January 2011

Sooo, 2011 has kinda been a rocky start for us. Week one was typical. just the standard New Year hoopla and a boring week to follow. Day 8 of January, BOOM, worlds fall apart. We get a call from family in West Texas that my uncle has an abdominal aortic tear. When my family heard this our worlds stopped. We knew how serious this is, it mostly leads to death. Patients usually don't make it to the ER alive. The fact that my Uncle is with us today...God's Miracle. To make a long story short...he was care flighted by plane (not helicopter, crazy to think, huh?) from Odessa to Houston, and in surgery for about 5 or so hours...with his heart stopped for about 2 or so hours of the surgery. Are you kidding me?!!? Thank you God for not being ready for Uncle Toby!! He is currently recovering at my Mom's house and will be headed back home to Odessa in 6 weeks or so! MIRACLE!

So the very same weekend Hayden is defeated by the flu. Sickest little kid on earth. (Sorry the pictures aren't great they are all from my phone) I of course immediately separate myself from Hayden, not knowing if I would be making an emergency drive to Houston, or God forbid services in Odessa...something I just cant be sick for. Luckily there was no traveling needed. So I stayed home with Hayden for one of the days he was sick so daddy could catch up on work.

So of course towards the end of week 2 and half of week 3 I get the flu. Just the one day with Hayden was all my body needed to be invaded. Matt of course never even got a sniffle. Lucky duck. Anyhow, I was just sick as dog and Matt waited on me hand and foot. So sweet to me!

So while I was bedridden, Matthew thought it was a good idea to shave Hayden's head in the middle of winter. We shave his head every summer, but really it was at Hayden's request that he have his head shaved now. Matt shaves his head every week and of course Hayden has to be just like him! It really is the only calm way to cut Hayden's hair. Whenever someone cuts his hair with scissors he thinks they are going to cut his head off and screams and screams and screams...totally embarrassing.



This past week was the first week I worked a 40 hr week since before CHRISTMAS, talk about hard. I thought those little 5 in a row 8 hour days were going to kill me.

Everything is back to normal. Hayden is growing so big and wants to help me with EVERYTHING. He all the sudden wants to help cook, don't know where that came from. He also likes to help with the dishes! Yay! I do believe I will take advantage and train him now for a future chore! :)

Christmas Day

Christmas Morning was so much fun! Hayden wasn't sure at first what to think and then he was really excited when he knew all the toys were for HIM!

Look what Santa brought!

Not so sure what to think at first...

Excitement! Those are mine!?!

Checking out what is in his stocking...

Opening presents! He loved every minute!

That afternoon we went over to my parents house and exchanged gifts with the Hurst and Bennett family. It is always so much fun to have the Bennett kiddos and Hayden together. Those three are a M.E.S.S. After we left my mom's we went to Matthew's Grandmother's house for Christmas with his side of the family and then on Sunday we headed back to Lorena to have Christmas at Matthew's Mom's house for Christmas with the Strahan/Yarber family.

Formulating a game plan...

On a different note...you see the skinny lady handing a gift to my Nephew Michael? That is my Mom! I know a lot of you remember her as a school nurse. She has lost over 100lbs! Doesn't she look A.MAZ.ING!?!?!?

Christmas Eve Traditions

I love having traditions on Christmas Eve! I love how I've claimed as my night. With the hustle and bustle of going to go to 3 family Christmas get-togethers {besides our own Christmas in the morning} its nice to have a peaceful Eve with my two boys. We ride around and look at Christmas lights, we watch Christmas movies, eat some yummy dinner, feed to reindeer, put out milk and cookies and of course read our favorite Christmas books.

The books we read.

Hayden telling us not to eat Santa's cookies

Of course he needs a sip

My sweet boy :)

Reindeer Food

Making a sweet treat for Santa's Reindeer

Santa's Cookies

As we did last year, Hayden and I made cookies for Santa. I really thought he wouldn't be interested this year, but he was loving it from start to finish!

Rolling the dough

Cutting cookies

So excited!

Time to decorate!

He thinks Santa likes LOTS of sprinkles!!

Merry Christmas!

Family Snowfall Red Christmas

For hundreds of Christmas card designs, click here.

View the entire collection of cards.

Better Late then Never??

Halloween 2010

Trick or Treating at Grandma and PaPa's

A Tiger in the tree....

SpiderMan admiring his new muscles...

A super sassy Tinkerbell....


What do Tiger's dream of when they take their little tiger snooze?

Fall Carnival

Last Saturday me and my bestie's went to a fall carnival in McGregor with all the kiddo's. It was lots of fun to watch the boys play and the carnival was nice and clean!!

My Bestie's Amanda and Brandi. Sista's from anota Mista...I love both of these ladies like I love my family. Both of them are always there when I need them. We all love the same things and have the same values. It's amazing how much a like we all are. I don't often get to spend time with both of them at the same time, but when I do it's twice as sweet!!!

Their boys: two are blood brothers and two are brotha's from anotha motha ;)

Making a game plan...

This is how Brandi and Amanda were the WHOLE night. l have a bum foot right now and couldn't chase after Hayden in my awesome boot. They ran all over the place after him! They held him for most of the night, because he was a little too young for the rides and the rides he could have rode he was too scared to (he gets that from his Dad). They also held my purse and Hayden's coat the whole night too. There isn't anything wrong with my arms or shoulders, but sometimes when you get the chance you just gotta milk it! hahah :)

Not the best pic of us, but it is the only one I have of us together, with him looking at the camera in like two years! So I felt the need to share...

A DIno-Mite Party!

Yesterday we celebrated Hayden's 3rd birthday with a Dino Theme party. Currently he is OBSESSED with Dinosaurs...so it was a perfect party theme for him! I didn't take hardly any pictures myself (i didn't know where my head was during the party) :/ , but someone sweet grabbed my camera and took some great pics for me! Enjoy!

Pumpkin Patch Past & Present

2008

2009

2010