Friendships

As many of you know, Dexter and I have a very large group of friend that we have been friends with for over 10 years, I am pleased to say that some have come and some have gone but the ones that are still here are the ones that will always matter. Our firsts and lasts have been shared together with many memories upon memories. No matter what happens in each of our lives we ARE A FAMILY, I treasure each and everyone of them. They have been there with me through thick and thin and I have been there for them. I can honestly say that I know that in another 10 years they will still be in our lives. Dexter and I were the firsts to get married and to have kids and now year after year there are many more joining our clubs. This week we congratulate Donny and Ashley and welcome Mason Jay into our family. I hope that all of our children find support and love in one another that I have found in their parents. Thank you to everyone for being there for Dexter, I and especially the kids, we couldn't have the lives we have without you!
I am pleased to say over the years I have learned what true friendship is. I have let many friends go for all the right reasons, it was hard at the time but these people had me hurting so bad that I have no remorse now. You could have called me a circle with a bunch of squares.
This weekend I got to spend a wonderful night with Dre and Nina, sipping 3 bottles of wine, gossiping, catching up and reminiscing. It was a much needed time for me. I love these girls. Dre has been in LA for close to 5 years and no matter how long its been since we have talked or seen each other it is as though she has never been gone. I truly miss her and share very fond memories with her. Nina had been one of my bffs since her freshman year and my senior of high school. I feel like she is my little sister and have had her under my wings for quite some time. She moved to NY and Florida for a few years and is now back in KC with a wonderful guy, Rick. Dexter and Rick have become close and I think they see each other more than Nina and I. I am go glad to have her back.
Dre--See you again in April for the 30Th!

Christmas

I am blessed to say that I was able to be cancelled Christmas Eve night. Preston was very worried this year that if I worked all night that Santa wouldn't come to our house because I wouldn't be asleep, thank god that worry was taken care of. We started the eve with our traditional Polar Express movie and popcorn, Preston was so excited that day that he ended up falling asleep at 7:30, he didn't even get the joy of putting milk and the cookies we made, out for Santa. Ethan got to help out with this but actually ended up eating them. Christmas day was spent with both our our families and I worked that night. All in all Christmas was everything I wanted and hoped it would be. I hope everyone had a great day also.

Holiday Gifts

Poor Max he was even covered in glitter!
E showing up his finger--wow thats alot of glitter!

The boys working hard.

I think Dex was having as much fun as the boys

The boys getting ready to work

A couple of months ago we were leaving the pediatricians office and found fresh pine cones laying on the ground. P and E were so fascinated by them that we decided to collect a few and take them home with us. Little did we know that pine cones open up when you let them dry out- I guess it is one of those things that happen in nature that we are too busy to even think about. Tonight we decided it would be a good idea to decorate them for Christmas presents. I ran to Michaels bought a ton of glitter and glue. Yes, I bought glitter!! Boy--Dex and I think we will be living in glitter for the next month. Lets just say glitter is not one of those things the vacuum or broom dusts up easily. If you walk into our living room and dining area the wood floor are glistening. Good thing I love a little bling, bling. But it does not matter, it is the little things that we do around the holidays to make memories for the boys. {ps} thought for the night Dex loves my butt.

Prestons Day

Today was P's Holiday program and Party. The reason I put holiday in quotes is because I guess it is politically incorrect to say Christmas these days. E, myself, Amber and my mom attended the program. I love these things because each kiddo is so cute and they each do their own thing. The funniest moment happened when 2 boys from P's class fell off the back of the risers. It was seriously something that could have won $20,000 from America's Funniest Home Video.The parents and friends in the auditorium were doing everything they could not to laugh out loud. Luckily no one was hurt. All you see is one boy waving his arms and loosing his balance and the poor boy next to him was so concentrating on singing that he had no idea what was going on. The next thing you know the boy loosing his balance grabs the singing boy and they both fell off backwards. It was a priceless moment. My favorite song was when P's class sang Feliz Navidad to music. Who would have known that 4 and 5 year olds could bust out those spanish words.

Fogot to add>>

These are the superman pics.

P in front of the tree. If I could ever get a pic of the

boys looking at the camera.

E was not happy this day, we were having glove problems and I

think we got a little frost bite.

An action photo of P--The kids love playing in the snow.

Hurry up!

As the holiday season arrives I feel live is much more busier than usual (if you cannot tell by the long dates between postings!). Thanksgiving was fun---Yeah--ha ha! Dexter and I decided to take part in black Friday this year--wow what an experience. Yes, we were one of the crazies standing in line at Walmart at 0430. It was so exciting when the doors opened, everyone went running and we just started grabbing so much stuff, it didn't matter if it was on our list or not. It was the thrill of being one of the few that got something at a good deal. After filling 2 carts full of stuff, and I mean FULL, we went thru everything and decided on what we really needed. It was fun and we did get alot of good deals for the kids.
This morning as I am getting P ready for school I cannot tell you how many times in the hour it took him to eat breakfast, brush his teeth and get dressed that I told him to hurry up. Finally, as we are leaving the house (about 9:20 and yes school starts at 930), he decides that he needs to climb in the back of the truck to get a piece of wood to work on when he got home for school, he hopped on his bike and just had to drive it around the driveway once but on the way he had to get the mail out of the mail box from the day before. All the while I am trying not to yell so all the neighbors could hear me but again it was "P hurry up, P get in the car, P we are going to be late for school" As life becomes busier and busier what it would be like to be 4 again and not have a care in world about being late and about what time it was. O' by the way--getting in the car and reversing in the driveway is a good way to get them in the car!
As many of you know I have been debating on sending P to kindergarten next year. His birthday is late in the year and I can already see him being a little behind in things already. My view is that once they enter they are in school all day everyday for the next 13-17 years of their life. I just want him to have one more year as a kid and not have the pressure having to do this and that. We are only kids once. Call me crazy but it is something I definitely worry about. (OK and I admit a little of it is me sad seeing him go) .
I have to add a story about E. Tonight before work from about 430-630, I made a trip to Aldis to pick up snacks for P to take to school, picked the kids up from my moms, I made chocolate dipped pretzels with P for school snack tomorrow, made dinner and got ready for work. As I was leaving to go to work (of course running late) E was eating dinner (spaghetti) and decided to give me one last hug before I left. As you can imagine a 2 year old eating spaghetti, hands and face covered in red sauce, these hands and face landed all over my scrubs, top and pants. All the poor kid wanted to do was give his mom one last hug before she left to go to work for the night and all I could do was think about how late I was going to be because I had to change clothes. Love you E, I was not mad.