3 new pairs of jeans + me = HAPPINESS

I just have to say Thank you Jesus for giving someone at Levi's the common sense to create the PERFECT jeans for someone with a curvy body such as myself!!!! From as far back as I can remember I have always had trouble getting jeans to fit me...I have curvy hips, a larger than normal fanny (even before I had kids) and a small waist. I had to get jeans that would fit over my hips but then I couldn't get them to fit my waist, there would always be this big huge gap at the back of the waist. I have always dreaded buying jeans and most of the time I avoid buying them altogether, it is a very stressful and depressing experience.

After MANY months of complaining throughout our marriage, my sweet husband took me out yesterday in search of the perfect jeans...perfect meaning, reasonably priced, cute and actually fit. We ventured out to the mall...I went to American Eagle and tried on four pairs of pants...all with the lovely gaping back that I am so used to and I came out with this look on my face. James asked me if I was about to cry, I told him not yet. I was about to go ahead and purchase them when he asked if I wanted to go look somewhere else so I mentioned Express. There I tried on 3 pairs of jeans ranging from $60 to $98, still none of them fit 'right'. We went into JC Penney's originally looking for some boots but we passed by some jeans on the way in so I decided to look through them. James and I went through and found my size and I took a few pairs back into the dressing room. I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT!!! They actually fit!!!!!!!!! On the tags of two pairs it read "Curvy" and it literally had a picture of what my butt looks like on the illustration!! The jeans are part of a line called "Figure Enhancers" and BOY ARE THEY!?!?!? It also states on the tag "No gap in back! Fits a fuller shape."

Levi's Curvy Bootcut 529's, where have you been all my life??? I am forever a fan, so much so that I may just write Levi's a letter and tell them how great their jeans fit me and I may have to send a picture of my butt in their jeans so they can see the evidence, so they can know that I TRULY am a believer in their product. I got 3 pairs, they were on sale for $29.99 each. This was the best $90.00 I have ever spent.

My dear husband, thank you for taking me on a quest to find the perfect jeans. Thank you for listening to me cry and complain over the last 8 years when I attempted to buy jeans. Thank you for encouraging me to go yesterday, thank you for your patience and for wanting me to model the jeans for you when I got home. For once, I didn't mind! I love you honey!

Another Christmas gone

They said we haven't had a white Christmas is 83 years. I don't know of anyone who was alive the last time that happened, with the exception of my Great Granny, whom we just recently lost or rather whom Heaven just gained. I told my dad that I bet she would've remembered...if she were here I'm sure she would have told us that she was a little girl and she got to go out and play in it. It made me happy to think of her and at the thought of her probably being able to remember that. She remembered EVERYTHING, yes she did.

We had a nice relaxing Christmas Eve, heading out to church in what I deemed "A Texas blizzard"...it was so exciting to be driving in the snow. I love our Christmas Eve service, this was Channing's second year to sing in the children's choir. She has a beautiful voice and did such a great job!! When we got home, the kids opened their gifts from us and then off to bed they went anxiously awaiting Santa to drop by.










Channing came and woke us up around 7-ish, which is 'late' when considering my brothers and I would get up at 5-ish or even earlier sometimes to see what Santa brought us. I went and got Camden out of bed, although he was already awake. They had a great time looking at and picking through all the goodies that they received. It was a morning filled with noise, music, cooking and of course, picture taking! My brothers came over with their families around 2:00 for a Mexican feast...fajitas, grilled chicken, duck, homemade salsas and sangria! It's always a good time when we all get together, it just doesn't happen often enough.

Light of the world

Today, and the days leading up to Christmas, I reflect on what Christmas really means to me. It is a celebration of joy, peace, the birth of our amazing Savior. His birth means more to me now than it ever has because I have strengthened my walk in Christ over the last two years. Still I am far from who He wants me to be, I strive to welcome Him into our home on a daily basis.

I think about Mary, the mother...how she must have felt carrying the Son of God. Did she feel inadequate, was she scared half to death with the responsibility she had growing in her womb? Was she more confident than the rest of us knowing that she was chosen specifically to carry the Holy One? And Joseph, what a man of God, to trust that the woman he was going to marry was carrying a child that was not his. His faith and trust in God carried him in a world that would have never accepted a pregnant, unwed woman. The looks and whispers he must have received. Together they eagerly awaited the birth of their son, only to be turned away and forced to bring their child into the world surrounded by hay and animals...such a lowly birth for a king.


It is this story that fills my heart with joy and it saddens me to know that there are still people who don't believe this happened. To those of you I ask, why do you celebrate Christmas, or for what reason? What is your definition of Christmas or what definition do you go by? Do you just ignore that the first five letters in the word spell Christ? What songs do you sing at Christmastime? Help me to understand because even though we didn't attend church regularly when I was little, my mom always helped us to remember that it was Christ's birth that we were really celebrating. I can't imagine celebrating a holiday without going by the true meaning of the reason it's on the calendar.

The ripper...

We were running errands today, I was specifically looking for a beautiful beverage dispenser. I had seen one that I REALLY liked at Bed, Bath and Beyond but of course I did not purchase it the day I saw it so now they are out of stock. We rolled on into Kohl's to see if they might have a beautiful beverage dispenser, of course they did not have one either! James, Camden and I were looking at cutlery while the girls had left to hunt for a bathroom...James was kneeling on one knee, Camden was on one side of him, I was on the other. All of the sudden, I hear this long, loud TOOT!!! (Actually, if you want to get technical it was a really a fart but we don't use that word in this house so we will just called it a toot.) My first instinct was to look around to see if anyone heard it because it was super loud...there was a man at the opposite end of the isle that we were on but he wasn't looking our way so I will say that he did not hear it. I looked at James and he and I just busted out laughing, Camden proceeds to talk to James...James and I both know where it came from but there was no reaction to the loud force of air. James (still laughing) says "Camden, what was that?!" Camden has this straight face and I then tell James (laughing still) "Don't play it off like he did it!!!!" It was so funny and Camden just kept a straight face the whole time, that is until he FINALLY took ownership of it and with a HUGE grin he said "I TOOTED." And that was our fun for today! HA! Oh and I did come home with my beautiful beverage dispenser...thanks to you dear Target for having two to choose from! It wasn't the 'original' one I wanted but it is cute and it will do.

Channing's letter to the troops...

At school Chan's teacher had her class write out letters to our troops serving overseas. Chan brought her first draft home and when I read it, I couldn't help but tear up. I even read it out loud to James later on that day and couldn't get through it without my lip quivering, I wanted to share it with you. It was just so sweet and innocent and it comes from the heart of my 6 year old:

"Dear Troop, Sorry that you cannot get to have Christmas. Thank you for keeping us safe. I wish you not to get hert. You are a good soldgere. Thank you for guarding us. Thank you for fighting for our country. Be safe! We love you for your help. We are prayinge for yoll. Love, Channing"

Such a sweet girl she is!

Catching up, yet again...

Channing and Lanie relaxing on Chan's bed



Let's see, last I wrote it was October...several weeks and a few holidays later, here we are at Christmas! WHERE HAS THE YEAR GONE??? I am happy to write that our precious Camden turned 4 on December 16th! Four years old, I remember James talking about Camden getting to play sports when we found out we were having a son...well, he's finally reached the age...at 4, the possibilites are endless. Football, soccer, t-ball and to our surprise Camden has even made reference to playing golf..."GOLF?" James asks! LOL!

I decided NOT to make a homemade cake this year for him...it has been a tradition but I thought I would just pick one up this year...never again! This is the second time I have had trouble with getting a cake from somewhere...the first time, I have ordered it far enough in advance for there to be no problems, we show up to pick it up on the way to the party, they don't have my order, they don't have my cake...this time, with Camden, I did not ORDER the cake, I just looked through what they already had in the freezer, found one that I was happy with and asked for a piece of paper to write down what I wanted to cake the say...easy right? The lady in the bakery handed me a piece of paper that someone had previously written 'Happy Birthday Brandon' on it...I wrote Happy Birthday Camden on the OPPOSITE end and turned it around so she could read what I WROTE...I left to walk the store and when Chayce and I came back, would you believe the cake said "HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRANDON!" I was so mad but I didn't take my anger out on the bakery lady, it was an honest mistake...I guess. She had to scrape Brandon off of it and write Camden. I vow to never, ever, ever buy a cake ever again...this mom will stick with her good old fashioned homemade cakes!








Our family at Channing's 'Cookie Night' at school


James is on vacation this week...VACATION! It's always all work and no play for him...he always works so hard to provide our family so it's a nice change when he is home with us and the kids get so excited about having him here. We have laid around all weekend, Camden has been sick since yesterday so our options are slim to none as far as leaving the house, as a family anyway. It's nice to be able to lay around and do nothing but Christmas is rapidly approaching and we have some unfinished business to tend to! Looks like we may have to come up with a game plan and just have one of us head out to do all the finishing touches.


We took Camden to Chuck E. Cheese on his actual birthday


Air hockey


Dear Santa, I would like one of everything, please.


My big girl and I at the youth Christmas party


Singing his little heart out at his Christmas program


I L-O-V-E this picture




The TRUE meaning of the season


Mine and Chan's Christmas toes :o)

I still cannot believe that we are about to begin 2010...