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Saturday, December 26, 2009

Cookies for Santa...

As I think back to my childhood, I remember certain traditions we did while I was growing up. One of my fondest memories of Christmas was making cookies for Santa. Now that I have a child of my owe, we are starting our own traditions here. Since I have a wonderful job that allows me to be off work the week before Christmas and the week after, we made sugar cookies.

Like always I decided to look on the FoodNetwork for a recipe and found one that wasn't that hard. I made it and put it in the fridge for 2 hours, got it out, and started rolling.



Owen really loved cutting out the cookies and so did I. I think it's even cute that you can see he is in his "bog boy under ware".



I baked the cookies for the amount it called for, but let me tell ya. They were as hard as bricks! I literally thought I was going to chip a tooth on one of those darn cookies. :O) Poor Santa!

After they cooled and I made royal icing, we decided it was time to ice the cookies. We had a great time with icing and sprinkles. He picked out three cookies for Santa and we got it all ready for Christmas Eve.







Finished product for Santa.



This is the plate we made for Santa @ Brushfire Pottery.

Over all, this was the best week! I am so thankful I am able to make memories with the most important gift God has given me...OWEN!



Here is the plate of cookies and the apple juice Owen left out for Santa.

I will post Christmas morning pictures tomorrow.

SWL

Friday, December 25, 2009

Hi! My name is...

Stephanie & I have a PROBLEM! Yes, that's right! I have a HUGE problem. The first step to healing is realizing you have a problem, right? My problem...♥ FOOD ♥. Over the next 17 months I plan to face my problems and take the bull by the horn & shake this addiction. You might laugh, but I swear I ♥ food! Did I mention I ♥ true SOUTHERN food that is cooked like my Nanny use to cook? However, I have let my guard down and let this control my life. NOT NO MORE!!! Over the next year+ I plan on doing some things.

Now as you read these, dont think they are going to happen over the next year, but more likely over the next 17 months. I figure if I write them down, I can go back and look at them each week to check myself. Here they are

♥ for once and for all lose this weight
♥ become a runner (I use to be in my skinny days, but not so much now :O))
♥ complete a marathon
♥ get with DAVE (Tasha, just for you)
♥ focus on my +30
♥ organize my life
♥ blog daily on Owen/weight (blog to come)
♥ focus on my son
♥ set mini goals (check out weight blog for that)
♥ go to chuch weekly
♥ heal my body

I think there are lots more, but this is a good start. I will post a link to my journey maybe tomorrow. :O) Until next time...

SWL

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Santa & Christmas Program

This week was a busy week at The Garnder School. From Santa & Cookies to Christmas program to their Christmas party. We had fun, but it was so tiring. Here are some pictures.














Owen told Santa he wanted a "real tractor" for Christmas.







Friday, November 27, 2009

Pain=Beauty...

At least that's what I have heard. It seemed to be true tonight. We have always put our Christmas tree up that day after Thanksgiving & this year was no different. This year is so much different than last year. We actually have ornaments all the way down to the ground and Owen really knows what Christmas is. Everything he sees that he wants he says..."I want that from Christmas". How precious is that? So, after breaking two ornaments, the tree is up and Owen was a huge help!


He was giving the tree a hug before heading upstairs.


Yesterday was Thanksgiving and it was wonderful as usual. We started off the day by going to my in-laws and all was great. Owen loves going there to play with his cousin Katherine. We ate till our little hearts were content and just when we were getting comfortable...we had to head to my parents house. Here are the few pictures I took yesterday.






I had decided I was going to conquer Black Friday for the FIRST...you heard me right FIRST time in my short 30 years. Boy, I didn't realize how much fun we would have. I tricked my friend April into going with me and I had it all mapped out. 1. Be at Target by 5am 2. KMart by 6am 3. OpryMills after that. Well, we stuck to our plan and it was fun. We returned home around 8ish and little did I know Tony and I would continue on till 330. NO, Owen wasn't with us...he was at his Grandma's house. I refuse to be that parent that drags their child out in all that madness. It was a blast and we are already planning our 2010 Black Friday trip! Thanks April! By shopping today, I am 90% finished with my shopping. :)

This is what Target looked like at 445am.



Stephanie

Saturday, November 21, 2009

my ♥ l ♥ o ♥ v ♥ e ♥ s ♥

over my short 30 years i have realized that i ♥ love ♥ a lot of things

♥ owen
♥ family
♥ coffee
angela's photography
♥ friends
♥ reading
♥ sweet tea
♥ organic food
♥ country life
♥ brandi carlile

my list is very short, but i am sure i will have more things to add before the post gets published. life in the lankford house is not so interesting. we are all busy with work and home. getting ready for the holidays in my favorite time. we will put the tree up on wednesday while we are all home. this year the holidays are going to be a little hectic...we are headed to my sister-in-laws house in the am and then to my parents in the pm. i am sure owen is going to be so tired, but it will all be worth it!

black friday is going to be interesting...elise and i are headed to the stores at 4am for a little bargin shopping and then later in the afternoon tony and i will venture out. we are not really sure what we are going to get o from santa, but we are thinking a drum set. he is really into building...so, i think some legos would be perfect. we have already bought him a little pop up tent for the house.

i dont want anything for christmas except to hit the lottery. :) i dont want to work any longer. here is what i am going to send to santa.

dear santa,

all i want for christmas is to be able to stay at home and raise my child. i have been good this year, but i am sure i could do better. however, if you were to allow me to stay home, i will do much better.

love,
wishing i was a sahm

do you think that would work? i am not so sure, but i am really working hard to make that happen for the next kiddo or two. ha! i can only hope there is room/money for two more kids. we will see. there is a couple more years before we have to make any decisions.

i cant leave you without some pictures of my favorite person on earth...owen!

until next time.

stephanie













Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Fall Fun...

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Pajamas & PawPaw

Last night Owen and I have a night to ourselves without T. He went to a "meeting" as Owen called it. Really he was at a research thingie. :) Needless to say, we were on the go all night. It is literally a battle to get Owen to go down and last night wasn't anything different.

It started off with a bath that last for about 45 minutes. He was squeaky clean! Ha! After that he got into his new jammies that Nana gave him. He said they were "monster cookie" pajamas. Not cookie monster, "monster cookie". They were so cute on! Once we were dressed, had apple juice, and blankie, we headed upstairs.
















I decided to call my dad because it had been a few days since we have talked. I didn't get much in before my dad wanted to talk to Owen. He loves talking to his PawPaw. I don't know what they talk about, but Owen always has a smile on his face.









It was getting close to bedtime and I noticed he was getting tired. He told me he wanted to go in the "big bed" SHOCKING! We went down there at about 8 & I was SO tired! I was dozing off and he would lay his head on me and say "wake up mommy" Oops! I was tied. After about 45 minutes of trying to convince him to RELAX, I took him to his bed. I just don't sleep well while he is in our bed.

He finally relaxed and went to sleep about 9'ish. Tony got home about 10:30 and I was still up working on my PowerPoint for class. I finally decided to give it up and head to bed. Little did I know I would be woken up at 11 by Owen crying.

As soon as I hear him I pop right out of bed. I went in there and this is how our conversation went:

Owen-Mommy I am crying
Me-Why?
Owen-I am said
Me-Why are you sad?
Owen-I want to go with you in the big bed!
Me-Owen
Owen-Please! It will be fun! Please get my blankie & pillow and take me with you.
Me-Ok. I will take you.
Owen-We can snuggle and watch cartoons

I gave in and took him with me. I am such a sucker and he wasn't kidding when he wanted to snuggle. I didn't realize that snuggling meant laying right on top of me. I work up at 1 and took his little butt back in his bed. I rested well for the rest of the night.

Off to relax and make some coffee for tomorrow.

SWL

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Sun, Sand, & Sanity, Oh My!

It has been many years in the making...a {VACATION}!!!! It will be 5 years in May since we have had a true vacation (7 days) on the beach, but that's all about to end! We have already booked our condo in FL for my Fall break! I am so excited, but I think I am more excited for Owen to see the ocean! I had really hoped to be thin, but that's a joke. HaHa! I am going to make the best of my week and really try to get some sanity back.

The weekends go by so fast. Its like I am so happy it's Friday and then I wake up and it's Sunday. :( I started off my weekend by seeing Wicked with two of my wonderful friends, April & Cori. The play was AMAZING! We ate dinner at Maggiano's and then off to see the play. I was tired from a long week, but I seemed to managed. I would highly recommend the play. I have waited 3 years to see it & FINALLY I got to. Well worth the wait & money.

Owen has started a new thing at bedtime. When it's time to hit the sacks, he starts saying "I want to lay in the big bed(our bed)" and it is really hard to deny him! So, like a sucker of a parent I allow him to lay with me before bed. Most times it's only for about 10 minutes, but other nights he falls asleep. This was taken yesterday.







Yesterday we did our normal dinner..."Las Thomas" as Owen calls it. Nothing better than taco, beans, rice, salsa, and guacamole.



Today was the first home Titans game and they really stunk it up! Before Tony left for the game O had to put his jersey on & I HAD to get a picture! He looks like such a big boy in his KVB jersey! We lost the game, but I gained some really cute pics!



After Tony got home from the game, he put his hat on O's head...he wore ir for an hour. Even on our way to HHGregg.







While I was trying to make my crack, AKA Starbucks, Owen insisted on playing with the flour. Once again, a sucker of a mother gave in! He loves scooping the flour an dumping it out. What did it hurt? NOTHING!







Well, I am off to bed! It has been raining here for about a week and I am feeling a little suicidal! I couldn't live in Seattle! I need to see the sun!!! Please GOD, let the sun shine this week. I am going a little crazy. OK, so I am crazy, but it is getting worse!

SWL

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Milkshakes, hula hoops, & music...




















It has been {FOREVER} since I have posted a blog, but there was a good reason...my camera was "sick". Something was wrong with the zoom & my year warranty expired the day before I turned it in. I knew it was going to take 6 weeks & I waited till the last possible minute to give it up. Basically there is going to be 6 weeks of Owen's life that doesn't have photos.

Monday was a sad day...my washer went out. I currently have my Nanny's old ones & I swear they are like 30 years old. I knew this day was coming, but I wasn't prepared for it. We spent all week looking for a new pair and finally decided on these Samsung pair. We don't have them, but they are scheduled to be here on Monday. I am looking forward to having some quiet ones. When we are washing clothes with the old ones, Owen says "shaky shaky". They are SO loud.

Every weekend we must go to the car show at Chick-Fil-A for three reasons.

1. To dance to the music
2. Milkshake
3. Hula Hoop

Owen has such a blast & everyone loves watching him dance. All the cars there are really old & the average age is about 60. We fit in...HaHa!All-in-all it's a great time.

I have been busy with work...it is kicking my butt this year. Starting off great, but a lot more work that my other years.

Headed to bed...will most more soon.

Enjoy the pics!

This pic Owen has figured out he can get out of the outfit by putting his hands in it.