Christmas Cookies

All three of the kids got to make and decorate Christmas cookies with Gigi (my mom) Wednesday afternoon. It was originally going to be just the girls, but as a result of a series of boring-blog-content events I'll not include, it worked out that Parker went also. I stayed and took some pics and tried to get some Christmas music recorded on my composing piano while the kids decorated. I didn't get much done, because it was too hard to focus.

Gigi's oven was messed up for some reason, so she had to carry the cookies over to the other house to bake them. A few of them got burned, because we didn't wait in the other house while they baked.

The kids did a really good job with the cookies. Parker was very serious about his cutting out the cookies and frosting and decorating them. He clapped after each one just a little bit and then moved on to the next. The girls wore their aprons that Gigi made for them, but Parker doesn't have an apron, so he just went shirtless. He actually didn't even make a big mess decorating like I thought he might. I didn't get a photo of all of the finished cookies on the tray, but they were really pretty (and yummy).

Playing in the flour.

Serious Cookie Cutting.

Serious Frosting (with sun in his eyes).

Some of the first ones. The finished product looked really pretty. I just didn't get a chance to take a photo of the full tray before they started being eaten.

Flying High

Monday started out a typical day...Natalie went to school; Parker and Olivia were trashing the house; I was overwhelmed and tired and busy...

Ninny (Billy's mom) called in the late morning to ask if she could pick up Natalie from school a little early so that she could go flying. I said that would be okay, and I asked what time they were flying. After I said she could go, I knew that my dad would be disappointed because he was waiting to be the first one to take Natalie up in his plane, but I hated for her to miss the opportunity to go with Ninny. Anyway, she was supposed to go around 11:30, and when it was around 11:00, I decided that I would put coats on Olivia and Parker and try to make it to the airport in time to photograph Nat's first plane ride. I rushed around to get us there, and it turned out that the pilot wasn't going to be there until 12:00, so I would have had plenty of time to get us ready properly. The kids were a mess, and Parker didn't even have shoes on.

Well, as I sort of expected, my mom and dad showed up to see Natalie's first flight. Of course, Dad had to inspect "the other guy's" plane and talk airplane talk with the guys for a while. Papa (Billy's dad) went to the store to get Parker a pair of shoes while we waited. Bart (plane owner and friend) said that Olivia and Parker could fly after Natalie got back, if they wanted to.

So, Natalie went for her first small plane ride with the pilot and two friends who work with Ninny. She loved it. It was probably actually a good thing that she went up in the air for the first time with someone else in the plane besides the pilot, because when she goes up with Grandpa, it will be just the two of them. Now, she knows what to expect.

After Natalie's flight, Olivia and Parker were ready to fly. Of course, I had to go with Parker because he would have freaked out when he realized that I was staying on the ground while he went up. Then, there was going to be an extra seat, so of course Dad had to ride along. He said he hated to see an empty seat. Parker loves airplanes, and he was thrilled to be there. It's so exhilarating as you taxi and get ready to lift in a small plane. It reminded me how much I'd like to take lessons and get my pilot's license. It's just so expensive and time consuming - maybe when the kids are older. I saw our house from the air, and I discovered that the CLEET facility (law enforcement training) has a massive concrete slab that they must use for driving training. I so badly want to get out there on it and do some "stunt" driving.

So, Natalie didn't seem at all surprised to be taken out of school early to go for her first flight. She's used to spontaneous plan changes. I'm getting used to it because I have to with the kids. It really was a fun day, even if I didn't plan it. :)

Waiting for Grandpa to finish his inspection of the plane.

Nat was getting ready to board, and I yelled for her to look over at me. She raised her hand up in a peace sign as she looked over at me. I happened to catch it. I was giggling. She looked like a celebrity. I think she's probably seen them do that to the paparazzi or something. It was just funny. She just did it like she always gets photographed boarding a plane.

Saying a prayer, I think.

Getting Started.

Taxi.

In the air (sort of an obvious caption, huh?).

Christmas Cut

I'm taking the time for a little blog - just for you who have been complaining of the absence of a blog lately.

I'm so overwhelmed with everything I need to get done right now. I have so much to do before we can get the Christmas trees up, etc. We have all of the shopping done for the kids, at least. We finished earlier tonight.

I cut my hair last night - finally. I had more than enough length in the ponytail I cut to donate to Locks of Love. I cut about 14 inches. It was so long. Now, my hair doesn't get caught in the car door when I get in, and I don't get it stuck under me when I turn over in bed. It's way better. Billy likes the cut. It's kind of a choppy, shoulder-length thing. I might post a pic on here soon.

So, I don't think anything exciting has happened since my last blog. At least not anything that most of you who read this don't already know - like the fun Thanksgiving activities, the Mickey Mouse taco buffet birthday party, winning the lottery, etc. Too bad the lottery part is made up.

I made a really pretty bell wreath thing for Billy's uncle today. He wanted one that looked like something he saw in a book. I never got his Thanksgiving wreath done for him, so at least the Christmas one is out of the way. I also got the priming done on the new sheetrock in the family room finally. Did some laundry, finished the Christmas shopping, went out to dinner with Billy, made some to-do-list changes. See, do you really want a blog when nothing blog-worthy has been happening?

I'll try to be exciting this week, so you can enjoy reading an excitement-filled blog soon. I'll post some pics so you don't suffer a complete let-down.

My guys asleep on the couch after Thanksgiving, as I was going out to play black-light indoor mini golf with my sisters and a favorite neice.

Stealing turkey (YUCK!) before Thanksgiving dinner.

Playing around with Daddy. (Upside down with gum in his mouth - an obvious choking hazard!)

Little Man

I always said (before I had kids) that I wouldn't put my little boy in a sweater vest. I had to do it. Parker needed some more church clothes, so I quickly grabbed a sweater vest outfit to try.

I just thought he looked so cute in it. I couldn't help it. It's not the first thing I said I'd never do and then did anyway, of course! That's life. Unexpected changes.

11/18/07

Trashy Tricycle

Yesterday as I was driving home from a lunch outing with the kids, I spotted a cute metal red and white tricycle in a trash pile. I stopped and asked the woman in the front yard if it was her trash pile, and she said it was and that I could have anything I wanted. I took the tricycle, of course. There is nothing wrong with it. Now, Parker has his own tricycle, and he doesn't have to ride the pink and purple Princessy ones. His legs are just a tiny bit too short for him to ride it well. The kids had a ton of fun riding around on the new driveway when we got home.

Rescued from the trash.

Chicken Nugget

Game On, Smoking Truck, Butterscotch, and the Captain's Bed

So, Billy and I did get to go to the OU game Saturday, and we had so much fun. There were a few really good plays, including DeMarco's totally-super-cool-to-be-there-watching 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. My throat was sore after the game. We paid $10 to park in a private driveway not too far from the stadium, so we didn't have to park 3 miles away. The seats were better than we thought they were going to be, so we were happy. Partway through the game, we noticed emergency staff going down with a backboard to help someone in the stands. They did CPR for a long time in the stands, and they continued compressions as they moved the backboard out of the stadium. It was hard to focus on the game for a while after that.

We were able to take care of the errands we needed to before the game, and then we ate at Red Lobster after we left the game. Natalie stayed with Billy's mom, and the other two monkeys spent the day and night at my mom and dad's. Natalie had to go to the ER that night for an inner ear infection. The doctor said that she might have asthma also.

After we ate, we were thinking about just getting a hotel room for the night, since we were tired and didn't really feel like driving home, and we had already made the plans with the grandparents for the kids to spend the night. So, we went into Wal-Mart to get a few things that we would want if we did stay in OKC for the night. In Wal-Mart, we saw the cutest pony I wanted to get for the kids for Christmas. It stands more than 3 feet tall, and her name is Butterscotch. She whinnies and blinks and eats a carrot and swishes her tail. The kids can sit on her. I fell in love with her (especially since we had just left the OU game, and I love the Sooner Schooner ponies that come out onto the field for every OU touchdown). Billy said we couldn't get Butterscotch for the kids for Christmas because we don't need her and she would just take up more room and the box wouldn't fit in the Cadillac. (We were driving it since it was just the two of us.) I was kind of pouty all the way home. ***Billy bought Butterscotch at Target Monday when we were back in OKC. The girls will flip out Christmas morning when they see Butterscotch by the tree from Santa. Oh, and I'm not pouty anymore. Spoiled?***

We also purchased Parker's big-boy bed before the game. Because I already knew what I wanted, it only took about 5 minutes to walk in, tell them what I wanted, look at what they had, and buy it. We had to go back Monday to pick it up in Billy's truck. That trip turned into a big adventure.

We took Parker and Olivia with us to pick up the bed, and Natalie stayed with my mom and dad since she is sick. We had the trailer hooked onto the truck, because we planned to pick up the french door for the new family room, plus the bed and mattresses. When we were on the interstate almost to Target in Norman, we noticed a huge cloud of smoke coming from the truck. After we got off the interstate, we could see that cars had to pull over because they couldn't see through the smoke. Billy made it into the parking lot of a supermarket across from Target. Transmission fluid was pouring out. He took care of arrangements quickly. He called for a rental truck, so we could hitch onto it and go ahead with our plans for the day without having to ask my parents or someone else to go all the way up there to pick us up with a truck for the trailer and also enough room for the kids and their seats. He also called the transmission shop back home (because it's under warranty) and got things set up there. Then, he called a wrecker (which ended up costing almost $300). Anyway, we were able to do everything we needed to do in OKC with the rental truck.

We put Parker's bed together when we got home, and it was the early hours of the morning before he got to bed. He is so proud of his big-boy bed. He loves to read books in there.

Our trip Monday ended up being about a $2000 day, not including the cost to fix the transmission, which we don't have to pay because it is under warranty. Just the combination of the kid's Christmas pony, another birthday present for Parker, his new bedding, his bed, the french door, the truck rental, and the towing cost added up (and another trip to Red Lobster with Olivia and Parker - - didn't get enough shrimp Saturday night).

So, I don't blog as often as I should, but I fit in quite a bit when I do, right? I'm even adding in pics and a video to keep the family blog reader's happy.

Parker is so proud of his big-boy bed. (I haven't painted his new step stool yet, and the room wasn't put together right, so ignore that part.)

Stranded in Daddy's hunting truck. Waiting for the rental truck to arrive.


Parker helping move dirt for the new driveway with his "tractor".

Chicken Nugget and the Driveway

Our new driveway was finished today. It makes a huge difference in the appearance of the front of the house and the usability for the kids. It makes such a nice surface for their bikes and chalk drawings. Parker was so excited to be able to watch the process, since he is enthralled by construction equipment. He calls all heavy equipment "tractor". He gets upset when I don't drive slowly enough on our way in and out of Natalie's school area, where new construction is being done next to her school. He tells me, "Stop, Mama, tractor! Don't go!"

We have a new outside cat that someone probably dropped off in our area a couple of weeks ago. Olivia named her Chicken Nugget. I tried to get her to shorten it to Nugget, but that was not acceptable. So, the first day the driveway guys started pouring cement, Chicken Nugget ran all the way across 30 feet of concrete, and I had to bring her into the house and give her a bath. She stayed in the house the rest of the day, until the first half of the driveway was cured enough for her to spend the night outside. Today, she spent the whole day inside again. It's nice to have a cuddly cat around again. Since we got rid of Miss Sparky, I have missed cuddling with a sweet cat. When we got rid of Macy last month, it was so hard, but it needed to be done. It really is nice not having a cat inside the house anymore. I like having Chicken Nugget outside. Parker really loves her, and he is Chicken Nugget's favorite person, I think. They have a lot of fun together.

Tomorrow is Parker's 2nd birthday, but we will not celebrate until the evening before Thanksgiving, when more family will be here to help celebrate. Billy and I are celebrating tomorrow by going to the OU game and taking care of some errands in OKC before the game. Hopefully, we'll come home with Parker's new big-boy bed.

A few weeks ago, I asked Natalie to lay out the city-scene rug for Parker when he had a bunch of cars and trucks in a pile he was playing with, and she said, "Sure, I'd be delighted to." It cracked me up.

Trick or Treat

The kids had a good time for Halloween this year. We went to see some people we know, and of course we did the rounds with the grandparents and uncle here, etc. We also went to the two car lots that were doing a haunted drive-thru thing, and Nat and Olivia were creeped out. Billy told the guy with the chainsaw and mask that he could have me, so the guy opened my door and grabbed me and freaked me out with the chainsaw. Then, another creepy one scared me when we were leaving, and I was watching the creepy guy at Nat's window and trying to keep her calm. I turned around and the guy at my window made me scream really loudly. Billy was cracking up for a long time after that.

I had to lay in Nat's bed with her for a long time before she was okay to be left alone that night. I had to talk about princesses and how cool the castle would be if we were princesses and could do whatever we wanted, and I had to sing the princess song.

Last week at Nat's dance class, it was bring-a-friend-in-costume day. So, Olivia got to go to ballet with her big sister, and she had a blast. She was so happy the whole time. The girls all looked so cute in their Halloween costumes.

Oh, as you can see from the photos, Natalie was a 50's soda shop girl, Olivia was a little Pebbles cave girl, and Parker was baby bear. The little bear costume is one that I once wore, and a bunch of my nieces and nephews wore it also. It's "vintage"...lol. I got a faux strawberry milkshake and faux chocolate sundae for Nat to carry on her tray as part of her costume.

The kids got tons of candy the day they went to the Governor's event, on top of the candy from trick or treat night.