All aboard The Polar Express!

The Ploar Express came to Lubbock this year! So Mom and Dad treated us all to the trip. Patrick reading the book before we left.
Us with the conductor. Patrick now wants to be a conductor when he grows up. And a fireman.
He was most psyched about the hot chocolate.
The chocolatiers and the elves encouraged dancing in the aisles. They didn't have to encourage Patrick much. He danced all up and down the aisle. And played air guitar.
Watching Patrick talk to Santa was the best moment of the night. His TRUE BELIEF and innocence brought tears to my eyes. Then I laughed because P was convinced that we went through Africa to get to the North Pole - and he told Santa this.

My next favorite moment of the night was when Doodah made up her own version of the 12 Days of Christmas 8th day. She sang - loudly - "8 Lords a-milking." Uh, okay Doodah. So we sang the rest of the verses like that. She also had her own version of "Up on the Housetop." Apparently the reindeer in her version were Nixon and Dixon instead of Vixen and Blitzen. Love the holiday Marsha-isms.

Random pictures from the Fall

Patrick as the "keeper of the keg" at the Baylor game. He makes me proud.
Me, my folks, Josh and Patrick (with his eyes closed) at the Will Rogers statue before Baylor.
Me, Josh, Meghan and Patrick (again covering his eyes - he hates being in pictures these days) at Will for Baylor.
Meghan decided to wear shoulder pads to the game (she was Crabtree for Halloween and had them). Before the game she decided to take them off, and this was her attempt at doing it on her own. She was all flailing around the tailgate looking like the Headless Raider Fan. We laughed HARD!
The Tyes and the Kittens post game.
Me and Patrick at Halloween. Me in the Darth Momma shirt.
Luke, I am your Mother.
I LOVE this SMILE! So him!
Who needs blocks or legos when you have grapes and toothpicks! Patrick made about 6 "airplanes" with toothpicks and grapes at the Homecoming tailgate party.
Look at those sticky fingers!

Turkey Day with My Turkey

Patrick started "hunting turkeys" on Tuesday evening. His catch is in the pickle jar.

He forgot his apron, so he had to put it on to cook them. Then he decided that chefs don't wear shirts when they cook. I told him Uncle Josh was probably the only chef who cooked without a shirt. But he had to wear his turkey hat he made at school.

Then we needed more turkeys - the stuffed beanie baby-sized one wasn't enough. So he colored and cut out more.
And then grilled them. This was Tuesday night. We had to take the (water)gun he used to hunt, his "turkey finder," grill, apron and jar of turkeys to Doodah & Papa J's to help cook Thanksgiving Day dinner.

This was all going on while I put together the Christmas trees - without directions. The branches are color-coded and the directions weren't in the box, so it was pretty much a guessing game. Yes, I tried going by length, but they were all very similar. It seriously took me 2 hours to put 6 layers of branches together. Once I got the branches where I thought they went, the plugs didn't line up. Two hours and several glasses of wine later, I came to the conclusion that Christmas tree decorating and PMS aren't a good mix.

Mommy I'm Proud of You and 2 more WOWs from today

This is going to be a long post.
1. Patrick and I were driving home from my parents' house after Thanksgiving day. Out of nowhere he says "Mommy, I'm proud of you." As I tear up I say why, and he said because you won your race. Which leads me to #2. . .

2. I ran in the 2 mile Lubbock Turkey Trot. I came in 3rd place in the 30-35 age range. I just wanted to run, I never expected to place. Adling was the one who encouraged me to stay until they announced the winners. 19:02 is what I ran. As cheesy as I am, I wore my medal all day around my family. I am still surprised I didn't have to surrender it to Paddy. But back to #1, he is proud of me. And it makes me smile that I make him proud.

3. This is the real WOW moment of the day. Long story short, I called 911 for one of my neighbors. I checked in on her today and I told her I was glad she was able to spend today with her family. She held my face in her hands and called me an angel and said she was able to spend the day with her faimily because of me. WOW! WOW!

Ther are so many things - little things and BIG THINGS that I have to be thankful for. . . my son, my mom, my dad, my brother, my loved ones), my faith, my house, my health, my job and the list goes on and on. . . I hope this feeling of gratitude continues to fill my heart - and yours.

This one's for Michelle. . .

10 Years Ago I . . .
1. lived and died working for Tech athletics. I kinda missed those days. . .
2. drove a red Eclipse. It's true that red cars attract police and you get more tickets. Atleast that's my story. It know couldn't have anything to do with the driver.
3. worked for Tech Athletics. Getting paid to watch baseball.
4. took a roadtrip to the Big XII baseball tournament in OKC while on crutches with Matty. He was such a good man to put up with my antics.
5. discovered the art of heckling. Thank you Snead, Gus, Dr. Gus, et. al.

5 Things on Today's To-Do List
1. Trekking class - finally I can go back on Tuesdays!
2. Event checklist for Groundhog Shadow Day
3. Watch the 3 episodes of CSI:NY I have DVRd
4. Finish laundry
5. Bake some chicken

5 Snacks I Enjoy
1. Honey Teddy Grahams
2. Grapes
3. String cheese
4. Goldfish (I'm glad that Patrick shares)
5. Clementines

5 Places I've Lived
1. 79th St, Lubbock
2. 93rd St, Lubbock
3. 324 Wall Hall, TTU campus
4. N. Erskine, Lubbock
5. the apartments that Adam managed on 4th street (I can't remember the name)

5 Jobs I've Had
1. Cocktail watitress/back-up singer at Kyle's
2. Red Raider Camp/First Year Experience Coordinator
3. Development Officer, Covenant Children's Hospital
4. Science Teacher - just kidding (Mandy, that one's for you)
5. IT Division Event Manager

Now the rest of you, TAG!

The New 'Do

I cut 6 INCHES off! I am still learning how to "do" it - I've never been goo at hair. But I am loving how sassy it makes me feel!

I also went shopping this weekend for size 6s. MAN did THAT feel good! Away with the 10s. HELLO 6s!

OS who???

Patrick loves playing in the truck beds at tailgates! This game he played with this skeleton the whole time. He was hilarious.

He also found the roasted corn. This was his first ear.

This was his second ear.

And then he had to have popcorn.

Me and Jenn tailgating. This ice sculpture made it almost not like we were in a parking lot!

These are the people that sit behind us. The guys were talking about taking Patrick hunting and camping. He was all about that idea. We were also invited on their bus trip to Norman.