Very Merry Christmas

We had a FANTASTIC Christmas this year, the best to date. Having our own little gift every day has made this year a true blessing and we are oh so thankful for all the family and friends we have been able to visit with.

Here's our little santa........more pictures of the festivities later.



We hope you have had the best Christmas ever!

Maelea's first Cowboys game

Miss Maelea got to go to her first Dallas Cowboys game Sunday thanks to the wonderful Feland family. She loved it, had a real blast.

Here she is before we went out to the seats with Martha and Nancy. Although Nancy kept saying she wasn't much help to me, she definitely was.



Then I put her headphones on and off we went to the big huge stadium that is oh so loud. She handled it like a pro, even got in on some cheering!





After all of that, she needed to rest. See, Nancy was good help.





Cowboys won, exciting game actually.

I have some more pictures but I'll have to post those later.....for one, it is taking waaay to long for them to upload and also I'm tired.

Maelea's Great Grandpa

Tonight I read a FANTASTIC article in the Seattle Times about Maelea Legend Hatch's Great Grandpa, Grandpa Kenny or Kenney Boas.

I thought it was awesome, like I couldn't do anything but read it because I ABSOLUTELY L-O-V-E family history. Not only is it important for me to know about Maelea's family history on both sides, it seriously fascinates me and I want her to know about the amazing people that she is related to.

You know we all have legends in our family, we just have to talk to find out what legacy each person has left.

I really hope we can make a trip to Seattle so Maelea can meet her great grandparents that live there.

Make sure you click on the link above to read the article, look at the pictures, and definitely watch the video, awesome.

More Family Sessions

Not sure if I mentioned it, but I was VERY busy with taking pictures of families for the holidays. I love taking pictures and although I am so far from professional or great at it, it is so fun and rewarding especially when I get Christmas cards filled with pictures of families that I've taken. :)

Here is the Dewald Family. I had Kalynn, the oldest, in my first second grade class in Forney. Her mom is a sixth grade teacher at our school.






Little man did not want to have his picture taken, but he was soo cute.






This is the Bullock Family....beautiful family, super easy to work with.





These kids were great and sooo sweet.

Blessed

It is that time of year where I really get excited about all kinds of things. Christmas just makes me happy, really super happy. I love all of the excitement and anticipation and knowing that other people feel that way is just even better.




I know I am blessed beyond measure. See?


Tonight I came home from the Cowboys game with the Felands (pictures of that later on) and got Maelea in her jammies and played with her and we walked by our Christmas tree and she just stared at it. I took her over to it and just looked at her watching it and I realized, I think for the first time in awhile, that I won't get this time back with her. That once today passes, she'll be another day older and a little bit bigger. She just captured my heart as she stared and then got so excited while she was looking at those lights and ornaments. All the lights were off and it was dark outside, so the Christmas lights just made her face glow and I just don't want to miss any of those special moments with her and I want to slow down and really enjoy things like that.



I had to run and get a few things this evening and I felt the need to stop by Starbucks and get a hot chocolate, a real need, haha. I hit the drive through, ordered my hot chocolate and then drove up to the window. The girl just glanced at me, then looked away and was getting an order ready. Then she handed me my hot chocolate and said "the man in front of you gave me $5 to pay for your drink, do you want the change?" I said, "really? ahhh, that was sooo nice! You keep that change and keep it going." Pay it forward, seriously. As I drove away I felt a tear or two coming because that was so kind and so simple and it made my night.





So blessed in so many ways.

Side note: I got down to two nursing feedings a day with Maelea last week and yesterday I stopped all nursing. I did it for 5 1/2 months, which I'm proud of. Knock on wood, she's only had a tiny cold for about a day since she's been born and tiny bit of thrush at about 3 months so I'm super blessed with a healthy baby and thank God for it EVERY day. Tonight I will pray for that and for this, um pressure, to go away...you know since I'm done nursing.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Did someone say contest?

When I hear, contest, competition, winner, there might be a prize involved, etc. etc......I get in full on competitive mode. I'm positive I've always been this way, and sometimes it has gotten the best of me and I'll admit I've been rude to others because of it. I also have the sorry attitude that says, "If I KNOW I can't win, I'm not going to play." Yep, that's sorry. I sure won't do this in front of Maelea or teach her this, but why would you play to lose? Never. So, thanks to a fantastic boss that loves competition too (all-american gymnast in college) we have plenty of chances to compete at school. So when Mrs. Baird announced that we were having gaudy day and that there would be a winner and people would be voting, I was set. I gathered a few small items while home at Thanksgiving and I was ready for this.
I am going t describe my outfit for you from head to toe then present you with this lovely image. Yes, I wore this ALL DAY, and sadly the kids said we looked "pretty, fancy, like snow queens, and my favorite, a girl president." Yeah.

Madly teased hair, pulled half back then pulled into a teased and hairsprayed pony tail wrapped in mitten and fuzzy ball garland. Three layers of foundation, deep dark blush, raisin colored lipstick applied throughout the entire day, black, grey, white, purple, and white sparkle eyeshadowS, lots of eyeliner and mascara. Gold and green jeweled earrings that dangled, a snowman turtleneck, Christmas sweater vest with many appliques including one on the back, a tie that sang holy night, makeup all over the top of the turtle neck, a bright red blazer for warmth. The blazer was enblazened with a variety of pins and broaches, butterfly, snowflake, flower, celebrate black history africa pin, Ross Perot for president '92 pin, and the "under the lapel pin" I only sleep with the best Serta mattress pin (only the judges got a sneak peek of that.) Green skirt, bright silver leggings, penguin and red socks, and red leather heels. Yep, wore it all day long as I taught, spun, and twirled.

Oh, would you like to see it? If you made it through that description then you deserve it. Let me add that Lynn really dislikes days like this and rarely participates......but she DID NOT disappoint on this one!!!



I won.

Johnson Family

Look what the wind blew in...





Lori is a fifth grade teacher at my school. The girls were a hoot and we had alot of fun, despite the wild wind.