MERRY CHRISTMAS

I hope everyone has a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
I can not believe tomorrow is Christmas Eve. I love all the before stuff..shopping, baking (I made way to many cookies again this year), decorating and then it is ALL over in a day. I usually take our tree and decorations down before New Years since we have a party but this year I might leave it up. We are picking up my dad tomorrow to spend Christmas eve with us and then Christmas day we will go to my sisters. This year will be hard with out my mom but I know "she is with us each day in someway".
Merry Christmas from my family to yours.

And the winner is TYLER

Tylers school had a raffle for a Indiana Pacers Basketball the was signed by ALL the Pacers players. I bought 12 tickets for $10 and put each kid on 6 tickets and TYLER WON. I meant to take a picture of him to post but forgot before he went to bed so I will add later. He is THRILLED that he was the winner:)

S*W*I*M

Yes, this weekend was a swim meet. Friday night, Saturday and Sunday AM we were at the POOL:)
The meet was in Bloomington which is around a hour away. Now add some snow and ice and you are out of the house by 5:15.
Nicholas did well and took off in almost everything he swam PLUS he got the high points trophy for his age group.
WTG Nicholas!!
*this photo was taken this summer.

1 Year Later

Well, today was a year since my surgery. I am down 118 pds. (YES, I have really slowed up) and I feel GREAT!!!
For me it was the best decision I have ever made. It is a PERSONAL choice and one other might not agree with and that is OK as it was the right choice for me.
What did I learn in a year.....
1.Gastic Bypass is not the easy way out. It is a TOOL and I still have to fight the desire to eat "JUNK" all the time. Some days I make better decisions then other days.
2.Fat clothes Sell on ebay:)
3. I could not have done this without ALL my friends and families support.
4.Denise will stay up WAY Past her bedtime to sit at a hospital when her friend can not stop crying. (I still owe you BIG TIME)

My 1 year goal was 120 and I did not make it but I am OK with that as I will:)

WHY

WHY is it when you are at...LETS say Cards or maybe BUNCO and you leave your camera in a room WHY do CERTAIN people (DENISE) think it is soo FUNNY to take a million pictures lets say THEIR SHOE, TRACYS Tatoo, WRAPPING PAPER,A LIZARD,A BUTTON,A SOCK, A CHRISTMAS PLATE..ETC...WHY WHY WHY.
BIGGER Question is WHY am I FRIENDS with these IDIOTS?

Christmas BuNcO

Last night was our Christmas Bunco. We had our Ornament exchange so when you BuNcOed you got to PICK one of steal from someone else. Well there were 3 of us who NEVER Buncoed the whole night...Mary, Lora and myself. I was the first of the non buncoers to pick one of the last 3 and I have to say I LOVE the ones I got the most. (Thank you Rita:)
Today Tyler helped me make MORE Brown Bread and next we are making Ginger Bread that is suppose to taste like *tarBucks. Tomorrow we are going to start on Christmas Cookies:)
*I had Tyler take the picture of ME in my new snowman sweater and NO I am not as tall as the ceiling:)

My First Christmas in Heaven

*My sister sent this to me yesterday and YES I cried. I hope my mom feels this way but it is so DAMN hard

This poem was written by a 13 year old boy who died of a brain tumor that he had battled for four years. He died on December 14, 1997. He gave this to his mom before he died. His name was Ben.

My First Christmas in Heaven
I see the countless
Christmas trees
around the world below
With tiny lights, like Heaven's stars,
reflecting on the snow

The sight is so spectacular,
please wipe away the tear
For I am spending Christmas with
Jesus Christ this year.

I hear the many Christmas songs
that people hold so dear
But the sounds of music can't compare
with the Christmas choir up here.

I have no words to tell you,
the joy their voices bring,
For it is beyond description,
to hear the angels sing.

I know how much you miss me,
I see the pain inside your heart.
But I am not so far away,
We really aren't apart.

So be happy for me, dear ones,
You know I hold you dear.
And be glad I'm spending Christmas
with Jesus Christ this year.

I sent you each a special gift,
from my heavenly home above.
I sent you each a memory
of my undying love.

After all, love is a gift more precious
than pure gold.
was always most important
the stories Jesus told.

Please love and keep each other,
my Father said to do.
I can't count the blessing or love
has for each of you.

So have a Merry Christmas and
Wipe away that tear
Remember, I am spending Christmas with
Jesus Christ this year

We Got ELFED:)

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1157064534

Christmas Picture

I had our Christmas picture made today and I have to say I am not thrilled with it at all BUT it is DONE. This is probally my least favorite card I have had done but Hank leaves tomorrow so it will do. Here is a couple of the ones we did not use:)

Brown Bread

My mom made Brown Bread every year and gave out to everyone:) Well I got the brown bread recipe and it means to much to me so I made Brown Bread for the first time this year. I sent all but 1 small and 1 large loaf home with my dad to give to his neighbors. When my mom was really bad at the end her neighbor said "Christmas will not be the same with out Marys Brown Bread". Well Shirley is getting Marys Brown Bread but it is just made by ME:)

Thanksgiving Dinner take 2!!

Saturday night we went to my sisters for ANOTHER Thanksgiving dinner and I have to say I thought everything tasted better as I did not have to cook...All I brought was our NEW Drink:)
Lindsey brought her new boyfriend and we all liked him a lot. He seemed really nice and we all loved his GA accent. I sat at the KIDS table and have to say I enjoyed myself as Kaitlin, Nicholas and Tyler were great company and you can get by with a little more there. I had more fun making fun of our GRAVY boat which was LITTLE!!!
We took a few pictures of the 4 grandkids together and I ordered a sweatshirt for my dad for Christmas from the kids with the on it. He is SO HARD to buy for and he wants NOTHING.
Saturday was defiantly a hard dinner without my mom. We all knew she was missing and we had a toast with Ice Wine (thanks Sadie) to her!

Thanksgiving Dinner

I had Thanksgiving dinner at my house as my sister and I trade off each year for Thanksgiving and Christmas. She is actually having one at her house today as my neice and her "friend" are in from Altanta and both of my sisters girls went to their dads.
So for Thanksgiving we had the Jarrards, Conroys my dad and my sister. Hank deep fried a turkey and it was GOOD!!
I made a NEW drink and it was 1 1/2 ounces of Watermelon Vodka, 1/2 ounce of Triple Sec and 3 ounces of Cranberry Juice:) Guess what I am taking to my sisters today!!!

Tyler the Pioneer

Tyler's class went to Simmons 1 room school house today. They had to dress up as pioneers and spent the whole day acting and learning like pioneer kids. He LOVED it:)

1 Wish

Tyler told me today that I know if you had 1 wish you would wish for Grandma to come back to life. I just smiled at him and Hank who it not paying 1 bit of attention says I think she would wish for a new computer (WRONG HANK) and he says to Tyler what would you wish for...Tyler says the same as Mom. I cried and I am sure Hank who STILL is not paying attention thinks Tyler wants a new computer too.
This is so much harder then I ever thought it would be.

My Floor

Hank layed the Floor in the familyroom Saturday AND can I say I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!!
I bought the rug this week and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it too:)
Nicholas had a swim meet this weekend so I went there and timed with DENISE and all I can say is we had pretty darn much FUN. Saturday she brought the smoothies and I brought them on Sunday. Our new motto is "Friends who Smoothie together STAY together"!!
Friday night I had a "moms night out" with Denise, Joanne, Mary and Barb and it was another FUN night.
So it was a GOOD WEEKEND at my house!!!

Thanksgiving Hangman

Halloween

Happy Halloween a day late. We had a beautiful night for Halloween here. Perfect temp. NO rain and lots of kids were out:) I actually think it was the most we have had in a while. Not that I think that MOST of them live by us. When a car is following LAZY parent is driving behind a kid odds are they do not live by you.
Nicholas "walked" around with friends but did not trick or treat and Tyler went as a Zombie. (FYI when the mom does not remember to buy Halloween make up MARY KAY works GREAT...goes on better and can make a 10 year old boy look half dead:)
Tyler came home..emptied his candy and said "can you believe someone gave me RAISINS. I had to run to the store to buy 300 hot dog buns for the FALL FESTIVAL and told him the next big kid that comes to the door that has a car following him RE- TREAT him with the raisins:)
Hope you had a Happy Halloween also!!
The Fall Festival and Chili Dinner is TOMORROW night. I decided this week that I am not messing with the popcorn popper at school so I am actually going to pop popcorn at home and fill plastic hands and sell them at the bake sale. It is a PAIN to clean the popper..we always BURN a few batches and it is another worker we need so we are not using it. I will be SO GLAD when this is over. I have to say I am PRETTY *amn organized and as of now have ALL my volunteers and even a few extra. Now they are need to show up and remember to bring there donations in of Chili, Bake Sale items, Soda and Water!!!

BuNcO

Tonight was Bunco again and even if I have to say so myself WE HAD FUN!!! Bev was the Big winner with the MOST BUNCOS (4) so she gets the TROPHY for the month, Joanne had the the LAST BUNCO, Tracy and Terry were tied for MOST WINS and Terry won is a Roll Off and I have to say Terry can shake it when she wants:) Mary had the MOST LOSSES and Lora won the THANK YOU FOR SHOWING UP prize.
Some of the highlights was Mary with the GUN, Samantha saying the "F" word even thought she "claims" to only say it ONCE A YEAR!! The deer with the Candy Corn up its nose..(dont even ask) and the VOTE at the end of the night to see who was glad Kathy B did not show up..lol(Kathy I told them I thought it was MEAN and they MADE me raise my hand) PLUS the witch hat or as we said it as the *itch hat that we got to wear when we BUNCOED was FUN!!! Kathy we can hardly wait to see what we get to wear NEXT Month for the Christmas Bunco...Hint Hint..
and YES, Kathy, Tracy did OK handing out the money at the end of the night even thought she was getting candy corn pitched at her.

This week

I have been so *amn busy...Hank is in China again and gets back SATURDAY and I am sooo ready for a break! All I seem to do in run a kid here or there. The Fall Festival at Tylers school that I am heading up is NEXT FRIDAY and I am soo ready for it to be OVER. Trying to get enough parent volunteers SUCKS! We all would LOVE to come to a event and spend the whole time with our kids BUT someone has to work these things so that everyone can enjoy themselves.
I am ALSO having a Garage sale this weekend and have CRAP all over my house. I have been ebaying A LOT and have piles everywhere.
This morning was my MORNING FROM HELL...Nicholas opened the fridge and knocked a GALLON container of homemade chicken and noodle soupon the floor. He stands there and says should I get "A" paper towel..A PAPER TOWEL!!!!. After my 15 mins. of me screaming and cleaning I shook a container of hot chocolate and it exploded ALL over the floor...so I clean that up and Tyler knocks a container of bread crumbs from the pantry ALL over the FLOOR. I have never been as happy to leave my house and go to work as I was today. Maxie has in HOG HEVEN as she licked the floor till I came home and MOPPED!!!
BTW....Yesterday was my 20th anniversary:) Hank is in China so it was very romantic..me and the kids and homemade soup BEFORE it hit the floor!!!

Weekend Updates

We had a BUSY weekend. Friday night I went out with a few friends for a couple drinks and dinner at our favorite Mexican Rest.
Saturday we (as in Nicholas and I) were up at 5:00 since he had PRACTICE before his swim meet:( Hank took Tyler to his last soccer game and they won again!!!!
Saturday night we went to Ethnic Expo downtown and it was a BEAUTIFUL night and good food.
Sunday AM it was back to the POOL and then we went to APPLEWORKS to get some Apples.
Nicholas did VERY well for the first meet of the year, He got 3rd place for high points for his age group which was good since the 500 and mile were OPEN so they did not count for points. The picture of him is him swimmming the mile.
The other pictures are of Tyler at Appleworks (Nicholas stayed home to do homework).

10 Months TODAY

Well, it is hard to believe but today is 10 months since my surgery:)
In some ways it seems like FOREVER and others it seems like I just had it done. I feel Great, which is wonderful as I did not feel so good 8/9 and 10 months ago. I do not regret once for having the surgery. Yes, it was HARD the first few months with the problems I had. I would still do it again in a minute.
Sooo, now for the BIG question? How much have I lost. Well I think I FINALLY lost Mary Jarrard* as I think she weighs 112. My wieght loss has soo slowed down. I am a emotional eater and this summer was not good. My goal was to be -125 by Christmas and I can say I do not think I will make it but that is OK. I am 13 pds. from there so we will see.
*All I can say is a mom of 2 teenagers should not weigh 112 and look like Mary and the really crappy thing is that she is so DAMN Nice. You so want to not like her but you can't help it.

Clothes, Clothes and MORE CLOTHES

I have been "working" in my closet for a few weeks...Use the word "working" lightly as I have been more walking past it and thinking OMG I need to do something and pulling out some stuff and making a pile on my floor. I realized this week I really needed to do something as the piles were taking over our bedroom. I yelled at Tyler to clean his room this weekend and he said "hello, have you seen yours". I have not 1 thing from last winter to keep...how hard would it have been to take everything out and dump it BUT noooooo, I need to put in piles according to sizes and figure out if I am going to EBay most of it or garage sale it. I already have 5 things listed. I did my coats last week and ordered a new jacket online but need to find a coat. I hate wearing a heavy coat so I think moving someplace WARM would be the right choice:)

Tyler and Jacob

Tyler and his best friend Jacob are FINALLY on the same SOCCER team. Jacob's moms took this picture today after their game on a beautiful day at the soccer fields:)

BuNcO

Tonight was BuNcO again. I had it at my house and FUN was had:) This month we added a BuNcO Queen Trophy that you get to take home each month....and the LUCKY Winner was JOANNE!!!!!!!!!!!!! She ended you with 3 buncos and the last bunco. WTG Joanne!!
SUe had most wins (18) and I had most loses (19 out of 24). Bev won the "Thank you for coming".
I made a new Brownie Cheesecake recipe and I have to say I was IMPRESSED with myself. I also made white chocolate popcorn and Stuffed Mushrooms.