Turkey, dressing, pumpkin pie and......POWER TOOLS!

What do you do on Thanksgiving when you don't have to be anywhere until 3:00?

Well we......have an 80's style entry way and since we were in the process of redoing our floors, we decided while we were at it......

we would also......

remove.....


Our entry way!! Now it's nice and open! I love it!!! What a great Thanksgiving!

I am Thankful

I am thankful for a wonderful husband who loves me, who follows Christ, who provides for me, who loves my daughters more than anything, and who makes me laugh!


I am thankful for Lily & Addy who show me daily that life is meant to be fun and we need to take time to enjoy it.


I am thankful for my parents who have taught me to make Christ the center of my life. They have shown times can and will get rough but if you keep Him the focus you can get through it!


I am thankful for my in laws who raised my son to be who he is, and who love me like I'm their own.


I am thankful for Nana & Papa, Granddad &Grandma, and Grandpa & Grandma Johnson, who all dedicated themselves to one another and each have shared over 50 years of marriage. They are wonderful examples to so many on what "lasting love" means! (We are remembering and missing Grandma Johnson today.)

I am thankful for all our family, Adam & Amy, our aunts and uncles, cousins, everyone!


I am thankful for Katie, Lesley, Shelley, Michelle, Renee, Andrea, Mandy, Brooke, Sarah, Sarah, Teresa, Tonya, Chiara, Heather....ALL my friends who let me be me and love me no matter what!


I am thankful for Nicole, Lesley, and Heather who watch my kids for me and who love those two girls almost as much as I do! I couldn't do it without them.


I am thankful for a good job, and that we started a business almost a year ago and it is doing wonderful! We are so blessed.

I am thankful for a mortgage payment, without it we wouldn't have a roof over our heads.

I am thankful for Christ. That He created me, that He loves, and that He sent his son to die for me so I can have a hope of an eternity with Him.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thankful for my dad

My dad amazes me. I long to have his strength, faith, and insight! I loved his blog post for today, had to share it.

I'm thankful for you dad. That you're here, that you're getting better every day, and that you're a shining example to other as to what Christ has done, and is doing in your life.

God is good!

Family Pictures...

We went to McAlester this weekend to see both my mom and dads parents. These pictures are of my dads family, the Utley's. Growing up I was the only granddaughter. My Nana had 3 sons, 5 grandsons, and 2 great grandsons, and ME!!! I was the only girl. It was GREAT!!!! Now tables are turned. She has 2 great-grandsons and SEVEN great-granddaughters! My reign is over.

You're outta here....

You're outta here baby!!! That first tooth is gone!

I heard her brushing her teeth and she said, "Oh, oh, oh....Addy look at this, gotta get mom!!"

She was thrilled. The TFairy left her $2 (not sure what the going rate for teeth on the street is, but that is what she got, and she was thrilled.) And, we were thrilled when she asked if she could give one of her dollars to the church this morning!!! She's such a good girl!

Victory!!!

After 6 calls to Toys-R-US, sitting on hold for 19 minutes, getting disconnected, calling back angry, and one long trip to the south side Toys-R-Us, we GOT IT! We got the playhouse for the girls!!!! I am so excited. I think they both are going to love it! SHHHHHHH! Don't tell! Gotta wait until Christmas!

Add to your top 10...

One of the perks of my job is events planning! I love it, I would own an event planning company if I could. Last night I planned an event with our company and IBM. The highlight of the evening was when a party bus arrived to drive us from dinner down to the Thunder basketball game. It rocked!

If you have never been on a party bus, I am telling you now, you MUST add this to your "top 10 things to do just to say you did it list!" (Does everyone else have that list?? If not, you need one!) It was so fun! So add it to your list....and if you rent it, let me know and I'll be there!

Are you kidding??

My sweet 5 year old went to school this morning a normal, bright, funny little girl, full of life and energy. She came home the same way, only with a loose tooth. A loose tooth! Are you kidding me? I swear she just got those teeth! I remember watching them pop through! I remember rubbing numbing cream on her gums...teething tablets...Tylenol, that was YESTERDAY!!!

Now she is filled with even more joy and excitement. Seeing her eyes light up as she used her tongue to wiggle that little white tooth back and forth. She shrieked with excitement, "Mom I'm getting bigger!" She is getting bigger, taller, and smarter every day. She's growing up right before my eyes.....where's that pause button on life?

Fudge Pudge

The owner of our company, and his wife, make tins of fudge for the sales guys to take to customers during the holidays. He showed up with a batch this morning! It's November 17th, and we have fudge out already!!! Oh crap.....

Chocolate, peanut butter, caramel, walnuts, pecans, no nuts, white chocolate, in a tin, wrapped in foil, old or new, I love fudge, yes I do!!!!

My blessings....

Christmas Blahhhhhhh

I took the girls to Toys-R-Us today ALONE, I was supposed to have my mom with me but she somehow got out of that one! I know what I want to buy them as their main gift....a play house that they can actually play in. It costs $250 (which I think is pretty good) BUT it's sold out, and to order online costs $250 to SHIP!!!! NUTS! Damon says he can build one, which I KNOW he can, but when?? He is maxed out, and has no time!!

So we wandered around and and looked about 50,000 items. It stressed me out even more. Everything we saw I pictured it in one year missing pieces and broken sitting in the corner. I know it will all work out and we will find something they love, but for now I have the Christmas blues and just don't have a clue! Ba humbug!

Questions

#1
L: Dad why don't you have boobies?
D: Boys don't have them, just girls.
L: I will get them?
D: (gulp) Some day, you will

#2
L: Why are boys so hairy?
D: Not all boys are as hairy as me.
L: Ohhhhh

#3
L: Can teenagers have babies?
K: Uh, did you see that car drive by?
L: Mom...can teenagers have babies?
K: Women can, just women. (praying please do not ask how old you are when you become a woman)



Valium & Vodka please.....

My veteran, My Papa

My Papa, Leo "Jack" Utley served in WWII, his job was to drive ammunition trucks to soldiers fighting on the front lines. I can't imagine how scary some of those drives must have been. Papa will turn 92 years old on November 21st. I am amazed at all that he has witnessed in his lifetime. I figured out the other day he has seen 17 presidents in office, that just blows my mind.

He and my Nana, Hazel, weren't married during WWII. She was married to her first husband, Elmo Henderson, who was killed in the war. Nana has letters from Elmo that had the location where he was cut out, or blacked out where she couldn't see. She never knew for sure where he was stationed, or when he would be home, and didn't get phone calls or emails from him. It was such a different time. She knew he was fighting for our country, and she relied on other friends and family to survive.

We take for granted our freedoms, all of them! Not just freedom for our Country, but simple, everyday freedoms too. We are so blessed.

Thank you Papa! Thank you for serving our country and fighting for our freedom. Your dedication and service to God, your family, and your country are something to be proud of. You have built a legacy for our family and for that we are grateful! We love you!!

You can take the kid out of Disneyland, but you can't take Disneyland out of the kid

Posing with her favorite Disney Character at Disneyland.......



Posing with her favorite mannequins at the mall on Saturday night....

She was begging to take her picture with these headless mannequins, and I just happened to have my camera...lucky for me, this way I'll have something to show the therapist in a few years.

Parenting

Last night was a hard night for us and our 5 year old. A constant battle. Her trying to prove she's the boss, and us showing her she's not. The basic theme of the issues last night were wrapped around her wanting to be social and with friends all the time instead of family, throwing fits, and talking back.

I don't think I ever realized how hard this parenting thing was going to be. I knew in the beginning the lack of sleep and learning new schedules was challenging, but it wasn't hard. Last night was hard. She cried. I cried. Addy cried, and she wasn't even involved!

A mix of emotions flooded over me. I could remember me at a younger age going through things like this with my mom. I wanted to deal with Lil like my mom dealt with me. I wish I had a little video camera I could rewind back to 1981 and see what she said.

Being a mom has given me a clearer understanding of how much God truly loves each of us. How much he puts up with. It's exactly what I dealt with last night! How many times I try to be boss and He shows me I am not. How many times I pick my friends and doing fun this instead of spending time becoming closer to Him. How many times I talk in a way that isn't pleasing to Him or glorifying Him.

God I pray for the strength to be the kind of mom you intended me to be. To listen to you, to respect you, to glorify you. Thank you for giving me the blessing of motherhood. Thank you for showing me you are in control. Thank you for loving me.

Take a WALK on the wild side!

Calling all walkers.....

I have always wanted to do this, but have decided this year to make it happen. I am going to walk in the OKC MEMORIAL HALF MARATHON! It's 13.1 miles and I want to form a team to walk together!!!!

This is how it will work. A registration fee of $50 per person is due by Dec 31st. We would all "train" on our own by walking during the week. (You can find training guides online.) Then we would meet together as a GROUP once a month to walk. I don't have the exact dates yet, but we more than likely would meet EARLY on Saturday mornings or Sunday mornings, and we would walk at both Hafer Park and Lake Hefner.

As a group we would meet once a month and walk:

Nov 4 miles
Dec 5 miles
Jan 6 miles
Feb 8 miles
March 10 miles
April 4 miles
April 26th - 6:30 AM THE MARATHON

This is for people who want to commit to something and take on a challenge for themselves. If you're going to whine your way through it and gripe, please don't sign up. I want this to be a positive experience for everyone, and I want us to enjoy doing something to better ourselves.

Invite others to join, anyone is welcome! Email me with questions!

I'm excited and I know TOGETHER we can do it!!!!

Exercise your right to...boat?

Leaving school today I told the girls "We are going to vote!" Addy said "We go on a boat? I want daddeeee on da boat wid me!" I was scrambling to try to clear up the misunderstanding before we had a 2 year old melt down..."NO, no, no boat, we're going to VOTE!" She wasn't thrilled..."No I go on boat!" I voted 20 minutes ago and she's still talking about the boat.

On another voting note....we walked into the assisted living building where I vote and it's huge and has white pillars. Lily said "Oh you vote at the White House!" I just laughed, "No Lily, this isn't the White House." Then inside, we were in line and I told them to be quiet. Lily leaned over and said "Where's the president???"

I'm just glad to be done with voting, and will still be praying for our country tonight!

33 By 33

By the time Lily turned one I had lost over 60 pounds, and was almost to my Weight Watchers goal when I found out I was pregnant with Addy. Addy will be 3 in April and I am NO WHERE NEAR my goal. So last night I started thinking about it and where I want to be and why! I don't want to lose weight so I can be a MILF (I'm not even sure I know what that is), I don't want to lose weight so people will praise me....I want to do it so I can be healthy AND be a great role model to my girls. I want to teach them good habits, NOT bad ones! I want them to see that eating healthy and exercise is important.

SO it starts now. 33 by 33. I am giving it my all to lose 33 pounds by my 33rd birthday, which is MARCH 17th!!! I'll keep you all posted as I travel on this journey! I KNOW I CAN DO IT!

Good Times, Good Times

You know you've been to GOOD party when you end up in the parking lot in your tank top, panties & crocks!! That's MY girl!

Lily's Soccer Game

My dad got out today and came to Lily's soccer game! It was GREAT having him there!!!