Christmas II

Making cookies for Santa!

Christmas Eve at Grandma's and Granddaddy's. I don't know what Tim had them say, but he caught them with their mouths open. (Julia, Ann Rae, Mary Beth and Scott)

Christmas morning. We thought this was a cute shot of Ann Rae digging under the tree for more presents.

Christmas III

Christmas day at Nana's and Papa's. Maci and Ann Rae into the make-up. All Ann Rae asked for Christmas was make-up and our fabulous family complied. Thanks.

Christmas night at Great-Granddaddy Sisson's. Ann Rae got a Hannah Montana wig. GiGi helped her put it on. It was so funny because she did not want the bangs in her face.

After it was all over Ann Rae had to try out her easy-bake oven that she got from Santa. She LOVES to cook!

Cute

Last night Ann Rae and I were lying in bed watching the Dancing with the Stars Finale (Yea!! Marie didn't win!), when Ann Rae leaned over my belly and said "I love you baby" and then while peering into my belly button "Momma, I see his nose!". Soooooo cute! What is not cute is the same question she keeps asking me "Momma, how is the baby going to come out?" one of my favorite responses "The doctor will take it out." not satisfied, comes back with "Will your belly tear?" uuuhhhh "No, he will come out from under my clothes" (Roll your eyes if you want but until you are in that situation with a 3 year old, you have no idea!!) surprisingly that ended the conversation. Either that or she just gave up because she already thinks she knows more than her mother. HELP! Any ideas are welcomed, it WILL come up again!

Alabama

Well our trip to Alabama has come and gone. Everything about it was fabulous. The weather, the beach, the food, the sightseeing and, okay I guess the people too;) Ann Rae is a pro at flying now. Funny story. On one of the planes we were sitting in the first row behind 1st class. Well the way the aisle turned it was like Tim (who was in the aisle seat) was sitting in the aisle of first class. When we were ready to land he laid our magazines, coloring book and book on the floor next to his feet. As soon as we touched down the stack slid all the way down the aisle of first class and bumped the cockpit door. The looks on peoples faces were hysterical. They slowly watched it go by then they all turned around to see where it came from. I wanted to die! Tim was laughing and I was horrified. The flight attendants had to leave it there for a few minutes until they could unbuckle their seat belts.

(Ann Rae 'found' this shell at the beach. Her cousin Brown went and bought it at a local souvenir shop and hid it in the sand for her to find. It was so sweet of him. We might tell her when she is 20 years old, but right now she thinks she found the best shell on the beach!)

Mobile is a beautiful city. We didn't do as much local stuff because we just enjoyed relaxing and hanging out at the Alabama Sissons' house. We did, however, tour the coast at and around Orange Beach. We stayed one night down there and took a Ferry ride and even ate at LuLu's in Gulf Shores (Jimmy Buffett's sister's restaurant) a really fun place to visit and eat at. It was a great trip all in all. I was sad to leave and getting on the plane in 80 degree weather and getting off in 40 degree weather didn't make it any easier.

Pumpkin Patch

We really scored this year at the pumpkin patch. We decided to visit Lacy's because we heard they had a great haybale maze for the little kids. We went on a Saturday afternoon and figured it would be packed. Well when we got there it was empty. I went up to the greenhouse and I asked where is everyone? The lady told me that they only open during the week for the school groups. Well I was bummed, until, she said go ahead and pick out a pumpkin and feel free to see the animals and the maze. We had a great time! We had the whole place to ourselves and Ann Rae went through the maze at least 10 times.

Halloween

Halloween was fun. As you saw before we had to make it an early night due to a very early flight the next morning. Ann Rae dressed as Mulan. For those of you that are 'out of the loop'. Mulan is a Disney Princess (Actually a Geisha) that joined the Emperial army to save china. Quite the hero. Anyway, Aunt GiGi came and did Ann Rae's make-up which was so funny because she is terrified with any masks, clowns, etc. She wouldn't even look at herself in the mirror because the reflection scared her so much. And poor Bubby (Michael, Cousin) he was an awesome clown and she wouldn't allow him in the same room as her without screaming. We trick-or-treated with Michael, Maci and Daniel (ex-neighbor, still good friend) and had a great time!

the latest

Just a little update on what has been going on in our neck of the woods.

Ann Rae and I just got back from the lake yesterday. We had a girls only weekend, Sara, Angie, Thelma Lou (Angie's Dog) and us. It was so nice . A little nippy on the boat, but the lake was so calm and very relaxing. We also got some work done, we washed the boat and put the cover on it for the winter. Ann Rae was a big help in washing the boat. Anything involving getting wet is a sure thing for a good time in her mind. The boys, Tim and Dougie, went to the Martinsville race so they didn't feel too left out.

We found out that we are having a little boy. Doctor was pretty sure and this was the second Ultrasound that he saw the evidence. We are thrilled and I am a little nervous, our world has been princesses, baby dolls, make-up, Hannah Montana, and everything else girly for 3 years now. I don't know what to do with a boy! But I can't wait to find out! I am 22 weeks now and starting to wear the maternity clothes. I hate this stage for clothing. Regular clothes are too tight and maternity clothes are too big. You just feel sloppy all the time. I still get the headaches, not as often though, so keep me in your prayers. I get horrible car/motion sick still, but I know that will last the whole pregnancy. All in all I am doing good. I do have Placenta Preevia, not very serious now, just means I get more ultrasounds to watch and make sure that everything moves where it is supposed to. If in the event I still have it come due time all it means is a c-section. But it is still very early and I know it will be just fine.

We are planning a trip to Mobile the day after Halloween. (Stupid me booked a flight leaving at 6:15am the morning after candy overload. We have to be up at 4am. Dumb, dumb, dumb.) We can't wait! Ann Rae is so excited about flying, I am nervous about it. Especially the part where we are laid over in Atlanta for 2 hours. I think it will fly by (no pun intended) and that we will enjoy walking around in between flights. We are of course going to see Bill, Catherine, Brown and Daniel. We will be able to go to the boys ball games and spend a day at the beach. I am also looking forward to having Catherine cook ALL of our meals and wait on us hand and foot. (I know you are reading this, ha ha;) It will be so great to get out of town, too. Well I better go story time at the library starts in 15 minutes.

Announcement!!!

We would like to make an announcement. Ann Rae will be a big sister! I am 15 weeks pregnant and the due date is February 29th! (Leap year) I have a feeling it will be the first week of March. I was late with Ann Rae and the Doctor has already changed the due date a couple of times. I have been horribly sick and keeping it a secret has been very hard. It seems everyday someone was asking me if I was pregnant. We did a lot of lying (sorry everyone) but I was determined to keep it under wraps through the first trimester. I have to admit I like keeping the secret, I think it has to do with my being in control! ( I have a control issue) Plus, people just get on my nerves. (Don't mind me, that's the hormones talking;)

First day of preschool!!

Waaaahh.....booooo....whoooooo. That is what was heard this morning. Not from Ann Rae, but from Mommy. I have been so excited about getting my own time when Ann Rae goes to 3 year old preschool (Tues & Thurs, 9am - 12noon) it didn't even cross my mind how much I was going to miss her. She did great when I dropped her off (I cried all the way home) and when I went to pick her up Miss Donna came out into the hall and said that this was the best first day of school she has ever had only one little girl cried. Well, like mother, like daughter. After about an hour Ann Rae decided that she had enough and wanted her mommy. She did tough it out though and told me she had a lot of fun. We will give it another try on Thursday. Be strong momma!

Labor Day Weekend

We spent our Labor Day Weekend at the lake, of course. We had a terrific time. I like to put a picture of Ann Rae riding the boat on here every few months so you can see how much she is growing.

Ann Rae had her 3 year old check up last week and all is great. She is 3 foot 1 inch and weighs 32 pounds, about 65th percentile all the way around.

3 YEARS OLD!!!!!

Ann Rae turned 3 on August 12th. Where has the time gone? We had a princess themed party and all her little friends dressed in princess gowns. Of course with all of our family and friends we had 40 people here and I am learning every year how to make things a little easier, so this year we got a 6 foot sub from Jimmy Johns. It was a hit! If you are bored of pizza I really recommend you trying this for your next get together, it was a lot of fun. Ann Rae got way too many presents as usual, it was like Christmas morning. Ugh, my baby is 3!!!!!!!

Visit from cousins.

Catherine and the boys (Brown and Daniel aka. Deedal) came in for a visit from Mobile and we got to spend a day at the lake with them. I know that this is not the best picture (no faces) but I thought it was cute. It is Tim, Deedal, Ann Rae and Brown.

The girls!

This is Lilly, Elli and Ann Rae. What a Trio! I get to watch Elli and Lilly on Tuesdays and Fridays and needless to say these are Ann Rae's favorite days of the week. They LOVE each other and have a ball playing together. This picture was taken the day I finally gave in to my sister Kelly and brought the girls to the public pool. Well, I hate the public pool, not to be snobby, just because I have a problem swimming in pee. OK, here is my luck, the pool has a 15 minute 'time-out' where everybody has to get out and adults with children 3 and under can swim alone. Kelly and I took the 3 kids to the deeper section (3 feet) and we were really having a good time UNTIL the lifeguard whispered to me that we needed to get out of the pool. I asked her why and she said "A little boy just pooped in the water and we don't want to make a big deal out of it". WHAT!!!?!?! We high tailed it out of there and watched as the life guards used nets and rubber gloves to 'fish' out the poop. I was appalled when a few minutes later everybody went back in the water. THAT my friends, is why I HATE public pools!

Cousins Wedding

My cousin Jared got married on June 2nd (day after out 5 year anniversary) and we got to go to Mass for the wedding. We had a terrific time! Ann Rae had a blast and this is a pic of her dancing on the dance floor, WAY past her bedtime!

Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day weekend was great. We spent it at the Lake like we usually do. This time we got to take Danny and Judy's new camper. We loved it! Ann Rae has come to really enjoy lake life, she ecspecially likes the boat ride. (this picture was taken before we let the boat off the lift, I AM a good parent and I DO make her wear a life jacket)

Summertime

I wish my computer was faster. I would download the 10 non-smiling, turn-my-back, hands-in-front-of-my-face, run-away, pictures that always preceed the one good one! By the time I get it I have promised ice cream and pulled all of my hair out. Do kids rule our world or what?

Chores

We thought it was about time that Ann Rae start pulling her own weight around here. (all 30 pounds of it;) This is one of her favorite things to do, wash the car with mommy. Usually, there are a few inches of gravel in the bottom of the bucket when we are done, but you get what you pay for!

We have had a very sick winter this year. She has caught everything that has gone around. About a week ago she came in contact with someone that possible had the foot and mouth virus (formally known as hoof and mouth I believe, something like that). Anyway, she has been running a high fever for 2 days and I asked her to open her mouth to see if there were any boo boos there and she said "there are no boo boos in my mouth, Jessie has a boo boo in her mouth." Just another example of how kids hear everything and forget nothing. For those of you that don't know, Jessie is a dear friend of mine that had a cancerous tumor removed from her tongue about a week and half ago. Thank God, they got it all and it did not spread!

No. We are not Democrats now.

Okay, before I get a lot of slack from my wonderful Republican friends, and a lot of praise from my terrific Democrat friends, let me explain. We had a dedication at the new Shawsville Community Center. Which, by the way, is fabulous. We have our very own YMCA, Library, Museum, Community room, and soon more. We had several dignitaries there, including former Governor Mark Warner. Mom graduated from High School with Governor Warner, or as I call him, Mark (Ha, ha). I just couldn't resist this Kodak moment. Plus, you never know we could be standing next to a future President. (Not that I would vote for him) I can respect the man, just not all of his views. I will leave it at that.

Easter

What a busy Easter we had this year. It literally lasted 3 weekends! It started with an egg hunt at Shawsville Elementary 3 Saturdays ago. Then, 2 Saturdays ago Kelly (My sister) and her friend hosted a fabulous Easter party, it was a lot of fun. Then, of course this last weekend was the real thing. It started with our Veggie Tales Easter program at the church on Saturday. Sunday began with Ann Rae's personal egg hunt and all her basket goodies then it was on to our Easter cantata at the church, I was a member of the choir this year and enjoyed it so much, of course Byron makes a great teacher. After church it was off to Grandma and Granddaddy Sissons for Easter dinner with that side of the family. Everything was really nice, ate too much of course. Ann Rae had another egg hunt with her cousins Scott and Mary Beth (Julia was there too, but she is too old for egg hunts now:(. We came home for a short nap then went to my sister's (Kelly) house for the Fij side Easter supper. Followed by another egg hunt with Maci and Michael, PHEW! Needless to say we have more candy in this house than Walmart. I gave Tim a big Ziploc bag full to take to work.
Ann Rae posed for some pictures (which is very rare) I couldn't get her to keep the gloves on, she loved them she just couldn't get to her thumb with them on! I know that it looks like nice weather in the picture but you must know it was actually about 24 degrees and I made my daughter pose without a sweater. She needs to learn now "Beauty is Pain"!

Christmas was so much fun! And, as usual, Ann Rae racked up. She woke up Christmas morning and this was her exact conversation, "I heard sompting lass night" "What did you hear?" "I heard jeemble bells outside my window" "Really?" "Uh-huh, Santa Taus is toming!" (She can't pronounce the 'Ka' sound yet) It was soooooo cute. The first thing she saw was princess dresses Santa left on the mantle then she saw an awesome Thomas the Train set that Santa set-up for her. This has been her and daddy's favorite gift. Finally something not-so-girlie that daddy can play with her. It has been a ritual every night when Tim comes home to go straight to the train set til supper is ready. We had spent Christmas Eve with Tim's family so Christmas late morning/lunch was with mine. Then we hauled it over to his Granddaddy's Christmas night to celebrate with the whole family. We had a great time. Another special part was that Ann Rae got to see her cousin Isabella from Colorado. Those two girls are crazy about each other and play really well together (Isabella is 3yrs old and Ann Rae 2yrs old) Ann Rae still doesn't quite get it when Isabella goes home, she wonders where she is.