Merry Christmas

Milk and cookies for Santa. Be careful not to spill. (The funny thing is that there was a major spill. As soon as I get the video, I'll post it!!)

Looking for Santa's sleigh with Uncle Justin

So Santa comes down the chimney?

Christmas morning

Making Fudge

A friend of a friend had the ultimate Christmas card. She chronicled the process of her daughters making and decorating gingerbread cookies. And of course, the girls had on chef hats with their names embroidered on them and matching gingerbread aprons. It was absolutely adorable.

So to cope with my feelings of inadequacy as a mother (ha ha), I decided to chronicle the process of Abby making fudge...minus the cute apron and amazing Christmas card. In my defense, Abby did have on a cute sweater, but I took it off so it wouldn't get dirty. Good idea!

Enjoy the pictures!

First Snow of the Season (in Amarillo)

Abby and I woke to about 3 1/2 inches of snow on the ground this morning. There is always something magical about the first snow of the season, especially when there is no snow when you go to bed and the ground is covered when you wake up but there is nothing falling anymore. Kind of like Christmas morning.

Anyway, when Abby woke up, I told her that it had snowed while she was asleep. She must be figuring this out, because she immediately looked out the window and wanted to go outside. So, of course, we were outside before we even ate breakfast. It was a very short-lived playtime experience, though, because the wind chill was 7 degrees. (Just for comparison...Jeremy is skiing at Wolf Creek this weekend...the actually temp there this morning was below zero).

Notice that Abby is not looking at the camera. Just to let you all know, this is what I have been dealing with as I have tried desperately all week to get a picture for a Christmas card. She is either not looking or isn't smiling or is in motion at a very high speed. It has been quite the challenge, but I think I got a pretty cute one in the end. You'll have to wait for the card to see.

One other thing...Doppler Dave is only predicting 16 inches of snow this year; it's a La Nina year. Last year, his prediction was 40 inches.

Happy Thanksgiving

We had a fun Thanksgiving in Stamford visiting with all of our family. It even snowed on Thanksgiving Day!

Making snow icecream

Dancing on "stage" with my cousins

Most of the Walker family

Snake Encounter

What an afternoon! It all started with Abby wanting to eat her snack in the front yard. So out we went and sat on the step up to the front porch. We sat leisurely for a while, watching Sassy dash around in the front yard and commenting on how quickly the leaves were falling from the trees now. After a few minutes, Abby stood up and walked down the sidewalk. She walked a few steps and then turned to come back. When she stopped, she was standing on one of the cracks that all sidewalks have (dividers of sorts). I just happened to look down and what was in the crack? Nothing but a snake. Abby was standing on a snake!!! PANIC! Instantly, my mind started racing, and I mean racing. It went something like this, "Save Abby! But what if it strikes? Okay...stay calm. AHHHHHH!" At some point in this half a second I started thinking a little more clearly. My uncle, the snake expert, once told me to move slowly around snakes so as not to startle them. But this was my daughter's life at stake. I jumped into action. "Abby, come to Mommy." (Shakes head no). "Abby, may Mommy see what is in your cup?" (Looks at cup (oh no, don't shift your weight) and shakes head no). "Abby, please may Mommy have a grape?" (Smiles and moves toward me). I grab her!

It was not until we were safely out of range that I finally was able to see the tail and know that it was not a rattle snake. Still, a snake is a snake and the only good snake is a dead snake. We fetched a hoe out of the storage shed; I have since learned I was supposed to use a shovel. After safely depositing Abby and Sassy inside the house, both glued to the door for a better view, I returned to kill the snake. To make an already long story a little shorter, I was unsuccessful...probably because I was shaking beyond belief at this point...to the point that I missed the first time and obviously didn't do very well the second time either. So, on lives the snake somewhere in my flowerbed. And Abby, Sassy, and I are avoiding the front yard, possibly forever.

This picture is NOT of the real snake but is as close as I can find on the internet. Not that I could really even pick the snake out of a line-up at this point.

Sweeter than Candy

I can't wait for tomorrow! I have been carrying my Trick-or-Treat bucket around all day practicing for the big event. Mommy has been trying to keep me out of the candy that I am going to pass out tomorrow evening...also practicing for the big event.

Fall Festival

Jeremy, Abby, and I attended a fall festival at our church yesterday afternoon, and Abby had a wonderful time being a ladybug. We had to wake her up from her nap to go so she was a little cranky at the beginning but once she got a bite of chocolate, she was good to go. She had fun doing the cupcake walk, sticking the nose on the pumpkin and getting her face painted. My personal favorite was watching her try to bite the apple without using her hands. The pictures show the ultimate result of that game. And the funny part was that once she got the apple, she had no more interest in candy; all she wanted was her apple. I was so proud!

Bet

When A&M played Tech a couple of weeks ago, Jeremy and I agreed to let Abby wear neutral colors during the game. However, we bet that if our respective team won, Abby would wear that team's "outfit" to dinner that night. You can see who won...hence my delay in posting the picture. (Sorry about the water spill down the front.)

New Bed

After purchasing and returning 3 different beds due to them being damaged, Abby finally got her new toddler bed this afternoon. Sleep tight little one.

Go Tech!

As much as it pains me to post this, here it goes! We took Abby to a Texas Tech football game this weekend, and she had a blast. Our good friends Josh and Carri always tailgate before the game so that is where we began the event. There was not a single tailgate food that Abby didn't like; she ate everything from pork loin sandwiches to elk sausage to a bite of a stuffed pepper. Her all time favorite, though, was the chocolate caramel brownies. It was shortly after that that she changed into outfit #2 for the day! She also had fun at the game, even though we only stayed for about a quarter and a half. To top off our great day, our friends Wayne, Audrey, and Amberlie met us in Lubbock for the game and to visit. The girls had such a good time tossing a ball back and forth, sharing food, and watching the cheerleaders. Notice the Double T on their faces. The super nice cheerleader sponsor gave them to them. So again, as much as it pains me...Go Tech! And no, this will not be used as a Christmas card picture... :)

Strangled

So Abby was strangled at school today. No, not really. When I dropped her off this morning, all of her friends greeted (or more like swarmed) her at the door, saying, "Abby, Abby!" Upon putting Abby down, Ian hugged her but ended up getting his arm wrapped around her neck, hence her stranglation. After freeing herself from his grips, she was "attacked" by another kid. She finally sqirmed her way to Ms. Mika's leg and started climbing to be picked up. It was pretty funny to watch, but I'm sure she really did feel a little bombarded.

Bird Feeder

Look at the bird feeder I made in Sunday school this morning! I colored it also, but it doesn't really show up in the picture.

Miniature Chef

Abby loves to help me cook. This morning, while I was making biscuits, she retrieved a muffin tin, and you can see what she did next. She got the potatoes out of the pantry and carefully placed one in each slot; she was making muffins for breakfast...or maybe rolls for dinner...or maybe she was just putting potatoes in the muffin tin. Whatever it was, I appreciated her help!

Verbal Update

Rumor has it that the natives are getting restless waiting for a new post. I haven't had any great photo opps lately so I'll at least give a verbal update.

Abby seems to be getting back into the swing of things at school, most days that is. Every morning, when it is time to go, she runs around the house for at least five minutes carrying her backpack, lunchbox, and whatever else she thinks she can carry to the car. For example, last Tuesday I looked up, and she had her backpack, her lunchbox, my lunchbox, her milk, my purse, and was desparately trying to drag my computer bag to the door. Obviously, I was not moving fast enough for her that morning. It is funny how quickly she picks up on what goes with us each day and how she tries to always help.

What else? She was sick this week. On Wednesday, they called from her school saying she had fever and was just lying in their laps doing nothing (not typical Abby behavior). That evening, she refused to eat dinner (again, not typical Abby behavior). It all boiled down to her having a sore throat. But after a day home with Mommy and a trip to the doctor to make sure it wasn't strep, she seems to be on the mend now.

Oh, Abby is 17 months old now! Her biggest feat is being able to say, or attempt to say, just about anything she sets her mind to. Her favorites are baw (ball), bana (banana), wawa (water), moh (more), ba (no...sounds nothing like it but that's what it means), and several animal sounds. Her favorite playtime activities include feeding her babies, singing and dancing complete with motions, and mimicing Sassy's every move...including barking and having her ears scratched.

Finally, for those of you that are wondering, Abby is still bedless. I ordered her new toddler bed; it came in; it was damaged; we sent it back; I ordered another one; we are still waiting for it. Abby doesn't seem to mind much though. She just sleeps on her mattress on the floor, then rolls onto a big pillow beside it, then rolls onto the floor, and ultimately ends up in our bed at some point every night. And I said she'd NEVER sleep with us!

Friday Night Football

Even though the Eagles didn't win tonight, I still looked cute in my Baby Eagle T-shirt!

Second Day of School

For those of you that are curious, day two of school was not nearly as successful as day one. No pictures for evidence, but Abby howled when I left her this morning. I think she figured out that yesterday's events were not just a one day thing, which I'm sure took away the excitement of it all. Fortunately, she still had a big smile for me when I picked her up this afternoon. Mind you, according to her teachers, she was pointing at her bag and wanting to go home well before I arrived. Sad, sad, sad...

First Day of School

I started school again this morning and I was oh so brave. We got there early so Mommy could get me settled, but as it turns out, I didn't need much settling. She helped me hang my backpack and put away my nap mat. Then we went into the kitchen for me to eat breakfast. Mommy sat with me for a second, but I confidently gave her a kiss goodbye and a big wave when she left.

Oh, and Mommy was brave too. She only cried a little when she got in the car.

Uh Oh

About a week ago, Abby decided to jump out of her baby bed, literally. The problem was that she landed on her head. No worries though, she was not injured. So for the last week, she has been sleeping on her mattress on the floor while I shopped for a toddler bed.

This picture was taken while Jeremy was taking her crib down. You can tell by the look on Abby's face that she was very concerned and maybe a little traumatized by the whole ordeal. All she did the whole time he worked was stand in the middle of the floor, point, and repeatedly say, "Uh oh."

Hollywoods

Abby has played with my sunglasses all summer, but I haven't been able to find any that fit her. Mom was here this week to babysit while Jeremy and I started school again. One day we went to lunch at Village Bakery Cafe and just happened across these in a little shop beside the restaurant. Abby thinks she is such the movie star!

Food Network Anybody?

One of our friends mentioned on her blog that there was nothing to watch on TV this summer. Jeremy and I chose to fill this dead TV time with reality cooking shows...embarassingly...three of them. Our favorite, though, was The Next Food Network Star. Rory, the girl that was the runner up, is from Vega, Texas (about 35 miles west of Amarillo). On the last episode, they mentioned that she had opened her own restaurant in Vega, so of course we had to go! The whole experience was fantastic, especially the food. Jeremy even got to see Rory! So for anybody that is traveling through, fan or not of the show, you must stop and eat there.

On our way home, we stopped at Cadillac Ranch, composed solely of 10 old Cadillacs buried in the ground. Apparently, there is some rich, crazy guy in Amarillo who owns the land. It is actually quite the tourist attraction and anybody who knows anything takes their own can of spray paint to add to the "decorations" on the cars. Apparently, we don't know anything because we were the only group out there without spray paint.

Did I mention that DMama and Uh were here for all of this? Before I move to the last part, I should mention that we all love icecream. Somehow, Jeremy had scoped out that Blue Bell Creameries was going to be at Thompson Park today, giving a history of Blue Bell icecream and more importantly, giving it away. So off we went! Abby is modeling her Blue Bell hat and sticker that she was also given while there.

Baby Beethoven

On our recent trip to see Gran and Grandpa, Abby composed many pieces while sitting at their piano. She became very good at "one finger at a time, one note at a time," although her preference continues to be forte! This picture was taken as she applauded one of her performances.

Abby also enjoyed 4-wheeling with Grandpa, checking out the grasshopper on the tree with Gran, and swimming in the pool at Thousand Trails when we went to have dinner with friends who were camping there.

A Word from Sassy

Sassy's favorite part of Abby is the tidbits of food that are tossed from the highchair. However, on this particular day, Sassy was doubting the value of spilled food. Abby had poured her rice cereal on the floor. The first ten licks were yummy; then it started to get a little thick; then it became very paste like..."Gag, gag!" I finally had to put Sassy outside so she wouldn't get sick while I finished cleaning up the mess.

Wedding Weekend

One of our good friends, Wayland Damron, got married this weekend. Before the rehearsal on Friday, we were able to spend some time on Lake Brownwood with our friends. Abby had never been in a lake or on a boat before. She kept wanting in the water, but did not want to wear her life jacket. Definitely a tough parenting moment! The picture of her "driving" the boat was actually taken before we took it out (in case you are questioning the lack of a life jacket).

The wedding itself seemed beautiful. Notice, I said "seemed." This is because Abby refused to quit yelling for "Da" (who was an usher) and "Dadee" (Sassy...who was nowhere around) so we spent 90% of the ceremony climbing up and down the steps outside the church. The reception was another story though; Abby had a blast cutting a rug with her Daddy on the dance floor. Congratulations Wayland and Mika!

On Sunday, we went back through Stamford and were able to catch the tail end of the Davis/King family reunion. It was fun getting to catch up with those family members that we don't see very often. The picture is of Abby and her cousin (third, second once removed??), Caroline.

15 Months Old

Abby had her 15 month well-check this morning. She is 31 inches long (75%) and weighs 22 pounds (just less than 50%).