Catch up, Macy's and Nutella Banana Wontons

Well, Christmas came AND went. What was I doing? I'll tell you what I wasn't doing...blogging. No good excuses. Really. Kids, family, shopping for presents, cleaning the house, working. You know, what all of the OTHER bloggers were doing AND blogging. I do have pics to prove I wasn't just sitting on my thumb. I know you want the proof so you can go on with your lives. Your lives are on hold and all because I haven't blogged. Well, I am here to set ya'll free.
I recovered all of my dining room chairs and Milo loves them.
I added a nice pad as well and Viola! I had already painted the dining table and chairs BLACK before Halloween. Apparently, I hadn't hung the framed print at photo time.

My 47th birthday came (Praise God!) and went without a hitch! My sweet nephew, McKennon was in Florida on a Duke Divinity School recruiting trip and came to Indialantic to see us! We all went out to the Yellow Dog Cafe on the Indian River for a FABULOUS dinner and dessert! Love my birthday...every year of it!

"I mentioned the Bisque"

Look at those handsome men!!!

Sam's best buddy, Jacob Liberman had his Bar Mitzvah and I photographed for part of it! What a party those Liberman's put on! We are so proud of Jacob! What an accomplishment, Mr. Man!

Charles, Jacob and Sam

Curt missed his opportunity for full coverage

Lisa and I at the reception! Love Ya!!

Sam was in his first Middle School Play

Will and Sam performed for Celebrate Brevard! fundraiser. That was fun! Great food!

Then we traveled to Tallahassee for the South East Regional Yo-Yo contest. Will placed 2nd in the 5A Division and Sam demonstrated his acrobatic pizza tossing. I ate at Panera and drank some coffee. I also ate some ice cream...and a moonpie. Have I told you I love Moonpies? They look like yo-yo's and I felt obligated. Did it for the kids. Sacrifice.

I loved this sculpture at the contest site. The Pelican was metal and the nest was re-bar. So creative!

So we traveled back to Indialantic on Sunday and packed to leave for New York City the next day because we were going to be in the MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE on Thanksgiving day with the United States Pizza Team! Wow! We had an amazing trip. I have wanted to be in that parade for my entire life. I was just walking with the team while they showed all the skill :) But I had perfected my wave in the Arkansas County Fair Parade in the 80's, people. Windshield wiper wave...slowly back and forth, back and forth. Here's the blurry photo and then I'll move right on...

No blue sequins or '80's hair for the Macy's Parade...thank God for that.

The team practiced in Central Park in preparation for marching in formation along the parade route. No simple task, but we had absolutely GORGEOUS weather!

Then the street was cleared in front of Macy's and the team practiced on the star for the cameras!

More practice the day before Thanksgiving on a tennis court in Central Park...
and then we were ready for the BIG DAY!

There we are! Long shot pic! There I am in the lower right hand corner with my arm up waving to the camera that I didn't know was there while the team spun their hearts out with Throw Dough! We had a great crowd response and had the most amazing day!!
I will write a post only on the parade and include our trip to the Big Apple Circus...

After flying back on Friday, my friend Ann asked me to photograph her family for Christmas card. Her daughter, Tori was in from college and would be leaving the next day. I was so happy to do it! What a fun family!

There was the Barnes and Noble West Shore night and the improv troupe, Scared Scriptless, performed...
Followed by the District One Act Competion...

And my work's holiday party...

Failed Christmas card photo shoot...very windy on the Indian River Lagoon!

Sam's One Act Competition for middle school

The Melbourne Light parade! Hi Tracey! Love the Toy Story Etch-a-Sketch!!

A "Going Away" party at school...Have a great time in Italy, McKenzie!

A Gingerbread House Decorating party at Cindy's!

Santa Claus ornament decorating at my house...still have some of these left...

A cookie exchange party at Ann's with her sister in law Holly!
Charlie Brown Christmas tree with "boom boom" as the stand in Linus blanket!

Cookie decorating party at my house, which actually turned into teenagers just hanging out and one helping me make Nutella Banana Wontons!!! YUM!

My dogs take advantage when it's cold. They feel they were doing Mike, Louise and Caroline a BIIIIIIG favor, I'm sure.
These are the Nutella Banana Wontons in progress...added a thin slice of marshmallow and there ya go. They were gone in a whip stitch. I hear that's really fast.
Christmas arrived and so did my sweet parents. My mom made me promise not to post pictures of them. OK, but they we were all so cute in our matching pajamas on Christmas morning! The boys loved it! So did I.
Tail enjoying his spot in front of the tree...

Sam getting his high powered sling shot at the same time Ralphie is opening his BB gun on TV!

No, we didn't have it on the entire time. OK we DID, but the volume was turned down. We are fans. There.
So, that's what I've been up to. We are now in the middle of putting up crown moulding in the house. Man, it looks good. Man, my house is in dire need. Graduation from high school is coming soon and you know what THAT means. Right...hurry and get the house projects completed before the money gets sucked into the college system.
Love and Blessings for a happy and HEALTHY New Year to all around the world.

Cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese! This is what 56 looks like. Happy birthday to me!

OK. I lied up. Really only 46, but I am just practicing the art of "Lying Up about my Age". So far it has worked liked gang busters!! "Wow! You look great for 56!". "I would have thought you were 10 years younger!" One lady apparently under the influence of narcotics post-op thought I was in my late 20's!!! What? I advised she back off on the Dilaudid. She smiled and said 'OK'.

My sweet boys bought me a cannoli and stuck a couple of candles in it! I loved it! I was dipped in chocolate on the ends! Yum! My sweet Engineer Man gave me a card with Steven Jobs photo in it and said"It's time..." 'Who the hell is Steven Jobs?' I asked. "The creator of the Mac!!", he and my oldest said a little deflated. "Oh....oooooooooooooooooooooooooh!!!!!! Woo Hoo! Are we finally crossing over to the world of puppy dogs and rainbows and Apple computers???! Yeeees!

"Where is it?" I said...panting now and anxiously looking around. "Well, I don't have it yet. Not sure which one to hemorrhage the bank account on." Ok. He didn't exactly say that, but that's what he meant. God love him. Well I don't know either, but Lisa knows. She has what she calls her Mac Daddy. It's pretty darn sweet too. She is so in love, that she is buying her 12 year old one! Geez. He loves hers. It practically does his homework.

I want one. I want it to be hip while it vacuums my floors.

Pheweeeee!

I checked out when i last posted---APRIL! I should be ashamed. I should be, but I'm not. My good friend, Jen keeps reminding me that I haven't posted in FOREVER! She lives down the street and God love her, knows more about my life than she would like, I'm sure.
School is finally OUT! Will is gone to Student Life Mission Camp in Tennessee and will return Saturday. His little bubby has really been missing him--sleeping in his bed at night :) Isn't that sweet? Heck I think so, but I'm the mom. Will turned 16 in May... OK, the cake looked like cornbread. He doesn't care for icing. Note to all: CANDLES DON'T STAND UPRIGHT IN PLAIN CAKE VERY WELL. However, kids stand up great in the sand...

...and jump well too!
Sam turned 12 this week...
Ms. Cindy made slew of cupcakes for his birthday and he shared them with the kids at The Master's Workshop. We had a great time! We went to Friendly's for dinner and ice cream...
What a crazy time of year to have babies. They both were 5 weeks early. If they had come on their due dates, their birthday parties would have been easier to plan for crying out loud!

So I took my first online photography class with Sheye Rosemyer. I LOVE her photos and now have a great respect for the amount of work involved in taking beautiful photos. Even more, the talent for post processing those photos is something I hope to achieve.
This is Curt and I with the Eye Candy Action "Circa 1963" from Sheye Rosemyer...
I just plain LOVE this guy. I feel sorry for the rest of you ladies, but he's mine :) !!
Happiness to you all :)

Catch up...

If not keeping up with my blog is any indication of how I have over scheduled myself... Woo..did it to myself, but October was a fun month! Definitely not complaining. It's been full of Arkansas visits, musical, Pumpkin Carving Party, Rock Band Competition, Pampered Chef Party, Will's Halloween Party and into November with my 45th Birthday!! Crammed a year of parties into October and hopefully will not feel compelled to do that again too soon! Oh, and did I mention RATS again. Heaven help us. Although our Jack Russell/Rat Terrier is feeling like she now has a purpose. Our cat, however, knows that his purpose is to stay on the bed and sleep through it. There ya go. My mom returned home from her treatment in Houston and is tired, but doing well. She is scheduled for treatments on Thanksgiving and again on Christmas. What are the chances for that? Geez.
Anyway, I feel so blessed to have friends and family. I spent my birthday EATING :) After church about 20 of us dined at a new Deli in town complete with Carrot Cake at the end! Last night after making dessert for the youth group at church, they all stood and sang happy birthday to me and my friend, Jeannie and Craig presented me with a delicious piece of chocolate cake from the "Olive Garden". When we returned home. Jen, Mal and Casey came down bearing angel food cake and fruit and b-day presents! Wow! what a day! Bloggers were sending best wishes all day and I was receiving texts as well! How fun for me! D and Anonymous D sent me fun monogrammed gifts AND a bag of chocolate chip cookies this week too! Of course I didn't wait until my birthday to open the package! No way! Curt and the boys gave me a virtual bike with a basket on the front. I need to go pick one out! Quite a change from my Trek road bike from a few years back! Think Ella will ride in the basket like Toto???!!
Here are pics from this month!

Will and the female lead in The Music ManI just like this pic and thought I would throw it in---The 3 D's!

OK..this is what happens when you spray paint in the garage and don't wear shoes. It actually makes a heart if you can get past the black feet!!! Ewwwwww! I always end up spray painting something before the Halloween party! This time it was the server in my dining room!

Sam's friend and Sam on Halloween

Halloween Curtains that I made while visiting my parents in Arkansas

Cupcake bites! I am addicted to making them! OK almost over the addiction now...

I was glittering everything I couldn't effectively spray paint including this skull and bones! Everything is better when it's shiny ya'll ...

Pumpkin carving party!

Jack-O-Lanterns

Jen, Carol and Shana

Those crazy Moore kids!!!

Will's Halloween party!
Will as "Snake". I think he is "sneaking" at this point...

Ella "ratting out" a rat...to no avail...

Will doing his best British "Rock Star" imitation with my (now vintage)1980's Sex Pistal's t-shirt