If you and your kids have fun with Santa during the Holiday season, check this site out!!
http://www.emailsanta.com
This is Christian's note to Santa...he did it all by himself.
It reads: To Santa From Christian
New Video Game
Of Bad Guys
Lots of Venom
Toys
Did you read that?? Cute isn't it??!!! He just wrote it like it sounded to him (all by himself!)
This is Joshu's (obviously Ryan wrote it for him....:)
They both dropped it in the mailbox when we visited Santa:)
Hello everyone!
We are in Texas! We drove down today to visit with Ryan's family.
We will be back on Saturday 12/22.
I hope everyone is ready for Christmas! I know we are!
When we get back I will post pics of the boys in the snow we had last week!
Christian
Joshua
My little Munchkins
Pretty lights everywhere! (all of the above pictures are from the square in Fayetteville)
Joshua carried his gun around with him and shot the light displays....what a boy:)
And this is the back (Can you believe the 2 winding staircases???)
Here it is - the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - Christmas Time.
I will now volunteer more ridiculous information about myself - and hope that you will return the favor :)
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? A little of both really - I like to wrap the kids gifts, but I do use handle bags for other relatives.
2. Real trees or artificial? We have an artificial tree. Reason? I've always heard that real trees are a HUGE fire safety no-no.
3. When do you put up your Christmas tree? Usually right after Thanksgiving - although, as of today - we have the tree up - but no lights or decorations (planning on doing that tonight)
4. When do you take your tree down? Honestly it varies from year to year - basically it depends on the level of laziness that we are in after Christmas. We seriously did not take our tree down last year till the end of Jan!! (yikes)
5. Do you like eggnog? OH MY YES! And those Braums/Sonic Eggnog Milkshakes are the best!
6. Favorite gift received as a child? You know...there are so many - but do you know which one I talk about the most (still to this day?) ----(this one's really great..........)
A six pack of Dr. Pepper and a PB Max Candy Bar!!!
And I actually asked for that! (it was on my list plain as day) Thanks Mimow!!! :)
7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes. I bought one last year after Christmas. (closeout special...yeah!)
8. Hardest person to buy for? Well...that is my Mimow! What do you get someone that has everything she needs and wants?? Maybe I will buy her a six pack of Diet Coke and Chocolate Bar!!?? (haha)
9. Easiest person to buy for? My kids...they want everything. :)
10. Worst Christmas gift you ever got? Back in college (at SAU) we did a Christmas gift exchange at the Wesley Foundation (a Christian Student fellowship).
It was kind of like a "Dirty Santa" exchange where you "steal" or "trade" gifts as they are being opened. Ryan and I got a piece of faux poop glued to a piece of wood. --oh the Christmas spirit.
11. Christmas cards or e-mail Christmas Cards - Surely you read my blog and you know the answer to this!
12. Favorite Christmas movie? Oh, there are so many. I love Funny Christmas movies. Elf- is on our family favorites. I do love all the Santa Claus movies with Tim Allen too.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? The day after Thanksgiving.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Oh yes....but no details :)
15. Favorite things to eat at Christmas? ummm......a simple answer would be: EVERYTHING
16. Clear light or colored light? This has honestly been a fight at our house. I prefer clear lights, but Ryan prefers colored lights. So for the last 6 years of our marriage I have had it my way - but I'm being EXTRA nice this year - I am letting him place (1) one and only one string of colored lights through the tree ....Now, am I good at compromising or what ??!! :)
17. Angel on top or Star? We have done it both ways - but right now we have an angel. (and we always let the kiddos place it on top of the tree)
So..here is way more than you needed to know about me and my crazy Christmas ways.
But I want to know about you!
TAG YOUR IT!
1. Brandy
2. Kelly
3. Rachel
4. Toni
5. Katie
The day started with a bang, I was at Wal-Mart at 4:00.
Got my stuff and ran....to Kmart (which there was a line in the cold) Crazy people......
Finished up there and headed to Kohls in Fayetteville. Basically I walked in and turned right around...the line to check out was literally wrapped around the inside of the store......there is nothing I want that bad.
Next to Old Navy, dido the above. - there is no jeans cheap enough for that :)
Next to Circuit City to buy my deal for the day - where I was told I had to purchase it online to get the savings. Bummer.......
Next to the Rogers mall....hit JCPenney's and Children's Place.....great deals.
So then home to order my camera from CC.
Ordered it...got it and hated it, every part of it. I bought a Sony Alpha 100 (Digital SLR). I don't recommend it...hated it.
So I returned it just hours after I picked it up from CC and they charged me 15% re-stocking fee. What a crap-load of bull that is. I had to pay THEM $88.00 just to take it back.
DO NOT BUY THINGS FROM CIRCUIT CITY!!!! - EVER
So...today I purchased what I should have gotten all along. A Canon Rebel....worth the little extra money - you just can't skimp on a big purchase like that!!!
So...that' is my story. Nothing fabulous, nothing grand. It really wasn't that great of a shopping day for me.
The kids got a lot of clothes, and I got a camera........
But I do have 1 funny story:
At Wal-Mart, my first stop of the morning. I was ready to get the $5.00 p.j. (and I did buy 6 pairs) I was surrouned by 20 other crazy Christmas shoppers - all grabbing PJ's like their kids didn't have any at home. I finally get into the front and start looking for the sizes that I need. I bend down to look on the bottom rack and finally find Christian's size. So I go to stand up and realize that there are probably 10 women standing over me. I couldn't get up!! I am squished at the bottom, no way to get up, and no one can hear me over the chatter.
Finally I almost start to yell and a lady noticed me down below and says" Hey, there's a girl down there." I made it out...alive. :)
Hope you all had fun... :) I am no where near finished.....see you out in the madness :)
Just about every ad (including Wal-Mart...which I knew would never stop Black Friday) is posted!!
Get your plans ready....Friday will be here soon!!!
www.Blackfriday.info/ads/
Last Wednesday, the 14th, I turned 28 :) I have kinda dreaded getting closer to 30...but not anymore.
Kim Staples ( a lady friend I know from CPH) put it into prospective for me the other day. She said, Renae.....getting older is hard, but we should be thankful for everday we recieve. Look at 28 or 29 or even 30 as one more year that you have been blessed to spend on this earth, with your children and family.
Dont look at getting older as a bad thing, but as kinda like a present from God that you have gotten one more year with your loved ones.
I won't complain any more about getting older..... :)
On Friday I went out with about 8 of my girlfriends for dinner to celebrate, and then we went to the new Cold Stone Creamery.....yummy :) It was a really good birthday :)
This is just a short video of Christian's program today. It was super cute.
If my camera was a little smarter it would have recoreded a little more....he had a solo speaking part right after the video ends....bummer. Oh well, we had the video camera too and recored the whole thing, but who knows how to convert that to the internet.
Enjoy!!!
This is the boys' Christmas present this year. We are taking them to T-Rex Cafe in Kansas City.
This looks like it will be awesome!
It is the only one in the country right now but they do have plans to build one in Disney (Fl).
T-Rex Cafe is owned by the same company as Rainforest Cafe.
Inside you can discover, eat and even build your own dinosaur at The Build-A-Dino Store (owned by Build-A-Bear).
We can't wait to go. We are going late December.
My friend Katie tagged me several weeks ago and I am just now getting around to doing this....so here it goes.
8 random things about me.
1. When it comes to public restrooms, I really just want to throw up, but if I must go and I have been in that same bathroom before, I always go into the SAME stall. I kinda feel like it's mine, and for some reason can't go into another. I've walked into the bathroom at work several times and head to "my" stall and find someone to be in there......I kinda feel like they are intruding and the thought actually rolls through my head that I should wait until they are done and then go in there!!! (I know...I'm kinda weird) *Just so you know....I don't wait on them :)
2. I hate watermelon, but love everything that is "flavored" watermelon. (again...weird)
3. Ryan and I have lived in 10 different places since we have been married (not cities, just places). P.S - We've only been married 7 years.
4. My favorite color is black. Most people would think that to be a morbid color, but I love it.
It makes you appear to be thinner, and is a really great color to decorate in.
5. I have tiny fingers too! (not as small as katie :) My wedding ring is a 4 3/4.
6. A few years ago I refused the fact or the idea of EVER moving to Arkansas! Well...here we are, and I love it. :)
7. I love MUSTARD on just about anything. Especially a bean burrito!!
8. I actually competed in a Teen Miss Texas Pageant ages and ages ago and actually got into the TOP 10!!
Tag Tag...who will I tag? (most everyone has done it:)
Brandy L
Rachel B
Kelly K
A couple of ads have been placed online for Black Friday, and Toys R Us is one of them!!
Check it out!
http://www.black-friday.net/
My first job in life is to constantly moderate what my children hear, see and breath.
I recieved some info about an upcoming movie release and I thought I would share the info.
Please check this link out:
http://snopes.com/politics/religion/compass.asp
A couple of you had questions about the whole day after Thanksgiving post.....so here is a little insider info:
The day after is more commonly known in the business world as "BLACK FRIDAY".
You can actually go to www.black-friday.net for a sneak peak of the ads. As of right now most stores have not "released" their ads, but they should soon.
When you go to the site, you can sign up to be on the mailing list and they will e-mail you when new stores post their ad.
-Have fun :)
So, call me crazy, but I am already thinking (planning) my game plan for the day after Thanksgiving. I really do look forward to this day EVERY year.
Tell me.....what is more fun than getting up at the crack of dawn, grabbing some coffee and running around 14 different stores like you are trying to getting away with stealing it all?
I am one of those crazies you read about the day after "the day after"....haha.
Last year I took one of my good girlfriends with me, Denise. She is probably still having nightmares of that morning.......I probably looked like a weirdo with all my newspaper ads in hand, mapping out our game plan like I was looking for buried treasure.
You really have to do your research to be a professional "day after" shopper.
My grandma and mom laugh at me on Thanksgiving. I probably look at the ads atleast 5 times through just to make sure I don't miss anything.
Then you get out your "handy dandy notebook" to map out your plan of attack.
The morning of is like war...get prepared, the ladies (and some gentleman) don't hold back when there are crock pots on sale for $5.00 (haha)
You get your ad, your notebook and you immediately (in sort of a frantically fast walk) make your way back to your item. Grab it as soon as they start cutting the plastic wrap off the pallet and then on to your next item, or straight to the checkout. RESTROOMS ARE NOT IN THE GAME PLAN......YOU HAVE TO HOLD IT IF THAT COMES UP.
Check out.....straight to the car (there are 100 cars circling the parking lot looking for the spot you got because you were there an hour early :)
Speed to stop 2, repeat.
Lunch is only taken after all bargains have been grabbed.
So...anyone wanna go with me?? Haha.....this year will be a blast.
We are in the market this year for a computer and a tv......2 of the biggest items on the "Day after". Not for sure how I am going to get those to my car and keep my plan in-tack.......this may be a crazy year.
I am so excited!!!!!
