This morning Kristin and I headed to the dentist to have her two bottom teeth pulled. The adult teeth came in behind them and the baby ones weren't moving. The dentist prescribed some medicine to take before the appointment to help calm her down. She was fine, went back by herself and didn't have any problems. She wanted to see all the tools he used...needles, the "tweezers" as she calls them that he used to get her teeth out, etc. I'm sure she talked their ears off, but at least she didn't panic. Luckily she likes our dentist. I really liked him today because they were having "Jimmy Buffet Day" to help beat the winter blues! They were all dressed in island clothes, called the radio station to have Jimmy Buffet music played, and they made strawberry margaritas (non-alcoholic, don't worry!). They were having cheeseburgers later for lunch. Needless to say, they were having fun! I drank a margarita while Kristin was getting worked on and I must say it was the most relaxing and quiet 45 minutes I've had in quite awhile! Not long after we got home Kristin pulled her other top tooth. She has three teeth to put under her pillow tonight! Poor tooth fairy is going to go broke.

Tomorrow we are heading to Cabot for Christmas/New Years. Kristin is super excited and probably will not sleep much tonight!

Hope everyone has a safe and happy new year!

Christmas in Joplin, Christmas Eve and White Christmas

Well, two out of our three Christmases are complete. The weekend before Christmas, we went to Joplin since Chris has to work Christmas night. Actually Chris and Kristin went...I had a horrible migraine and I stayed home. Here are some pics they got with K's new camera...they aren't great, but I'm just happy they got some pictures!

My sister-in-law Brandy, with Beau

Kristin and cousin, Hunter

A Nintendo DSi!!!!

Christmas Eve Krisitn and I went out to do some last minute shopping for Chris. I knew it would be worse than a normal Christmas Eve since we had snow coming....everyone would be out getting groceries and such, but we went anyway, and had so much fun. We just went to Wal-Mart and managed to not let Chris see us. We did run into the store manager who said it was busier than the day after Thanksgiving...crazy! He was anxiously awaiting a shipment of milk to come in since they were pretty much out. I was thankful I'd done my grocery shopping the night before. Anyway, we got our gifts, and made our way home. It was rainy and cold. Around 5 it started sleeting and then later changed over to snow. Kristin and I made our cookies for Santa while the snow moved in...

The dogs were less than excited about everything going on!

We read the Christmas Story and The Night Before Christmas then K FINALLY got to sleep (the last time we'd checked the santa tracker, he was in North America, so she hopped in bed, but got out several times and even told me to sleep on the couch so I could catch Santa!) and Santa got to work.

Kristin and her letter from Santa

Santa's work is done!

Visions of sugarplums???

The next morning K woke us up around 7:30 saying "Santa was here and brought me the doll I wanted!" Here are a few pictures:

Kristin was so excited to get a Touch n Brush!

After K opened her presents, she got dressed to go play in the snow. We got 3-4 inches and this was K's second white Christmas (her first was the year she was born).

Our usual Christmas morning breakfast: biscuits and chocolate gravy.

This year I bought baklava...Chris and K had never had it, and I love it, so I decided they needed to try it. They loved it, of course. Maybe one day I will get brave enough to try to make it. Until then, Wal-Mart bakery works just fine! Oh, Chris and I got presents too, but we can never wait until Christmas to give them! Chris got two gift cards..one to MLB.com and Nascar.com, a couple of Wii games and new pajama pants. I got a spafinder gift card, the 4th season of Criminal Minds, perfume, and Chicago Cutlery knives (Chris gave those to me after Thanksgiving!).

We pretty much just hung around the house the rest of the day. K played outside a lot and we made snow cream. Around 9:30 Chris left for work and K and I watched Titanic. She LOVES that movie and anything about the Titanic (yesterday we went to Calahan's for lunch and they had the tv on the weather channel. Well, they were talking about icebergs and the Titanic. Kristin had to changes seats so she could watch it!) We turned it off though before the ship sank and went to bed.

Yesterday we took K to the movies...we saw Alvin and the Chipmunks. It was cute. We saw a preview for Alice in Wonderland. It looks so crazy, but the story of Alice is pretty freaky...he had to have been on something when he wrote it. Anyway, I'm sure we'll be going to see it. Kristin has a somewhat twisted sense of humor and imagination...it's right up her alley!

Next weekend we are going to Cabot for our third Christmas. On Wednesday morning Kristin is having three teeth pulled. Two on the bottom and one on top. The permanent teeth are coming in behind the baby teeth, so they baby ones have to be pulled. Luckily our dentist does oral sedation, which is great, because Kristin is going to need something other than laughing gas to calm her down. I may need something myself. Hopefully it will all go well and the rest of her teeth come in where they are supposed to! If we keep on like this, the tooth fairy is going to go broke!

Party Time!

Friday was official Christmas Party Day! It started with our Christmas party at Sunshine Montessori. The kids had a blast decorating cookies, making Christmas wreath ornaments and seeing SANTA!!! The looks on their faces when he came in is something I won't forget...too cute! As soon as we got the kids down for their naps, I headed to Allen Elementary for Kristin's party. I organized the craft for the party (they also made wreath ornaments) and I felt like I should be there....plus Kristin REALLY wanted me to go!

Kristin and her friend Camryn

Mrs. Taylor and Kristin

Chris and Kristin are headed to Joplin to spend the night. I think they are going to Carthage tonight to see the huge light display. I'm sad I'm going to miss it, but I am exhausted and feel like my sinuses are going to explode! Hopefully I'll feel like driving up on tomorrow.

Next week I'm working Monday-Wednesday. Kristin is super excited to spend some time with her friends at Sunshine Montessori. Most of them have been together since preschool or younger, and it's fun when they all get together. They are a good group of kids too. We are spending Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at home....we'll do our usual biscuits and chocolate gravy breakfast, open presents, and just hang out. Chris has to work overnight that night, so we'll take it easy for the day, which is nice. New Years weekend we'll head to Cabot for Christmas, round three!

Christmas Tour of Homes

Welcome to the 2009 Bloggy Christmas Tour of Homes, hosted by The Nester! Come on in, grab a cup of cocoa and make yourself at home!

Here's the front of our house...nothing extreme, but enough to look festive. My in-laws were here a few weeks ago and commented about our "naked" Santa...now I'm obsessed with the fact that I have a naked blow up Santa in the front yard!!! Oh well...moving along...





As you come inside you will find my Christmas village. This is the first time I've had a Christmas village. This one was given to me this year from my mother-in-law. It belonged to her sister, my husband's aunt, who passed away from cancer earlier this year. So, it is a special Christmas addition. I hope next year to have a country village and a victorian village.





Behind the village you'll find two of my favorite Christmas books..."Twas The Night Before Christmas" and "The Passion Tree" by artist Jack E Dawson. If you've never checked out his artwork, I HIGHLY recommend it. He does amazing pictures "hidden" in his paintings.



Next to the village are our stockings. Since we don't have a fireplace to hang the stockings by, I found this cute stocking holder several years ago. These stockings are all handmade...mine and my husbands were made by my grandmother.



My daughter's was made by my mother. I am way too ADD to complete anything like it!



Here is our den...this year Kristin, my daughter, requested a live tree. The first few days were rough, with the allergy and asthma issues we have, but we've adjusted. Our tree is pretty traditional...cranberry and gumdrop garland and ornaments we've collected over the years. No "themes" here. The one, I guess, contemperary thing about the tree is the topper. Usually we have an angel on top, but she was retired this year...she'd had some rough Christmases! I made this topper and still am not sure if I like it or not!






Here are some of my snowmen...I've collected snowmen for several years and love them all!



And my Christmas card tree. I only have a few cards...maybe everyone is putting off sending cards to the last minute like me :)



Here is my nativity, given to me from my Grandmother. I have another one that my aunt and uncle gave us the year we got married. However, baby Jesus has been MIA for the past three years. I keep thinking I will find him one Christmas!



Now making your way to the kitchen...here is the door going to the garage. I've got my 12 Days of Christmas ornaments hanging on the garland. Our tree couldn't handle anymore trees and I saw that my friend hangs hers on her garland (thanks for the idea,Mandy) so that's what I did. They aren't fancy, but I love them.





Here is the kitchen table...I at one time had all reindeer plates and mugs, but they have gotten broken over the years. I need to find replacements.





More snowmen in the kitchen window...





And on the kitchen counter....want a piece of candy?

Other kitchen odds and ends...

I love this little cottage. I've had it since I was a little girl. My favorite thing is that after you blow out the candle inside, smoke comes out of the chimney!

Down the hallway I have our advent calendar. This was made for me by a family friend when I was little. I loved it and now Kristin loves it. The wreath hanging above it was made by my friend's mother in Japan.



I think that ends the tour! Please leave your mugs in the sink and have a wonderful holiday season! I leave you with a picture of one of our many beautiful northwest Arkansas sunsets.