Good job, Grammy!

I should have known to take Grammy out of the running. She has been listening to me whine about wanting to take the kids to Branson for Christmas. So here is your prize Grammy!!

Here is a Big 'Ole Hillbilly "Yee Haw" just for you. There will also be three happy kids with lots of stories to share arriving at your house in about a week.


Keep an eye out and I will post some video and pictures in the next few days. I kept meaning to get one of all of us together, but we were having too much fun and I actually didn't take a lot of pictures.

We are going to head out for home here in a little bit. Bass Pro Shop in Springfield awaits us.

More later from home!

Where in the world are the Dunbars?

Here is a little holiday game for you. First to guess correctly gets a prize. Not a great prize, but hey something is better than nothing.

You have all heard of Where's Waldo. Let's play, Where are the Dunbars?

Here is the scene....

Friday morning Abby and I head to her class for the big holiday party. Jamy stays home with the little ones. We decorate cookies, we cover all sorts of things in frosting and chocolate. Right after lunch I get a message from the office that there is a home call waiting for me. Huh??? I go in and pick it up. It is Jamy saying something has come up at work that he needs me to come right home. As you all know Jamy is in the Air Force. I am thinking 9/11 scenarios all over again. I say, "Okay, can I leave Abby here?" Then he scares the life out of me because he says I can't leave her at school but need to bring her with me. Now I am worried because what could have happened so bad in the world that I need to pull Abby out of school? I am trying to remember those Cold War nuclear strike drills from elementary school as I hurry and try to get everything together to go home.

Abby and I walk in the door and there is Jamy with a big grin on his face and a bag packed at his feet. He says, "Merry Christmas! We are going on vacation. Run pack what you need to go for the weekend. The kids are packed already!" Isn't he awesome!!!!

Apparently, he has been planning this trip for several months and even had several of my friends in on it. Including the friend I was room mother with. Tisha, you are good!!! Through all of that planning you never gave any hint anything was going on. If I ever need a secret kept, you are my gal.

He told my dad where we were going so if there was a crisis we could be found, but other than that noone in the world knows where we are.

So here is the game.....can you guess? Here are some clues:

1. We are within a 7 hour drive of home.
2. Our cell phones don't work here.
3. Christmas is the name of the game in these parts.
4. The town we are in has a population of just over 6,000, but if you drive down main street it will take you an hour.
5. Salt water taffy, fudge and the best hot chocolate in the world.


I know by now my Mom, sister and brother at least can figure it out but how about the rest of you?

One last clue. A visual one.....

Ideas please.....

I need HELP!!!! Time to put your thinking caps on, people, and help me out. Miss Skylar has a new trick and my washer can't take it.

You give her a kiss, give her Binky Boo, tuck her in and say "Nite, Muffin". She kisses the air like the sweet angel she is. Then you close her door and go on downstairs. Before you go to bed you check your sleeping angel to make sure she is okay.

Here is where the trouble starts. I don't care what time you check her she is laying there in her crib, butt-ass naked! No jammies. No diaper. No covers. The girl LOVES to be naked. Problem is she pees all over her bed. So you change jammies, diapers and crib sheet and tuck her back in. Then in the morning you go in to get her up and yup, you guessed it, butt-ass naked again. Again sheets all wet!

So help me. Any ideas how to keep her diaper and jammies on her. We have tried zip up jammies, snap-on jammies, tied jammies, diapers, pull-ups, and stopped just short of duct taping her into her clothes of the night.

Seriously I only have three crib sheets left and my washer can't take the overuse.

Last one tonight.....

Grammy wanted to see the lights at our house so here is some video of the Griswald family Christmas for those of you who are interested. We have a dream of someday really lighting this place up, but for right now this is what we have. You should see the kids faces. Christmas just wasn't the same before we had kids!!!!

And finally, here is what Abby has been busy doing.....

We are going to be paying the tooth fairy overtime. Miss Abby has lost five teeth now and has three others pretty loose. She had one tooth just barely in there. She came running in with a bloody mouth and a tooth in her mouth. I thought it was the tooth that was so loose. Nope! Her and Weston were playing and he accidentally kicked her in the mouth knocking loose a tooth that really wasn't that loose. So she lost it and then a couple of days later the really loose one came out.

Anyone have a food processor I can borrow? This poor kid is going to need her food pureed at this rate!

For Aunt Kristi

Poor Aunt Kristi! You have been trying to see the ABC's as performed by Skylar for a couple of months now. We finally remembered to get it on video for you. For those of you counting out there, she still isn't two yet!!!! Why is this baby trying to grow up so fast???????????

As promised....

Here is the video of Weston that I promised the other day. Sorry it took so long. My computer came down with a one-year old virus and had to be taken in to get fixed. Note to self, keep the baby away from the laptop. Those little fingers can do some damage.

Anyway, here is the background. As many of you know, Jamy has had to travel much more than normal lately. Last summer when he was gone Weston was having a hard time with missing Daddy so was being very clingy to me. We went to my Grandma's and at some point during the trip I ran to the store for Grammy while the kids were resting. Weston didn't want me to leave him. He was afraid I was going to be gone for a long time like Daddy. I snuggled him and explained that when we love someone even if we can't see them they are still in our hearts and that is what keeps us together. All you have to do is close your eyes and think about the person you miss and you can remember them and how much they love you. Sappy I know, but it got me out the door and to the store without my three year-old shadow.

Fast forward, six months. Jamy was gone again and I was putting Weston to bed. He hadn't said anything about the whole keeping me in his heart business during that whole time. Then as I was tucking him in he told me that when he was sleeping he missed me, but he was putting me in his heart so we could be together. The next day I made a video so you all can see.

I tell ya, Mr. Sensitive is going to make some woman very happy someday! That's if I decided to let him date!

Technology is weird.

So after much pressure from many people in my life, I joined Facebook last night. I figured I couldn't really comment on it until I tried it. I just have to tell ya, what a weird freakin' experience!!!!

I accepted an invite from a friend from high school. Next thing I know I am having a "conversation" with my sister, a friend in KC and a friend in Seattle all at the same time. Jamy was laughing at me and saying that at any minute my brain was going to explode.

On the sidebar Facebook kept finding all of these people I might know. Yikes, does it scare anyone else that the computer can find people from my past and link us all together?

I also have a feeling that there are all sorts of rules of ettiquete that I have no clue about. There are strange terms like "writing on someone's wall" and "poking" people. I have no idea what I am doing, but it is good to hear from some old friends again.

So if you are on Facebook and "see" me there don't laugh too hard at me as I try to figure it all out and stop by and say "hi".

On another note, Thanksgiving was nice. We had a nice family day and then a nice visit with some old friends. It is always so good to see everyone.

We found out my thyroid is messed up again so that is why I have been feeling so yucky lately. I started the new meds today so within six weeks we should know if they will work or not.

Jamy is off again. He headed out this morning for just a couple of day trip to St. Louis for a conference. I really wanted to go with him, but I was too chicken to ask anyone to keep my kids since Abby and Weston are in school. Oh well, maybe he will have a little trip this summer and I can hop on with him.

Finally, Weston said something last night that melted my heart. I am not going to tell you all about it right now as I am going to try to tape him saying it later today so hopefully you can see the live version. Let me just tell you though, grab some Kleenex. He is too sweet!

I will also try to take some pictures of the Griswald, oops I mean Dunbar, family Christmas. Let me just apologize now to all of you who live in Osage City and the surrounding area. I know every evening your power blinks off when we click on the lights. If you would like to come over and read by the glow of our house you are welcome. Heck, I may even fix you some hot chocolate for your trouble.
Okay, gotta go for now!