Advent Jesse Tree

Donna gave us this gift over the weekend. It is a small Christmas tree. In the tins are individual ornaments that she made and wrapped. On the first day you open one and read a devotional, some Bible verses, and sing and pray together as a family. We went ahead and started tonight, because we will be gone tomorrow. Day 1 is a globe, symbolizing God's creation. I had never heard of anything like this, but always loved having Advent Calandars as a kid. This will be even more fun for Gates (and for us). It will give us time each day to celebrate Christmas, and the meaning behind the holiday.

pulling up

Our baby is pulling up.

New Stocking

Gates's godfather is my dear friend Mark. Mark is like a brother to me, and I am sure he will continue to be a special person to Gates. Mark's mom, Julie, is also a very special friend. I have known her well for many years, and just am so lucky to have her. She made the most wonderful Christmas Stocking for Gates. She has been working on it for months, and stitched it all by hand! Mark brought it over and delivered the special gift to Gates.
Gates and Mark. Scrabble is so jealous.Gates could not take her eyes off of Mark.

The beautiful stocking! The snowflake that says Gates, also plays music!

Happy Thanksgiving (2 days late)

We went out to Garland for a great Turkey Feast. It was wonderful to see all the family, and for Gates to meet a lot of them. Everything was so fun, and I was bummed to leave such a party, and head to work.

Do you always try and remember to give thanks and remember all of the things that you are Thankful for on Thanksgiving? If not, you should ; )...
I am thankful for all of the obvious things, and this year I was thankful for a few more.
I was (and am) thankful that I was not bipolar and unmedicated. If I were bipolar, I would hopefully try and stay on the meds. I had a small (bizarre) run-in with a bipolar girl on the plane...
I am also thankful for the Doubletree cookie. It really was just the right treat before I hit the sack. In addition to my cookie, I am thankful for the other flight attendant that abandoned her cookie, and therefore I was able to eat 2.

Gates found these maracas at MawMaws house! How much fun, these proved to be!Zak, Tucker, Pops

MawMaw, Pops, Aunt Terri, and Gates!!

Dee Dee and Pops with Gates

Zak and Brandon

Learning to Pull up on this fun table! Thanks Maw Maw for having such fun toys!

bathtime at the campground

These were also taken in the "cabin" again, thankful that we were not in a tent!!

We went Camping

Last weekend Brandon, Gates and I met the Hake family in Beaver's Bend OK. It was so much fun, and so beautiful. It was cold, and luckily we were not camping in tents in the wilderness. The Hakes found us the wonderful "cabin" and we had all the comforts of home.
Here we have Jenny, Jon, and Brandon out by the fire. Brandon LOVES camping and making fires. Smoke goes towards beauty, Jenny kept reminding us that as she was coughing it out of her face... ;)

We were greeted by this guy. Brandon was so brave and picked it right up!

Actually, this was mounted on the wall, but while we were watching a very scary movie (that Jon slept thru) a real raccoon scared the bejesus out of us by jumping onto the trashcan and getting out food...

twins....

Dads and daughters

Today, Gates and I went grocery shopping at Super Walmart for some things we needed for our trip this weekend. We got our basket full of stuff, and we paid (yes, this time I remembered my wallet). I go out to the car, and Lo, and behold...my car keys are inside the locked car... along with my cell phone. waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. If you know me, you know I am impatient, and also a worrier, and a bit of a crazy person. So, I freaked. I went to the phone with Gates and my groceries and called my mom collect (the only # I know by heart, and can also call collect)... Mom, my hero calls Brandon, my other hero. I am not sure what is happening, so I go to customer service and tell them what has occured and ask for help, maybe someone in auto has a slim jim???????? "no, we can't help" "Next" Boo on the Customer service people in the walmart in Grapevine!!!! I then hiked it over to auto where I found a young man willing to help me break into my car. 30 minutes later Gates is asleep in my arms (thank God, I had her in a hooded sweater) and the guy is working away. He makes me swear never to tell anyone that he can do this.... I will therefore, not identify this wonderful young man. My car started clicking and honking and I said "yippie you got it" Then I realized it was Brandon (hero) who had gone home got the spare clicker, and was clicking away at the car! Gates finished her nap on the way home, and I will never ever try to grocery shop again alone............. :)

Swingin' on a Sunday afternoon

We got Gates this new swing, and the verdict is in. She digs it. She swings and swings. I think she is still a little bit small for it, but it is a hit! She looked like she was having so much fun, and laughing and smiling. I asked Brandon if I got in it, if it would break. He said, (rather quickly) YES!!!!!!!!!! But, it does look relaxing and fun!!

random

Flying all around!!! Scrabble, says "Our mom is crazy" man I worked hard to get over here

everything is so neat around the house

again, ordinary objects, extraordinarily interesting!

On the Go...

Texas Tech

Ok, if you are not aware that Texas Tech is ranked number 2, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? Texas Tech pulled off the most exciting win in history on Saturday night, and we were fortunate enough to be a part of it! A small part, but a part none the less... We had the most fantastic weekend in Lubbock, my parents watched Gates and we took off Friday morning! We met lots of our friends and got to see some we had not seen in awhile! College Gameday was in Lubbock. The town was buzzing like I have never seen it buzz. It really was very neat, and I just pray and hope that they keep it up the next 2 games! Really, 3 games, but the 3rd is Baylor.... ;)
Mal and Brandon with Tara's Gameday sign. Can you figure it out? I bet you can...Gorks and Steve, it was "BlackOut Texas", Laura Gork thought that was bad luck. She was easy to spot a few rows in front of us, b/c she was in red... Molly had black on under that coat, and Steve did not go into the game!

B took this and said it is a pic of the Longhorn team bus... In reality it is a prison bus, and the cops driving got mad at us for taking a picture. They waved us forward and gave us mean looks...

Jennifer, Tara, Jenny, Mallie

Jennifer, Mallie, Jenny, Tara and the gameday bus! Big bus!

Tailgaters.

More tailgaters. Jenny and Mark, B and Ryan in the back playing washers!

That's right HEX TEX