Christmas Caroling! aka "I WANT a COOKIE!"

Tess went caroling at the assisted living home the other day with some of our mommy and me friends. The residents loved seeing the children! Bringing youth and energy to the elderly people really puts a smile on their face. The video is Tess's grand attempt at Christmas Caroling......maybe next year she will do better! I hope and pray everyone has a blessed Christmas that is filled with wonder and joy. I once read a quote that said, "One of the saddest things is to wake up Christmas morning and not be a kid." Remember to charge your cameras and video cameras for Christmas morning.

Addendum: We have posted our house for sale, if you know anyone that is interested please spread the word. If so, email me at jfinton@sbcglobal.net and I will send pics and info about our house.

Painter!

Tess loves to paint.....on the paper................on her face. I walked out of the room for a couple of minutes and I came back to her lil' clown face! 2 year olds are really creative!

Yummy Party Recipes!

Last night I had my Mommy and Me Bunko Group at my house for dinner, games, and presents. We had soooo much fun! I talked with my mom and gathered a few of her favorite recipes and planned my menu. Anyway, I have listed what I cooked (with the help of my mother-in-law) for dinner. I made homemade rolls for the first time and they turned out pretty good. I was kinda proud of myself... (I am not much of a cook) Anyway, I still need to list the hot fudge cake that we ate for desert (it was awesome)....Grand don't forget to email me that recipe! Make sure to cook this for your husband, boyfriend, friends, or family...they will love you forever!! lol! :-)

Fancy Green Beans

4 cans of whole green beans- drained

1 stick butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar

4-6 slices of peppered bacon (or regular)

salt and garlic powder to taste

Place green beans in large casserole dish. Make a glaze with est of ingredients in microwave. Pour over Green beans (it's really thick). Fry and crumble bacon, spread on green beans. Cover with foil and cook at 350 for 30 min. and then uncover and cook another 10 min. YUMMY!!!

California Chicken

6-7 chicken breast (can cut in half)

1 1/2 cup Hellman's Mayo

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 small package of sliced/slivered almonds

1 regular size (not large) bag of potato chips

Tenderize chicken with a meat mallet or edge of a plate. Mix part of almonds, soup, and mayo together. Roll chicken in mixture- coat well. Place chicken breasts in Pyrex dish that is sprayed with PAM. Spread remaining mixture on top of chicken and sprinkle with crushed potato chips and remaining almonds. Bake uncovered at 350 for 45-60 min. THIS is TOO GOOD!!

Hot Pineapple Salad

2 20 oz cans chunk pineapple (drain and save juice)

6 T. pineapple juice

6 T. flour

1 cup sugar

2 cups finely grated medium cheddar

1 roll Ritz crackers

1/2 cup softened/melted butter

Drain cans of pineapple and save juice. Butter/grease small cake pan. Mix together pineapple juice, flour, sugar, and cheese and pour on top of pineapple in cake pan. Crush 1 roll Ritz crackers and sprinkle on top. Pour 1/2c. butter on top or spray butter (enough to brown crackers.) Bake 25-30 min. until golden on top.

Fa lalalala!

Last night we had our annual Christmas party with all my buddies from OT school! We always have the best time when we are together. Some of the best memories I have from college are with these girls....they are each such exceptional christian women with unique qualities. We all are very different in many ways but all crazy just the same. Have you ever been around people that bring out the best in you? Well, they bring out the best in me. Even when they know how lame I am they still are friends with me (at least that's what they tell me :-). I sure do lov 'em! Merry Christmas everybody! Here are some pics from our ornament exchange. Enjoy!

Rub a Dub!

Tess decided the other day that she wanted to take a shower. Okay I thought, why not give it a try? Here is a video of Tess's first shower. She is growing up...way too fast!! This is soooo cute!

**Disclaimer** For some reason the audio on my camera makes me sound like a hick, by no means is this what I really sound like. :-)

Christmas Past

Since I just started this blog I thought I would post some pics of Tess's 1st Christmas. She has grown so fast!! Merry Christmas!

Go GRAND GO!!

Our very own Grand clogged her way into the hearts of everyone that was at the Mayflower Christmas parade/festival this past Saturday. Man was she good!! (the best one up there!!)We had so much fun! Tess was not as excited to see Santa this time- last week she marched right up to him and sat in his lap-this time they gave us our picture money back....no kidding.. They had free hot dogs, hamburgers, Sonic drinks, hot chocolate, and cookies. It was a great time!!

It's ON!

Well, just to let everybody know (if you don't already) I am 14 weeks prego! We are VERY excited. I am due June 3 but I will have a planned C-section problay the last week in May. Then I have 1 week to get in shape before swimsuit season... lol! Puuuleaaase! Anywho, Jay told me yesterday (not in a mean way, but a loving husband kinda way) that I looked as if I was retaining water. What!!! I thought to myself....it is too soon for that! Oh, it is on now! I am not gonna gain those 54 pounds like last time (maybe 50.....but i am going down fighting). Gotta go for a walk and drink some water with lemon!!!! C-ya!

Thanks!

I just wanted to say a BIG Thank You to everyone that posted comments and sent me emails regarding Tess's sleeping issues. All of you had great ideas, routines, and advice!! Thanks so much! Just to let everyone know.....Tess has slept the past 4 nights ALL night in her bed!!! I guess all I needed to do was blog about it and beg for help!!!!! lol. However, the nap thing is still an issue. She will fall asleep if we go somewhere in the car or go for a walk in the stroller, but she will not lay in her bed and take a nap. I have all but given up. :-( Although, I AM extremely happy that she is sleeping at night!! Praise God!! Here is what I did different: I added a down blanket to her crib (we have one on our bed), I started praising her every morning for sleeping in her bed, talking to her at night before bedtime about sleeping in her bed all night, praying for her after we read 3 books every night (I did this before some, but I was not consistent), and Jay and I have been praying together every night. I DO believe pray works and I do think it has been the KEY to Tess sleeping better.

Mark 11:24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

The 3 ELFS!

Hey, I just made a total elf of myself.!!!
Check it out by clicking the word elf. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

"Good Night Sweetheart!"

I don't know what the deal is....

Tess refuses, will not, and can not be made to take a nap.

What happened to our good lil' sleeper??? We've worked so hard to be "Baby Wise" and our Tess has always been a good sleeper. I mean, she would go through stages- but overall.. a good sleeper. Lately (the past couple of months or so) she has been crying out in the middle of the night...."daddy", "DADDY!!" followed by a trip to our bed and then restful sleep the rest of the night. I however, can not sleep in a queen bed with 3 people (plus Tessie snores like a champ). We are trying to get the situation under control so she will return to our good sleeper. After talking to many "super moms" -here are some suggestions I have been given:

Make her lay back down, spank her, rub her back, lay down with her, hold her down till she goes to sleep, let her cry it out, pray for her....

I would love to hear any other suggestions from any of my blogging friends!!! Anyway, nap time is a disaster it is almost not worth it to me. I let her cry for 1 hour yesterday...i felt so bad. :-( plus she never went to sleep. Here is what she had to say "i ouwanna nap"...over and over!) I wold LOVE for her to take a nap, mainly for selfish reasons like I AM EXHAUSTED!!! Anywho, last night I laid her down (she always goes to bed easily at night) at 8pm and at 10pm she started crying out, etc. I went in there, hugged her and prayed aloud for her, made her lay back down (usually I have been rocking her-which is followed by her falling back asleep, me laying her down, her waking back up, her crying....repeat steps over again until I break and take her to our room....she wins..i lose) and rubbed her back till she fell back asleep...

and guess what?

SHE SLEPT THE REST OF THE NIGHT!!! Woo Hoo! WOo HoO!

Well, this morning she woke up at 7am and I went to get her. I praised her for sleeping in her bed all night and she said "I didn't get scared" :-( I felt sooooo bad. I have never heard her say she was scared at night. Poor thang. Maybe she had been having those night terrors?? Anyway, I would love to hear any advise from anyone that may read this...strangers or friends. I need some help.

Pray for good sleep for Tess.

I might give up on the naps.........will see. night all.

LSU......what????

Okay, I told Jay I was posting this pic because anyone that knows him will not let him live this down. My dad, brother-in-law Scott, and Jay all traveled to the LSU vs ARKANSAS game this past Friday. The man who gave them the tickets bought them LSU shirts because he was worried about their safety (their tickets were in the middle of LSU alumni)??? Anyway, they didn't have any problems and they even cheered for the HOGS with their LSU shirts on. Too funny!

Thanksgiving Day!

Tess and Granny made pecan pies (my fave!!..as long as it is my mom's recipe :-)) Tess is a great helper in the kitchen!! My sister hosted Thanksgiving dinner at her house. Everything was delicious! Thanks for the great food everybody!!! My mom's dressing is the absolute best!!! We have so much to be thankful for!!! Below is my mom and my mamaw...doesn't she look great after a year of chemo and radiation?? She graduates from her last treatment in Feb! YEAH MAMAW!!!!! We miss everyone so much and are so thankful for every minute we get to spend with them! Love ya bunches!!

Here's the Tree!

Family Tree
Tess's Tree

Tess and Sarah!

We took Tess's Christmas card pic at my uncle's barn...can't wait to show yall. It is too cute!! Have to wait closer to Christmas!!

Cute pics of the girls....I just had to post!

Kissing Cousins!

I am sorry I haven't blogged in a while. We have been in El Dorado for a week and when we came back our heater wasn't working...so we have been staying with Jay's parents for a couple of days. All is well now! Catching up on emails and blogging. We had a great time at home!!! It is always wonderful to catch up with family and friends. One night we went to my old stomping ground, "Parkers Chapel School" to watch my 2 nieces perform there cheerleader skills (a cheer "mini clinic" for the elementary girls) They were so good! The best 2 out there.....of course. Tess was so excited to see Sarah they kept giving each other hugs and kisses. Here is a pic!

Thanksgiving in Memphis

Last week we headed to Memphis for Thanksgiving with Jay's side of the family. We had such a good time!! We actually ordered chicken from Abner's (which was awesome!!) and had a few homemade side dishes. It was the perfect meal!! Tess was so happy to see her cousins- Bailey, Molly, Emma Kate, Pierce, Seth, and Andy. She was sad to leave!

It's That Fun Time Again!!

I can't help it.... I have to put my decorations up early. I mean I already feel like I am behind. I know it sounds CrAzY, but I like to enjoy them for as long as possible. It is a lot of work!!! Anyway, here is a picture of me and my sidekick working on the tree. It is so much fun chasing a 2 year old around trying to get the "balls" aka Christmas ornaments away from her. (twice as much work) She loves all the fuss! Maybe I will post a pic of the tree when I am done with it. Some friends and I went to the Holiday House this year and we all bought this mesh tulle stuff to put on the tree....did I mention it was torture!!!! I told Jay, i wish we had a place where we could put the tree up fully decorated and drag it out next year ready to roll! That would be nice. :-) Merry Christmas!!!!!!! P.S. Artwork makes great Christmas presents!!!! :O hoHoho!

Tesser!

Yesterday, after I got dressed I found that Tess had gathered all the small pumpkins, her drum sticks, a teddy bear, a necklace and some sunglasses. She was playing drums on the pumpkins! It was really funny....the stuff she comes up with (all 2 year olds, I'm sure). Never a dull moment. Below are just some cute pics of Tess.

Trick or Treat!

We took Tess to our local nursing home tonight to trick or treat. The residents loved seeing her! We hope that one day she will grow up to help adults or children that are sick or disabled. We broke out our fork and spoon costumes to wear to the nursing home and I got a pic of us. Tess also got to go trick or treating with her best friend, Presli. They had a great time together!