To all of my email friends!

I stole this completely from Paul, but I laughed so hard (because it is so true) I had to post it!! Thanks Paul!!

My heartfelt appreciation goes out to everyone for taking the time and trouble to send me "forwards" over the past 12 months. Thank you for making me feel safe, secure, blessed, and wealthy. Extra thanks to whoever sent me the one about rat crap in the glue on envelopes cause I now have to go get a wet towel every time I need to seal an envelope. Also, I scrub the top of every can I open for the same reason. Because of your concern I no longer drink Coca Cola because it can remove toilet stains. I no longer drink Pepsi or Dr Pepper since the people who make these products are atheists who refuse to put "Under God" on their cans. I no longer use Saran wrap in the microwave because it causes cancer. I no longer check the coin return on pay phones because I could be pricked with a needle infected with AIDS. I no longer use cancer-causing deodorants even though I smell like a water buffalo on a hot day. I no longer go to shopping malls because someone might drug me with a perfume sample and rob me. I no longer receive packages from nor send packages by UPS or Fed Ex since they are actually Al Qaeda in disguise I no longer answer the phone because someone will ask me to dial a number for which I will get a phone bill with calls to Jamaica, Uganda, Singapore, and Uzbekistan. I no longer eat KFC because their "chickens" are actually horrible mutant freaks with no eyes or feathers. I no longer have any sneakers -- but that will change once I receive my free replacement pair from Nike.I no longer have to buy expensive cookies from Neiman Marcus since I now have their recipe. I no longer worry about my soul because at last count I have 363,214 angels looking out for me. I have learned that God only answers my prayers if I forward an e-mail to seven of my friends and make a wish within five minutes. I no longer have any savings because I gave it to a sick girl who is about to die in the hospital (for the 1,387,258th time).I no longer have any money at all - but that will change once I receive the $15,000 that Microsoft and AOL are sending me for participating in their special email program. Yes, I want to thank you so much for looking out for me that I will now return the favor! If you don't send this e-mail to at least 144,000 people in the next 7 minutes, a large pigeon with a wicked case of diarrhea will land on your head at 5:00 PM this afternoon. I know this will occur because it actually happened to a friend of my next door neighbor's ex-mother-in-law's second husband's cousin's beautician.
Have a great Thursday!!

All of the goodies that Santa brought to Dawson!! 

It took him a minute to realize all of the toys around the Christmas tree.. This is when he first saw it all.. 

This was his first time to sit on his new four wheeler from Santa! 

This was at Mamaw Sue's Christmas Eve supper!! We had a lot of fun there!! This is all of the Ladd girls, plus me married in, and minus Sherry at her family's for Christmas!! I know I look like I'm flying, but we were all in a recliner!! I had to post it because we were all smiling so pretty!! 

Me, David and Dawson at Ms. Patsy's for Christmas... Lots and lots of laughter and fun times!! Dawson was sooooo tired... 

The much anticipated grain cart!! It was so funny, he found it and said "I don't guess Ho Ho had a big grain cart..." He was wanting the real thing!! 

Whew!! We made it!

Whew!! We made it through Christmas!! It's great to see family, relax, eat, eat some more, and see more family... Unfortunately relax, wasn't in the cards this year!! We started this Christmas weekend with Supper on Friday night at my mom's. We had finger foods, and a meat tray.. I think that this was Dawson's highlight of the season.. Conky, Gramp and Aunt Punky got him a Caterpillar trakhoe.. His reaction to this was hilarious!! He said "oh my gah, it's a bulldozer!!" It was so funny! I think he was equally proud of the enormous John Deere pencil!! We had a lot of fun visiting until Dawson was give out and ready to go home!!
The next morning we went to my daddy's for Christmas with him! He cooked us steaks, which were delicious, and we also had twice baked potatoes a yummy lemon ice box pie from Mamaw Woodie.. We had a great time watching Dawson open his presents from Paw Paw. I'm sure Paw Paw spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning up the "snow" in the living room caused my Dawson and the packaging from his new Caterpillar road grader.. Next year, we'll just buy him some Styrofoam and let him go!! Daddy also got him a camouflage recliner that's just his size, some tractor play sets he's been asking for and a pair of moccasins... He was happiest with the snow!! Shortly after lunch it was past time for D's nap, so we headed home for a short break.
At six that afternoon, we joined the rest of David's family at Mamaw Sue, for yet more food!! And of course a nice game of dirty, dirty Santa!! We get serious here!! We had a lot of fun, though we weren't able to do much damage with the food since we were still pretty full from lunch.. Dawson got a big dump truck from Aunt Paula, Uncle Keith and the girls.. A cute little outfit from Aunt Debbie and Colby.. A LOUD guitar from Cliff, Sherry and Aslan... (talk about pay backs!!;) He also had a stocking full of goodies from Mamaw along with a remote control truck!! Needless to say this was enough for his Christmas, but it was only the beginning!!
We left Mamaw's house about 9, and headed to Granny's for more presents!! Aunt, I mean Uncle Olivia and Uncle Bobby (yeah, she's ready to choke me for that but Dawson started it!)got him a boxed set of Thomas the Tank Engine DVD's and a really cool set of wooden blocks that make a barn scene.. Granny gave him a pop gun and a nice chunk of change for his savings account!! Uncle Patrick gave him a souped up tractor complete with rims, and a John Deere play sets.. Mr. Dale gave him another nice chunk of change and some goodies along with a cap gun!! We finally had to leave when D went into destruction mode... That usually happens around 10:30!! But when we arrived back at home, he wasn't tired, he needed to play on his trachoe again! After lots of convincing, he went to bed and watched yet two movies before finally going to sleep!!
Needless to say, we didn't get into bed until about 2am....
The next morning I was up first, which if you know me, you know that is very rare..... I'm usually the last to get up!! But I was so excited..We were supposed to go to Aunt Paula's for Christmas breakfast... But it started at 6am, and that isn't in Dawson's vocabulary yet!! So we had to skip breakfast.. He finally got up about 8:00.. He walked in and saw all of the things that Santa had brought to him... It was priceless!! He was so excited... He saw his grain cart.. He looked at David and said "I don't guess Ho Ho has a big grain cart.... My child was wanting a BIG grain cart, not a toy... But he was satisfied with everything.. He got books, DVD's, a vacuum cleaner, a lot of trucks and "working" equipment, and a four wheeler... Unfortunately he was still a little snotty, so he didn't get to ride it that morning.... And still we had one more stop to make in Monroe at David's aunt Joyce's... We had yet one more meal to eat, and it was wonderful!! David got to have his arm wrestling match with uncle Bo, which he's been looking forward to for a month... Dawson got to play with all of his little cousins... We had a great time! When we got home he went for a ride on his fourwheeler!!
We had a really great Christmas!! We are so thankful for all of our families and all of the great food and gifts.. We are so blessed to be surrounded with such loving and caring people... I know that sometimes we tend to forget the real meaning of Christmas.. But we make sure that we give thanks to our Lord for his precious gift of life!!
I hope I didn't bore you too bad with this post! I just wanted to share our busy and fun filled holiday weekend with all of you.. I hope that you all had a great Christmas !! I don't know what is up with the blogger, I can't upload any pictures, so I'll post with Hello below... I promise I have plenty, over 300 to be exact!! (remember I got a new camera, I'm making sure that everything is working correctly!! hehe!!:) These below will only be of my mom's and dad's Christmas' I'll upload the rest tomorrow.
I hope everyone has a wonderful week, and we get some much needed rest!!

This was his first reaction to the trachoe.. Mom was trying to get it out and he was screaming!! It was great! 

Dawson with Conk in the background laughing at him working... 

It didn't take him long to get the hang of it... Conk and Gramp had a basket filled with peppermints for him to dig in!! 

Punky smiling after opening her presents from us at mom's!! 

Me, David and Dawson at my mom's for Christmas!!  

Dawson opening one of his gifts at paw paw's, he'd just realized that it was the tractors he'd been asking for and really started tearing it up!! 

Dawson kicked back in his new recliner... He thought he was something!! 

Me Dawson and my daddy just before we left.. David was there, just behind the camera!! 

Of course we can't go to Paw Paw's without getting in the hot tub...  

The "star" of the show also serenaded us with the guitar and his versions of ABC's and Jesus loves me!! It's so cute! 

Dawson was so proud of Mr. Dale's hat.. He had to help him open his dirty Santa gift! There is Uncle Patrick and Uncle Bobby in the background! 

This is the gift he brought from home to open.. How could you tell that sweet little face no? 

After all of the presents were opened and the bellies were full, Dawson had to put the big boys to bed! 

Chris and Aaron also got to come home one more time before baby Brynn Harper arrives!

Uncle Bobby and Aunt, I mean Uncle Olivia (as D started calling her) came home for the weekend!! Bobby tried to get out of this picture, so I just HAD to publish this one!

This is our five generations! My great grandmother, papaw, mama, me and Dawson 

'Tis The Season To Be Jolly!!

This is the beginning of a wonderful Christmas holiday!! We began ours this past weekend with lunch at our home.. My great grandmother who is 86 usually cooks for everyone. But this past year we had to take away her car and you know how it is with older people.. When you take away something that they love so much, even though she couldn't drive a lick... They tend to go down.. So with that, I offered to cook for her and have her Christmas dinner at my house!! She was so appreciative!! I had a great time with all of my family being here!! We also got to take a five generation picture of my grandmother, papaw, mom, me and Dawson.. That is something that I know I will always cherish!!
We had a wonderful time... We ate sooo much!! It was pretty darn good too, if I do say so myself!! ;) After lunch, we tried to take a nap... But that didn't happen.. We had some company and enjoyed the visiting...
Later that evening we set out to Granny's house for a nice little game of dirty Santa!! I love it!! There were a lot of nice gifts.. I got a much needed purse with "love spell" lotion, body spray and bath gel... And the cutest keychain with interchangeable lip gloss!!
David and I went to Monroe last week and finished up our Christmas shopping.. My daddy always has me to do his shopping for him too.. You know how men shop... So I bought myself a much needed digital camera with the help of dad's approval and credit card!! YAY!! I didn't have a memory card for my family's Christmas... But my sister in law and I made a quick trip to Wal-Mart in between gatherings to buy one!! So I do have some of Granny's!! I hope you enjoy!!
Dawson is definitely getting the hang of opening presents as you can tell!! He had the best time!!
I hope everyone has a wonderful week! Hopefully I'll be able to post some pictures tomorrow of our Christmas program at church!! Love to all!!

"Ho Ho IS a pretty cool guy!"

That was his reaction after talking to Santa, giving his list and taking his surprise!! After taking Dawson to the doctor in Monroe on Tuesday, we went to the mall and talked him into sitting with Santa.. At first he said that he wasn't talking to him.. David reassured him that he was going with him, he didn't have to go alone.. And that if Santa Claus was mean to him, Daddy would bust his lid!! I'm sure promising a ride on the train afterwards had nothing at all to do with it!!
I hope everyone is having a great week!! Only 11 days until Christmas!!! Are you ready??

Is this not the most jolly Santa that you've ever seen?? They just look so cute!! 

Merry Christmas!!

I guess that everyone has received their Christmas cards by now.. So I thought that I'd post a picture from one of the many that my good friend Ginger took of Dawson for all of my blogger friends!! I had been planning on going to Sears (like always) and having them made of all three of us.. I'm so glad that I didn't... The pictures that she took are better than any pictures that I think he's ever had made, and much much cheaper!! Thank you so much G! Nice trade for the use of a Christmas tree huh?!?! I love you girl!! Thanks to Ms. Becky too!! She provided the props!!
This one is so funny to me... We would tell him to look sad and poke out his lip... As you can see he did!! I love it!! Happy Holidays everyone!

What kind of mother are you???

I guess you all know about our new addition to the family.... Yes we are the proud grandparents of 11, no 9, well I guess 8 lab puppies... The mother is our "new dog" that just came up here and started eating... We love dogs, we couldn't say no... She seemed to be a really sweet dog... Very skiddish, but sweet to Dawson... So anyway, she's pregnant and has 11 puppies... Two she didn't even eat the sack off of and we weren't there to cut it off (we had to for her on two other ones).
So all of the puppies are born and well!! Life is great........ Until last night...... We have a nice dog house and made sure that the puppies were warm and comfortable... We kept hearing these poor little puppies chirping underneath the house in the middle of the night... So this morning David got up and went under there and started rounding them up... It was pitiful... There were 2 puppies starving.... We brought them inside and I fixed them some milk and fed them all with a medicine dropper.. So now they are in the house and we are only taking them to the mama to eat... What do I do??? They are only about a week and a half old and they can't survive without their mama yet.... I don't have the time to feed each and every puppy every hour... So, anyone that wants a puppy, please call me.... They need a good home!!!
Look at that sweet little (blurry) puppy!! She is saying "please take me home for Christmas"!! We have 5 females and 3 males..

My little deer hunter

Well, not really... Don't think I'm crazy, My two year old really isn't shooting a gun, yet! Daddy took him hunting on Monday afternoon and he didn't want to take daddy's gun because it was too loud.. So he took his own pop gun, and dad brought his along just in case... David was really hoping to kill a buck deer.. They had been in the stand for almost an hour and he said that Dawson had been so patient.. David showed him that there was a doe deer standing in shooting range, but was anticipating the big buck.... Dawson couldn't stand it anymore... And with his sweet talk, they shot the doe... But Dawson came home telling me and Granny that he killed a "butt deer"... It was so funny.. It was almost dark so this picture is bad.. I hope you can tell something about it!! They had a blast!!
I have a lot of pictures from the weekend that I'll post later.. We had the best weekend that we've had in a long, long time... Busy... But wonderful!! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and beginning to the week!!
Calendar thought for the day: Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is no, and a sense of humor was provided for what he is.