Winter Wonderland

On Saturday we went to see Ice at the Gaylord in Grapevine. Derek almost bought the tickets online the night before but he decided not to at the last minute. As we were walking up to purchase our tickets, we saw an incredibly long line of people ahead of us and then out of nowhere this man walks by and asks us if we need tickets. I said yes and he handed me 3 tickets...FREE! We were so excited, not only because it was free but that meant we didn't have to wait in line. The tickets he gave us were special tickets that were good for any of the times. WOW! It couldn't have worked out better for us! I did feel a little bad for all the people who had to wait, but it was so nice to skip that part! The ice exhibit was neat! Ross really enjoyed it even though it was FREEZING in there! We also went down the ice slide, so much fun! By the end, I felt like my face was frozen, it felt really tight when I was trying to smile or talk! After looking at all the ice sculptures, we walked around the Gaylord and saw many other exciting things...Santa, a balloon artist, toy shop, and a real gingerbread house. The whole experience was amazing! Then we headed over to Grapevine Mills to do some shopping! We went to the Rainforest Cafe and Ross got to make his very own stuffed animal. We have made a build a bear before but this one has a sound added to it...so exciting...especially when it went off during church! HA! Got to love those moments! :) The rest of the weekend was filled with hanging around the house and a Christmas party with the Kingdom Kidz group at church. Kingdom Kidz is the children's ministry and I teach Kindergarten every other Sunday. The party was a lot of fun. We are all excited at the Harris house for Christmas! We are getting our cookies ready for Santa and carrots for the reindeer! Hope everyone has Merry Christmas!

Christmas Pictures

We took our family Christmas pictures a little over a week ago and here they are! I am very pleased with the way they turned out!

New addition to the family!

I am so excited to introduce the newest member of the Harris family...Charlie!

He is a cute/sweet puppy that we got from the Humane Society this weekend. He is a chi-winnie like Andy. He is too precious! The whole family fell in love with him...except Andy. Andy was leary from the moment he came in the door. I have to say that it TOTALLY surprised me because everytime we take Andy anywhere and there are other dogs, he LOVES them! They usually don't like him because he is so playful. I guess because this dog is in his house, he does not like him. He growls at him and has tried to bite him a few times!! The puppy, of course, keeps trying to play with Andy. Today has been a little better, I think he will get use to him eventually.

Derek and Ross making a gingerbread house.


We took family picuturs this weekend and I can't wait to see them! My long time friends, Miranda and Michelle do photography as a hobby and they do such a great job! They are also so very sweet! I am glad I got to see them, even if it was only for a short time. After the pictures, we met up with another childhood friend of mine, Catherine and her daughter Makayla to eat dinner at Tamollys in Greenville. Sadly, I did not take any pictures! Makayla is so precious! She is a living doll! It was great to see such wonderful friends! I hope we can all get together again soon!

The fam playing horseshoes at Thanksgiving:

Not sure what the funny face is all about :)

Derek showing off his skills!

Clay and colton

CJ, Derek and Clay

Dad and Miss Shae

I hope to not go such a long time without posting again, we have been SO busy though! Derek and I started taking dance lessons on Monday nights. I have a women's Bible study that I am involved in and Derek and I are about to do a couples one with my sister and her husband. I should have lots to post...if I have time!

Dancing with the Stars

Ok, I love this show. I have been hooked on it for 3 seasons now! I so wish that I could dance like all the girls on the show! Every season I find one or two people that I really want to win. Yes, I even get online and vote for them! This time around, I am leaning towards Warren Sapp and Cody (the youngest competitor on the show). However, I am very disappointed in the fact that Chloris Leacheman is still on the show!!! Seriously, it was funny the first week or two and she is entertaining (when she isn't droppping the f-bomb on tv) but it is time for her to go!!! It is wonderful and all that she is 82 and doing this, blah blah blah, but she can't dance! I know I sound mean, but really, I just don't get it! If she wins this season...I am done! (maybe not, I do really love the show!) :)

I have the best husband in the world!

I came home from work today to a wonderful surprise!

Derek planned a scavenger hunt for me! It was so much fun! I ran all over Lindale finding clues.



I almost didn't make it in time to get this clue...it was blowing away when I got there!




I took pictures of some of the clues but didn't have time to get them all! I loved that each one of them was either something funny or a special memory between us! He did this for my 26th birthday as well. That time, I had to go all over Tyler wearing a crown! I went in several stores and even had to ask for some of my clues! This time I had to go in stores but I didn't have to wear a crown! The final clue tonight led me to Chili's where we ate dinner. It was such a fun way to end the day!

Update on Shae

The surgery went well and Shae is doing great! She was very sleepy the first couple of days after the surgery but is starting to get back to her old self again! We are watching her tonight so that Mindy and Ken could go see Fireproof. She has been singing, saying her abc's and counting (english & spanish) all night. We took a walk in the neighborhood too and she had a blast! I made stew for dinner and she loved it! Derek and Ross just left to pick up Lauren, she is spending the night and going to the State Fair with us tomorrow. Ross is really excited, he loves to have sleepovers! I finally bought his halloween costume tonight - he FINALLY decided on one! He is going to be the Hulk, he got the Hulk gloves for his birthday...so that will really just make his costume complete. Ross was so excited when he saw it that he wanted to try it on, so we let him wear it to pick up Lauren!

Shae before the 'funny juice'


Shae after the 'funny juice'


After the surgery


Shae ate all her stew...so Aunt Tae Tae gave her a cookie!

Look who's walking!

Mindy, Ken, Shae, mom and dad came over for dinner last night (Derek cooked and it was delicious!). As usual, we all sat around watching Shae...she is so captivating. We, literally sit around and just watch her every move. She is so funny! Well, Mindy and Ken had a big surprise for us...Shae is now walking!!! She does hold on to mom and dad's hands but she is still walking! It is amazing to see how much she has changed and progressed since we first saw her. She was born with a tumor on her brain...actually the doctors said she didn't have a brain. They said she would only live 2 weeks and that what brain she did have was mush. Now, we all know that is not true, but if you look at her MRI from when she was born...you can see nothing but the tumor and a very tiny tiny portion of brain. So, we understand why the doctors said what they did, but, they are just doctors - God is the only one who can decide how much of a life this child would have. Because she had such a large tumor, her head was deformed and quite large. She could not hold her head up on her own. The weight of it was too much for her, so for much of her life she could only lay down. After 2 surgeries to deflate the tumor (they can't remove it) and to reshape her head and make it smaller, Shae was able to start sitting up on her own. She was able to lift her head on her own!!! These are such amazing things that we take for granted!! Everything she does is amazing because, it was once thought that she wouldn't even live and look at her now! She is living! She is learning! She is doing everything any other child can do. Now, she is walking!! Every person that meets her falls completely in love with her, she is so charming. I could go on and on about this child, she is a gift from God and we are so blessed to have her in our lives. I feel privileged that He chose our family to care for her. Mindy and Ken are so amazing and have done so much with her. She could not be in better hands or in a more loving home.

Here is a video of her walking (please ignore my horrible voice...)

Fireproof

Derek and I went to see Fireproof last night. It was a REALLY good movie and we both loved it! I really like Kirk Cameron and not in the way that I liked him when he was on Growing Pains! I respect him as a christian man, someone who doesn't fall into the hype of Hollywood, someone who doesn't lose who is he really is...actually someone who uses his talents to reach out to others and bring them to the Lord. I really admire him. I saw an interview with him recently and he talked about how he won't kiss another woman, in a movie, other than his wife. So, in this movie, when he kisses his on-screen wife...it is actually his real life wife who stepped in as a body double! I LOVE that! I hope he does more movies!

Tonight we are having my parents, sister and brother in law over for dinner. Derek wanted to make something for them since they are leaving tomorrow to prepare for Shae's surgery. He won't tell me what he is making but I know it will be yummy so I can't wait!

Tomorrow after church we are all going to Dallas to eat at PF Changs. (I know...we are really asking for another disaster,right?) :) We are going to stay the night so we can all be there for Shae's surgery on Monday morning.

Have a good weekend and if you get a change, go see Fireproof!

Prayer Request

Shae, my niece, is having another surgery on Monday October 13th. This surgery will not be as extensive as the previous two surgeries but still we ask that you keep her in your prayers. She is an amazing little girl that has overcome so many obstacles and continues to keep us in awe of her progress. I believe that she is a gift from God. She has touched each one of us and changed our hearts and lives for the better. I will update after her surgery to let everyone know how she is doing.

Also, please keep my Grandpa in your prayers. He has struggled many years with his health but has done amazingly well given his circumstances. He is not doing good right now, his kidney function has decreased significantly more than it should for his age. Right now, it is looking like he may have to go on dialysis. Please remember my Grandpa (Joe) and my niece (Shae) in your prayers! Thanks so much!

October already!!!

Oh my, time is flying by so fast! I have so much to catch up on. I really don't like to just do one huge post but I am so far behind!

A couple of weeks ago, Derek and I woke up to a surprise at our door. It was about 6am and Derek was about to leave for work when he came and woke me up to ask me why we had balloons all over our front door. I was half asleep and not sure what on earth he was talking about...but sure enough...all you could see out of the glass on the front door was balloons. So, I opened the door and they flooded the entry way. Someone had put saran wrap on our door frame and stuffed that area with all different shapes, sizes and colors of balloons. Whoever did this...spent a lot of time blowing up balloons. They also put them all over our garage door. Oh, and they covered our mailbox with saran wrap! We, of course, thought it was Mindy and Ken (my sister and her husband) because we have an ongoing 'prank battle' with them. And sometimes with my parents too. So, we were sure it was one of them that did it. Well, they wouldn't fess up to it and that is not the norm...none of us are good at keeping secrets so the prank never lasts long! So, we assumed it must be some clown gang or something...just kidding! But, it did make us kind of paranoid b/c someone was at our house in the middle of the night while we slept doing all of this and we never knew it! Our dog, who barks at his own shadow didn't even hear it! Well, after 2 weeks, we finally get a call and the prankster comes clean...it was Derek's sister! So, we have been plotting our revenge. This is getting a little out of hand though...it was just my family and now his is in on it too! I didn't get a picture of all of the balloons at the door but I did get a few of the garage and yard.



We also celebrated my dad's 61st birthday! Mindy and I made him a wonderful dinner. I made meatloaf and Mindy made all the sides. My mom made my dad's favorite desert, lemon pie. We had a great time eating and visiting.
Dad playing with Shae

Mindy and Ken cooking


We went shopping for Ross' halloween costume and we still haven't been able to get him to pick just one! But, we did find Andy a cute little angel costume. What do you think? He looks just like an angel right???

He looks a little possessed!! Oh, and excuse Derek in his boxers, this pic is too funny not to post!



We went to a pumpkin patch on Saturday. It was so much fun! They had a hayride, games, pumpkin decorating, treasure hunts and more! Mindy, Ken and Shae went with us and Shae LOVED the hayride! Ross really enjoyed the treasure hunt and getting to pick out and decorate his pumpkin.







Ross and his pumpkin

Shae and her pumpkin

On our treasure hunt!


Oh and I made HOMEMADE sourdough bread...that is right HOMEMADE!!! I am shocked and proud of myself! I had help from my sister, she gave me the sourdough starter and buttermilk starter but, I 'fed' them and made the bread all by myself! Well, Derek did have to help a little b/c my arms were so tired after 15 mintues of kneading the dough!
Here is the proof:



And who can cook without making a huge mess...right? Or is that just me???