Welcome little one

On Christmas Eve we welcomed a new member into our family. We had been on the hunt for quite sometime for the perfect family dog and protector. I had fallen in love with the American Bulldog breed when my sister in law and her hubby would bring their Am. bulldog here when they visited. So for the last year I had been looking for the perfect Am. bulldog puppy. There are different types of Am. bulldogs, and I wanted a certain type. I had all but given up the search when on a whim I was searching the Internet and I found her, my Bella. She was a little over 200 miles from us. The owner said that we could pick her up on Christmas Eve. So we spent Christmas Eve on the road with our new puppy. The kids loved her instantly and she loved us.

She is a sweet, loving, and sometimes rowdy little girl. Who at the moment is attacking my computer screen. Buffy and cats have grown to love her and her wet kisses. Life will never be boring while she is around that is for sure. So welcome dear Bella to our family. We love you.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

from our family to yours.

Candy, Candy, Candy

Today we got around to making some Christmas candy. Somehow last year I got out of making any, but this year I was not so lucky. Don't get me wrong I like making it, well most of it. I would like it more if I had a Kitchen Aid mixer to use. I borrowed one a few years ago to make my monstrous batch of buckeyes and it was so heavenly. No sprained wrist or counters covered in powdered sugar. You see it's the mixing of the stuff that I don't like. We went ahead and made them anyhow. Yes, my arms are tired but after mixing and dipping about 200 pieces of candy I'm all done in.

Along with buckeyes we made some yummy turtles. I tried a new caramel this year and it didn't work as well as my old caramel in years past but they are still yummy. We completed the evening by baking a pizza (not homemade) and watching The Santa Clause.

Tomorrow my son TT is planning on exchanging gifts with his girlfriend. They are still planning the get together. I just wait to see what they have cooked up. It was very sweet watching him shop for her. He was much more thoughtful than I would have believed him to be. There may be something to that saying that good guys treat their mother's good. He is pretty much by best bud, next to Poogie. I'm enjoying it while I can.

We also plan on making a gooey butter cake and chocolate covered pretzels tomorrow. Not near as messy as our adventure today thank goodness. Then I have to give as much candy away as I can so that I will not eat all of it, lol.

I'm hooked on....

Lady Gaga! I know I'm a little late to the party, but better late than never. She may seem a little crazy and out there. But I so get her, and her music. Love her.

Thinking about the New Year.

Christmas is almost here. I can't hardly believe it. It seems just yesterday we were taking down the tree and now it is up again taking over my small living room. Now that I have completed my Christmas shopping and the Nutcracker is over I can sit back and think about the year to come and what I want to change or improve about my life.

As I reflect on this last year I find that I have spent a lot of my time doing things that I really didn't want to do, but as usual wouldn't say no. I spent most of the year so stressed out that it has caused me some pretty bad health problems. On top of that I have tried to hang on to several situations in our lives hoping things will get better. That people will step up to the plate and do what is right or what they are being paid to do. I have unfortunately found that for some people you could wait forever and this is not going to happen.

So what does all this mean for me and my family for the new year. Well, it means that we may not be the most popular people in our group, not that we ever were, lol. It means that I will say no, even if the other person or group doesn't like it. I will put the best interest of my family above all others. If this means changing certain situations in our lives then so be it. I want my children to be happy, heck I want to be happy. Not all the time, but most of the time. I will no longer be every one's doormat. And I will stand up for what is right.

This has been a long and trying year. I just want to make the next one better for me and my family. So as far as New Year resolutions go, I haven't come up with the exact wording of mine yet. It is a work in progress, but at least I have an idea of what I want to accomplish.

It is over:(

The Nutcracker is over, and we are all a little sad. The show was wonderful, but then it always is. Poogie and her bon bon buddies tumbled their hearts out. The Snow Queen, soloists, guest performers and supporting dancers danced their hearts out too. I was so proud to have been part of such a quality production. Yes, the practices were hard, the nights long and we had little sleep. But after the final curtain fell all Poogie could say is that she didn't want it to end. That she could have done it several more times.

What was so special is how our little ones were taken into the company and treated so sweetly. The older girls gave them advice, encouragement and most of all lots of hugs. I couldn't ask for Poogie to have any greater group of dancers to look up to and admire. I will post more in the upcoming week but for now I must go. We are back to dance classes and swim practice. The show must go on!

It's almost here!

In just a few days my sweet Poogie will be dancing in the Nutcracker. I can hardly believe how fast the time has went by since we first learned of her getting the part.

Here Poogie is working with her partner to do a special trick. TT is in the photo because he was asked to help be Ms. Ginger's skirt, lol. He did it but I can't say that he enjoyed it.

We have Act 2 rehearsal today and then we are off Monday. I plan on taking that much needed time to rest because we will need it. Starting Tuesday till the final curtain on Sunday we will be on the go and working. I hope I don't cry, but I am afraid I will when Poogie comes out on stage. I almost cried yesterday watching the older girls dance on point thinking that would be Poogie before I know it. It all goes by so fast. Wish I could hit pause once in a while.

My iPhone is here!!!

I have been counting down the days until I could upgrade my cell phone. Then when the time approached I couldn't' decided which phone to get. I have been longing for an iPhone for a while, but didn't want to make the wrong choice after living with my terrible phone for two years. I ended up getting the iphone and I love it. For the first time in our house I have the coolest and most up to date technology. That is a first.

Now I can check my emails and facebook while I sit at the pool or dance studio. I feel so spoiled. It is kind of nice. I will really enjoy it this week when we spend all those hours in rehearsal for The Nutcracker. Only 6 more days, and my Poogie will be a star. Well, she already it to me:)