Polar Express

This weekend we rode the Polar Express in Palestine, TX and it was a BLAST! A COLD BLAST! It got down to around 28 degrees and VERY windy! But the train ride was a little warmer and the girls loved it. We sang Christmas carols, had hot chocolate & rice crispy treats, read the Polar Express, Santa and his elves got on and passed out bells to all the kids and took pics, the girls got to wear their PJ's and we even learned a lot about a steam train in the process. It was a lot of fun and here are a few pictures from the weekend.

Before the train ride

The train station
Me and the girls in front of the engine.

Us on the train....Madison not wanting to take a picture

Skyler and Santa

People in our car

Singing Christmas Carols and ringing the "magic bells"

The train

Daddy being funny

Madison showing off her flexibility

Papa and Madison working on the train around the tree.

Skyler in her new snow suit that she calls her waders. She will wear them riding her four-wheeler to stay warm.

Last Game & Tammy's Wedding

Where do I start? Today was a wild and crazy day. I started the day by running to the store to get 2 pair of tights, then home to get ready for soccer, we had the last soccer game of the season at noon, over to the pizza party for the team to get our trophy's, then Skyler and I left daddy and Madison to go get Skyler's hair done for Tammy's wedding. Which might I add turned out very cute. Then home to get mommy and the girls dressed and ready in about 30 minutes. That was the fastest I have ever shaved my legs in my life! :o) Then the four of us headed for the chapel for pictures before the wedding, had the wedding, then more pictures, then the reception and now we are finally home. It is 11:30pm and everyone is in bed and my feet are KILLING ME. But we had a wonderful time. Both of the girls walked down the aisle, even though they were not together and Madison had her binky in her mouth they still looked so cute. The reception was a lot of fun and the girls LOVED the dance floor. There was no getting either one of them off of it and when we finally left they were so worn out they didn't even move or make a sound on the way home. Her are pics of the day, sorry there are so many.

The girls in the goal

Skyler kicking the ball. #7

My sister, her husband and children are in town for the wedding in my nephew Zachary came to the soccer game to watch Skyler play. notice my grandmaw sitting behind them, doesn't she look wonderful for 85 years old? It is not all just looks either she could run circles around me. I just hope I am as active and healthy as she is when I am 85.

Skyler showing off her soccer tattoo

Getting her 1st trophy ever!

Starting to get her hair done

The back of her hair all curly

The front and finished product.

Skyler and Madison before the wedding.

Girls before the wedding.

Skyler at the reception

Madison at the reception

Skyler walking down the aisle, notice she left Madison way back there and that she forgot to drop the flowers, but doesn't she look pretty?

Madison walking down the isle with that binky.

I thought this was cute. This is the groom's face (Mike) as Tammy came in the room.

The wedding party minus Madison

Me and the girls at the reception.

Me, the girls, my grandmaw, my mom, my Aunt Leslie, and my sister-n-law Guen.

Me and Schuyler at the reception.

Cutting a rug to Hanna Montana!!!

Skyler and cousin Zachary shaking booties on the dance floor.

My mom and dad dancing. Something very seldom seen.

Flower Girls

This coming weekend my sister is getting married and both of the girls are going to be flower girls in the wedding. I am a bit nervous on how Madison will do since she is not the most outgoing child and a bit moody like her daddy. Skyler on the other hand is so excited and can't wait. She gets to have her hair done and all of the works. Cross your fingers for us that things go smoothly.

Thanksgiving in Mississippi

I am very grateful for all the special people and things in my life. Also, for how happy and healthy my girls, Schuyler and I are. Being a mom, a wife, taking care of home, having a job, etc. can sometimes be a little stressful but these are the times that I realize how much of a blessing they truly are. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

We took our annual trip to Big Creek Mississippi for Thanksgiving to see Schuyler's family and we had a nice time. It was so nice to see everyone and to see how all the families have grown. With all the little ones around this year it sure made the house a lot more fun and lively than in the past years. The family all meets there, at the house on the farm every year. The farm normally produces cotton and this year, for the first time after the cotton was harvested they also grew sweet potatoes that the kids enjoyed picking. As for the car ride...the girls did as best as can be expected on a 10-12 hour car ride. Here are a few pics from the trip.

The car ride there.

2nd Cousins... Cloe almost 3, Skyler 5, Madison almost 2, & Catlin almost 2

Madison, Mathew 13 months, Catlin & Cloe

Skyler & Madison playing in he leaves. Burrrrrr, it was cold.

The girls walking on the long driveway to the house.

The girls standing on what I lovingly call "The Troll Hole". It is down the street from the house and always looks a little scary to me.

Us in front of the fire. (in our cutting down trees clothes)

Schuyler and the girls before rolling down the big hill to pick some sweet potatoes.

Madison picking sweet potatoes.

Skyler & Madison showing off their sweet potatoes.

This weeks pictures

Schuyler's grand-parents came to visit this week. It was a short visit but it was nice that they were able to come visit.

On Sunday I was walking the house looking for Madison because she was being quiet and this is what she was doing.

It may not seem that funny to you but it was to me because I think I walked passed her about 3 times while looking for her. Also, because in her sweet little brain she figured out how to play with toys and not make a mess on the floor. We had just cleaned the playroom and I told her not to get any toys out and mess up the floor because we just cleaned it. So, she get toys and sits on the toy box looking at me like "What? I am not messing up the floor."

We have not been riding in a while and miss it dearly so me and the girls took a ride tonight on my 4-wheeler around the neighborhood. We got some not so nice looks from the neighbors but oh well.

THE REAL POLAR EXPRESS!!!

For all you moms and dads in the Houston/Dallas area here is something special for the kids!
It is called the Polar Express in the Palestine, TX area. We just booked our trip and wanted to recommend it! There is a real steam engine train that leaves out of the Palestine station that goes to Rusk, TX and comes back. The kids (and adults if want to) wear PJ's, while on the train they will read the book The Polar Express, have hot chocolate and rice-crispy treats, when they get to the "North Pole" Santa and his elf's get on and sing Christmas carols on the way back. It sounded like so much fun we booked ours for Dec. 15th and are going to take the camper to make a camping trip out of it.
Here is the link to the website. Let me know if any of ya'll plan on going the same day & time. http://www.texasstaterr.com/special-events.html

General Info....

I just wanted to pass this on as it was passed to me a year ago and my husband and I both were able to gain from. There is a website that you can go to search your name and state and see if there is any "unclaimed property" (money) for you. We both had money on there and were able to claim it and received it in like 5-6 weeks. It is no scam trust me I was cautious and called the state comptroller's office and everything is kept very confidential. It will work...so search your names, search your loved ones, and search your friends because after a certain amount of time the money goes to the state. Happy searching! :o)
www.window.state.tx.us/up/ - For Texas
http://www.unclaimed.org/mainframe.asp?VisitorType=owner -For any state, click find property, then click on the state you wanna search, scroll down and go to that state controller's website and search.

Congratulations

A Big Congratulations to my brother and his wife! They are expecting TWINS!!!

O.S.M (official soccer mom)

Ok, I have some news that I never thought I would be saying. After thinking about this for about 2 years, with my expedition getting older and horrible gas mileage I finally made the move! I always said I would never, but can you believe it..... I got a Chrysler Town and Country Limited. I love every aspect of it other than it is a "minivan". I am having trouble getting over the hump and admitting that I am the official soccer mom but hey, it is great for the family and gets good gas mileage. I don't understand the cliche' of the van but owning one comes with a big one. So for all the moms that I have snickered at in the past for having a minivan, I am here with my foot in my mouth! So laugh if you want but we love it! It is a WONDERFUL family vehicle and my family is very comfortable in it. Here is a picture.

Here are some random pics that were taken this week as well...

Skyler before School one morning. I thought she looked cute so she posed for some pics.

Daddy and the girls watching TV before bed time

Madison on Skyler's scooter in her jammies. Yes she is finally starting to get SOME hair. I thought we were going to have to invest in some baby rogain! :o)

This picture is one of those once in a lifetime shots. I was sitting on the futon showing the girls the pictures on the camera from Halloween and one of them pushed the button and took a picture. After downloading the pics I saw it....we are all 3 sitting the same. Is that ironic or what!?!?!? Of course I cropped out my not so recently shaved legs but other then that it was not staged. I know that feet are not the prettiest things but I had to share my kodak moment!

Wow, I started the blog with mind blowing news about the minivan and ended it with feet.... I need to go to bed!

Happy Halloween

Here are some pictures from our crazy Halloween night. Madison was not feeling well but they both looked so cute.