I'm AWAKE! and Christmas is here!!!!!!

Ok, my grandmother is getting antsy about me "waking up and posting, already!" So, here goes! BTW....can anyone believe Christmas is 6 days away?! WHAT! I have been sleeping, I guess! This year's Nutcracker was a week later than the year's before, so I guess that is why I am panting and gasping for air to get things done. No down time for me! Everyone I run into has asked, "are you recovered?" , "are you back to normal yet?" , "are you glad it's over?" , "will you do it again? and, my favorite, "when does the next performance schedule start?" (and that person knows us better than anyone! ILY, Leanna!) So, 1. no, I am not recovered, NEVER! (not even after a nap nearly everyday since and a 2 and 1/2 hour nap today!) 2. On the normal thing, I don't know what "normal" is, I will get back to you on that when I figure it out. 3. Yes and no.....I am glad it's over, but miss it terribly! Bittersweet parting! I am a glutton for punishment, obviously! 4. OF COURSE, we will do it again! Over and over and over again! I may even dance in it next year! AND.....Lily is insisting that we will watch her in the Nutcracker next year, too! ARGH! Did I mention punishment?! 5. And, to all of you wondering, the next audition is in January for the next performance. Emma will be in "Time Steps" in the Spring. It never ends! NEVER! Oh, by the way, softball will start in January for Hanna, too. And, last night, when I picked Hanna up from Cheer Texas, she gets in the car and the first thing out of her mouth is.........................."I want to compete!" I knew it! I am officially going to need a Nanny! (if any of you out there know of someone in the area or want to volunteer, we are taking applications!!!!!!!!)





What happens in the buffoon's dressing room, stays in the buffoon's dressing room! :)







Annie (Juene)
Bobby (Drosselmeir),
Emma (Clara)
Emma signing autographs at Children's Party. The Buffoons!
Hanna and a precious lamb (my favorite).




















Uncle Bobby, Aunt Gigi, Cameron and Grammy.....opening night guests!









Guest artists, Carlos and Jennifer (Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier) with Emma after the final bow.








Emma and dear Ms Vickie.

Emma with Nutcracker Prince, Drake (from Ballet West, Utah) with Lily and Seth at Children's Party.





So, Christmas is 6 days away. I have decided to accept it. Christmas break began officially today at noon. There is a Christmas excitement in the air at my house. I love it! It never fails! I always think I'm not ready but when they are out, I LOVE IT! (for a day or two) I am about crazy already tonight and have threatened "early bedtime" for everyone! Including momma! (except, after the 2 and 1/2 hour nap, I think I am good!) I am almost done with my shopping. Sean wants to go with me Monday to get some "boy stuff" for Seth. Apparently he is afraid I'll come home with footed pink bunny pj's.....which I can not find anywhere!!!! The house is as decorated as it's going to get, there are MANY gifts to still be wrapped in my closet, there is baking and candy making to be done this weekend and THEN the joyous holiday can come! I better get busy! ......and off of this computer! I wish everyone a Merry Christmas, many belly laughs with the ones you love and blessings beyond blessings expected from God this Christmas. (and I wish for a Nanny for all of my busy momma friends out there.......is it illegal for Nannies to cook and clean and keep your kids for cheap? JW!)





Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.......





(more Nutcracker pics of the actual show on stevesatterwhite.photoreflect.com! password "nut08". It's worth a look!)

And visions of Sugar Plums danced in her head......

.......Nutcracker 2008 is behind us, leaving us with bittersweet feelings for our labor of love! What an awesome Christmas gift we have in this tradition! I hope some of you got to come and see the performance....they were fabulous! I will send pictures when I wake up!

Emma Kate is 14! 14?!

Ok! This one hit me! On November the 2oth, at 5:06pm, we have had Emma Kate in our lives for 14 years! I just can't believe it has been 14 years since this little princess changed us! In some ways, it seems like Sean and I have ALWAYS had children....in other ways, it seems like yesterday that they arrived! And then, I find myself so grateful to look over the last 14 years and praise God for this beautiful, talented, kind, patient, gentle young woman that He has grown. My part has been work, but I can see God's fingerprints all over her. I will have to say, I am the happiest mommy in the world to kiss "13" goodbye! Woo! I deserve a medal for that year! I look forward to the years to come and will treasure every moment as it screams past me. The other day, someone said, "it won't be long till she's driving"! Well, just like "it won't be long before she's walking" and "it won't be long till she's in school", it's true, it didn't seem like long enough, but, God prepares my mommy heart everytime for that moment! I am getting ready for her to drive......just like I was ready for her to walk and for her to go to school! As a parent, I am finding we are really never "ready" to go on to the next stage....if we just go willingly and gracefully, we might enjoy the ride. We may even smile a time or two. I just pray for joy and deep belly laughs and peace and protection over this child as she grows into a young woman. I pray for both of our hearts to be prepared for what lies ahead. And for God's grace to usher us into the next "stage" of her life!

"The King is enthralled by her beauty, she is anointed with the oil of joy. All glorious is the princess in her chamber....she will be led in with joy and gladness as she enters the palace of the King...." from Psalm 45.

Tag, I'm it!

Ok, I'll play! Just because I have a million and one things to do this morning and here I am on Facebook....why not! :)

I was tagged by my friend, Tammy. Sooooo, here goes......

Link the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
*Share 7 random/weird facts about yourself.
*Tag 7 other people and link to them at the end of your blog.
*Let each person know they've been tagged by leaving a comment.

1. My sister and I are the only ones in our family that are left handed.

2. I cheered for Kansas State in college.

3. I have always wanted a pony.

4. I love massages!

5. I want to live on the beach someday.

6. I'm a photographer.

7. Chris Daughtry is my favorite right now!


I've tagged Al, Amy A., Amy P., Amy W., and Ana

Giving Thanks

November is always such a crazy month for us! While most of the world is preparing for Thanksgiving and shopping for Christmas, our family celebrates MANY birthdays this month, prepares for Nutcracker, attends the Nutcracker Ball, and THEN Thanksgiving is here and then Christmas is fast approaching! GASP!

This year, we had a pause in all of the activity that fills our lives.....a time to pause and pay our respects to my step-father, Stephen Fox-Vincent. He passed away on Monday, Nov. 3rd, after a 10 month battle with lung cancer. My mom had written in her journal not too long back that "if God would choose to take him now, it would be in the Fall". During this beautiful time of year, where the world seems to glow with color and the splendor of God's creation, we remembered Stephen this past Friday, and got together with family and friends to recall the dear blessings in our lives. This November, all of the craziness just seems to have subsided. We have tuned into God's hand on our lives, to the many blessings we celebrate, to the family we have gotten to enjoy so much more than we normally do, to the friends that have blessed our lives...past and present...and have stopped and really taken in God's Glory here on this earth. Just like the prayer we all know says.....this really is Heaven on Earth! It reminded us to sit longer, laugh harder, hold tighter and love deeper. We will miss you, Grampy. We know you are at peace now and are healed from this world's pain....and enjoying this beautiful Fall from a different view this year.

Mom with her forever friend, Kelly.

Emma and I at the Nutcracker Ball

Hanna Grace is 11!

Oh, is it really possible? I know, this is every mother's lament! How does time fly by so quickly? I remember Hanna as a baby. She was my best child! An angel! She has always been so fun and easy-going. Even as an ornery 2 year old, who would escape our house many days....to be found next door at Mrs. Warkentin's, just playing in the floor. Many times, she never knew she'd come in. Hanna has always found a friend in everyone.....and everyone has been fond of her very quickly. She is my sunshine! My bright spot in each and every day. She brings us up when we are down and makes us laugh till our sides hurt. She's caring and kind and loves deeply. I love seeing my children bloom where God has planted them......and Hanna is one of my most glorious flowers! I can see God shaping and molding her into who He wants her to be. Happy Birthday, Hanna Grace! Shine on!

Trick or Treat.....Smell my feet.....give me something good to eat!

Well, that is what we always said. Why, I'll never know. And, for some reason my kids don't believe me and won't say it!

We had a fun and hectic Halloween this year. We went to Dalhart to be with my sister and her family (as we were helping them move to a different house...just down the block) and because Daddy was working the monthly Dalhart weekend. This year snuck up on me as we have been so busy. Glad my kids were prepared. I always love to hear what they want to be every year! It changes with their ever-changing personalities (and seems to fall in line with their b-day themes for that year). I really thought Sethy would don the beloved Spiderman costume AGAIN (since Spidey made it for two birthdays in a row....why not two Halloween's?!)....but, he said he wanted to be a SPIDER! Go figure! We checked and double checked and he assured us he wanted to be a "big, black spider with many legs"! Ok! Got it! (and, Quinn was Spiderman, so that was perfect!)

Lily was no surprise......Hannah Montana! (duh, Mom!) Easy enough. The girl owns half of Hannah Montana's wardrobe. Really!

My Hanna decided to go as a softball player, which was fitting, since she was missing her last softball tournament of the year to be with her family in Dalhart! What a punkin she is! So, that was an easy one, too! We had all of the stuff. She said, "I feel like I'm getting ready for a game!" Of course she did! That is the norm for her! :)

Now, Emma, I didn't know about. (Really, when do they stop wanting to dress up?) She decided on her own that she was going to go trick or treating with her siblings and she had to dress up to do that! She was a punk-rock ballerina. That is her norm, too! It was a fun evening. It was fun to be with the Hales for Halloween again, too. It has been a few years! I miss being close to them! We also had fun watching our Dalhart friend's faces as they opened their doors and then realized who we were! I wish I had my camera ready each time! I think I had the most fun with that. :)







Hannah Montana (AKA, Lily) before the wig came off! It didn't take long!




















I love this one! One day, he'll appreciate that love! :)

And, a picture of my new eco sneaks......I guess the kids weren't being cooperative at some point and I had to get a pic of my shoes! LOVE THEM!

And, the whole gang! Seth, Emma, Hanna, Lily, Cameron, Aly and Quinn. Love them, too!

PUNKINS carving PUMPKINS!

We LOVE to carve pumpkins! This year was no different....except the kids seem to have more of an opinion of what they want to carve AND they want to hold the carving tools BY THEMSELVES! Makes me a little nervous,Sean LOVES it that he doesn't have to do ALL of the carving anymore! Do you know that pumpkin innards sting the skin now-a-days AND they stick to the floor like glue! Mop them up quick, not the morning after, for a happier mommy! :(



















We also made our annual jack-o-lantern pizzas for the occasion! There is never a dull moment in my home! Here's proof!















Here are some more pics from our fun evening. Enjoy!


Love these faces........



Daddy's Job!

Hard at work......































My Little Punkins!

















































Happy Halloween!

So Proud!

I don't know if there is anything that makes me more proud than my children! Everyone must run out and get the November's issue of Southern Living. Besides it being an awesome magazine, esp. in the fall, there is a featured section on The Lone Star Ballet's "The Nutcracker". It has a picture of Emma on stage in the party scene. (she's in a rust colored dress...b/c they really all look the same in a bun!) It was from last year's performance and has an incredible article that makes me proud to be a part of our jewel in the crown of Texas! If you don't want to go buy the fine copy of Southern Living, at least go look at it while you stand in the line at the grocery store. It's on the pages following pg. 164. (She will sign copies if you bring them to The Nutcracker this year) ;) Enjoy!

Lily's Little Tooth Lost

1st tooth a'wiggling.............5 months

Time it took to pull it...............5 seconds

1st tooth payout...............$5

The prayer that Lily said asking God not to let the tooth fairy take her tooth away...................Priceless!

(I wish the tooth fairy could use Mastercard!)