Her Morning Elegance

Beauty in the Common Things: Spending time with friends. Since we have finals this week, I get to spend more time with people I don't always get to spend time with. I got to scrapbook today! 2 pages down, 1 million to go!

Listen In: Wow Wow Wubzy! Not the best Nick Jr. show, but Grant likes it!

View from Kitchen Window: My cat and his girlfriend he brought over this afternoon. What a ladies man!

I found this video through an online article about the top viewed videos of 2009. This one was so cool to me. Another one of those, "Why didn't I think of that!??"

Saying Grace

Beauty in the Common Things: Great customer service! Kudos to Grant's new pediatrician for getting us in and out of her office without a frown or sigh from Mommy (or MiMi!). Also, I always know the Chick-fil-A will have clean bathrooms and will serve me 'with pleasure'.

Listen In: "Handy Manny" on the tube, Grant playing with his dump truck and him ACTUALLY laughing at the TV. Who knew a screwdriver having hiccups was that funny???

View From Kitchen Window: brr...cold! I want to be sitting by a fire with some Starbucks hot chocolate! Bonus: inches of snow outside!

Daniel and I saw "The Blind Side" last week. In the movie, I was reminded of how wonderful the illustrations by Norman Rockwell are. I admire his work and how he captured the essense of America during his time. Here is one of my favorites:

"Saying Grace"

A rare sight now-a-days. I admit that I don't even do this at every sitting. Interesting story: My sister and her friends from college went out to eat after church one Sunday. They held hands and prayed before their meal. Later on, a man came up to them and said that he had just paid for their meal because not many people prayed like that anymore and he was happy to see it. Thank you Lord for allowing us this freedom in our country to do this as we please.

A Case of the Mondays

Beauty in the Common Things: being grateful for what we have. I saw students flashing their new ipods, shoes, etc. One student that visits me daily who is labeled as mentally challenged said he got all that he asked for: clothes and socks. I heard stupid things all day from kids who think they are 'all that'. The student's one statement made me smile. I'm glad he got all he wanted.

Listen In: The TCU game in the background...horned frogs loosing...Grant blowing zerberts on Daddy and I. Don't know what a zerbert is? Maybe you call is a raspberry, but Rudy Huxtable named it a zerbert and everything from The Cosby Show rules...

View From the Kitchen Window: My dog who left me a gross present this morning. Poor thing got sick to his stomach last night while in the house away from the cooler weather. I suspect the table food my husband fed him.

Here are some random pictures I didn't get a chance to upload:

This is Grant visiting Hooters. He didn't care about the food we ordered for him and certainly not the atmosphere. He did however eat about 3 of these pickles.

MiMi and PawPaw gave him this shirt for Christmas. It certainly fits him. He has been asking us literally about 4 times a day to play Guitar Hero for him. Definatley a music lover. He was also trying out his new Toy Story table and chairs from Santa. They are a hit!

He found a new reading spot.

Ringing in the New Year

Happy New Year!

Beauty in the Common Things: Hearing Grant read to himself. He got plenty of new books for Christmas and now likes to sit and read to himself.

Listen In: Right now, I can hear Grant playing in his room. Sounds like he is sawing on his new toolbench. Nope, just banging on it like he's supposed to.

View from Kitchen Window: A clean backyard. The dogs have chewed up a few things and left it a mess. We got a chance to clean it all up while Grant was napping.

We have gotten SO much done since being out for school. Organizing, cleaning, and doing fun things with our little man. This is our last official day of vacation until March. Depressing, but I won't complain. Every time we have a long break from school, I have nightmares about me being unprepared for class or terrible kids that won't listen. I hate those dreams...and hope they never come true!

Early Christmas week, I made and decorated Christmas cookies with Grant. I remember my mom and I every year during the holidays doing this and then delivering them to elderly or ill friends. I want to keep this tradition up with Grant and help him to grow up the servant we are called to be. We had a great time making the cookies, just hated cleaning up the huge mess!! Good thing I kept my workout clothes on so that wouldn't matter too much. HAHA. We had all intentions of delivering the cookies, but the weather got bad. Family members got to enjoy the goodness instead.

We spent Christmas with my husband's family. There are so many cousins, aunts, and uncles that their house gets hectic and crowded. I'm totally not used to that. My family consists of just my immediate family. However, I do have a wonderful extended family consisting of some wonderful friends I can always count on and they love us, love my husband, and love my son. I am truely blessed.

On Christmas Eve, we got news that it was supposed to be snowing back home. They expected inches of snow. I was so upset! How could this happen the year I was to spend Christmas away from home??!! But, in the spirit of Texas weather, they didn't receive anything more than light flurries. Phew, crisis averted.

I don't have many pictures from Christmas yet, I spent most of the time trying to keep Grant on task and video taping the events. Thanks Tanya for the tripod, a tleast I can now be in some of the videos!

Grant is growing up so much lately. He talks and talks, even when you can't understand what he says!

We were also organizing his room and decided to convert his crib to a toddler bed. So far, so good!

There is so much already on the agenda this year, but we are looking forward to it:
Daniel graduating with his masters, me wrapping up my masters, possible job upgrade, potty training, home buying/remodeling, sister in law graduating high school and starting college, possible terrible 2's AND a new nephew or niece!