Feel free to comment.....

Okay.....I think I finally have the comment link back up. I have been getting "unfriendly" comments from some of you either in person or in email about not having my comment link on. Totally not on purpose......now I fixed it, hopefully. Not sure if you can comment on past posts, but should be good from here forward.
Be kind....God is watching....and I think he reads blogs from time to time.

I just called to say....I love you.

Today, I told the dish satellite man that I loved him.

We aren't going to run away together or anything. Honestly, we've never met in person....but I told him I loved him anyway. Let me explain.......

You see, I had just finished talking at length with my mother, followed by a long distance chat with my hubby all via phone. Both conversations ended with the usual love fest.....I love you....I love you, too. Talk to you soon.....okay, I will call you later. Bye. Bye.

Immediately after hanging up with Doug, the phone rang and it was the Dish Satellite rep returning an earlier call regarding some trouble I was having with my television reception. He was a wonderfully pleasant young man....David (or was is Daniel) was his name, I think, and he did a splendid job guiding me through the necessary steps needed to insure I would later be able to view "Idol" without a hitch. The call ended something like this:

David/Daniel: Does that take care of everything you needed today, ma'am?

Me: Oh, yes. Thanks so much for all your help!

David/Daniel: Okay, well you have a great day and call again if you need anything.

Me: You have a good day, too! Thanks again, I love you. Bye-bye.

As soon as I pushed the button and disconnected from my new sweetie, I stated aloud, "Did I just tell the satellite dude I loved him?". I wondered what David/Daniel's reaction was on the other end.....had I stayed on longer, would he have returned the love?

I have no plans to track down David/Daniel and explain myself....."You see, I had just finished two phone calls with my family and we always end in 'I love you' and then you called and I guess I was still in that mode and......"

I will just let him go through life thinking he helped me out and really, REALLY made a difference in my world and for that I am forever grateful......maybe he will reciprocate and I will get a little discount on my monthly bill..........

Here comes the sun....

Most days the weather is not cold......
Most days I don't even have to take a jacket out of the closet........
Most days we get to play on the playscape after nap.....sometimes we even get sweaty.

Today was cold.
Today I had to pull out my heavy winter jacket....the one I wear in the snowy mountains.
Today we didn't play outside and naptime didn't come easy.......

We missed the sun today.........we know it will return soon.

Ambition.....

Dear Mrs. Jones,

I wish to clarify that I am not now, nor have I ever been, an exotic dancer. I work at Home Depot and I told Sarah how hectic it was last week before the blizzard hit. I told her we sold out every single shovel we had. Then I found one more in the back room, and several people were fighting over who would get it. Sarah's picture does NOT show me dancing around a pole. It's supposed to depict me selling the last snow shovel we had at Home Depot. From now on I will remember to check her homework more thoroughly before she turns it in.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Smith

The Big Guy Up There...or Up North

Yesterday, I reminded Kaelan (for the 800th time) that I was watching her and hoping to catch her doing something good/kind/nice/not hazardous, so I could give her a sticker on her chart....you know POSITIVE reinforcement?
Anyhow, Kaelan crawled up on my lap and asked me, "Mom, is God watching me and wanting me to be nice?".
"Yep. All the time...when you are sleeping and when you are at school...God is always wanting you to make good choices. It makes him very happy," I replied.
"Like Santa?", she asked with wide eyes. "Does God work for Santa?"
"Not exactly...more like the other way around!", I told her.
The good news is now she believes there are 3 sets of eyes always watching out for her good behavior. Maybe that will pressure her into being good....that, and the presents.

Scottie Farkus

So I forgot to post this with my Christmas stuff, but I couldn't resist sharing this photo of my nephew Gavin with you. Gavin got a new coonskin cap from Santa...the second he put it on, laughter erupted throughout our home. It seems the same thought passed through each member of my family's noggin.
Gavin had become "Scottie Farkus". Don't know who Scottie Farkus is? Well, perhaps this should ring a bell....



No bells? You mean you haven't seen "A Christmas Story"???? I am so sad for you....go on and rent it....go!
Gavin is really not a Scottie....he is more of a Ralphie....but I loved his new look!

My husband hates my shoes.

He keeps asking me where I left my skateboard.

The Ending to a McBrayer Christmas

Chapter 7: I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas....

Though it was delayed in its arrival.....the white did come!

Much to Kaelan's delight!

Off she ventured into her winter wonderland...with Teddy in tow.

Mom and Kaelan all bundled up.

Kaelan dancing in the snow.....

She helped shovel some.......

Dad got to dig the car out and mutter lots of inappropriate phrases about this being the reason we live in the flatlands.

Kaelan was snug and warm in her new hat. Every year mom puts poor Kaelan in some new, hip hat she finds....this was the year's winner (you should go check out past winners). She found it at her usual funky hat locale......Matt and Tracey's shop.

And so it goes...another Christmas come and gone. We are loving the traditions our family is creating and thrilled at the old ones Kaelan is now sharing. It was a very Merry Christmas indeed!

The Story of a McBrayer Christmas (Part VI..looked it up)

Chapter 6: Over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house we go!

Ahh....the cool, fresh air of the mountains! We arrived to Cloudcroft on a rather pleasant day with a high of 38 degrees! There was some remaining snow on the ground from the last storm, but we held out hope that a fresh blanket of white was soon on the way.....
We settled into the cabin and unpacked a few bags, then set to work putting up our "Charlie Brown" tree. This pathetic little tree has been in the family for many years now. It is a real hassle to go out and get fresh-cut tree, decorate it, and be forced to take it down and dispose of it a week later, so we just use our skinny, little artificial "Charlie". Grandma and Paw-Paw have their real tree up at their house, of course, but those who dwell in our cabin are a wee-bit lazy......Each year, Aunt Mandy comes through for us and totes Charlie all the way from Roswell to Cloudcroft in her crammed car trunk. Grandma usually has some extra ornaments to add to it each year, and Aunt Rhona is usually in charge of making Charlie presentable (ha...what a pun). Sadly, Aunt Rhona (Seester) was not here this year (sniff, sniff), so Kaelan and mom did our best to make-over Charlie.

From the moment we landed on Planet Home........the action began! Relatives came out of the wood, er...woods! Cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, friends.........home.

Kaelan gets love from Maw (Great Grandmother).

The games.....Kaelan just loves playing good old fashioned board games with her cousins an aunts....while the dudes go down in the basement and play Wii.

COUSINS

Cold...playground fun. Gavin and Kaelan

Izi, Taylor and Kaelan Izi and Kaelan (quick, get a picture...they are not fighting)

Lexi and Kaelan Snowy walk (Izi and K)

On Christmas morning, it is pretty much standard behavior to wear your pajamas until later that night when we eat Christmas dinner.....here are a few of us keeping the tradition alive!

Unlce Jeb, Aunt Alex, Sandra and Kaelan

I scored the best present of all....

...wouldn't you agree?

More hits

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing

The Story of a McBrayer Christmas (Part V...that is right, I know that one)

Chapter 5: Kaelan sings The Great Hits of Christmas (over and over and over.....)We will now take a musical intermission.....we had to endure the constant singing of Christmas carols over the last few months. We love to hear our little one singing, but there are only so many renditions of "Frosty" a person can tolerate before going insane. We just had to share some of our Christmas "joy" with you!
Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing

The Story of a McBrayer Christmas (Part III)

Chapter 3: While Visions of Sugar Plums Danced in Our Heads....

December was a month to shine for our little performer. Kaelan was a sugarplum fairy in a small production of "The Nutcracker" undertaken by the cutest bunch of Kinderdancers you ever saw. The night she performed for the Main Street crowd in Round Rock, she spent the majority of the performance dancing with her shadow....much to the delight of the audience.

And yes......that is Kaelan you hear above all other angelic voices in the school program!

This chapter is best summed up in a montage......

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

The Story of a McBrayer Christmas

Chapter 2: In Preparation of the Big Day...

Our neighborhood had a little shindig in early December to set the mood for the holidays. Even with his hectic schedule and BIG to do list, Santa was able to stop by for a visit (mom knows how to pull some strings). Here, Kaelan is seen practicing her "fierce" look for her next magazine cover. Santa looked a little puzzled when she whispered her Christmas wish of being America's Next Top Model.....can't carry that in a bag over your shoulder!

Kaelan's inability to focus long enough for a family photo was due to the enormous batch of free cookies on the table just out of camera sight.......I think you can see the reflection of "cookie heaven" in Kaelan's eyes!

"Scott Songs", our neighborhood musician, did a fabulous job leading the "Pioneer Crossing All Girls Choir" in a resounding round of Christmas tunes.....until a nasty fight broke out over who got to hold the jingle bells. Then it was pretty much just Scott singing.

The Story of a McBrayer Christmas

Chapter 1: Christmas Starts With a Little Bit of This....

The advent calendar....oh the joys of opening it up each night to find a special little treat awaiting us as we count down the days to Christmas.....that is except for that one night (that evil 9th day) when "Santa's elves" inadvertently forgot to place the special treat inside the compartment. You would think the earth had fallen off the end of the universe with the shocking reaction Kaelan gave....but no worries....a bowl of blueberries and vanilla bean ice cream saved the day......someone better get on those elves!

Nothing says Christmas like a viewing of "Polar Express" with your best bud on an overstuffed beanbag..........

Our tree....adorned with only old-fashioned, handmade ornaments.....

....or the ones on sale at Cracker Barrel.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

May God's favor be over you and your families in 2009!