Day 365!!!!! To Illuminate

Well....I DID IT!!!!!!! I actually posted 365 photos for everyday of this 2011 year!!! Quite a feat and one that was very fun, but way too time consuming so I will not be doing one this year.  I know...bummer. I love looking at them, too, but I have huge plans for my REAL photography and the business. Extra time for blogging 365 pics simply won't exist. Thanks so much for hanging around with me here in 365-land, but for 2012 you can find me over at my regular blog!! Happy New Year, friends!!

Believe It or Not, I've Lost Count of the Days

The interesting pics below of the firemen in my living room comes from us calling them because our carbon monoxide detectors went crazy yesterday morning.  Now this afternoon we sit here, alive thankfully, but looking at yet another outrageous expense that we can't afford with a new furnace.  Didn't we just shell a boat-load of money for the water heater and doesn't PP still need a $3000 hearing aid? Still need to fix the A/C on the Tahoe, we both need glasses and our bathroom has a $3000 NEEDED repair. Fun times.

Baylor University*, my alma mater, won the Alamo* Bowl!! Big time news for them and this year they boast the recipient of the coveted Heisman* Trophy, Robert Griffin*  III or better known as RG3. Good times for my Baylor*Bears!!

Days 348-356 Christmas!

Loved having FOUR stockings and actually FOUR people in the house this year and not just hoping for PandaJOY to come along.

Fun to watch the girls be so giddy about all the presents!!

Our PandaFamily celebrated at our home a bit early so we could travel to family out-of-town.  Christmas Eve for us was the 21st.

We all enjoyed sparkling cider along with summer sausage, crackers, pita chips, cheeses and oranges.

This would gum in the brand new Barbie*s hair just about 30 minutes after being opened.  Three year old in the house.  She now has bangs.

Perfect picture to capture the Christmasy feel!!

Celebrated Jesus' birth with family in the woods with a roaring fireplace and beautiful scenery out the back windows.  Lovely.

Just for kicks we all got argyle socks!!

Precious little fingers helping in the kitchen.  Not really taken on this day, but come on, there are too many to narrow it down!!

Day 347 - Stunning Beauty

Days 344-346 - She's Really HERE for Christmas!

Days 340-343 Use Your Imagination

Days 337-339 Yay & Nay

Thursdays are PandaPop's day off and we LOVE to go on mini-dates!! Cracker*Barrel was perfect for breakfast out after dropping off the girls for school.  It was cold outside and they, of course, had their wonderfully huge fireplace roaring and the place decorated for Christmas. Sweet times.

And then came Friday.....Short version: the deaf dog chewed up one of the $3000+ hearing aids of PandaPop's.  As we are in shock over THAT amount of money we don't have needed to replace the aid, I walk into my closet to change clothes and move on with life when my foot is covered in water because the hot water heater decided it was the day to burst and stop working.  $800 later that day....we had a new one ready to go.  That sucked up my photo shoot money from this fall. Gave me a great opportunity to practice what I preach with Eucharisteo......give thanks in ALL things.

And this?  THIS!!! Welcome to the new millenium PandaMom!!!!! I finally got a smart phone and not just any, but an iPhone*! Yes, I am a true Mac Snob.

Day 336 - Reckless Date

Me & Reckless don't get a lot of quality time together so we have to plan for it.  I do love her company so. A pre-Christmas date with morning temps dipping to 24 degrees in a brand new Starbucks* with the sun shining through the frosted windows with her and two hours of chatting is good for my soul. I'm on the left...she and her fancy red gloves & trademark green coat are on the right. I dig this chick.

Day 335 - Feliz Navidad

Nativity from the streets of Guatemala.

Day 334 - More Goodies

Day 333 - Party Season!

We honor our children's ministry volunteers every year with a fun open house at our casa. Love this time to connect and have a chance to bless them for the work they do in teaching Truth to kids!

Days 326-332 Second Time Catch-up

So elated to have FOUR stockings this year AND the 4th member of the family actually WITH us even though it isn't official.....YET!

How can one go wrong with sparkle ornaments and a glass bowl?

PandaPop slipped coming down the stairs and while climbing over the baby gate (which isn't for PJ, but rather for keeping PandaDoggie OUT of the girls' beds while they are sleeping) and jammed his finger into the door frame.  All puffy and gross. Really hurts. : (

Up on the fridge top sat some fat snowmen!

We have JOY and NOEL all over our house for representing both of our girls!

Dining table topper above and below is a seemingly cautious doggie who is not sure whether or not to partake in the burnt cookie offering in my hand.

 Love his expression.

He ate the cookie.

Day 325 - All Tuckered Out

This was actually taken yesterday after picking this guy up from the Doggie Hotel.  He is always sooooo pooped out when he gets home.  I don't think he sleeps the whole time he's there!

Days 321-324 - Burn Ban Lifted

The Texas summer drought not only killed everything in it's wake, but also cause tons of brush and trash to pile up out in the country.  My in-laws and parents both were unable to burn ALL SUMMER causing a huge amount to be stockpiled.  Tuesday, the newspaper said the burn ban had been lifted and ALL over the whole community there were smoke clouds rising from everyone being able to finally burn all the brush!  I LOVE this picture!!!

These cuties were needed for walking around the land where it had rained crazily for a couple days (which allowed the burn ban to be lifted), but we would NOT have been able to where anything else out here because of the crazy mud!

Not much needs to be said about this American Thanksgiving staple!

Day 320 - Count Them All

Day 319 - Divine Appointment

Twenty years ago today I met my Beloved PandaPop!! We met, talked on the phone for 6 hours the next day then went on our first date a couple of days later and then were engaged TWO MONTHS later.....married a few months after that.  Good times.

Day 318 - Luscious

Day 317 - All Cozied Up

Day 316 - Spectacular Beauty

Day 315 - Precise Detail

The top-hat of a very small acorn.

Day 314 - Carrying Some Baggage

Used three different coupons on this today.  Cost me hardly NOTHIN', saved over $60 on it! Just might be my favorite purse of all time....and that's saying A-LOT for me.  Love bags.

Day 313 - This Is for Her

This is totally for my BFF across The Pond. ; )

Day 312 - Happy Hair

I have never, ever, ever had anything, but super healthy, thick hair.  Thank you, Sweet Jesus.  Just in the past several months I've noticed that it is really dry and yucky looking no matter what I use so I discovered Moroccan**Oil!!!!!! Smells FAB and does the trick of making my hair scrumptious again!  Now, if only I could do that to my skin.

Day 311 - Soup