I'm back.....

I have been so bad about blogging lately. Mostly because I haven't been feeling well and then my mother came to town on Tuesday and just left this morning. I ended up going to the doctor on Tuesday and found out that I was having SEVERE ALLERGIES and a possible infection. So she gave me an antibiotic (amoxcillin) and a steroid dose pack to help work faster. It has help TREMENDOUSLY. I no longer have the constant sore throat and I can feel my sinuses opening up. YAY!!
To get you caught up on us. My mom recently retired so now she has the freedom to come to Texas and visit whenever and for however long she wants. We decided a few months back that she would come and spend a few days and we would attempt to make Christmas candy together. My grandmother made it for YEARS and it was always SO GOOD. She passed away two years ago this January so we haven't had any of her candy the past two years. To tell you the truth, I don't see how, at 90+ years she stood over the stove making it (and a BUNCH of it) each year. That is some hard work. If you want to build your arm muscles, make candy. It takes LOTS of stirring. We had a good time and I think we only had to throw out one batch of toffee candy. We made 1 batch of English toffee, two batches of divinity, 2 batches of old fashioned fudge, 1 batch of pralines, and 1 batch of the things we called Rocky Tops. They were a large marshmallow dipped in chocolate and covered in pecans. They are SO GOOD!!! I'm not even a big marshmallow person but they were delicious.

Look at all this delicious candy......I'm very proud of us...We did a good job for it being our first time. However, I know Grandma was in heaven looking down laughing at us.

Sample Platter

Now I need to get all this candy OUT OF MY HOUSE....before I turn into a house.

Wednesday night, Madeline had her play at church. We have a program for kids kindergarten through 5th grade called Kid-U. It's like our children's choir. We meet on Sunday nights. I have been working with kindergartners. Each year they do a play at Christmas and at least one Sunday a month they start the Sunday service in the choir. They are so cute. Madeline was so excited to get dressed up.

Before the program:

Madeline and her best friend/neighbor Rachel. Remember Rachel suffers from Nephrotic syndrome and just had a relapse which places her back on a VERY high dose of steroids which cause her cheeks to be so "full". These two are just like sisters.

During the performance:


Madeline doing here drum line routine.


Madeline during one of the songs.


Madeline (in back) doing her sign language.

Madeline is such a performer when she wants to be. She is full of emotion and really gets into it but I'm thinking someone was getting a little tired here or bored, I'm not sure which.


What do you think? Tired or Bored?

Last Sunday evening we had our Women's Christmas dinner with all the ladies from church. I don't have any pictures from the event (because they are on my neighbors camera) but I have a few of Kristie and I before we left. (of course these aren't the best pictures)





As many of you know, Kristie has been my saving grace here is Texas. I was pretty much miserable before she moved in next door. I had no friends or close family nearby, I was pregnant with Macy, and I missed Oklahoma terribly. They moved in about 9 months after we did. Their house was for sale for a while and had a sold sign in front of it two different times and for some reason those sales fell through. Thank God. Kristie and her family were not even looking in this area and had been looking for about 4 months solid for a house. The first time they looked at their house they decided to buy it. I believe it was all a GOD thing. I had been praying for Godly neighbors and that is just what we got. She is one of my closest friends.
So that pretty much gets you up to date with what has been going on in our house. I'm leaving you with a few more cute pictures I've taken this week....

Macy being silly...as usual!



The girls camped out in front of the TV after a long day.


Do you have all your Christmas shopping done? I do, I'm just waiting for a few things to arrive via the man in the brown suit (UPS) so I can get them wrapped and then I am DONE!! YAY!!