Maverick (minus Goose)

Brooklyn was invited to do a gymnastics performance at half time of the Dallas Mavericks game the Saturday after Christmas! How awesome!?? Our plan was to come home Christmas evening, unpack the presents, get a good night's rest, and arrive before the game, to prepare for the massive audience. HOWEVER, God and the Oklahoma Blizzard of 2009 had something else in mind. Plans...who needs 'em anyways right?? We left Shawnee Friday afternoon, and after 5 1/2 hours of driving had to stop for the night, only halfway home, to thaw out! Keep in mind, it only takes 4 hours to drive ALL the way home from Shawnee. We woke up early Saturday morning, shoveled a snowpath and ice skated home. We threw a tutu on Brookie, unloaded the massive amount of presents packed in the back of Hubby's truck, and out the door we ran to the game. We arrived in just enough time to usher Brooklyn through the VIP entrance, and into the Maverick tunnel. A few minutes later, Brooklyn paraded onto half court of the Dallas Mavericks court waving like Miss America. She performed a flawless beam routine in front of thousands of people at the American Airlines Center! She even had enough courage to check on CHAMP, the mascot, after he performed his ever so funny beam routine "THE NUTCRACKER"! I was so proud of MY CHAMP that day, and that proud Momma smile never left my face!

On the jumbotron @ American Airlines Center....Not bad!

Who loves Champ??? WE DO!!!

Told you I was proud!

The fam enjoying courtside seats! WOO HOO!

The Nutcracker - Dallas Mavericks Champ: 2009

Santa Baby

Santa came to see me early this year! Monday we found out we are having another Buchanan BOY! What a gift it was to see, that not only was our baby healthy, it was a HE! Both girls were with us during the ultrasound. Brooklyn said "Yaaaay", and Britain cried. She wanted a baby sister!! She has since gotten over the trama, and is excited. I bought my first baby boy product, first of many I am sure.

Tuesday, we left for my Mom's house. It is a 6 hour trek, and with 3 kids, pretty exhausting. We stopped in Eufaula to get my Meme, and have (of course) a snack! We arrived at my Mom's CoMPLETELY Exhausted, but glad to see Namma. On Wednesday, Meme watched the girls while Mom and I shopped. It has been a while since I got my Mom all to myself. Usually the girls take ALL of her time and attention. It was a BLAST, and we got some good deals, and great stocking stuffers. The plan on Thursday was to take Meme to her doctor's appointment, and head to my Aunt Thurza's in Shawnee, where we were meeting the husband for the Christmas celebration.
We left around noon, and should of arrived at 2 pm. My Dad drove the kids and me in my car, and my Mom followed us in "THE SLEIGH". She has a car the size of a bathtub and it was packed to the brim with Christmas presents. We made it to Eufaula, about 1/2 way, where we dropped Meme off because in her words "She is too old to do stuff like Christmas". That is when God decided to send down a massive amount of snow! We were driving so slow that I believe I, even 5 months prego, could of walked faster than our car. The closer we got to our destination, the snowier it got. We were having to stop every 10 or so minutes (which was about every mile) to bang the ice off of our windshield wipers. When we stopped, the long train of cars behind us stopped for a de-ice break as well. After about 10 miles, my windshield wiper blade had completely dismantled from the wiper, and Dad had to reattach it with a pony tail holder! GEEEz! We FINALLY cruised into Shawnee about 6:45 that evening, to what seemed like a scene from a movie about the end of the world. There were abandoned cars in the middle of the street, no street lights, stop lights, or people. My cousin and his wife rushed out, all dressed in warm gear, grabbed the kids and the presents in a wild rush and we FINALLY sat down to relax.
The hubby eventually arrived, and we drove a few miles accross town to spend Christmas Eve with his family. It took about 30 minutes, and numerous detours due to us maneuvering around deserted cars. I felt like we were in a strange video game, and there were dead ends around every corner. I kept waitng for Zombies to lurch out of the darkness and get us!! LOL Good thing Hubby is such a good driver, because we SHOULD of gotten stuck more than once!!!! Grandma Toni had pizza, coke, and cheese dip waiting. All our favorites, and all present at every family gathering. We enjoyed visiting, food, and enough presents to clothe and entertain a small country!

Us @ Grandma Toni's House

The next morning, I woke up early to have coffee "the adults". My Aunt wakes the kids up super early every year to see what goodies Santa brought. One year, i do believe it was 5 am when she scooted them out of bed and into the land of presents. This year, we made it until sunrise.

The kids, as usual, got everything they asked for! Tony, who when asked what he wanted said " I DUNNNOOOO", got sports gear, clothes, and a skate board.Bre Bre (my beautiful niece), got Webkinz, and a Wii. Brooklyn got the DS she had been begging for, and Britain got a kitchen. "I always wanted a kitchen, and i finally got one" was her reply to the giant box when she peeled away the paper.

All the kids got snuggies, and my mom even got a snuggie for the dog, we are ridiculous i know!! They got a ton of other things, and spent the rest of the morning ripping open boxes and begging Poppa Luke and Daddy to put stuff together. Christmas dinner was amazing, as usual. My Aunt is a GREAT cook!! The only thing missing was Meme. This is the first year since I have been alive that we haven't all been together on Christmas morning!


After lunch, we went outside to build a snowman, and have a few snowball fights. The Tonys and Uncle Adam played some football, and shoveled snow! Adam even broke the shovel...SHHH...Don't tell Uncle Robert!

TRADITIONS

 The last few years, we have started celebrating Christmas on December 1. I started a family tradition called 'the christmas box'. I got the idea off of the Bachelor (i KNOW, do not laugh), where they have a date box. It always has a note about what is to come on the date, along with something cute! The Christmas box may have hot chocolate, a game, snack-making ingredients, activity etc. I rack my brain
 trying to be creative, and the kids (even my almost teen) LOVE it!!!!

My husband has a tradition that he started with Little Tony. Every year he takes the kids to pick out an ornament to hang on the tree. The only rule is that is has to be something you like.  Its fun to talk about what was going on that year when unpacking past years' selections. This year, Tony (big) got a silver B, simple enough. Especially since last year he got a red, white and blue patriotic ornament the size of my head!!!!

 Brooklyn got a pretty pink, sparkly gorgeous ornament...typical. Britain got a cake...of course she did, but she broke it at the checkout counter, and we couldnt find another. She later settled for a cell phone!!!!

 Little Tony took his Dad's place in tacky ornament winner, and got a huge red "thing" with a large gold and red tassle! Yes, its as ugly as it sounds. I couldnt find an appropriate choice, so I opted out this year. I will get to pick 2 next year, one for me and one for baby, so I will save up!

 

Im not sure if its tradition yet, but i talked Tony into taking us to the Parade in downtown Dallas. We got up early, dressed warm (bc it was 30 degrees), packed snacks and hot cocoa, and ventured out to brave the crowd. Selena Gomez was going to be there, she is one of Brooklyn's favorites, and her Daddy could not resist making her day!! We stood with 4 million other Texans in the freezing cold, and yelled "SPIN SPIN SPIN" when the huge parade balloons passed us. If we were loud enough they would stop in front of us, and spin their balloon float around in circles. Sounds silly, but it was oh so fun!!