Christmas 2009

It's Christmas time again!!! This year has been a nice white winter. We have had snow and plenty of cold. The girls are super excited about Christmas this year. Misty wrote Santa a letter at school and he answered her back...imagine that!!!! Beth got to see Santa at Breakfast with Santa. We have had a nice Christams break as well. So good to have a little bit of time off to spend with the family. Paul brought home a Japanese Pachinko machine from work. It was a prize at his Christmas party, but the winner didn't want it. I can only imagaine why....lol! Paul's brother and his wife came down to spend Christmas with us this year. So his parents had all of the grandkids home!!! Everyone came to our house for Christmas dinner. The kids made a gingerbread house and cookies. They also did the traditional pickle hunt on the tree!!! It was a great christmas with family!!!

Our Christmas Tree...


My beautiful babies!


Making cookies for Santa.


The pachinko machine.


Christmas morning...


The kids table...cousins!


Doug and Julie


Beth and Tyler making the Gingerbread house.


The kids hunting for the pickle on the tree...

Snow Day!!!! December 4, 2009

It's snowing!!!! Who would have thought it, snowing two years in a row, in Houston. My girls are going to expect it every year now. It starting snowing around 10:30 am at work today. They decided to let the kids go home early from school at 1:00. After picking the girls up at their gradparents, we went home and played in the snow!!! The girls made a snowman, and I must say they did a great job!!!! Paul missed the snow, he was in New Jersey for work, but we took a bunch of pictures to show him when he got home.


We didn't get much snow in the front yard because of all of the trees...but you can see it all on the roof.

Our backyard

The girls working on Mr. Snowman...

They were so proud of their snowman!!!

Thanksgiving 2009

We had a great Thanksgiving this year. Paul's dad fried a turkey, which is always a treat!!! Paul's mom and I split up all of the side dishes to cook. I was able to use my parents dishes this year. Growing up, we used to always use them for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner each year. I was so happy to be able to carry on the tradition. We also started a new tradition, serving Bobby Huff's (Paul's Dad's cousin) pineapple bread pudding. It is to die for!!!! I think we had so much food left over that we were eating Turkey for at least a week. I always love Thanksgiving...after all, it is my favorite holiday!


Paul carving the turkey!

The table set with my parents dishes.

Dinner is served!!!!

The year is flying by...

This school year is flying by so fast! My classes are going pretty well this year. Of course you always have that one class that loves to push your buttons. Misty is enjoying 2nd grade in Ms. Hernandez's class, and Beth loves Kindergarten with Ms. Roux.

Both of the girls have recently joined Girl Scouts. Beth is a Daisy and Misty is a Brownie. I have signed up to be Cookie Mom for Misty's troop. Who knows what I have gotten myself into!!!


Beth, my little Daisy. She was so excited!!!!

Misty, my little Brownie!!!

We finally got our formal dinning room completed. Nothing like living in the house for 6 years with an empty room collecting junk! I am so happy that I am finally able to display my parents china they got for their wedding. It was one of the things I have always wanted to do, so I could continue the tradition of using it at Thanksgiving and Christmas.



Time is just flying by. Anyway...haven't posted in a while and just wanted to get caught up!

Back to Work...My Summer is officially over!

This week I had to go back to work, officially!!! We had a very busy week of teacher planning, workshops, preparing rooms, and preparing ourselves. This year I am the 7th grade math lead again, but I also have been chosen to be the 7th grade Silver House lead. I am going to be one busy girl! I am going to try to stay positive (that's a hard one for me). As of this afternoon (I didn't leave work until 5:45), my room is ready, my copies are ready for Monday, but I am not too sure I am. I am however, looking forward to a great year!!!

Math Planning and Sweet Oolong Revolution

This week I had to go into work for math planning. We have two new members on our 7th grade team this year, Anne and Richard. I think they are going to fit in well. We got a lot accomplished in three days. Along with planning came getting up early again...ugggg! I got to put my new Zarafina electric tea maker to good use though! I think I have found a new tea to take the place of my McDonald's coffee. Yes, I said replace my McDonald's coffee!!! I have come to the conclusion that I need to start eating and drinking healthier, especially since I am diabetic. I tried a new tea from Teavana this week, Sweet Oolong Revolution and it is wonderful!!! Not to mention good for you!!! Anyway, planning was a success and I am looking forward to a great year with my new teammates and my new tea!

Trip to Arkansas

We just got back from our second trip to Arkansas this year! Paul's dad is from Arkansas and has many relatives that still live there.

On our way, we stopped at Murphysboro to dig for diamonds at the Crater of Diamonds State Park. Paul really wanted to do that this time. We stayed at a very interesting place...to say the least, Diamond John's. We stayed in a cabin which was on the River. We got to see many animals roaming free while we were there; peacocks, ducks, geese, a rabbit, hens, roosters, and a goat. Needless to say, the girls loved it!!! They got to do a gem hunt at night with flashlights and were very successful. The day we were going to hunt for diamonds...the sky decided to fall out into a flood!!! We managed to make it out though and dug in the mud for diamonds. Nope, we didn't find any, but had a great time playing in the mud! The girls kept asking if it was OK for them to get dirty.

We then headed to Cherokee Village to relax with family on the lake. We stayed in a rented four bedroom house with Paul's parents and his Uncle Gary and Aunt Karen. We shopped in Hardy, went fishing, rented a boat for a day and went tubing, and swam in the lake. Beth also got to see real live horses up close at Delora's house (one of Roger's cousins). She loves horses, so this was a special treat. The last evening we were there the family came over for dinner. We had a great time visiting with family and ate some wonderful food!!! We can't wait for the next trip....


Diamond John's Murphysboro, Arkansas

Our cabin and the beautiful River















Our rent house in Cherokee Village



Paul and I and our little fishes!



Misty tubing for the first time!

Beth tubing for the first time...she wasn't too sure about it!

Misty going it alone...what a brave girl!

Yogi's Jellystone Park

The girls and I packed up and headed to Yogi's Jellystone Park with Vanessa and her boys for a few days. Once we arrived we unpacked the car and put away things...you know I have to have everything in its place. Once we were finished we took the kids down to the water park. I couldn't believe that Misty and Beth went down the big slide this year. They loved it!!! After a few hours at the water park, we headed back to the cabin for dinner. After dinner we had Beth's "donut" cake...it was her own creation, with marshmallows and chocolate chips. It was decorated like her favorite donut, pink icing with sprinkles. The girls enjoyed snuggling up with their Yogi quilts that MaMoo made for them. Day two, we started off with a trip to the petting zoo. The girls loved the donkey, they got to feed and pet him. We then tried the new huge blow up Dino slide. After lunch we decided to hit the water park again!!! After too many hours at the water park we headed back to the cabin. The boys got a little extra sunburn....OUCH!!! The kids were so tired they played Uno and went to bed after dinner. The next day we packed it up and headed back to Houston! I had a great time visiting with Vanessa and the girls enjoyed having the boys to play with. It was a nice quick trip packed with a lot of fun!


Steven, Beth, Misty, and Brandon







Beth getting ready to go on the big slide!



Misty getting ready to go on the big slide!