The Last Day Of The Year.

As I sit here trying to figure out what to blog about today ... it came to me perhaps I should share some things on my "to do" list for 2009.


At Mommy & Me Gym yesterday Griffin was able to play with our dear friends Patrick and Matthew. It was so nice to spend time with them and Ms. Kristen. I'm hoping we will be able to see much more of them in 2009!

Stay healthy and get healthier. Take better care of myself. For me this means to move more. And to eat more veggies and fruit. Also, I would LOVE to be able to shop in the non-plus size section of a store for clothing.

Spend as much quality time with my family as possible.

Be the best wife and mommy that I can be.

Nurture those friendships that mean a lot to me.

Scrapbook more for myself.

Blog Daily ... just because I love doing it so much.

Create more.

Purge our house of unused, unwanted items.

Paint the rooms in our house that need it ... and decorate them!

I'm sure there are many, many more I can add to this list ... these are just things that popped into my mind as I sit here and type!

Happy New Year's Eve Everyone ...

A Favorite Place.

After taking Bett to the airport yesterday, the boys and I decided to stop by one of our favorite restaurants for lunch. Famous Dave's is a wonderful BBQ place and we enjoy going there as a family.


They decorate the walls with antiques and memorabilia ... that's right up my alley!


I love this picture of Mike and Griffin ... Griffin is giving Daddy a "big squeeze" ... the look on Mike's face is just so sweet.


And another fun thing about this place ... they have pictures of other famous/popular BBQ spots on their walls ... and would you looky here, it's Sonny's BBQ ... my absolutely FAVORITE BBQ place ever!!

It's hard to believe there is only one more day left in 2008 ... where oh where did this year go????

Perfection.

We had a wonderful Christmas week. I'm so grateful for everything we were able to experience, the gifts we received and the family and friends we were able to spend time with.

My mother-in-law Bett will be leaving us today. We'll miss her when she returns home. We've had a great visit! I still can't believe she finished painting our living room walls for us. And, we also hung the curtains back up. It feels like a "real" living room again.


The name of my post today is "Perfection" ... well, that's the name of this game Griffin is playing. When we were in Florida in November, a family friend at Bett's Thanksgiving party had this game and he loved it.

Santa Claus remembered how much he enjoyed it, so he decided Griffin would like to have one for Christmas. Boy, was he right! We've been playing this game over and over since Christmas morning. It's great fun for little ones and fun for adults too!

I'm working on a new look for my blog. I'm not so sure about the pink. I'm not a really a "pink" person ... don't get me wrong I like pink, but I'm not a girly-girl ... so I'm thinking the pink might be a bit much. Would you care to share your opinion about the pink?

Video: Snow Tubing At Wintergreen

This is a little video of some of the snow tubing fun we had at Wintergreen.

Click the (>) start button to view

Snow Tubing At Wintergreen Resort.

Yesterday we loaded the car and drove a little over an hour to Wintergreen Resort for snow tubing!

The Plunge is Virginia's largest tubing park. Imagine being on top of a ten story building and looking out over a hill that's longer than three football fields. Now imagine going downhill on a tube at speeds reaching 30 mph.

That's The Plunge!


We did it ... and it was a blast!!!


This is our 2nd visit to Wintergreen Resort ... but our first time experiencing The Plunge!


Mike, Griffin and Bett all linked up to tube together. We quickly learned that all of us tubing down together was the most fun.


Here you can see Mike, Griffin and me going down ...


I thought this was a pretty picture ... the snow tubing hill with one of the ski slopes in the background. Maybe next year we will be brave enough to learn to ski.


If there is a tractor anywhere around ... Griffin will find it!


Me, Bett, Griffin and Mike waiting for our turn to snow tube.


Mike and Griffin take one final ride down the mountain.


Griffin giving Daddy a big hug and thank you for a wonderful day!

Ridgley's Fun Park - Wintergreen.

Wintergreen Resort just opened a new area for the kids to play ... it's called Ridgely's Fun Park and it is amazing!


Griffin started the day off with a little snowball fight ...


Up next was tubing ...


Then taking a little break to decide just who he wanted to throw this massive snowball at ...


He was such a goof ... sliding down the hill on his bottom.


And we discovered a snowman!


Sledding down the hill with a little push from Daddy ...


And finally ... taking a little break from all the snow fun!

A Lesson In Playdoh.

Cutting A Trail.

After unwrapping gifts and a hearty breakfast of pecan pancakes and sausage, Mike decided it would be a good time to cut a trail through our woods down to the creek that runs through our property.

We have almost eleven acres and quite honestly there's alot of area that I've never stepped foot on. Now that we have the Polaris it will be easier to reach. I especially love the area down by the creek. One day I would love to put a picnic table down there.


My handsome husband ...


Mike and Griffin cutting some of the underbrush ...


Though not a great picture ... it is all three of us together.


Mike and Griffin making their way further into the woods ...


Taking a break to watch the creek trickle ...


Griffin had fun playing in the creek with a stick ..

I have to tell you ... my mother-in-law Bett finished painting our living room for us. Can you believe that? We've had two of the four walls painted in our living room for a few months. We could never find the time to finish up the other two walls. Well, as I was baking, cooking and wrapping gifts she decided her Christmas gift to us was to finish painting the walls. Isn't that awesome?!?! I will finally get some pictures hung on the walls and curtains back on the windows!!

We Had A Merry Christmas!

Wow ... this is one word that would sum up our Christmas. It was pretty awesome!


This is a picture of Griffin entering the living room and discovering Santa Claus had been here overnight. He was so happy!


He first discovered his Thomas the Train table ... with new track and two new trains!


And then he discovered the Thomas Splash Mountain Railroad set! Santa actually thought the Splash Mountain set would fit on the table ... but it didn't ... so he had to leave it in two seperate areas of the living room.


There were lots and lots of presents to open ... and he enjoyed each and everyone of them. Thank you Santa, Grandma, Pop, Nana, Mommy and Daddy for all of the gifts!


Grandma got in on the gift opening ...


As did Mommy. Can you tell my face is swollen? I went to the dermatologist on Tuesday and he froze about ten spots on my arms and two from my face. That's why my face is swollen because one of them is right under my eye. Probably not a good idea to have this done right before Christmas pictures were taken, but really the only time I could get it done.


And Daddy enjoyed opening his gifts too ...


And does anyone recall the blog post I made about Santa possibly bringing Griffin one of these child size John Deere Gators? Well, Santa didn't have to bring one! Our good friend/neighbor Grayson decided it was time he shared the JD Gator with another little boy that would enjoy it because he had outgrown it. So, Grayson gave his to Griffin! What a nice friend!

It truly was a wonderful Christmas ...

Dermatologist Update:
Okay ... so, I thought it might be a good idea to explain why I had to go to the dermatologist. Back at my annual check up in November, my gynecologist recommended I go to a dermatologist to have some spots looked at on my arms and face. I had some raised spots, some flaky spots, some dark brown spots and a spot at the bend of my arm that raised concern. I'll be honest, for over a month I have been stressing about this appointment. I was afraid he was going to tell me I had cancer. I thought of every reason in the world to cancel this appointment. I did go and all but one of the spots that I had a concern about was either sun damage or an age spot. The one at the bend of my arm is actually a hemangeoma that is not a concern. He froze the other spots and they look pretty bad, but they do not hurt. Hopefully they will heal and be gone within a couple of weeks.

Merry Christmas Ya'll!

MERRY CHRISTMAS YA'LL ...

We wish you and your family love, happiness and best wishes on this Christmas day.


Griffin is sending you a little Christmas love your way ...

And how about a few outakes while trying to get the above picture???


Silly ...


Sillier ...



Merry Christmas ...

Grandma & Griffin.

Griffin has been looking forward to his "special project" with Grandma since we bought it ...


As soon a Bett walked in the door from the airport, he told her he was ready to build "the house". Well, of course that didn't happen ... but they did have the time to work on it yesterday.


They worked together to decorate it just "so" ... and to get the candies in all the right places.


Their finished gingerbread house ... the BEST gingerbread house I have ever seen!


This is a picture of Griffin when he doesn't think I'm looking ... I told him he couldn't have a piece of the gingerbread house until his Daddy got home and could see it ... he was sneaking finger dips of icing.


And another time he didn't realize I was looking ... he took the whole roof off! LOL ... oh well, it was his to enjoy!

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas Eve with your family. I've been in the kitchen most of the day whipping up some tasty treats. It will be time soon for Griffin to snuggle in for the night and for Santa Claus and his elves to get busy!

Much love to you and your families ...