Happy Birthday, Jessica! (OR: I can't believe my baby's 11)

11 years ago today, God answered the prayers of my heart and blessed me with a beautiful, perfect little baby girl. To celebrate, here are 11 things about Jessica:

1. She was a colicky baby, and had her days and nights mixed up. I think she didn't want to miss anything!


2. She was talking in compete sentences at 1 year old, and hasn't stopped since!

3. She's my sensitive child, who always seems to know when someone is feeling blue and loves on them.

4. She's also my generous child, who always wants to give. We joke about the fact that money burns a hole in her pocket, and it's true, but most of the time she'd just as soon spend it on someone else as on herself.


5. She says she's not a girly-girl, but she is an old-fashioned girl, who love Laura Ingalls, Anne of Green Gables, American Girls, and Millie Keith.

6. Obviously she loves to read, too!

7. She was baptized when she was 9 years old, but she always said she gave her heart to Jesus when she was 4.

8. She still talks about her friends in Idaho, and how much she misses them, and calls herself a "Northern girl."

9. She is having a 1950's slumber party tonight, with 8 girls invited. Her mother must be INSANE!


10. She loves to play outside, especially when there are trees to climb.


11. I love her more than she can possibly understnd.

Good one

Rebecca: Why did you turn the movie off?
Jessica: None of your business. You're nosy. (She was a tad bit cranky. In a wee bit of trouble)
Rebecca: Well, you're eye-y. And mouth-y.

Birthday Fun!

I've had fun celebrating my birthday this week, even if I can't believe I'm 42! Yikes.

Wednesday night before Cubbies I was mopping the kitchen floor, and I started to talk to Mike--couldn't find him. Looked outside for the girls--they were gone. With the van. Without saying good-bye. Sniff. I got over feeling abandoned when they came home with a new bike for me!! Then they couldn't wait to give me the rest of my presents, so I graciously allowed them to give them to me early. Hee hee! Mike brought me a necklace of uncut Idaho huckleberry garnets from his trip back in Nov/Dec, and they gave me 4 Starbucks frappucino bottles, individually wrapped, and Jessica gave me her biggest, favoritest crystal from her rock collection. I felt very special.

On Friday we drove to Texarkana to pick our van up (yes, again) and give the loaner back, then drove to Houston to see Mike's family. We stopped at the Woodlands Mall first for our first monthly "family outing," a new tradition we want to start. We went to Build-a-bear, where they spent their Christmas money (and I had 3 coupons, including one for a free animal, so even Jessica, who already bought a dollhouse, got to make one!). I wish I had taken pictures--I love that place.
The first thing Rebecca did when we got to Mamaw's house was crawl up in her lap! They have such a sweet connection. And even though she had to ask our names, I think she knew who we were.


The whole family came on Saturday, and we had such a good time. We hadn't all been together in too long, so of course we took lots of pictures, and told all the funny family stories, like the time when Jeff shot Mike just barely above the eye with an arrow!
Here are the siblings:

Add the spouses (Jeannie's husband had to go help his dad that day):

Then add the grand-kids, and look what you get!

Here are the grand-kids closer up. I can't believe how grown up they're all getting.

Judy, Jeannie's friend who takes care of Mamaw when Jeannie's at work, came too. She's a part of the family now!

Monday was Mamaw's birthday, Saturday was mine, and Friday will be Jessica's, so they had a cake for all of us. Thankfully they didn't try to put on 136 candles. ;) They also surprised us with presents! So sweet.

Happy list and photos

*I started this post in Arkansas after a pretty normal (boring) week, and finished it in Texas during a pretty fun weekend! When I get home I'll tell you all about it.*
Things that make me happy #51: Putting new pictures on my fridge after getting new ones in Christmas cards.



And here are the girls having "P.E." by dancing on Jessica's old dance mat. She wasn't thrilled with me taking her picture, by the way! hee hee

Meme from Mer

Meredith, from Life at 7000 feet (and a real life friend), did this fun meme that I thought I'd join in on. Here are the instructions:
1) Choose the 4th folder where you store your pictures on your computer
2) Select the 4th picture in the folder
3) Explain the picture
4) Tag 4 people to do the same


This is Kate, who was one of my Cubbies at the beginning of the school year, and was one of Rebecca's best-est friends our first year in Magnolia. They have since moved to Bentonville, and we miss them. :(
Like Mer, I'm not tagging anyone in particular, but feel free to consider yourself tagged!

She also mentioned "Frugal Friday," that her friend Joanne started. Well, today is Sunday, but I was frugal on Friday! Actually, it started LAST Friday, when I was doing my weekly grocery shopping. We took Dave Ramsey's "Financial Peace University" last semester, and are trying really hard to stick to our budget this year--using the envelopes and everything. Well, Wal Mart's holiday clearance (75% off) was cut an additional 50% that day! I filled my cart with fun little under-a-dollar things. Then I put in all my groceries and necessities, then went to check out. I left the clearance stuff in the cart and watched the total, and made her stop when she reached my envelope limit. Ended up having to put ALL my bargains back. :( I had the money right there, but it was in other envelopes, and for once in my life I used self-discipline. I was proud of myself. Fast-forward to this Friday, post pay-day--re-filled envelopes! Not only were most of the clearance items I wanted still there, they were even cheaper!! I got wrapping paper for 12 cents! And a gingerbread house kit for 50 cents! (I'm not worried about it getting stale because we wouldn't eat it, anyway.) Also, I saved $19.05 with coupons, and I'm sending off for a $2.97 rebate. It felt good. :)

And one more:

Rebecca has a bad habit of asking for food and then not eating it. Tonight the girls and I were eating leftover soup and cornbread, and Jessica and Rebecca had to split a piece of cornbread since there were only 2 pieces left and they both asked for some. When Rebecca asked if she could "be done and have dessert," I asked her why she didn't eat her cornbread, and she said, "I didn't ask for some." Jessica and I in unison said, "Yes, you did!" and she said, "I didn't hear myself ask for some."
Hmm.

Rebecca-ism

While watching "The Wonder Pets," Rebecca said, "Stop singing and go help her, fast!"



She also likes playing at the Goobie Girls website (Groovy Girls).

They grow up so fast!

Inventive spelling!

When I saw these letters on the white board,

I didn't think anything of it until I heard the story behind them. Rebecca wrote them, then turned to Jessica and said, "Does that say 'you rock'?" Why yes, as a matter of fact, IT DOES! I'm so proud.

And one day she'll be reading like her big sisters.

You know you're in the South when...

the weatherman says, "The air is still pretty dry out there," and the humidity is at 70%.

My Hopes for 2009

I hesitate to make New Year's Resolutions, or even, I'm ashamed to say, commitments. The perfectionist that I am doesn't want to make a promise I can't keep. But I have been thinking about changes I want to make--more of who I am than what I do. What do I want in 2009? I want to live life more fully, not holding myself back because of fear or appearances. I want to get on the train, as the conductor says in "Polar Express." I want to pour myself out for others, get to know them and get involved in their lives, instead of focusing on me and mine.

And I want to go to Mozambiqe and Idaho. :)

Holiday Happenings

Here are all our pictures and videos from Christmas! [Well, pickles! I've tried twice, and the video upload just isn't working. When you look at the picture of the girls looking in their stocking, imagine they're all three talking at once, and that's pretty much the video.]
Finally, a few days before Christmas Day, we got to bake and decorate sugar cookies, my favorite goodie of all! I love looking at the finished products. See the Razorback in the middle? :) I don't know why this one is sideways, but I love our forest of Christmas trees, and the sparkly, sparkly angel, and the stockings for everyone. I almost hate to eat them. Almost. Christmas Eve we went to the candlelight service at our church, then had our family birthday party for Jesus. I made "Snowy Baby Cakes" from a Southern Living Recipe. They didn't look quite like the picture in the magazine, but they tasted good! The girls were so excited that night. I added a new tradition to our birthday party. We've always read the Christmas story from Luke 2, with candles in our special desserts and the nativity on the table. This year we also passed out pieces of paper and had everyone write down what they were giving Jesus for his birthday this year, then fold it and put in on the manger. It helped us focus on Him instead of ourselves, if only for a few seconds. Christmas morning! Here are the girls seeing what Santa brought. After that I was too busy enjoying the chaos to take pictures! I took a picture of these clouds on our way to Conway for dinner. In real life they were amazing. Actually, I took it on our way back to Magnolia to make sure the Christmas lights were turned off while we were on our way to Conway. They were. More presents! We were all quite spoiled. Then we ate a feast, as Jessica says, and sat around talking and played "Would You Rather?" Mike and I hit the sales the next day, and did pretty good! We got to stay in Conway a few days, and even had time for a little quiet reading. (I love this picture.) And we got to go to church with Gran at Woodland Heights and see lots of old friends! Back at home, Mike and Jessica started building the dollhouse she bought with her money from Mamaw. I love it! And we finished our new jigsaw puzzle. On New Year's Eve we played Cranium and Life, and watched TV until midnight when we ran outside banging pots and yelling while Mike set off fireworks! So much fun. On New Year's Day I fixed a "spread" of finger food, as my Mom always called it, for us to nibble on all day while we watched football. And now I'm ready to get back in our daily routine! It felt like spring today--I even opened the windows. So it looks like the only blizzard we'll be having is one made out of paper!