A SNOW day!!! what? snow??? YES! SNOW!! :)

This is what we woke up to this morning. Can you believe it!? We have a blanket of snow covering the ground here in SE Texas this morning! Oh it was so exciting..

David & I have seen snow and played in it many times growing up in KY... but for Nora this was her first memorable experience! :P

We didn't notice it until we were coming down the stairs to put on shoes for school and I saw it out the window! I yelled back upstairs to David, "I didn't care how late Nora is for school today! School will just have to wait - today Nora is gonna get to bundle up and go out to make her snow angels!"

Which she did! and I took photos and videos of that too! It's taking me a while to upload the videos to blogger ((((we're talking VERY SLOW download time here))) so these are of photos I took while waiting on Nora to go find her snow hat and put on her rubber boots this morning before we went outside. :)
The next post will be of us outside playing in the snow! So check back tonight :) ~bonnie

other blog friends know how to cut and paste the weather forecast charts - I tried but didn't have any luck.. but nevertheless... this is from http://www.storm2k.org/

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CST THIS MORNING

Rest Of Today...Cloudy with a chance of rain and snow early in the morning...Turning to rain by late morning. Becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon. Not as cool. Highs in the lower 50s. Northwest winds 10 to 15 mph inland...Northwest 15 to 25 mph coast. Lowest wind chill readings 22 to 41 in the morning. Chance of precipitation 40 percent. Tonight...Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 30s inland...In the upper 30s coast. North winds 10 to 15 mph.

Our COLDEST day yet

Recently my friend Heidi and I started meeting on Monday, Wednesday & Friday mornings to walk at a local park that has a mile long dirt path around it. We haven't' been at it long.. I think Monday was my 3rd or 4th time...

The first time I went I walked 2 laps and called it quits. Pushing the stroller gave my arms a work out too, as pushing it in the dirt felt a lot like being at the beach in some parts b/c it was so sandy...

and a time after that, we didn't meet to walk until the afternoon.. and Nora was with us and she wanted to hold on to the pocket of my sweatshirt the whole time - which felt a lot like someone dragging me down.. *urgh* but she never complained about walking and went as far as we did. ;)

Monday of this week, I went without the kids (BIG SMILE) and Heidi got there as I finished my 1st mile then she and I walked 4 more together... so I really started to feel the burn last time.

and today...? well today was different than any other.

Today I got there on time and was ready to go... but even after postponing our walking until 10am to give the sun more time to warm up -it was still FREEZING and the wind was SOOO COLD. 38* according to my van. Brrrrr!

I had both babies bundled up with footed PJ, sweat shirts, jeans and jackets to put on... but just in the short time it took me to unload the stroller, I changed my mind. There was just no way I could get them out in this... and risk getting them sick.

I'm always happy to get to visit and chat with Heidi as it's been what seems like forever since we see each other now that Jed and Nora are in different schools.. but it'll have to be another day. Thankfully her mom was keeping all her kids and today she was alone so she went on without us. :)

and before getting to far gone my cellphone rang and it was David. He was at Kroger buying food for work and needed me to come by... he had FORGOTTEN his wallet. So since the consignment shop I use is only a block form the grocery, after he was done he drove down there with me and sat with the kids while I went in to see if any of my stuff had sold.

So it was a win-win for the both of us! and look what I got to take to the bank :)

(photos at the top are of Olivia and Paul Thomas when I got home. So sweet!)

Happy Birthday Brian

Today is my brother Brian's Birthday. I'm not certain but i believe today is his 47th?? I think I remember correctly that he wasn't the "14 years of age" limit for going back to see new babies...

and can almost remember my mom telling it... that as a nurse spotted him in the halls headed back wearing his school jacket -she called out "NEWTON, How old are you?" and Brian promptly replied "14!" and never stopped walking. :)

Mom also told of him being the one who held me in the car for our ride home from the hospital :)

and I'm sorry I'm late on posting this - but it took me forevah to find a pic saved on the computer to show of Brian here with you all today... in my whole married life he's only been to my home a handful of times..

Once in '98 when we lived in GA, once since we've been in TX and just after mom died we lived in IN for a few months and he'd stop by often b/c we were just across the river from Louisville, KY where both of my brothers live.

These two photos were taken when we went home to KY this summer for 4th of July. It was the first time he met the twins. Barry, my oldest brother, and his wife Kathy came down to Dad's too while we were there visiting... and it was just their second time to see the twins too... so it took a while for the babies to warm up to them.


We also saw my brothers when we went home for Thanksgiving... but when they were there I was too busy chasing babies and didn't get any pics this time.

and before I close, there's one thing I almost forgot... ;) I love you Brian!

Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy BIRTH day dear Brain...
Happy Birthday to you!

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

or is it? Don't get me wrong I la,la,love Christmas.... and even more so now that I get to experience it as a mother! There is no way to fully explain the joy a parent gets watching their child's excitement at Christmas time... Just look at that HUGE smile on Nora's face when she found her "Hermie" from last year packed in the top of the first box she opened! ;)

but I cant' help but feel a little OVERWHELMED with all there is to do to get it ready. Decorating, selecting gifts, going to buy the gifts or order them on line, and least I dare mention printing photos, preparing and mailing out Christmas cards?!?!!? (those of you who got one from us are laughing b/c I set a new record of being late - but let's not mention when OK?) LOL

This weekend we had planned to spend it decorating the house... but for one reason or another it didn't get done. Not that we just sat around here and twiddled our thumbs...we didn't! But rather we were on the go and hardly home.

Friday night was our town's Christmas parade. Diane (my helper) came after school and was here when David got home from work. We gobbled down some chili while we waited for her parents, Deacon Hector and Cindy along with their college son Stephen to met at our home and then we all left from here to go. It was a lot of fun - and VERY cold... well cold for us here in SE TX.

I didn't have my camera with me so I don't have any photos (((yet))) of the kids at the parade - but when I get copies from Deacon Hector I'll share them in a Wordless Wednesday post.

I just love how they love our family and are always so willing to help hold a baby. Olivia and Stephen took up and were best buddies for a good part of the parade... however Ms Cindy also got to hold her all bundled up in a blanket to keep her nice and warm while Paul Thomas sat on top of David's shoulders for most of the time. Olivia La-La-LOVED anything passing by playing music! Especially the bands!!! and there were at least 3 or 4 local school's bands.

anyway back to the story...

well Saturday was gonna be our day, but again we weren't home.. instead we were invited to have Breakfast with Santa again this year at my friend Heidi's church. ((again no camera with me but my girlfriend Bev had her camera so I'm hoping to get copies))

When Nora got her turn with Santa - Guess what she asked him to bring her.... a "WOODEN TRUCK"

It was the first time I had heard her mention anything about it. I did a double take and shook my head... "a what???" I was so sure she was gonna ask for this TALKING DOLL HOUSE which we saw on TV a week ago and she hasn't been able to quit talking about ever since!!and since I hadn't' made it to the grocery all week after returning form KY I just HAD to go Saturday...so needless to say nothing much was accomplished around the house to prepare for Christmas...

So today, Monday, David took a vacation day (he'll loose them if he doesn't use them before the end of the year) and we dedicated the day to decorations! well almost.

First, I took Nora to school, then met Heidi at a park and we walked 5 miles then I came home around 8:30am. After breakfast with the kids, then David and I got down all the Rubbermaid totes out of the attic and then carried them all downstairs and stacked them up in the foyer as we always do until we "get to them."

This year with the twins, we have to be especially careful not to leave anything out within their reach... but after everything was downstairs, it was time for their morning nap so upstairs they went. We actually got a lot done while they napped. :)

We have an artificial tree that we bought 12 Christmases ago... before the "pre-lit" days.. or if they had them back then we were too poor to buy that kind. So every year David and I join up in a team effort to put together the tree. He shapes up all the branches and puts them on the pole while I zig-zag all the bright lights up and down each branch as we go. It's a real wonder that tree isn't naked already with the numerous needles that end up on the floor each year!

In past years, we've been known to have up to 2000, yes TWO THOUSAND lights on our tree... but I haven't done that in a few years.. it takes too long. and each year several of the strands don't work when I plug them up so that has depleted our light inventory... and this year there were several more stands of lights that didn't come on that I trashed..... and so...
And everything was going good... until about 4 rows to go BEFORE the topper piece I RAN OUT OF CLEAR LIGHTS! Talk about a mood killer! :( so off to Wal-Mart I dashed to go get more... but when I came home it was time to get ready to go to church. (today was a Holy Day)

So the tree will have to wait until at least mid week b/c tomorrow night David and I are getting a babysitter and we are going to a Christmas dinner with his ASSE people.

I have mixed emotions about going tomorrow night... yes nice to have a night out without kids... that is such a rare occasion! But why does it have to be with a bunch of strangers? Can't David and I just have some time alone? I won't know a single soul there... well not during the first 10-20 minutes anyway :) I'll do my best to have a good ole time, for David's sake. ;)

Guess what Nora and I did today??

While the twins took their afternoon nap, Nora and I picked Lemons! :) Our small lemon tree really did good this year! Just before Thanksgiving I picked 2-3 dozen off and took with us to Kentucky and gave to my dad.

Today we picked over 100! and to think last year we had less than a dozen the whole year.

and we had to quit with a couple dozen left on the tree... our box was overflowing. Good thing it was slick on the bottom - helped to pull/slide across the yard. I tried to carry the box then, reconsidered very quickly after seein how heavy it was.. :P

Did I mention these lemons are HUGE!?!?!?? Everything in Texas is bigger after all... ;)

Edited to Add: ===Yes, that is a Halloween T-shirt Nora is wearing. It lights up and has Tinker Bell on it ((her favorite)) and was warm today..... and yes that is what she choose to wear to school! Why not? She's only gonna be 4 once! ;)

Happy Birthday Josh

Today, December 2nd is my nephew, Josh's 26th birthday. I was only 8 when he came along and most of my child hood memories are of growing up with him and his sister as they were at our home all the time. :)

I will share some flashbacks here below:

I can still remember talking to Josh when he was still in his momma's belly... and I remember the day he was born and how proud my brother was of his new SON which was a huge surprise to everyone...as all the nurses/and Dr. had been expecting a girl. ;) I forget the other name they had picked out...Myranda? Tabitha? something... and my mom said oh let me meet __(insert girl name) and my brother holding Josh, pulled him back and said, "NO, it's not a (girl name) it's a JOSHUA MORGAN!" :)

From the moment my family saw Josh, it was love at first sight as we welcomed him into our family...Gran and Grandy were the proudest Grandparents ever!

I remember the first time we went to your home to see you after your folks brought you home... and Brian sittin on the edge of the bed holding you and me beside him and Brian talking to you and asking silly questions.. and movin your head "yes" or "no" so funny...

I even remember your first Birthday in that tiny little house your parents first had... and that Ketchup RED carpet in the living room... I can't believe I remember that carpet b/c that room was SO FULL of people... your mom had a huge family and they were all there... even your Pa your namesake... anyway, someone gave you a drum and no matter where you were or what you were doing, you'd stop everything and bounce to the beat if someone played it. :)

I remember going to your T-ball games.. you were so cute dancing in the outfield! No one was cuter than you! ;) Your dark brown eyes and hair... so cute.

I remember our dance shows in basement at home - oh the fun we had singing along to all those songs.

I remember all the countless days of riding on the Spree - remember those racket ball goggle mask things we used to keep the bugs out of our eyes? Remember the "fire drills" we had... sorry about terrorising you and leavin you behind just for fun and making you cry... at the time it was funny to Danielle and me.... but not for you.... but really, I'm sorry now. If I saw a big kid do that to Nora, I think I'd have to beat them... can you forgive me??

I remember the time you peed the bed when we were all sleeping in my KING size water bed.. me, Danielle in the middle then you... and it rolled downhill and Danielle got all wet... and we had to change the bed at 2am. In your defence I think you were only 3 or 4 then.

Remember all those tomatoes you ate from Gran's Garden??? Dozens at a time!

I remember all of us playin in the tree house.. and swinging on the tire swing...oh and remember those stilts that Grandy made for us with tobacco sticks...

I remember your first girlfriend... Laura Hall - wonder what ever happened to her? That year Gran helped you plan your Valentines night... roses! and that huge double heart balloon! :) didn't she take you to the movies???

and speaking of movies, you were there during my first "real" date - I went with a guy to see Land Before time and YOU popped up... to spy on me... LOL

I remember the time you called 911 ....and the fire dept. showed up at your house!??!?! I guess I was the blame for that one b/c I gave you the idea. You were wanting me to come on the spree and get you at your house... and kept calling over and over... and i kept telling you NO that I couldn't leave b/c Gran wasn't home... then one time you called and said I had to come get you b/c your house was on fire... and I smarted off and said well if your house is really on fire, then don't call me call 911 and hung up on you... then just a moment or so later I heard the call come over the SCANNER! and thought OHMYGOODNESS!!!! sorry for that too.

I remember all the phone calls when I was away at Western... you kept in touch so good with me... and I was always so scared you'd get in trouble for all those long distant phone calls...

After I married, remember Spring Break Vacations in Georgia - going to the MASTERS - what was that crazy song we listened to the whole drive back from KY to GA in David's little S10 pickup truck... and David kept changing the words??? oh help me remember... something from USHER I believe...

and last but not least... the uuuooOUGGA! horn! didn't you get it on your car after I stopped driving the Beretta... and can you believe the Beretta stayed in the family all these years...between my brothers... and guess who has it now - Jade.

Josh I am so proud of the man you have grown up to be. :) You are such an important person in my life... I grew up with you... your more of a little brother to me than a nephew. I only wish I saw you more and my kids knew you better... I don't talk to you often enough these days, and don't get to tell you as much but I LOVE you!

Happy Birthday Josh! Juice! JuARSH as Momma Newt would say ;) Enjoy being 26...life is just getting started for you...again, I love you. ~bonnie

Look Mom the grass has SNOW on the ground!

Well, not really... but for a 4 year old the frost covering the lawn early this morning sure looked like the real thing to her.. ;)

I took Nora to school this morning and after coming downstairs we went to the bench in the foyer to put on shoes and I noticed the frost out the dining room window and pointed it out to Nora.

Her eyes lit up and I immediately knew what she was thinking - she thought that it was snow... and the first thing she said was, "Look Mom, the grass has SNOW on the ground!"

followed by, an excited and loud, "Let's go outside and make snow angels!"

and as sorry as I was to disappoint her... I had to tell her "no" for many reasons... the main one being that - We have to leave RIGHT now to make it to school on time... :(

waaaah! why couldn't it FROST on a Saturday when we didn't have to go anywhere and could go out an explore...??? :(

The above photos I snapped real quick while waiting for her to buckle her seat belt... She is determined to do it all by herself these days and is a little slow but gets it done ;)

(talk about a total 180 from just a few months ago!))

and this last photo is what greeted me as I drove back home after taking her to school... the sun was already warming things up.

School Photos are here

About 4 weeks ago, Nora had her first "picture" day at school. She choose what she wanted to wear and how she wanted her hair fixed.. and what bow... as she does for every day of school. :)

She goes to a private school, but for the preschool children they are not required to wear uniforms in PreK-3 or PreK-4... so this was her one and only chance to be unique for her school photo ..... and unique she was :)

Nora is very independent for her age. Maybe it's b/c she's the first child or maybe b/c I need her to be b/c of the twins?



Either way, I love it that she wants to do it herself and wants to choose her style. She is very creative and little by little it is building her confidence. :)


WOW, how'd they do that? I can't believe she looked directly into the camera! I sure would like to know their secret...

So today I'm busy writting on the back of each photo her name, school, age and year :) so they'll be ready to hand out next week when we are in Kentucky! :)

There is No Fear in Love

God of love and understanding, Let me always remember: "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear..." (1 John 4:18).


Give me the strength to trust you and to choose faith over fear, especially when the coices of the world try to frighten and paralyze me by screaming that I am not good enough. Remind me of how beloved I am.

I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Still sick.... poor Paul Thomas

Tuesday was a nightmare... whereas, yesterday was a better day. Nora stayed home from school and never had any more events… however Olivia had two occasions of nose bleeds yesterday :( but that was easy peasy compared to the clean up I endured the day before… I just held her down until it stopped both times… and for most of the day Paul Thomas felt like his ole self….. but then…after David got home from work…just when I thought he was over it - he vomMERrred at supper… then again! and again! and again last night.

And that’s not the worst news…. Today it's gone from bad to worse = now he has diarrhea. :-{

I heard him explode in his diaper as he was standing close to me so I picked him up and took him to the bathroom... I figured I'd change him in there and that way it'd make for an easier clean up just in case it was super messy.

Actually it wasn't - the diaper absorbed nearly all of it b/c it was as runny as water.

So he immediately started grabbing at anything he could get his hands on - everything looked new and exciting to him in the downstairs half bath b/c it's a forbidden zone in our house
to the babies - door always closed off...

anyway, he grabbed Nora's potty cushion... and I thought why not? So I sat him on top of it on the potty and I wish I had had my camera to capture the look on his face... he was so intrigued and excited all at the same time! :P He wasn't very concerned with holding on to keep from falling off of it - so it still left me one hand holding on to him and the other cleaning up... but I used some of Nora's potty stickers on his belly, knees and legs to distract him and get his mind off of getting down and it worked! :) Yeahhhhh thanks Dora the Explorer and Boots! :)

He was able to sit there long enough to have at least two more diarrhea pains.

I just hope I can keep him hydrated. He has no appetite but is thirsty all the time… but can’t hold any liquids down… David stopped by CVS tonight and bought some Pedalyte drinks… I am hoping that will help.

I’m also hoping he is over this sickness SOON! Especially before our road trip to Kentucky for Thanksgiving! However I’ll continue keepin on keepin on… I am so grateful that he hasn’t had any episodes during the middle of the night… *KNOCK ON WOOD*

I've did FIVE loads of laundry last night

and I'm not done... the last (for now) load of "Puked ON" stuff is in the washer now. The floor rugs from the bathroom and bedrooms.

Yesterday was so out of whack here at home. Around 4:30pm the twins took their "first" bath after I discovered Paul Thomas had vomited during his afternoon nap. YUCK-O!

I'll spare any gross details... but after they got out of the tub and diapered and dressed... Nora "Vomm-MERed" all in the floor all as I was running to the toilet with Paul Thomas b/c while holding him I felt his belly doing the wave... so next tub was with PT and Nora...

I forget all the details and order now - too tired... but beore David got home from work Paul Thomas had vomited another 3 times for a total of 5 and Nora once more (for a total of 3) before passing out in the kitchen floor.

Thankfully David brought supper home from Wendy's and helped with getting them upstairs and to bath again... This being PT's 3rd or 4th for the night...and Olivia's 2nd... but while waiting for the tub to fill up with water.... he vommMERed again :( poor little guy!

Needless to say I kept the monitor on louder than normal - I wanted to hear if anyone got sick and thankfully no one did the whole night!!! However Nora scared be silly out of me when at 2am I was using the laptop on the sofa and out of the corner of my eye I see her standing beside me! AKK!

She was thirsty... and she could have served herself upstairs in her bathroom - bu I am so glad she didn't b/c I only gave her a small amount of water - didn't want her to vommMer in the middle of the night... also I felt of her and she was burning up hot - scanned her head and it was 101.6. So I gave her some medicine.

Turned everything off and headed to bed myself... and at 3:15am Nora started bursting out in tears -I go running thinking maybe she's sick again... and no - just feelings hurt... b/c "It's NO FAIR! you did not give me more water!" so another small amount and wet washcloth for her head and she was fine. ;)

I hit the pillow around 3:35am and passed out!

Nora is home from school and not happy about it. They all finished breakfast about 30 min ago and ....So far so good today...

Camera update

Great NEWS! Our camera is on it's way home to us and I think it will be here in time to take with us on our Thanksgiving trip. :) This was the emial message I first read when I logged on this morning! Yeaaaaaa!!!

We are pleased to confirm that the service you requested on your
POWER SHOT SD790 IS has been completed and your equipment has been shipped to you on 11-NOV-08 .

Thank you for purchasing Canon products and for allowing us this
opportunity to serve you.

Best Regards,Canon Factory
Service Center

and thankfully the repair was covered under the manufacturer's warranty - so ZERO cost to us! Yeahhhhh!!! Soon I'll be back in the picture taking mode again!