Happy New Year and more

Here's to a very blessed New Year to you and your family. I always look forward to a new year. It's like starting over. I have such great ideas for the new year. This year with your help I hope to keep these promises to myself.


Shanna's New Years Promises to Myself

1. Of course there is always lose weight. However, this year I have a jump on this one. I've been working out with Bob Harper from the Biggest Loser. In case you don't know I'm obsessed with this show. I want to be on this show so bad.










2. I'm going to spend more time with friends and family. I really enjoy this but I think I don't do it enough.

3. I would say I'm going to get organized but that just won't happen. I have said that for as long as I can remember. That is just not in my make up. My sister on the other hand is an organization master. We're not sure where she gets it from.

Now you know my promises to myself. I like calling them promises instead of resolutions because I'm more likely to keep a promise. Happy New Year to you and yours!

As things come to an end...

Wow I can't believe how fast this wonderful time of year comes and goes. We had a great time Christmas Eve with my parents, grandmothers, my sister and her family and of course my husband and girls. The girls had a fun time tearing into their presents. Karagen's favorite gift was her press on nails, even though she got a karaoke machine. That was by far my favorite one. Reagan's favorite gift was her bouney ball. Santa came to our house early Christmas Eve because Karagen woke about 11:30 PM and announced Santa has been here. Thankfully, we were able to convince her that we needed to go back to sleep until in the morning to make sure Santa was finished delivering our gifts. This year Santa had a family gift for us, a Wii. We have had more fun with this game system. Even Reagan plays with this thing. Christmas day we went to my Grandpa's house. Every year we play this fun game much like a Chinese gift exchange but we use envelopes of money. Last year I stole $20 away from my cousin, Beau. This year he though he'd get me back... well he didn't. He ended up giving me $10 and he had $5. We had a visit from the Jolly old man himself. It was rather funny because no one could figure out who this "person" was. My dad went outside to see if her recognized the vehicle. It was a long time friend of the family that felt sorry for my mother because she wanted to have Santa come to visit the kids. Thank you Nancy for making the kids and my Mom's Christmas even more special. That evening my parents came to our house see the gifts the girls got from Santa. We had dinner, played Wii and watched a rodeo.



Our Christmas is still going because tonight we are going to Ryan's Oma's. Wednesday we are having Christmas at Ryan's Mom's and Thursday at Ryan's Aunt's house. Aunt Carol's house is always fun for the kids because there are so many of them. Ryan Mom's side of the family is huge. There is never a dull moment around there during any gathering.

I hope you and your family had a wonderful holiday filled with tons of memories like we did. I am going to post my New Year's resolutions. Maybe if I post them I will be more likely to stick to them. Sounds good anyway.

Lots to blog about

Well we're out of school until January 5th. There is so much to do and so little time to do it in. Ryan has off all this week so we want to get as much family time as we can. Friday, Ryan and I finished up our shopping and went to the movies. If you are looking for a funny movie, I recommend Four Christmases. It is hilarious. Saturday night we took the girls to Fiesta Texas. They didn't have many rides going but we did catch a couple of shows, saw many Christmas lights and the biggest tree in Texas(so they claim). The girls even went in the middle of the stage when they asked for the kids to come sing with them in one show. Reagan really enjoyed the rides this time. Okay so she didn't enjoy Frosty.







We have a tradition that every Friday after Thanksgiving we go to my Mom's and make gingerbread houses. Well we still did that this year BUT Karagen gingerbread house was destroyed by some freak force of nature. So of course Omie to the rescue, my mom bought her another and this is her master piece.

She also made a mini one at school. They had so much fun. I wasn't able to be there because I was at home with Reagan, she was sick. Well sort of... it's a VERY long story. .

Yesterday, Ryan took Karagen hunting... for a little while anyway. Karagen come home mad because she can't go to the bathroom anywhere like Daddy can. I told it is was just one of those things in life that is so great about being a girl. Today we are taking the girls bowling.

This Christmas I can't stop thinking how lucky I am to have a happy, healthy family. I got upset with Karagen the other day for talking ugly to Reagan. I told her she needed to think about how lucky she was to have a sister. Then I felt bad because I should have taken my own advice and realized how lucky I was to be able to say that I have 2 children. I think about the Morris family (see blog below) and how they are suffering this time of year. I pray for them to heal and know that Greyson is at the hands of the Lord. This Christmas I will remember how lucky I am to have everyone I love right here with me. Enjoy this time of year and the people in it. It is amazing how fast things change.

I told you I had a lot to blog about... Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

No words...

There are no words that can describe what this family has endured. I can't even imagine how much this family is feeling. This Christmas I will be thankful for the happy healthy children I have. I pray that the Lord helps this family heal. Please read the words this mother has written. I'm going to give my girls a huge hug. http://greysgift.blogspot.com/

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

I just love this time of year. Karagen and I put up the tree last weekend. We started a tradition last year. We watch The Polar Express with the lights to the Christmas tree glowing bright. We pop popcorn and drink hotchocolate in our PJ's. It is so much fun. Isn't that what Christmas is all about?

Our Tree

Karagen's Letter to Santa

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and Reagan's "letter"


And speaking of tradition...Tonight we await the arrival of St. Nick . The girls have written their letters to Santa and placed them in their stockings. This is so fun to see. Karagen has gone from scribbling, to drawing and now she is actually writing a real letter to Santa. It can't believe how fast they are growing. I want to cherish every moment that I have with them now.