Good Times with Good Friends

I love my best friends....My #1 best friend is my husband....but I also have 4 best friends who also call me "sister", bff's from childhood, those from college, and those I have met in recent years...A best friend is hard to find....I am lucky enough to have several best girlfriends who I can confide in, feel comfortable with in every way, who I can talk to for hours on end and don't even know a minute has past, and who most of all love me for who I am....I have been blessed beyond measure!

To make things even better, I have a best friend who moved in to my neighborhood a month ago. She lives one street over, has 3 amazing babies, and brings so much joy to my life! Here we are with ALL of our babies at the zoo....What a fun time in my life...I'm trying not to blink...I don't want it to be over!

Alex Nabavi - Highlight Videos & Athlete Profile - Hudl

Alex Nabavi - Highlight Videos & Athlete Profile - Hudl

Crazy, Crazy, and more Crazy!

These last two weeks have been nuts....With 4 of the boys playing baseball and 3 of the boys playing football, it seems like we never have a night without some kind of sporting event......and games haven't even started yet! I love it, and wouldn't have it any other way, but it sure does make our lives crazy, crazy, crazy BUSY!

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Kate has officially given up her binky! We started taking it away during the day, and then a 4 days ago took it away at nighttime....she was not extremely happy with me..LOL!.... She has gone to bed the last two nights without any crying! I am so happy to be able to see her sweet smiling face ALL the time now!

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Brian is still doing great in pre-school...I was afraid the excitement would wear off and he would go back to his old ways, but he hasn't shed a tear and is so excited to go to school every time!

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I started a boot camp class on Wednesday.....I am going back tomorrow...It kicked my booty, to say the least! but as a friend keeps telling me...No Pain, No Gain!

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College football season officially starts this Saturday!...I can hardly wait to be sitting in the stands! Boomer Sooner!

I'm a Sooner born and Sooner bred
and when I die, I'll be Sooner dead
Rah Oklahoma, Rah Oklahoma
Rah Oklahoma, OK U!

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I have had tons and tons of hat and dress orders....I am crazy crazy crazy BUSY trying to get them all done!

First Day(s) of School

The 3 big boys ready for their first days of 4th grade, 2nd grade, and Kindergarten. Ready and smiling for a new year.

Brian on his first day of pre-school...He was a little less excited than his brothers, but did great. I've been a nervous wreck all summer waiting for school to start. He's a little lot bit of a mama's boy. Has a hard time being away from me...and tends to cry a little a lot when I leave him...but God put him in the hands of the perfect teachers, and he went in without a tear. I left in such relief that I couldn't keep the tears from flowing....Such a blessing to find teachers who love your kids the way you do!

Alex has a great hit, followed by a great steal!....

Almost 2!

Nick's First Kid Pitch Game

Nick played in his first Kid Pitch Tournament this weekend...So much more fun to watch! He did great pitching and had an awesome hit...so proud of him!

Kissing Kate

Super Sweet Brother Brian.....not sure sure sister Kate!

Sliders Win!

After 9 very hot hours in almost 100 degree heat on Sunday, the Sliders's took home a 1st place trophy!!!----Tourney Champs!!!..Things are starting to wind down on baseball season...and just in time for really hot temperatures......well.....except this week..We have 13 games this week! But next week we'll be sitting pretty in the pool!

To Blog or Not to Blog....that is the question.

I have gone through times in my life where I really felt the need to write "stuff" down...Then I go through short (or long) times where I dread the thought of even taking the time to write....Then I start feeling guilty about all the things I have missed by not writing...and then I get overwhelmed by what I haven't documented and I just can't get started.....It's a vicous circle!

So, I have decided that all this stress and guilt has got to stop. I have decided to just write when I feel like writing and not feel guilty when I don't.....those little spaces in time when I'm not blogging will just have to be little gaps.. Over a lifetime those little gaps will not even be noticed. So here I go....maybe for a day...maybe a week, maybe even a month...we shall see....
Here's a recent picture of my babes....growing too fast.

Brian.......oooopppps!

No Snow Day

There is a dusting of snow at our house....

but not enough for sledding :*(

All 4 boys got sleds for Christmas. They can't wait to use them. In fact, they pulled out the sleds last night in anticipation of a snow day. When they awoke this morning I could hear them rattling around the windows looking for piles and piles of snow. They were definitely disappointed. It's snowing as I write, so maybe by this afternoon there will be enough for a little sledding and sliding!

Project 365

Click on the link below to see my first "Project 365" post!

http://project3654guysandadoll.blogspot.com/2011/01/jan-4-2011.html

Gorgeous Kate

I love this girl....A picture from Christmas Eve....Kate loves her baby doll!

Giggles

This picture makes my heart sing....love both these boys :)

Sweetness

Mary Did You Know?....love this song!

You'll have to pause my playlist to watch....

5 Question Friday

I have been reading others 5 question Friday posts for awhile...
So I thought I would join in this week...Here ya go!
Linking up here.......

1. Do you open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Both! We have a big celebration on Christmas Eve with my family, my husbands' family, and all the uncles, aunts, and cousins. Either Papa, one of the Uncles, or the Hubs dresses up as Santa and brings his big bag of toys to the kids (gifts are from the family--not Santa ha!). We have our big dinner on Christmas Eve and do all of our extended family celebrating that night...

On Christmas Day, Santa brings the presents. We spend time just as our "little" family in our jammies...I usually make a breakfast casserole and we just hang out and let the kids play with their new toys. Last year we went sledding that afternoon...but we don't often have a white Christmas.

2. What is your favorite Christmas cookie (or candy)?

My favorite all time cookies are sugar cookies with frosting...yum yum...and for candy...FUDGE...

Oh my!

Dieting til Christmas so I can eat my weight in both ;)

3. What's the worst Christmas gift you've ever received?

I am TRULY not one of those people who gets upset about the gifts they receive and whether or not they live up to my standards...I truly believe the other person tried their hardest to get me something thoughtful....On top of that, I don't even care about receiving gifts...so I'm no fun for this question.

4. Christmas song that you love?
This would have to be "Silent Night"....It always makes me think about Mary . What was going on in her mind as she held my Savior in her arms, kissed his sweet little head, and breathed in His new baby smell? Tear up almost every time I hear it.

5. How many trees do you put up?

This varies from year to year....this year it is two...one for upstairs and one for down...We have our big tree in the living room and a smaller one in the upstairs loft for the kids....neither one of them have ornaments on the lower 1/3 ;)

and the stockings were hung.....

P-E-A-C-E

I can't remember what was going through my mind when I bought those "PEACE" stocking holders almost 12 years ago, but I obviously had more foresight at 24 years old than I gave myself credit for.... I bought them shortly after the Hubs and I got married.....I bought them before we even started discussing baby #1...but somehow,

I knew....

Every year I would take them out of the Christmas box and look at them. I thought about putting them up after Nathan was born and getting some stockings for the Hubs and I...

But I didn't.

I waited

I waited until last year, when we finally had enough stockings to fill them up.......I've always known I wanted a big family....I've always known one way or the other we would fill up each of those letters. Even way back then....before I knew where life was going to take us....I knew.

Those stocking holders aren't even my style anymore...I'm all about rod iron and dark wood...and these are a bright silver...( I have 4 AWESOME rod iron snowflake ones that I love!)...But when you have held on to them for close to 12 years waiting to use them.....well,....you use them. Maybe next year I'll spray paint them black or change them in some way....but for now..I love sitting in front of that fireplace looking at ALL those names and remembering the wonderful, exciting, fulfilling years it has taken to fill them up...

WW- Sweet and Sassy

OH MY---Look at those eyes!!!!