Jamnuary Packed

January is already jam packed, and it's just the first week!

We started the new year at home, asleep before midnight. New Years Day we spent with the Estradas and the Hayes at the Hayes' house. I made these cake ballsand put them in a big wine glass for Lisa's birthday. They were red velvet cake, and were really good.

The kids started back to school Monday. Since I didn't have to go back to work until Wednesday, I agreed to pick the kids up from school and take them to Roller Bomb to skate for a while. Only, it is closed Monday and Tuesday. When we drove away, Blaine said, "Mommy, I wished you worked at Roller Bomb. Then we could go whenever we want." Kylee said, "Blaine, only YOUNG people work at Roller Bomb. No offense, Mom!" Umm..ok.

Lately our house has been a little gassy, and our kids have made it a prominent topic of conversation. I hope it's a phase. THe talking about it; I realize gas is not a phase. Tuesday night prayers went a little like this.
BLaine: Dear God, please help my sister not be so gassy.
Kylee: Dear God, please tell Blaine everybody is gassy.
Joey: NO MORE prayers about being gassy!!
I couldn't even pray. The kids kept telling Joey I was about the throw up. He knew I wasn't. He knew I was just laughing and trying to hide it. So he just put them to bed.

A little over a year ago, Blaine had to have some blood drawn. They had a soldier teddy bear for him to hold on to while they took his blood. He's been looking for one ever since. Wednesday night we went to pick up Dad Dad and Mom Mom at the airport, and he found him. He spent ALL his Christmas money on him, too.He's in love. This soldier bear even sings, "I'm proud to be an American."

Satruday was another day spent at Roller Bomb. Colton and Shelley joined us, though. Kylee and Colton planned it, and we just went along with it. (I guess the disco lights make the pictures blurry)
They even got Shelley and I in skates.We had a great time. After skating, we had dinner at Macaroni Grill. I guess next time it's our turn to go to Las Cruces.

Inside In

After Blaine was told to put his pajamas on last night, he came and told me, "Mommy, my pajamas are inside out. Can you turn them inside in?"

Snow Fun

New Year's Eve Eve, I sent Joey out for some bread. After he left, he called Kylee and told her to look outside. Thisis
what we found. The kids were SO excited. Joey, not so much. He and his dad were headed to the Snow Sun Bowl the next day.
So while they headed out to the football game, the kids played.After it got too cold, I let them come in and skate...in the house. THey also did makeovers on each other, including a wig on Blaine.Snow days are snow fun!

I Want a Hippopatomus Hunting Gear for Christmas

The day after Christmas, as usual, we loaded up and headed to Midland. I told them we would be there by noon, but I guess they didn't believe me. So when we got there, lunch wasn't to be ready until two. While waiting, we laughed at the dancing hat and roped. After lunch, the chaos began. McKenzie had REALLY wanted an iPod touch, but DD had told her she was too young. Maybe she would get a four-year old iPod. Kellie opened an iPod touch, and McKenzie's face was not that of Christmas spirit. She was UNhappy! Then she opened hersand was ssoo excited! It was NOT a four-year old iPod. There was lots of hunting gear,because, you know, we might be rednecks, and because after Christmas my boys and Pops set off to do some hunting and were successful.

Before the hunters left, though, we did a mini photoshoot with the cousins.Pretty good for amatuers, don't ya think?

After the hunters left and Kyle and his family went home, it was just Kylee, Dawn and I. I was a little worried she would be lonesome or bored. She wasn't lonesome with Hazel around, though, and decided she needed her own little photo shoot.
We and the hunters had a great time and an amazing Christmas with Pops and DD. Thanks, y'all!!

Blue Christmas

Christmas afternoon belonged to Papa and Nana. After some horse boy playingwith Blaine's laser tag guns, we got down to what turned out to be a Blue, Blue Christmas...Yankee Blue that is!Blaine got a Yankee beach towel, which quickly has become his Yankee bath towel. We got Papa and Nana Yankee bed sheetsbecause at Papa's birthday we watched Fever Pitch, and this guy is a die-hard Red Sox fan. His WHOLE house was Red Sox decor. Nana made the comment how silly it was, and Papa made a comment defending him. We just thought it would be funny, and it was, to get them Yankee bed sheets. They laughed, too. Phew!

After presents, the girls got our dinner readyand then we roasted smores in the fire.It was a nice, relaxed and blue Christmas afternoon.