Happy birthday to me!!!!!

I turned 32 today.......and even though I had to work (shouldn't it be a national holiday?), I had a pretty good birthday! LOTS of people sang "Happy Birthday" to me (a BIG thanks to Danny, Pam, Lee, Geri, Christinia, Frank, Dad, Dr. Lewis, and last but not least - Abby), including some versions I had never heard before!

Thanks Dan & Ruby for dinner at Logan's (even though we did wait for a table for more than an hour)! And thanks Mom & Dad for brownies last night (YUM!)! Oh, and thanks to the loud guy at Logan's who TRIED to make me feel good by announcing that I was turning 21!

It's not sad for me to admit that I am inching towards my mid-30's, but it is sad for me to admit that I did look really closely in the mirror this morning to see if I had any wrinkles! Come on!!!! Why would I let a few wrinkles stress me out? -- oh, and if anyone cares - I saw ZERO wrinkles! *BIG sigh of relief!* Ha!

A few Christmas pics

Abby, "BranBran", and "CC"

Notice her nasty carpet burn!

My cousin made this sweatshirt for Nanny!

Future singer/songwriter?

Nana's present

Playing an angel at church...she actually talked into the microphone! Just 3 words ("Don't be afraid" ironically), but that is HUGE for her....she is so shy!

Abby notes

Abby loves to write us notes, etc......and I love the fact that she does, BUT please read carefully how she words things.

"uhhh"

OK! My little "valley girl"?

Just had to share!

Sick days :(

Ughhh, I have been home sick for 2 days! I went to a walk-in clinic this morning, and they swabbed me for strep and also did a finger stick for mono. And I have a HUGE case of strep throat. So much so, they gave me a steroid shot and an antibiotic shot, a rx for erythromycin, and a pain killer because of my severe sore throat. I'm already feeling better since getting the injections, and my fever broke at about 10 this morning (and so far it hasn't come back).

Keep me in your prayers that I can get back to real life and also that I can love on Abby again without worrying that I am going to get her sick!

Weekend getaway!

We acquired some passes to Dollywood, so we decided to go while the 4 million lights (yes, you read that correctly - 4,000,000) were still on display.

This picture doesn't do Abby justice - we were only riding the tram from the parking lot to the entrance - but she was so excited!

A gorgeous tree (our nighttime picture of it didn't turn out well). It was so pretty at night!

This was called "Sky Rider" and it was fun but when you are 70 feet in the air and it is about 35 degrees outside - it was too cold to go again (much to Abby's dismay)!

Snow!

The best $.92 I've ever spent!

Babes In Toyland

A cool nativity scene (called a Christmas pyramid or something like that)

She had to pose by the pink tree (imagine that!).

Where'd everybody go?!

Raggedy Ann striking a pose for Danny!

Outside of the 4D version of Polar Express (It was good - but I'm not so sure if it was worth the 1.5 hour wait. Call me crazy but I will do just about anything for Abby. At least part of the wait was indoors though.)

We had a really good time even though we did almost freeze our tails off, and even though we would have owned Pigeon Forge because "Fun Time Trolley" almost ate my car for dinner, and even though we had a hard time finding our hotel (and then - we get into our room [car unloaded by the way], immediately Abby has to use the facilities and behold - some unmentionable items are dried onto the toilet seat). I strategically place toilet paper so she can go while Danny goes to the office to let them know what is wrong with our bathroom. He comes back with another key and we get to move to another room - Yea?! We were so hungry and tired and all we wanted to do was go get some grub. So, we move rooms and off we go to eat, at which, Abby lays down in the booth and pretty much conked out. She was a trooper though!

Oh, and I failed to mention that during the parade, one of the toy soldiers blew Abby a kiss - and that was the highlight of the trip for her! I guess my future son-in-law will be a toy soldier!

This little girl is so precious!

Day off...

Ok, so I am off today! My, my - a Monday off - and I really don't know what to do with myself! Besides laundry and Christmas cards - I am just beside myself with the fact that I don't have to do anything!!!

Since Pam at work reads this - Hi honey, I miss you! (haha)

Oh, and on a sidenote - why, why, why must Food Network be "paid programming" until 9:30!?!

Happy Birthday Dad!

My dear ol' Dad turned 54 today! I hate to say it, but these are the only pictures I could find of him on my computer (imagine that - they have Abby in them!)!

I love you Dad, you are the greatest!

Future redneck?

Our family has a 4-wheeler that is kept at my grandmother's house. Abby got up the nerve to try it out.......and had an absolute blast! I could hear her squealing "wheeeee!" and "COOL, go faster!"! To quote her - "The cold wind is making my eyes cry!"

(p.s. Ignore the date on some of these pics - our camera is being finicky)

By the way, you have to click on the pics to see some of her facial expressions to get the full effect!