Wednesday December 23rd

It might take me a little while to catch up but I want to make sure I start at the beginning. This has been such a wonderful week and holiday. CJ only worked Monday and Tuesday this week and it has been SO nice having him home. He'll have 5 whole days! Wow, I can't even remember the last time that happened. Anyway, Dave and Jan arrived on Tuesday afternoon only to have me warn them that Tanner was throwing up. Yah, yuck. He was better pretty quick though and no one else got it so I guess lucky us.

Wednesday I was minding my own business when Tanner comes in and says "Mom, can I open a present early?" Of course not, we don't do that. "Please if you let me open one I'll let you open one." (Puzzled look on my face) What's going on? "Just come here Mom." So I go out to the living room and there is Dave and CJ and Grace and Tanner with a present for me. Why are you wanting me to open my present early? We don't do that. "Just do it." Hmmm. As I took one swipe of the wrapping paper off tears came streaming down my face. A Canon Rebel XSi. More tears running down my face. CJ says, "I wanted you to have it before we went to the park tonight. I hope you can figure out how to use it before we go." :0) I'm speechless, still bawling my eyes out when I realize that Grace it looking at me mortified because she has no idea why I'm crying. I explain to her "happy tears" and she is better. My sweet girl. I immediately start putting it together and begin to read the instruction manual. Most shots for Christmas are just done on full auto but I did take time on several different occasions to take the same shot on like every setting on the camera just to see what the difference was. I have a lot to learn but I'm excited! I took these shots of the house before we left. For the first shot I think I must need a different lens or I just don't know how to adjust my settings to make it right. I tried it on every setting on my dial and this was the best photo, clearly I'm missing something because....
I really liked this shot from closer in.

We all piled in my truck and went to the park in Granbury just north of the City Hall. It's beautiful this time of year. Well it's beautiful all year long with the river channel running through it, the fountains, trees, bridges and walk paths. Each year at Christmas they wrap every tree and every handrail in the park and put out TONS of christmas lights, figurines, and such. We love to go and take pictures there.

So, from our house to yours we hope you have a safe and wonderful holiday. There will be Christmas Eve and Christmas day pictures coming soon!

Hi Dad and Angel, it's me Staci.

I can't believe it's been almost 3 month since I last blogged. I've had a lot to say just not enough time to say it. I must be better. So sorry.
Well, this past weekend I had a "Christmas Card Completion Day" with friends and it was so much fun! I may have to make it an annual event. I put together a Stampin' Up! kit to make 30 cards for some and others just brought their own stuff and their ideas and created away. We talked and ate and laughed and ate, haha. Thanks to everyone for making it such a wonderful day.
Sunday was a lazy day for CJ and I and we deserved it! Relaxed, watched football, played games with the kids. After they went to bed we got all the presents that I have purchased so far down so we could make a mental inventory of what we still need and I believe that we're done. Except for stocking stuffers of course. Yup, I said it. I'm done. WooHoo!

We have a pretty calm week this week. Nothing planned for the weekend either. Weird huh? What will we do? I'm sure we'll find something.

Tanner was so proud last week - he came home from school with his first chapter book from the library. For those of you who may not know at the beginning of the year they tested him and he only tested at a 1.4 (which means first grade 4th month) so his teacher nominated him for a mentoring program at school. I'm so glad she did. He has come a long way baby in only 3 1/2 months. So to be able to get a chapter book was a really big deal!

Well, I have to get back to work, but I'll try to do more updates soon! Love and hugs!