Thankgiving in Birmingham

We had the best time in Birmingham, Alabama for Thanksgiving. It is absolutely beautiful there! The trees are gorgeous! VIVID in fall colors. It literally looked like an autumn wonderland. I couldn't believe I'd never seen fall like that. It was truly amazing. The kids loved every minute of it. The photo above is one of each of Presley, Jason & Sarah's hands holding acorns and nuts that they found in the park.

We had a wonderful visit with some of our family and the kids got to play with their cousin, Presley and they loved seeing where she lives. This was our first of many visits. Although it did take us 13 hours to get back home and 11 hours to get there on Wed., it was worth the drive! (Barely! haha ......that's a looooooooooong way with the kids!) Whew.....

We stayed with Jenny & Michael who are Todd's sister's in-laws. They had a beautiful welcoming home and we loved staying with them. Todd's parents stayed at his sister's and her family's house. His dad was very sick the first part of the trip but got to feeling better. We were all really worried, but he seems to be doing much better now. Everyone had a good time and Mimi & Pop made it back to Lufkin safely, too. The kids enjoyed seeing everyone and playing with them for Thanksgiving and Todd & I LOVED it, too!

I am posting a lot of photos of the kids! See for yourself how beautiful it was there. They all looked so cute playing in the leaves and having fun!

Hope you all had a happy and blessed Thanksgiving!

Love, Sharon

Family Time at Thanksgiving...

(These are some snapshots my friend, Anna took of me and Todd & the kids tonight!)

Tonight, Jason came home with homework that he had to finish. He was asked to write a Thanksgiving story about what he is thankful for. What he wrote made me cry and I wanted to share it with you all...

"Who I'm Thankful For" by Jason

(Misspelled words and grammatical errors were ignored in the typing of this message. It made it that much sweeter.)

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, several of our school activities have had something to do with Thanksgiving. It really got me thinking about many things I'm thankful for.
One of the most important things in my life is my family.
One of the people I'm thankful for is my mom. I'm thankful for her because she takes care of me, she does normal stuff for me, like feeding me and washing my clothes. But my mom also does other things to make me feel special, like heating up my towel in the dryer while I'm taking a bath, and makeing me homemade hot chocolate.
The second person I'm thankful for is my dad. I'm thankful for him because, he works hard for our family, and he takes me to do fun stuff and spend time with me, and he shows me how to draw stuff.
I'm also thankful for My sister Sarah. I care about her soo much I can't even explain it. I' am so thankful for my family including my grandparents."

When I read this paper that my eight year old wrote with such care, it brought tears to my eyes. To know that when he truly thought about what he was thankful for this Thanksgiving, it was not toys, things or any kind of possessions, but it was us. Our family. The people that we mostly take for granted in our life, he is thankful for. I am so proud of this little paper he wrote. I never realized how much it meant to him that when it's cold, I heat his towel for him or make him hot chocolate. Or that he realized how hard Todd works to take care of our family. So, this Thanksgiving, after reading his paper, I am so thankful for a child who is growing up KNOWING what is important in his life. I'm so thankful to be a parent who is able to tuck my 2 angels in every night and wake them in the mornings and to be a parent who knows that the children they are trying so desperately to instill values in.......are actually getting it.......even if on a daily basis, sometimes, my work seems lost.

I hope you all have a very blessed Thanksgiving and that you are with your families and loved ones. Enjoy the food, football, whatever it is, but most of all.....enjoy the fact that you have somethings and someones to be thankful for.

Love, Sharon

My Friend, Anna & Her kiddos visit TEXAS!!!!!!

My childhood friend from over 20 years ago has come to visit me and Todd & the kids in Texas! After not seeing each other for 7 years, we are having a great time catching up. Her kids are 5 & 3 so they have had a great time with Jason & Sarah playing. We have at least one meltdown hourly by one of each of the 4 kids! They have kept a great schedule on that and that alone! haha We are having a blast visiting. They are absolutely adorable, as you can see! Such sweet boys and they LOVE giving Todd a hard time! It's great!

My New Car........compliments of Todd's photography!

Todd took Jason & Anna's little boy, Nicholas to Lake Texoma this afternoon to photograph the new car. We aren't sure, but it looks like we could have another Bo & Luke Duke on our hands in a silver charger......by the time their old enough to drive, this Dodge Charger will be old enough for them to run down the dirt roads and jump the pond! Now, all they need are some "01" decals!!! BUT, aren't they just the cutest "Good Ol' Boys" ever!? We think so!

Todd Surprised ME!

Tonight, Todd surprised me like never before for my birthday. He had told me earlier that the car deal would get done tomorrow because they had to go and get the car and no drivers could get it until Thursday.

He said we had to go tonight, sign the paperwork and take the Jeep and drop it off for them tonight and they would give us a loaner until tomorrow when mine comes in.
When we got there, we waited about 10 minutes in the sales office because the finance office was "getting our paperwork ready". The salesman told Todd that some guy in the back was starting his own business and needed to rent a lift from him for work, so he went to talk to him.

When he came back, he and the salesman said that the Finance Dept. was ready for us. It is across the parking lot so we walked outside and the entire sales and management team was standing around a silver Dodge Charger with about 20 huge balloons tied to it!!!!!!!!! I couldn't believe he surprised me like that! They all yelled "Happy Birthday!" and I ran and jumped in the car! It was just like being on Wheel of Fortune or something!!!!!!!!

Then, I got out an hugged Todd! I was so surprised. That was so nice of Todd! I had a really great birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Well, today is my 32nd birthday! ICK! haha I know, I know......still "young".
That's what I've heard.....still young. I'll go for that!

It's been a great day so far. I woke up and Todd immediately wished me Happy Birthday this morning, then Sarah, then Jason. Sweeties! Me and the kids ate breakfast with our "birthday music" going just like we do for their birthdays. They get so excited about any birthday......even mine!

Then, when taking Jsaon to school, I realized I left his homework from MONDAY night on the bar........AGAIN. He didn't take it yesterday, either. SO, I told him I would bring it to the school later. I called his teacher a bit later and told her to believe him when he said it was his mom's fault! She said that he told her "My mom forgot my homework AGAIN. Today is her birthday and I think she's getting too old to remember stuff!" She said it was hilarious! I thought so, too! He is so funny!

Then, when we came home, Sarah and I were laying on the sofa watching cartoons and she went and got her tiara & wand and put them on me and said "Mommy the berry princess" instead of "fairy" princess! SO sweet.

I got a cookie bouquet delivered from my sister in law & husband and niece and calls from everyone! Friends who I didn't even realize would KNOW today was my birthday even called with great wishes.

Tonight, the kids are going to church with some friends and Todd is taking me out to eat. I don't know where we'll go, but I can't wait! We haven't had a "date night" since August! AND, he is buying me a new car for my birthday. It's not here today, but it will be tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!! I can't wait to get it!!!!!! It's a silver Dodge Charger! I'll post pics of it as soon as I get it!

Love to you all!

Sharon

Sarah's New Doctor!

We got to go to our new pediatrician's office today for the first time! (We've been since we've moved, but we always were in Lufkin and just went to our old one.) This was our first time to go to this office in Sherman! IT was so great. Sarah LOVED her doctor. She was super nice. She even gave Sarah a sucker and a Dora sticker when her appointment was over. Sarah was especially excited because we got to go to the room with the Hot air balloons, which she LOVES! She LOVES hot air balloons for some reason.

Our new doctor was awesome and Sarah actually had fun at the dr.s office! haha
Oh yea...she does have a REALLY bad ear infection! But we got a prescription for that!

See you all later!

Sharon