O Christmas Tree........

I decided that since I took a few pictures of our tree this morning, I'd participate in this weeks "Show us your life" at Kelly's Korner.

Normally I have more than one tree, but this year we're cramped into this tiny apartment and the other tree(s) just won't fit. I decided to put up the main on and this year I changed the color scheme to Red and White with a touch of silver.

In person it looks perfect, but when I looked at the pics I thought it looked like the tree needed more ornaments. I'm not sure though. I have tons more red and white, maybe I should put them up! What do you think?!

I LOVE the snowflake ornaments. I got them all on sale last year a few days after Christmas.....when I bought them I decided to go with the red/white this year. I fell in love with them and I couldn't be happier with how they look!

I need to pull out the last few Christmas boxes and find my tree topper, but other than that, I think I'm finished decorating!! I'll try to get more pictures of the rest of the house up soon!

Happy Thanksgiving.....

I wanted to hop on for a minute and wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for this year and I hope everyone reading this is surrounded by people they love and that they're enjoying their holiday.

We didn't go home for Thanksgiving this year, but we're blessed to be spending our Thanksgiving with great friends that we like to consider our "military family."

Happy Thanksgiving to anyone reading this, and Happy Anniversary to my wonderful husband.

Philip, I love you with my entire soul. Here's to our lifetime together!!

Deployment sucks....

and this is a short one! LOL

Philip has been gone for a grand total of 36 hours and I'm already at my wits end. Thankfully, it's usually one a few days of total insanity before we settle into our normally insane routine.

We'll be meeting up with Philip next week for Thanksgiving at the Eastridge casa!! We're so excited. Mike and Jenn (plus 2) are such awesome friends and were so lucky to have them in our lives. The story of how we met is kinda funny, but regardless they've become great friends of ours and we're stoked to be spending such a fun holiday at their house this year!

I've been in lots of pain the last few weeks and it only seems to be getting worse. So, I feel like I'm going to lose it now that my right hand man is gone and I have no one to pick up my slack in the parenting department. For those of you that don't know what I'm talking about....I'm referring to my endometriosis. After a long talk with my doctor he thinks my best bet is to undergo a hysterectomy, but I just can't make a decision. It's so permanent. I'll be praying about it, and I'd love it you'd all do the same!

It just occurred to me I never posted any halloween pics, so I'll try to get that done tonight or tomorrow!! BTW, whose excited about New Moon coming out this week!? LOL

When did this happen!? ........

I'm not quite sure when it happened, but it did. My baby girl just turned 5. I really can't believe it. I've been a Mommy for 5 whole years now, and it's the best job I've ever had, or could have.

I don't think a person can even understand the term "unconditional love" until they become a parent. There is just no grasping it beforehand. My kids are my life. They're my hopes and my dreams. They're everything right in my life and I love them more than I could have ever imagined. Ever.

Morgan,

I hope you had a wonderful birthday and that it was everything you wanted. I can't believe it's been 5 years since your were born. I feel like I've missed so much and it's all been one big blur! Time truly flies when you're having fun.

I'm so proud of the wonderful little girl you're becoming and watching you grow and change is so much fun. You fill my life with happiness and I don't know where we would be without you. You are our hopes and dreams.

I love you more everyday and I just thank God for blessing us with a daughter as awesome as you.

I love you crazy!

Mom

Oy Ve......

I've gotten a few emails this week regarding this blog, and they all go a little something like this:

"Chas, update your dang blog. We need to see new pictures of the kids, now"

So, here I am, happy to oblige......

Last weekend we went to Hunsader Farms in Bradenton, FL to have a little family fun on the farm. There was a hayride, corn maze, craft booth, etc. It was a giant waste of money, but the kids had a great time and that's all that truly matters.

Here's a pic of each kiddo on the hayride!!

Later on in the week we dressed the kids in their costumes for a mini-photo shoot, here's a sneak peak. Cuteness overload!

I promise to update again this week.....like, tomorrow. We have a fun day planned for Morgan's birthday! I can't believe my baby girl will be 5 in less than 24 hours.

Football player in the making....

Zachary has played 3 football games now, and believe it or not, he really does get better each week! The last two games have been so much fun. He did great!

This picture cracks me up. That little boy in the black tackled Zachary (and note, it's FLAG football) and then proceeded to just push him down over and over again. The coaches got onto him and then the rest of the game he kept hugging and apologizing to Zachary. It was so funny!

Zachary says his favorite part of football is when he gets to *hike* the ball. So, the coach lets him do it alot.

Zachary is the smallest kid on the field, so when it's his turn to run with the ball, he's pretty much tackled instantly. And, he's yet to pull anyones flags because his little legs just don't move as fast as the other kids legs do! LOL

He has learned however, that football players get all the chicks!!

My friends Kristin and Lauren had both come out to watch him play, and he just eats up the attention! Chicks dig football players ;)

Update on Morgan

Thinga have just been nuts around here since Morgan had her surgery! We're so thankful that everything went well and she came home to recover nicely. Here's a big of info from her surgery:

When the DR was about 1/2 way through the surgery he sent the nurse out with an update. Apparently when they got inside her they saw that the extra sinus cavity ran through her carotid artery. That discovery made things a bit more tense and caused the whole thing to take a bit longer.

When all was said and done they told us she's lucky to be alive. He said it was a miracle that with as many infections she was getting in that cavity, it never got swollen enough to block the artery completely or cause it to burst. If it had been left alone, it could have eventually killed her and we never would have known why. Praise God that this doctor was proactive, I don't even want to THINK about the possibilities.

Anyway, the rest of the surgery went smoothly. Her right adenoid was blocking about 80% of her regular sinus passage and her fluid levels in her right ear were off the charts! He drained her ears and removed the adenoids!

Since the surgery we've noticed such an improvement in her breathing and hearing! She's done so well.