'Tis the Season?

This post is kind of a hodgepodge of my week. Below is an AFTER picture of our hallway after Tom has painted and caulked. It really looks nice!

Where do I begin? This has truly been a hell-ish week for me. It started out so great, too! In a nutshell, Wednesday morning at 2:00 a.m. Jackson started crying and complaining of a sore throat and an earache. I rocked him for a while and that seemed to be the only time he was able to sleep. So needless to say, we were all up from about 2:00 on.

Tom got up and got ready for work and let the dogs out. While they were out, he noticed Buster standing in the middle of the yard with his back left leg raised up and he wouldn't move. He finally hobbled inside and laid n his bed.

So Tom took Jackson to the doctor around 8:30 or so, I guess. Jackson has an ear infection and is on antibiotics. He's fine. He says his throat doesn't hurt him anymore. Great! One down, one to go.

Then once Tom comes in, changes clothes, he's on his way to take Buster to the vet. It appears Buster has torn his ACL joint/cuff, whatever it is. Our vet suggested he have surgery. So Monday morning, he's scheduled to have surgery to the tune of $1,200. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO US! I am so worried about him and I just want him better!

My house is a wreck and we have a neighborhood progressive dinner thing Saturday night. We're looking forward to it, but there are still toilets to clean, floors to sweep, et cetera. It will come together, I know.

Jackson was in his first Christmas program on Tuesday. All of the four-year-old classes at Tulip Grove went to a retirement home and sang. Jackson told me a few days before the program: "We sure are going to make those old people happy!" And he's right, they really enjoyed seeing all the little kids! Tom was in the area working, so he was able to go watch it too, which I'm sure made Jackson very happy to see his daddy in the crowd!

Here are some of the pictures I took from the program. That other little boy is Giles, Jackson's best little guy friend, not that the look on his face in this first picture portrays that!

And here is the video that Tom took of the show. It takes a little while for the "action" to begin, but once it does, it's pretty cute! There's a point in Jingle Bells, I think, where Jackson is really quiet in the beginning and then when it comes to "Oooooh, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells..." he really belts it out. So much so that the little girl in front of him has to turn around and give him a "are you some kind of freak?" look. He's unaffected by this. :)

Last Sunday, I think it was, we put this gingerbread train together. I don't think I'll be doing hat again any time soon! It's not something someone with perfectionist tendencies will have fun doing, TRUST ME! I wanted to toss it out the back door several times. I have no idea how they expect people to run a thin line of icing with those crappy plastic bags that rip that they provide and with NO icing tips! Anyway, Jackson really liked putting the candy on!

I guess I need to get back to cleaning those toilets. They're not going to clean themselves, you know. If only!

Thanksgiving and giving thanks!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving in Missouri and did the obligatory eating too much thing, yada, yada. I took work home and ended up working most of the time I was there, but it was totally due to a mistake I made. I am just not thinking right these days!


While we were home, we went to the Festival of Lights that's in Blytheville, Arkansas. That is our second traditional visit and Jackson always loves it! There was a Santa there too. So that was the second Santa Jackson had visited this year. Jackson told him he wanted a light-up scooter. I must get right on that! :)


We came back to Nashville on Monday and Tom had been working on the hallway most of the weekend. We were in separate cars at Thanksgiving, so he came back early to get this hallway done. He did such a great job on it! He said it was pretty hard work too. It really makes such a difference when you come in the front door. I have been wanting this done since we moved in almost three years ago...and FINALLY it's done, except I have to paint it now. Ugh! THANK YOU TOM!


Once I paint it, I'll post an "after" picture. But it already makes a huge difference I think!

Mom made Jackson this really cute scarf! I saw some t-shirt scarves in Uncommon Goods last week and I really liked the idea of them, so mom practiced on me and Jackson. I got one too, but mine's a little different. He really likes to wear it and it looks so cute on him. He is really proud of it! THANK YOU, MOM! It appears like something maybe I could do if I ever find the time. I might have to pull out my sewing machine and learn how to thread a bobbin (sp). Ugh!

Then when we got back home we ran out to the BassPro store because that Santa was taking free pictures. When this Santa asked Jackson what he wanted for Christmas, Jackson told him, "Whatever." Now, sadly that is a sign of a child who has too much. This was going to be the picture for our Christmas card, but it kind of looks like Tom grew antlers and I don't have the time or energy to Photoshop that out.

Jackson "helped" Dad string his outdoor lights. He really loves to be a helper!

And then we were going to use this one from the Festival of Lights, but that backdrop of black sheets and string of tinsel just wasn't what I wanted either. I ordered our cards last night and I ended up just going with a picture of the three of us, pretty simple. I just don't have the time to mess with making my own digital scrapbooking card this year, so I ordered through Shutterfly. I hope they turn out okay, because when I went back to double-check them after I placed the order, it had Tom's head completely cut off. And I KNOW I didn't do it that way. I'm not sure what happened there. But I'm hoping they're ordered right and I can get them sent out SOON!

I have been so busy Christma-tizing our house and now I need to start priming our hallway. Have a great day!

Surprise!

We went to Jasper this past weekend for a surprise 90th birthday party for Leona Kluemper, Tom's grandmother. Her birthday isn't until December 22nd, so I guess her birthdays seem to blend into the Christmas holidays, so her children wanted this year to stand out a little! And boy, was she surprised. I'm not sure how many people were there, but my guess would be around 100. She certainly wasn't expecting anything. She is a wonderful woman and we love her a lot. Here's wishing you many more years, Leona!


Jackson was just spent by the time we got to Leona's party. Tom had gotten him up at 5:30 a.m. to go to Papaw and Mamaw's to watch them make soup! And of course I did not go at that hour. I barely remember Tom getting Jackson out of bed! But they surprised them early and got to watch some of the soup-making action. Check out this huge vat of soup!



Jackson and Grandma Hart put on several puppet shows while we were there visiting. He is really into this sort of thing right now! And we are now taking the puppets to Nana's to put on puppet shows at her house for Thanksgiving!

And because I didn't have enough going on with work and all the travel we'll be doing over the holidays (please note sarcasm), I saw this burlap banner and wanted to make one. I saw it here on Etsy and thought: I can do that! And surprisingly, I did that! And I really like the way it turned out! I'll probably make a few more just to put here and there for Christmas!

Here are a couple of new blogs that are a lot of fun and have great decorating ideas, if you're interested. I have become quite the fan of them and check them every day!

Heather Bullard

The Nesting Place

And speaking of blogs, I need to mention a contest going on at Through Jenny's Lens because I want to win the awesome flashing header for my blog and this will give me a second entry, so a second chance at winning! So mosey on over there and check out her blog and enter if you have time! The contest is over Wednesday at 7 p.m. central time.

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving! Jackson told me tonight that he is thankful for turkeys! I am thankful this year for health, happiness, and for Jackson, who reminds me every day how precious our time together as a family is.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

I bought this wreath today at Hobby Lobby and had seen this done in Ballard, I think, so I had to try it. And I LOVE it! I know we haven't had Thanksgiving yet, but I really like the way it looks. I wish I could leave it up all year 'round! I guess I could. :)


Jackson enjoyed some time outdoors this weekend, and it's a good thing because it seems to be getting colder now. Maybe winter is finally starting. But it sure was beautiful all weekend, even though I didn't get out and enjoy it too much due to the work I had.
When we went to the Christmas Village last weekend, Jackson saw Santa there and wanted his picture taken with him. And if I had thought he would do that, I would have maybe dressed him up a little, but oh, well, he was excited to see him. And that's what matters, right? I might still take him to the Santa at BassPro because he's AWESOME looking and that's the one he's had his picture with the last couple of years. And supposedly it's free during certain hours. I think you get a free 4x6 or something.

Christmas Village was a lot of fun this year, and Jackson was a prince. I had him in the umbrella stroller, which he is much too big for, by the way, and we were wheeling around that place like crazy! It was so crowded that it made it difficult to go anywhere too fast, but we canvased the whole place in about three hours. And I bought a few things that I am pleased with.

I leave you with another picture of the first sign of Christmas at our house. :)

Having a ball this fall!

We got up fairly early last Saturday and went to the famous Loveless Cafe for breakfast. I had only been one time before, so I was way past due another visit. The breakfast was awesome, and Jackson loved the biscuits! He ate his with a little honey on them! It's about 40 minutes from our side of town, but worth the drive every three months or so! Then we went to Radnor Lake and walked around a little and saw some awesome color on the trees! It was a great Saturday.

Jackson enoying his biscuits!

Feeling all touristy behind this painted prop!

I took a lot of pictures last weekend of Jackson playing in our leaf pile in the back yard. I am still messing around with my settings, so he let me practice on him, SHOCKER! Anyway, I got some really good shots of him. But when I look at them, I just see him growing up!

He was laying in a huge leaf pile!

Buster wants to join them in the leaf pile, but he's a little unsure how he'll get in there!

Awwwwww!

This is one of the best ones I took that day. I love it!

My little soccer player. I must get him into a team in the spring. He's just now expressing interest in sports!

Buster is meditating

On Monday, Jackson had his four-year visit. He is 41 inches tall and weighs 42 pounds, which somehow means he's on the fastrack to obesity. The doctor kind of insinuated that he is on the heavier side of the age of 4 according to the national averages. WHATEVER! There's nothing about him that is chubby. They're crazy!

Anyway, the visit also consisted of four shots. And I'm sorry, but I think it's plain cruel to give a four-year-old four shots at one time! But it's necessary, so we did it. I had prepared him for a few weeks and he was such a trooper. He did EVERYTHING the doctor or nurse asked of him. He really is such a compliant patient. And I had brought his blankie along for when it was time for the shots. So the nurse had him lay down and he reached his hand out to me and said, "Blankie." So I got it out of my purse and he just clutched onto it. I was to hold his hands so that he wouldn't try to grab the syringes.

Well, that first shot went into the top part of his right leg and he just lost it and started screaming, which made me lose his hands! Well, then the next three went really, really quickly, but hurt him pretty bad. He screamed and cried and so then I started to cry. I tried not to, but the longer I hold back from crying, the uglier the cry is, so I just let it out!

So when the nurse left the room, she was like, "Take all the time you guys need." So I bet we stayed in there an extra 8 to 10 minutes with me just holding him and walking around and both of us crying! I know they thought I was a fool, but I don't care. It's over, and all I can say is I am so glad I don't have to go through that again anytime soon. They're sadists, really. :)