Small Town Christmas

First of all, I want to apologize for the poor quality of some of these pictures. I would REALLY like a new camera for Christmas. Something fast but not to cumbersome....Jeff are you reading this!?!?!?

Secondly, I did attend this event. The one picture of me is blurry from the horrible quality of this camera that the Consumer Reports said was great less than two years ago...did I mention I would like a good camera?

Ok, now to the fun stuff!! I am SO GLAD I decided to bring Preston to Jonesboro's Christmas festivities last Saturday. Jeff was going duck hunting so I called my Mom and she said that she and Pop would love to join in on the fun so that made it all the better.

Jonesboro is the very definition of a small town--but I will have to say their Christmas celebration was top notch, and most importantly, perfect for a two-year old. The parade had firetrucks, ATVs, beauty queens, Disney characters(see P getting a high 5 from Mickey), Santa Claus and OF COURSE very much candy. The pic where Preston is waving he is signaling Santa....

Following the parade was the tunnel of lights and of course a visit with Santa. HOWEVER, I fear that this is another year Preston will have not much to do with Santa...the picture where he is clinging to Nana for dear life is when we simply suggested he go tell Santa what he wants for Christmas...I am keeping my fingers crossed this attitude will change...most of you tell me it will not :)

Lastly, we watched a really fun fireworks show. I wish I had a GOOD CAMERA to capture the joy in his little face just looking at the fireworks. It was a very special night to see Christmas in the eyes of a child. Thanks for joining me Nana and Pop and hope you are all getting into the Christmas Swing!

This and That

Just wanted to take a second to post about our last few days....

We spent Thanksgiving day in Olla at Jeff's Uncle Jimmy's camp. They have a huge place for deer hunting and a really nice house so it was a great spot to meet. I did not get ANY good pictures of Preston, but love this one where he is running from his cousin Parker...Preston had a the time of his life with his cousins/second cousins :)

I am not much for shopping in the middle of the night, nor do I really like to fight crowds, so we spent yesterday decking the halls of Creeks Edge. It was not a day without drama, as the new 7 1/2 ft. tree was so small when I got it out of the box so I sent Jeff to Shreveport to exchange it for the 9 ft model. I should have known what was comning when it cost double the one we had...and boy I knew why when I got it out of the box. IT IS HUGE! I usually put the tree in the dining room, but is is now in the family room because that's the only place it would fit :) After a LONG day the inside AND outside are DONE! Whew...now for the fun stuff!

Jeff did not want to pose for a picture with his Christmas present but since we are agreed it is his Christmas/Valentines/Presidents Day/Groundhog Day(you get the drift)..I wanted to get a picture. He tried to take Preston for a ride yesterday afternoon and Preston would have NOTHING to do with it. We'll see if he changes his mind.

And lastly, we welcomed a new member to our family last night-"Buddy"-who is our Elf on the Shelf. I have already used the treat of Santa once this season, and really think Buddy may actually work. He was waiting on Preston this morning where he eats his breakfast and will hopefully lead to successful mealtimes all day today....

Hope you are having a great holiday!

Fair Weather Fan

Ok, ok I know I was cheating on the SAINTS just a little bit yesterday while rooting for the COWBOYS against the Detroit Lions, but we were having so much fun I couldn't help myself :) Resa and Miss Paige split watching Preston for the day/night, and Jeff and I made a WHIRLWIND trip to Dallas to see this game with some good friends. We were celebrating Katie Hall's ** birthday, and it was a really good time. (and the COWBOYS won!) Now I will admit that sometime after getting caught in game traffic AND wreck traffic on the way home we thought, "WHY DID WE DO THIS AGAIN?" But a quick stop in Shreveport for some Superior with Trotter and Nancy helped...

Happy Birthday Katie!!

And I also wanted to tell you all thanks for praying for Papa. It is amazing how you can really tell when prayers are being lifted and I am SO grateful. He DID get well enough to go to HealthSouth and has been there a week today. He has lost some of his fluid weight and gets stronger every day....but still has a way to go. My new prayer is that he gets strong enough to go home soon, and that when he gets there he can adjust well to the new "normal" in his life. (He was driving a 4-wheeler around his pasture just three weeks ago...siting inside will be a MAJOR adjustment....)

Hope you are having a great week!

Prayers Needed

If you follow this blog regularly, you know I don't often make prayer requests, but I am making one tonight. My grandfater, who has always been my PaPa, had a 4-wheeler accident almost 2 weeks ago and is still in the hospital with some complications from the accident AND from being 85 years old with congestive heart failure. He has not been doing well but selfishly I am hopeful he will make a full recovery!!

After searching through a good many old pictures tonight, I had trouble finding any of JUST Papa but I did find this one of him and my second cousin Read (his great-grandson.) Looks like they are playing cowboy and Papa is being a good sport :) Something funny to share is that I don't think Papa likes the name "Preston," as he has always called my son "Luke" (chuckle..). He is an amazing man, so very smart and continues to be sharp as a TACK. He is the patriarch of our family and I can't put into words how much I love and respect him. Papa would never want to put anyone out but he could really use your help. I am asking that you pray he gets well enough to go into a rehab facility, as you all know that laying in a hospital bed is not good for anyone. Love and THANKS!

"School" Picture

Doesn't this just make you laugh! I knew Preston was not going to smile for his school picture, because he told me so that morning. I had no idea the picture would turn out looking like an angry teenage boy whose mom made him take Senior pictures :) Oh well, they can't all be good pictures! Happy Weekend!

Almost forgot to mention that my sweet Papa is in a regular room and doing much better. Please keep praying for him and for my Gran/Mom as they decide what course of action is best for his recovery care. THANKS!

Canton Finds

It was such a treat for my Mom and I to head over to Canton, TX last Friday. Mrs. Heather came over to keep Preston while Daddy was at work so we could really get some shopping done :) We had a great girls day together and we both found some pretty things as well. I thought it would be fun to share my two major purchases:

We had a perfectly good light fixture hanging in our dining room, yes, but when I saw this beautiful crystal chandelier I just SAW it in my dining room. So, after a LONG trip from The Porch to the MDX, it was mine! We will save the other light fixture, and put it back up if we ever move because I can never part with this one....isn't it pretty?

I also got this cool Italian lamp--the saleslady said she just got it from an estate sale in Highland Park in Dallas. It is so cool and old :) I am well aware that the shade is too small-it is actually from the lamp that was there previously-but even with the too small shade I LOVE it! (In my defense, the lamp I did have there got cracked pretty noticeably on our move from Shreveport and I have been living with it for three years....)

So, if you are ever in need of some cute gifts, antique furniture, anything TEXAS/cowboy or of course new lighting head over to Canton :) It is definitely worth the trip.

PS--Please say a prayer for my Papa. He had a 4-wheeler accident yesterday and is still in the ICU with a broken clavicle and some heavy bleeding. He is expected to make a full recovery, but it will be a long road for sure. THANKS!