GEORGE STRAIT & "MY NAME"

OH YEAH!!! 2 months from today I will be staring at this guy....

 Now that is what I call cute!! I'm so excited...Mick maybe not as much but this girl sure is. I will have to bring my binoculars but I will be singing and dancing like I'm in the front row!!

CUTE!!!

 Speaking of cute...tonight at the dinner table Mallory surprised me! I always try to talk to her about her day or what tomorrow will bring. I like to prepare her for upcoming things so she will know about it and can be a bit prepared. We also go over things that she did that day and learn things. Example: the other night we were counting her noodles as she ate and then showing her how to hold up her fingers to match the number. Well tonight I asked her what her name was...she replied by saying Mallory. I said good girl. So we got that one down...thought I would throw her a curve ball and ask "What's your full name?" Well, she threw me a curve ball by pausing a second and then said, "Mallory Jo Selby." I seriously about fell out of my chair. I of course praised her which she always thinks is pretty cool. Which if you know me...my praising is a little more than a good job...I hoot & holler and jump around like a mad woman.

 So since little miss knows her name...we started on where she lives. It's the cutest thing to hear her try to say Jacksonville...adorable. She is pretty good on where Grandma Iya lives though...forda (a.k.a Florida).

 Snuggling up watching cartoons!

We also started reading Snow White. She loves it. Not so much the evil queen/witch...as shown above...she will put her hand over the queen and say bad girl. Funny thing is Mick has never wanted me to call Mallory a princess...since before she was born he didn't want signs in her room or to have that as a nickname. So its quite comical that Mallory has started calling herself a princess. Mick cringes, I smile and Mallory gloats. "I princess mommy" She has now said it three or four times at very random moments and no matter what daddy says...she is quite the princess!

SNOW DAY-Part 2

Well, what an adventure it has been so far. Not sure how much snow we got beings that it has blown all over. Mick did get out to work this morning but I had to call him back home as our kitchen pipe froze. It didn't bust...yet anyways. So he came home to fix it and get things going again. He was headed out to Home Depot when he caught stuck in the driveway...big time. I believe the snow was up over his front tire and about waist high on him. So hopefully, he will return and get our hot water working again.

Last night, we kept hearing about power outage after power outage...so we thought we should be a bit more prepared in case ours went out as well especially since it would have been too dangerous to venture out in the cold with Mallory. So Mick got all the flashlights ready, wood in the shed in case we needed to go out there to start a fire in the wood burning stove, propane hooked up into the fireplace inside...we also set up an air mattress in the living room in case the heat couldn't keep up upstairs or if power went out and we had to sleep in front of the fireplace. None of the above had to take place thankfully but it sure was worth it to see Mallory get so excited about the air mattress. She crawled up there...after a few bounces and jumps on her "bounce house"...thanks Aunt Lori. ;)

She was sad to have to sleep in her crib so maybe we will have to have a sleepover in the living room before we put it back away.

 Mallory realized yesterday that she can fit in the window seal with her BFF Minnie Mouse.

 Just the girls hanging out.

 Hey mom...its my new spot.

 Minnie...this is what you call snow...

 Whispering in Minnie's ear...not sure what she told her but it was sure cute.

 Best Buddies...

 Mallory was hitting the window with her hands...so I told her to stop. So the smart and ornery girl...would take Minnie's hand and have her hit the window while she quietly sat behind and giggled.

 A girl and her friend...cute picture!

 Priceless...I love this picture!!

I want to go outside and play!

She thought if she pulled the sheer curtain down...that I couldn't see her. WRONG!

Mick showed Mallory Home Alone...which I would never allow until she was much much much older. And this is the result.....YIKES!

Tea Party update...she had a baby in every chair...

The air mattress...she climbed right up and laid down.

She had to help Minnie do some somersaults first.

Whew...wore her out!

This is a picture of Mallory watching Little Einsteins....she loves it and will answer the questions they ask, will clap to the music...she won't move the entire time...maybe we have a little Mozart on our hands!...hope so maybe her talents could buy daddy a new snow blower so he won't get stuck....lol!

Snowed In...So We PLAY!

Snowed In....so we PLAY!

 I see you...

 She is still playing with the Gator...she puts her toys in the back and just plays. She still doesn't drive to drive it. She has pushed the gas pedal a few times but just giggles a little and that's it.

 And sits in the passenger seat...you can tell she was use to her cousin Collin driving her around.

 Not a very good picture but we say..."Mallory show us your muscles." And this is what she does.

 Cool chick with daddies sunglasses...upside down of course.

 Show us your muscles!!

 Putting sunglasses on the baby.

 This was before bed...she thought it was funny to wear her shirt on her head.

 "Ook (look)...its my hat."

 She found it hilarious.

 My hat mommy!

 Silly baby!

 She liked it so much...she tries to do it during the day now.

 Mallory thought she needed her "gold" shoes today with her running pants. Stylish young lady!

Mallory was wearing her tie from her birthday party on her head today....my hat! Apparently we need to get this girl a hat.

She also likes to say "oh what's that?" all of the time. Any noise or sound...she will say it? Its so cute. Mick and I have caught ourselves saying it now as well. Also, update on tea parties....ALL MORNING we had tea parties today. Molly and Elmo even joined us today! Elmo had the previlage of joining us at the lunch table today as well. We all had lunch and even gave Elmo is own bowl and spoon to enjoy! Mallory thought that was funny...especially since she put him in daddy's chair and daddy got the boot to another. Mick says: I've been replaced by Elmo! 

STAY WARM!

Kitty Heaven & Tea Parties

Today was a sad day in the Selby household...we had to put our cat Oreo down. He was getting older and he had a tumor growth in his ear and it was unknown where it started it was so big. So to keep his pain level down, we decided it was best that he went to kitty heaven. I was pretty upset this morning when I had to take him in, but doing better now. Mallory has asked about him a lot which surprised me. They had their morning ritual where he would come into her room when I would go get her in the morning, let out a big meow and she would say "my kitty". And then we would go about his day. Sometimes, especially here lately when he wasn't feeling well...she would have to go looking for him. "Where kitty at?" and we would look until we found him. He was my first Christmas gift from Mick-the first year we were together. He has been a wonderful cat. We had no problems with him when we brought Mallory home and would let her do pretty much anything to him including putting bibs on him, hair bows and sunglasses. He only scratched her once and it wasn't even out of anger...they were playing and his back claws got her. He was a great cat and will be missed. So here's to Oreo....we will miss you buddy!

But on a brighter note....we had our first tea party today. We even dressed up for the special occasion. It was not planned or prompted by me either...Mallory likes to dress up like "Rella" so she was in her attire and next thing we know she was asking us to sit at the table. And we tea, apple juice, butter and tomatoes. It was quite the spread. I love watching her "make-believe" and play pretend. She is quite funny especially when she goes back and forth from reality to play...It melted my heart to watch her get so excited and giggly when Mick and I played along.

 Rella time!

 Rings and all.

 "Pretty mommy?" Yes baby...you are pretty!

 Playing mommy...nothing like a couple of shots to the eye and head.

 Still a princess...even with the crown on backwards.

 Tea Party!

 She says...its hot!

 Here daddy have some juice.

The most delicious meal I've had!

Goodbye, Godspeed, Later, See Ya, So Long, Farewell, PEACE OUT!!!

Goodbye, Godspeed, Later, See Ya, So Long, Farewell, Bon Voyage, Aloha, Shalom, Peace Out, Adios, Hasta La Vista, Tootles or Don't Let The Back Door Hit Ya Where The Good Lord Split Ya..

However you want to say it...2013 is OVER!!!
Welcome 2014-My Friend!!!I am glad to see you. I'm not one to rush time. 2013 was nice in so many ways but it was also bad in many other ways. We lost a lot of great people this year-some famous and some local and very dear to my heart. Some it was just a matter of time with a full, long life and others tragic and lives cut incredibly way too short. I feel there were so many other losses-tornadoes, fires, jobs lost, relationships shattered, financial woes in abundance...the list goes on & on. Everyone has experienced some loss & sadness this year-some more than others. So for that....2013 can remain just that...in the past. But I'm trying to look at all of the good things that have happened this year...at least for me. I witnessed firsthand that in times of tragedy and sadness...there is still goodness. I witnessed first hand a community come together like never before and give...and give...and give. I saw people reach out to each other and to strangers. I saw people love. I saw hope & faith! I have seen people start to live...really live..knowing that tomorrow may not come. I have seen friendships grow stronger. I have seen faith grow in people who use not believe. I saw people pray...and pray hard & a lot...when they had never prayed before. I saw birthday's celebrated, anniversaries rejoiced, graduations recognized, baptisms preformed and many many births of new life. I saw my daughter grow from a baby to a toddler. I witnessed her finding her way in this world and grow a personality like no other. I listened as she learned new words & formed sentences. I watched her start the year out taking cautious baby steps and ending the year but running, climbing, jumping! I heard her say "I love you mommy" for the first time. I heard her say prayers for the first time. These are the things we should celebrate at the end of a new year. The bad experiences...they will always be there, with feelings still raw but put the bad aside for just two seconds and there will be something good to see as well. Your job may be stressful BUT you have a job. Your husband just ruined your favorite shirt BUT you have a husband & clothing. Your heat just went out on your car BUT you still have transportation. Your daughter just used magic marker on the door BUT you have a home and a daughter to raise. This is my "goal" for 2014...to see more good. I feel like a lot of times I find something to always complain about or to be dissatisfied with. I am going to try and find the positive-find the good behind the bad. Look for the smile and not the frown. I'm sure I will have my days but overall...

I WANT MORE GOOD! I WANT MORE POSITIVE!
So here's to 2014....Hello, Yo, Aloha, Greetings, What's Up, Hey, Bonjour, Hola, How's It Be, Salutations, Welcome!!!

 HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

 YIPPIE! 2014 is HERE!!

  This is my "good"!!!