Christmas ‘09….with my new Camera!

Okay, it's been way too long, again. It seems like there's so much to do, that nothings getting done. I keep saying I'll get to the blog after...., but if I do that, it would never happen. So, now that I'm laying in bed all day sick with the cold, I figure now is as good a time as any.
Needless to say, we did have a great Christmas! It did seem a little more laid back this year, which is always nice. Jared did a good job, as usually, with buying gifts for me. He bought me a new fancy camera(that I love). I just need to get better at taking pictures. Some clothes, the Wii Fit plus game, and of course a ton of candy in my stocking. Those last two seem to cancel each other out. Anyways, Jared got a table saw and a shop-vac to go in his new, still packed full of boxes, garage. Jackson got several fun toys. An erector set, a Dino Dig game, which I will post the picts of later, and a remote control airplane that we haven't had the chance to fly yet. Colin got a ball pit and a box of balls. Can you tell what his favorite thing is?

Here’s Jackson with his pop-gun he got from Grandma Barnett.

And Colin with his Aunt Sharia, looking at his new Cars.

Aaaand, I just realized I misspelled that! Anyway, you get the point. I guess I was too excited about our Christas Snow;)

This was us leaving Lake Worth, on our way to San Antonio.  It usually takes us about five minutes to get from our house to where this photo was taken.  That evening, it took about 40 minutes. It took 2 hours to get to Burleson.

We listen to Glen Becks, “Christmas Sweater” story almost the entire drive. It really made the time pass. We got to San Antonio at about 10:00, I think.  We had to hurry and get the tree up and get the boys to bed before Santa came. 

Jackson, so handsome, and so glad Santa found us.

The boys, trying to find gifts for everyone.

Sweet Colin, with his wild hair.

Christy, opening her UT necklace we gave her.  Sorry Christy, it was the only picture I had of you that morning.

 

Here I am, checking out my new earrings.

And Colin, excited about his new present.

Jackson, excited about candy canes.

Jared, bundling up in everything he can find, it looks like.

After our festive Christmas morning went for a walk on the river and ended up at a nice Mexican place for dinner. We went back to the hotel, and spent some time in the hot tub on the roof. We played several games including a  race to see who was faster at jumping out of the hot tub and jumping into the pool. Swimming across and back again then jumping back in the hot tub. I believe Jared won, and I lost. I was a really fun Christmas, and one like I have never had.  I am normally one for staying at home with family for Christmas, I do have to say though, that I’m glad we did it.  It was an experience, and there’s nothing quite like the feeling of having an entire hotel to yourselves. It did seem that the all of the people that were around for the next couple of days made up for our one night of solitude.  We’ve now talked about going maybe the weekend before Christmas in hopes that it may be less crowded. None the less we had a memorable Christmas in ‘09.

We left San Antonio early Sunday morning heading back to DFW to make it to my cousins house for our annual family Christmas get-together. We were a little late, but we did make it.

My cousin Natalie and her little boy, JW.  He was born eight days before Colin.

 

Jackson eating a cookie with Ma-maw, his great- grandmother.

Jackson is admiring a new truck.

Colin, going through his stocking(bag) goodies.

 

Jackson with his beautiful cousin Bayleigh.

Here are the guys, scheming about how to get the gifts they want.

I told Jared to take pictures while we opened presents, and this is what he did.  I have about ten pictures that look like this.

That evening when we got home, we still had a few larger gifts that needed to be opened. We couldn’t take them to San Antonio with us, so thought we’d just have a little family Christmas at home when we got back.

Here’s Jared opening his shop-vac.

Colin pulling all of my tinsel off the tree.

Jackson with the Dinosaur Dig Game.

Jackson’s helping Jared open his table saw.

As crazy as it seemed our Christmas would be, it didn’t feel that way at all. I think we all enjoyed our Holiday festivities, and had a good time.  I have to say, that I was a little glad it was all over though.  I had felt that with us moving right before Christmas, I wasn’t really feeling like I was getting all of the normal, fun, Christmasy, stuff in that we are all used to doing ever year.  i.e.I didn’t bake one batch of cookies this year for Christmas!  Anyway, I was really worried that I wouldn’t have the full Christmas experience this year, and I had been looking forward to the holidays in the new house, long before we had found the new house. In the end, we all had a great Christmas, and thanks to everyone that we got to enjoy it with.

Taking a minute...

I'm feeling a little bit bad about not posting for such a long time. This isn't going to be a fun post probably because I can't access any pictures, but I still felt I should get on here and write something. Things have been very crazy lately and I keep hoping that things will miraculously some how get back to normal before Christmas. Ha, ha! Anyway, we've been in the new house now for about a week, and I've accomplished painting the kitchen...pictures later...and I love it. It took a couple of days for me to feel that, but I really do love it. It's a fun house, a house with quite a few quirks. As in tonight, I found a plug in the garage that only works if the garage door is open. It happened to be the plug that I had plugged the Christmas lights into that I had spent a few hours putting up outside in the cold, only to have Jared close the garage door and all my lights go off. So I guess tomorrow I will be in search for a decent plug around here that works correctly. The house is cozy, and it's the kind of house you want to stay in for awhile. That was very important to us. We have all of our Christmas stuff up, except the LIGHTS! So, now it's just unpacking the rest of our stuff, and trying to get things in order, and try to cram in some Christmasy Traditions. I am looking forward to Family, food an dour trip to San Antone.
Alot has happened since I last posted, so I suppose I will have a bunch to write about when we finally get the computer set back up. Until then, I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a very, very Happy New Year!

True Pioneer's

I wish I could be more like this couple.

My own Haunted House!

Well it's not really mine, or haunted....but I thought it would be fun for Halloween anyway. Some of you know this and some don't but I have had my eye on a house for a about a month now. No we don't have ours sold yet, but nonetheless I love this house. I have told some of you about it, so I thought I'd post some pictures of it. I have always loved old houses! Something I must have inherited maternally. I love the history, the character, the creaking of the wood floors....all of it. This particular house was built in 1891, yes it 118 yrs old, yes that's old, and yes it needs a lot of work. Somehow, I tend to look past all of that to see all that it COULD be, and I like a good project. Anyway, I let all of you see for yourselves and you can tell me how crazy I am.

This is the big front porch.

The entry, as soon as you walk in the house. This isn’t the best picture, but there’s old tin on the ceiling that the P.O. (previous owner)painted purple. And in the bottom corner is the top of the old piano that comes with the house.

This is the living room, it’s much bigger than this picture leads on.

Now this room looks the worst. This I guess would have been a parlor of some sort. It had two big pocket doors that divided it from the living room, but the rude P.O. ripped them out with the original mantles (three of them) in the house. That's all old wallpaper falling off the walls.

This is from the parlor looking into the living room, missing pocket doors and mantle ahead, but I guess the nasty rug's included. They left it behind.

This probably was a bedroom, it’s right off on the entry. And that’s the fourth fireplace. It’s all brick and it works.

Ah, this kitchen has sooo much potential.

This is the actual dining room it has a door way that joins the kitchen, and then that’s a lovely pink and purple bedroom on the other side.

This is the main bathroom in the house. It has a full wall of built-ins and a claw foot tub. There is another half bath on the other side of the sink wall, but I think it should be made into one bigger bathroom.

This is the outside of the kitchen and a nice little shack. It looks kind of rough, but it’s much better inside.

This shows the exterior of the brick fireplace, and some nice detail work at the roof peak.

This is the front yard. There are lots of pecan trees, a walnut or two, and a peach tree in back. That’s the old well house in the background. It is built with cement and stone. It has two small windows and door on the side facing the street. It has been painted white on the inside, and has a workbench with lots of shelves. It’s actually a lot less scary inside than I had expected.

This is other end of the house, the outside of the parlor. The attic widow at the top is a stained glass in need of some work.

Well, you all kind of have an idea of what it looks like. I can’t tell you why I like it so much. I think that I think it would be so rewarding to see it transformed and taken care of again. Please tell my what you think. And if by some crazy circumstance I end up with this house, I will start a sign-up sheet for a painting party, food included:)

.... and After!

Okay, I said I would post the final pictures of the house after all of the renovations from this summer.

So, here's the before of the kitchen. Remember how messy...yikes!

And the After......ahh, much better!

 

Okay, this is the teenie tiny bathroom off of mine and Jared's room. So, I guess Mater bath, but it's not very Master-like. I have never really liked it until now, and I LOVE my new shower. The After picture looks dark because my batteries in my camera were almost dead and it wouldn't flash, you get the idea though.

 

If you remember, we also put a new fence up this summer.

And this is a picture of Jackson's room. Both boys were sharing the room at first, but we put Colin in Jackson's old room so that the house would show better.

Okay, now that I'm officially frustrated with this New post window, why is it SO difficult?, enjoy the pictures.