Our First Thanksgiving at Home

Today is the last day of November! You know what that means… 26 days till Christmas!


I had a wonderful Thanksgiving… well I must say Thanksgiving(S) as in more that one lol.. We celebrated as we always do with my Monmon and her side of the family from El Reno, it was so quiet this year as we only had 11 people there this year, Garrett, Michelle and Noah spent the day with Michelle’s side. Aunt Donna and Uncle Randy moved to Cali earlier this year and spent their holidays with my Aunt Lala, Uncle Mark and J.D. and Alex. Uncle Tim and Aunt Jayln spent the holiday with her mom so Kristen, Craig, Steph, Josh and Mackensie were also MIA lol but even with everyone in other places we still had a great time and continued to be thankful for our giant family! Next year we will go to Aunt Nancy’s and everyone will be there!

This year I helped MonMon get ready for the big day, it wasn’t really an option because I took on the important task of having our very own Thanksgiving dinner on Friday.. She and my Mom took great joy in watching me gag my way through it! Lol I think at one point my Mom was literally on the floor laughing HYSTERACLLY!! But seriously who knew you had to pull out a neck and a bag of nonsense out of the turkey’s “cavity”. I guess I should have been paying more attention all those years instead of playing with the cousins!! LOL..  That night I also took a whack at making a pie.. a Chocolate pie! I was pretty pleased with myself!

As always MonMon played a great host to the family and everything went so well! I always love seeing everyone and getting a chance to catch up, I especially love to hear stories about my great aunt, uncle and Monmon when they were little. 

                                        

Garrett and Michelle came in a little early and got to see everyone before they left! Aunt Nancy was happy to see Noah, she hadn't met him yet!

                                                 Noah was so happy he did a handstand!!

                                            It looked like so much fun, Uncle Peter joined in!

                                                  Garrett, Michelle, Noah, Peter and me

                              My favorite boy and I.. He's gonna be my little helper tomorrow!

Mickey ALWAYS has to work on Thanksgiving so I decided if his schedule couldn’t revolve around my holiday then we will make the holiday revolve around his schedule! After all this is our first Thanksgiving in our new home! I invited family and friends who are my family! I was so happy mostly everyone could come! We had lots and LOTS.. of food!

                                                               Step 1: Cut open bag

                                         Step 2: GAG while Pulling out nasty disgusting NECK!

                                            Step 3: let everyone see nasty pre cooked turkey

                                  Step 4: find cheap help.. he works for cheeto puffs and green beans!

                              Step 5: tell little helpster the Turkey takes 4 hours to cook! (he's shocked!)

          My little helper is ready to chow down.. look he's already started with the pre course.. cheeto puffs!

                                                                        The layout!

                                                                Pies EVERYWHERE!

                                                                      I'm so Thankful!

                                                                 Tables pre dinner!

                                                    Me and the dinner.. my first dinner that is!

                                                            My chocolate cake! YUM

                                                            LOL... he's a happy boy!

                                                         Bradley came by to see us!

Everything went so well, I'm now planning Christmas dinner!
We ended the weekend with a little Christmas shopping before Garrett and Michelle and Noah headed out of town. We will spend the next 2 weekends with them in Branson and Nevada. I can't wait.. for Christmas!!

                  

30 Days of Thanks

Soo. My intentions at the beginning of this month was to post one thing a day on Facebook that I am thankful for like all of my other friends lol.

But me being flaky in my day to day FB posting that didn’t work out so cut to me delivering my 30 days of Thanks all together!

Day 1- I am thankful for Music, everything about music any kind all kinds.. Well for the exception of polka, or death metal.. Oh and Blues ( but that may just be a symptom of being over exposed in childhood lol). I just know that in all aspects of my life music is there, you know when you hear a song and it takes you back to sometime in your life.. Like your very own soundtrack. Chopin always makes me happy, even when I’m sad. When I’m slacking Jay-Z can always make me get stuff done lol, Skillet just generally makes me happy.. As you can see my love of Music is very eclectic!


Day2- I am thankful for the friends in my life through the years that have inspired me to do things I never thought I could do. Laura T. -I’ve spent years watching you be the best business woman ive ever known you inspired me to start my own business, you always have time for me and have given me so many ideas and tips not to mention one of the very best friends I’ve ever had. Pippy- you have giving me strength to get through some of the toughest things in my life and you probably didn’t even know, I watched you fight some pretty tough battles like a graceful pit-bull lol and seeing you do that made me want to be stronger. Diane- HAHA.. You know you are betty crocker with guns who just keeps going like the energizer bunny. It’s not just your extreme will to get stuff done but I also hope I can someday be the kind of mom you are to Shaney and Doodle I love you sooo much!!. Michelle- you inspire me to be a better Girl for God, you have so many talents and love your ministry and the best momma to my nephew! Marrissa- you are so amazing! With your strength to not let ANYTHING.. Stop you from living your life!
Gael- your perseverance over the last 5 years has been more than an inspiration it’s a life lesson. Your love for humanity is a force to be reckoned with J Valerie- you know you’re my sunshine my only sunshine you make me happy when skies are grey.. You’ll never know dear how much I love you.. Oh.. Wait I just told you.. Your smile inspires me to shine a light and pass it in, because you never know how much one smile and a kind word can make someone’s day worth it. There are so many many more of you, lol but day 2 is becoming a book so I will just say… to all of my friends past and present who are forever a part of my heart and life. I love you all!


Day 3- I am thankful for my iphone.. Yes I said it, and you all know you are too lol


Day 4- I am thankful for my pre-school kids! Every year I meet another extraordinary group of 3 and 4 year olds. I’m convinced that these children will be our world leaders someday lol.. I love pass ing on to them a love of music hoping it will be as helpful to them as it is to me.


Day 5- I am thankful for my favorite OBU hoodie.. The one I stole from my little brother like.. 5 years ago it makes me soo happy!


Day 6- I am thankful for Books, or even more I am thankful for my love of reading. It’s like music, I love them all..


Day 7- I am thankful for my brother in law, he makes me laugh and stands up for what he believes in. He also is a teacher who cares about his students.. And that’s something everyone should be thankful for!


Day 8- I am thankful for missionaries because they give up so many things to spread they word of God to people who may never hear it otherwise. They seriously take up their cross and follow where God takes them.


Day 9- I am thankful for our home, our very.. Own.. Home.. Our cool in the summer, warm in the winter home, that will one day.. Be the home we raise our kids in.


Day 10- I am thankful I live in America where I can be free to learn, worship, vote and many many other things others will never get the opportunity to do.


Day 11- I am thankful for the Veterans who serve to keep our country safe. Men and women who spend time away from their own families to keep it that way. They sacrifice so much for us and for that I am grateful.


Day 12- I am thankful for creative people who do and make creative things I can see and buy lol


Day 13- I am thankful for the chance to have known Sherry Wise I think about her all the time, and even more during the holidays. My life has been forever changed by her friendship.


Day 14- I am thankful for my Piano, it has been passed down to me and I have lots and lots of memories from it.


Day 15- I am thankful for my the ministry my youngest Brother Garrett and my sister in law Michelle share with their youth kids. God called and they both answered. They are BEAST at sharing God with the ones who need it most. It’s amazing and I am blessed just to say they are apart of my family!


Day 16- I am thankful for HOPE.. Hope that endures another day, Hope that conquers sickness, Hope that one day what you have been dreaming and praying about will come true.


Day 17- I am thankful for the best grandparents in the world, not every kid gets to grow up like that. And I am so thankful my brothers and I did. I can’t even imagine my life without their influence in it.


Day 18- I am thankful for God’s promise of Forgiveness and mercy. Because lets face it. Where would we be without that. I’m thankful that we can use it in everyday life to forgive and ask forgiveness from one another.


Day 19- I am thankful for my Nephew.. OH MAN.. I am really really thankful for Noah, he has opened up apart of my heart that I didn’t even know was there. LOL.. I love being an Aunt and I can’t wait to meet my next niece or nephew soon.


Day 20- I am thankful for my Wise Guys and girl and Buss.. LOL.. Jim: who works so hard to always makes sure the kids have what they need and want, who somehow can always be in 4 places all at the same time and always has a great since of humor J Brayden: always.. Stands up for what he believes, and is so funny! Will: is persistent and is caring in his own way while still trying to be cool.. I’m pretty sure he’s gonna be the next Labron James.. Well a slightly paler and shorter Labron James lol.. Grant: is one of the sweetest kids Ive ever known he makes me laugh till I cry and has the best outlook on life ive ever seen.. For heaven sakes the boy smiles at his ice-cream cone while he eats it J and my MadelineRiley: She brightens my day everyday, she stands for what she knows is right no matter the cost, she makes me laugh so hard I walk around with a tummy ache! She has always been and always will be a very special gift in my life, I’ve known her since she was born, I can only hope one day I will have a daughter who has those qualities and loves her family as much as Maddy loves hers. These 4 kids give my life an extra special dose of blessing everyday. They are my family and I love them all soooo much!!


Day 21- I am thankful for my Monmon , she has taught me so much.. Like how to cook stuff and how to sew and how to have fun in the car on 10 hour long road trips and how to burp the star spangled banner LOL.. She’s gonna kill me if she ever finds out I put that one out there lol!!


Day 22- I am thankful that my brother Peter decided to take control of his life and get help for himself by going to rehab.


Day 23- I am thankful for second chances


Day 24- I am thankful for the Nichols Family.. Gael, Therron, Jake, Katie, Will and Jessa and an assorted herd of animals big and small lol I have spent 12 years of my life with them. The time spent there has been some of the best experiences in my life.. I learned how to bottle feed a calf, and goats. I learned that when horses get out of the pin and are on the road if I drive my car slowly while the kids hold out buckets of feed out of the window they horses will follow lol, I learned you don’t say… KIDS.. Get in the car when the goats are out their pins.. LOL because the will mistake themselves for the actual kids and get in your car! I learned rabid dogs and Chickens don’t make a good coupling, I learned not to play hide and seek with a sleepy little girl cause she will fall asleep in her hiding place and you will call her mom crying because you “lost” her daughter when really she’s asleep under the pillows! I learned you have to check the pockets of a little boy who loves everything creepy and crawly or you will be scraping earthworms out of the washer, I learned that when 2 years turns into 5 of waiting for someone so special that God gives strength to the broken, courage to keep going another day, hope that it will happen and joy when the call finally comes. Then after it does.. You learn that Twinkle Twinkle little star is really sung like this.. “Twinkle Twinkle little star how I want you sing with me” that we don’t say gimmie we just say please, that little girls who love noodles also love cuddles, ladybugs, kitty cats, Elmo cakes and her family... And I am sooo thankful for all of that knowledge.. LOL


Day 26- I am thankful for family I can call friends and friends I can call family.


Day 27- I am thankful for Stephenie Meyer LOL.. You all know you are too J


Day 28- I am thankful for the promise that the sun always comes up after the dark and the hope that this spring will when we start our infertility process again it will work.

Day 29- I am thankful for my husband. Mickey is the better half of me. We have spent 11 years together, we have pretty much grown up together at least in the becoming adults kinda way lol. He has been the steady rock of support through all the happy, sad, stressful, exciting times never swaying in any situation. His glass is always half full no matter what happens. He makes me laugh, smile and want to be a better wife for him. He works so hard everyday to provide for us. I’m so blessed God made him just for me. I know that one day when he gets the chance he will be the best daddy because of the way he loves. And I am just so…. VERY.. Thankful.

Day 30- I am thankful for a Father who gave his one and only Son to save us from our sins. A father who sent his son as a baby to this Earth to live and then die for us. I would not have anything to be Thankful for if it was not for him. My life would be void of meaning or hope without the love of God.

So for a Heavenly Father I am beyond Thankful. I’m undeserving of such a gift but so happy he gave me the chance to have it.

Let's play catch up :)

Happy Holidays everyone!

Yeah I know most people don't like to say that till after Thanksgiving lol but if you know me you know I am a sucker for the holidays! I have been listening to Christmas music since July :) and YES.. my tree is up, decorated and lit! I have no shame about my love of all things Holidayish!

I have so very much to be thankful for this year. Mickey and I bought our first home and spent the summer remodeling the downstairs portion. It was a very trying and HOT.. summer and thanks to a few really GREAT friends and family we were able to get moved in by July 4th. Now that we are getting settled in we have begun work upstairs on our guest rooms and my craft room! I feel so sad without all my crafty things.. I can't wait to get them unpacked into their new home :)

Uploading all we have done would really take me all night. LOL so I thought I would upload one of my favorite rooms in the house! my library :) This is actually the week we moved in. I'll have to take some newer pics soon.
                                                             

Mickey and I are LOVING.. our newest title of Aunt BeBe and Uncle Ippy to our favorite little man Noah! He is nine months old this month and just keeps getting cuter and cuter every day! We love him soooo MUCH! I am having so much fun buying toys this Christmas! I haven't done that in a long time :) and yes we are spoiling him rotten!! Did I mention Noah will be a big brother soon?.... YES YES, his baby brother or baby sister will be here sometime in May maybe we will share a birthday!! Like I said I have so many things to be thankful for this year! I guess I don't need to tell you we are already waiting anxiously :)

                              

We have also added a new addition to our own little family.. No, not a baby yet lol. We got a new kitten for our Cat Darby. His little furry self is also half Persian just like Darby but he's alot.. fluffier and kinda dumb LOL.. I feel like I'm living with Pinky and the Brain! Darby is the evil genius and Emmitt is the one that follows her around wishing he was that evil too :D

As you can see we stay pretty busy around here! Between the house remodel and working I havn't left myself very much time to really put my business out there, it makes me sad because I LOVE making stuff and I know. After the first of the year I will really get it rolling! I did however do my very first wedding announcements this summer for a really great Couple Tim and Kristen :)
 Tim's mother painted this beautiful Lilly and scanned it so I could add it for their announcements, such a perfect and very personal touch! The cards where white with a pearly finish. I really enjoyed working with them. Thanks Guys!

I recently went on a road trip with Diane one of my very best friends and her kids, our "unofficial" niece and nephew lol Doodle and Shaney..We went to Alabama to see her family! I've never been to Alabama or Mississippi, or Tennessee so that was fun :) besides road trips have a tendency to bring out a whole new type of fun or insanity lol in a car for 10 hours oh yeah.. FUN STUFF lol lol

We had such a great time. I love love love the Blandamer Family they are like second family! You just wish you knew them lol

                           I love these girls! They are 2 of my bestest friends in the world!

                                                              The second Fam!

                                                                     Midge and I

Now It is November and Thanksgiving is upon us, I am cooking a Turkey for the first time in my WHOLE life! We invited all of our family and friends that we consider family to Thanksgiving dinner at our new house and I am cooking lol I'm just praying.. I don't drop the turkey on the floor like I do in my Thanksgiving nightmares I've been having HAHA.. I think it will be great, at least I invited people who would be fine just having mashed potatoes and gravy and stuffing so that takes the stress away.. Thank Goodness for people who love us even when we have the tendency to be kind of klutzy..

Regardless of my nightmares, I am really excited to do this. Plus, both of my brothers will be here and my favorite sister in law and little Moochy Pootie (that would be Noah).

I'm Thankful For...

Well, well, well Happy Spring to you all :)

I have been a busy girl these last 2 months, I am happy to say my business is up and running I am pretty blessed to have so many friends and family to keep me busy and spread the word.. I really enjoy getting to do the things I love as an occupation. I will say juggling working at home plus getting my preschoolers ready for graduation, making sure I am still available to help my 2 favorite families out and still having time to spend with Mickey is somewhat of a minor challenge lol but ahh.. what is life without some challenges, I am so lucky to have so much fun while doing all of these things. Recently I have been working on some senior graduation announcements for a very special person who holds a very close space in my heart.. I cant believe she is graduating from high school lol.. It seems like just a few weeks ago I was helping her build a "TV" out of a card board box, and watching the teletubbies lol lol.. and now she is fully taking on the world and doing exactly what God has set her apart to do, all of us who have the pleasure of knowing her are so, so proud of her. I am totally excited to do this for her.

Congratulations Jordan, I know God has so many great things planned for your life, you know we all love you and excited to see whats to come for you!!

I am thoroughly enjoying my new role as an Aunt! It is absolutely wonderful! Mickey, Maddy and I went to Missouri a few weeks ago and got to spend 4 days with Garrett, Michelle and the star.. Baby Noah! he is growing sooo much, God has really taken care of our family and given us so much to be thankful for. We had such a fun time and can't wait to go back as soon as possible lol.

I hate that we live so far away from them, so thank the Lord for modern technology as my "boinga" called it lol, cause I would not be able to deal with the distance if not for SKYPE, and facebook pictures lol..
this is my absolute favorite picture taken from a skype conversation not to long ago :) Noah is soo his fathers son, with all the facial expressions lol.. I love it!!

Mickey and I by the Grace of GOD.. bought our very first house, we closed on it April 2nd and could not be more happy with it! It's actually the house my grandparents used to live in and my grandfather rebuilt! It's so perfect for us and the memories from my childhood there are priceless.. It's a two story and it has 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, living room, dining room, laundry room, library, and an office, 2 covered patios a cute front porch and a deck and pool :) I am beyond happy that we were able to get it!

We feel like its a great start and will be a great place to start our family, we know that there is a child out there who needs us as much as we need them and our prayer is that we keep the faith to know God will lead us to him or her. So we have the house, now we just need to fill it! There's so much to do before we move into it in June :)

Offically Aunt Brooke..

Happy February 13th everyone!!

I am riding on a cloud right now this afternoon.. Last night at 11:10 pm, my very first nephew was born! My youngest brother Garrett and his wife Michelle my most fabulous wonderful sister in law gave birth to their first son.. when I say they gave birth I mean Michelle of course but Garrett did his best to be as supportive as a husband can be when his wife is in a massive amount of pain. Noah Liam was born February 12, 2010 at 11:10pm he is 6 pounds 5 ounces
and 20 inches long, he has a full head of blond hair and big sweet aware eyes! He is so calm and has so far just gone with the flow of things! We all waited and waited and waited all day in the waiting room of the hospital. There is just something special about being with friends and family who love and support each other during such a high stress but joyous occasion!

I want to take this time now for saying thank you on behalf of our family to everyone who prayed us through yesterday for all the thoughtful texts, calls and hugs we all appreciate it so much!

I am so excited to be an aunt! I told Garrett that Mickey and I will be buying every single toy we find that makes noise and glue the battery door shut and bring it to their house lol, Garrett is alot younger than me and he loves all sorts of instruments especially the drums, so needless to say while living at home being a teenager I wanted to throw that drum set out the window, its soooo past the time of payback and oh I WILL get revenge.. Noah is going to be the most spoiled little boy ever lol lol!

well, without further Ado... meet my sweet nephew... Noah :)

MoM's 50th BiRtHdAy SuRpRiSe

In January I pulled off one of the biggest secrets I have ever kept in my whole life! To quote my good friend Gael, if I really pulled it off then the CIA should come and try to get me to work for them.. lol.. Keeping a secret from Jayme Hankins is almost next to impossible, not only is she my best friend, whom I tell everything to, shes also the church secretary and you know those types :) they know EVERYTHING! I started planning for this GIANT surprise party in November last year, but things didn't really start rolling until after the new year then it was only a matter of weeks to get everything together! Of course I cant take all the credit! I had an army of people helping me. A party is an easy way of getting ministers to lie lol, I had to have the whole office of ministers in on what was really going on so they could get her to take a day off in a round about way, and it worked thank goodness!
Mom has so many friends from all over the place so I sent lots of invitations and I was so touched when people started sending emails saying they would be there no matter what, It was so wonderful to see all that love poured out on my mom. Robbin and Penny are 2 of my moms best friends they have been close pretty much their whole life's and one lives in Florida and the other in Colorado and they both flew here to attend! That alone was hard to keep a secret! But they got here without her finding out lol.
The week leading up to this party was one of the hardest weeks of my life lol, I was stressing out trying to keep everything going and not saying anything and lying about my whereabouts and well.. pretty much lying about everything! Telling the truth is soooooo much easier than lying haha... I had to keep a calender of what I was really doing and what I told my mom I was doing just so I could keep my stories straight :)
I made all the table arrangements and the invitations and the slide show, I think sometimes I go overkill on projects it's a hard habit to break. But like I said before this party would not have been pulled off without certain... secret helpers! So I want to take this time to thank them again! Valerie.. you know there was no way I could have pulled off the food situation without you or getting mom OUT.. of the office on the big day, I'm sorry I made you lie for me but I have a feeling that I'm forgiven. lol you went over and beyond with your kindness and I am so thankful for you!
Laura.. You are always so wonderful when I bring you a picture or have an idea for a cake, then you work your "magic fairy sugar dust" on it and it becomes a masterpiece! Not only do you make beautiful cakes you are always there when I need a helping hand. Thank you so much for helping me make mom's party great!
Joey and Bray.. you guys rock, as usual thanks for the lighting and the sound.. oh and Joey I prayed to be forgiven for asking a minister lie for me lol..
Alecia.. Thank you so much for taking the pictures, you have such a gift for capturing love and laughter on film! It was such a relief to me to not have to spend the whole night behind the lens lol.. You are such a wonderful friend to mom and I both!
And finally to my Mickey.. you are the best husband a girl could ask for :) thanks for assuring me the insomnia would go away and for telling me you didn't notice the thinning of my hair during the stress filled week leading up to the party lol! I love you soo much!

Invitations I sent to everyone.. while I was making them I laughed at the thought of what was going to happen to me when she saw what pictures I was using!

The most beautiful cake made by Laura Talbot.. Owner of Ms. Lauras Cakes in Okmulgee Ok. My motto is... A party just isn't a party unless you have a cake from Ms. Lauras..

Surprise!!

Cut to take 2 when I had to block the door so she couldn't run, which as you see.. she was trying to do lol. Just give in mom, your not leaving! lol..

Then she saw that my brother and Sister in law came from Missouri to be there.. She cried lol..

Lot's of people came!

This is Robbin mom's best friend from Colorado, she hid in a room in the gym and I played a video of her for mom, she had no idea she was only a head turn away, till Robbin said SURPRISE!

The Watsons made it down too, Mom was so excited to see them.. especially Diane!

Brayden and Jarrett, enjoying some hot dogs and chili prepared by Valerie :)

Grant and Jacob, those two are hilarious!

Alli, Tabby and Taylor

Slide show that played while we ate.. I had to find a body guard after that showing.. It covered the last 50 years of her life, so there were pictures in there that were supposed to be forbidden haha..

Make a wish!

Mom and Lesa M.

Mom and MonMon Ms. Roseboom, mom and Robbin.. Penny couldn't make it to the party so Ms. Roseboom her mom said she stand in for the picture! Penny's flight didn't touch down in Tulsa till around 10 that night so she surprised mom at the house later that night!

The gang.. is back in town! lol

Alecia, Mom, Teresa, Fonnette, Jennifer , Dianne and Julie

Jessie, Hannah, Jordan, Me and Rachel
I can not belive these girls are so old now.. I started babysitting them when they were just little girls, now they are all grown up and I am sooo proud of all they have done so far!

Family Picture time!!

Stephanie, Peter, Mickey, Me, Mom, Michelle, Garrett

I know Michelle is going to kill me for this pic, but I think she is beautiful and so does everyone else.. lol she's the one carrying my very first Nephew Noah! Due in just a few days!!

Alecia, Mom and Valerie

Alecia Mitchell Photography.. She took all the wonderful photos, you should check her out! She takes beautiful pictures and is an awesome person to work with!! go visit her at http://www.faithfamilyfriends5.blogspot.com/

Valerie and Laura.. 2 of my very favorite people in the whole world!!

Mom and Greg

Emma Gayle, Jennifer and Julie.. She thinks Jen looks hot in her hat!

Emma Gayle is rockin the new style!!