A WHITE Christmas!

     What an amazing Christmas 2012 we had!! We left for Louisiana on Sunday and that night we were blessed to get to be a part of Saint Rest Baptist Church's Christmas Party! St. Rest is where I grew up and is still home to me in so many ways. I also love how much the friends and family there love my bambinos! 

Santa made an appearance and of course L&S wanted nothing to do with him! They  hid head deep in momma and daddy's shoulders. Like I said last year, maybe next year they will like Santa?!?!

     After the party we took a quick trip to Ruston to see one of my friends Christmas lights! Jennifer does her lights herself and has a beautiful display of about 30 inflatables! The girls LOVED getting out and looking at all of them! They were most impressed with the Hello Kitty one, of course! We then had to go for a Sonic run per L&S's request!

     Monday morning we got up and went to Dubach to see Santa on the firetruck. This has been a tradition as long as my momma has been alive and I knew it would so fun for her to get to experience that with the girlies!  I even remember being in college and living in my grandparents house and my mom knocking on my door on Christmas Eve. When I answered and asked what she was doing she said "coming to see Santa on the firetruck." So that we did! The girls atleast looked at him! They were on mom and D's shoulder's so I guess that made them a little more brave:) We them had to make a trip to Johnny's as no trip home, Christmas or not, would be the same without one!

     Christmas Eve has always been my favorite day of the year. Growing up we would go to my grandparents and then go across the street to my great-grandmothers where the WHOLE family would get together in a little house. Time with my family. Time with a lot of people who are spending Christmas with Jesus now. Now that my grandparents are in heaven, we have Christmas Eve at my Aunt Lisa's. Now we grands have babies! This is where they make those amazingly special memories that I have of Christmas Eve. My girls sooo enjoyed their gifts...but I KNOW they enjoyed playing with P-man, Jo baby and Ty so much more! After stuffing our faces, opening gifts and saying goodbyes we headed back to Arkansas. We wanted to spend Christmas Eve in Louisiana but wanted the girls to wake up at our home on Christmas!

     I guess the getting home late, even though the slept almost the whole ride home, was tiring! My girls had to be woken up at 9:45 AM on Christmas morning! 

We sang Happy Birthday to Jesus and then the girls started in opening presents!   

We then told them that Honey and Papaw and Lollie and Pop had sent gifts with Santa because they were too big for them to bring! 

Lollie and Pop were able to find a ROLLER COASTER

 and sent it with Santa!!! 

Honey and Papaw sent a TRAMPOLINE!

These are some blessed babies and we, as their family, are so very blessed as well! 

We had plans to go to Bauxite for Christmas Day but the weather changed our plans. Just two hours after these pictures were taken the rain and then freezing rain started! The 11 inches of snow fell right behind it!

Syd LOVED the snow!! She was fearless and had so much fun!!! We had three layers of clothes under some onesie pajamas! Most folks in Arkansas don't have snow clothes! 

This picture sums up Lex's feelings on the white stuff! She really didn't care too much about it! She just wanted to play on her trampoline and roller coaster!!

What a fun snow day we had!!!

If this is what the rest of the winter will bring, we might need to invest in a snow suit!

 

My precious Boppy pillow

When I was about 10 weeks pregnant my mom, Aunt Lisa and I went shopping for some maternity clothes. We went into Motherhood Maternity where I found not only clothes but an awesome pregnancy pillow. It was called the Boppy Cuddle Prenatal Pillow. I never knew how much I could be attached to an object! Seriously, that thing went EVERYWHERE with me. At the hospital, I would even make sure it was in the bathroom with me when the housekeeping staff came in to clean. I wasn't worried about my Macbook Pro...but I was worried my pillow was going to go missing! 

But come on, being comfortable in the bed when you are pregnant is difficult! Especially pregnant with twins! 

I'm not sure if my attachment comes because I spent every day for 4 months with it or just because it was a great pillow. I definitely cried many tears into that pillow! 

The problem currently is that I still can't give it up! The hubs and I bought a new mattress and amazing pillows not too long ago and he said "pick out a replacement for that nasty boppy." Its almost 4 years old and is verrry ragged. I picked out a very expensive pillow for replacement but it just wasn't the same! I broke into a hot sweat and was having palpitations one night when I thought it was missing!

I KNOW.  I SERIOUSLY HAVE A PROBLEM. 

I'm not sure if I will still be snuggled up with my boppy when the girls are about to start kindergarten, high school or perhaps even college! I do know I love that ole thing and I will probably never give it up without a fight:)

In Memory of Uncle Darrell

On Tuesday, Dustin got a phone call from his mom with the news that his Uncle Darrell had suddenly passed away. We were all in shock. His wife, Maizie, said at Thanksgiving that he wasn't feeling well but wouldn't go to the doctor. 

Even though I only got to see Uncle Darrell for family events, I can tell you he was such a smart and witty man! He always seemed to know a lot on any subject that was brought up. He was an  explosive specialist in the Army..even dealing with nuclear bombs! 

We said goodbye to him on Saturday and what a great service! He had several friends from childhood and some from his service days share some great stories! His daughter, Laura, also spoke beautifully about her father and her love for him was evident. 

Uncle Darrell will most definitely be missed by all his family and friends!

From his obituary:

Darrell Lewis Walden, M/Sgt, U.S. Army Retired died at his home in Benton, on November 27, 2012. He was born May 10, 1940 in Bauxite to the late Ed and Nedgie Croxton Walden. Darrell retired to Benton after his career in explosive ordnance disposal in the U.S. Army, during which he traveled the world with various government officials as part of their guard detachments. He served in this capacity during the Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter debate in San Francisco.

He will be missed by his many friends and loved ones for his dry wit, his love for all kinds of music, and his willingness to help whenever needed.