We had a great time in the snow.  But when you can’t feel your toes, you know it’s time to move on to something warmer.  Cold, tired, and hungry we made it back to our rooms.  We began our quest for a restaurant open on Christmas day. 

 While I searched the phone book, Jason turned on the hot tub for Tyler & Abbey.  Zack thought that was the funniest thing.  He kept running back and forth from the living room to the bathroom.  He threw all his cars in there and giggled as the bubbles covered them.  Many minutes later the kids got out and we headed to TGIF, the only place open on Christmas! 

Our waiter was the best!  He brought out a printout of every ingredient in every food.  He stood beside me helping me find something for Abbey.  Amazing!  We were so thrilled to have someone like him to wait on us!  And, yes, I emailed the company to applaud him for his great job!  When we were all full and ready to relax, we went back to our rooms. 

We changed into our swimming suits, grabbed towels, and headed to the indoor heated pool and water slides!  We went from snow to water in one day!  Abbey and I went down the slide.  When she came out she bawled!  She didn’t know it would be dark.  That was it for the slides.  Tyler wouldn’t even try!  We swam until we were shriveled like prunes. 

It was late by the time we rode the elevator to our room.  Sleep came quick for all of us.  We knew the next day would be filled with much more.

After breakfast we got dressed and drove through the mountains for a few hours.  We drove on some trails.  There we saw so many deer, turkeys , and old churches.  When the trail ended we went to downtown Gatlinburg for some shopping.  Zack slept most of the time.  Tyler and abbey oohed and aahhed at the shops lining the streets.  We took a quick break to eat at Bubba Gump Shrimp.  Again, an amazing waiter. He came right out and told us the only thing she could have.  After eating we walked the streets some more.  On the way back to the Explorer we stopped at the Aquarium.  Zack loved it!  He kept saying, “Pish, Mama,  Pish!”  Abbey was scared when we walked under the sharks.  It was a little strange being under them, but amazing creatures to look at.  Tyler wasn’t too interested. 

We said goodbye to Gatlinburg for many months.  The Williams family definitely made many memories this Christmas!  I was glad we had our one “Special Christmas”.

Now that my Christmas post are over…. I can NOT wait to show y’all my bathroom remodel!

Abbey had a rough Christmas Eve.  She was up off and on all night.  Santa had a hard time catching her asleep.  In the wee hours of Christmas morning Santa made his way to us.  Tyler and Abbey kept asking us how he’d know where we were.  Jason and I assured them he’d find us.  And sure enough, he did.

I woke up about seven.  I started coffee and waited for the kids to begin stirring.  It wasn’t long before the smell of coffee had everyone moving about.  We always make them wait for each other to see what Santa brought.  Almost knocking us down, they tore through the living room door.  Zack was confused.  He kept looking at all the toys.  Tyler and Abbey finally helped him get his new stuffed pig off the couch.  He was ready to tear through the pile of toys.  This year Santa new we’d be traveling so he gave them a few toys and money. 

After breakfast and a little time to play with the new toys, we all got ready for a day of fun in the snow!  We pulled on thermal underwear, thermal socks, gloves, and toboggans  that Santa left because he’s smart that way.  When we were finally adorned with our snow boots we headed out.  We drove a few miles and noticed Ober Gatlinburg was open!  We had planned on doing that later on, but were excited to find it open on Christmas day!

We were all anxious to ice skate.  Tyler and Abbey had been talking about it for weeks.  Ice skates were handed out and I began the task of lacing and tying them up.  Even Zack had his own little skates.  After a few wobbly steps we made it to the rinks entrance.  Tyler and Abbey were gone.  Abbey skating like she knew exactly what to do and Tyler holding on with all he had to the rails.  Jason took the video camera while I headed to the ice with Zack.  I put him down and he immediately hit the ground.  Not hard, but enough to make him want to stay on the  regular floor.  I had such a hard time on my skates.  I couldn’t even bend over to pick him up!  A sweet lady bent over to help me and carried him to Jason, who was enjoying every minute of my balance act!  Ice skates are not easy!  Tiny little blades on thin sheets of ice… Jason handed the camera and Zack to me, then headed off to catch up with Tyler and Abbey.  They made a few rounds.  Giggling and waving every time they passed me and Zack.  After a few minutes Jason took over Zack and I headed out after the kids.  Tyler was still holding on while Abbey ventured farther out into the middle.  I’m telling y’all with a few lessons, I think she could really be good. 

Many hours later we were all worn out.  We decided to drive farther into the mountains in search of more snow.  We found it!  Bundled up and ready to play, the kids jumped out of the Explorer.  Zack didn’t care for the snow either.  His shoes kept sticking to the snow.  He couldn’t get where he wanted to.  We made a small snowman.  We had snowball fights.  They made snow angels.  Then we were all ready to warm up in the Explorer.  We headed back to our hotel to rest before we made more Christmas memories.

I still can’t get my pictures on here!  I guess y’all will get a day of all pictures!

Part III soon!

Christmas is a special time for families.  It’s a time to make memories that will last a lifetime.  This year Jason and I decided to make memories with just the five of us.  I was skeptical at first.  I haven’t missed spending the night at Mama’s in 32 years.  This would be the first.  How would we carry everything?  What if the roads were icy?  Many questions passed through my mind.  I decided this was something we needed to do before they were to old to enjoy it.

While I worked Christmas Eve Jason packed the Explorer with all the plastic totes and suitcases.  He packed a small cooler with snacks and drinks. When I got home they were ready to go.  We loaded the last few necessities and headed out to the snowy city of Sevierville, TN (only a few miles from Gatlinburg).  The drive was fun.  The kids were excited about the arrival of Santa.  We watched as Christmas lights danced in the distance.  We sang silly songs about traveling. We played Car BINGO.  Then finally after many hours we saw the lights of Sevierville, TN .

We checked in.  When we finally found a parking spot, much too far from the door, we started to unload.  Jason decided it was too cold for the kids.  We went up to the room.  Actually we went up to two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a full kitchen, and a living room with a balcony!  Beautiful can’t begin to describe it!

I made a few trips down to get everything out.  Outside Christmas music could be heard.  Lights were twinkling.  The cold wind chilled me all the way through.  Finally, everything was inside.  We settled in for the night and waited for Santa. 

Part II coming soon.  Hopefully with some pictures!

*** my found money is up to $.14! *** 

I am so frustrated!  I have been trying to upload Christmas pictures on here for weeks now.  I despise having to ask Jason for help.  He is just too smart and it makes me feel a little inferior.  HA!

Until I can post some pictures y’all get….. ready for it? …. A LIST!  Oh yeah!

1. My heart goes out to the people of Haiti!  The destruction is devastating.  I thank God for protecting me everyday.  I pray every morning for the safety of my family.  We just never know what God has in store for us. 
2. I have to to change my ring tone.  An older lady sitting in front of me has the same one!  Not good.
3. I have a gift card I have to use before February.  Guess what…. I can’t find anything to use it on.  Now if I didn’t have that gift card, I would be finding things all over the store. 
4. Some random guy just came in.  He started talking to me about school.  Then he realized we didn’t go to school together.  HA!  I love my job.
5. Zack is so smart.  He takes all his cars and lines them up side by side.  He puts them in line by colors!  He can’t tell you what color they are, but he can line them up!  Love this baby boy of mine!
6. Abbey is still grounded over the money issue.  She keeps asking how much longer.  I may just keep adding days since she’s not keeping up with it!  She acts much better when she’s grounded. 
7. Tyler is growing so fast!  This year he hits the double digits!  TEN!  Oh my!  I just can’t stand it!  My sweet baby boy!
8. I developed some pictures yesterday that were 5 years old.  AND… I have three more rolls to go!  I am so thankful for my digital camera!  No more developing film. 

OK there you have it.  Dani’s randomness until I can get my Christmas pictures uploaded!

The economy is bad.  It’s no secret.  People are cutting back.  Frugal is now a word I hear often.  Apparently my daughter did not get this memo.  Money is just paper in her cute little glitter covered pink wallet.

Last Wednesday I left work early to check on my mom.  I got home before Tyler and Abbey.  I started laundry and dinner.  Then I sat back to relax a little before the chaos of my night began.  Little did I know that the chaos would be triple that night. 

I heard the bus drop the kids off.  A few minutes later they barged through the door.  Abbey’s eyes were big.  I noticed she went straight to her room without one word.  Tyler was right behind her.  I could hear him telling her she better tell me.  When she didn’t say anything he blurted out, “Mama, Abbey gave away SIXTY dollars on the bus.”  What?  Can you repeat that?  Yeah he said it…. SIXTY dollars. 

I was beyond furious.  First, I told her NOT to take her Christmas money to school.  Second, she just GAVE it to a little girl. Third, there was no third.  I was out of my seat in three seconds flat heading to her room. 

“Abbey, why did you give your money away?  Did she ask for it?  Why did you even have it with you?  What on this Earth were you thinking?”  I bombarded her with questions.  I didn’t wait for answers. I kept trying to get a reason to her madness.  The answers finally came.  Not good ones, mind you.  Basically all I got was, “Mama, I don’t know.” 

I definitely will not win Mother of the Year in 2010!  I yelled.  I didn’t raise my voice, I flat out yelled.   She was terrified.  I couldn’t even spank her.  Jason had to because I was that mad.  I grounded her for two weeks.  And… I took all her money from her.  Even her pennies!  I put it up so she can’t find it. 

After much fussing yelling I put her in the Explorer and we searched for this little girl.  Luckily she stays with her babysitter that is only a few houses down.  I went to the door to make sure she was still there.  Then I explained the situation to the lady.  She brought the girl to the door.  I made Abbey ask for her money.  She handed her a twenty.  The babysitter asked where the rest was.  She gave forty to another little girl!  OH… I was feeling some more yelling coming on.

We get back in the Explorer.  Abbey assures me she knows exactly where this girl lives.  After knocking on two doors, I finally find her.  This little girl was not as easy as the first.  She wanted to get smart.  She told me Abbey didn’t give her money someone else did.  Finally she reluctantly handed over the other forty.

Abbey was an angel for the rest of the night.  She knew better than to push my buttons.  She even wrote on the bathroom mirror (we leave notes with dry erase markers) how sorry she was.  I felt a tiny bit bad.  No, honestly, I didn’t feel bad. At all.

Here is the question.  Did I do the right thing by getting her money back?  I just could not decide.  Maybe I should have let that be her lesson, but it didn’t seem to bother her that she no longer had money.  What would y’all have done?

I’m still here!   Things have been so crazy for us lately.  I haven’t had time to do anything.

I don’t make resolutions because I usually break them by the second day.  I did however decided I’d blog more!  Oh … and I uh.. sorta made a little bet with the kids.  I’m gonna be sporting a two-piece swimsuit this summer.  Yeah… I know.  I haven’t done that since college, and probably shouldn’t have done it then.  We shall see.

This year I sat down and thought about what I need to change in 2010. These are not really resolutions.  More like things I need to be more persistent with.  Things that will make me feel more organized. I will feel more in control of certain aspects of my life. 

On with my non-resolution list.

1. Spend more time with God.  I borrowed a devotional book from my mom.  I love it.  We are also reading the New Testament.  Every night I give the kids one Bible verse from the chapter to learn.  They love it.  I remember reading the Bible with my mom as a kid.  I hope this is one thing they will continue when they have their own kids.
2. Do some form of exercise everyday.  I started by just doing some basic sit-ups, jumping jacks, leg lifts, etc.  Then I bought the Biggest Loser DVD.  Me and the kids have been doing it at night.  It’s tough, but so much fun to watch the kids. 
3. Game night once a month.  Tyler and Abbey have so many new games.  Battleship, Connect Four, Chess, Checkers, etc.   What better way to take advantage of all the games and some quality family time?  Game night! 
4. Change jar.  We started a change jar.  Any change we have goes into it.  We call it Disney Money.  We hope to take a Disney Cruise in a few years.  We have read some good things about how they handle allergies on the cruise. 
5. Not only do we have a change jar, but I have decided to pick up any change I see laying around on the ground.  So far I only have a penny, but a penny is a start…. right?  If I can talk my husband into making me something to go on the sidebar, I will post the new amount every week.
6. Organize every room in my house!  I started with the utility room.  Jason hung me a shelf with a rod Saturday.  It’s amazing what a difference one shelf made!  My plan is to pick one room a month to declutter( why does spell check say this is not a word?) and organize.  I’m  ready to have my house back the way it was when we moved in. Clean, clutter-free, and semi-organized.
7. Take more pictures!  I got a new camera.  I will be doing my sister-in-laws wedding in February.  I have been reading about ways to improve my pictures. 

There are my top seven non-resolutions.  I will keep y’all posted on how things are going.  So far I have stayed on track.  But, it’s only the 12th day. 

I hope everyone has an amazing year!

Last night I was in the bed all snuggled with my precious baby boy.  We were both working our way toward a peaceful nights rest.  As I drifted off I heard an airplane in the distance.  Quickly I was lost in memories of years long gone.

I was sitting snuggled under Daddy’s arm.  I could hear the creaking of the chains on the swing.  The feel of fresh summer morning air blew across my face.  The smell of Daddy’s Brute aftershave tickled my nose.  The old wooden swing swayed back and forth.  In the distance an airplane flew it’s passengers to lands I had never dreamed of.  The whistle of a mockingbird echos through the skies. The understood silence between a daughter and a daddy enjoying the company of each other made the best memories.

Peaceful.

That is exactly what I have.  Da Funk.  I don’t want to do anything.  I have neglected my blog as well as all the ones I read daily.  What brought me out of this funk?  Not really anything.  I’m afraid I still have it.  But, last night as I sat down to match up what seemed to be a million socks that I let Da Funk con me into throwing in a basket for a month, I realized that I could not just let things go anymore.  Including my blog.  So, adios Funk!

Want to know what I have been doing over the past month, besides neglecting important things.  I finished Abbey’s room.  I talked my husband into hanging pictures in the dining room and the hall.  I made a birthday cake for Abbey that was completely horrible!  I took Abbey out for a “Girls Only Day”.  I heard Zack say “Mama” for the first time.  I played nurse to both of my boys through the flu.  I slowed down and enjoyed everything I did and didn’t do. 

Now that I’m back I have a ton of pictures and stories to show.  But I must warn y’all.  If I go missing again, just know that I let Da Funk worm it’s way back into my life and I might actually be enjoying the down time!

Watch for pictures later this week!  Oh and Thanks Deanna for checking on me!  I love friends like you!!

I’m sure our memories of this day will be forever embedded in our minds.  There are not many days that go by that we are not reminded of the events of 9/11.  Tyler is even reading about it in his History books.  My memory of the day is quite vivid. 

I was siting at work that Tuesday morning.  Everyone was chipper as usual.  We were all discussing what we had done the previous weekend and what we were going to do the next.  The lady that cleaned our office came in.  She asked if we had been watching the news.  We didn’t have a t.v. in the office.  She told us an airplane had crashed into one of the towers.  I got online. Pictures were posted everywhere.  I called Jason to see if he had seen it on the news.  I was talking to him when the second tower was hit.  It was in that brief second that I realized our world was about to change.  Jason and I talked many times throughout that day.  I just needed the reassurance of his voice to help me through the day. 

On of the men at work brought a tiny old TV from the shop for us to watch.  We were glued to it all day.  We had very few customers that day. I sat at my desk shocked at how anything so devastating could happen to our country.  How could anyone plan something so horrible?  How could anyone think it was alright to take the lives of so many people?  What kind of people could possible think they were doing something great and would be rewarded for it after their lives were over?  I remember thinking I was crazy.  I was 8 months pregnant at the time.  I was disturbed by the fact that I was bringing another child into the turmoil of our country.  I was about to raise another child in a country that, at the moment, was unstable. 

Y’all know the rest of the story.  Y’all see the news everyday and know the effect that day had on everyone.  Every year on this day I remember the people that lost friends and family on that day and the many days after that.  Then I remember the ones that are fighting right now to protect us.  I’m thankful for these men and women that are willing to risk their lives for us.  Today take the time to thank God that He selected a path for you that didn’t put you in one of the towers or airplanes that day.  Thank Him for all the men and women that are fighting for us.  And, if you see one of those men or women today, take the time to say a special thanks.

So…. where were you on that infamous day?

Have y’all ever noticed how memories can just pop in your head for no reason?  I was sitting at work the other day and just started laughing.  Of course the guys here thought I had lost my mind.  I guess that’s part true.  I love to be reminded of childhood years, no matter how the memory comes to me.  I’m still not sure what made me think of this.

I can not remember a time when the Pound boys were not around.  There were so many of them.  Brothers and cousins.  My sister kept them when they were young.  We all went to church together.  I loved to play with them.  Brian, one of the younger cousins, was close to my age.  I would go with my brother to visit one of his friends, Hank.  Brian would be there playing with Hank’s younger brother, Ricky.  The three of us would play cops and robbers.  For some reason I was always the damsel in distress.  They would tie me up in the tree house and blindfold me.  Then one would heroically rescue me  while “fighting” the other.  It was fun…. guess I had no choice since I was the only girl in the community at the time.  This was not the memory I planned to share… see how things just pop into my head.

Travis was always around when we were younger.  I seriously think my mom tried to trade me for him.  No way I was the baby girl!  There is no way she would have done that. Is there? 

When my dad had his second leg removed he had to spend a few months in a hospital close to Memphis.  Every weekend we would visit.  This was way before the roads were four lanes.  Those of you close to this area probably can remember how curvy the roads were.  The worst part of the entire trip was the drive.  I especially hated the section of the road by “Pumpkin Hill”.  It was just one big curve after another. 

Travis always wanted to go with us.  Because, as I mentioned before he was always around, my mom would let him.  We would sit in the back seat and play cards. Go Fish, Old Maid, or any other game we could come up with to kill time.  This one time he didn’t want to play cards.  He wanted to drive.  Drive?  What?  No way my mama was letting that happen.  Wrong.  She did. 

His driver’s license were fresh in his pocket and he was ready.  I was scared.  His seat was pushed just as close to the dash as he could get it.  He sat straight as a board in the seat.  I bet if we still had that car you could see the indention his hands made from the grip he had on the steering wheel.  I’m not kidding. 

Since the highway wasn’t four-lane yet, all the eighteen wheelers had to take this same route.  This road was always busy.  There was no way to pass a slow driver on this road because of all the curves.  I kid you not, it was a scary road. 

Travis was being extremely careful. He wasn’t swerving or riding the yellow lines.  He was actually doing pretty good except he was going way under the speed limit. By way under the speed limit, I mean like 40-45!   Traffic was backed up for at least a mile.  Again, I’m not exaggerating.  My mom would tell him to speed up a little.  He’d grip the steering wheel harder and give the old car some more gas.  We’d be going good for a while then he’d start to slow down again.  When we got to “Pumpkin Hill” there was an eighteen wheeler right on our bumper.  I could see the driver’s nose hair.  He was that close.  My mom was beginning to get a little nervous.  She told him to pull over when he could to let some of the traffic pass.  A few minutes down the road he did.  I think he had all the driving he needed for that day.  He let my mom drive the rest of the way home.  I was glad.  He climbed in the back seat with me and we played our usual card games until we got home.  I promised myself I’d never ride with him again.  That didn’t happen.  The next time we went he was driving again.    I still don’t know what my mama was thinking!