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:)