Christmas Day 2011

Merry Christmas 2011. Leia wanted a scooter this year. I had to throw her old one away. It rusted so bad from being outside. I was scared she'd have to get a tetanus shot every time she rode it. So now she is excited to have a new one and the wheels light up. Santa found it at Target for a steal of a deal. That makes momma extra happy.
She loves painting. She can't wait to start her first project.

Leia excited about her books. She already has a recipe that she wants to cook.

She loves her new pillow. She was super excited that it had her name on it and that it was spelled correctly. She has taken it everywhere.

Leia got lots of great clothes.

Uncle Doug and Aunt Pam got our fur babies bones and a catnip mouse. They were so excited.

Chris got a book about Military Turning Civilian. He needs that. We have a little under 5 months left.

I can't wait to teach her how to play.I think I'm still the remaining champ (at least in my head) at Mamaws. Want to play???

D enjoying the excitement.

Leia excited over a new DSI game.

Thank you everyone for making it a wonderful Christmas.

Swan Lake

We went to Swan Lake today. Chris had never walked it and it was such a nice day today (77 degrees)that it just seemed like the most perfect thing to do. Some very fragrant, sweet smelling flowers.Esp the white ones

It's so peaceful here. A partridge in a swamp tree!!!

I love this picture. I think Leia looks a lot like Chris in this photo.

I think Chris wants to be like the Turtle Man on TV. At least Chris has all his teeth.

These guys came up to Chris and were just Honking away at him.

We all had a good time walking the park.Sumter does have a few nice things. I can't wait to explore Ohio.

D

Last night I decided that Leia could sleep under the tree that's in the livingroom. She asked if she could do it Christmas Eve so she could meet Santa.So you know the answer to that question.NO honey,but how about tonight. We started bedtime a little after 9. Then she scooted the bed up to the couch and was half on the couch half on the bed. At 11:30she was still awake,so I made her get completely on the couch and turned off the Christmas tree lights. After midnight she was up again in our room and I told her to pick any bed, I didn't care where she slept,and that she just needed to get to sleep. I dozed off and Chris went out to the daybed out in the "office room". He said that Leia got up 6 more times and that he didn't sleep at all. This morning when I checked in on Leia she was sound asleep on the couch with D half under the blanket by her legs about ready to push her off the couch.I had fuzzy hopes that Leia would have had a great time sleeping under (near) the tree and it be a found memory. Instead it was a night of sleeplessness on everyones part. So after Leia woke up I went to fix her breakfast. When I got back this is where I found D. Catching up on his needed sleep. Bed hogger. For a little guy he takes up the whole thing.

Yes Bubba, I caught you!!!

Umm!!! Anyway I think Leia did have a good time. It didn't go how I thought it would, but I think she loved it anyway.Tonight she gets her own bed so everyone can get some ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ's



Yes 3 posts in one morning what's going on. It's called Winter Break. Chris has it off (and is asleep) and we'll catch up on her school work later in the break when Chris is back at work.

Holding on

This is Leia running and loving the beach. This is me taking pictures of my baby girl to make memories.
Ya see, it reminds me of this picture below. It's hard to believe so much time has passed, My baby girl is no longer a baby and is now 9 in a blink of an eye.

Myrtle Beach Dec 2011

Over the weekend I told Chris I wanted a fish sandwich. Next thing I know we are driving to Myrtle Beach. We were told of The Flying Fish. It was highly recommended. We found it. By now its almost 2 in the afternoon and we wanted some lunch. We were the only customers there. Their lunch menu was dirt cheap and the view was a million dollar view overlooking the inter coastal waterway. It was a very romantic atmosphere. One we haven't been to in years.OH and the Grouper sandwiches were out of this world. One of the best we've ever had. They were so big I could only eat half of it. So we hit some quirky shops that were near it. We had so much fun browsing and giggling. They were mainly tourist stuff with funny shirts, signs, toys,etc... They even had a shop that everything in it was purple.We found a cool shop that sold only Native American things. One of the things on Leia's list was a dream catcher.So I bought her a unique one there. It is 2 circles overlapping of a dream catcher with a crystal hanging from the middle. It is a unique style with a saying of a mom and dad lovingly looking over and protecting their child. It was blessed and prayed for by the Indians. We lost track of time and we wanted to hit the beach before we left. Chris noticed the sun was about to set so we headed toward the beach. Leia ran and jumped in the waves and just was having a blast. (The water was freezing cold, but she didn't care.She knew we brought extra clothes for her) She's writing you a message here. I ditto that.




I love pictures of Chris and Leia holding hands and getting the back of them. I've been taking them ever since Leia was little. Now that she's older I have to beg for this style of picture. She'd rather be running in the waves and being free and independent. But she lovingly will still hold our hands when we ask. She's growing us so fast. Sniff Sniff.

We got to see a beautiful sunset.

MOM stop taking pictures I want to be in the water.

We had a memorable time at the beach. I wish it was closer Sigh!!! I wish it was even closer to Ohio and Indiana. I hope they have good fish sandwiches there. It'd be an extra long drive if I requested one from there. HA!!!

pictures

One night we watched Chevy start going all lovey dovey on a present. I wish I could have gotten it on tape. By the time I got my camera she was just sitting there happy as a clam. I turned over the gift to see what the tag said and it is from Doug and Pam's cat to Chevy.SO I guess there's a hint of cat nip in the gift is why Chevy was happy to claim it. D not wanting to be left out, wanted his picture taken too.

Our house at night.


Leia wanted to make a gingerbread house. I looked everywhere for one and all I could fine was the ones to decorate the gingerbread men. So that worked. Leia had fun making her creations. I dug up some of her Halloween candy to make it more festive.



Introducing our Gingerbread boys and girls



Run ,Run, as fast as you can! You can't catch me because we're the Gingerbread men



These didn't last long. Chris and I split one and Leia ate one. I had to throw the rest away. While we were in the livingroom Chevy decided to eat on them. I came in and noticed some of the buttons were off and smudges and cat licks on the icing . So not wanting to eat cat litter, hair, and germs these guys found freedom.They're probably saying "Shew that was close. We almost got our heads eaten off now we can run, jump, and play.Good kitty."

So now the ending to the story

The gingerbread man passed a horse in the field. "Stop," the horse neighed, "I want to eat you." But the gingerbread man ran even faster, chanting, "I've run from a little old woman and a little old man and a pig and a cow , and I can run away from you, I can. Run, run as fast as you can. You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man ." The horse chased the gingerbread man , followed by the cow , the pig , and the little old woman and the little old man . But the gingerbread man ran too fast for them.

Then the gingerbread man reached a wide river , but he didn't know how to swim. A sly and hungry fox saw the gingerbread man and said, "Jump on my tail, and I'll take you across the river !" The gingerbread man thought to himself, "I'll be safe on his tail." So he jumped on the fox's tail and they started across the river . Halfway across the river , the fox barked, "You're too heavy for my tail, jump on my back." So the gingerbread man jumped on the fox's back. Soon, the fox said, You're too heavy for my back, jump onto my nose." So the gingerbread man jumped on the fox's nose. But as soon as they reached the riverbank, the fox flipped the gingerbread man into the air, snapped his mouth shut, and ate the gingerbread man . And that was the end of the gingerbread man .

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Todays' K12 school Day

We were working diligently this morning doing our schoolwork like always when we got an E-mail saying that they were having an ice skating party for the kids in Columbia. Leia begged and begged so we hauled tail and went. I am so glad that we did. The kids had a gingerbread house building contest. If we would have know about it we would have done one.

Leia has never ice skated before. I figured a few times around she'd get bored and want to go do the crafts and games that they also had set up for the kids. At first she wasn't sure of herself. She hung onto the wall for a few laps. Then slowly but surely she let go. Next thing I know she's out in the middle attempting to twirl. Then she got brave and started going really fast. I just knew she'd break and arm or leg. But she only fell a few times. She was on cloud nine.

Look mom no hands.

Well this makes up for Wednessday. We will have to make up what we missed today over the weekend but it was so worth it.

Grumpy Day

Today was an awful day at school. I just want to throw in the towel. I could write a book on the bad things that happened but I'm trying to stay positive, so I took it out on cleaning and getting busy making new things in the kitchen. I took it out on making homemade bread and Great Aunt Nell's salad. As well as a chicken with garlic, potatoes, carrots, fennel and onion.I can't wait for tonight's dinner. It will make up for the crappy day we've had.

Christmas Lights at Sumter

We went to Swan Lake to watch the opening night of lights. It was awesome.

She thinks my tractor is..... Hot. I know your singing it right now.

Gulf anyone!

My camera couldn't catch everything that was going on in this picture. It doesn't look like much but there were tons of blinking lights. It looked like a waterfall with the swans swimming in the lake.

The lights on the trees were amazing.I wonder how many strands of lights where used on each tree to make it look that full? This blue one was Chris's favorite.

I liked this blue one with Noel reflecting off the water.

It looks like the elf is using Leia's back to get the present.

We just missed Santa.