The Decision to go Private...

Hey friends! I decided to take my blog private for a couple of reasons.... I have found by looking at my LiveFigit that I have had a lot of random people looking at my blog...other countries even. If you haven't put that on your blog yet, you would be shocked to see how many people look at it that you don't know. It just kinda creeps me out. Then, I was watching TV the other day and there was a story about a child molester that was talking to this little girl about her blog. He said, "I have a blog too. I'll look at your blog and you can look at mine. We'll be 'special' friends". UGH. I would like to be able to post things about Sam without having on the back of my mind that some creepy pedophile is looking at my dear, sweet, innocent, pure baby boy in a nasty way. I feel responsible to protect him from that and frankly tired of worrying about it. Plus, I made the mistake of using my name all over the place beginning with the title. Matt was the one that asked me to put it on private. He's usually the one that is the least likely to worry about stuff like this so when he was bothered, I listened :) Heather (sis-in-law) had some people that she doesn't know post comments. One of which was some random man. It is just too creepy for me. I tried just changing my settings so that people couldn't google my name and find our blog but for some reason, they still could. I would rather just invite those i know or even friends of friends that like to read it. So if you have a friend or family member that for some crazy reason enjoys reading about my crazy family and our crazy antics, please send me their email addresses & I will be delighted to grant them access :). At least I have control over who is looking at it and not just some Joe Blow that will be on Dateline's "Catch a Predator" next week. It's sad that we have to worry about things like that but unfortunately, we do :(

Girls Night Christmas Party

The Girls~

Tracy, Me, Shoshana, Michelle, Mesha, & Melissa

Samantha, Misti, Jill, Megan & Brigette

Just before Christmas, the Girls left the kiddos with the Daddys and came to my house for a little mid-week Christmas break. Everyone brought a dish and we had a great time hanging out & eating great food. We sat around, sipped cider, chatted and shared different Christmas traditions that we did as a kid or that our new little families enjoy. None of us had toddlers tugging at our pants to get them more milk, Goldfish, or bananas. We didn't have to "enjoy" another episode of The Backyardigans or Clifford. It was very relaxed. Instead, we had an Accessory Exchange which is like the typical Santa Swap game but we all brought either fun fashion or home accessories. We had a great time! This may have to become a tradition itself! :)

I think Michelle's face speaks for all of us...we had a great time!

An Award!

The Starnes Family Blog sent me this award. It's my first blog award :) I will proudly display it!

The rules:

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.

2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show GREAT ATTITUDE and/or GRATITUDE!

3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.

4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

5. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.

And, I award:

Coco's Cuckoo

House of House

The Aldridge Artifacts

Callihan's Island

The Daily Darst

Cooks Book

More Wine Please

All About Jackson

My Life. My Boys.

The Clay Family

I thoroughly enjoy reading your blogs and keeping up with your daily tidbits!

The Lights on Main Street

A few weeks before Christmas, Matt and I took Sam down to Grapevine Main Street to see the lights. They have a great light show to music. Also, they sprayed the grass so that it looks like it has had a dusting of snow. The entire downtown was transformed into a little Winter Wonderland. Sam loved it! He wasn't too sure about the loud music and flashing lights but he loved the deer displayed in a little booth with elves. He spotted them from afar and shouted "DEER!" and took off running. Just like his Daddy only he sweetly waves and says, "Hi Deer!" instead of shooting them, eating them and mouting them on the wall.

I've Been Tagged

I've been tagged so here it goes...

8 things I did today:
1. Worked out
2. Painted my nails and toes
3. Got Sam to take a nap!!!!! Woo Hoo!
4. Started making Crock Pot Taco Soup
5. Talked to my mom on the phone
6. Picked up the house
7. Folded clothes while watching LA Ink
8. Made a master To Do list

8 favorite restaurants *If you have ever gone to eat with Sam you know why we don't go out to eat much...see the post from the Gaylord and it should give you some idea.
1. Chipotle
2. Benihanas
3. Pei Wei
4. Any "good" tearoom
5. Krispy Kreme (Does that count?)
6. Toll House Cookie Store (What about this one?)
7. Chili's
8. La Hacienda

8 Shows I watch:
1. The Biggest Loser
2. ER
3. Scrubs
4. So You Think You Can Dance
5. Jon & Kate + 8
6. LA and/or Miami Ink
7. Friday Night Lights
8. 24

8 things I wish for:
1. To be organized all throughout the house
2. To remain motivated to work out
3. For Sam to be a better sleeper
4. For the market/economy to improve
5. For Sam and Matt to have a smidgen of an idea about how much I deeply love them
6. For everyone to have a close relationship with their mom like I have with my mom
7. For Sam to remain healthy
8. For some sort of cause or cure to be determined for Autism

8 things I look forward to:
1. Ski trip in March
2. Trying for baby #2 in the summer
3. Summer Vacation...Switzerland? Italy? Mexico? (Gotta love Edward Jones!)
4. Going to the Mavs game with my hubby on Thursday
5. Getting organized
6. Having a real conversation with Sam
7. My hair appointment on Friday (Honestly my roots are like 3" deep!)
8. My finger to have feeling again and be back to normal.

Tags: Coco, Heather, Michelle, April, Sarah, Brooks, Wendy, Melissa, Brigette, Shoshana

To all of my friends, family and fellow Blogging BFFs...

I have officially been MIA for a good while now. The last of the Christmas rush got the best of me and unfortunately left no time to blog. (The finger injury put me a bit behind on wrapping and such) Then, we left for Alabama on the 26th to visit my hubby's family. We had a great time but we did not have access to the internet. Sooooo, I am very behind with events to blog etc. I am going to officially undo all of my holiday cheer from my blog from the poll to the music to the background pic and will be posting like a maniac over the next few days :)