Rambles

I can not believe this is the last day of January...actually it thrills me because that means we are one month closer to Christmas! ha

All last week I battled a ear infection and my Fibromyalgia has really been flaring up this month and causing all sorts of issues. Hopefully, I will be on the mend soon.

This weekend I went to Hastings and they had all of their used books 5 for $20.00 (which is a great deal) so I spent at least an hour searching and trying to make a decision - poor Alexx just waited patiently with a smile on his face (love that guy). Sadly, they did not have any used copies off my list of books I plan to read this year, but I still picked 5 (hopefully) good ones. The one I started this weekend is "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo"

I barely got through the first 40 pages and I was dying - this book, so far, has been hard to follow and to be honest rather BLAH in my opinion. BUT there may be redemption - I got a little further last night and its becoming more interesting and easier to understand, so I'm going to TRY to stick with it. I will let you know what ends up happening. Has anyone else read this? I mean its a best seller and Ive heard so many things about this book that surely there has to be something spectacular about it, right?!?

x0

Steph

Snow Day! 1.09.11

This weekend we finally saw the kids and were able to celebrate Christmas with them! They seemed to love what they got. Friday night we opened gifts and watch "Up" before bed time. Then Saturday we met some friends who have kids close to the same age as Chase and Zoey and spent the day with them. Sunday was a perfect ending to their "Christmas Weekend" as it started snowing! Enough snow that they were able to build their FIRST snowman ever! Zoey was so beyond excited - I was so happy that I was able to be apart of that moment ;) Here are a few pictures of our snow day!

Tasting the snow!

Chase working on the snowman

She thinks shes funny

Their first Snowman!!!!

love her excitement!

I ended the day with my moms famous stew, cornbread and fire going while watching some of my favorite shows ;)

xo

Steph

Book Review: The Glass Castle

So one of my goals for 2011 is to read more - I LOVE reading, but sometimes seem to have a hard time finding a good book. Well, I have done some research and have some of my 2011 reading list made and thought it would be fun for me to do a review on each one I read. That being said, I thought I would share with you my most favorite books I read in 2010...

My mom actually let me borrow this book and from the first few pages I was completely hooked. I literally could not put this book down and when I wasn't reading it I was thinking about it. Its a true story about Jeannette Walls childhood (Jeanette is a writer for MSNBC.com) This book will leave your jaw hanging. I was in complete shock and almost disbelief. You will laugh, cry and even feel angry at times reading this. This is a definite must read for 2011 if you haven't already!


If you have any suggestions for a great book, please leave me the info - I would love to check it out!

xo

Steph

Christmas 2010

I'm late getting this posted, but better late than never right? :) Christmas was wonderful this year. Thursday we had Wilson Christmas at Jeff and Carri's house, it was so nice seeing everyone and having us all there (which rarely happens) Here are a few pictures from there...

Amy and I - not only cousins but one of my best friends!

Greg and Deanna

The Wilson men - Steve, Don, Greg and Jeff

Amy, Emily and Daniel

Carri, Hali and Jeff

Greg and Daniel

And this is one of my all time favorite pictures of Nana and PawPaw - see its rare to get many pictures of them - but one like this makes my heart smile - I plan to get this one framed for the house soon!

Then on Friday morning I woke up at 7am and ran all over town doing my last minute Christmas shopping! ha I had never waited that long, and while I was ashamed of myself for procrastinating I actually REALLY enjoyed shopping Christmas Eve morning! I got to my stores early enough where the places were empty...just me and a few others. There was an excitement in the air, along with the Christmas music playing - it was so nice! ha   Later that evening Alexx and I went over to my parents for our traditional family Christmas - I look forward to this all year - we eat, play games, laugh, open gifts and just enjoy each others company....

Wilson family photo!

Me on Christmas Eve

We were trying to do a "Awkward Family Photo"...I think we pulled it off!

I will laugh until I die everytime I look at this picture. Dont ask because I dont know...

Christmas morning Alexx and I (and Gizzy) had a little Christmas together - then we went to mawmaw and pawpaws house - it was so nice - unfortunately Clint and Kelsie couldn't make it, but everyone else was able to be there! I love my grandparents house on Christmas - its perfect. Mawmaw read the Christmas story this year and we were all blessed with many gifts and then we ate and played games the rest of the day! That evening Lesley and I went to Winstar Casino in Oklahoma - we had so much fun - we use to be inseparable but now its harder and harder for us to hang out - especially by ourselves - so when we do I cherish that time. We had a blast - and I barely lost any money either ;)

All the grandkids (minus Clint and Chelsea) with mawmaw and pawpaw

Mawmaw reading the real Christmas story!

Kaylyns first Christmas

Danielle and David

James, Krystal, Kalei, Kobe and Jaycee

Dave, Johnna and Kaylyn

Jody, Valerie, Pawpaw, Mawmaw and Danielle

All the great grandkids!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. I know I did - I adore Christmas time and hold on to all of those memories. :) I'm already counting down until next year! ha We still have to do Christmas with Chase & Zoey - we haven't seen them yet, but we will have them on Friday :)

Xo

Steph

Just a little bit longer..

So its just a few days before Christmas and I am already feeling depressed - I HATE that Christmas is already almost here - I want at least another two weeks! Every year I get like this-  I am really trying hard to just take in as much as possible and savor every single second of the season. Every year I have so many plans that I want to accomplish (go to the symphony, throw a Christmas party, decorate my house like crazy, watch tons of Christmas movies,bake lots of goodies,etc...) and every year only a few of those plans gets done. I did have my parents and grandparents over for dinner last night - that was so nice :) I am just about done with my Christmas shopping - I plan to finish up tomorrow. Tomorrow night starts round one of Christmas - its Wilson Christmas - then Friday night is my family Christmas at my parents and then Saturday is Christmas with my mawmaw and pawpaw and all of my moms side of the family. I love the busy-ness of this time of year, just sad its almost over! ha But I am really excited to see what 2011 holds :) I hope you have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS - and remember the true meaning of this time of year.

Much love friends :)

X0

Steph

Christmas Time is here!

I could NEVER convey to you how much I LOVE Christmas - I seriously think about the season all year long. I don't know why I am so obsessed with it - even as a little girl I remember it being so magical - most all of my favorite childhood memories come from the Holidays. My parents always did a great job of incorporating Christmas traditions and fun family memories...things that we still do to this day. I long so bad for day that I have a baby and can start passing down these traditions and making these precious memories. I am giddy with excitement about Christmas this year - I just adore spending time with my family - I savor every single second of it. I know this sounds extremely crazy but I'm already beginning to feel sad that there is only 12 more days til Christmas - I just feel like this month goes way to fast and hate the idea of it being over! Here are a few pics I took a few weeks ago when I was decorating the house - I would love to get to the point where I have a Christmas tree in every room - I'm hoping to buy some more decor this year after Christmas! :)

Here are a few things I have sitting around - 

 

Bathroom decor

This is in the downstairs hallway

The Mantle (Zoey, Alexx, Gizzy, Me and Chase)

And lastly my tree - I love sitting at night just enjoying the beautiful glow of my Christmas tree - anyone else find it just as peaceful?

Merry Christmas friends!

x0

Steph

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanksgiving

Ok so the holiday madness has me all sort of behind. Between Christmas shopping, family gatherings, friends, photoshoots and editing I.am.swamped! I am so ready to get caught up so I can just sit back and enjoy the holidays! We did have a wonderful Thanksgiving - we went to Mawmaw and Pawpaws house for lunch and then Alexxs familys for dinner. It worked out great - then later that evening Lesley Chelsea and Mike came over and hung out for a bit before we started our Black Friday shopping at midnight! Lesley actually went home but the rest of us stayed up all night shopping. Alexx got his Christmas gift (a 50 in TV) and I got some of my shopping done for the kids and family. We finally called it a night at about 8:30am. I always enjoy Black Friday and love that I get to share that tradition with my sister :) Here are a few pics from Thanksgiving.

Such a classic "Lesley & Stephanie" picture - pay no attention to lesleys "costume" he was pretending to be a Indian in honor of Thanksgiving....

I have so very much to be thankful for this year - but the main thing I am always most thankful for is my family - I am beyond blessed.

xo

Steph