Live the LIFE!

I realized I have really been busy livin' the life these last few months, as much as I like to think I sit around with a baby all the time, I guess I don't just do that. It all began back in November, before Thanksgiving... CJ and I pulled an all-nighter with my Mom and Sister Meredith driving to Clarksville, Tennessee to see my brother return from Iraq. He came in around 12:20 AM!! It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the redeployment ceremony which was worth driving there and back returning around 5:45 in the morning and taking 3 days to recover!
CJ couldn't handle the cold to see his plane land right there at the hanger, so we stayed warm inside as the troops lined up outside the hanger doors. The Chaplain stood and prayed, thanking God for returning these troops home safely, and asking for a blessing on those whose loved ones did not return. If we weren't crying by then, we did when the hanger doors opened and the troops came marching in with a band playing. It was an absolutely patriotic experience! How grateful I am that I went. Here are a few pics from that.

Charles and Ashley

Happy Tears

My Dad, Charles, Cj and I

At Thanksgiving, we went to the Ham and the girls, Cj and I stayed the weekend so I could help my mom redo her half bath. We tore out an old ceramic toilet paper holder and towel bar, leaving huge holes in the wall. I forgot to take pics of the holes, but I do have a few before and afters...a few more pictures with my brother Charles who was also there for Thanksgiving.

Meredith, Charles and Mom

CJ, Charles and Me

CJ(pre-haircut) and Uncle Charles

Before: Mom's bathroom with holes dry-walled and ugly wall-paper

After: with new paint and fixtures.

New faucet I installed with mom's ceramic bullfrog next to it (the wall color is called Bullfrog :)

Sam's Choir performance at he Bob Jones Breakfast with Santa

One day I sent Alex outside to take pictures of Samantha and then sent SAm outside to take pictures of Alex. It was a successful task. Here are a few of my favorites:

It was halfway into December before we got our Christmas decorations out and they are still up, this was taken the night we decorated the tree.

I couldn't find my camera for about 2-3 weeks, so sad, but I finally found it this week in the floor board of my car. It must have fallen out of the diaper bag where I usually keep it. So thanks to Alex's Christmas present I have one Christmas morning picture to share...

OK- CJ has had enough of this posting thing taking Mom's attention so I will post later about getting lost...