Donuts and friends

I've enjoyed the week before Christmas. The kids and I stayed really busy. One day we took on our summer fun day by going to Fuquay Varina.....we started with Krispy Kreme donuts and then went to the thrift stores. After that we went to get groceries at HT. My kids love doing this. Tuesday night we met my friend Rudine and her daughter Sarah. We had a nice dinner together and then went to see the Chipmunks with the girls. Jenna loved having "girl time" that included her and a friend.

Christmas Memories 2011

My brother Mark came over a couple of weeks ago and baked cookies with Jacob and Jenna (Josh was at a friend's house) and Jack and I got out for a night. I didn't get too many pictures on Christmas morning.....mainly because there is something about getting up at 4 am:). Yep, the kids were up at 4 am. (better than 3 am last year). They opened all their gifts and then Jack and I went back to bed (and Jenna did too). It was a very nice Christmas. I'm like the kids though.....it goes by way too quickly:)

Kids

Since I've shown pictures of Jack and me and pictures of the family, it's time to show pictures of the three kids. I think they all turned out great! These were just a few of the many shots she got. Sure love my kids!

Company Party

Jack's company had a Christmas dinner on December 3rd. That was such a busy day for us. We had to leave play practice and then after the party, Josh and I left for the Clemson game. The party was held at the Shriners Club in Raleigh. I really liked how they made this a family event. They did family photos (which turned out awful) and then had clowns making balloons for the kids as well as kids crafts. They even had a kids friendly buffet line and an adult buffet line.....which was so good!! They had a magician for the kids and then every kid got a wrapped present (1-18 years of age). Josh got a cool dart game and Jacob and Jenna also rec'd some nice games. Of course at the end, Santa came to visit. Thumbs up to Golden Corral on this one:)

Family pictures

Last time I showed pictures of my sweetheart and now I would like to show some of our family shots. I have some things come up the last couple of weeks where I just had to say "thank you God for my family". I'm very very blessed. I always wanted to be a wife and mom and didn't think it was going to happen to me, but it did and I am very grateful to have my family.

my best friend

We wanted our family pictures taken once again this year. I always admired these outside professional shots, but I knew there was no way we could ever afford it. After talking to a couple of people, we got our friend Michelle to take some pictures for us. I thought this would be a bust. Our first "appointment" we had to cancel because it was so cold and the winds were very very blustery. We re-scheduled two weeks later. Again, I thought it would be a bust because we were supposed to go to Clemmons Forest. Michelle beat us there by 3 minutes and called me on my cell to tell me the park was closed until March!! Seriously? So, we went to Clayton Community Park.......but oh my word, I couldn't have asked for better photos. These are only a few of what we got. I was so impressed! She got some of the three kids together, the family, Jack and I together, the kids individual and other shots. So what better way to start than to post about the love of my life. How did I ever get so blessed?

Christmas Program

Last Sunday the kids had their Christmas program at church. They all did such a good job.

Clemson mom?

I don't know if I'll ever be a future "Clemson mom" but right now, I guess I am in another way a 'clemson mom". Before I tell you about the time Joshua and I spent together going to the ACC Championship Game, let me tell you how God worked it out for us to go. Joshua wanted to go to this game for a long time, in fact, he wanted this for Christmas more than anything. Once Clemson "clinched" going to the championship game, I looked into tickets. Once Clemson clinched the tickets were like $80-90 per seat in the nosebleed section!! I told Joshua we just could not pay this (on top of gas and food). He was ok with it and I made arrangements for him to see the game on TV (since we don't get cable). Thursday, I get an email from a friend who knew someone who had tickets and said they were seven rows back on the 20 yard line (incredible) and to "make and offer". I knew that there was no possible way to afford these. I knew I would insult the person. Jack and I talked it over and decided that we would offer $75 for the pair, but that would be an insult. Before I got the chance to email, our friend said that the man would take $60 for the pair.......can you believe it? Wait!! It gets better......I saw our friend Saturday and he said he needed to talk to me. He handed me back the $60 and said the man said "Merry Christmas"......wow!! I took this chance to talk to Josh and told him how God wanted him to go to this, and how God cares about even about the little children and what is special to them!!

Saturday we went to the Christmas rehearsal, ran out of there and went to Jack's company party..(more on this on another post). Josh and I went to my dads to change clothes and we headed off to the 8 pm game to Charlotte. We got there around 5 and later caught up with our friends, Scott, Traci and Travis. The game was great, mainly because Clemson won and goes to the Orange Bowl. Josh wanted to stay to see the trophy and try to get some autographs. He did get two and was so happy!! We drove back and got in at 3 am!! It was fun to spend time with him. Funny part is that he wanted me to go and not Jack!!