Wow! I can't believe it's been over a month since I've posted. Sure, we've been busy, but not overwhelmed. Maybe I should blame it on the weather. It's been beautiful and springlike here for most of January so we've spent a lot of time outside and at the park. Wheeler loves to be outside and we try to encourage this.

What else have we been up to? Well John started another semester of school, this time with MTSU. That's been a lot of work for him. I have still been working. While I love teaching, all the other beuracratic junk is wearing on me. I've also decided to start a little venture, something for me and something I love doing. There will be more about that later.

Since it is actually cold out today, we've decided to stay home and relax. I'm going to try a few new recipes.

I hope you've all had a fabulous January and that February treats you well. I will be back soon.

Things I Never Saw Myself Doing

As I'm making my laundry detergent and fabric softener this afternoon, I'm thinking to myself "I never dreamed I'd be doing this!". And it's true. If you'd have told me when I was in high school that I would be one of those moms who like making laundry detergent and using cloth diapers, I would have laughed at you. I would have said.......God had someone invent commercial laundry detergent and disposable diapers for a reason.

We didn't start out using cloth diapers with Wheeler. I really thought our sitter wouldn't have wanted us to do so, but when he was 13 months old, and I knew John would be getting laid off, again, soon, I asked her if she would mind. Come to find out she'd used cloth on her own children. The when we had to look for a daycare, we found one that didn't mind the cloth! The cloth diapers started out as a money saving venture, but it turned into an obsession. Cloth diapers are just CUTE on baby bum!

I'm not sure what brought about making our own laundry detergent. I was talking to my sister about it one day, and come to find out she had been thinking about it as well, I started about a year and a half ago, and I'm still using the same batch of ingredients. (of course we didn't use the homemade detergent on the cloth diapers, for you cloth mamas!). It is super simple to make, and I've had no trouble with it taking everyday stuff out of clothes. I've also made homemade fabric softener and love it. We tried our hand at homemade dishwasher detergent, and well, I don't know if it was the recipe or my clunky dishwasher, but it wouldn't dissolve, so we nixed that one.

Those who know me well know I love a good deal. I guess this is one reason I like to do the above, as well as coupon, but it is all definitely not something I thought I would be this into.

A Boy and His Box

When I got my camera last week, Wheeler took hold of the box it came in!

I had to include this one, he had an "edgie" as he calls it!

LOVE this one!

And this one!

He and Daddy made it into a robot.

Robot Wheeler

I loved watching Wheeler play with the box the camera came in last week.  He didn't really try to grab the camera, he went for the box! He's still playing with it, too.

New Year's Eve 2011

This weekend was a very special weekend in our family.  We added many new family memberswhen my mom married Alan Andrews on New Year's Eve.  It was truly a wonderful night filled with many blessings.

Mom, Alan, Kelli, Bruce, and me.

They got married at Music Road Hotel in Pigeon Forge, and the hotel did a WONDERFUL job setting up the hall and with the catering.  It was beautiful.

The delicious carrot cake made by Susie's Pretty Petals.

This chocolate cake was scrumptious.

Cody sang beautifully.

My beautiful sissy and I.

I don't have many pictures of thre ceremony.  John was sitting to the side of the stage and he actually used the camera to video rather than take pictures (I still need to look at the video and see if I can do anything with it.)


But, the best part was the party!  We still know how to throw one.

Dancing

Fun

Family

Cousins

More family

Love

Beauty 

Line Dancing

The YMCA

The Chicken Dance

More Chicken Dance

Ringing in the new year

Happy 2012!

Friends

The aftermath!

We had the best DJ ever.  He not only ran sound for the ceremony, but he kept the party moving til after one in the morning!  His name is Brian, that's all I remember, but if you need a DJ I can get you the info.

And while I said the best part was the party, I must reflect, and take back that statement.  The best part is seeing my mom happy.  She has met someone who has brought life back to her.

And while he could never take the place of my daddy, he sure is good to ALL of us, we love him, and I truly believe my dad is smiling down on us all today.

Our Christmas (Better a few days late than never)

Just wanted to share some Christmas pics and memories. I didn't get around to this earlier this week because we just vegged! Alot! Literally! I wouldn't have left the house on Monday if my sis hadn't called and said I should go with her to take our dresses and shawls for the wedding to be pressed. On Tuesday, I would not have left the house if we hadn't NEEDED milk (well, ok, John needed milk, Wheeler and I could have done without.) I don't know if it was just the post holiday let-down, if it was being so tired, or that we just wanted to spend time at home, with each other. Even Wheeler wasn't begging to get out!  That's unusual!

We started the long weekend at Dollywood.  Wheeler loved the big lighted presents.  He ran around them like nobody's business.  We had a great time just walking around, looking at lights, and watching Wheeler ride the rides.  I love going there with my boy, he gets so excited about everything.  Each visit with him is a new adventure and I love seeing things through his eyes.  It's brings back memories of my own childhood, but also helps me to see life in a different way.


Christmas Eve we gathered at Kelli's house.  We had finger foods and visited for a while.  It was so nice to see everyone together.  It just doesn't happen often enough!

Mom, Kelli, and I

A couple of cuties!

                                                  

Waiting on presents!

Mom and her brothers and sisters! Aren't they a great looking bunch?

Cody reading the Christmas story.

TRYING to wait patiently.  Believe me, before this, he was not being so nice and cute!

Finally!

We woke up Christmas morning and Santa had visited!  I have to admit, though, we have to do better at this Santa thing next year.  We completely forgot the milk and cookies!  

He loved his basketball goal!

Hmmmm, this one is for Wheeler and Daddy from Santa.

Mommy totally got Daddy this year.  I had him convinced I couldn't find an XBox.

The closest Santa could come to "water shots" in the winter.

This, by far, has been the best Christmas.  Wheeler was so exited when he woke up.  We asked him if he thought Santa had been here.  His reply "Yes, I heard him." We asked what he heard, he said "I heard his boots....they sounded like REINDEER!"

When we got home Sunday night, I thought about how truly blessed we are.  John has been out of work over a year now.  We have been able to pay all the bills and take care of incidentals that have been thrown our way.  I saved all year for Christmas, and we were able to buy for others.  We are all healthy.  We have a roof over our heads.  We have more than enough food to eat.  We even have what we want.  It occurred to me that I don't know what it is like to go to bed hungry and not knowing where my next meal will come from, that I've never had to deal with any major health issues, and that we aren't even in danger of not knowing where we will lay our heads to sleep at night.  GOD IS GOOD!  We are blessed in every sense of the word.  I took some time to thank God for everything he has given us.  I hope you all did the same.