Christmas, Christmas Time Was Here

Now I'd better post about it before it's next year....

Colby got a battery powered four-wheeler.  The coolest gift ever.

Our nativity scene.  Colby actually left his headpiece on for the entire story.

Funny sidestory: we have a motion sensor snowman that talks and plays music when you walk by.  I turned it around so the kids wouldn't set it off when they walked by for the navitity.  Nicole stood behind it to take pictures and every time her camera flashed the snowman would go off.

 What good is a big present?  To eat breakfast on, of course!

Dresses I made for my girls.  This was the easiest fabric I have ever had the pleasure of working with.

 Now Clay has Ticket To Ride USA, Europe, and Germany.

And what did I get for Christmas?  Well, it's the exact same watch I got last year.  Only this one won't get lost.  I promise.

Your Attention Please!!

Hello.  My name is Andrea Hayes and I am known as unapproachable.

I had a great talk with a friend a while back and she revealed this about me.  Okay, I thought. Something to improve on.

Last night I went to a great party and at the end I was talking with a great group of gals and I mentioned what my friend had said and  apparently everyone still thinks this about me.  "I always think you are mad at me."  "You look like you don't want to be talked to."  Well, no wonder I don't have many friends!  Of course losing a child and going through the mourning process for two years will put a damper on my face.  Of course I haven't been smiling!  I was sad, people!!!

But that I still look like this bugs me.  Because I am not mourning anymore. I am finding happiness in life again.  Too bad my face doesn't show it.  So this is something to work on.

So, for the record, I AM approachable!!  I consider myself a friendly person and once I get to know you and feel comfortable around you, my funny personality will show.  Please give me a chance!  Please talk to me and say hello to me.  Really, I am a nice person.

(Disclaimer:  I am also shy and hate to be rejected so may not always approach you first.   Also, I may be in a bad mood depending on what events occurred on any given day, but usually get over it with friendly conversation.)

Post With No Name

I haven't blogged for a while but, really, who wants to read about the mundane tasks of my day.  I get to play with a cute little boy (who is NOT mundane) but, man, he is a pooper!!!!  He also would love nothing more than to play in that glorious snow (cough) but his mommy is a bit of a wimp.  I do not play in the snow.  But I do make a mean cup of hot cocoa!!!!


I am happy to say that I am 100% excited about this holiday season. After Austin died, the last thing I wanted to do was celebrate anything.  That gloom has past.  I am singing Christmas carols, and I am so excited to watch Colby see the tree lit up (which will be put up this Saturday).  I have finished all of my Christmas shopping except one present and I have a couple ideas for the Christmas gathering that we are hosting this year.  Yes, I feel good right now.

Oh yeah,  I am being put in nursery in January.  I'm not too thrilled about that but I have ideas there too!!  Hopefully they will make it easier for the kids and more enjoyable for me.  

Colby Is 18 Months Old!

 Our little Colby is 18 months old today.  He is such a character.  He loves to do things to make us laugh.  His favorite thing is to walk around the house with a wet washcloth on his head.

Here Colby is all dressed up for church.  One minute after taking this picture, he took the tie off and broke it.  The tie never made it to church.

 

We bought a new dog carrier for Cuddles.  But someone else thought it made a good playhouse.  We had a hard time getting him out of it!  Every time we would open the door, he would pull it shut again.

 

For the First Time

 Every year that we have been married, Clay goes fishing with his dad the week of his birthday.  This year he didn't go fishing so for the first time in 11 years we were with him on his birthday!  We celebrated by having a little party for him.  The first party was cancelled because Savannah, Clay and Colby were sick.  We rescheduled and invited some of Clay's little friends. (And their parents!)

Here's a picture of my little Tigger, Dorothy, and Wicked Witch.  They got so much candy at the ward trunk or treat that they didn't even miss going real trick or treating!

And here's a picture of my latest sewing project.  I love it when I make something for the girls that they love so much they wear it as soon as it is clean!

What Time Is It??

See this watch?

Clay gave it to me for Christmas last year.  It looks much nicer than my old one.  It has diamonds around the face, a purple face (my favorite color!) and it also says the date.  I love this watch!

Too bad it is missing.

Last Wednesday (a whole week now) when I was helping the girls with homework, Colby pulled on it so I took it off me, and put it on his arm and he walked into the kitchen (we were at the kitchen table).  Later I went to get it off the floor but it wasn't there.  Not to worry!  I'll find it in the morning!

That was a week ago.  Every day since I have been pleading with Colby to find my watch.  We have looked up and down, inside and out, over and under and seriously all around.  We moved the fridge and stove.  Clay took off the air return vents in case Colby put it through there.  We looked under, in, and around the couches.  Clay even took apart my piano.  We have looked in every room in the house, in every drawer and cupboard.  I even looked inside the oven and dishwasher.  Clay thinks it was thrown away with the trash, but I ALWAYS shut the pantry door where the trash is because Colby loves to get into things.  When I open the door, I immediately shut it 'cuz that kid is fast!  I am very sure (but not entirely, of course) that it didn't go in the trash.

For the past few days I have been wearing my old watch, but this morning the wristband broke.  Woe is me!  I hate not knowing what time it is!!

So if you have any ideas of remote places that it could be, let me know even though I've probably already checked there.

(And I'm harboring a tiny hope that Clay will get me a new watch for Christmas that looks amazingly identical to the one I lost.  And this watch ain't going on no baby's arm!!!)

Status

Clay--Sick with flu.

Me--Sick with cold.

Savannah--Sick with flu.

Dakotah--Not sick yet!!

Colby--Was sick with flu this weekend.  Better now.