Tink LOVES her new guitar that Mamaw Nia and Papaw Danny got her after they got a call from the big guy up North ;). Only problem is, at least for a little while, I am not sure how much the rest of us can take lol...but she does love to sing and play that li'l flatop box ;)

Christmas Card '08 (ala family style)

Well I had every intention of sending out Christmas cards this year...ordered them in plenty of time, got the prints back and in EVERY print it looked like I had socked Mike in the eye! Snapfish says that they do no auto-correction on their prints but SOMETHING got screwed up! The colors were off (kinda washed out and blah) and the corner of mike's eye (where it is a little dark on this pic) was blackened about half way around his eye!
SO instead here is my Christmas greeting to everyone :D Hope you have a blessed and Christmas and Happy New Year too! From my goofy family to yours ;)

My dream?...

I don't normally post giveaway links here. All of you know that. Tonight is different. I know that I have already posted one earlier, but I had to post this one too....if there is even a teeny tiny chance that I might win it, I have to try!
If you are part of my family you know this already, if you are a friend you MIGHT know it (maybe not), if you ever visit my blog you might have an idea...but my dream for the past 11 yrs has sincerely been to do some sort of photography for a living. We aren't talking the type that has galleries in NYC, just the type that makes enough to help the family income out and makes enough from her paid jobs to do photographs for families who can't afford studio prices (or even wal-mart prices!). Part of our church family is closely involved with the local pregnancy crisis center. This is where mothers (teen to however old) can go and get assistance during their pregnancy and after. Most of these moms cannot afford even the smallest package of birth photos (those stinkin' things are EXPENSIVE!) or photos of their older children. I would love to be able to volunteer a couple days a week to just do photos for these moms. BUT it takes something I don't have....a DSLR camera. I am not complaining about the camera that I have! It is just that it is very limited as to what type of photos I can shoot because it is very limited with quality in low light or things like that....IF I were able to choose my gift package what I would choose would be the Nikon D60 DSLR camera! If not, I would choose the PS3 game package for Mike and the boys. (but secretly every part of me wants that camera more than I can express lol...ok not so secretly ;) ).
SO....how can you have a chance to make YOUR dreams come true?! Just head over to TechnoSailor's blog and tweet, comment, and blog about it!

Give a li'l get a li'l...er um a LOT!

Jaffe Juice is hosting a $500 gift package giveaway (package from Sears, sponsored by Izea)! I would love to win the Nintendo Wii Fun Bundle! We have a Wii (thanks to elijah saving every penny he got last year), but only have one game for it (the one that came with it). SO I would keep a couple of the games for the kids and give the gamesystem and remaining games to the brother of a fellow blogger for his kids (if they didn't have one)! Head on over there for YOUR chance to win!

My submission for Portrait contest :)

My 4 yr old daughter is a girl of many moods and just as many likes and dislikes! She was letting me know that I had taken enough pics of her this day, and it turned out to be one of my favorites! This is my submission for a Contemporary-Portrait photo contest at I'm In Culture Shock! I have "cuter" pics and I have more "classic" pics but this one is one of my all times favorites (esp. since it had to be "recent"):D

Grosgrain is at it again...:D

Tree Lighting Wrap Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!
I have been trying to only enter giveaways that I am sure can be put to good use if I were to win them...THIS is definitely one of those! I can just SEE Tink in this gorgeous li'l frock, collar turned up, hair styled neat and tight with her big ol' afropuff on top!...sigh....
Oh yeah, um back to the reason for the post lol....Kathleen is giving this frock away to one reader! If you know some precious little Princess who would look dashing and gorgeous in it, go on over and follow the instructions to win!

Narrowed it down to 3....

Ok so I thought and thought and went back and forth and back and forth in my head about which pic to use for this contest at I'm In Culture Shock that should have a PhD in Awesomeness, and just cannot decide :(. My boys are just NOT very emotive in photos lately and Tink is never not oozing with one emotion or another so I decided on one of her pics....but which one?! I am running short on time and need some input...here are 3 pics taken within the last few months...which one do YOU think would have a shot at winning? The grand prize is 20 bucks in the winners paypal account! 20 bucks! That is like 20 digiscrap kits if I get them on Fab Friday or $1 Deals Thursday or....well you get the idea! So out of the 3 pics, which do you like? ask a friend, which do THEY like....ask your kids, your hubby, your neighbor! HELP!

Do YOU love me?!

Wow, Melanie sure knows how to guilt a girl into doing a questionnaire! Sheesh! (um but yeah I am so going to use the same tactic ;) )

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I love the quickness of bags, but c'mon, seriously, wrapping paper is ALWAYS the best!

2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial, but told Mike that just once I would like to try a real tree :)

3. When do you put up the tree? Usually the first week in NOVEMBER, but this year not until the day before Thanksgiving...and it STILL isn't decorated, only has lights on it.

4. When do you take the tree down? Normally the week the kids go back to school...it always depresses me to take it down so I do it when they are not home.

5. Do you like eggnog? I think I would, I know I love eggnog milkshakes!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? I can't say which was my FAVORITE, but my most surprising one was the year we got our first Cabbage Patch Kid :) (and that was the only one I had until I was an adult!)...for 1 we never got expensive gifts at Christmas, for 2 it was the year that there were riots over them, we lived in Knoxville TN that year and it was all over the news that people were being trampled and beat up over them! My mom happened to be walking by the doors that led to the loading dock and an employee stuck her head out and let mom know there was a shipment being unloaded :D She said she just couldn't pass it up :)

7. Hardest person to buy for? Just about everyone this year :(...with finances what they are it is hard to find "the perfect gift" with no money lol

8. Easiest person to buy for? definitely Tink (Chloe)

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yep! I collect them :)

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Both :) I email a lot but I also mail ones to certain family/friends and always try to mail ones to people who mail them to us :)

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? The year Mike bought me the generic walmart plastic tupperware stuff, which wouldn't have been "the worst" if he hadn't asked me a week before Christmas "Hey hun, you want to open your gift early?" I said "I do, but I don't...I think I'll just wait" He said "no, really go on and open it, I REALLY want you to" so I did and it was that (I thought it was just a joke and there was something else in the box) When I opened the box and saw the bowls with lids, he said "Thanks, now can you hand me the big one for the left over spaghetti?" He had made spaghetti and needed a bowl for it....sigh :P
Let me say that he TOTALLY rectified it a couple years later when he bought me my first digital camera!

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Muppets Christmas Carol hands down!

13 When do you start shopping for Christmas? The day after Christmas :)

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I don't think I have but honestly not against it lol especially if it were something that I didn't really care for but I knew someone who did.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Mike's grandma's Sweet Potato Casserole or his other grandma's vinegar cole slaw!

16. Lights on the tree? I use colored and white :) (it isn't as gross as it sounds!)

17. Favorite Christmas song? wow this one changes for me all the time :)

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? I think it would be nice to wake up at home on Christmas Day, but I would feel so let down if we didn't wake up at my mom & dad's....so I really can't answer this :(

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Dasher Dancer Prancer Vixen Comet Cupid Donder (or Donner) and Blitzen....and of course Rudolph, duh!

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? usually a Teddy Bear dressed like Santa

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? here at home we do it Christmas late morning, but we open presents at his grandma's and then at his dad's Christmas Eve (I think we are combining his mom's and his dad's this year though!) and ONE present at my mom's Christmas Eve (new pajama's and slippers), then we open presents at my mom's at like 4 or 5 a.m. at my mom's, go back to sleep for a couple hours then head home for gifts and showers and then off to his other grandma's then to his mom's :) (yeah we are wore out by the time those 2 days are over)

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Grumpy people!!!! Seriously guys, we can CHOOSE to be in a cheerful mood no matter how long lines are, what gifts are sold out, or how far we have to park from the store!

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? I love anything handmade or "countryish" :)

24. Favorite thing for Christmas dinner? see question 15 :)

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? hm what I WANT or what I wish for....I want my kids & hubby to have a great and happy Christmas but if you are asking what I would personally wish to have for myself it would be a DSLR Camera with a few awesome lenses :)

26. Who is most likely to respond to this? Everyone who loves me (stealing melanie's tactic)

27. Who is least likely to respond: People who do not love me. (stealing melanie's tactic)

So, now if you love me- post your answers! Let me know if you do play along so I can check out your answers.

No Turkeyday Pics?!

Nope, not ONE, how is THAT for rebellion?! But I have to admit, I have taken a few photos since then and here they are as proof ;). HOPEFULLY the boys are going to let me take a bunch this weekend IF IF IF I ever get the stinkin decorations on the tree! I miss having oodles of pics of my boys, but they just refuse or grumble so much it doesn't seem worth the fight sometimes :(....anyway, here are a few recent pics of Tink and I think one or two of the boys ;)

Just some pics before school...it was bring your teddy bear day....
**Tink (chloe) has a problem with not wanting to look directly AT the camera so I have tons of pics of her making this face....**




This is her current "pick" of stuffed toys...that is a baby outfit she bought with her change at goodwill during 99 cent kids clothes day a few weeks ago, and yep, she bought it specifically for THIS teddy bear "cuz he was nekked momma! except for his gwasses"


Since finanaces are a bit tight (lol that is an understatement) Tink & I have started making clippies for her hair instead of buying them...this is one of her favorites....



This is not the greatest pic but it shows how my daughter dresses a LOT of the time....the turtleneck was a 99 cent goodwill find, i think the tights were bought at walmart last year but they too might be from the big g.w. (no not the president, goodwill of course), the "shirt" is a dress that is 2 sizes too small as are the pants (the pants are actually a 24 month but she LOVES them and they fit her waist so she says they "still fit"...)


This is her cry baby face...




see how short the pants are lol they have went from pants to capris and are pushing becoming shorts soon! lol



lane made me promise not to post these on myspace, so I honored his wishes ;) (hey now, he didn't say a word about posting on my blog!) I have to grant him one thing, his nose is NOT that big...not sure if it is the angle or b/c he has his face scrunched up in laughter & pain but his nose does look ginormous in this pic....the younger 2 were using him as a "horse"...keep in mind, elijah is NOT a small child lol so this was a lot of weight!


another "not so great" pic, but this just reminded me (when I took the pic from across the room trying to be incognito) that even at 10 yrs old, li'l boys need snuggles from time to time ESPECIALLY from their daddies...


One of my new faves of tink :) That is her baby that goes with us whenever the teddy bear doesn't...tink's dress AND the baby's dress, 99 centers!

She would sit on his lap, but acted like she was mute...she absolutely refused to do more than nod yes or no to him lol...he looks kinda grumpy or something in these pics but he was a very nice santa and the pics were free! I took these 2 and they gave us one...it was at BassPro Shop the weekend after Thanksgiving and they allowed you to bring your own camera too (at the mall Santa, you can only take your own IF you are buying one of their packets too and the cheapest is like 18 dollars for a 5x7!!!!) soooooooooooooooooo another buck or two saved ;) and we still got to see the big guy in the red suit....



this was actually AT Bass Pro, I just deleted the background (it wasn't a pretty backdrop like the fish tank or animals, it was a stupid temporary boat display or something lol)...


The other morning I couldn't find Tink in her room....this is why.....



And finally the boys helping put up the tree...they did a great job!




:D ok still a lot of pics, but not as bad as trying to do an entire season in one post ;)
If you leave a comment, let me know which one is your fave...I might be entering a contest (you can pick one of these or one of the fall ones from a previous post) for portraits of people ;)....