Santa Picture

We have never gotten good Santa pictures b/c the boys were scared to go. Last year we got one of Leo, and then Todd held Henry behind Santa and took the picture. This just isn't a big deal to me - not worth getting them all upset for a picture.

So, one Saturday this month, we went to Jason's Deli for lunch. On the way home, we ran into the Garden Center at the end of WalMart to grab a bag of charcoal and some Christmas lights. (Isn't that part of the Robert Earl Keene Christmas song??? I haven't heard that this year...so it just isn't Christmas yet.)

The mall Santas around here get paid big bucks, and they are very fancy. Real beard, fancy outfit, sit in huge tufted chairs in the middle of a decked out XMas scene, and the workers all have on full elf regalia. The photo elf holds one of those big high resolution cameras. The lines are usually very, very, very long and kids are all decked out for the pictures. (Now you see why this is low on my priority list.)

The boys noticed this Santa before I did. WalMart Santa was so much...simpler...than the mall Santas - go figure, haha. He was just sitting on a bench with a basket of candycanes. No kids to be seen. I'm pretty sure the fireplace is photoshopped in b/c neither Todd nor I remember that being there). There is a lady in plainclothes holding a point and shoot camera.

Leo asked to go see him. I said sure. So we walked over, and Santa handed Leo a candy cane. Well, that was great Henry bait - he decided he had better get in on this! So...here you go...our beautiful WalMart Santa picture in all its glory. (and we're still figuring out the scanner, obviously)


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Thanksgiving!

For Thanksgiving, Brooksie and Papa came to visit us. We had a great time. They also came bearing gifts...they've decided to get new furniture in their living room, so we inherited their couches, rug, lamp, and side table. We are REALLY enjoying the new furniture - it looks so pretty in here. The rug makes the room look so much better.

Todd and I ran The Turkey Trot (8 miles) in downtown Dallas on T'Giving morning. This is something I have wanted to do for a long time, and it was lots of fun. Very crowded, but fun.

Henry threw up on Friday morning, and Brooksie and Papa hightailed it out of here in about thirty minutes, haha.


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Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing


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Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing


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Going to the Park with Friends

We try to meet Miss Allie and Luke on Fridays, but it doesn't always happen due to illness, conflicts, illness, weather, and illness. But last Friday, the stars all aligned, and we had a lovely time at a park down in Dallas. After the park, we went and had lunch on the patio at Whole Foods, which is so much fun for a brief shining few minutes. Grown-up food, great kid choices, beautiful weather, decent scenery, nice conversation, and another child at our same "energy" level. Then the brief shining moment ends and they start getting out of their chairs, running down the sidewalk towards the parking lot, throwing lava rocks out of the flowerbeds, etc. But it's worth it for those brief fun times!

I love this little park b/c it has some new play structures and also vintage equipment like the turtle and the merry-go-round. There aren't many merry-go-rounds these days due to liability. Ugh.


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Just some random moments with Henry. We were at the gas station on the way home.


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Band-Aids

Lately, Henry has been asking for a band-aid every morning before preschool. On this particular morning, his ensemble included two small squares on his forehead.


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When Todd came home that night and saw him, he said...."Well, the horns finally came out and you had to cut them off, didn't you?" I laughed and laughed!

Henry's Thanksgiving Feast

Henry's school had a T-Giving feast for the whole school. Each class prepared a dish to share with all the other classes. Henry's class made banana bread. He was very excited about this...they made it on Monday and didn't get to eat it until Wednesday. Talk about torture. He woke up on Wednesday morning talking about the feast. While he was eating, he asked me ... "mommy, where's the feast?" I explained that this WAS the feast!


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I wouldn't have worn a skirt if I had known I would be on the floor.


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