Cassie's last practice

Decking The Halls -- and the Tree Topper saga...

---> I've been blogging like crazy this week, so keep going, there's lots here! <---

So, today was the day we promised the kids we would decorate the tree and house. We also said we'd do outside, but it's bitterly cold and raining, so they had to get disappointed there - we only have a few things for outside anyway.

So, I (even though I'm sick) take the kids to Target while Tom unpacks the stuff in peace - oh trust me here, if they had been here they would've driven him crazy - plus I think I got the better end of that deal. We were on a mission for a tree topper... the kids found one. I thought it was going to be WAY too big. It was. We get home and we were all dying laughing at this thing bending over and swaying back and forth. We don't have a tiny tree, but that thing was made for a Texas-Sized tree for sure!

So, we decide to ALL go back to the store and the only one we could find is this hideous silver thing, but whatever... it fits. Well... more on that story below with pictures to guide you. *laugh*

So, here's the pictures to share...

While Tom fussed around with getting the big tree set up, we got the kids busy decorating the little tree..

The stocking were hung with care (notice I have stocking hangers! I've always wanted them but never bought them) - Yes, Julie gets a stocking.

This is new this year... I thought this was a cute set... Daddy and Son bears going fishing. They are outside the door...

Another new one... look! It's Tux! On our fireplace!

Tom puts on the garland...

And the kids decorated it (with our help)

And the kids put on their santa hats to show off the final product...

Now, let's talk tree toppers... we have yet to have a good one. We have had a few hideous stars through the years. This horrible angel my mother gave me (sorry, mom, it was hideous). You'd think in FOURTEEN years we'd find one we like! But no. We are tree topper impaired. So, after the laughing fits that the big one entailed, we ended up with the hideous round star one that was a whopping $4 at Target. Whatever. The kids liked it and we have given up. BUT getting it on the tree was an adventure... what is wrong with us? What about those pictures with the perfect family with the smiling dad with a cup of cocoa putting the tree topper on with a flourish and the adorable kids standing by looking up in awe? Yeah, that's not us...

Here's Jamie showing off the atrocious thing...

So here's Tom "this will be easy, just sit it up there"... um... not so much, the base was too small for our tree...

Tom asks what we have to hold the damn thing up there. I go and get a binder clip (hey, it sounded like a good idea, stay with me here)... and Tom celebrates because it looks like it might work...

... and then it fell over.

By this time, Tom and I are laughing so hard we have tears just flowing down our cheeks and Jamie is doing his eye-roll thing which is supposed to be "my parents are so weird", but whatever...

So, we finally got it... how? Look closely. Yeah. Tom wrapped the top of the tree around it. *laugh*

But it's up there. And it's staying. And we have another hideous tree topper. But that's okay because we had a really good laugh about it all. Maybe next year we can find a purple one with gold leafing!

An actual post with actual words and lots of rambling

Yeah, so apparently this is just a photo blog now, eh? *laugh*

I'll post pictures soon of the tree trimming and decorating we got done today, but thought I'd ramble a bit...

Kids are doing good. They have their moments, but as Tom and I were talking earlier this week, we are so lucky that they get along so well. I hear these sibling horror stories and we just don't have those. Maybe it's because they are pretty close in age. Maybe it's because I'm such a rockin' mom. Okay, it's probably pure luck and the fact that Jamie is basically scared of Cassie - she's mean! But seriously, they are great kids. And growing up... way way way too fast!

I'm working more than I should and not sleeping as much as I should, but that's pretty normal. 127 days and my volunteer commitment is over. As much as I've loved giving back to my industry, I'm ready to get back some of my life now. I'm really really enjoying the photography class I'm taking at LVS. It was cheap, but I really am learning what all those buttons do!

Tom is Tom. Reliable. Cute. Funny. Weird. Sexy. All that and a bag of chips - just ask him ;) He's really stepped up lately, which is good because I've been pretty much chained to my office trying to get everyone fixed up before January hits and the entire world collapses. I hate January.

We are settling in as homeowners again. I don't even know if I shared or not... we owned a home many years ago but it was like... well, do you remember that movie The Money Pit with Shelly Winters from the 90s? Yeah. Like that. So, we swore off homeownership. We lived in apartments, but the kids needed a yard, so we started renting this house. Well, the landlord was going to sell it and we were so sad. We love this house. We love our neighbors. We love the neighborhood. We LOVE it here. LOVE it. It's probably the only reason I haven't gone off the deep end and insisted that we move out of this state - no, I'm serious. Anyway, we signed off on it earlier this year, and it's ours (well, the bank owns it now I suppose). Nothing major has broken... yet. We lived here a year and a half before buying so I feel pretty confident that we know all the good and bad about it.

Thanksgiving was okay. We went to Tom's mother's house for Thanksgiving eve and spent the night with his grandmother so we didn't have to come back home because we had Thanksgiving with his grandma. Then went to his cousin's house for dessert. Talk about whirlwind!

The good: The kids behaved, the food was good, the company was good.

The bad: His aunt showed up sick and now I'm sick - as a dog. She said that she wasn't contagious but in the next breath said that she caught it from someone else. That should have been high alert for me. I get sick so easily. Anyway... so I'm sick and it sucks. I was going to get the flu shot this week too. Ugh.

The good: We had a really great time at his cousin's house. We don't get to see them often and I forget how much I really like them.

The bad: His family cannot seem to honor the one tradition that we keep to. Yes, we are the annoying people that stay home Christmas Day. I'll run all over the place otherwise, but that's our day. Everyone is welcome to come visit us and they know that, we will be in our PJs and playing with Santa stuff and just generally relaxing, but that is our day, as a family. It's been that way for 14 years now. It's not going to change, but every year they pressure us about coming to their houses. I always feel like everyone blames me because it's a tradition that started with my family, but it's one that Tom is ADAMANT about these days, probably moreso than I am. He loves that time with the kids and the kids love it too. Anyway, it just always make me feel uncomfortable. The only way this changes is if we visit family out of town (like last year - although we have vowed to not do that again - too stressful).

Fun at Target

Tom decided to try out one of those V-Rocker gaming chairs and promptly fell over... the kids were DYING laughing (I wasn't, I would NEVER do that... *snicker*)

Play Play Play All The Day Day Day...

---> I posted a LOT of posts today... scroll down for more! <---

Thanksgiving was a good time, but the kids just had endless amounts of fun... I don't think Tom has had so much in a LONG time - Jamie, Cassie and Cousin Olivia got 'em!

He's outnumbered...

He's outwitted...

He's outplayed...

... but... He Won! (we're gonna let him keep believing that)

Jamie and Cassie are so cute together, I swear... I don't think my sister and I were EVER this nice to each other.

And just a really cute picture of Olivia peeking out of her closet. Cutie!

Ice Cream Conecakes for Turkey Day!

We felt like doing something fun for the kids this year so we made Ice Cream Conecakes. We baked them, realized we didn't have time to make the icing and figured we'd stop by CVS and grab a can. We did manage to pack several different kinds of sprinkles though... yeah, so the one CVS we passed on the way didn't have any. Thank goodness grandma came through!

The kids got to make them twice. Once at MiMi's house and another at Cousin Olivia's house. Fun was had by all... and really, it wasn't as mess as I feared!

"Baby" Jack Photos....

This is my nephew, Jack... The blurred picture in the back is him as "Baby Jack"... I dunno, I thought this was a cute little mini-series. The thing on his head is a ball that popped and grandma cut open... now it's a funky hat :)

And yes, he will always be Baby Jack to us :) 'Sides since my sister-in-law hasn't updated her blog with new pics since FEBRUARY, I figured I'd show the world how cute he is :)

AttackTheOrange

AttackTheOrange
Originally uploaded by Candy_Beauchamp

Jamie's weird art - the orange thing is getting pooped on by the blimp in the sky and the man in the box is peeing on him! Oh my! (actually it's bombs and bullets, but that isn't what it looks like to me!)

Heard from the backseat

We are DEFINITELY not in Anderson Mill (Tom's family lives in BFE)



(and yes, it's supposed to be black - it was pitch black in BFE)

Daddy's little girl...

We were at Jamie's game over the weekend and I caught this shot of Cassie with Tom. I absolutely love this picture. It was overcast but the light was great for a shot of them under the umbrella. I have to look at it and wonder though... what was Cassie trying to talk him into doing?

Hehehe....

Faces of Cassie...

Just a cute little string of pictures...

Jamie's Game pics....

Is every 7 year old really this weird?

I was telling him to go after the ball, he stops and says "over there?" Ummm... duh.

I liked this shot

He kicked the ball and gave himself a little celebratory "up"

Some Jamie pictures...

I seem to be only taking pics of Cassie for some reason, so here are some of Jamie from this weekend...

Heard From The Backseat

I can't wear these shoes to Toys R Us... They're not Spiderman shoes!!


Ummm... 'k.

This weekend...

Both kids had soccer games on Saturday. They were 3 hours apart and I knew the little girl next door wasn't in soccer any more (her season is over) so I called her mom and kidnapped her for the day to keep my kids busy. It was great! She played with one while the other one was on the field. I rock! We took them to Moonie's Burger House (in case you haven't noticed, it's our favorite spot in Cedar Park now!) for lunch where everyone had a good time and took their time eating their snow cones :) We then dragged them to Target (where they could get a cookie) and we could get some things we needed. I hope her mom doesn't read this, we basically bribed them with french fries and sugar *laugh*

Anyway... Sunday was my book club meeting at night and we spent the day time doing "the big pre Christmas toy purge" where Cassie agreed to get rid of a LOT of her big space eaters. Her room just isn't big enough - so she can't really play in there. Anyway, she was a sport and loves all the extra floor space.

Random pics:

Ring Light Part 2

When we last left our hero, I had a RED ring flash. Yeah, not so good. So since he had to redo it, he decided to improve the design with an HEB dip container, some tin foil, even more lights (white this time - imagine that!) and some purple duct tape...


It DOES work okay. I'm still playing with it. Getting it on to and off of the camera lens is a bit of a pain, but so far, so good... it's still not as bright as I like it, but I like my close up pictures to be bright bright bright... Anyway... A for effort! And I have used it!

Jamie's Art

He made this in art class so they could send it home along with the cookie stuff below so we could buy some stuff made out of his art. I bought some magnets to give as xmas gifts. LOL.

Jamie tell me that it is a rock star's house, the red is the "flames". Okay then.

Wanna Buy Some Cookies?!?! Butter Braid?!?!

To my local friends/family:
If you wanna buy some cookie dough or frozen butter braid, shoot me an email.

I hate the PTA. But it's for a good cause, right?
Right?

The Fishy Festival

What, you may be asking, is a Fishy Festival. Well, I'm here to tell you...

... that we don't know either.

Apparently it involves cleaning their rooms (like that part) and then we have to come sit on Cassie's bed for 20 minutes while Jamie flops on the floor and Cassie sings "Fishy Festival" over and over and over again.

But wait! Then was the Turtle Festival... and yeah.

So, here's the pics... they WERE really cute!

Tom really does mean well...

My new camera has issues with lighting - well, actually my house has issues with lighting. Not a big deal for snapshots of the kids, but for my macro (food) photography, it's a problem...

So, I go looking... looks like a ring flash is the answer. No problem - until I see the price *gulp* Ouch! Yeah... lookit http://tinyurl.com/yoe3xv - Yeah, so that's going on my wish list for some long lost rich uncle to buy for me.

They make some cheap knock offs, but I've seen a few reviews of people saying it blew their hot shoe out and one day I want to learn to use external flash, so no way...

So, I show Tom. And remember, we just went to MakerFaire so he's all hyped up with wanting to tinker and make stuff. He proclaims "I can make that!". Off I go to look up people that have made them and sure enough... people have made them. Little ones for what I want and big ones for portraits. Serious hardcore people out there.

Okay, so Tom goes to the store with his friend and 4 hours and some soldering and monkeying around later, they proudly present me with this...


Here's a tip to all you maker dudes... READ THE LABEL

Update: Okay, one of my friends actually sent me a "huh" note... it's red lights. He bought the wrong kind. It should be clear lights to take photos - get it? Is this only funny to me?

Soccer Photos and a new lens

So, we had Jamie's soccer game and then had a couple of hours to kill before Cassie's game, so we had lunch and then ran to the camera store to get a new flash card (yeah, 128 meg card from like 8 years ago don't work so good with a 10.1 mp camera - ya think?). Anyway, so while there I was going to "look at" lenses. So yeah, I have a new zoom lens 75-300mm, works perfect for taking outdoor sports because I can zoom right into the action.

Jamie's in-game pics were taken with the lens that came with the camera, a 18-55mm (like how I say this stuff like I know what I'm talking about here folks?) and the others with the new lens. I REALLY think I need a true macro lens for my food pictures, those aren't working out so well :( Maybe next month!

Anyway, here's the pics from today in no particular order :)

I got it! I got it! I got it!

I hinted about it in a post below, but yesterday late afternoon, my Canon Rebel XTi got here! WOOHOO! I've been lusting after this camera for about a year now. I also signed up for an online photography class. I know, probably silly, but I do so few things just for me that are for me and me only that I'm going to take the class and enjoy the camera.

By the time the battery charged, it was night, so I warily took some indoor shots (my old camera takes really bad bad bad bad indoor shots) and lookit! This is even using the flash, so much sharper. That last shot... well, Jamie was tired of me stalking him. *laugh* So, these are just those first "test shots" - not too shabby for indoor and not knowing what I was doing!

Jamie's first love letters...

Jamie is going to marry the little girl next door (LGND). No really, just ask him. Well, actually, don't now because "it's embarrassing", but he still tells me he's going to marry her. I think her dad might have a little something to say about it.

It's actually really cute. Cassie LOVES the LGND as much as Jamie does. They will be over talking about their plans with her, they will plan "parties" and spend an hour painstakingly arranging all the stuffed animals around a blanket on the floor or they will see each other at school and make these plans to meet in the back yards. Really, we are so lucky with our neighbors. We could not have planned for better ones. We like them too, which helps since we are apparently going to one day share grandchildren (Jamie has actually mentioned this - I think he may want to slow down before he freaks out LGND)

Anyway, here are the letters to LGND... click to see a larger one, of course!

Letter to Mom from Jamie... awwwww...

Translation: Dear Mom, I love you, Mom. I like you for taking me places.

disturbing...

Corn flavored corn chips???

Soccer & Halloween

Yeah, no pictures from Trick Or Treating. I gave Tom the camera. I *know* better than that. If they weren't blurry, they were solid black (there's this thing called the flash...)

Anyway, I took some of Julie in her playgirl jacket, the kids with a friend at a "fruit picnic party" (ummm... okay, it's better than the "candy party" I guess) and there's a pic of Cassie playing soccer... and... enjoy!






In other news, I was really naughty
(it gets here today!!!)