Winston's New Favorite Toy...Courtesy of Jeremy and Alyson!!

Winston got so many toys for Christmas!! In order to make them "live" longer and keep him excited about each one, we gave him a new toy every few days...usually after he had destroyed the previous one!! The toy in the videos below came from our cousins Jeremy and Alyson. It is a ball made from a tire material with a jingle ball inside. I was very excited about this toy because it looked like it may be durable enough to stay around more than a few days. Little did I know that it would keep him occupied as well. I thought at first that he really liked it, but now I have decided that his mission is to KILL IT!!! Too bad it's so durable :(

In the following videos, you will see that he has two strategies:
Burying and Smothering

I tried to make the videos as short as possible! Thanks Jer and Aly for the toy...it is the most entertaining one yet :)

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Winston's Recent Company...

Lately, Michael and I have had a lot of company at our house, and trust me, it has nothing to do with us.  People have always told me that when Michael and I have children, our family will cease to be interested in us, but I never thought that adding an English Bulldog to our family would do the same...

Winston and Matthew playing with his most favorite toy...a water bottle!

Winsty and Rusty

Bob and Winston...he is not normally allowed on the couch due to the stinch that he constantly expells, but we made an exception for our company!!

I have always been impressed with Medow's attempt to like Winston.  I think he is the only dog she has ever or will ever have anything to do with!!  He LOVES his Bob and Medow!!!

This one is a little older, but I forgot to post it...Winston chillin with my dad!

Getting Our Skate On...

These pictures were taken at our cousin Caleb's 6th birthday party.  It was so much fun to go back to Funtime Skateland!  That place was old when I was growing up, but boy is it still booming!!!  It was so great to see the kids having so much fun!!!!

Ace in My Pocket...

I have been saving this picture in a secret place on the computer for a while.  I took it during the "ugly picture war" that Michael and I had a while back.  It looks like the dust has settled, but I just couldn't bring myself to do the right thing and discard this picture.  I realize that I am opening myself up for more embarrassment, but I am willing to take the risk, and I think you will be glad I did!!!...

He looks good in Victoria's Secret, huh??

HAHA! Too fun!!!

Ok...I have been "tagged" in the Blogosphere.  Let me explain...  Amy, Michael's (and mine, really) cousin tagged me in her most recent blog.  At first I was confused, but I then discovered that this was a fun little activity.  

The instructions stated to go to your pictures, open the 6th folder, and upload the 6th picture, and tag 6 people to do the same.  

This was my 6th picture: 

If my calculations are correct, this was New Year's Eve 3 years ago.  We celebrated at our friends Jennifer and JP Martin's apartment.  Some eventful "happenings" included:  grilling hamburgers - well, attempting to grill, but the guys said something was wrong with the grill so I think we ended up at the McAlister's in Byram.  Then, we shot fireworks, and probably damaged every car in the apartment complex with our "glitter twitter" sparklers.  

I remember more about that night then I thought I would.  Now we are a little more grown up...Michael and I are married, JP and Jennifer have a beautiful new home and child...my how time flies.

Ok, I am tagging the following people to do this same activity...NO CHEATING!!!

Sarah Denley and Peyton Herrington

Whitney and Gray Williams

Neil Tullos

John and Amie Murphy

Scotty Rogers

Valerie Davis

I'm sorry guys...it wasn't my intention to include you in this activity, but I don't have many friends in the blogosphere!!!!!

FoMuBu

We had a wonderful New Year's with even more wonderful friends (FoMuBu).  Words can't express how much fun we have with these people.  Here are a few pictures from our annual trip to The Peabody Memphis...

Dinner @ Texas de Brazil - best steakhouse ever

Going on GREEN!

Not sure what's going on here...

Preacher/Bouncer is showing off!!

I LOVE him!!!

Thad and Amanda...the "Rug Cutters"

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!

Eating The World's Best Tamales on Beale Street after the party...can we say exhausted????

Footnote:  

I would have posted a "couple picture" of John and Amie, but it wasn't pretty last time I made that mistake!!!!!!

Sweet Revenge...

If you saw this, then you know why I am posting this video.  I am sorry that you have to watch it standing on your head...I can't figure out how to rotate it!!!

2009 Here We Come!!!

As many of you know, 2008 was a year of changes for Michael and me.  Michael is hoping that 2009 will be different, but I, on the other hand, am thinking it will be just as busy.  While I have been sick and quarantined to the bed, I have constructed us a 2009 Master To-Do List.  I thought I would share it with you...

1.  Landscape the yard - It is really bugging me that our side and back yard is nothing but grass.  So, this project is #1 for the year.  We hope to do the typical flower beds and shrub planting with a possible patio addition, architectural lighting, and fire pit (depending on how many extra shifts I can motivate myself to work).  We shall see how this goes!

2.  Complete the bonus room - The construction part of the room was completed when we moved in, but it has become a "climate-controlled storage" area and gift storage/wrapping station since May.  I would like to decorate and accessorize half of the room with a couch, entertainment center for the TV, rug, chair, etc. and leave the other half blank (that means NOTHING, Michael...NADA!) for a future nursery.  No, don't get your hopes up Terri and Medow...we are still on the 5 year plan!

3. Install an alarm system - I probably shouldn't have posted on the World Wide Web that we do not have an alarm system, but we have a 60 pound English Bulldog that can't wait to greet any Boogie Man that decides to scare him in the middle of the night.  Just ask Michael about the night he accidentally suprised Winston.

4. Take the GRE and start Grad School - This will be an effort to simplify my life.  I really enjoy teaching, and I think that God is calling me to do this while continuing to practice in my profession.  I hope to pursue a Masters in Nursing Education.  This will take me about one year, and I think that it will be a year well spent.

2008 has been the MOST wonderful year of my life.  I have experienced SO many wonderful things that I am so grateful for, and I am so excited to see what God has in store for us in 2009!!!!!!

Christmas 2008

I have always been rather obsessed with Christmas, and if you visited my house anytime between November 20th to January 1st, you would not argue with that statement.  I love to celebrate Jesus' birth by decorating, buying gifts, and spending time with family and friends, but for some reason this year seemed different.  I had so many new things to celebrate:  my new last name, my new home, my new puppy, but I just couldn't manage to get my act together.  I have concluded that it is because I am a member of the "working world" now.  So long to the 5 to 6 week break that college offered.  I still had a wonderful Christmas with Michael, family, and friends, and I am so very thankful for the whole reason that we celebrate...Jesus! 

 

Here are some pictures from our busy December...

Rockefeller Center

Lady Lib

our hotel...The Mansfield

FAO Schwartz

Time Square

Winston opening his new bed from Grandaddy and Mawmaw

he was promising me that he wouldn't destroy this one...

Sound asleep on his new bed...

our home all decorated

Christmas festivities wear Winston OUT!!!

Riding around the house in Daddy's new wheel barrow that Santa brought

Michael and Baby Claire

Everyone got a little piece of NYC for Christmas

and this is what we found New Year's Eve morning...this is why I need medication!!!!!!

but how can you punish someone that looks at you like this???

I hope that your Christmas was as happy as ours.  I can't wait to see what changes will take place by Christmas 2009!!!