Oh My Gosh...It's Breathtaking!
I just LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From Every Angle it Mesmorizes Me because it is so Fantastic!
OH YEAH!! ANDREA: Thank You! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! It's a treasure! My loves are forever frozen in time and they look just PERFECT! :)
I really can't stop staring!
and...there's more treasure from Aner waiting to be hung on the wall as well--Can't wait decorate another spot on the wall-- I'll probably post it next week!

24 Year Christmas Tradition...The Estee Lauder Make-up Kit for Deb! :)
Santa brought a bike to Joshers!
WOW! Socks in her stocking! Everything was thrilling for Jillian this year! She was fun to watch Christmas Morning!
Santa brought a Pink Nano iPod for Jordan!
Our Christmas Tree...adorned with all of our 'special' ornaments! Grammy gives the kids a new ornament every year. Also...we exchange a family ornament with my brother Mike and his family every year-so our ornaments hold lots of memories of Christmases Past!
Jillian sprinkling "REINDEER FOOD " around the Yard in her Santa Dress!
Dave and Chris hanging out in the kitchen on Christmas Eve!
Kids posing with Uncle Charley-- Every Christmas Day afternoon we go to the movies with Uncle Charley...This year we saw "Marley and Me"!
Here is Cowboy Santa with Jillian- we were at a craft show in Safford. Jillian asked to buy this little stuffed pillow that was in the shape of a Santa Hat...It was only $.25 so I let her get it...She then went back over to Santa and gave him her souvenir! What a giving little sweetie she is!
Lots of fun at School before 'Winter Break'...Here is Jilly with her magnificently decorated Gingerbread Man Cookie!
Aunt Connie and Jordan posing for a snapshot--
Little Ryan with his Mom-(our cousin) Carolyn and his Aunt (our cousin) Julie- He loved Daisy!
Jillian wanted to hold "Big Baby Ryan"...that's what he's affectionately called at our house!
Here is Cousin Andy with the kids!
More Party Time with Jillian's preschool!
Cute little Concert!

It was a wonderful Christmas! Our kiddos are growing up so fast...Christmases keep blinking by-- Hope yours was Merry and Bright!

Merry Christmas to ALL! OH how I love Christmas and all the traditions! I love my Savior--He descended below all in a lowly stable born in Bethlehem so long ago. We celebrate this Gift of the Savior our Lord and King today! He taught us how to live and sacrificed and suffered for all Mankind!

Every Christmas morning is always filled with the Warm Spirit of LOVE! We are enjoying being together as a family.

Here is a little (lot of) video from Jillian's Christmas Program at her Day School from last week... It is so cute! Hope it gives you a smile!

We drove 14 hours to arrive in the little town of Safford, Arizona! It had been quite awhile since the whole Waters Clan had been all together...So...this was a most blessed Thanksgiving!

Here is Dave and I on the "Rhino"-- It is a blast! Dave and I went exploring out in the desert! The kids had fun riding in it to-- and the older cousins actually got to drive it up and down the dirt road driveway!
We had an amazing time with Dave's parents at Thanksgiving! It was so fun to be with Grammy and Grandpa and all the cousins, aunts, and uncles!!
We had lots of good food!
The cousins got to hang out and reconnect! Jordan found some 'texting' buddies! LOL
We took a big extended family picture the day after Thanksgiving with all the grandbabies and cousins! Here are some of the gang after our big photo session in front of the infamous family "Lightning Shoe Shop"
There was lots of baby holding! Savannah had beautiful twin boys born in August. Jordan is holding Gavin and Josh is holding Ethan! Note their fancy bottles--
Dave even got in on the baby holding fun! He bonded with baby Gavin-- Gavin loved his Uncle Dave!! :)
Here is Savannah, little Adrian, and big Adrian! We went to a Parade in downtown Safford with lots of holiday vendors/booths!
Here is Lizzy, Dylan, Jordan, Josh, and Chase hanging out at the parade!
Here is Chase, little Adrian, and Mason with their big smiles!
Lizzy(Larry's daughter) had favorite cousin status with Jillian!
Here is Helen with her babes--Savannah, Chase, baby Adrian (spoiled by Granny Helen), and Mason!

Jillian made her very own Gingerbread House at one of the little vendor booths-- ironically-- inconsiderate brother Josh ended up eating it later on without her permission! This was a major horror crisis!Uncle Mike--Getting hugged by his nieces and nephews! Uncle Mike spoils us!!
Dave with his brothers...Mike and Larry! 3 Handsome Men!Close Up of Baby Gavin Smiling while Sleeping!
Aunt Helen surrounded by kids-- they had fun swimming at the Hotel and they are checking out their pictures as they did jumping in the pool poses as the Ninja Turtles--
Uncle Larry with Lizzy and Jordan!


We have tons more fun pics and video of our trip...but I'll have to add the video later!! We are so blessed to have been able to be all together for Thanksgiving 2008!

I feel like I have nothing bought-I am very unorganized this year!

Can I say-- Thank Goodness for Amazon.com and Shutterfly.com ! Free Shipping and Guaranteed by Christmas through Dec. 18th-- It is hard to shop when I have a 5 year old with me during every waking hour. It was much easier when she was younger as I could hide things discreetly in the cart under a coat or something-- NOW...she's too observant and even if the gift isn't for the said 5 yr old...She has a BIG MOUTH! LOL so...hope everyone is having success in finding treasures for loved ones as we celebrate this season of giving! It is fun to find the perfect something that you know your little one will love-- Or your Husband or In-laws etc.... I can't wait for everyone to receive my Shutterfly gifts-- well not "everyone" will recieve one---but I know those who do...will L O V E their sorda 'homemade' gift! LOL

Well, It's chilly chilly today-- speaking of Chilly-- I made homemade Chili last night and it was really good -- I must brag-- It was my co-worker/good friend Mary Ann's recipe!!
AND today for my Frigid Famished Family-- It is Homemade Stew!! I hope it turns out! LOL

Saturday night... Josh, Jillian, and I went to a local church nearby and enjoyed a live Nativity. There was a Choir singing Joy to the World and then O Little Town of Bethlehem. I loved it. There was scripture posted above each little "set" and Josh read it out loud as we drove past. Jillian was amazed and so so curious as to "How did they get real sheep and goats?" Lol

It was a nice change from the commercial bombardment of BUY BUY BUY that this season unfortunately has come to be! It made me commit to making a concerted effort to emphasize the TRUE and GLORIOUS reason for this season! not...i-pod touches :)
It is to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ! Merry CHRISTmas! I am grateful for this little excursion that we took on Saturday night--for all those who participated at the Saint Phillips Church-- My holidays needed UPLIFTING and REMINDING!!

We were asked to dim our lights as we entered-- it was lined with flickering Luminaries-- reminded me of when we lived in Santa Fe-- there was a giant Luminary Cross in the middle
Josh and Jill reflected on how hard that donkey ride must have been for 'great with child' Mary and Joseph. Jillian said..."Mary was big pregnant like Aunt Aner!"
Joy to the World the Lord Hath Come!

Well we made it back after a lllooooonnnnnnnngggggg ole drive across the great state of Texas. We went to Arizona for Thanksgiving to visit all of Dave's family and had an amazing time-- I will blog all the pics and video fun as soon as I am less tired--LOL
As we passed back into Texas the sign reads "Welcome to Texas/Drive Friendly" Our family tradition is to sing Deep in the Heart of Texas--We disturbed our dog Daisy with all of the clapping as she was resting so nicely on my lap--
Dave is the MAN--he drove the entire trip, however, I did offer to help but he kept insisting he was fine. Our van was THE BOMB--it made travelling so much nicer.
ANYHOW-- hopefully I will feel up to blogging all the festivities of our Thanksgiving trip tomorrow.
Adios for now.

I'm feeling some stress- There is always so much to do it seems-- I am always behind on laundry- ALWAYS clean clothes that need to be folded and put away-ALWAYS dirty clothes in the hamper piling up and piling up-- I look around and there is so much deep cleaning to do but it seems that the only cleaning I ever do is the same stuff-- just the surface clutter that builds daily-- I am in need of a "chore chart" and the energy to enforce the chore duties when my children complain and moan!
I am feeling stress to BLOG MORE-- So much happens in our little family and it hard for me to keep up with the blog these days-- I want to- I really do but for some reason I am just wiped out at the end of the day and blogging our lives or my thoughts hasn't been happening lately!
For instance...
Thinking about my upcoming week makes me tired! Working Monday and Wednesday-- and The much anticipated birth of Hannah Hope Hughes is this Wednesday--so I get to meet her that evening! Then it's up to visit big brother Luke on Thursday! Josh has his end of season Panther Party Thursday evening and then Daisy our dog is being spayed Friday early a.m.! I am to drop her off at 7:30 and pick her up at 3pm in McKinney!--This will make for a crazy busy 'getting to school and picking up from school' routine on that Friday-- Also, Jilly has a Thanksgiving Program and Feast on Friday morning beginning at 9:00am! AND it's Jordan's 12th Birthday Friday!! SO--she has festivities planned for that evening--BUT she has her final Volleyball game that night!-- PLUS we are going out of town to visit family so I must launder and organize all week long in order to leave out Monday! ahhhhhhhh (sigh) I guess I should go to bed so I can tackle my week!
I'll leave you with some fun pictures from when Jillian and I went to the Pumpkin Patch with her pre-school-- We went on Halloween day--so...as you can see-- I am WAY behind on the blog updates-- This is Jillian and the little goat that LOVED HER and that SHE LOVED BACK! She ran out of food to feed it but it kept licking her-- She asked me if she could kiss it! I said no but that she could hug it--so she did through the fencing as it licked her face! ughh! :)
This is THE ONE! We still have it on our fireplace!
We rode on a "Hay Ride" around a little pond! This is Jillian with her 2 teachers!

It was a fun day at the Owen's Farm!
This is Jillian hugging the goat!

Josh had an awesome season of running hard...blocking hard...playing hard! We finished 3rd in our division and made it to the playoffs! Today was a tough day for Josh and his team-mates--In the final 10 seconds we scored a touchdown that brought us to 12 points--The other team had 13!--SO...it was exciting and passionate but we lost when we failed to get the extra point-- Josh and some of the other players took it hard and hung their heads in defeat. I saw Josh's eyes wet and red!

WE ARE SO VERY PROUD OF JOSH AND HIS DESIRE TO DO HIS VERY BEST!!

He is such a good boy -- This was Josh's 1st season of playing football...

Today we got to go visit Aunt Aner to take our Annual Christmas Pictures! It is always so fun to be together but our time together is always so scheduled and short--we need just a "hang out" day of nothing planned but playing around at the park and relaxing with little Luke--and in the VERY NEAR future... Little Hannah!!

Here are the kids saying their Goodbyes with Aunt Aner-- and Jordan feeling Hannah move around!!

NOW-- Josh HEARS Hannah!! I swear he said-- "I heard something!!"

Well--each year our annual photo shoot gets more phenomenal!! Andrea is such a TALENTED PHOTOGRAPHER!! Glad she is our Aunt! LOL I don't want to show too many as it would spoil our Christmas Card!
Here is a little teaser...