picture of us!

My gorgeous Mommy and I
My Texas girlie. Oh yes that was a frosting fight. Okay okay we did it JUST for the camera. Still!!

The Texas fam and Mom & Dad

We May've Been Given a Dog For Christmas Thursday, December 28, 2006

Mikey came downstairs Christmas Eve morning with a puppy in his arms asking if we could watch her while he's away the next few days and asking to talk to Brandon and I. Then he said that was his thought of a Christmas present to us and the boys if we wanted and that he has everything for her, the huge kennel, the dog bowl, the leash and collar, complete shots and free vet visit. He adopted her from a Christmas adoption thing.

She's colored black and brown, the same as Shawn's little puppy, Brownie, that Brandon bought him six months ago and has been with him ever since. We've been watching her the last few days on a "trial period" and she is sooooo sweet. She's so good about going potty outside, though she still needs to learn to only go outside, she's an angel about sleeping in her kennel at night with no whining unless she needs to go potty, and she follows me around the house. It's kind of nice to have someone cute and cuddly and not wrestling follow me around.

We've made a huge list of pros and cons of having a dog and figured out some of the obstacles. There's no getting around the cost, but Mikey already took care of a huge chunk of it and arranged for some of the other costs involved to be taken care of. We've been wanting a pet for quite awhile now, I was even willing to settle for a bunny, but have balked at the cost and the trouble!! This took care of both.

Her name? Brownie. She's still on trial! We learned Mikey is going back to California in April so maybe she will make up for that a little.

Cuteness

Opening Santa presents with the boys.

Her "spot" that she claimed from the first hour she walked in. Shawn was watching her sleep and then ever so gently leaned down and scratched her head.
Playing with the boys.

Sleepy girl. Puppies are like babies. They sleep a lot. At least she does! She takes three or four naps a day.

Shawn Cuteness Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Shawn says to Brandon while watching him shave his face "Why do you do that every day?" then without getting an answer, "Oh yeah, I know. So you won't scratch us with your scratchers."

Day After Christmas Tuesday, December 26, 2006

What a wonderful holiday we had! Two days of purely doing nothing. Saturday we painted pottery thanks to gift certificates Oma gave us over the summer at The Mad Potter. Sunday and Monday we literally did nothing except for open gifts, play games, eat Christmas breakfast just like Grandma's with bacon, sausage, pancakes, and biscuits and gravy (I just realized we forgot the eggs!) and Christmas dinner with ham, bacon and feta green beans, and sweet potato souffle, and enjoy the feeling of not having to do anything.

I'll leave you with pictures from the week before Christmas when we went to see the Walkway of Lights with our tenant, Art. It was a warm 80 degrees that day! Art paid the carollers at the hot chocolate stand to sing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the boys got to see Santa again, although Shawn insists that is not the real Santa because he didn't have the right boots on. According to him the Santa at Lakeline Mall is the real Santa because he had black cowboy boots. The Santa at Lakeline Mall is so good I just have to agree with Shawn on that one. Shawn also saw the big Christmas Tree made out of lights and informed us, "I know no one is bigger than that tree. Only God is bigger." I love the looks of wonder on their faces as they look at the lights.

The LIst Monday, December 25, 2006

Playing Opa's video game on Christmas Eve.
The hit of the evening - Transformers. Even Daddy fought over them.
Mr. Musician and his brand new guitar that he's been asking for for a year. Thanks Oma!!
Pondering on what to do with my Border's gift card from Aunt Tami. Thanks Aunt Tami! I think I'll buy candy with it...
The present wrapped like a candy but ended up being a Batman gift. How much more perfect could we get for Shawn?

Santa Got Stollen for Christmas

Shawn was worried that we didn't have cookies for Santa so he wrote him a note that said this stollen is for you Santa, sorry it's not cookies. Justin wrote him a note that said Merry Christmas. As you can see Santa was just fine with the stollen.

The Morning of Christmas Eve Sunday, December 24, 2006

We opened gifts from Opa this morning and Shawn is completely engrossed in his gift. Justin is happy with his Learning Case and says, "Yay! Math!" The stollen is yummy, the coffee is warm, the Christmas tree is full of presents - and this is a tough year. Our lives are full of people who love us and it's a beautiful day to cozy in and be.

stollen: An annual holiday tradition hailing from Germany, stollen is a sweet dessert bread made with nuts, raisins and other dried fruits. Oebel is a world favorite, known for their delicious varieties (the moist marzipan is especially popular), superior quality and rich buttery flavor. Try it toasted for Christmas morning breakfast, or use for a memorable French toast, as well as for dessert, snacking and gift giving throughout the holidays.