Christmas on Avenue I

It's time to decorate! The Sunday after Thanksgiving, my housemate Jordan and I decorated the house for the Christmas Holiday. I realize the first few pictures are fuzzy, and I apologize for that. I'm not a professional! Take a look at Christmastime at my house!

St.Francis had to make an appearance again on our TV cabinet.

Scrapbook Room Christmas Tree

This is the tree in my room. It is covered in various ornaments and momentos from around the world, topped off with a Russian hat!

Fuzzy, I know :(

Back to the tree in my bedroom - sorry they are out of order!

This picture was taken in remembrance of the Christmas Parade. Our Handbell choir was playing in the parade, and so we thought we would be there to support the handbells and our friends. I made these signs and we proudly held them up and hollered during the parade! Everyone loved us! Every time I look at these I just have to laugh!

A view from my dining room into my living room, with the table set for Singles Supper Club! I have to have an excuse to use my Fiesta!

Bad picture, I know...I'll work on getting another.

My 9ft. Living Room Tree! Itsn't it lovely? I love to turn all the house lights off and just gaze at the Christmas Tree glow!

The house has been ready for Christmas, but I don't know if I am! School is almost over, which I am excited about, but all I can think of is sleeping - I am so tired!

Hope you enjoyed the pictures of the house. It's a wonderful time of year and I am thankful that God has blessed me be a beautiful home and great housemate!

It's Official!

It is official - I have made the County PhoneBook for the first time in my life! I guess that's what happens when you stay in one place for more than a year!

Matthew's 3rd Birthday Party @ My House

Once again, I was able to play 'host' to a family gathering. This time, we celebrated Matthew's 3rd Birthday, the day after Thanksgiving. Jen's family all drove down from Houston, and KK and Robin were in from Midland. I always enjoy having people over, and I was thankful the weather was perfect for a cookout!


The Scrapbook Room was full of Matthew's Presents...these are only a few.

So here we are again, at my numerous attempts to be IN pictures. Yes, I'm always on the right - it's the easiest way to take them myself! Maybe one day you might see more than just my head!

KK and IBilly and I

Alan and Mom

Grandma Tootsie and I

Matthe's "Fire" Cupcakes - The pinata was a tractor, but the theme of the day were firetrucks.

The Fire Truck Cake - Yum!

Matthew and his favorite cousin Caleb.

Although Matthew looks as though he is trying his best, the pinata took real man power to come apart!

I had to throw in some pictures of my house. The colors are perfect for Fall!

Doesn't he just make you smile?

Alan enjoyed showing off the destruction of the tractor!

Jen's sister, Aimee and two of her friends from Houston enjoyed my kitchen while the rest of us were trying to destroy the pinata!

Candy, Candy, Candy! Does the word 'share' mean anything?!

The joys of watching someone else open presents!

Papa Bear (my Dad) gave Matthew a lifesaver - isn't that what they're called? Needless to say, it quickly became a weapon and had to be put away! I found out that my house isn't child-proof, that's for sure!

I think Aunt Addie gave Matthew the coolest gifts!
The biggest bouncy ball Matthew had ever seen - and it even had glitter floating around inside!

Matthew's party was full of excitement and wonder! Once over, I took a nap!

Finally - Thanksgiving Pictures!

Thanksgiving 2008
Winkles House

As usual, holidays are spent running from one house to the next. This year, Alan, Jen and Matthew were able to come down and enjoy the holiday with us. Our first stop was at Mom and Billy's house. As you can see, Matthew is not spoiled at all! Of all the things Matthew picked to play with, he chose the rather expensive glass paperweights. Lucky for Matthew Gramps is a very patient man and they practiced for quite sometime rolling the glass balls around without knocking each other. I hope Matthew realizes just how special he is!

Ellie the cat enjoyed the day sunning in the yard with St.Francis. Lucky cat!
On to the next family!

The Naumans

Many of us gathered together for a catered lunch at Grandma's House Thanksgiving day. This was a first for us in that the main food was prepared by some ladies in Van Vleck. We enjoyed an afternoon of good food and chicken foot. There were many old faces, as well as some new ones thrown in. The best part was seeing the two youngest Naumans playing together. It has been a long time since they had seen each other. Matthew just turned three and Ava will be two in April. Don't you just love her hat?

Matthew and Ava had a grand time laughing and rolling around on Grandma's floors. It's a rare occassion in which these two cousins are able to get together.

Birthday Celebration x 3

December 1st is a special day for three ladies in my family. Although a few days early, we celebrated this day in honor of all three!

In this picture is Rita - 63, Grandma - 80, and my Sister-in-Law Jennifer - 32

Happy Birthday!

It was a group effort trying to get the candles blown out!

Ashlee and George (Jorge) - I really don't know how to spell his name! As usual, Ash had to pull out the good ol' scrapbooks from years past. We still laugh at ourselves!


Matthew is known for his goofiness - if that's even a word! I tried to take a decent picture, but it just wasn't going to happen! This is the best I could do.

Matthew and Aunt Addie

This isn't a picture of where I sat, but it was a proud moment for me at lunchtime because I actually got to sit at the 'grown-up' table this year. Thank you Aunt Carol and Uncle Garvin for being out of town! Maybe they won't be there at Christmas and I can sit there again....it's a thought!

Once Again, God's Sense of Humor...

I have to admit, I have not been an avid blogger these past few months, and for that, let me apologize. It seems as though the days get busier and busier and I am finding myself staying up later and later each night, feeling like I haven't been accomplishing much of anything! My graduate classes for this semester are finally coming to a close and I am happy to report that I received an "A" on my final Research Paper and Powerpoint Presentation! Hooray! I was dreading that assignment! It is over and done with, so now I have one last thing I have to finish in order to complete my next class. After that, I will officially be half way through my program! It sounds pretty crazy if you think about my just starting the program in late June! I am glad it will be over soon, and I am very excited about spending part of the summer in Switzerland!

On to God's Sense of Humor. So I moved to Bay City 2.5 years ago, after a not-so-fun job in Italy. I didn't really want to be here, but it was the only feasible thing to do. I got a job in retail, quit my job in retail, got a teaching job, and am now in my second year at the same school. I struggled with having no 'social' life in this small town, and many other things, but I have to say, today I truly feel blessed. As some of you know, I was able to start a "Singles Supper Club" here at my home and we have successfully been holding dinner here once a week for the past few months. It has been slowly growing, and I am happy to report our number is up to 7 as of tonight! Hooray! What' even funnier is the combination of people that we have coming, and the mindless activities we seem to take part in that last into the late night with loads of laughter!

1. Me - 5th Grade Teacher (pretty boring, I know)
2. JB - Special Education 2nd and 3rd Grade Teacher
3. KD - ISS Teacher with a Doctorate (long story)
4. DB - New Kid in Town - Music Minister at our church
5. JB - Pharmacist in town
6. RC - Step-brother - oil co.
7. JS - The newest addition - Pastor at the local Lutheran Church

What a combo we have going! Although we all come from very different places and occupations, we still have a ton of fun together, and for that I feel blessed. From going to no social life to almost every night something going on, I have struggled with sleep deprivation, but it has truly been wonderful! I'm sure our group will grow, that I hope, and until then, I will continue to enjoy this time with old and new friends and the memories we now share together, whether that is a great game of "Last Word" or an eventful night in Houston playing Laser Tag! I hope you all feel blessed where God has placed you now. Who knows how long I will be here, but until I know that answer, I am going to enjoy each day he has given me here.