FROZEN

People are joking that we have experienced Icemagedon, here in North Texas.
Everything is frozen.

People are freaking out everywhere because their kids have been home for almost a week--
but for us, we are always all home together.
I don't have to leave my house to work--
So despite my hatred of being cold, it just serves as a free activity to wear my kids down.
I still make money.
The kids have fun...
Its a win.

I remember the snow we had in 2011 was a close catch-- but it was soft snow, not ice…

[I remember, because it lasted almost 2 weeks-- busted our pipes and I spent those days sitting by the fire at mom's, eating my weight in her cooking.
I gained 12 pounds that OB visit.
And it was 100% worth it.]

Crazy enough, my yards are still solid sheets of ice-- 3" deep and I have spent these last 6 days, in the same ice-day form.
Stuffing my face.

***
I was scheduled to work Saturday, but let's be honest-- I don't drive well in perfect conditions.
So, instead, we planned to go stay the night at my parents so the boys could stay there with them and not get out on early morning roads, while Lance drove me in.
Thankfully, two girls who live close to work, volunteered to work our shifts-- which was incredibly nice.
And after a two hour commute in four wheel drive Friday afternoon-- we spent the rest of the weekend playing in the ice!
…and playing Mexican train
…and eating way too much
…and warming up by the fire
…and cleaning up a vomiting baby
... and watching tv
…and taking call.

I made a couple more of those jazzy videos (that I have kind of become obsessed with)::
here, of our ATV fun on the ice:
 http://www.magisto.com/album/video/cXtxAg0CQwkfDnIABQ

And here, of our inside fun:
http://www.magisto.com/video/PEQQNgRXCjE-XhVnCzE?utm_source=magisto&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=producer_shared_movie


And of course I took pictures too.

We left Sunday afternoon, and came home to do more of the same...
Minus the vomiting,
thankfully.

Monday we stayed inside,
but Tuesday decided to venture out.

Candace had invited us to a play date at Chickfila and then to go with them to see Frozen.
First of all, my car looked like this:

So after four pitchers of hot water to each tire,
and six pitchers of cold water to my windshield--
plus a few whacks from a 2X4 I found in the garage,  (this, we won't mention to Lance)
This thing was finally drivable.

The roads were perfect but when I hit my breaks at the stop-sign on top of the Harmon Road bridge, a 2" sheet of ice slid off of the roof of my car and onto my windshield.

This is when I realized that chivalry is dead.

I put my car in park, my flashers on, and hopped out on the icy bridge to remove a Volkswagen Jetta from atop my windshield (or a piece of ice that probably weighed about the same) when TWO men, went around me-- and neither stopped to help.

I made it to Chickfila, which was capital cray-cray.
We were all 3 in Converse, which have the traction of a bobsled and their parking lot was solid ice... so that was fun.
Inside, a lady came and asked if she could have the table that our kids were still sitting at!

Candace had parked right behind me-- so close, actually, that she had to slide through our cars to make it in.
But we finished lunch, and found my car like this:

Luckily the wreck in the top left of the picture did not involve me.
It did keep me from leaving the parking lot, however, thus making us late to the movie theater and rounding the corner just in time to see the sign change to "sold out".

They went ahead and let us buy tickets...
which put us in the very front row.

A first for me.

My neck wasn't really a fan, but the movie itself was excellent-- and by "excellent", I mean I cried out loud.  (possibly more than once)
In my defense, my calender is telling me to cry about every 10 minutes or so-- and some issues my husband is having is agreeing with my calender.

The kids had a blast on the make-shift ice rink outside the theater.

We slid over to Children's Place where, with the help of an awesome and sneaky employee, I was able to get a couple of gifts I was needing.

Oddly enough, this day was a win for us.
"Crazy" just gives Candace and I another reason to laugh--
which just-so-happens to be our favorite thing.

since Thanksgiving

I think I am behind…
I better catch up.

I went to mom's the day before Thanksgiving to help her cook.
Lance had a crap-tastic day at work that day so he decided to pack us bags and come out to mom's to "get away".

We ended up staying three days... good thing Lance always over-packs!

I forgot to tell him to bring my camera, so this is as good as I got for Thanksgiving pictures::

We went to Nana's at noon and back to mom's by 4:00.

The food was amazing as always!

My sister left to go Black Friday shopping about 5:30 but I was having fun hanging out with my cousin Amber, so I let her leave me.

She called and said that Walmart was a lost cause, full of chaos, but that they were heading to Belk.

Lance decided that he would take me to meet her and Carissa-- and by midnight, we had only made it through Dick's and JCPenneys.

We stopped for a 1:00am snack at Flips and laughed ourselves silly…
And then crashed hard, as we headed out.

We made a last ditch decision to go back to WM since the crowd had cleared, but left with only 2 movies.

Allison and I made it back to mom's about 4:00 and were pretty much good-for-nothing most of the day after.
I called it a Black Friday hangover-- minus the alcohol.

Thankfully call was slow and we spent the rest of that night decorating mom's house for Christmas.

We did make a 11:00 trip back to WM, however, to try and find mom a new tree--
and to buy for a little family that my mom's Bunko group sponsored this year.

In true Holly-Allison-Mendy fashion, we made even such a short trip into a wave of emotions.
At one point, we were all crying in the shoe section as she told us about this family...
I decided to hop in and help a little too, which always gets me flowing--
and then 3 of us laughed hysterically on the way home-- to the point of tears again!
It is how we roll!

Saturday I had to work.
And afterward, I met my SIL Jenn and her babies for Freebirds before dinner with the rest of Lance's family.
The movie was cute, and the kids did well.

Babes was fun and we enjoyed seeing everyone.
Jenn and G's friends came over after and they have a little girl named Brittan who is the same age as Beckham.
She also goes by 'B', which was funny to see them both respond each time their name was called out!

Sunday, the holidays caught up with us.
Maddox woke me up asking for breakfast and I thought that something was wrong with the clock because it was 11:05!

I decided to get into the attic that afternoon and bring down some of the Christmas madness, although without Lance-- my load was pretty small.
I just needed enough Christmas to introduce Shimmer back into our house.
So it was a success.

He has been up to his antics ever since!

Monday was my 7th year anniversary.
I spent the day cleaning-- wearing my best sweatpants and unwashed topknot--
and Lance came home from another terrible day at work.
I wrote him an emotional letter...
he...
was kind of emotional.
I believe we have had better celebrated days.
But that's okay.

I did treat myself to this watch...
that was technically my Christmas present,
but now it is both!

Tuesday I hosted a lunch-and-learn and my mom took the boys to run a couple of errands while I was at work.
We ran to Sam's afterward.
I had no idea it was going to be 80, and my kids were dressed for-- well-- the ice storm we are having today.

Luckily Maddox didn't mind shedding layers, but Beckham wasn't having that!

That night, Lance got down the rest of the trimmings and we splashed this house with holiday cheer.
Unfortunately, the top of my tree lights are not working and I still have not replaced each bulb to see which one is causing the distraction.

Here's our skill put to music:: http://www.magisto.com/album/video/eXt5BQIDQwkfDnIFBA 

I am super stoked about my wrapping paper this year too.
Although after posting this picture to my IG, I was assured that this glitter paper will be the death of me!
Yay!

Wednesday, we went to see Santa.
There was no wait and the boys both did very well.
We were surprised to see a new Santa this year at Bass Pro, but he was a jolly faced fella-- so no complaints from us!

We ran to Grapevine Mills where I was able to finish Maddox's Christmas.
I was honestly impressed with Lance and my FBI skills, since we were able to do it with our kids in tow!
They never knew the wiser!

We made a dash through downtown Grapevine to see the lights, 
and then we had dinner at The Cheesecake Factory.
..kind of to celebrate our anniversary,
but mostly because I was craving their lettuce wraps!

Thursday, my pal Jennifer and her lump-of-love, Madden, came to visit for a bit.
She brought me a sweet gift-- including my very first piece of Lululemon!
She's a peach like that.

Today, we were hit by a storm.
The kids played just shy of about 2 minutes, and were ready to come back inside!

I'm blogging and trying to decide if it is worth my risk of paying my deductible to make the trip in, in the morning!

Until next time!

He loves me.

Lance hates cigarettes.
And sour cream.
And bad calls in football.
He hates for cotton balls to touch his hands.
And ranch dressing.
He hates OU.
And A&M.
And for games not to be televised in HD.
He hates most vegetables.
And for the bottom of his feet to be touched.
He hates liberals.
He hates to lose.
And hates to be lied to.
He hates dirty spaces.
And usually change too.
He hates snakes.
And he hates cheaters.
And he really hates to see our boys feelings hurt.

Lance hates a lot of things…

But he loves me.

Happy anniversary Babe!
Thanks for making me laugh, making me cry, giving me two blessings we calls boys, and being my best friend of 12 years.
We are a strategic combination that somehow always works.
Seven years of marriage later, I am still lucky to be your bride.