Nine Days Until Christmas Day!

I didn't know if we were going to get it in this year, but at last, we had a chance to go to the Bass Pro for a Santa picture. I think Jackson has had his picture made with this same Santa for three years in a row. Of course he's also sat on dozens of other Santas laps, but I like this Santa the best. They also have games set up there for kids to play, like a remote control racetrack, remote control Monster Trucks and a train. So Jackson had a good time this morning.

He woke up with a runny nose and had been coughing in the night and I woke up with a congested head, so I just kept him home from school. We are both feeling better. But the weather here is nasty. It's rainy and yucky. But I guess it could always be worse. It could be icy! I cannot and will not drive on ice. It's ridiculous.


I haven't had much work here lately, and I'm really glad. I get stressed out enough this time of year without work deadlines thrown into the mix. I'm sure we'll get busy the first of the year. I've been back working since August, and I really don't mind it like I thought I would. I mean, Jackson's in school, so what else is there for me to do? I'm glad to be making money again! The job is still hard sometimes and can be stressful, but I'm handling it better this time around!

Jackson LOVES nutrcrackers. I have got to find him some nutcracker ornaments before Christmas. He has always had a thing for them, but this year he points them out wherever we go.

I took a picture with my cell phone of a letter Jackson had written to Santa at school. The teacher has them all hanging up on the wall. I don't know how to get that picture off of my cell phone and onto here, but in the letter he asked for a Donkey Kong wii game, drums, camera, a racetrack and a pogo stick. A little birdie from the North Pole told me that he's getting pretty much all of that, except for racetrack and pogo stick. I do NOT know where the pogo stick wish came from or where he's ever seen one, but I don't think Santa is going to come through on that. And he already has a great racetrack that just needs to be repaired and it would be as good as new!

Christmastime? So soon? I'm not ready!

Can't believe it's been so long since I updated this thing. Time really is whizzing by me! This time of year is just awful for that. I really haven't bought the first Christmas present for anyone. I have no idea what anyone wants and I am too busy stressing over what Jackson is getting from Santa! Can we just fast-forward to mid-January, please?

We had a great Thanksgiving and while we were home in MO, we went to see the Lights of the Delta again. It's always a great show and they have a Santa there. It's the first Santa Jackson sees every year, although we do end up seeing like two or three others. I always take him to Bass Pro because that one is always really good!

While I was home for Thanksgiving, I met up with my three roommates from college. We hadn't all been together like that in years, but it felt like we do that every week. Those are three girls I can always count on for anything, especially laughing until my gut hurts! It was a great time!

Andrea, Marnie, Me and Patti

I made this little candle, although I'm not terribly pleased with it. I am going to make some others and see if they turn out any better.

Here is a blurry picture of our tree. I'm far from done, but it is shaping up nicely. We bought it this year because we wanted a nine-footer!

This was taken this past Sunday before Jackson's "show" at Providence United Methodist Church. The kids sang, and it was a really cute. Jackson said he liked it so much he wants to do it again next year.

I love his face!

Mom came in this weekend to see him in his program at church, so had to get a picture of them too!

While Mom was in we went to Shadrack's Christmas Lights. It is a pretty amazing show of synchronized lights to the music on a certain radio station, can't remember which one, though. Except for my night blindness and being worried that I would drive right through the display, it was awesome! Check it out here: SHADRACK