2nd half of Christmas vaca/S. Padre Isle

On the 27th we headed off to South Padre Island, TX, to meet up with my dad, brother and family for a few days. It was windy and cloudy for most of the time but the sun did pop out for a couple of hours. We had fun playing on the beach. We found a LOT of neat shells, a piece of coral and a piece of blue sea glass. On the last day we visited the Sea Turtle Rescue and got to feed a couple of their turtles some lettuce. Here's a few photos.




I'd never been to SPI (S. Padre Isle) before. It was nice but a VERY lonnnnnnnngggggg drive. Also, not too bad for off season. There are a lot of snowbirds there, though, so if you go, do make reservations. Our hotel (La Quinta and not a very nice La Quinta either) was mostly full Thursday and Friday and completely full Saturday evening.

a few xmas pix

finished plates of cookies for Santa

doot ta do . . . just opening another present . . .
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Think he liked it? Did I (or my coworker who found it) do well?
:-)


Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and all your dreams came true and that the spirit of Christmas outweighed the mad rush of shopping, planning, rushing here and there and everywhere, etc.

update post

A lot has gone on in the last week so here's a brief update:

• my M and F in law made a fantastic "JOY" sign with the nativity in the "O" for our front yard. You can see it coming down the street - very nice
• We got the tree up and decorated
• My coworkers and I shopped, wrapped and delivered gifts to a single mom with breast cancer and her three children.
• My department had a nice lunch at The Roaring Fork and exchanged gifts. I received a fun movie eats pack (popcorn, plastic popcorn tub, Fiddle Faddle, pretzels).
• I attended the 4th and final Advent class study about the Miracle of Christmas. It was a fantastic study.
• Trey celebrated 6 total years at his work and received a cool backpack.
• finished most of the Christmas shopping.
• got some of the Christmas cards out last night and more going today
• we are cleaning the house in anticipation of our Christmas guests.
• The side fence has fallen down and Trey is shopping for the hardware to fix right now.

Photos soon. Have a great weekend!

Family Christmas party 2007

Here's the kids singing Christmas carols at the Family Christmas gathering Saturday:
Alas, during the Yankee Trade-off I had my Anti-Monkey Butt Itch Powder stolen and ended up with a gumball machine. I think I actually won that one.

Advent class #3

was about the Miracle of Giving. We were asked to bring a cherished gift to share. It was interesting - as much as we Americans are bogged down with "stuff" and giving all the "right" stuff, almost everyone's cherished gift(s) were meaningful things that weren't too expensive. One friend's gift (the 2 seeing eye dogs she'd had) were monetarily expensive but Glenda explained that they were far more valuable than the price tag and the greatest gift are all the donations of funds and time for these dogs. Then we discussed the Magi and their gifts to our King and His gifts to us as well. Very reflective time.

Our special Mary

Danielle was Mary in the school Christmas program (so sorry, Sarah, that I didn't email you - completely missed your comment before).

She got her line perfectly and everyone was just precious. Here's some photos:

cool fire dept

Danielle and I stopped by our neighborhood fire dept on the way home to drop off some Blue Santa presents; the cool firefighters invited her in to look at the truck and spoil her with stickers, coloring book and such. She even got to put on the headset and talk back and forth. They were a really nice bunch. Kudos to our local fire dept!

chugga chugga choo choo

Had a doctor's appt today and Danielle went with me. She got to hear the baby's heartbeat that "sounded like a train" and was very thrilled. Dr E had the results from the first screen and everything there looked good too. Don't have to go back for another month; that's the longest in a loooooonnnnnnnggggg time without seeing the doc. So blessed :-)

Advent Class #2

Tonight at Advent Class we talked a lot about hospitality. There have been several times where people have been hospitable to me but one person's story reminded me of someone from long ago. When I was a freshmen in college, I went home (about 2 1/2 hours by car) one weekend. Before I left home to go back to school, my car was completely topped off so I left without any cash or credit cards and without eating lunch. Even after the rural roads and on the bigger highway, there are still a lot of rice fields in Arkansas and not much until you get to Searcy. I was quite a way from Searcy and too far to turn back home when I realized that I was having a hard time concentrating. I was starving and afraid I was going to pass out. So I exited the very next "town" and it was a very small town. I was just hoping and praying for a fast food place of some sort. This little town only had a tiny little grocery store that was actually just grand opening. So I stopped and went in, told the only guy behind the deli counter (he turned out to be the owner) that I had no cash and no credit cards but I did have a checkbook so if he would let me pay by check, I really needed something to eat. He asked me if I liked baloney and I replied "yes." He said "I'll fix you a baloney and cheese sandwich but you don't have to pay." It was a complete life saver and we chatted while I ate. I stopped by that store every time I went through that town for the next 2 years - even if I had friends with me - and bought something. He even moved up to a slightly larger store by the last time I went through. Sad but I can't even remember his name or the name of the little town...I think I have a photo somewhere. Maybe I'll pull it up and try to find out who he was. May you all have a hospitable weekend :-)

recent photo

Trey's work sent around some photos from last weekend's party so here's a recent photo of us and a friend of his. I had to go buy a maternity shirt - I just ballooned in the last week or so. Everyone tells me that is what happens with Baby #2.

the busy season has begun

Last night I got to catch up with friend, Kathy, and we ended up chatting for 2 hours! Tonight was my Susannah Circle dinner and it was a fantastic end to a horrible day. I'm so glad I went because I was in such a foul mood before. Tomorrow is my work's dinner but Trey and I decided to skip it. There is just too much going on. Hope you have a sane week. Off to the dentist tomorrow . . . just a cleaning, thankfully.

Nutcracker Ballet

We went to see the Nutcracker Ballet Sunday afternoon with some friends. Danielle slept through the majority of it. But I woke her up for the Dance of the Sugar Plum fairy.

Losing lottery ticket!

Thanks to Aggie for her quiz results on what pet she is, I found this hilarious quiz. We were all laughing at work on this one - What crappy Christmas gift are you?

You Are a Losing Lottery Ticket!

Full of hope and promise.But in the end, a cheap letdown.

What Crappy Christmas Gift Are You?