Date Night

All dressed up!

Last night was date night for Mommy and Jessilyn. We started this last year, and decided it had to be a yearly tradition! We went to dinner (Jessilyn's choice), then to the Nutcracker. We went to eat at Olive Garden. Fettucine al-fer-a-do is Jessilyn's favorite. We had a great time. I don't know how many times she said "love you, Mommy" just over dinner. She was absolutely giddy, and I loved every minute of it!

Funny faces at dinner
Is there anything better than this face?!?

We then went to the Nutcracker. Watching through her eyes was purely magical. She was glued to the dancers the entire time. She didn't miss a minute, and was asking questions about the story line throughout. She is infatuated with Clara. In the second half when the Sugar Plum Fairy was dancing, Jessilyn was more concerned with seeing Clara (who was just sitting on the throne watching, nothing else). Too funny! They served Christmas cookies during intermission. Yummy! After the Nutcracker was over, we went to Starbucks for coffee and hot chocolate. Jessilyn went and sat with a group of teenagers while we were waiting on our order. She, not for one minute, ever even considered the thought she wasn't as old as them! I think next year Reese will be old enough to get in on the action. We're still debating if Dad has to go, or if it will just be a girl thing. What's your vote? She had a great night, and I had an even better night...watching memories being made through her eyes. Nothing better!



Love you, Jess!!

Here's some more Jessilyn silliness, just for fun!!

Random Pics

Here are some random pics from the last month or so that I haven't yet posted

Jessilyn and Reese both got new haircuts. Jessilyn likes to tell everyone she got a "bob," and Reese "kinda got a bob, but really just a trim, because you can't tell she got her hair cut." I found a cute place for them to go. They get to sit in a firetruck or police car and watch a movie.

Jessilyn's hair

Jessilyn sitting so still

Jess in her first Christmas program at church
(my camera sucks...listening Santa?!?)

Jessilyn singing

Reese fixing MiMi's hair

Dress up fun!

We call this our version of a "knocked up 80's prom queen"

Let me explain: The girls went to a mermaid birthday party. The little girl's mom sewed mermaid tails for each of the girls. This is Reese's tail, but she likes to pull it up like a tube dress! It looks just like an 80's prom dress to me, and her cute little belly makes her look...well, knocked up! I can't explain where she learned this pose...I won't even try.

Reese getting her first hair cut (and apparently really enjoying it)

Lollipops are always a good distraction
Cute little Reese!

Thanksgiving 2008

We had a great Thanksgiving in Amarillo this year. The day we got into Amarillo was absolutely beautiful, so we took Jessilyn, Reese, and Marlie to the park. Marlie had a blast! Pops and MiMi came along. My mom swears she told us she wasn't going to cook this year (in the small rental house), but none of us weem to remember that conversation. Anyway, we did end up cooking...it was wild, crazy, cramped, and FUN! Everyone was home, there were pack-n-plays in every room, and we had a blast! Dinner was wonderful! We spent Friday with Randon's family. Randy cooked a great meal, and we had lots of fun rocking out on the Wii. Saturday we attempted to get pictures of the four grandkids in their Christmas outfits and pajamas for Christmas cards. BTW, whose idea was that?!!? We took something like 650 pictures, and got maybe 10 good ones (no good ones of all four together). I didn't even get a great one of my girls together. (You'll never guess which one wasn't cooperating!?!? If you can't, you'll know when you get your card!) Saturday night we went to church, then had a Wii party with my family. We were NO good, but it was amusing to listen to Cynthia sing and watch Jessica and Rob tag team on the drums. Sunday was some laid back, card playing fun with my family. Then we headed out to Stacy and Misti's for a great dinner, then got on the road back to Midland. All in all, a great weekend and way too much great food!

Jessilyn and the big man Hutton

Aunt Jaclyn and Reese

Daddy and Jessilyn doing "The Spider"
(takes you back to elementary days, huh)

Marlie swinging



Reese swingingJohnson Family

Jessilyn in her element!

Daddy's girl!

My Big Eight!

I was tagged by Jody and Jennifer, so here goes:

8 TV Shows I Love To Watch:
1. ER
2. Grey's Anatomy
3. Brothers & Sisters
4. The Hills (don't judge me)
5. John & Kate plus eight
6. Dancing with the Stars
7. Oprah
8. The 700 Club (I sound like my mom!)

8 Favorite Restaurants:
1. Kabuki (Amarillo)
2. Abuelo's
3. Chili's
4. PF Chang's
5. The Cheesecake Factory
6. Posada's (I miss this place, Jessica!)
7. Ruth's Chris
8. Wall Street Grill (Midland)

8 Things That Happened Today:
1. Paid bills (yuck!)
2. Put up fall decorations
3. Got down Christmas decorations
4. Put up all Christmas decorations except tree (ran out of time)
5. Argued with Randon about getting tree out, then about our messy garage
6. Untangled Christmas lights for Randon (trying to kiss up)
7. Went to buy milk for cereal (for dinner!)
8. Packed for Thanksgiving

8 Things I am looking Forward To:
1. Going to Amarillo
2. Cooking for Thanksgiving
3. Seeing MaMa
4. Going to church at Messiah's House (with Randon, for once)
5. Getting pics of girls for Christmas cards
6. Finishing Christmas shopping
7. Randon's Christmas break
8. Ski trip (first time for Jessilyn-more posts to follow I'm sure!)

8 Things On My Wish List:
1. Sleep
2. Energy
3. DSLR camera
4. DVD video camera
5. Lose weight!
6. Finish last details of house
7. Trip for 10th anniversary next summer
8. Get out of debt!

8 People I Tag:
1. Cynthia
2. Meghan
3. Stacy
4. Jill
5. Sarah
6. Emily S.
7. Erin
8. CeCe

I usually never do these when I'm tagged, and now I've done two in a row! Imressive...

I Was Tagged

I was tagged (like a month ago) by my friend Erin. Here is the 4th photo in my 4th file, then the 6th photo in my 6th file. I do not have my picture files organized well at all, so it is pretty random!!

This is a picture of my girls at Maw's house last year. Every year the girls on my mom's side of the family have a brunch the weekend before Christmas. Last year it was at Maw's house. There were lots of little ones around. The girls and their 2nd cousin(?) Kenzie were feeding the chickens. Maw's house holds some of my favorite memories from when I was a little girl. I have always loved those chickens running around in the back yard!!

This is a picture from when I was painting Jessilyn's room. It was the first room to work on after our move to Midland. She was helping me paint in her bikini!! She was so little :(

So there you have it, Erin!

Killing Giants

Today at MOPS, the girls learned about David and Goliath. In the car, Jessilyn was looking at her papers and pretending to be the teacher. What she said was too funny...

Jessilyn: "OK class, let's tell the story of David and Goliath one more time to help us remember. It is very important to remember not to throw rocks at anyone except giants and mean people."

Do you think she got the point of the lesson?

P.S.-I was so excited yesterday about potty training. The part I forgot: last night Reese got out of bed at least five times. Everytime I would raise my voice and threaten her with a spanking if she got up again, she would get her classic little Reese smile (those of you who know her know just the smile I'm talking about), and say in a sheepinsh little voice, "Reese potty." They learn so quickly how to manipulate, don't they?

Snack Time Fun!

Jessilyn decided she wanted to make her own snack today. She wanted to "mix something with m&m's. So I let her get creative, and what she came up with was pretty good! She mixed Cheerios, peanuts, broken up pieces of chocolate drizzled rice cakes, dried cranberries, m&m's, and mini Nilla wafers. Her and Reese loved shaking it up, and they especially loved eating it! (This was a vast improvement from last week. On two different days she asked if she could get herself a snack. The first day, she was eating caramel apple dip straight from the bowl by the spoonful, and the next she was snacking on a bag of bacon bits!! Healthy, right?!?)

On another note, Reese wore panties in public for the first time with no accidents-to Jessilyn's gymnastics practice! YEAH!!