Life Is Just So Daily

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Santa's Favorite?

Santa may like all of the good boys and girls, but Eliette thinks she is his favorite!


Our mom's group had a holiday party for the little ones. There were many activities (some that she may have been a bit young for) and one of the activities was seeing Santa. Waiting in lines is not necessarily something this child has mastered just yet...and, she's quick! Seriously, every time a crying child was plucked from Santa's knee, she climbed right back up there to see him again.

She's a mess....

Other pics from that party....




I was so impressed that she sat and enjoyed getting her face painted. Oh, to see herself in the mirror afterward---she was just in awe. I loved watching her see her reflection. It was pretty cute.
 "A tattoo on my hand? Don't mind if I do!"
There was also a little dancing/gymnastics session. Eliette was all over that...
How much did she like it? THIS MUCH:

No, really, she was following along in some of the little steps. It was awesome that she would actually do the steps to the best of her ability.

This little thing was exhausted in the end. She was lucky enough to start the party and end the party in Santa's lap.
She was so tired after that party. Bless her little heart!



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Tuesday, December 30, 2014

M&J & Stampede 66!

Some very dear friends of ours moved away, and moved again, and moved again! This time, back to Texas! Woohoooooo!!!!

It was so great to get together with this couple at Stampede 66. It's a restaurant in Dallas, that's actually within walking distance from where we all used to live when Mark was our neighbor.
:)

The food, should you go: get the fried chicken and butterscotch pudding for dessert.


 WHOOOOO is so excited that this couple is back in DFW?  WE ARE!

And then later that night, back at home with THESE two who were absolutely waiting up for us.... 

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Monday, December 29, 2014

Gammy's 1st Selfie

So----I took Gammy shopping one day. She wanted to go to Belk. She'd heard through friends that Belk at the Galleria was nice, so she thought she'd like to try it. Done.

While there, Gammy and I shot Gammy's first selfie. How cute is that!?!?

She was exhausted walking from one end of the mall to the other....but in the end, she says it was worth it. She got some nice outfits and we had a good time.

Love my Gammy!

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Friday, December 26, 2014

Soccer Season 1: Done.

So, I was a soccer mom for a hot minute.

Juggling this non-competitive soccer with his competitive baseball was a little tricky, but baseball was the priority at that time. He understood. With baseball, you try out, you may or may not make the team, he had 5 hours of practice each week, tournaments, and it cost $$$. If baseball conflicted with soccer, baseball won.

So, how did he enjoy his first season playing soccer? He LOVED IT!!!!!!!!! (We are talking that tee-ball type of enthusiasm that I've missed seeing in this kid!)

Here are pics from the end of the season:








Yes, everyone got a medal. It's not competitive. You know what? Everyone getting a medal didn't make his medal any less precious to him. He loves it.

Love our little athlete!

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Corsicana.

This sweet boy escorted me to my grandmother's funeral in Corsicana. His great-grandmother's funeral. Our Mema.

Eliette was sick. She couldn't go. Damon had to stay home with her. Gage and I went down to Corsicana. It was a great service in a great little funeral home that our family has been using for years, and has visited far too frequently, in my opinion...

We drove from the funeral home to the cemetery when the service was over. The cemetery is next to a park and playground of all things. Gage was commenting as we drove there that it would be nice to be buried near a playground or park. I asked him "why," and he said, "because you're close enough to hear the children's laughter." He just gets it. He gets me. He's kind and compassionate, and even though they say that our bodies are just a shell and those buried there don't hear the children's laughter---it's a pleasant understanding of how it might be.
The story about that tree: my grandmother planted it years ago when my grandfather died. In the above picture, I'm standing in front of the closest water source. She and my pregnant mother (and no telling who else Mema made help) schlepped water by the bucket load down to that little bitty tree to water it. Look at it now.  The most beautiful and perfect tree, creating the most beautiful and shady resting spot.

So funerals bring us all together. We gathered at Mema's to eat after the service. Probably only in the South does the funeral home deliver a huuuuuuge family portion of home-made fried chicken to the bereaved family. I found this offering to be both bizarre and AWESOME.

Gage was thrilled to see his Mario there at the service and back at Mema's. 
Many of the kids played in the front yard around the pecan tree.... Gage with some of his second and third cousins. {My mom is #7 out of 7 girls. I'm the youngest grand child on that side of the family. I have cousins my mom's age. Each one of the 7 girls had at least 2 kids. We've got a set of twins and a set of triplets in the mix too. The family is large and we wouldn't have it any other way!}

 The kids played inside and out. Hide and seek and techno gadgets....then running and playing....




There's something healing about having kids around when you're sad and grieving. I think it was especially comforting to see all of the generations there, after Mema's passing. To just look around and think of the role she played in the creation of our family being what it is today.

My sweet Mema will be terribly missed. Seeing her decline was tough and very sad. She was always the one to care for everyone. She had a wonderful heart, and always worried about the "least" among us. She spent her whole life caring for others. There are few others I've ever met or even heard of that I can say the same for.

Oh, we will miss her.

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Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Baby Colton turns ONE

Yes, it's unusual for me to have a little brother that's 35 years younger than me. That's right---35 years. But, omg, he's sooooo cute! Happy birthday to my "littlest" brother, Colton!







Gage loves him. Thinks he's the cutest baby boy of all time.











It was a lot of fun.
The party itself was at Gammy's assisted living. Different? Yes. But----it's so much easier on Gammy. If you can't get your grandmother to the party, take the party to her!
:)

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