"Christmas at my Parent's"

We did Christmas Eve at my mom's house this year. This is the first year in my life that we haven't spent this night at my Granny's house for dinner and presents. She changed things up so that her kids could have their children and grandchildren over for Christmas Eve. It turned out great for us, because we were able to all come together, eat, and open presents without being rushed.

My mom decided to cook "breakfast" for supper. Which we are all big fans of around here. Especially the sausage pinwheels...they are delicious!

We were missing Jenny and baby Taiden for our Christmas celebration. Jenny delivered Taiden on December 22nd. They weren't ready to get out and about yet, but Chad and Teagan made it for a little while.

Here is a picture of my Dad and his two youngest grandsons,
Archer and Charlie.

NaNa feeding Charlie. You can always count on her to feed a baby. I think she's a little biased towards the boys, maybe because she had 4 of her own...no girls!
Look at those precious angels...Can't you just see their halos?
All of the grandkids, minus Taiden.
7 grandkids 4 and under...3 new ones in 2009!
My mom made all of their matching shirts.

I think my mom got a little carried away with the gift giving!
Who needs Santa when you've got GranGran and PawPaw?

Teagan leading this little train to the living room.
Notice all the big kids in back have their eyes closed...
They got such a kick out of this!
Pure F.U.N.
Waiting patiently...

Huett and Ava with their "Super Why" computers from Target.
They also got the dress-up costumes from "Super Why".
FYI: "Super Why" is a show on Public Broadcasting Station (PBS) which teaches them to read. They LOVE this show!

Teagan with her new baby doll and
Sam with his new coloring book case.

We got Mom this print custom made for Christmas.
Jenny ordered it online, and she got to pick the letters she wanted to use to spell "Huett".
We got Dad a TomTom(navigation tool) for his work truck. He said he loves it.
We had a fun Christmas Eve, and my mom was so glad she got us all over to spend some time as a family. Thanks Mom and Dad! We had a great time!

"A place for our books."

Have I mentioned lately how much I love this bookshelf, and the fact that it is in our apartment now...with us where it belongs! Oh how I have missed my books. I don't know what it is, but I just love the fact that I walk past this everyday. Like my very own little library!

I hope having books readily available and in mass supply keeps Ava and Archer interested in reading...not just for school, but because they want to for fun. I let Ava fill the whole bottom row with her books. Last night we read, "Horton Hatches the Egg". My sister-in-law Jenny got this for the kids because I had never heard of this story. It is the first story Dr. Seuss wrote about Horton. It was a cute story.


I just finished the latest novel written by Wally Lamb, "The Hour I First Believed." It was great. This book definately kept up with the other ones he has written, "I Know This Much is True" and "She's Come Undone". "She's Come Undone" was one of Oprah's Book Club books back in the day. They all stretch the lifespan of the main character and go in-depth about their family dynamics and social interactions. They have all been well worth the time it takes me to get through one of his books. I read his first one probably 10 years ago, and have been hooked ever since.

"Down with the Decorations"

It's time to take down the decorations...

but I love them so much!

Each one, old and new,
placed lovingly in the "perfect" spot.

A few throw pillows here and there...

Kitchen decor.

Bathroom decor.

Ava's snowglobe which is no more!

"Christmas Morning"

This Christmas has been the best ever!
Not only as a mommy, but also as an adult!
I have cherished every last second,
and I'm sad to see it come to an end...
almost!

We still have New Year's to go!

Here are a few pictures from Christmas morning.
Just a glimpse into our Santa goodies...

Merry Christmas everybody!

Love, Trisha

"Santa's Security"

Last night I took Ava and Archer to see Santa. Ava has already seen him at school this year, so this trip was really about Archer. I wanted my sweet baby boy to get his picture made with Santa for his first Christmas.

I didn't realize I was going to be so sentimental about this until I was getting ready to give Archer to Santa. At which time, the moment was ruined by "Santa's Security"!

There was no one waiting to have pictures made with Santa, so when we got there I wheeled the stroller right in. I told Ava to go ahead and talk to Santa. I grabbed my camera and put it around my neck, and then proceeded to unbuckle Archer and pick him up. At that exact time, I felt someone right behind me. This old "Mr. Roger's" looking man in a sweater was standing right behind me. He said, "You can't take any pictures with that camera."

I said, "Even if I'm buying one?"

He said, "No pictures."

My reply, "Well that sucks."

I know that wasn't the greatest response, but I was caught off guard. I wasn't that worried about not getting a picture on my camera, I was just excited to see how Archer responded to Santa.

Like I said, I was just trying to enjoy the moment and see his expression when I feel someone breathing down my neck. The man had creeped up behind me again, and in a not so nice voice said..."IF you take a picture with that camera, its going to be $20 a flash."

I was SO caught off guard AGAIN! I guess he thought I was still going to try and sneak a picture? The only reason it was still on my neck is because there wasn't any time to take it off...I was already holding Archer when he approached me the first time. It flew all over me, and just busted my bubble. The moment was totally ruined for me! I tried to get Archer to smile, but I was so flustered, I didn't even care anymore.

We got a decent picture, and I went to pay for it. While we were waiting for it to print, Ava had gotten in the stroller and picked up my camera. I didn't even realize she had picked up the camera, and when I glanced back I realized the man was standing right in front of her. It kind of creeped me out. He then looked at me and said, "I can't allow her to take any pictures of Santa."

Are you freaking kidding me?

She is 4 years old and not even close enough to get a decent picture if she wanted to. As if, I had a master plan to get the coveted picture of the man in white! I couldn't get out of there fast enough! The Santa was exceptionally santa-esque, but still not worth all of that! The last thing he said to me was, "I'm just doing job."

What a miserable man! His job is really to capture sweet moments with Santa, not to ruin them!

"The Giving Tree"

Last night I was reading a book to Ava at bedtime. We have just recently gotten our bookshelf moved from our old house with the rest of our books on it. We had gotten away from reading books at bedtime, because Ava always wanted to watch a cartoon before bed. Now she wants to start reading books again at bedtime, which is fine by me!

She picked out "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein. Ava got this from my friend Treva on her first birthday. I am a book freak, and that goes for kid books too. I just love my big, beautiful bookshelf full of mine and Ava's books!

We were laying in bed, and its been over a year since we've read this book. I was really getting into the voices of the tree and of the little boy as he grows up from a kid, to teenager, to adult, and to an old man. It is a really touching book, and I've always loved it. Ava didn't say anything while I read the book, and when I finished I looked over at her and she had big crocodile tears rolling down her face with the biggest pout you've ever seen.

My baby had gotten the "meaning" of the story. She knew it was more than just the kid playing with the tree, taking her apples, cutting down her branches, and finally chopping down her trunk. I was filled with so much love when I looked into that sweet little face.

Ava is so rough and tough...always with a smart comment or sassy remark! It was nice to see that she has a soft side too. I was always tender-hearted growing up, almost to a fault. I'm glad my baby girl has a touch of that too. And it is so meaningful to me that she finds meaning from the written word. I am so dreading the days of I-Pods, DS's, floTV, and everything else that takes away that bright-eyed child and turns her into a little zombie!

If you've never seen his work, look it up and see what you can find. I know he also has a few collections of poetry that are geared toward children. Great, simple illustrations!

"Turned 30...

...and lived to blog about it"

For my birthday outing, I planned a night out with girl friends. My kind of celebrating has changed a bit over the years, maybe with the maturity that comes with the big 3-0? I don't know why, but I wasn't interested in having a big bash with bunches of people or going out to a bar to dance the night away...been there done that! This year, I was most interest in getting together with the handful of friends that I call my "best friends". I know I am fortunate to have so many...most people say you are lucky to have 1 "best friend", but I can honestly say that I can count on these girls for anything and everything!

We all met up at my house (minus Jenny) and after some debate about what was for dinner, ended up at Red Lobster. I'm not a seafood fan, but I knew they had some good chicken dishes and outstanding desserts! I ordered this nice little "bahama mama" to get the night started!

If you can't tell how much I'm enjoying it, then take a closer look!

Let's see that one more time!
D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S.

Being the stickler for time that I am, we were the first guests to arrive at our next location...wait for it...Sip N Strokes! We went in, picked out the best seats in the house and then proceded over to the Publix to pick out our "sip" of choice! I'm not much of a wine drinker, but I like the idea of it. We picked out a nice Beringer after advice from Treva.

These pictures will give you an idea of what
the experience was like getting ready to paint.


Treva loosening up a bit to let her inner artist come out!

If you were wondering what someone had painted on my apron...

Me and Treva...we go way back. We met during our late highschool years when she dated my brother...THAT didn't last, but our friendship did! I guess we've been friends now going on 12 years. We didn't even attend the same highschool, and she is a year younger than me, but some people just stick! And, she isn't the kind of friend who I've lost touch with for months or years at a time. We've been together from the beginning, and I want to keep it that way! We have had all kinds of experiences...countless trips here and there, heartache, loss, weddings, births, divorce, and more together. She is happily married to her perfect match Matthew, and they have a sweet baby boy named Drew together. I would do anything for this girl, and she would say the same for me.

Love you Treva Nell, the "I" in my B-*-T-C-H.

Me and Lori...We met at church when she came to be our children's minister back in the day...2001 I think. We became fast friends at and away from church. Another one of those people I just clicked with. Not only are we still friends, but now we are co-workers. I graduated from nursing school in 2004, and Lori started school that year. Now, 5 years later we have been working together in the O.R. for 2 years! You never know how things are going to turn out or what to expect out of life!

Me and Michelle...We met about 5 years ago when my little sister Tiffany started dating her nephew Mikey. I'll give you a minute to wrap your head around that one! We have been hanging out ever since. Now, I feel like one of the family...always getting invited to bring the kids over when Michelle cooks for Tiff's family!

When her dad, "Popeye Bart" died last year, it felt like I had lost a grandfather too. He was always so sweet to Ava and treated her like one of his own grandkids. He has been truly missed, and I know Michelle misses him terribly. Friends stick by each other in the bad and the good times! Thats what being a friend is all about!

Me and Tiffany...

What can I say?
Best sister
in the state...
in the world...
in the universe...
EVER!

I know, corny! But it is the truth. I was gone away to college for 1 year (a 50 minute drive), and I was so homesick I couldn't stand myself! I missed my family so much I moved back home after that and started nursing school with Tiffany. Can I say that I laughed more during those 2-3 years than I ever have....EVER! When I moved back, my parents were building a new home, so we were living in a 2 bedroom/1 bathroom rental house shared between 4 adults! We lived that way for over a year, and loved every minute of it. Now, we have 5 kids between us, and Mikey jokes that he didn't know when he married Tiffany that he would actually be marrying 2 women, one just without the benefits! It is special when you can be best friends with family! Now we are raising our kids together, and they are more like siblings than cousins.

Love ya Tiffany, the "T" in my B-I-*-C-H

Me and Jenny...Jenny and my brother Chad married back in 2006. They dated for several years before that, we were so happy when she joined our family. We haven't always been super friends, just because they were living so far away and the demands of being a pharmacist keep her busy, but over the last few years, we have gotten a lot closer. Jenny doesn't have any sisters of her own, so me and Tiffany took her in as one of our own. It was a little harder for Jenny to just accept us as family because she never had any sisters...and we come on a little strong sometimes! I am so glad to have Jenny in my life, and call her my sister-in-law! She also gave me the cutest niece ever with another one due any day now! Thanks for putting up with my crazy brother and family!

She is carrying baby Taiden in there...ready to pop!

Getting my paint on...a masterpiece in the making!

The finished products.

If you couldn't tell by this post, I had a great time! Just the way I wanted to celebrate my 30th birthday. Thanks for celebrating with me ladies, and I can't wait to grow old with all of you... at least 60 more years like the 30 I've had!