Even More Christmas Cheer

In Alabama I took Ben to the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge. I remember it as being very pretty and the weather was so nice I thought we needed to get out. Lo and behold there was a bamboo forest. Ben loves bamboo. His dream is for us to have some bamboo in our backyard. He especially likes the black variety..but this green forest will do. Here is Ben in the bamboo forest.


The two of us in the bamboo.


Ben's "pioneer" pose.



We saw some funky fungi on a log.


They have a section where you can see giant Bald Cyprus trees and they are really beautiful in a spooky sort of way.


Is she beautiful or what?


Gwen's namesake and Aunt... Rebekah (Beki)


Gwen's Uncle Jake. We like to call him crazy Uncle BoBo just for fun. Hasn't everyone got a crazy uncle?


We came home yesterday to find one of our trees lost a limb. The men went out with power tools today and ended up chopping down the entire tree. I was astonished in one way... and not in another. Here they are making their "we are men" faces.

More Christmas Cheer

Here was the fate of the Christmas pinata...








Here is Gwen laughing at the dog. I've never heard her laugh so hard!

Gwen's Dinner

Wonder what Gwen's eating lately? Here it is... sweet potato. I thought it looked like a serpent. :)

She enjoyed it though.

Memories and Quotes

Today we took some photos of Gwen. These are my favorites...but it was hard to choose! She is so beautiful! (thanks Barry)

Sometimes you just don't feel like getting your picture made ya know?

Favorite quotes from the past few days:

"it's sunny, windy, with no percipitation" - Chloe, age 6

"Joe Biden looks like an opossum grinning"- Dad

"you gave me the gift and then you broke it"- Clay to Preston because he shook the present and heard something rattling, age 6

"I'm going to be higher than Cooter Brown"- mom after taking cough syrup

"who exactly is Cooter Brown?"- Me

"We'd like to meet Cooter"- Stephanie

We also smashed up our Christmas pinata today and took a movie of Gwen laughing her head off at Bonnie, the dog. Those are to come.

Christmas 08

Merry Christmas everyone! This year has been especially meaningful for me as it's the first Christmas being a mother. I have found myself thinking of Mary this year and I can only imagine what she went through and had to ponder in her heart. There I sat last night in the Christmas Eve service at my parent's church and she was reaching for my face and smiling... so sweet... and then I realized she had a poopy diaper. :)

Before we left for Alabama we had Christmas with Ben's mom, Pam. Here's Gwen with a snow globe that she got. By the way... Gwen did remarkably well for the 12 hour drive to my parent's place. It was so cold when we left... 4 degrees! Here in Bama it's almost 70 during the day. What a difference! I told my mom I felt like putting on my bathing suit and rolling in the grass.

Here I am looking at the new cookbook Ben gave to me. Check out the slippers... I felt like gumby or something.

this is a family shot right before we left for the Christmas eve service.

Gwen woke up this morning at 5am. We had a nice quiet breakfast together. Notice it's dark outside!

Gwen looks really upset to spend time with the family doesn't she?

Here we are about to open presents.

the little elves passing out the presents.

Gwen playing with her new bongos.

The kitchen... where the magic happens. Here Gwen is learning how to make cornbread stuffing.

Eat your heart out... I know we did. Does anyone else feel a diet coming on?

Abbreviated Meal Plan

Chicken soup
spaghetti and salad
black bean quesadillas, salad, Leah's saltine bark stuff (my friends are coming to church with us and then coming home for lunch- yippee!)

*special- Sunday morning I am singing in the church choir. We are going to three services, and I have to be at all of them. Therefore we are all bringing breakfast items. I'm signed up to bring cheesy garlic grits and country ham.

*The Truman's Ozark Pudding rocked our world this week. That Truman... I know he ordered the A bomb and all...but he knew his desserts.

*This meal plan is abbreviated because we are getting in the car and heading off to Alabama for Christmas. You think Gwen will sleep for the entire 12 hour drive??? HA!

Gwen- Six Months

Our baby is six months today! I am seeing more and more of her little personality as the days go by. It's amazing to me how change happens... it's so constant. I read a book recently that had a wonderful description of what being a mother is in my opinion. She wrote that she feels blessed and bound. My heart swells with pride when I look at her accomplishing and growing...but it aches too for the exact same reason. Today she had shots so my heart really DOES ache for her. She was 17 lbs and 26 in long.

Here are a few shots in the snow yesterday. We had to hurry- it was so cold!


If you look closely you can see her two new teeth.



Just yesterday she was able to go up on all fours. I thought you needed to see the picture AND the video.

You Can't Fix Stupid

My Uncle Bob sent me these and I just had to share them. Enjoy! posted by Ben.


One to tape to your medicine cabinet


Does this mean I'm still a teen too?


When there is absolutely no other news to report....


Our tax dollars at work.


Now that's just plain mean


Look closely - it says "We had no idea anyone was buried there"


I can just picture Abe Lincoln in a state-of-the-art civil war plane right now.


Now THAT's a good artist


A self-fulfilling prophecy?


As if lawyers don't have enough people to sue already.

My Favorite Mr Bean Scene - yes that rhymes.

I still remember laughing my butt off the first time I saw this. Have a merry Christmas everyone! posted by Ben.

Meredith's Solo with the KC Chorale

Meal Plan

Here it is for this week. Let me know if anyone wants recipes and I'd be happy to deliver.

Italian style lentil soup
Asian orange beef, rice
pork chops, mashed potato casserole, roasted green beans and tomatoes
chili, cornbread
moroccan-style pot roast (slow cooker), cous cous

*special- Truman's ozark pudding

I'm On TV

My choir was on TV last night. It was live and while I knew the camera was rolling I was smiling hoping that Ben would see me on camera. I could just see myself on there... lifting one eyebrow so demurely... and wouldn't you know all you get to see me is from the back. I'm wearing a green shirt. Anyway...the lady that is interviewed sings next to me so that's pretty close to me being on TV. :) Click here to see it.

Gwen Snoring Like a Chainsaw

Need I say more? Posted by Ben

Preston's Fav Christmas Song

Can anybody say choir nerd? :) Check out that dude's mustache!

A Hair Raising Scenario

Just to start out, this is an educational post. I went to the dermatologist this morning. Over the years I've been to many and they've given me thousands (ok, maybe 20) different shampoos and ointments and samples. You see, I have psoriasis of the scalp. This isn't contagious, but it is hereditary and I think I got it from my dad. For some reason doctors can't figure out, my immune system thinks there is something wrong and produces more skin than it should in certain areas on my scalp. Instead of making new skin every 28-30 days it's like 5-6 days. It's like dandruff except worse. There is no cure. Even me talking about it gives me the creeps. It showed up for me in 4th grade. I hope it never shows up for Gwen.

During pregnancy everything was hunky dory and it went away. Now that she's out of my body it has come back... and with a vengeance. Today the doctor prescribed some oil that I'm supposed to put on my head and wear a shower cap for three hours afterwards. Now, isn't that lovely and convenient? He also said that he's seen it where it can become like an armor on someone's scalp and their hair falls out. I asked him if that would happen to me and he said "there's no way to tell." NO WAY TO TELL????? Then I started thinking.... what would I do if THAT happened?

I've decided I'd get a wig. This is the one I've chosen for myself if that happens and I don't care if I'm 95.

Meal Plan for Week

chicken Parmesan and steamed veg
cube steak, asparagus, acorn squash
turkey lettuce wraps, brown rice
turkey burgers, oven fries
tacos and southwestern slaw
beef stuffed zucchini, cucumbers

Haystacks and Buttcracks

Today we got together with some family and baked Christmas cookies. I brought home enough cookies to give them out to every house on my street plus several others. We made a total of 5 different kinds of cookies: andies candies cookies, butterscotch haystacks, snickerdoodles, peanut butter cookies and coffee bean cookies. I tried to get everyone to put flour on their face for this photo... but surprisingly people were not so open to the idea! :)

from the left is my Mother-in-law, Pam, me, Ben's Aunt Dee and her daughter Joanna.


Gwen was held by so many people. She loved it. Here she is with Grandma.


Uncle John helped soothe her by putting on a wig. We got a kick out of that. I said she probably thinks she's being held by Cher.


The coffee bean cookies are supposed to have a little indention down the center of them like a real coffee bean. We joked and said they look like little butt cracks. Hence the name of this post.


Gwen found playing with the aluminum foil most enjoyable.


Our little eskimo.

Things To Come

This first photo is just for cute factor. Look how big she's getting! She's changing dramatically this month I think. She's got two little teeth coming up at the same time right now. They are like two little pearls on the bottom of her mouth. If you touch one of those gems though, it's like a razorblade. It's causing her a bit of discomfort. In this photo it looks like she's giving a weak thumbs up. :)


This is my feeble attempt at getting a picture of her teeth. It's impossible!


Tonight my wonderful mother-in-law, Pam, came over and watched Gwen while Ben and I had some time for a dinner by ourselves. Afterwards we went and did a bit of shopping. We had a lot of fun! Neither one of us are shoppers really, so what did we come back with you ask? Well... we bought a Christmas pinata! We saw it in a party store and we looked at each other and we knew we had to get it. It will be so much fun! I mean, really, when's the last time you bashed up Frosty for Christmas?



Last but not least, Gwen is quickly gaining strength in order to crawl. I can just see it now... her sailing across the room before I can blink my eyes.