What A Day!

Allyssa seems to have a real fascination with this bear's hole in his pants!!!! This bear is on the sidewalk in Hendersonville, NC, right near the Mast General Store. Every year me, natasha, allyssa, mom, deborah, and asheton have tried to go to Hendersonville one weekend in December before Christmas to "shop", exchange Hallmark ornaments and just enjoy the company and the day. This year we added a new member of the "girls day out". Miss Dakota Kahl our newest member of our family enjoyed the day with us, but Natasha did not get to go, she was working. Of course, we spent most of the day trying to get Allyssa and Dakota's Santa pictures made since they had not been made yet. We went to the Blue Ridge Mall in Hendersonville first thinking that we could get in there early (before the crowd-LOL) and get out so we could head to Main Street since Mom and Deborah had to be back in Travelers Rest by 3:00 P.M. Boy was that a BIG MISTAKE. On this day the mall was hosting a "Breakfast and Magic Show" to begine at 11:00 A.M. and then an appearance by Santa (which happen to be around 11:40 A.M.) and then Santa would begin making pictures (which was about 12:00. Of course, by the time Mom is having a time with Dakota, not because she was not being good, but just because she is a 14 month on little girl that wants to play and not be held. And of course, we forgot the stroller
:-(. Allyssa really enjoyed the magic show though and Deborah got some shopping down in the meantime since Asheton need to try on some clothes for Deborah for christmas presents. After we left the mall, about 12:30 we went to Fatz to eat lunch and exchange our gifts. Then we headed to Main Street which I think was about 1:30 P.M.(?) We went to the Mast General Store, purchased a few items, came out of the store and then decided to go ahead and leave since it was 2:10 P.M. by then. We all piled back in the car and headed for TR. So much for our relaxing and mellow day! It's all good!!!!!!! But boy were we all wore out.

I'm back for the moment!

Is this not a beautiful site? This was taken at the Travelers Rest Christmas Parade on December 9, 2006. She is so precious. When I seen her doing her little routine, I just wanted to pick her up and squeeze her. She was doing so good, looking at the instructor while she was dancing. She loves dance class. Every time we go by Karen's Dance she has to show me that she takes dance there!

I have not been able to get on the internet lately. Something to do with the signal between my computer and vincent's since we use a wireless router. You don't realize how much you depend on the internet until you cannot get on it. Technology is a great thing when all is well with it working, but when it decides to take a vacation, it can been a terrible thing!

Christmas is 2 weeks away and I have a few more gifts to purchase. No worries though. The items I need to get are common so I should not have a problem getting them. Am going to try to get the tree put up this week. I just really have not been in the christmas mood to put up any decorations or the tree. Not sure what the problem is. Going to Hendersonville this coming Saturday, the 16th. Our semi-annual trip (last year we did not get a chance to go) with me, Mom, Allyssa, Dakota, Deborah and Asheton. Natasha has to work and cannot go. We give a gift for each one going and this year is it going to be Hallmark ornaments. That is what it started out to be in the beginning and somehow we got off track with it.

Think I will go for now and hope that I can get back on the internet tomorrow to continue my blog.

Oh and Mom, I am still thinking about that "goldfish".! I think I will do a scrapbook page on it!

Accidentally found this picture and several others that were taken at Myabi's Japanese Restaurant in April, 2005, where we were celebrating Nick's birthday. The pictures were on a floppy disc that I had put in my camera for emergency use when I forgot my memory card. Somehow the camera got switched to floppy disc from memory stick when I was taking some other pictures just the other day and when I got home I was going to down the pictures that I had taken so the floppy would be empty. I discovered the birthday pictures then. I had forgotten all about them. Got through the thanksgiving holidays and finally gotten down to be able to journal here. Back at work and back on regular schedule again. Went with Natasha to take Dakota to the dentist to have the tooth pulled that she hit on the chair Thanksgiving Day. It was not a happy site seeing a 13 1/2 month old little baby (my little baby) having a tooth that had just recently came in pulled out. But when she hit the chair it knocked it loose and when she would bite some food, she was cross-biting so Dr. Muncy said it needed to come out. The right front tooth (beside the one that was pulled) was knocked back up into Dakota's gum. Dr. Muncy is going to keep an eye on it, said it did not need to be pulled that it would work its way back down. After Dakota's 2 year molars come in, then she will have spacers put in to keep her teeth aligned. I hate it so that she has to go through all of this drama. She is a little trooper though!

What A Day!

The smell of pumpkin pies baking in the oven...uummmmm! Such delight! I love to smell them baking. It lets me know that the holiday season has officially arrived! Got off of work at 2:30, picked up Allyssa from Gordon at Reedy River Baptist Church at 2:45, picked up Dakota at day care at 3:00, had to go to the bathroom really bad b/c of all the water I have drank today, left day care, headed home and arrived at 3:20. girls played a little, vincent went to easley to pay a bill, put dakota down for a nap, (which lasted a long total of 30 minutes), gave allyssa a popsicle, allyssa and i went outside and set the swing right side up, got a load of wood to build a fire in the fireplace, bringing it in and dakota wakes up, in a bad mood, wanting someone to hold her. tried to start the fire, but it would not light, my kindling was partially wet, so no fire. vincent arrives home, we just peddled around the house until Natasha came and picked them up at 7:00 on their way to Gaffney for Thanksgiving. went to walmart to pick up the dancing princesses that allyssa wants for christmas, picked up some scrapbooking stickers for mom that she asked me to check on, picked up my cover girl makeup and maybelline great lash (very black) mascara, vincent a new toothbrush, (he does not like the one I got him the other day), picked up a memory makers scrapbook magazine, stopped by zaxby's to eat dinner, came home and prepared the pumpkin pies, put them in the oven, looked at my memory makers magazine while they baked, which happened to be 70 or 80 minutes, ( i lost count on the number of times I had to reset the timer for 10 more minutes), took them out, they have to cool for 2 hours before I can put them in the refrigerator, getting ready to cover them and finally GO TO BED!!!!! What A Day!

My Sweet Babies!

I love this picture!

"Monkey on her shoulder"!

We went to a friend's house on Sunday, November 19, 2006, so that Allyssa could see all the "wild" animals that he has at his house. We were suppose to go horseback riding also, but our friend's father had been taken to the hospital the day before and he had been up half the night staying with him at the hospital, so we settled for a visit with the animals. He has a lion (simba), a siberian tiger (rahja), a baboon (scotty), several different species of birds, (parrots, cock-a-toos, cock-a-teils, parakeets, doves, pegeons, 3 other types of monkeys and this particular monkey (braxton) who stays in the house with the family. He is so cute and Allyssa got to have a hand-on experience with him as well as a "behind -the-scenes" tour with the animals. At this particular time, Braxton was afraid of the german shepherd puppy that was out running around in the yard! Allyssa had a great time. We are going to take her and Dakota to Hollywild Zoo to see the animals and the christmas lights in about 3 weeks. What fun!

Almost Thanksgiving!

This was Allyssa last Thanksgiving. Actually this is the day after when we went on our usual get-up-way-too-early to shop on Black Friday. This picture was taken right before we got out of the car at home. She was completely wore out. But if I am recalling correctly, she did pretty good for a 4-year-old who had been awake since 4:30 A.M.! She is going to take off with us again this year also. Let's see how she does!!!!!!

Can't wait for turkey and dressing. I can almost taste it now! We are going to mom and dad's house again this year. Not sure at this point who all is going to be there. Natasha, Randy and the girls will be in Gaffney with Randy's family this year. They spent Thanksgiving with us last year. Nick is suppose to come, we'll see! Vincent, me, mom and dad and I am not sure who else. Wayne and Tina are spending Thanksgiving with Tina's mom. Tina's dad passed away November 5, so I am sure it is going to be a tough time for the family. Tina's brother his wife and daughter are coming in from up north to have dinner with them.

One more working day and then we have Thanksgiving Day! Woo-Hoo. Hope the weather is good.