Happy 5th Birthday!!

The day after Christmas we decided to make a quick 3 day trip to College Station to visit Laura & Dwain, since Shawn hadn't seen them forever, and then 2 days to Killeen. We had a good visit with L&D, and on Tuesday (27th) we headed up over to Killeen. It also was Joey's birthday.
He was so excited for turning 5!

I was suppose to make a cake after we got to my parents, but I was way to tired. So Mom and I were going to go to the mall to get a cookie cake for him. We went to Walmart first, and they had all those Christmas iced cookies on sale, so Mom bought a lot...

and we came home and stuck 5 candles on one of them...

and sang Happy Birthday to him. He was happy because 1) we were at Mimi & Grampa's house, and 2) his bestest cousin Jared (only 6 weeks younger) was there, and he got to go spend the night at his house.

This picture was suppose to be first. For dinner we ate at Chick-fil-A... his favorite place to eat in the whole wide world! Even better than McDonald's!!

But this cute little boy has not forgotten that I told him I would make him a Cars cake (I have the pan), so I guess I better get myself siked to do that soon!!
Happy Birthday Joey!! We love you!!

Nativity

On December 22nd, our family did the Nativity again at the church. And I had these pictures in order, but they didn't come out in the order I wanted. We did this last year too, and Krissy made front page of the newspaper on Christmas Day. It was pretty cool.
Kayley, Lauren & Jacob as the wisemen.

Amanda just so happened to be visiting Josh and us for a week (left the next day), so she was able to be in it too. Here they are as Mary & Joseph.

The wisemen again.

Krissy, Lindsey, cousin Maddie & Joey as the cute shepherds.

And Mary & Joseph again.

Shawn had to work this year on our scheduled night, so I opted not to be in it. I took the pictures with my BlackBerry, thus not the great so looking pictures. And this was it for Christmas pictures. I wasn't good with the camera this year, but we had a great day.

Parade & YW in Excellence

The parade in Ashdown, that I had mentioned in a post or 2 below that Lauren was in, was rescheduled for the Tuesday night instead of that 1st Monday. It poured rain on Monday. Joey was also in the parade with his pre-school. Their float got best over-all, as always. :)

It was cold that night. Joey had on his PJ's, clothes, coat, hat, gloves, and 2 blankets wrapped around him.

Young Women in Excellence was the Wednesday night after the parade. This is Kayley's cute table with her cute self...

And this is Lauren's cute area...

And I don't know why this was the last picture. It was suppose to be the 3rd one. This was Joey's whole float. He is the very last under "Express." Kids were also on the other side.

Merry Christmas

Hopefully I will get these sent out. If you don't get one it's because I didn't send them out, or I didn't have your address.
Hope your family had a great Christmas!!

Shawn & me, 22 1/2 years of marriage,
our 23rd Christmas together...

and seven beautiful children later!

Josh- 21, Lauren- 16 1/2, Kayley- 14 1/2, Jacob- 13, Krissy- 10,
Lindsey- 8 in 6 weeks (baptism 12 Feb), Joey- 5 on 27 Dec

Miss Land-of-Lights Pageant

These small towns and their pageants!! Lauren has loved doing them. Since she still had her dress from Prom and the last pageant, she decided to wear it again in this one. We tried to get Kayley to enter and wear the red one that Lauren 1st wore, but she wouldn't. Here she is about to head out. Sorry for some of the pictures being bad. I was in the way back, and Jon's girlfriend, Carrie, took these with her phone.

Standing in line. The girl at the right of this picture was so mad that she didn't make the Top 5, that she left before the pageant was even over. Not cool.

Lauren playing "Music of the Night" from Phantom of the Opera.

And she won the talent part.

She was pretty happy.

And then she won Miss Congeniality. So 2 trophies that night. Here she is with Kayley and cousin Rebekah after the pageant. Later that night all 3 watched the movie.

Because she won, she had to attend the lighting of the Little River County Courthouse the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving. She also had/has to be in the parades. She's already been in the Foreman parade, and Ashdown's is Monday (weather permitting... if so, it will be changed to Tuesday).

Kayley got her haircut. She cut off about 3-4 inches, and got it layered.

Where is my 14 year old daughter?! She is looking so grown up!! Very beautiful!!

Jacob playing his trumpet at the Parents Meeting the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.

Cookies tonight!

Tonight is the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional.
I am making cookies and later while we are watching it we will sip on hot chocolate.
It's quite cold outside today too, so this is perfect!

Maraschino Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 - 2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 sticks butter (not margarine or Crisco butter sticks)
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
6 oz. mini chocolate chips
1/2 c. chopped nuts
1 jar maraschino cherries, drained, chopped and drained again in strainer.

Cream butter and sugar. Add flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla. Stir in last 3 ingredients. Bake 375 for 10 minutes. (There are no eggs... do not add any.)

ENGAGED!!

OMGosh!! It happened!!
Josh asked Amanda to marry him today!!
On 11-11-11 @ 11:11am in Shreveport.

**Save the Dates**
6 April 2012, Dallas LDS Temple
26 April 2012, Open House in Texarkana

So what has Josh been doing since returning??

Well, he got his job back at Wadley. Yay!

He took Krissy to lunch last Saturday since he couldn't be home for her birthday dinner/cake.
They ate at Herbs in Ashdown.

And he has been seeing Amanda...

a lot!

So much, that something may happen soon, which I can't say...

but that the Dallas LDS Temple may be involved in April.
What? I haven't said any official facts yet!

Fair Game?

Or is it Game Fair? But the night of Ashdown Homecoming Lauren & Kayley wanted to go because 1) Homecoming and 2) Hanna, who is in our ward, was nominated to be in the Homecoming court. She was 1st runner up, or Maid of Honor (?), so everyone was happy.

Here they are with Madison (Hanna's cousin and newest Beehive in our ward), and Sara (yellow bow) who is Hanna's sister. Not sure who the girl in front is, but she was having a great time too!

Lauren joined FFA. I know, right?? She has already talked to her Papaw, who is going to allow her to raise a calf for show next year. I know, right? This week is the Four States Fair, and all FFA kids were able to go and help with the daily stuff when local school kids came to visit. Unfortunately, Ashdown school kids were not able to go, so that was a bummer. I am sure it's all about the money and with football being the #1 priority right now,
well.... I won't get on that soapbox!

Some of the FFA girls.

And 4 of them with their boots. Yes, Lauren is wearing Justin's.
I know, right?
She is the upper right in the picture.

August & September dances

Stake dances are what my kids look forward too. They love going to the Gilmer & Longview Stake dances as there are WAY more kids, but they also go to our stake's because we will always support our stake things. Kayley just started going to them in April, and already has found herself a cute little guy friend. His name is Grant. And they have the same birthday!! Grant is a few hours older... how wild is that? But Grant is moving to the Monroe, LA Stake pretty soon. I think he is moving to Pine Bluff, which from what I had heard... is only like an hour from here. Like I've said before, I don't care if my 14 yr olds or 15 yr olds like someone... as long as they live far far away!! But I told Kayley once they are 16 and can date, then we can work things out. I hope by then Kayley will think I am
pretty cool because of it.
This was at the August dance. Aren't they so cute?

September "cowboy" dance.
Kinda blurry, and lighting was way bad.

Awwwwww, it's Grant & Kayley again!!
(It was also the same night that BYU was killed by Utah)

Lauren and a kid named Tyler.
Not sure what the face was about...

Youth Temple Trip

Lauren, Kayley & Jacob had a Dallas Temple trip on September 10th. They had to leave early that morning to be able to make it to the temple by the 11am session. They go in an RV that the Platts in our ward own, which makes it nice because they don't have to wear their church clothes there. They change just before getting to the temple. Here they are after doing a session, or maybe it's just before since all their hair is still nice??

Most of the Texarkana Ward Youth. I think maybe 3-4 are missing from that day. The New Boston Ward also goes with them so they can have a full session.

Lauren

Kayley

Jacob, with his long tie...

and no belt. Typical stinkin' Deacon!! LOL!!

They all had a great time. This was also Jacob's first time going.