HAPPY BIRTHDAY, IMAN!!!! 

I can't WAIT to see that sweet BABY!!! 

You are going to be an amazing daddy!  

We love you and miss you so much. 

Praying for a year FILLED with blessings

for you and your beautiful family!

Christmas Mischief (Christchief)

Lots of Christmas fun going on around here.  First off, I think I have a new second-favorite Christmas movie, Arthur Christmas.  It was SOO good (although Elf is still #1 because...LOOOOOOVE!!!). 

Christmas Pickle

One tradition we have is the Christmas pickle ornament.  If you haven't heard of it, the ornament is hid somewhere on the tree, and the first one to find it gets a present!  This year's surprise, the new Barbie Christmas movie (exciting, huh???  My girlies thought so!)  :) 

These pics are not the best (like ALL the other ones on my blog...haha), but you get the drift.  :)

Pickle hunters....getting right down to business. 

Christmas Caroling

And just tell me WHO on Earth doesn't think it's fun to load up a bunch of family and friends on a hay wagon and ride through town singing Christmas carols???  (Informing the troops that we're 40% sure this is legal...don't they look thrilled?).  

Overflow seating and front end security.  :)

Ready for take off.  Don't they look ready?? 

(I see doubt in some of those faces.  Or is that fear?)

The peanut gallery.

Mother Christmas looking lovely  :)

I don't think anyone even noticed we were there. 

Nice to meet you.  Can I sit on your lap? 

Imagine THIS pulling up to the nursing home door.

People, we have GOOD people.  That's all I kept thinking all night long.  We have GOOD people! 

*blessed*

Pulling up to the hospital, quite a sight to see.

Empty nest.  :)P 

(Who brought the quilts??  What a bunch of wimps!)

Bringing up the rear.

We closed out the night with lots of goodies and some good 'ol bluegrass jamming with a couple of guitars, a couple of fiddles, a mandolin, a banjo, some drums and a WHOLE lot of shakers and "backup."  I would have had pictures, but someone stuck a fiddle in my hand and it was all over from there.  :) 

Christmas Lights

Finally, this weekend we headed to Madison with my great uncle for some Texas Ro@dhouse (our fave!) and a drive through a Christmas light display.  Again, not the best pics, but fun nonetheless. 

The Capital (and the lighted building in the background is the REAL Capital!)  :)

"Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love."

-Hamilton Wright Mabie-  

A CONSPIRACY of LOVE....isn't that how this whole thing got started?? 

Happy Christmas, folks. 

Luca's Turn for a Mommy Date!

I'm not sure why both my girls choose McDon@lds for every date or if I'm the common thread which keeps landing us under those beautiful golden arches. 

Hello, my name is Cari. 

And I love french fries. 

A lot. 

I also love her.  Like a lot, a lot, a lot. 

She carries a purse. 

It has Dora on the front and is chalked FULL of

lip gloss, stickers and sugar free gum. 

'Cuz that's how a lady rollzzz.

 Got a coupon for a FREE Build-@-Bear!!!! 

(which I spent $38 on....dang, they got me again!)  

How much money does one actually have to spend at

Build-@-Bear to get a coupon for a FREE bear? 

Let's not think about it. 

Bath time.

Making a birth certificate for "Lily"

 Sweet moments with my littlest one.

 Only 1 pic to share from our recent educational adventures.  I never posted our barn dancing pics, but I figured they're getting a little old to constitute a post.  Here's a single shot of a drawing class our homeschool group hosted.  Immediately after I took it, my camera battery DIED!!!!  NIGHTMARE OF ALL NIGHTMARES!!!!!!! 

The worst part is, later that day our KONOS group field tripped to the optometrist and then dissected PIG EYEBALLS!!!!!!!  And NO PICTURES!!!!!  (I know, I know, you're TOTALLY disappointed!!!) 

Just to give you a visual, think about the most disgusting, oozy, goozy, slimy, grossest thing you've ever seen. 

Then touch it with your bare fingers and slice on into it.  UGH!!!!) 

It really was amazingly awesome and totally gruesome learning about the eye, dissection and all, but I think I'll rest a little easier now that all the eyeballs in the room are actually in someone's head. 

Never a dull moment!