We will miss you SNICKERS!

Who knew a 5 inch long little puppy I named after a candy bar would grow up to be so sweet! I guess the name was fitting after all. After 15 years as our family pet, Snickers lost his battle with old age on Monday, December 28. He had been moving slower week by week and I am just so thankful that Mom and Dad were able to make it home from Christmas in Mississippi to spend two last days with him and say goodbye. Snickers was such a joy in our home and now for David Letterman's TOP TEN Reasons why we love Snick:
1. He could play fetch for hours with his little bed ball
2. He peed on almost all of my high school friends, and most of them on a daily basis. He would just get so excited!
3. He used to jump in the pool after me and paddle so hard to stay above water and he would just swim with me...which was a challenge for a foot-long dachshund.
4. He loved to cuddle in the crack between your legs when you lay down (just like Emma!)
5. He was the best snuggle buddy and loved to watch TV with me and Dad...but for some reason Mom was his favorite!
6. He loved to go on walks up to the elementary school by our house and chase squirrels.
7. He loved to be totally covered up when he napped...just like Emma.
8. I heard the phrase "That is the smartest dog I've ever had" come out of my dad's mouth all the time. Although I was never was blessed to hear "That is the smartest child I have ever had".
9. Is face turned almost totally gray in his old age. He was so handsome!
10. For 15 years he made our family so happy and never asked for anything but love in return! What a great little buddy!!

LET ME JUMP AHEAD

I know I need to blog all about Christmas before I jump to New Years but I just cannot contain my excitement! We are headed for the BIG-D...and I do mean Dallas! Rebels are going for Cotton yet again and we will be there cheering them on in box seats at the new Cowboy's stadium. Thanks to our awesome friends Parker and Holly Aldredge...we will be enjoying the OSU butt whooping with friends in total luxury! I hear food and drinks are super pricey at the new stadium so now Z and I don't have to bootleg Doritos and canned Cokes into the stadium! So Thursday we are off for an exciting New Year's Eve in the city, a day to recover and eat at all our favorite places, and then January 2 is GAME DAY! It won't be the same without all my girls but we will cheer on the Rebels for everyone who cannot make it.

Can you believe 2010 is 4 days away??? Where did the year go?
If I don't blog before the new year....
HAPPY 2010!
May it be blessed with love, laughter, and a better economy!

TACKY CHRISTMAS!

On the 19th day of Christmas my true love gave to me.....100+ tacky people...and a partridge in a pear tree. No no no I am not bashing fellow holiday shoppers or crazy mall drivers..I am referring to our awesomely TACKY 1st Annual Jex Tacky Christmas Party! My day consisted of grocery store trips, cooking, and watching Zach, Scott, and Elliot rig the satellite so we could receive the Saints game. After hours of therapeutic cooking and listening to a combination of Frank Sinatra's holiday tunes and all 3 boys hanging out different windows in the house shouting "right there, right there" or "0%....0%...oh yeah 100% don't move" I was totally in the Christmas spirit and ready for a big evening with friends. The night started relatively tame as I put the finishing touches on the massive hor's dourves feast in the dining room...followed by the lighting of 3 gajillion candles and cranking up the Christmas music. Zach and I then assembled our "Jersey Shore" inspired attire and headed downstairs. Within no time, the house was filling up two by two! Tacky sweaters, 80's dresses, amazing floral Christmas hats, white suits, Candy cane purses, ornament earrings, and snowflake princesses filled our home. Oh and how could I forget...a Guido and Guidette (me and Zach!) The party was better than I ever wished and we are so blessed to have such wonderful friends! Not only did we accomplish having a great time, we asked each guest to bring a toy and we now have a foyer full of toys to deliver to the Natchez Children's Home. During the holidays as we are spending money and throwing parties...incorporate a charity or a person in need and you would be amazed at what an impact you can make!
Enjoy the pictures! We are looking forward to next year. BIGGER, BETTER, TACKIER...and more toys!
Merry Christmas!!

I Love ChrisTmas!

I love everything about Christmas..in fact living in a small town has made it even more enjoyable. I will give you one guess as to why...NO CRAZY SHOPPING TRAFFIC! I did almost all of my Christmas shopping locally, online, or it came straight out of my art studio! I do have some last minute stocking stuffers to pick up in Jackson this week but nothing we couldn't live without...now it is just a waiting game! This week is busy with Christmas parties back-to back-to back. I am not sure I am going to have any party left in me by the time we host ours Saturday evening. The attire is tacky and all that we ask is that you bring a toy and we will deliver them Christmas week to the Children's home! So come one.. come all...Saturday we will have a ball!

But the waiting game isn't for Christmas parties or presents...it is the excitement and pure joy of having both sides of our family here for Christmas for the first time! Christmas week starts with the treat of meeting Cory's new lady friend, Alisha! She is coming all the way from Tennessee to meet us...all of us! I am looking forward to a relaxing night with my side of the family...which always involves food and laughter and most likely a game! May I go off on a small tangent about how much I love games! We played Holiday Pictionary at youth group last night and we had so much fun...I was laughing so hard at one point watching teenage guys trying to read teenage girls minds! Good Stuff!! Then the Jex side of the family will join us Christmas day for a huge feast at our place! You know that "nervous-excited-hopeful-giddy-scared you will poison someone" feeling you get when you cook a big meal for a big group...yeah I totally am experiencing that and I love it!

So wherever you may be spending your Christmas, we wish you a full home, a full belly, and a heart overflowing with God's love. No matter how stressful entertaining/shopping/social calendars/work/kids/family/etc may be just remember all of these things are blessings and take a minute to SLOW DOWN and REMEMBER...The Reason for the Season! And since all of you out there cannot be with us on Christmas, although we wish you could, here are some pics of the house all dolled up "Shay Style".

Happy Holidays Y'all!