Good-bye 2005!

So this will be my last post of the year!! Both of our boys are sound asleep and we are praying for a quiet, restful, night free from vomit. We feel our family has been blessed beyond measure this past year:

1- We gained control of our finances!! And are a month short of being DEBT FREE (except our house).

2- I joined a singing group and have been loving using my talent and creativity to further God's Kingdom in my own small way.

3- Saw my boys tackle life with zest! And am so proud to say that they are loving, sweet, correctable boys.

4- Seen major growth in our marriage.

5- We paid respects to Hank's Grammy Brown this year as well. Mrs. Boemer's mother passed away in March.

6- Helped welcome into the world my brother's first son, Tyler Steven Morrison on October 22, 2005.

7- Hank & Tres took a trip without Jamie & Bryant to Disney.

And much, much more. God has been good. Lord, we commit the coming year to You.

Tres fell in love with Sparklers!!  

Grandaddy even let Bryant shoot a Bottle Rocket! I wasn't aware this was going on! 

We went over to my parent's house briefly to watch my dad put on a fireworks show for the kids. We did our best to keep both boys outside and away from the other kids, but it just didn't work. I said a prayer of protection over the other kids health. Both our boys are feeling better. But nights seem to be the worst so only time will tell! 

And here they are! Tres and Paw Paw (my mom's dad). Tres and Bryant adore him. 

My grandad takes care of the lawn work at the shop. The other day, he came by and picked some pecans from the two pecan trees. Tres loves to help Pawpaw pick 'cans.' I looked out my window from my desk and this is what I saw. It was a moment I wanted to freeze. 

Fun Things To Do Today:

1- Tell my best friend Traci that she and Liv can't come over for a playdate. We haven't seen Liv since she was 15 months old I think... a good 7 months or more. I hate that, but I know Traci doesn't want to expose Liv to this nastiness. I'll definitely take a raincheck, Trac!

2- Call the doctor's office.

2- Disinfect Tres's bedroom.

3- Try to air out my bedroom.

4- Wash sheet, towels, and washrags used in the great 4:25 and 4:45 clean-ups in hot water with clorox!

5- Keep two stir crazy kids happy.... maybe play-dough can help.

6- Un-decorate my house. :(

7- Try to catch a stinkin' nap!! I'm scared to go back to bed now.

Time Check: 4:25 AM

Yes, folks. That's right. It's 4:25 AM and here I sit with fresh PJ's on listening to the sounds of Rolie Polie Olie and the washer humming, while a strong scent of Lysol seasons the air.
Tres has been battling a bug since Wednesday. He started having diarhea. In fact, he had such a bad accident, I spent Wednesday morning before work scrubbing the carpet at the end of our bed.
Then Wednesday night/Thursday morning, Tres kept Hank and myself awake on and off because his tummy was hurting. He ended up up-chucking in his bed at about 3 that morning. The next day, he seemed to be feeling somewhat better. No throw-up, but A LOT of messy diapers.... So I went back to work on Friday and Tres went with me. He didn't eat much and had a couple of bad pull-up accidents, but I thought it was getting better. So much so, that I even hired a sitter last night! I'm sorry you and Daniel were exposed, Crystal!

Well, it's now 4:43, and I just got done cleaning my bathroom floor and my toilet where my little guy just made his last deposit. I have him set up on the couch with a Sprite and a garbage can.

Please pray this is not contagious. I want my family healthy!!

Almost Midnight Mass

Hank and I had decided to attend Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. So after we got the boys to bed, and Santa set up, I looked up at the clock and it was only 10:30! I was exhausted from all the last minute running around, traveling, wrapping, cooking, packing, unpacking, etc. So Hank took pity on this tired Momma, and told me that we could just go and look at the church, pray and head back to bed. So we went to Christ Our King Catholic Church in Nashville. We pulled up and it looked so traditionally Catholic. So beautiful and pristine. It was a cold night, too. So cold that we could see our breath as we trudged up the stairs holding hands. We entered the foyer area, it was so quiet, except for singing. We entered the church to a beautiful rendition of Oh Come All Ye Faithful from the choir loft above our heads. It sounded like a chorus of angels! Hank took me around the church, and showed the beautiful stained glass windows. There were all the stations of the cross and some saints depicted on them. They had a navity set up in one corner. Hank and I walked over, and Hank told me that for as long as he could remember that that navtivity had been set up. I saw a basket sitting next to baby Jesus overflowing with papers. I asked Hank what they were, and he said they were requests and prayers. I found that especially moving. I saw the confessionals and the holy water (which looked kind of unsanitary!). It was all so interesting. We finally sat down on the back pew. I was so tired, and that probably contributed to my emotions, but I sat there thinking about this past year, and all the things I have to be thankful for. And I started thinking of just how much the birth of one amazing little baby boy could continue to effect and impact so many lives. Hank thought I had falled asleep because I sat there so long without moving or speaking. But I was praying. Then we joined hands and left. It was amazing.

Here we are playing Disney Guess Who. Tres's favorite question to ask is "Are you wearing a hat?" 

On our trip home this morning, we stopped at the rocket. We have been making this trip for 3 years and this is the first time we stopped! I think it's close to Huntsville.  

Two red power rangers to the rescue! 

Bryant loves to try on shoes, so when his brother got some house shoes you know what he did! 

Let's take a break and play! 

Here is Tres with a Nerf gun and a Buzz cap he got. 

...and his Dora chair! 

Here is Bryant with his bucket of play-dough. 

Christmas Eve 2005 ~ Heading to Nashville! Bryant didn't need a DVD to keep him occupied! 

Here is what the the tree looked like when it was all said and done!  

Santa came! Santa came!!  

Christmas Eve 2005 ~ Heading to Nashville! This is the portable DVD player Hank won at his company Christmas party! It came in handy on the trip to and from Nashville. 

Christmas with the Boemers!

We got to Nashville right at 4 pm. Hank and I dropped off the boys and had to make one last minute run to Wal-Mart before they closed. But once that was done, we were in for the night! We made Christmas cookies for Santa with the boys, and that was so much fun!! I mean, I totally enjoyed it! I never did that growing up. Tres put a select few out for Santa, and the rest he literally carried around with him the rest of our trip! I unloaded them at the house earlier today, and I didn't realize they were coming home.Christmas morning was so fun. All the adults were up early and waiting on the boys to wake up. We're just a bunch of kids at heart, after all! It was so much fun to set it all up and see it all put together. We definitely went overboard, but we love our kids. However, next year will be scaled back a bit! When I looked up the stairs and saw Bryant poke his head out, I stalled him. I went and sat at the top of the stairs with him. Then when all cameras were aimed and ready, we let Bryant go in and wake up Tres. Down they came and they were so excited!!! Tres got his specific Santa requests: Bat Mobile, Play-dough Doggie Doctor, and a Helmet (who knows why he wanted a helmet!). We gave him a Disney Guess Who game, and he played that game until we were sick of it! Bryant got a set of Incredible Golf Clubs, a Dora the Explorer Chair, and a bucket of Play-Dough. Of course they got a ton more, but those seem to be the hits. They also got some G.I. Joe stuff, and it was so cute to hear Tres say, "Calling Lieutenant Bryant! Come to the den!" They got so distracted by their gifts that half-way through they took a break from wrapping to play and the adults got to open up. THat was fun! I got some great stuff from Hankie... an outfit, some Willow Tree figurines, perfume, earrings, etc. I gave him cologne, a sports jacket, shoes, x-box games, etc. It was a fun, fun, fun year! I love having kids to re-live all the excitement with!

More fun with the Shake nad Go Racers! 

Here is the Shake and Go Racer track. Everyone had fun with these cars... including all the adults!  

Bryant just about wouldn't leave Tyler's side! He loved him! I personally think that he likes the fact that the baby is smaller than him! 

Christmas with the Morrisons! Mom with all of her grandsons: Tres, Bryant, Tyler, and Luke 

Christmas with the Morrisons

Christmas Eve morning was fun! Hectic, but fun just the same. I got up around 6:30 (after not being able to sleep for excitment!), and got busy making sure all presents were loaded, bags were packed for the trip to Nashville following, and baked a huge breakfast casserole. And I am talking 30 eggs, 2 bags of cheese, a pound of sausage, and bacon on top!
We got to Mom & Dad's house around 9 and helped them finish the last minute stuff for breakfast. It was so loud and fun! The kids were excited, and the adults were all talking and laughing. Breakfast was great... my casserole, mom's biscuits, and Kayla's muffins, with bacon on the side. Then we moved onto presents. Hank and I gave Mom & Dad their main gift before we ate. We had converted some of their old home videos to DVD. Hank spent A LOT of time on this! And they were a huge hit! Present opening was a flurry of paper, yelling "Thank you!" and "I love it!" over the din of noise. It was great fun! Tres and Bryant got a Shake and Go Racers set that was a huge hit!! We had to load up and leave by noon, but it was so much fun!

Let the traditions begin!

Tonight is the start of the many traditions that my family and the Boemer family does for Christmas. Tonight, Tonnie & I take my dad shopping for my mom. We started doing this so many years ago, I don't even know when it started. I just think it's so much fun! This year, we are taking Sierra with us.

Tomorrow morning, on Christmas Eve, my entire family will come together for breakfast at my mom's house. This is not a tradition, but it's what we'll do this year, since Hank & I head to Nashville. I am bringing a breakfast casserole and everyone else is pitching in. Then we are exchanging gifts with my family. After that, we hit the road to Nashville.

I am a little sad to miss out on Christmas Eve dinner at my grandparent's house. Every year it seems to get bigger and bigger. And we play a massive game of dirty Santa. And usually on Christmas Eve, we all open one present (pajamas) from my mom. I will most definitely miss my family, but I am excited about Christmas in Nashville.

Tres, Bryant, Grammy, and I are going to bake 'ingerbread' cookies for Santa. Complete with 'eyes and a bellybutton!' That is all according to Tres. Then we are going to put out reindeer food and drive around and look at Christmas lights. Once the boys are snoozing, we will set up Santa, then Hank and I are going to attend midnight mass. I am very excited about this. I can imagine it will be beautiful.

Sunday morning, we will read the Christmas story before we open presents (or we'll try to! Hard to explain to a 3 year old and a 1 1/2 year old that they can't open those presents they've been waiting on!). Then onto eating and visiting with family and friends.

Monday, we are gonna shop baby!!! And I have a list going of what I want to look for at the after Christmas madness. So much to look forward too!

I just don't want to loose sight of why we are celebrating. I want to remember that the lights and trees and presents are beautiful, but my Savior is the reason we celebrate! Thank you Jesus for dying on that tree so long ago. Thank you God for sending baby Jesus to redeem us. What an awesome present!

Merry Christmas! From:

Your Elf Name Is...

Freckles Tinsel Toes

What's Your Elf Name?

Hank took the boys to Recreation Station, or 'recanation station' as Tres says! 

The Boemer boys having fun! 

Daddy & Bryant! Bryant likes to wear Hank's hats. 

I learned something new today...

Always write in your address book in pencil. Otherwise you'll be crossing out addresses and run out of room. Wish I had known or cared about that when I started my address book!

Dear Santa:

All I want for Christmas is to get away from you!!