Rocking Around the Christmas Tree-ya gotta sing the song with the words to the post!

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
We finally got it done....
With lots of prods from Jeff..frey
We really had some fun.
Ornaments dropped, broke on the floor
Some broke in the box....
Now we have to sweep some more
And all put on our socks!

You will get a sentimental feeling when you see
Jeffrey, Michael, and Josiah
Dec-or-ating our green tree.
Rocking around the Christmas tree,
Have a happy holiday.
Our tree's lit up..all sparkle-y..
Now put..the...box.... awaaaaaay!!!

Rockin' in the Christmas tree skirt....it HAD to be done! :-)

Enough said!

Saturday night fun

It's 8:45 on Saturday night...do you know where your kiddos are?? Mine are typically in bed with visions of sugarplums (or probably sour skittles!) dancing in their heads. But tonight is not the typical night. It started with putting up the Christmas tree. We went earlier today to (where else?) HEB-because Here Everything's Better!- and got our tree. After dinner, Michael and Jeffrey successfully located the Christmas tree stand. It's not easy finding things after a move, I'm finding out. And it doesn't help to know right where it would have been at the house in Bartlett! So after prepping the stand, unwrapping the tree and toting it into the house...

Setting it up straight...

It was good to go. We weren't sure where to put it, so we put it right smack-dab in the entry way. No one ever uses the front door (except to check on the goats), so we put it in the entry way. The dining room table is too heavy to move and there really wasn't another place for it. So, the entry way it is! The boys say it leaves plenty of room for presents that way!

After we set it up, Michael asked the boys to sweep up the needles under the tree. Jeffrey ran to get the broom and set off to work. Josiah hung his shoulders and looked sad. I asked him what was wrong. Know what he said? "I was really hoping to get to sweep." Well, if I had a dime for every time I've heard that one! (I'd have probably 20 cents!) No problem, I told him to go get the whisk broom aka "the green thing". He smiled (like only Josiah can do) and set off to work. Hmmm, maybe I should sprinkle pineneedles around all the dust bunnies on my floor to add the thrill of Christmas "dander" to the plentious piles of dog hair and dirt that grace my floors.

And then to add to the excitement, Michael announced that he was going to take the boys on a night hike. Tonight, supposedly the moon is the closest to the earth that it has been in 15 years. It therefore looks bigger and brighter than it has in 15 years or will until 15 years from now. Now I personally don't even want to think about how big all of my boys will be in 15 years! So, in an effort to sieze the day...Carpe diem.. or would it be carpe nightem...the boys all headed off on a night hike.

The hikers! Jackson's got his eye on the cat food. Forget about the cats...he wants their food!

Mom's left alone to blog or watch a sappy Christmas movie on the Hallmark channel and drink in the quiet and the smell of a Christmas tree. Delightful!

Christmas in Texas...unflocked

Unfortunately, I'm not talking about a Christmas tree here! While we were gone to OK, Michael and Jackson took a quick two night trip over to my mom and dad's. When he got back on Monday he very sadly discovered that something had dug a hole under our chicken coop and killed the three remaining hens. We think it must have been a fox. The crazy thing is Michael said the hole was only about 4 inches deep and six inches wide. The thief took all 3 girls out the hole. Who knows how it got in a hole that small...and then how it fit all the chickens through a hole that small.

We are all very, very sad. No more eggs, no more crowing and bok-bok-boking around during the day, no one to throw our food scraps out for. Well, the goats can still get the scraps, but it's just not the same. We didn't realize how much the chickens added the the wonderful "quaint"ness of our lovely home.

We may rebuild our flock, but we need some real answers to this problem. We certainly don't want to continue to provide easy chicken dinners for the predator population. Anyone have any ideas?

Nee-nee 911!*

*David, my 2 y.o. nephew calls me "Nee Nee"-hence the "Nee Nee 911, instead of "Nannie 911".

How much do I LOVE my sister??!! So much that I drove to Tulsa from San Antonio to babysit for her church small group Christmas party that she and Mike were hosting at their house. Well, not just for that, I also came to clean out toy closets. And coat closets....and I'm sure there will be some shopping (gotta spend the Kohl's cash from Black Friday) and lots of fun!

We drove 11 hours. It was a little longer than we thought, but we're SOOOO glad to be here. We got here just about 5 mintues before people started coming for the party. I was just happy to plant myself upstairs with the kiddos and watch Frosty the Snowman. Everyone else agreed! Uncle Mike the Magnificent brought Taco Bueno for everyone to eat for dinner.

My pictures aren't loading for some reason. I might just have to head to Panera or Starbucks, for the free wifi of course, and get the pics loaded.

My hero of the week

When moving to a new place, there are several things you look for first. Where will we shop? Where will we go to church? Where will be go to the chiropractor? Well, ok, maybe that's not on your family list. But it's on ours. Where do we shop?? HEB...duh! Where do we go to church? Still working on that one. But now...at long last....we've found a chiropractor in our little town. This one doesn't believe aliens are coming back to take over the Earth and isn't 90 years old (Those two things HONESTLY disqualified the other two chiropractors here!) Our family loves chiropractors! Over the last 10 years we've seen many chiropractors of varying...well, let's just call it "alternativeness". We've had some we really liked and were very effective and others that were more disappointing. The one we used on a regular basis in Memphis, we really liked and were sorry to leave. Since then, we've hunted around hoping to find someone that we really feel good about going to see on a regular basis. YIPPEE!! NO more searching!

This past week my back has really been hurting. Some of you guys remember my terrible January/February last year. Now THAT was some serious backache...paralysis was more like it. Natural childbirth was nothing at all in comparison to that. In fact, I imagine only something like...Oh, I don't know... surgery without anesthesia...would be as painful as that episode! And to have to be showing a house, hosting out of state guests for J&Js 13th birthday bash, doing it all with Michael in SA while I'm in Memphis.....Oh man, just thinking about it makes me thankful for the grace God gave during that time! Anyway, this week's back pain wasn't that bad. But it was pretty debilitating. I couldn't do much but lay on an ice back. Sitting up was ok, but standing for more than a few minutes was really painful. Of course, I still had to shop on Black Friday. Somethings MUST press on! :-)

Enter Dr. K...after seeing him this week I'm feeling SOOOO much better! So much better in fact, that the boys and I are driving to Tulsa tomorrow to see Julie and the kiddos. We already had the trip planned, but honestly thought we'd have to cancel because of how badly my back was feeling. I can't tell you how happy I am!! And not only does he do a FAB-O adjustment (it's almost like an accupressure massage before the adjustment)...he has a really rockin' waiting room for the younger J&Js. Everybody enjoys going!

Jonathan took this picture "on an angle". Can't figure out how to rotate it to straight. (Actually, it's a test. If it hurts your neck to turn and view this picture, YOU need to see a chiropractor!)

Dr. K-the man of the week! I'm sure he thinks I'm wierd. I come into the office with 4 boys in tow and ask to keep coming back. He saw me on Monday and then was going to wait until Thursday to see me again. I kept calling to ask to come in. Well, after I whipped out the camera and asked for a photo for the blog, I'm SURE he's convinced of my wierdness. Whatever...it's a great adjustment! According to Jonathan and Jeremy, their best ever. Since they've been seeing a chiropractor since age 3, that's quite a statement. I'm inclined to agree with them.

Seriously, if your back hurts, go see a chiropractor! It REALLY helps!

The return of the Champion...and an old family tradition

Travel with me back in time about 20-25 years to Christmas in Abilene, TX. My family would almost every year go and spend Christmas in Abilene with my grandparents. While we were there, my sister and I would (among other things too numerous-or embarrassing-to mention on this blog) set up "shop" as J&J wrapping service and wrap gifts for my parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles for 10 cents/pkg. We'd then walk down to the shopping center near my grandparents' house and buy little presents, usually for the pets in the house. It was so much fun. It continued for years and eventually became known as J,J, S&Ls wrapping service as some of our cousins (Stephanie and Laura) got older.

Well, yesterday it all came back to me. J&Js Wrapping Service in back in business!! Only I guess now it would be J&Js:The Next Generation. The boys had so much fun yesterday wrapping tons of gifts. Jeremy was in the other room wrapping gifts for those seen pictured below. They probably wrapped 20 things. It was fun to watch. Now all we need is a tree! Details...
And another family friend has returned to the forefront.

This BFF of mine (The Champion juicer) has been largely responsible for my recent 25 pound weight loss and after the Thanksgiving "super-backslide", she's now taken her rightful place on my kitchen cabinet again. Welcome back, Ms. Juicer. You're STILL the champion! I honestly can't believe how much better I feel when I juice. And the boys love shoving all the fruits and veggies in it! Still working on them drinking the juice that comes out! :-) Actually, Jonathan's new favorite is grapefruit/carrot. All the boys love one called Carribean C which is orange, pineapple, lemon. I love one for dinner that's beet, celery, carrot and spinach. Can't get anyone else to swallow that one yet! Their day will come.....(insert diabolical laugh)

Thanksgiving family fun, part 2

Here's some shots from the rest of our wonderful Thanksgiving together. I really can't believe how splendidly everything went: We didn't have too much food, we didn't have too little, the house never seemed too crowded or too loud (if you can believe that!), the weather was nice enough for lots of little bodies-and some bigger ones- to get outside and play and play and play. The "8 Cousins Productions" of the Thanksgiving story was great, ALL the kids were great all of the time, the shopping was fun (of course!), everyone seemed to have a fabulous time. I wish we could do it more often!
Isn't this totally cute! Michael's aunt made the turkey head...just add a pineapple. This was the centerpiece on the "middle age kids" table (those over the age of 13).

Dad's telling stories. You've never heard as many stories as you do when you get the Moore men together. Lots of stories... LOTS of laughing! What could be better for Thanksgiving!!

This is my nephew Daniel (age 4 mos) showing off his winning smile for the camera. He's such a happy baby!Dad telling more stories. My cousin Mollie is sitting next to him and my aunt Thanne is standing up.

The "kids" table. Jonathan must be back in line for food!

The beginning of the serving line at Thanksgiving lunch.

After lunch was the "8 Cousins' Production" of the Thanksgiving story. This is the gallery waiting for the show.

The bow following the show. Two of the 8 cousins (David and Daniel) were taking a nap and 1 (Katie) was having a little stagefright. She was hiding in the tent offstage.

My uncle Mike, aunt Gene and cousins Stephanie and Laura.

Julie and me getting down to business planning our shopping strategy. We decided to get up and leave as soon as Daniel was finished nursing in the middle of the night. We thought it would be around 4 or 4:30, but he decided to sleep until 6!! We got a later start than planned, but it was all fine. Actually a little bit cleared out. Shopping tip for this year: Buy jewelry at Kohls and you don't have to wait in the crazy long line!

I love this picture. This is our family that gathered for Thanksgiving. Isn't this wonderful! Mom's friend Anita (who is taking the picture) and her son Michael (which brought the "Michael" count up to 4!) also came to lunch as did my cousin Bonnie's boyfriend, Gale. Bringing the grand total to 30!

Madison, Katie, Lauren and Josiah watching a movie on Thanksgiving evening. All my kids and Julie's kids totally fell in love with all of my cousins: Madison, Maegan, Mollie, Stephanie and Laura. There was some serious "big cousin idol worship" going on. It was so cute to see!

Another one of my favorite pics of the weekend. The 8 Cousins! David, Katie, Lauren, Josiah, Jonathan, Jeremy, Daniel and Jeffrey.

Jeffrey sharing a sweet moment with Daniel.