Dear Becca and Grant,
   Well, Christmas is over and things are still a bit of a mess but a joyous mess nonetheless. I had a grand time with Becca and Grant this holiday season. I think my favorite thing to do with Becca this year was take her to Southern Lights with her friends Brady and Bryson. Of course, I loved hearing Becca spout that Santa Claus had been to our house and that he had brought her a candy bracelet. She wasn't at all worried about the one thousand presents that were in here under the tree. My favorite, favorite thing with Grant was just watching his eyes light up at all the lights and paper and the many, many activities that were going on.
     After all the presents were opened on Christmas morning, Daddy and Grant took a nap and Becca and I opened up all of her new toys. Becca got a doctor's kit that she is particularly fond of; she opened it up began to play with it. I told her that I had a sore throat, and she told me that was why she was there, to help. She opened up the case and checked me out. She took a paper out of the case and told me she had to check her schedule. She really is a funny little girl.
Last night Becca did not want to go to sleep so I decided that we'd have a slumber party. We popped popcorn and had sodas and watched Bambi on her small DVD player. When the hunters were about to shoot Bambi's mother, Becca slapped her little hands over here eyes and fell back in the bed and said "Oh, NO! I don't want this to happen!" Becca is so silly. She told me that it was OK because Bambi's Mama was an angel in heaven with Granny. She told me Granny was a baby angel in heaven but she used to be a big human at her house. Becca makes me laugh on a constant basis.
      Grantman had a doctors appointment on the 21st and he wound up with a double ear infection. He never fussed a moment with it. The doctor said he was the kind of baby that the coyote would literally have to be eating him for him to cry. Grantman is a good baby; he really is. He is just as good as Becca was, except he is a little more spoiled. We got really lucky.
      We had a small hazard trip where Aunt Mary got yall both a bunch of junk that is mostly still in the back of the truck. I'll get it out eventually. Right now the house is still loaded down with five thousand other things from Christmas. We'll find a place for it all eventually.
   Speaking of finding a place for it all, Daddy made a new rule. From now on you, Becca, will get ten warnings to pick up your stuff or it will get thrown away (or if it is very expensive put up for a very long time) - but as far as you know it will be thrown away.
   Well Daddy has woken up and I am going to go see what he is trying to hunt for a snack. Mommy loves Rebecca and Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant,
                  Happy Boxing Day! Boxing Day is just not as much fun as Christmas Day; not by a long shot. I stayed up all night last night working on video from yesterday. I woke up really late and ate some pizza that Mom ordered from Pizza Hut. I uploaded some videos to YouTube this afternoon. Becca has been playing with all of her toys she got for Christmas and having a fun time. There was one time though when she came up to me with a sad little look on her face and told me that she wished it was still Christmas. I told her that I feel the same way every year. I'm already looking forward to Christmas 2008.
      Well, I took an Ambien just awhile ago and I need to get into bed. We all had a real nice Christmas. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant,
                     Merry Christmas to one & all. It's very late in the day and all of the celebrations have concluded. Mom went to bed a long time ago, Grant followed her after a bottle and Becca got in bed after watching the Spongebob Squarepants Christmas Special for the very last time of 2007. She actually watched in twice and Elmo's Christmas Countdown Special once before bed. She was such a tired little girl. She had such a huge day today.
      The festivities began Christmas Eve when we all went to where Mom works, the Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Unit at Samaritan Hospital so Becca could hand out candy canes. After she handed out candy canes and everyone made a huge fuss over our kids we decided to get us a peppermint blizzard from Dairy Queen and then we went home.
      Mom napped for awhile and then it was time to head on down to Mamaw & Papaw's house. We got there and had a delicious Christmas Eve dinner. We had ham, green beans, carrots, salad, sweet potato casserole, corn pudding, hashbrown casserole, cucumbers, a cinnamon Jell-O dish, bread, tea and probably some other things. It was very delicious. We then went downstairs to open gifts. We went cheap this year and I'm afraid the boys Jacob & Jon were disappointed and I feel like crap over that. I got jeans, slacks, and shirts while Mom got pots and pans. Grant got clothes and a can of Nestle Good Start. He isn't old enough to care so it wasn't important to impress him this Christmas. Becca got some nice clothes from the Hoard family individually and as a whole; she got a Barbie laptop from me, her Dad, a light up wishing bear with a magic wand to change the light up colors on the bear from her Mom, she got the book The Kissing Hand from Auntie Lynn and Uncle Rodney, and from Mamaw & Papaw she got the most beloved toy of this 2007 holiday season, Baby Alive. She's wanted tons and tons of stuff throughout the holiday season but the one constant has been Baby Alive. I think that the Christmas she had Christmas Eve would have probably been enough for just about any child. She made out like a very cute and tiny bandit. The kids were tired so it wasn't any problem getting them off to bed.

On Christmas Morning, Mama with her pillow and I in my briefs,
Were attempting to get some quick winters sleep
When what to our wondering eyes should appear
But a little blonde girl with eyes full of cheer.

She bounced round the bed from the head to the foot
Proclaiming the discovery of fresh chimney soot
Mama & Daddy! She called us by name
Look at my candy bracelet!
Santa Claus came!

Come on Mom and Come on Dad!
There's presents to opened
And breakfast to be had

She shredded the paper
Like a high tech machine
Not worried about tape
Not worried about seams

With each new discovery
We'd hear her say
It's just what I wanted
On this Christmas Day!
Except for the dinosaurs
Which weren't a big hit
And maybe the underwear
She thought they were *beep*!

But she tossed them aside
And she went back again
Shredding and tearing
And wearing a grin

And when it was over
We asked if she would
Tell us or not
If Christmas was good

Best EVER! She said
Even though she
Is little and tiny and
Has had only three.

And I heard her exclaim
As she fell asleep tonight
That Santa Claus
Really did Christmas up right.

By Kristie and Danny Lanham with inspiration provided by Becca Lanham
December 25, 2007

      Mom helped me with that little poem. Actually I started it and Mom scrapped what I had and started over more or less from scratch. Everything about that poem is the gospel truth. Becca woke us up this morning so excited. She snuck down the hall and grabbed her candy bracelets and headed back down the hall to her Mom & Dad's room and she was so excited. Her little voice hollering about Santa was a dream come true for the both of us.
      Becca got so much from Santa that I can't remember it all. I'm gonna try to list them all. Mom is sitting in here feeding Grant so maybe she can help me. From Santa Becca got a Diego View Master, additional cartridges for the View Master, Strawberry Shortcake Baby, her boy baby doll, art desk, Barbi car with two Barbies, many baby doll accessories, play make-up, hair stuff, art supplies, zebra flashlight, doctor kit, tool set, Candy Land game, Chutes and Ladders game, Hungry Hungry Hippo game, a Barrel of Monkeys, Play-do, dinosaurs, underwear, a big stuffed giraffe, a flute, Enchanted Tales Disney Princesses DVD, a real working kid's digital camera, camera case, play food, a tea set, a little pull along pink dog, lots of candy and stuff I have seen around here today but right now I can't remember what all it was. She had a huge Christmas.
      Grant didn't do quite as well. He's just a baby and doesn't want anything in particular and wanting stuff is just about all Becca did this holiday season. He got some shaped blocks with a bucket, rings on a pedestal, a toy key ring, a teething ring, a hippo riding/push toy, a big dinosaur ball thing and an animal train. Maybe he got more too but as with Becca I don't remember.
      After opening up all the presents I took a nap. I was awoken to have a brunch of french toast. Mom took a nap then. When she woke up it was time to head on over to Granny's old house where Auntie Linda is living and have a small family gathering. This is our first Christmas without Granny and it's been hard on all of us. On Christmas Eve while we were all down at Mamaw & Papaw's house Becca was asked what she's going to name her Baby Alive. She told us that her Baby Alive was named Annetta. Granny's name was Annetta. This came out of the blue with no prompting from anyone at all. Becca misses Granny just as much as any of us do. It almost brought a tear to Mamaw's eye. Anyway, all of the brothers and sisters were there with the exception of Donny. He said he just couldn't handle it. It was just snacking type foods there. It was really good though. There was ham, delicious meatballs, cheese balls, yummy spinach dip, crackers, a veggie plate, crackers and assorted desserts. I more than got my fill of good eats Christmas night.
      We came home and I got everyone to bed and here I sit. Mom woke up and she's on the phone with a friend. I enjoy tapping away on the computer while I am by myself for some reason. Mom isn't bothering me but that's the way I have always been. Now I know. I have been up and down ever since she got up. It takes me so long to write a blog that when I start I really like to keep going until I am finished. I become engrossed in activities that I enjoy. It enhances the pleasure for me. I think that that is a good trait. Total concentration is a good thing. Mom hates it because I don't hear her every time she mentions my name. It's hard to concentrate when I have to get up a dozen times an hour.
      This Christmas was so much better than last Christmas. While the holiday magic was there we had been told a few days before that we had just lost our baby. We had lost one earlier in the summer and it was crazy against the odds that we would ever be able to get pregnant again. We were blown away when we found out that we had become pregnant so soon after we had lost the other one. We were both mourning the loss of our second pregnancy of the year. Of course that pregnancy that we thought we had lost resulted in Grantman who is crying himself to sleep in his room as we speak. Mom doesn't like him to cry himself to sleep but I feel that he needs to do that every now and then or he will never be able to his self to sleep on his own.
      This has been a very joyous holiday season. Becca just this year has really clasped onto the whole Santa thing and she loves it as much as I do. Mom said that she has never been much of a Christmas fan and I can see where she's coming from with the childhood she had to endure. She said that she's enjoying Christmas more and more every year as her kids get old enough to appreciate the holiday as much as I did as a child.
      Christmas is nearly over. I always hate this time most of all. The minute after Christmas I put away all things Christmasy. The tree will be down in the next two or three days as will all of the outside lights and the other Christmas decorations dotting our abode. The music will come out of the stereo and the television shows will be deleted from the TiVo. The only thing about the days after Christmas that I enjoy will be editing our Christmas videos and this year I have been working on a project that I am kind of excited about. I have a series 2 TiVo which means that I can burn television shows I record on my TiVo onto a DVD. I have been TiVoing tons of traditional holiday shows that I would like to be able to look at every year as well as downloading rare and seldom broadcast specials from the internet. I will be editing and burning a ton of Christmas DVDs this coming week. I'm going to make three or four copies of all of the DVDs I make so if one dies on me I will still have another one that will work.
      What shows will I be burning. The 1951 Christmas Carol with Alastair Sim, the 1935 Christmas Carol with Seymour Hicks, The 1938 Christmas Carol with Reginald Owen, the 1984 Christmas Carol with George C. Scott, the 1999 Christmas Carol with Patrick Stewart, Mickey's Christmas Carol, Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas, Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas, Mickey's Orphans from 1931, Mickey's Good Deed from 1932, Disney's Santa's Workshop from 1932, Disney's Night Before Christmas from 1933, Mickey Mouse on Ice from 1935, Disney's Cookie Carnival from 1935, Donald's Snow Fight from 1942, Pluto's Christmas Tree from 1952, two new show from this year called Shrek the Halls and Elmo's Christmas Countdown; a Charlie Brown Christmas, Dr. Suess' How the Grinch Stold Christmas, Frosty the Snowman, The Little Drummer Boy Books 1 & 2, Nestor the Long Eared Christmas Donkey, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, The Year Without Santa Claus, Elf with Will Ferrell, The Polar Express, How the Grinch Stold Christmas with Jim Carrey, Spongebob Squarepants Christmas Special, Jimmy Neutron Christmas Special, a Christmas episode of the Twilight Zone, Night of the Meek; two Mystery Science Theater 3000 episodes, the 1959 stinker called Santa Claus where it's the Devil vs. Santa Claus and the 1964 disaster, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians and the classic film about a boy and his desire for a BB gun, a Christmas Story. I know editing and burning all of these shows to DVD will be a herculean task but I am looking forward to it and it will pay off in years to come when I have all of these shows at our fingertips. Some of the more obvious choices are absent from this list such as It's a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street but I already have those on DVD and I know you will be able to get another copy at any time in perpetuity. I wish I had have gotten The Muppet's Christmas Carol, the Rankin/Bass version of a Christmas Carol called The Stingiest Man in Town and Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol. I probably missed them when they come on and for one reason or another wasn't able to download them off of the internet. The Tim Allen Santa Claus films aren't on this list because I just don't like them as much as I do others on this list. I also didn't put the Dudley Moore Santa film on this list because while I liked it as a kid I really can't stand it as an adult.
      Doing my research I did run up on a Christmas movie that I am stoked about seeing. As you may have noticed from this list I absolutely love Dicken's a Christmas Carol. Well, during the holiday season of 2009, that's two years from now, a brand new high budget animated Christmas Carol will be coming out starring Jim Carrey as the ghosts of past, present and yet to come. It will be shot using the technique used for Polar Express. That will be one movie that I will be heading to the Theater to watch. Becca will be five and old enough to enjoy something like that. Grant will be two and maybe we will need a babysitter for him. Mom will be 32 and probably in just as foul a mood as she is today and I will be 42 and loving Christmas even more than I do today. I am excited about seeing that movie. I think I'll call Mamaw tomorrow and see what she's doing during the holiday season of 2009 and go ahead and line up Grant's babysitter. Oh, I am a silly Christmas goose.
      Well, I am going to maybe edit some video clips of this morning for youtube.com. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant and wishes each of you for the very last time in 2007 a very Merry Christmas! Only 365 days until Christmas!

Dear Becca & Grant,
                  Only two days, three hours and twenty-two minutes until Christmas and Mom went off to work this morning. She left super early because she had to go to the grocery store to by Grant some Nestle Good Start formula. She dropped her cell phone in the parking lot of Kroger on her way either into or out of the store. Someone found it and called Mamaw & Papaw this morning at 5:30. I'm glad we didn't lose it for good. Mom also took both sets of keys with her when she left for work. I needed some Copenhagen and Becca wanted some more carrot chips so I got both Becca and Grant ready for a trip and then I couldn't find keys. I called Auntie Lynn, Mamaw & Papaw and I even entertained the idea of catching a ride to the store with Allison's new but incredibly serious beau, Brad. Papaw & Mamaw had some shopping to do so they came up and took us all. They took the Corolla instead of the Pathfinder and it was packed in that little car. Instead of Kroger in Versailles we went to Wal-Mart in Nicholasville. I got some baby carrots, grape tomatoes, celery, and a bag of tiny broccoli heads for Becca. She loves veggies. We then went to a bread store for some dinner rolls for Christmas Eve. Then we stopped at McDonald's over there in Nicholasville and we each had had us a burger and we split two egg nog shakes.
      We then went back to Versailles and stopped at Kroger. Allison or as she's better known to Becca, Sissy got Mom's cell phone from the service desk at Kroger for me. As y'all well know, Allison works at Kroger. Allison was on lunch when we got there. I talked to her for a minute and then she took Becca to the candy aisle. I stopped at the Starbucks there in Kroger and got myself a tall peppermint hot chocolate. It was expensive as all things are at Starbucks but it certainly was yummy. I found Becca's carrot chips there and I picked up a box of Homestyle Pop Secret Popcorn for myself. Homestyle is my favorite variety of microwave popcorn. When I got back to the Starbucks tables Allison and Becca where sharing a Reese Christmas tree. Becca saw the carrot chips and asked me to open up the bag. I opened it up and she didn't touch her candy again. She was too busy eating carrots. Mamaw & Papaw went to the Rite Aid pharmacy in a dead shopping center there in Versailles and got something; I don't know what.
      When I was a teenager in high school that shopping center was the busiest place in town. It had the K-Mart, a Hallmark store, a restaurant owned by the family of my best friend, Mathew Padgett named Stony's, a Foodtown grocery store, a Radio Shack, a nice video rental store, a hardware store, a jewelry store, a Domino's Pizza, a sporting goods store and the Rite Aid. Now all that's left is the Rite Aid and the K-Mart building is now a flea mall. It's a blighted area of our fair city. The old shopping center that housed the old Kroger store where I worked as a teenager has developed into a pretty busy little area. The building that houses the Kroger is now a hardware/furniture/home appliance store. There's a Family Dollar, an insurance company, a vacuum sales and repair shop and a five and dime type store known as Terry's.
      While we were at Wal-Mart today I got Mom a Christmas present. It's not much but at least it's something. I think she will use what I got her every day. It's always nice when a gift is used. I really wanted to get something special for Mom. I love Mom dearly but if it's possible to fall in love with someone you are already in love with I did it yesterday when we had our date. I really wanted to get Mom something that lets her know exactly what she means to me. We really need to find a way to go out on more dates because that one was one I will never forget. I can't even tell you what was so special about it. It was just the two of us hanging out and being together. Laughing and joking and flirting with each other and I absolutely loved every minute of it. Becca and Grant, know this; I am madly and deeply in love with your mother. Apart from the two of you she is my very soul and I think she's pretty daggum sexy as well.
      That's all the blogging I have in me today. I'm gonna post this and wait up for Mom because I miss her and I want to see her. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant,
                  Only Three days, One hour and fifty-three minutes until Christmas. Mom and I went shopping today. We had planned on taking the kids to spend the day with Brady, Brycen, and the twins, Joey and Jimmy at Alicia Cowing's house. She said one of the twins was sick so we didn't want them to get sick so we decided to do daycare. Becca threw an absolute fit when she found out about going to daycare. I think that she was traumatized somehow by Glenda's Day Care. I couldn't stand to see her in that state. I knew that neither her mother or myself would have any fun at all knowing we put her somewhere she didn't want to be. I think they tried to force her to take a nap and Becca will not take naps even though she needs one on occasion. I hate it that we put her in Glenda's. I'm sure her new daycare, Loving Arms or maybe it's called Kid's Kingdom will be much better. I called Mamaw and asked her if she could look after the kids today and she agreed to. I asked Becca if she would rather go to Mamaw and Papaw's instead. She went from screaming and crying to smiling and happy right away. She thanked me for not making her go to daycare. Lord have mercy, I wish we had never heard of Glenda's Day Care. We got kind of a late start because Mamaw wasn't ready for our kids just yet so we had to give her an hour or so. We took them down there confident in the fact that they would be well taken care of and would have lots of fun.
      We started out the day by going to the social security administration office to get Grant's social security card. That took us about a half an hour but it was nice to have that done. We should be getting his card by the beginning of next year which is only about a week and a half away. We then went to the Cracker Barrel for breakfast. I wanted to eat breakfast at Cracker Barrel at breakfast time but it was nearly 11:30 by the time we ordered our food. Both Mom and I had the holiday sampler platter breakfast. It came with a piece of country or city ham, we both had the country ham, a piece of bacon, a piece of sausage, hashbrown casserole, biscuits, gravy, grits, a cinnamon biscuit, an orange slice and two eggs. I always have my eggs over medium and Mom always orders her eggs scrambled. We also both had coffee and a large orange juice. I always end up eating Mom's grits because she doesn't care much for them and I love grits smothered in butter and sugar with a little salt. I also had Mom's hashbrown casserole because she doesn't care much for potatoes. I ate everything and was absolutely stuffed when we left. We then went over to Victoria's Secret so Mom could do some Christmas shopping. Mom says that the only thing that will fit her from Victoria's Secret is the perfume. Mom is a funny lady.
      We then went to see a movie. We saw I am Legend with Will Smith. We both enjoyed the film immensely. It was nice just sitting there with my arm around my best grown girl enjoying a movie in peace. After the movie we went to another store and looked around at some of the stuff they had in this store. Much to my chagrin we didn't make any purchases in this store but I came out with a wish list. I'm not telling you what store this was. You don't need to know.
      We then went to Wal-Mart to finish up Christmas shopping and we are as of this point 99.999% finished. We may have some candy items to get and maybe some groceries for Christmas dinners but all in all we are done. I haven't had an opportunity to shop for Mom so she got herself a new slow cooker. It's a much bigger one than the one we had. We got some stuff for Fluffy the cat and then we went and picked up the kids.
      Mom went right to sleep when we got home because she has to work tomorrow. I fed Grant and watched a show both Becca and I like called Chowder. It's a freaky cartoon about a chef's assistant. I told her it was then time to go to bed. She always asks for another show and I always give in because I want to remind her how I let her stay up past her bedtime and that she needed to repay my kindness by going straight to sleep and it works out pretty well. She's a good girl. I put Grantman down and we watched Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas and she had a snack of a banana, carrot chips and cheese. Then I put her to bed. I've been reading her a Christmas book every night for about the past month and her lullaby has been Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer. She now knows that song by heart. I will hate to see Christmas 2007 fade into the past because it's a long time to wait until Christmas 2008. I love the holiday season. My icicle lights have quit working again but it's so late in the season that I'm not going to fool with trying to fix them. My lights were all kind of weak this year. Next year I'm going to start my outside decorating the beginning of November and everything should be in pretty good shape by Thanksgiving.
      We've all taken to calling Grant by the nickname Grantman. Mom started it and it seems to have caught on. Mom usually accompanies the name with the batman theme. Grant had his four month checkup the other day even though today is his official four month birthday. He weighs seventeen pounds and even though he is a big boy he is perfectly proportioned. He had his latest round of shots and got diagnosed with a double ear infection. That blew us away because he hasn't been fussy at all. He's been his jolly if spoiled self. The doctor said that Grant seemed to be one of those kids who wouldn't fuss at all unless he was being eaten by a coyote. He certainly didn't get that from his Mom. She has absolutely no pain tolerance at all.
      Well, that's all I have to say for now. I'll close this post out now. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant,
                  Only Four days and nineteen hours until Christmas. We went shopping like I said in my last post. We got stuff for everyone except Jon, Jacob and Allison. We took Becca over to the family dollar Saturday so she could do her Christmas shopping. She got to pick out a present for everyone that she is close to. Papaw and Papaw Lawrence each got a stick of deodorant, Auntie Lynn and Aunt Mary got some hair ties, Rodney got a noise making toy, her teacher, Ms. Dykes and the teaching assistant, Mrs. Bush each got a little ceramic bell, Sadie got a chew toy and everyone else got a nice gift from Becca as well. I think we all had fun Saturday. Mom and I plan on finishing up Friday.
      Becca and Grant are not going with us Friday because we want to spend some time together, just the two of us. We both feel that in order to maintain a healthy loving relationship we need to make time to be alone with one another from time to time. We need to date like we did before we got married or before we had children. I don't know where they will be yet but they won't be with us. We want to go out to Cracker Barrel for breakfast and then see an early showing of a movie called "I am Legend" with Will Smith. We wanted to go see it last weekend but it didn't work out that way. That film made 77 million dollars last weekend and in 2007 that's a lot of money for an opening weekend. It set a record for a December release. It has one of my favorite themes, a post apocalyptic setting and one Mom's favorite themes, zombies so we are both looking forward to seeing this movie. Then we are going to finish up our Christmas shopping. We should be done early but we don't want to be rushed so we have to decide where the best place will be keep Becca & Grant. Maybe they'll go to daycare, maybe they will stay with Mamaw or maybe we will have Alicia watch them. Becca loves visiting Alicia's many kids. Mom and I will decide later today I suppose.
      We went down to Hazard Monday after Becca got out of preschool. We really didn't leave until 1:30 or so. We stopped at Little Caesars and got us one of those cheap to-go pizzas. They used to be five dollars but they went up to five dollars and fifty-five cents. Still it's a great bargain. The pizza is not the best in the world but what do you expect for five dollars. We also bought a two liter of soda and we ate pizza and drank soda in the Explorer as we started our trip to Hazard. We got down there and Auntie Mary wanted us to exchange gifts right away. Becca really got into opening presents. That bodes well for Christmas morning. She got into it so much that when it was my turn to open up my own presents she insisted that she "help" me open mine. I absolutely love opening Christmas presents and if I didn't love Becca as much as I did she would have lost a hand when she started ripping into my packages. Auntie Mary got Becca a purse, a toy make-up kit, some toy jewelry and maybe one or two items that I don't recall. Mom got Auntie Mary a nice make-up kit, hair care products, perfume stuff and a shirt. Auntie Mary doesn't get a big Christmas from anyone except Mom. Papaw Lawrence got a heavy plaid shirt, old spice cologne, and cream drops. We usually get him a carton of cheap cigarettes but your Mom decided that she wasn't going to help Papaw Lawrence kill himself this year.
      The big gift Becca got while we were down there was a new kitty. The cat loved up on her so much and she loved up on the cat so much that Mom & I just couldn't say no. We had to go to Wal-Mart and buy a crate to haul her kitty back and food, litter and other kitty stuff. We believe the cat is male but we haven't taken the time to flip it over and check. He's certainly a friendly and lovable cat and the only cat I've ever known to be like that was my own kitty cat, Samson. I had Samson before the kids were born. We had to move into an apartment the day before Becca was born so we had to get rid of my cat. Anyway, Samson was a friendly cat and Samson was a male cat so that is what leads me to believe that Becca's cat is a male. Becca named her cat Fluffy. I would have chosen a name like Scruffy or maybe even Hazard. Hazard would have been a cool name for that cat. I hope Fluffy works out better than that foul tempered puppy named Wal-Mart. Fluffy has done okay so far. He's not supposed to be on the furniture but he's sleeping on the couch right now. Becca wants him to sleep with her. We are going to get the cat's shots done and have it checked out with a vet and then we might try to coax the cat to sleep with her. Becca gets so excited around that cat though that I am afraid that that will not work out.
      Becca had a singing thing yesterday at preschool. She wore her brand new Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer light up shirt we got at Wal-Mart. She loves her light up shirt. When she moves around Rudloph's nose lights up. Mom stayed at school today to hear the singing and she said that Becca was assaulted by the other children poking her in the chest trying to get the shirt to light up. Mom said that she told them to quit poking her that she would get it to light up on her own. It's a really cute shirt. It also has Clarissa on it as well and Becca loves Clarissa just as much if not more than Rudolph; of course she is blown away that they also have girl elves at the North Pole. I think she's going to be a girl power kind of girl and I am all for it. My daughter can and will do anything she sets her mind to.
      Yesterday after both Mom & I had a little nap we headed out to Southern Lights at the Kentucky Horse Park. We asked Mamaw if she could keep Grant because he wouldn't have had the least bit of interest in anything that went on at Southern Lights. We took him down there and then we went and picked up Alicia Cowing's two oldest boys, Brady and Brycen. Becca loves playing with those boys. Brady is five and Brycen is two. We then headed toward the Horse Park. I finally figured out the best way to mount Becca's portable DVD player in the explorer. I put bungee cords around the front seat head rest and slid the player in between the cord and the head rest. It worked like a charm. Anyway, the kids watched Rudolph on the DVD player as we drove to the park.
      We got there and Becca and Brady were absolutely blown away by the lights. They both had a fabulous time. Brycen falls asleep when riding in a vehicle and we couldn't wake him up so he slept through the drive through the lights. I wish I could have seen the look on my daughter's face as we drove through Southern Lights. After the driving tour it was time for everything else. They have a great Christmas festival type thing at Southern Lights. We first stopped by the petting zoo. We saw kangaroos, donkeys, pygmy goats, regular goats, miniature antelope, a camel, a highland cattle bull, some llamas, a porcupine and some other animals that I can't remember. Becca liked the pygmy goats and the llamas the best. She said the goats were sweet and the llamas reminded her of Linda the llama from Go Diego Go. I like that highland cattle bull. I learned last year that he loves to be scratched under his chin. He'll stretch out when you do that and act like a five hundred pound dog. None of the kids wanted anything to do with the camel because Mom was talking about how they would spit if they got upset and they didn't want to get spit on.
      Then we waited outside in the cold for the little train ride they have there. Becca loves trains. Eventually our turn came and Becca had a pretty fun ride. We then went inside. I found a giant Christmas themed coloring book. Auntie Lynn and I had a giant Christmas Carol coloring book as we were growing up. Every year we would color one page in it on Christmas Eve. I wanted the exact same book for my kids but they quit making that book in the late seventies. The book I found was Twas the Night Before Christmas and not nearly as high quality as the one from my childhood but it was the only one I have been able to locate. We bought it and now Becca and Grant can color a picture in it every year on Christmas Eve just like I did as a wee lad. Maybe I will even help them out.
      We then grabbed us a hot dog and a soda apiece and took a bathroom break. I wish we had time to do the explorium exhibit in the basement of the horse museum building. I think Becca would have had fun with that. We next went to see Santa. We waited in line forever. The Santa at Southern Lights was not anywhere near as good as the one in the Fayette Mall. Brady & Brycen got their pictures made with him and then Becca told him that she wanted a Baby Alive and a monster truck. I keep telling her that Santa has marked the monster truck off of her list because she touched the Christmas tree when she wasn't supposed to but she still says she wants it. She's not going to get it. I took a few digital shots of Becca and the Southern Lights Santa.
      It was then time to leave. On the way out we bought Becca, Brady and Brycen a light up sword thing. We decided to get us a funnel cake and split it five ways. After we had the funnel cake we headed toward the car but as we do every year we stopped and got a bag of real kettle corn for the road. We turned back on Rudolph and headed home. We dropped Brady and Brycen off and then went to Kroger so Mom could pick up a few items. Then I dropped Becca and Mom off at home and I went down to Mamaw & Papaw's to pick up Grant. I got back around 1:30 in the morning. I surfed a bit on the web and then I started this blog post and now I am finishing this blog post.
      I just finished sneezing my head off. We all have colds. I think mine is the worst cold of all but I'm sure if I asked Becca or Mom they would claim to have the worst cold. I'm sure even Grant would claim his cold to be the worst if he could talk. I'm gonna go take some medicine and lay down. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant,
                     Only Ten days and 23 hours until Christmas. We're going cheap on everyone this year except the kids. Money seems to be super tight right now and I have no idea why. Mom has a great job making pretty decent money and we haven't had a house payment in quite a few months; we paid ahead so we wouldn't have to worry about it for awhile. I have no idea how we managed to get together that kind of cash. I'm kind of bummed out about the money thing. So as I said before and if you are reading this on the internet and expect to get a gift from us this year you can lower your expectations because while you will get a gift from us it will be cheap and shoddy. Well, maybe not shoddy but it will certainly be cheap.
      There's a huge lay off scheduled for the beginning of the year at work. I'm worried that I might not have much longer at General Electric. I've been out there over twenty years; all my adult life. Looking for a new job is not something I am looking forward to. I have no marketable skills and I am actually kind of frightened right now. Thank God, Mom has her job. Mom says I need to go to CNA school so if I do get laid off I will have something I can do to make some money until I can get a job with pay comparable to what I make now. Mom wants to go to school to become a registered nurse and they get paid great money but it's hard getting into nursing school and that takes three to four years. I would like to go get some kind of training in computers. Maybe become an IT guy or something. Right now I just don't know. There won't be any factory out there that will even come close to paying me what I earn at General Electric. Mom has access to health insurance where she works so that will be a worry off of my back at least. Maybe I can get a job where I can work in a nice office atmosphere instead of in a hot loud smelly dirty factory. I would like that but I still worry about the money.
      As a result of the lay off I am having to change jobs. I thought I was going to get one similar to the one I have now, only easier. I didn't get it. Instead I got stuck doing a job I have never done before. That bummed me out as well. I'm just in a regular bummed out mood right now. I am thankful for my two wonderful children but I want to be able to provide for those two wonderful children like they deserve. I'm sorry if this all sounds like so much of a downer during the holiday season but that's the way I feel right now.
      There are the occasional day when I will be talking to Becca and I will just marvel at how fast she is growing up. Today for instance; we were at KFC enjoying the buffet and we were talking and she seemed to be able to carry on a conversation even better than she did yesterday. I fear she's going to grow up overnight on me. And Grant, he just gets bigger and bigger every day. It won't be long until I can say the same thing about him.
      I know it's been awhile since I last posted but I have been busy on the weekends with Becca and Grant. It's like trying to do two full time jobs at once. I will be feeding Grant and Becca will tell me she wants a drink and of course she wants it right this very second. Just one of then by their self is okay but if you put both of them together it's a real chore. Even more so because I am supposed to be keeping the house in order while Mom is at work and I have failed in that regard. Mom got kind of angry at me the other day regarding this matter. I knew I wasn't doing the best job in the world but I did think that I was making steady, if slow improvement. Oh well, what are you going to do?
      We plan on going to Lexington tomorrow to do a small bit of Christmas shopping. We are going to get stuff for Auntie Mary and Deseray. Becca will be going to the Dollar Tree to do all of her Christmas shopping. Then we have a parent-teacher conference with Becca's teacher. We will be doing everyone else next Friday. That will be quite the challenge.
      I need to get in bed now. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant;
                                 It's been a long week. I worked all weekend like I usually do so the two of you were here with Daddy. I got worried Saturday morning when I called and no one answered after eight a.m. and I called Mamaw and Papaw and had them come up here and check on y'all. Everyone was just fine but we decided that we're not going to Grant sleep in his swing any more at night. We'll save that for his naps.
   Becca, you were up screaming all night last night with your ears. I took you to the doctor today and they are both severely infected. You have really been such a good little girl to have so much going on inside. I am such a wimp that one little ear pain would have had me whining at first sign. You're so very sweet.
   I am enjoying my job at Cardinal Hill but I hate being away from the two of you, Becca and Grant. I look at this blog every time I get a spare minute at work because I can't stand to go two days without seeing your all's faces. I really wish I didn't have to work, that we were independently wealthy and the four of us could go back and forth to Disney World three times a week. Hehe, that's a good thought. There'd be nothing like being in the happiest place on earth with the three people on earth that make me the happiest.
   I forgot to mention in this blog, on an earlier occasion, Grant fell out of a shopping cart in his car seat and banged his head on the door of the Family Dollar. I won't be using the top part of the shopping carts any more. I found out they tell you not to do that for a reason. Grant is just fine though, so thank God for that.
   Becca, you are really getting into the Christmas spirit. I like to threaten you with calls to Santa Claus if you misbehave. Every time I do you beg me not to and tell you will be good. You are a sweetie pie. I could never tattle on you to Santa Claus. But, I won't let you in on that little secret just yet.
   Well, I know this has been a very short blog but I am very tired from running around all day and doing various things with the two of you. Remember, Mommy loves Rebecca and Grant!

Dear Becca & Grant,
                     I'm back to work now. I had a pretty good time being off with all of you. Nothing was really accomplished but we had some fun.
      Mom had to work this weekend just like she has to work every weekend. I don't know how Mom can manage two kids all the time and still be sane. One is an infant and one is a preschooler and that amounts to two totally different jobs all together. I'll be feeding one and the other tells me that she wants something to eat or drink and of course she wants it right now. Plus Mom can keep the house looking nice. I am getting better at keeping the house in decent shape. I'm sure Mom would disagree with that statement but I am improving and I will eventually get to a point where Mom is proud of me.
      Mom worked the second and third shifts Saturday and Sunday so she was super tired this morning. After Becca's preschool she dropped the kids off at daycare and went to sleep. I went and picked up the kids right after I got home from work. They checked my identification and the approved list of people who could pick the kids up. I've picked them up two or three times before and this is the first time I've been checked. I didn't mind being checked because I want my kids to be safe and that was a safety routine.
      After I picked them up we went to Lawrenceburg to pick up some icicle lights at Wal-Mart. I found my lights and Becca wanted a sucker so I got one for her. We then went to a playland over in Lawrenceburg. It was a food court type of place with a Long John Silvers, A&W, Arby's, Taco John's and a Hershey Ice Cream place. Becca had a hot dog and fries and I had some stuff from Taco John's. I really didn't like Taco John's all that much. It was much too expensive and it wasn't nearly as nice as Taco Bell. Becca played in the playland forever. She met a little four year old girl named Elizabeth and they played together very well. Becca had a ball.
      Becca told me she had to go pooh-pooh while we were there. She's pooh-poohed in the potty ten out of the past eleven days. We are so proud of her. She went into the bathroom with me and it was nasty. Somebody had spit dip spit on the floor next to the toilet and everything was just kind of nasty. She decided that she really didn't have to use pooh-pooh after all. She went back to playing. Eventually she came back to me and told me she really really had to pooh-pooh. I rushed her to the potty and as I unfastened her bib overalls she told me that it was too late. I told her that it wasn't her fault because the bathroom was so nasty. She would have went in the potty earlier if the bathroom had have been clean.
      Mom eventually called us on the phone as we were leaving at seven this evening. She had woke up and we All were gone and she got nervous. I took the kids out so she could have a restful sleep. Mom has to go back into work in the morning for training. She will have to go to training once a month the whole time she is employed by Cardinal Hill. We got home and Becca got a quick shower and she watched an episode of Wow Wow Wubbzy and an episode of Max & Ruby. Then Becca went to bed. She went pretty easily tonight. She just now called me in there to tell me that her teddy bear she got from Build a Bear, Maggie was stomping around under her blanket.
      Mamaw was here this morning to watch the kids from the time I left until Mom got home. While Mamaw was here Becca asked her if she had heard about Rudolph the Reindeer. She informed Mamaw that the other Reindeer made fun of Rudolph and called him names and he didn't like it. She told Mamaw all of this like it was a breaking news story. I suppose it is a breaking news story to her because this is the first Christmas that she has been able to understand and appreciate the whole Santa mythos. This is so much fun for both her and me. I love Christmas and the whole Santa mythos and I love it that you love it too.
      Well, it's time to put the whites in the drier and go to bed. I am tired. Daddy loves Rebecca & Grant!