Santa Was Good

Princess H says we should do Christmas again next year. I think she is catching on! I have been off of work since last Wednesday. Unfortunately I have to drag my behind back into the office tomorrow. So, in honor of signing off on Christmas and bidding New Year's Eve a fond hello, I give you the 13 things that I enjoyed most about Christmas 2009.

1. I got to spend three nights at my Mom's with my sister an all of the kids. I love being with my family. It can be stressful (and loud), crowded (and loud), and chaotic (and loud), but I always miss it when it is over.
2. Princess H LOVED her Barbie Dreamhouse with Elevator. LOVED IT.

3. The kids woke us up at 5 AM when Santa came! My sister and I used to be that excited. That just tells me that we are doing something right.
4. Super Z told me that he would be happy no matter what he got. (Unless he didn't get the bike that looks like a dirtbike. If he didn't get that he would cry for three days.) He was just glad that I was such a good mom.

5. I got to be off work for eight days in a row!!
6. Christmas day we went out to Mamaw and Papaw Felters. They played board games with the kiddos and Mamaw taught Alisha and I how to make her world class crispy, yet mushy, fried potatos. Yum.
7. Randy, the kids and I got to spend a whole day at the house playing with our toys and enjoying each other before we headed out of town.
8. Felter Christmas on Christmas Eve was a blast. I laughed so hard at one point with my sister and my cousins that I made no sound at all.
9. At Felter Christmas I sang the whole family Princess H's bath song, "You don't have to take your clothes off the have a good time, oh No...but you have to take your clothes off, to take a bubble bath, uh huh." to the WHOLE 50+ family. Classic.
10. Randy and I snuggling on the couch, looking at the tree, and waiting for Santa to come.
11. Giving people presents that the liked. I LOVE that. If I was rich, I would give presents often...just for fun.
12. Tyler is home with us!! We LOVE Tyler!!! He is awesome.(Even thugh he is a teenager!)

13. The kids at mama's. They are so awesome and they love each other so much. I am so happy with those kids. They rock my world.

My Goodlooking Guys

His Favorite Girl In The World

Last week, I was doing a little last minute Christmas shopping when Super Z asked if he could buy my 13 year old niece, Brittany, a gift. I told him that we had already bought Britt's gift. She was marked off the list.

Brittany

Zane looked at me with wide green eyes (a little puppy dog creeping into them), and said, "Please, Mom. I didn't get her anything. Please let me get her something."

Me, being the brick wall that I am, I relented instantly. He picked out a really cool peace sign ring. It was $10. It worked out pretty well for Super Z, Britt, and, my wallet.

When we got home and he was helping me wrap the ring he said, " Mom, do you know why I had to get that for Britt?"

I said, " Because you love her?"

And he responded, "No, because she is my favorite girl in the world. I have to treat her really good."

How sweet is my baby?

Super Z is 7!

Today we are having Super Z day in honor of the boy's 7th birthday. Super Z day, as far as I can tell, consists of eating a lot of  junk food and playing all day. He wants to ride his bike all the way down to the stop sign, go to see Santa at the Bass Pro Shop, eat lunch at Sonny's, go swimming at the Y, go see The Christmas Carol in 3D, and have dinner at Chuck E. Cheese. I am not sure if we will be able to get everything in, but we will give it our best shot. After all, you only get to turn 7 once, right?

I Only Roll WIth Fashionistas

Elevator

Last month Princess H told me that she wanted Santa Claus to bring her an elevator. I told her that we can't always get what we want from Santa. ( An elevator??? Really?? The first thing my daughter ever asks for by name and it's an elevator???) I also suggested that she might want to think of a few other things that she might want. She hung her head and left me standing in the kitchen. Her dreams of elevators were dashed. I could only hope that she would come up with something else.

A few days later we were watching SpongeBob when a commercial came on for the Barbie Dream Townhouse with ELEVATOR! The princess jumped up squealing and pointing.

"Mom! My elevator! I want it! I want it! Please make Santa bring me my elevator!!!"

So, the elevator is attached to a Barbie Dreamhouse. Who would have known?

Cute Christmas Babies

Guess What?

I am going to attempt a come back. Again....and probably again after that. I miss blogging. I think everyone has gone away and I will never be read again, but I can live with that. What I can't live with is losing those little moments that seem so big when they happen and then they slip away. So, get ready blog. Serina is back.

The kids are bigger, I got promoted 6 months ago, my family still makes me happy, all the key players from May are still in place, I miss my Mamaw more around the holidays, Super Z can read, Princess H hates to sleep (STILL?????), and Randy works at the same place as me. I think that catches you all (no one) up.

We will start fresh from here. Yay!

Supe Z Plays Ball!

Playing Dress up with Cousin Tater

Crawfish Boiling

We went to a crawfish boil at my IT director's house in April. It was a lot of fun. The kids spent that weekend with my Mom. I must say that as much as I love my kiddos (see Mother's Day post), I also love time alone with my husband. We always have fun as a family. But there is absolutely nothing like time alone as a couple. I think it is so important. AND SO MUCH FUN! We make time for date night at least twice a month. It is wonderful. Every couple should do it (BECKY!!). Can I say again how excited I am about our romantical trip in June??

Update on the weight

As of today, I have lost 114 pounds. I feel like I can take on the world. I want to move. I want to do all the things that I thought I could never do. In June for our tenth anniversary, Randy and I are going ziplining in Georgia. I am so excited! I am a little bit scared because I have never done anything remotely like that in my life. But I can't wait. I can't wait to see what comes next. Yay!

Happy Mother's Day!

Yesterday I was listening to the song "The Best Day" by Taylor Swift. Every time I listen to that song I think about how great my own Mama is. I think that and I cry like a baby. She has always been my rock. All of my super powers came straight from her. I can't imagine life without her.
As I was listening yesterday I decided to try to think of all of my best days. I was amazed by how many I have had. So many days with my Mom and my sister. And then days with my friends. Days in college when I was crazy. Then came the days of Randy. Then I got to the best days of all. The days when I got to be the Mom.
I found out that I was pregnant with Super Z on Mother's Day 2002. I screamed. I ran around my old house in Crosby like a crazy person. I jumped on Randy. I cried. I laughed. I woke up my sister and Britty. I called everyone I could think of at 7 am. I couldn't believe it.
When I look at these gorgeous awesome kids of mine, I still can't believe it.
I can't believe how lucky I am that I am the one they come to when they need comfort, that I am the one they always want to sit by on the couch, that I am the one who has to read just one more story every night, that I am the one who knows what they want to eat and how to rub their backs when they are sick. I could never get enough of them. They are the best thing ever. Being their Mom is my favorite thing. How did I get so lucky?

I like this man

This Girl Certainly Knows How To Dress Herself

The Flu Tent

Zane has been down with the flu since Friday. He is feeling better but still having fever. The worst part at this point is his boredom. So we built a clubhouse. It is not as good as outside he said, but it is still cool. I try to always be cool.

My Pretty Niece All Grown Up and Ready for her First School Dance

An Almost Perfect Saturday

Today was almost perfect. It might have been perfect except for the fact that I didn't get to see all of the people that I love and I had to go to a party with some people I don't know. But other than that, it was just one of those great wonderful days. Here are some of the things that helped to make it great.

1. It was perfect weather. Sunny and 70. PERFECT.
2. No child woke up before 9:30 this morning.
3. My sheets and the air were perfect sleeping temperature.
4. I woke up beside the man that I love more than any other.
5. My kids were in good moods and laughed a lot while they ate their breakfast.
6. I had lunch with Super Z outside at Newks.
7. He told me that I was the best mom in the world.
8. We talked about school and friends and shared a salad and his cheese pizza.
9. Randy and I cleaned out cars. (It doesn't sound great, but it was nice. AND my car looks new!!)
10. I love my house.
11. I love my yard.
12. I love my family.
13. I didn't have to rive more than 5 miles away from my house all day.
14. I bought the kids a goody just because I wanted to.
15. Randy grilled me an almost perfect steak for supper.
16. I sat on the porch and threw the ball with Super Z while he grilled.
17. Princess H took a nap and woke up happy and refreshed.
18. The princess laughed and held my hand while we ate dinner.
19. She gave me her pretty crooked special love smile.
20. I didn't worry about anything all day long. I just enjoyed every single minute.

I Am Crazy Mean

Super Z has decided that I am crazy mean. He has now described me that way 3 times! This usually is accompanied by him lamenting on how EVERYONE in the world is mean to him. Most grown ups hold him to some standard of behavior. His sister and other children expect him to share and act like a human. Oh cruel world!
He is not actually all that bad. But when he gets in these moods...WOW. I am talking about some serious whiney hiney baby drama. And I know exactly where the drama jeans come from. They come straight from his dad. Don't let the calm exterior fool you. My husband is the most dramatic emotional person on the planet. I have decided that most men are like that. At least on some level.
I figured out quick when I taught second grade (way back in my former life) that the boys were the sensitive ones. Girls are tough. Most, like Princess H, really don't give a crap what you think of them. That seems to be something that comes into girls later in life...Maybe because we are taught that we are supposed to care? I don't know, but the princess has convinced me that girls all start out the same way, crazy mean. Let's just hope that time turns us all back into crazy mean little girls who wear what they want and aren't afraid to stand up in a buggy in the middle of the grocery store and sing at the top of our lungs. Man, those crazy mean girls know how to live.
As far as the boys, we aren't really mean. We will always be here to comfort them. Even when they think we are the meanest mom in the world.

My Obsession

All I can think about these days is Weight Watchers. Weight loss. The shrinking of me. I am having trouble embracing the fact that I have lost almost 100 pounds now. AND I only have 80 to go! More than half way there. WOOT. I have been trying to get a grasp on how far I've come, but apparently all of my old pictures ONLY have my face. Apparently I had body issues.lol So here is a shot from last February and a not so good shot from today. I guess I can see it a bit. I don't look quite as...swollen? I also don't have to try so hard to look okay in pictures. Which is an art that I mastered. I am happy about my progress. I have lots of big plans. One of which is to keep a better visual record in the coming months. The other plans...maybe I will let you in on those in future posts...Maybe I will actually posts about some of the things that I am thinking about lately...maybe?

The Creation of A Monster

Wordless Wednesday: My favorite sister and me

My Grandparents Renewed Their Vows

On December 17th my maternal grandparents celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary by renewing their vows. My Mamaw was very excited about finally getting married in a church. It was especially meaningful to me because they did it in the same church that Randy and I got married in. It was a beautiful cold Christmastime night. The candles were glowing and the building was filled with family and love.

Over 60 years they have amassed 7 children, 18 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren, 4 step great grandchildren (my mamaw insists that they be included :), and 3 great grandchildren on the way. They took go forth and multiply to heart.

My cousin Rae took these lovely pictures and my Uncle sand Forever and Ever Amen. It was truly beautiful. I am proud to say that my only contribution was coming up with the idea and driving two hours on a week night to attend. It was probably my favorite part of the holidays this year.

Super Z is 6!

On the 20th we had Super Z's birthday party. Actually ON his birthday. I was so proud. We are going to be doing a second mini-celebration later this month in Natchez so that our family can celebrate with us. We didn't think that it would be very nice to make them drive up for a party the weekend before Christmas.
Despite missing his Mimi, his cousins, and the rest, Super Z hade a great party. He had a skate board theme. He is a skateboarder through and through. Several of our friends came. It was the most people that we have had in our new house all at once. It is amazing how much smaller a house can seem with 20 people in it.
Because of the fact that Santa came to our house early (the night before to be exact) there were plenty of toys for everyone to play with. The Wii Fit was a huge hit with the grown up kids. :)

I am so proud of my baby. He is such a good boy. I can't believe that he is 6 years old! Where oes the time go? All of the baby is washing off of Super Z. He is a big boy now. He is learning to read. He can do skate board tricks. He helps me cook. He cleans his room. He loves me the most despite all of that. I am still his best Mom. He tells me so every day.

2008 Out

We are all alive and well. We finished out 2008 with our usual end of the year flurry. Super Z turned 6. Santa came. We visited many many friends and relatives. We drove a lot of miles. We got good presents. We gave presents that made people smile. I got a Nintendo DS! We hugged a lot of people. Princess H showed me why she still sleeps in her crib. We had a fire. We shot fireworks. We played Dirty Santa 3 or 4 times. Super Z learned how to walk on Heely's. Tyler came for a week. He got us up to date on what is and is not cool (as only a 14 year old can). We went to the movies. We managed to have 6 minutes alone. It was busy and perfect. I hope that everyone's holidays were as great, if not as busy.
I have a lot of photo posts to do to get up to date. So at least for the next couple of days, I'll be a regular in these parts. Have a great day.