Merry Christmas! Oh Great!

It has been a mellow Christmas. We went to Abilene on Sunday to visit Pawpaw. We spent Christmas Eve ruining a meal and eating backup Rosa's fajitas! We woke Christmas morning to lots of presents that were quickly torn into!

 

Prior to any kids coming in...

 
 



About 20 seconds after we said "Go!
 

 

We made an early morning call to Meemaw and Pops only to learn Pops was sick! Really sick! My sick nervous brain said "don't go" but my sane portion of the brain said "don't be a nut and miss Christmas over this!" So we powered up and headed to Comanche!

Oh my children!

 

 

Well, we went, and everyone was feeling a little better, but Rhett had been throwing up, and Meemaw wasn't feeling good either. And of course the weather was threatening to turn bad so we did not stay long and headed back for home by 3pm. And had hopes that we had avoided the sickness...but this afternoon - Landman started throwing up....so now the rest of us are just waiting....and nervously waiting..."did my stomach just flip" waiting...

While Mama is Away the Family Will Play

While I spend my saturdays slaving away at the Fort Worth Stock Show (not really, today we celebrated Christmas - they had Babe's chicken delivered, and there was an abundance of sweets and treats to be had - as well as a hilarious round of Chinese Christmas. I came away with new bed sheets and big stuffed bear for Ella!) the rest of my family had a dance party! haha!

And of course Ella Grace is the star of the show! So Funny! Enjoy and Merry Christmas!!

The Return of My Chaos!

Well, the chaos that is my "home office" has returned! Talk about feeling busy... working during the week from home, dealing with kiddos and then working the weekends at the stockshow! Kinda looking forward to the end of February when I get my weekends back! 

And then this is what I listen to at night when I am trying to get them to be quiet and go to sleep! I knew I was pretty much an insomniac, but I had no idea that two 3-year-olds could also be insomniacs! I am lucky if I get them to take a 30 minute or 1 hour nap during the day and a lot of days there is NO nap at all and yet they can still be awake at 9 pm going strong.  And then they wake up multiple times during the night and are wide awake and ready to carry on a conversation!! And sleeping in is not an option either. Latest they sleep is 7 a.m.!!!I will forever believe that is the one and only negative side effect we have had from being preemies! Sleep in short intervals and nothing can fix it...maybe also has something to do with being twins...crave the body contact - just don't know what to do with themselves in a bed alone! 

My Mom's 2nd 30th BDay or somthing like that!

Last Sunday was my wonderful mama's birthday!

And can I just say that I now worry about my parents as much as I do my kids! I know that is going to make my mother laugh, but it is true! 

I called her bright and early on her birthday to see what she and my daddy had planned for the day. And she replied with "getting ready to go to Austin."

WHAT THE HELL?!!!" was my response!

I am pretty certain I can count the number of times my parents have gone to Austin on 4 fingers!

One time to watch their daughter get beat in the semi-final game of the State basketball tournament, One time to watch their daughter WIN the State basketball tournament, one time to watch their youngest son triple jump in the state track meet, and then one time for dad to have his heart procedure!!!! 

So, yes, the hair-brain ideas they come up with now that they have an empty nest, stresses their worry wort daughter alot! But nonetheless, if I started right now and said every minute of every day how much I love and appreciate my mother, it still wouldn't be enough. I don't function without my mama and yes, as unhealthy as my brothers think it is, the minimum of 3 phone calls a day we have! I ask anyone reading this right now.....why haven't you called your mother today? If you can, why wouldn't you?

But this is also coming from the girl that prefered hanging out with her parents on the weekends as opposed to the kids I went to school with. My parents were a lot more fun !

And because I know my mother will want to see a least one picture of her babies...I will leave her with this image of the aftermath of Ironman crash landing off the couch!

He was quite proud of the blood.....uh oh! 

Thanksgiving, Birthdays, and Christmas Trees

After my crazy month of November, it has taken a little bit to get back into the groove of things and I have totally neglected my photos! So here I am playing catch up. We enjoyed Thanksgiving, fruitless hunting trips, birthdays and getting our house decked out for Santa's arrival!

Ella Grace and Reid Marshall on Thanksgiving day, prior to heading to Comanche. So stinkin' cute! Right now they are in a phase of being more than happy to have their photo taken! Their mama LOVES it!

While everyone was in Comanche for Thanksgiving, we celebrated sweet Rhett's 1st Birthday! He turned 1 on December 4!

All the grandkids (minus Landon) were sporting Mickey Mouse ears!

Testing out the birthday cake. Not too sure about it yet.

A little hestitant...are we sure he is his daddy's son?

His mama grew a little impatient! hahaha! Thanks Mom!

Hey, this icing isn't half bad!

"You mean I am going to have to go through this in a couple of months?...uh no way!"

Rhett was far more concerned with the toys that were placed just out of his reach! 

It was a long day and my baby girl just smooth passed out mid sentence! hahaha

We busted out our Christmas tree and decorations on Sunday night. And I have to admit that an activity that could easily turn disasterous, did not. All kids take it extremely seriously and do a pretty good job!

Especially this guy! I think by next year he will have out a ruler and be meauring the distance between ornaments so that it is just perfect! I get nervous sometimes that he is only 3, yet so particular about things already! 

Surprisingly no fights broke out!

I think they would of put all the ornaments up at the top if Daddy's arms had not worn out so quickly! haha!

Yup, she is posing!

Finishing touches

And she insists on wearing her Christmas dress everyday! She loves it and her sparkly shoes....and I figure it is like a prom or wedding dress....why spend all that money to wear something just once, so I normally cave and let her wear it! 

You just never know who might stop by during the day and you wouldn't want to get caught in unflattering clothes!

She could teach Tyra Banks a few things about working the camera!

Reid is happy to stay in his camo pj's all day! Typical boy and typical girl!

Mini photo shoot with a dinosaur!

Ella is anxiously awaiting the arrival of Santa and Reid is waiting on his Meemaw!

Landon is just concerned because his daddy and I haven't gone shopping yet! hahaha! He asked me the other day when Mark and I were going to go Christmas shopping! hahaha! 

Whenever you ask Reid what he wants for Christmas, he will tell you some toy and then when I say "okay, we will tell Santa." He replies with "No, no - tell Meemaw!"

That boy knows where his bread is buttered! 

Back to Normal...Almost!

So my month of working has come to an end! In some ways it went really fast but in others it was the longest month ever! Technically, the twins spent the month in Comanche and came home on the weekends! It was so hard not to see them everyday! And they are NOT phone talkers for the most part, so I just got to hear them in the background having copius amounts of fun! They were Happy, happy, happy! 

Thanfully, I had lots of work to keep me busy! And sure enough what I feared would happen happened. (They liked me! hahaha! and asked me to continue working through the stockshow! Which would mean all the way through February!!! While I would love the exta moolah, I really love my other job and being able to stay home with the kiddos!)  So, I am still going to work on the weekends and a day or two during the week for the FWSSR, because the contacts and connections made are invaluable to have when it does come time for my babies to go to school and me to go back to work! (Ugh!)

Here is video from this morning...our first morning back into the normal routine! 

One Week Down, 3 To Go

So, I survived my first week of working and more importantly of not being with my goober doobers! They went to Comanche last Sundy night and stayed until yesterday!! They were there a full week! I was without my two sidekicks for a total of 5 nights and 4 1/2 days! The hubby could not function another weekend without sitting in a deer blind so we went to Comanche on Friday so I could see my babies and he and Landon could deer hunt! (got nothing!) 

Working was not near as bad as I had built it up in my mind. The last time I actually had to dress up and go to work was in 2008! At TLBAA we could wear whatever so I got pretty used to wearing jeans to work! But it wasn't that bad. Maybe has something to do with the fact that I know it is just for this month....right now... and there isn't a lot of pressure. But everyone is super nice and it kinda feels like I have known a lot of them for a while. So, the work part has been fine, but I miss my kiddos! Crazy how everyday I generally pray for a few moments of silence or calm, and then all last week, our house felt so depressing with just the three of us here. (we are boring! the twins make it fun!) I longed for the stress of screaming, yelling, fighting, whining, and laughing! 

I spent most of Saturday loving on my Reidy Pete and Ella Bella. They will be making their way back to Comanche on Tuesday and staying until Friday. I can do this! I think I can.... The week of Thanksgiving their daddy is taking off from work and going to be in charge.....(that probably scares me more than anything!!!

Enjoy my Dazzling Duo on the Piano! 

We Are Givers...Not Takers! Hahaha!

So around this house, we prefer to give rather than take when it comes to Halloween and candy! We are just such generous souls. (Really it has more to do with Mama would rather pull all her fingers and toes off than go to a crowded carnival or door to door! Mother of the year!)  

And thankfully, my two littlest ones were A Okay with that! It has been years of buying Landman Halloween costumes only to have him balk at wearing the full costume come trick-or-treat time! EVERY YEAR same thing! Had to be a certain thing and then at the last minute refuse to wear the mask or something! And EVERY YEAR it was a big fight about the costume! EVERY YEAR! 

So when I asked if they wanted a costume and dress up and they said "no!" I said Giddy Up! Not going to force it! When they come to me and ask to go trick-or-treating - then I will CONSIDER it! hahaha! It also helped that Meemaw and Pops were here and so were Uncle Cameron and Melisa! 

They spent the night with us before going to the airport at 3 am to catch a flight to CA! Santa Anita here they come! 

Landman and his buddies decided at the 11th hour that they would go trick-or-treating, so he got a homemade thrown together costume, that I think has been his best costume to date! He was a boxer!

(not a real black-eye...and apparently it is uncool to carry a pumpkin bucket! Boys his age carry around a pillowcase like a hobo...I can't even begin to comprehend!)

 This is how my youngest son greeted trick-or-treaters that came to our door!

I am sure parents were wondering why 2 little kids would come to the door in no costumes to hand out candy - but the twins LOVED it! They thought it was great fun to see all the costumes come to the door and then they would hand them the candy and Reid would yell "Hulk SMASH" and sweet pea Ella would say "Happy Halloween!" 

And on a side note - I think Meemaw and Pops had just as much fun answering the door as the twins did! Those two country bumpkins have never had trick-or-treaters, so it was fun for them to hear the door bell ring! (of course Pops was staked out in the garage and would tell us what was coming before they even rang the doorbell! hahaha!)

Someone forgot to tell Uncle Cameron and Reid that Captain America and Hulk are on the same team! 

Ella and Melisa having a very indepth discussion about something!

Our month of November is going to be crazy! I have agreed to help out in the Livestock office of the Fort Worth Stockshow and Rodeo this month, so it is about to be all hands on deck as far as childcare goes! It is going to kill me not to spend all day everyday with the goober doobers but it is such a good opportunity, money wise and contact wise, that I would be a fool to pass it up!  So, Meemaw, Pops, dadda, (and Uncle Cameron and Melisa, even though they don't know it yet ) will be taking turns watching the twins. They may be going to Comanche for most of the time, which may send me into withdrawls, but it should be just for this month. 

Which if Uncle Jordon and Rylan wanted to come to Fort Worth and stay with us the last week of November and spend the days with the twins, we would LOVE to have them....I mean I am just saying! I would be willing to return the favor if it were ever needed! Just throwing that out there! :)