I'm Trying!

Trying to get into the Christmas Spirit that is.  I've mentioned numerous times how much it sucks not having the dark gray skies, fluffy snow falling and cold temps that require the fireplace to be on....but I'm trying to change my depressed mood.  I found the above picture of our nations capital that totally had the feeling I was craving.  Where everything is blanketed in white, the dark gray sky, and a peacefulness about the streets.  I downloaded it and it is now the background on my iPhone so every time I look at my phone, that yummy picture of what I want most stares back at me.  I'm a little more happy.

G's Request

Two days ago, G brings me a Max & Ruby book and points to a picture and asks,"what's this?".  I told him it was called a "cornucopia".  He started bouncing up and down and says, "I want cornucopia for Thanksgiving".  I just chuckled and left it at that.

A few moments ago as I was writing out my grocery list for Thanksgiving he tells me to write down "cornucopia...(pause)...with grapes!".

Apparently I am now adding to my grocery list, "horn basket" so G will be complete on Thanksgiving as he will be eating, "cornucopia with grapes" along side his, "turkey and mash-a-da potatoes" (we still have speech issues if you didn't catch that.)

What are you eating for Thanksgiving?

Sometimes it all just comes together

 Mr. D and I have been hard at work to get our formal dining room completed before Thanksgiving.  We had to enlist the help from an interior designers assistant (I love you Rhonda!) to go shopping with me and get the last few key components to dress the room how I was envisioning in my head but it's come together beautifully and I'm quite proud so I thought I'd show it off.

Now, you'll have to use your imagination for the next couple of pics as these are the BEFORE.  The room itself is quite dark, so getting good pics is hard. 

Just a boring space needing some life pumped into it.

And AFTER!!   

We got a little excited and already put out our Christmas center piece and the two 7.5 foot tall trees in the corners which my kids are loving each night.  They play, "Christmas" as they bring "presents" to place under the trees.  We spoil their fun each night when we make them clean up their mess though.

I LOVE Fleur de Lis so you can imagine what went through me when I found these tassels to dress up my gorgeous shiny crimson panels!

I'm proud of this room, I can't wait for Thanksgiving now and to have my guests enjoy the holiday in a fancy, formal dining room.

P.S.  You can click on each picture to blow it up so you can get a better effect.  I'm a proud girly!

A sea of Blah

It's bad when you can't even find an image online to portray exactly how you feel.  Living in TX has it's pros and cons.  However, it's this last part of the year where it's a huge con.  My kid keeps asking me if it's fall because there aren't many trees here that have leaves that change into bright reds/orange/yellow.  I still am sending them to school in shorts and sandals and the few mornings they may need a jacket, it's no longer needed by 10:00am.  The weather man said predictions from the National Weather guys say it's going to be a shorter, warmer winter for us southerners.....great;(. 

Some people LOVE living here because of the weather and how there is little change, I need change, I crave it, BAD!  Each season, I'd always reinvent my look, with new sweaters, coats, boots, hair etc...it was a time for a, pick-me-up.  Now, I feel blah.  It's the same weather all....the...damn...time.  It's depressing.  People in Alaska and other countries who get little sunlight have light therapy, is there a light therapy for people in TX who get too much sunlight?  If so, I need to seek that out.

I hate reading friends postings on FB about how they are getting their first snow falls and how pretty everything looks, blah, blah, blah.  Thanks, I feel even more blah.  Snow is a rare occurrence here.  I had a woman at Dillard's try to talk me into a wool dress coat I was admiring but bashed her to the ground when I said, "seriously, when will I EVER wear this?".  I don't get opportunities to look like a pretty winter bunny.  K, I'm sounding vain now, but it's true.

My hubby came up with a suggestion of taking the kids on a cruise next Christmas instead of buying presents.  Sure, sounds like fun, but I think it would be more fun to take the kids to a Wintery Wonderland of Snow.  I guess I could go on and on about how depressing the winter weather is here but it won't change anything, I'm stuck wearing awful, ugly bermuda's for the rest of my existence.  Feel free to shed a tear here for me.

Holidays just don't feel the same without bundling up and sitting indoors with a fire going while the snow falls quietly outside.  I keep trying to change my mood and remind myself you don't need cold and ice/snow to feel like Christmas, but so far, it hasn't worked.

Blah, blah, blah....

How We Do Halloween!

The festivities started off earlier in the week at Little R's pre-school where us parents were treated to an adorable party!

This is Little R's teacher, Miss Tammy.  Little R ADORES her!  Every time she isn't at school, she says, "mommy, Miss Tammy is missing me". 

The adorable costume parade. All the kids were so fun to watch.

Just a funny video from the music program.

Then came our church's annual Trunk-Or-Treat, which is more like a carnival, it's so fun!  Little R is waiting for the train ride to get started!

That's G in the front car.  He was hesitant to go on the ride at first until he saw Little R giggling then he had to do it.

This was originally the costume Little R picked out to wear this year but for some reason decided she wanted to be Cinderella again (she wore this same dress last year) and albeit a little big, Baby R looked darling as Tink!

Another costume change (don't get me started about costumes this year, pmmph!).  G decided he didn't want to be Buzz and came as Batman instead.  Him and Little R LOVED the cake walk, I think its more the thrill of stopping and starting vs. the actual cake.  They went on to get face paintings, cotton candy (not G) and play "fishing" for light sticks.  My church really goes all out, it's almost a community affair with how many non-members show up.  It's fun, you should come next year!

 

Finally, Halloween night!  Once again, G decided to have a costume change and go as Iron Man.  I threw my hands up at that point and realized, I wasn't going to win.  Poor Little R actually vomited all over her dinner plate right before this picture.  She's had a GI virus for over a week but no fever so she still wanted to go out.  She perked right up once we hit the first door.  She was a trooper, but it was her choice!

Mr. D's Turn!

It's birthday season at my house.  This time, it was Mr. D's turn.  Since he ALWAYS says, "I don't need anything so don't spend any money on me".  I've learned having creative skills in this relationship is a must. 

When Mr. D got home from work, I had a good ol' fashion candy bar sign waiting on the door to greet him.

Then, seeing as Mr. D is lucky enough to share a birthday with Kim Kardashian, I thought it would be fitting to invite her over too!

Then, "Kim" showered Mr. D with kisses (candy ones of course).  Little R kept yelling out, "it's Kimmy kisses, it's Kimmy kisses" as she'd pelt D in the head with the chocolate kisses.

To top off the party I had made some allergy friendly cupcake spiders that were a HUGE hit!  No one knew they were gluten, casein, egg, soy, corn, nut and shellfish free!

The biggest compliment I received that night was when G DOWNED his cupcake and wanted another one and yet another one for breakfast the next morning!  Who says allergy friendly baked goods can't be tasty??

Happy Birthday Mr. D!

It's MY Birthday dang it!!

My loot, it was like Christmas!   

My "cake".  You have to love edible arrangements!

Following my awesome morning, I helped the kids decorate the annual, "spooky house". 

Then, my sister sent a package that had fun Halloween nail stuff in it.  Little R is super stoked about her black and orange nails with glow-in-the-dark spooky nail pics! 

Me in my new designer apron equipped with a strand of pearls, too funny! 

My grandest of all grandest gifts I've ever received!  I got my own arsenal!  I believe every woman needs to know how to protect herself and family.  I've joked around about carrying a gun, only if it was pink.  Well, gosh darn it, Mr. D found me everything I need....IN PINK!!!  We will be hitting the shooting range frequently so I can get used to my new weapons of choice.  Oh yeah, that is my new gun safe, it doesn't come in pink though, just black.  Maybe I'll add a strand of pearls to it to dress it up.   

And to top off my day, an evening out to a restaurant over an hour away.  The drive was totally worth it as we learned the reason our food was so freaking awesome, was because the chef himself has appeared on The Food Network!!!  That is my pretty birthday drink the bartender made up for me, non-alcoholic of course!  It was a fresh pomegranate spritzer, yum-O!

Thank you Mr. D and to my awesome kids who can't keep secrets!  I had a fantastic day and I am extremely spoiled for having you all in my life to spend birthdays with!