A House Divided

Well, it has happened! Our house will officially be divided on January 7, 2010. Damon's team - Texas - and my team - Alabama - will be playing each other for the "big trophy" as Carter calls it.
We have been very blessed that in our 13 years of being together our teams have NEVER played each other but this is about to change.
The kids say they are cheering for Alabama - I promise there was NO prompting on my part with this (I was in New York when the games were being played and they called me to tell me). Laura Beth will stick with her choice but I am sure Carter will change his mind multiple times before the game begins and during the game.
I have been told to find somewhere else to see the game which is probably a wise move. So, we will see how all this unfolds. Some people in the house will be happy - some will not. I am sure we will all survive this event and be better and stronger for it!!!! Until then . . . .

ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!!

Saturday in the Big Apple

We had been very blessed with wonderful weather when we were in New York. The weather in Henderson was actually worse as far as cold and wet than we were having in New York. However, the weather caught up with us on Saturday. We hit Fifth Ave. Saturday morning with rain, snow, wind and typical New York weather.

FAO Schwartz doormen with me and Dixie

I don't have a lot of pictures from Fifth Ave. We ventured into Berdorf Goodman, Tiffany's, Disney Store and American Girl. We had a good time. After lunch, we met up with Brian Brewer - a real New Yorker now. Brian was great friends with my brother Chuck when they were at FHU. Brian spent a lot of time at our house and around our table. It was so good to see him again and it was great to have someone who knew where they were going to take us around! Our first stop - ROCKEFELLER PLAZA!

My wonderful traveling buddies with THE tree!
I miss this guy so much! Thanks, Brian, for
all your help!

Up to this point we had taken every form of transportation in New York (minus the limo) except the subway. So, Brian helped us navigate that to top off our New York experience!

The girls at the Spring St. station!

Mandy left us to meet up with some of her friends. Brian kept showing us around with a stop at Charmin's gift to New York City - a clean public restroom! Words cannot describe this experience! It was amazing! The people here cheer for you after you go to the bathroom and clean it after every use! It was amazing!

Warming myself by the toilet paper
fire place while Brian and Dixie
"enjoy the go!"

Brian and Dixie waiting in line to enjoy the go!

How did you enjoy your go?

LOVED IT!

We went up one floor to help power the ball for New Year's Eve. We got on the big bikes and gave what energy we had left to power the ball!

We gave them so much energy!

and then documented it with this amazing pic!

We ended our last night of the trip with cheesecake at Maxie's in Times Square. Brian was amazing and we got to see so much we would have missed if it had not been for him! We all awoke Sunday morning realizing that we had lived like 19 year olds and none of us were even close to that any more. However, what memories we have and what a time we had! We will never forget our Christmas in New York!

So where should we go next?

The Rest of Friday in the Big Apple

After the Today Show we met up with Mandy (who slept in) and ate lunch at Planet Hollywood.

Arika and Mandy eating lunch
Me and Dixie eating lunch

After lunch we headed to Macy's to do a little shopping and meet the BIG MAN himself - Santa - the real one! Arika and I took letters from our kids to the big mailbox to mail their letters. Macy's was giving Make-A-Wish foundation $1 for every letter put in the mailbox.

Me mailing the kids' letters to Santa

Then, we took off to the 8th floor to meet Santa. It was amazing as we saw everything in the world. Macy's did a great job keeping our attention as we went through the line to meet the real Santa.

Arika and I boarding the North Pole Express to see Santa

Yes, I am 32 years old and I FINALLY set in the REAL Santa's lap!

Do you believe?

I do and got the shirt to prove it!

I love this one of Arika having a private conversation

with Santa.

We enjoyed some more shopping and then headed back to the hotel to get ready for our show of the weekend - WICKED!!! Yes, I have now seen it 3 times but love it even more everytime I see it.

All four of us dressed and ready to go!

Arika, Me and Dixie in our seats ready

for the show to begin!

After the show, we went back to the hotel to drop Dixie off. Mandy, Arika and I decided we wanted to go to Rockefeller Center to see the HUGE Christmas tree when we were dressed up. So, at 12:30 we go to Times Square, hail a cab, jump in only to find out that they turn the lights off at 12!!!! So we file out of the cab, thanking the taxi cab driver for being so honest with us. We thought this city never slept, oh well!

"TODAY" in the Big Apple

Friday began bright and early - it was going to begin even earlier but our alarm clocks were set on central, not eastern, time. We did wake up and made it to Studio One by 6:20 for the taping of the Today Show and not only did we make it - we got good spots!

Arika, Me and Dixie at the Today's Show at 6:20 - with a balming 47 degrees! It was colder in Henderson this day!

We loved being there and seeing everyone! We got to touch Al and Matt and met Meredith and Natalie. Everyone was so nice. We could not get over it!

Us with Meredith - she loved our voices!

Dixie, Arika, Natalie and Me -

she is just a beautiful in person as she is on tv!

Thursday in the Big Apple

Our day Thursday started bright and early - we were packed and ready to go at 6:15 that morning. We got to the airport with plenty of time to spare! Arika was a bit nervous - esp. when she saw a pilot that looked to be about 12 years old!!! We laughed and told her this was going to be his first solo flight!

My traveling buddies Dixie, Arika and I eagerly waiting to board the plane in Nashville!

Once we got to New York, we were such the "city girls" and took hailed a taxi cab to our hotel in the city. We all decided that taxi cab drivers do not take the lines on the road as rules but just mearly suggestions.

Dixie and I ready for the taxi ride into town.

We got to the hotel with no problems at all. Our home away from home for the next few days was the Millenium Broadway hotel. Once we got to the hotel, we had to go through 3 sets of keys in order to get into the room! Who knew? Once we got into the room, we were so excited to see Times Square right out our window! What a sight! We all learned that the lights of Times Square do go out between 2-3 and come back on between 4-5 in the morning. We got settled and were ready to eat because we hadn't all day. We ound a great little pizza place called Pax in Times Square and enjoyed our pizza so much!

Eating my own supreme pizza!
Airka and Dixie loving their pizza!

Many finally joined our party and we took off on the town again. We enjoyed a Holiday Lights bus tour of the city! Everything was lit up and oh so pretty!

Mandy and Arika on the bus enjoying the holiday lights.

Dixie and I loving our view.

After the tour we enjoyed time in Times Square. We found the "money shot!" and took multiple pictures of us with the view!

My buddies and I in Times Square

We called it a night about 12:30 or so because we had a BIG day planned for Friday!

A Grown Up Adventure

In honor of my latest "road trip," I have borrowed some thoughts from my traveling buddy's, Arika, blog.

I hardly ever go anywhere without my husband and kids. I hate leaving them behind. However, they will not be going with me on this trip.

I'm leaving knowing that I've kissed my boys, squeezed them tight and assured them of how much I love them. I'm leaving my husband with warm fuzzy thoughts of a wonderfully simple and satisfying life I have with him. Everyone knows how much I love them and how much I will miss them. Truthfully, something could just as easily happen to me or Brandon or one of my boys here as it could if I'm somewhere else. I'm going to fulfill a lifelong dream! Since I was a little girl I've always wanted to stand in front of that gigantic Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center and feel like a Whoville person because of it's sheer size! I get to make that dream a reality in just two days.
I get to be a grown up. I get to take my purse that will be full of grown up things and no baby/kid things. There will be no diapers in my purse (for the first time in around 6 years!) There will be no toys or crumbled up Goldfish snacks at the bottom. I won't have to dig for 10 minutes to find my wallet or chap stick. I'm going to wear big ear rings since I won't have to fear them being ripped from my ear lobes. I'm going to wear lipstick since I won't have to worry about it rubbing off on my boys' faces from kissing them. I'm going to eat my meal while it's still hot and not cut up anyone's food before eating my own. (Sorry girls! If you wanted you food cut up, you're out of luck! Ha.) Yep, I'm gonna be a grown up.

I'm going to be a grown up--who's missing those things she's getting away from. A grown up who will be more than ready to go back to her everyday average life when this adventure is over. Ready to kiss those sweet faces, take off the ear rings and fill the purse back up with Goldfish. :) Ready to see my husband's smiling face and feel his arms hug me tight. (At least I hope he's still smiling when I get back after being left with three boys for three days!)
I'm excited.

A Tree of Their Own

I love Christmas! This is a major understatement! I have a tree for every room in the house - it seems like, at least. The day after Christmas the boys got to work getting the first tree in the house up and completed - their sports tree. I don't know who was more excited - Damon or Carter. They both loved getting all the ornaments out and seeing where each person "deserved" to go on the tree. For each person they got out, Damon would tell Carter about what makes that sports star so special. They both love the tree and have declared that next year they need a 7 foot tree because they could have put way more ornaments on the tree!

Placing this one oh so carefully on the tree!

All done! Notice the Texas hat - it keeps being changed by Carter depending on the day.

Thankful for Family

We celebrated Thanksgiving this year at RoRo and Bub's (my aunt and uncle) house this year. We loved being together with family and people like family. My favorite part of Thanksgiving this year was seeing the young cousins play together. They were so sweet and really enjoyed being together.

Pop and his girls

My mom (Dwina), Pop Whittle, and RoRo (Rosemary)

Pop Whittle and his greats!
Carter (6 years), Mary Beth (1 year), Laura Beth (7 years) and Andrew (1 year)

Carter led the cousin train with Andrew and LB following

right behind!

Smile for the camera, Pop!

Andrew liked the cupcakes I made!

Mary Beth loved her baby doll! She was so sweet!

Cupcakes to Gobble over

I found this cupcake recipe on Family Fun and loved it! There were super easy to make and everyone enjoyed them so much!

Turkey Cupcakes

box of cake mix

(bake according to cupcake instructions)

chocolate frosting
one box of Rite Bite shortbread cookies

candy corn

red and white decorating icing

Bake the cupcakes according to instructions and ice when cooled. Stick candy corn down into the icing. Place 3 shortbread cookies as seen in the picture (2 for wings and one for the head). I cut off part of the white from candy corns for the beak and then added red and white icing for the little touches.

Watch your family (of all ages) gobble these cupcakes right up!

A Kindergarten Thanksgiving

Damon and I were blessed to be able to go to Carter's Thanksgiving feast at school and what a feast it was! There was so much food for all the students, teachers and family members. We loved being with the kids and seeing our little Indian interact with the other members of his class.

Our little Indian, Carter
Part of our family

Lawson and his momma and daddy

What are we thankful for? Good friends like Robbie,

Lawson and Tucker!