New Year's Eve

So as I said in a previous post, New Year's eve was pretty low key, but we ended up having a great time! Adam and I met up with Derek and Andrea in Plano at Legacy Park (I think that's what it's called).

We started out at Naan, a Korean restaurant. I had never had "real" Korean food before, so I was excited to try something new. We ordered rice bowls first that had a bunch of veggies and beef on them. They were good, but nothing I would ever say that I HAD to have again. Then, we ordered 3 rolls of sushi. Adam and I have never been fans of the few pieces of sushi that we have tried, but we were with a skilled sushi picker-outer! Andrea LOVES sushi, so she knew exactly what to order. Adam and I ended up loving it too! I'm not saying that I'm going to go out and eat it all the time, but I will definitely eat it again!

We had 45 minutes after dinner, before our movie started, so we figured it was just enough time to go next door to Jasper's and get a drink. We ordered our little drinks, which Derek graciously offered to pay for, and they ended up being $10 a piece! RIDICULOUS!!! It made me feel very guilty that Derek bought my drink! Thanks Derek! I know mixed drinks can be expensive, but come on, $10 for a drink?!!? I guess that's why I'm a beer girl if I drink. You can't beat $3.00 and under for a drink!

After our drink, we went to The Angelica to see our movie. We saw Slumdog Millionaire. It was VERY good!! Definitely not a family movie, but a GREAT movie! It was my first Indian movie, so I wasn't aware of the dancing at the end their movies. I started cracking up when the credits started rolling, and ALL the cast members started dancing!

The movie let out at 11:45, so we had just enough time to go back to Naan and ring in the New Year. Every place that we went is on the same block. They were having a champagne toast at midnight, so they handed everyone a "glass" of champagne, along with hats and blow horns! We did the count down, kissed our significant other, hugged the rest of the group, and left. Adam was determined to be on the road before all the "crazies"!

We ended up seeing a couple of pretty intoxicated drivers, but luckily we were able to steer clear of them! It was a great night and a great way to bring in the New Year!

Me and Andrea when we first got to the restaurant

Decked out in our gear, waiting for the countdown
I definitely blew my horn MANY times before midnight

I don't know how, but I talked Adam in to putting on the silly hat. I even got a smile out of him, while he was wearing it!

Derek REFUSED to put on the hat!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

A little late

I guess I shouldn't have put a day on my last post, because I definitely didn't get anything done "tomorrow"! It has been a crazy couple of days around here.

Please keep our family in your prayers! There may be some major changes going on soon, and we are very worried, but are trying to stay positive. I'm sure I'll give more details later, but at this point in time, we just need lots of prayers coming our way. Please!

I'm going to get the post up from New Years in a minute, but the others will have to wait for a few more days. I promise they are worth the wait though!

Andrea and the kids came over today and we did crafts and had lots of fun outside! Lots of cute pics to come!

Until tomorrow

That's it for tonight. I will finish up the posts tomorrow. Adam and I are on a network, and for some reason when I download pictures, it really slows down his computer. He is trying to work on something tonight, so I am banned from doing anymore posts with pictures. You all know that I can't really do that! I am a picture freak, so it isn't fun to me to do a post without showing you what I'm talking about. So, I will finish up sometime tomorrow, and will finally be caught up!!

I hope you have all enjoyed the holiday posts thus far! Even if you haven't, please tell me that you did, because they took FOREVER. I would hate to think that I did all that for nothing!

Trains at North Park

Every year around the holidays, North Park sets up a train exhibit. It is $5 per person to see the amazing trains, and all the proceeds go to The Ronald McDonald House. This is the first year we have gone, because we thought it would be the first year that Parker would truly enjoy it. I think we might have been wrong! If Peyton's reaction was anything like Parker's would have been a couple of years ago, we should have taken him then!

The kids absolutely LOVED it; especially Peyton! I was shocked at how excited she was. Although Parker was thrilled too, I think Bitty liked it more than he did! The adults enjoyed it too. It was almost overwhelming because there was SO much to see. I will definitely be taking the kids every year from now on!

Here's Peyton waiting in line. She had to wave to every train she saw! Don't know if you can tell by the way her mouth is shaped, but this is her repeating "Choo-choo" over and over.
This was Parker's initial reaction when we were waiting in line. They had trains going all around you and above you.

Here's Peyton in her conductor's hat, waving to another train.

So precious!

Parker in his hat trying to see over the rails

Can you see how overwhelming it was? I think it was a little hard for him to take it all in when we first went inside.

Nona and Peyton

Parker and Aunt May

Gotta wave to ALL the trains!

"LOOK MOM! CHOO-CHOO!"

Aunt May, Nona, Granna, Parker, and Peyton

There were so many amazing scenes set up! Here's Mt. Rushmore

The Dallas skyline

A school playground. It was so cool! All the swings moved and there were kids playing tug-of-war.

An outside circus. All the rides moved too!

A Winter wonderland

The Statue of Liberty

For those of you that live in the Dallas area, and haven't been to see the train exhibit, you HAVE to go next year! Not only was it amazing, but it's for a great cause too!

Good Morning!

The kids began by opening thier stockings. I knew if they were to see all the fun stuff from Santa first, they would have no desire to see what was in their stockings. They loved all the fun, little stuff!

Santa was a HIT!! The kids LOVED their new toys! It was so exciting to see their faces. They were so overwhelmed; they didn't know what to play with first.

Opening their stockings

Parker blowing his train whistle

Bitty wearing her new glasses
Parker seeing his stuff for the first time

Bitty already playing with her new toys

Checking it all out

Trying out her new tricycle

Playing on her laptop

All dressed up and ready to work on his tool bench

Cowboy up!

Now it is time for Parker to check out what his sister got!

Of course, Peyton had to do the same

She LOVES to "cully"

Santa came to Wylie

After all the presents were opened and all the trash was cleaned up, it was time to set up for Santa! Luckily I had already put together the kitchen and the work bench, because set-up ended up taking about an hour. I hadn't opened any of the boxes, and we all know how tedious that can be!!! Do they seriously need to wind those wires around EVERYTHING?!?! Not to mention the ones that had to be unscrewed out of the package. It's ridiculous!

The kitchen had already taken me 3 hours to put together and the work bench about 20 minutes, so I would have been looking at about 4 1/2 hours! WOW! Anyhow, Santa turned out to be perfect, and I was so excited when it was all set up!

Santa drank all of his milk and ate most of his sweets! Here's everything Santa brought!
Parker's stuff

Peyton's stuff

They got an Aquadoodle to share

Here's their stockings

We definitely can't forget what Christmas is all about!!

"Happy Birthday Jesus!"

Happy 26th Jeffrey Wayne!

My little brother would have been 26 on December 27, 2008. I still can't believe he would have been that old! I will always remember him as a crazy, happy, funny teenager!

He passed away when he was 17, in a terrible car accident. This year, on June 21, it will be 9 years since he's been gone. Totally crazy! Sometimes it still seems like yesterday!

I loved my little brother SO much! We fought like all siblings do, especially teenage siblings, but there was no doubting our love for one another! I could do or say whatever I wanted to Jeff, but if anyone else did something to him, they better start running. I was a very protective big sister!

I don't have any pictures on the computer of my brother, because he passed long before I got a digital camera. Our scanner isn't set up at the moment, but when it is, I will have to scan in some pictures from our childhood and show you.

This post was not meant to bring anyone down. I simply wanted to say Happy Birthday to my little brother, and introduce him on my blog! I believe this is the first time I have mentioned him.

Jeff, I miss you EVERYDAY and I think of you all the time. I know you are in a better place, but it still doesn't keep me from wishing you were here with me! I know you would have been an AMAZING Uncle to my sweet babies! I love you SO much! Love, your big Sister