What?? How can it be December already?

Ok (so now that my unintentional break in November is over), I hope very one had a blessed and Happy Thanksgiving. We were busy, we weren't hanging out like bums, well, not the entire time anyway. We are working very hard to finish our den....or should I say my husband, Todd, is doing everything he can do get it finished for Christmas decorations. We are also going to have to purchase new furniture, get the tree up and decorated, and lights up outside. We are usually one of the first houses in our subdivision, but we are getting blown away this year. So right up until Christmas Eve, I anticipate this will be the cause for the hurried pace in our home. The "contest" with our neighbors has always been fun, but we are really behind this year. They keep adding things each day. I will also work on getting some of the before/after picutures of the remodeling that we have been doing since MARCH of this year.

I have also attached our family Christmas pictures this year. These pictures also include my parents. Enjoy.

Jessica Shines - Prims to Star

Just a few nights ago, Jessica (and many other girls) were honored for their accomplishments in their individual classes. Jessica recently "graduated" from a Prim to becoming a Star. She was recognized for the work she has done over the past year in her Prim's class. I am so proud of her!

ROLL TIDE!

Fall Fun

Last weekend, we took a trip out to Walden Farms for pumpkin picking. The weather was great, but still really warm to be picking out pumpkins! This is a great little farm in Smyrna that offers fun things for the kids and a small petting zoo too. Getting into the farm is free and so are all the activities. You can purchase food items and crafts for reasonable prices and the pumpkin selection is always good. I wasn't able to get Jonathan to stick with us long enough to get pictures, but that gives us a reason to go back. I love the picture of my parents and Jessica, and obviously the flowers on the farm are just beautiful.

Orange Beach, AL

We recently got to go on vacation at our most favorite place on the planet, Orange Beach. We had a great trip and the week went so quick....but all vacations do. We are blessed to have friends that own a condo in Orange Beach, so we go as often as we possibly can. Windward Pointe has become our second home and hopefully our retirement destination. The area was hit hard by Ivan a few years ago, but the community has made a remarkable comeback. There is so much new construction going on, and we captured some of that in our pictures. Enjoy!

Some of the animals we enjoyed at the zoo

Meet Oliver - an interesting little fellow

At the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo we were able to have some play time with the newest editions! They are only here for a short time and having them all to ourselves was an incredible experience. They are 7 weeks old and full of energy....and claws!

wonderful sunsets everyday

13 and Growing

Jonathan had a great birthday with friends and family. It is difficult to believe that he is already 13. He invited friends over for a night of backyard camping. They all had such a great time playing and let me tell you....eight boys can be really loud. We celebrated his birthday the weekend of the Alabama vs. Arkansas and boy was that game a roller coaster! All events in our family relates to what ballgame was being played that weekend. We are die hard Alabama fans and Jonathan has played football since he was 6. Thankfully, Alabama was able to win the game and that was the icing on the cake for his birthday. Hope you enjoy the pictures.

Two Cuties

My daughter probably won't mind so much being called a cutie, but my son.....well he is about to turn 13.

Where does the time go? Years seem to have slipped right thru my hands, leaving me to look back on times that seem like just yesterday. We will celebrate with friends and family....and hope that the next 13 don't go so fast. We are planning his celebration and gearing up for old age :) This boy is a wonderful, thoughtful (he will throw up if he reads this), and respectful child. Pray with me that he won't change!

Joining the Blogging Community

Alas, I have finally decided to join the blogging community. Blogging became a way of life for me about a year go, but I was never interested in having my own. I have a dear friend that adopted from China and she has been my inspiration to jump into my own blogging adventure. I, like all parents, feel that I have the most wonderful children in the world. As days go by, I will be sharing some of our adventures, daily dramas, and sillyness with you. I have been truly blessed by some of the blogs that have become my regular "pit stops" each day. I hope you enjoy the time you will spend with me and my family