Christmas in Greenville

Things were very different this year.

At first we didn't know what to do or how to act.

So, we did our best.

Christmas Eve Shelby and I baked cookies for Santa.

A little performance while the cookies baked.

(the noise in the bakground is Larry fixing something to eat)

Cookies and milk for Santa

This isn't exactly what I imagined a "White Christmas" to look like.

Santa brought Shelby a new scooter!

Sebastian on the hunt for what Santa brought him.

Shelby was excited to get a school hoodie like "the big kids"

PRE stands for Pelham Road Elementary

It was a very quiet Christmas.

Merry Christmas to All

Until then...

Nice to Meet You

You Are Prancer

You are the perfect reindeer, with perfect hooves and perfect flying form. Why You're Naughty: Because you're Santa's pet, and you won't let anyone show you up. Why You're Nice: You have the softest fur and the sweetest carrot breath.

http://www.blogthings.com/whichofsantasreindeerareyouquiz/">Which of Santa's Reindeer Are You?

Party like a 1st Grader

Today was the last day of school for every school aged

child in the southeast.

The amount of time they are out -

2 WEEKS!!!

For all of you out there, be afraid.

BE VERY AFRAID.

For today was also their Christmas parties at school.

And that means SUGAR.

Shelby and her class had a good time.

They played games like putting Rudolph's nose in the right spot.

Shelby got dizzy when she was spun around.

"Santa" came to visit as well.

But Shelby said he was fake.

"That was a pillow under his jacket, that's how I know."

She knows that the REAL Santa is at the North Pole and that he has lots of helpers that look like him because he needs help.

We had an incident a couple weeks ago where one of the children in her class told Shelby that Santa wasn't real.

She came home so upset.

When I asked her what she thought she told me she believes in Santa, the Tooth Fairy, Jesus, and God. Oh, and all other fairies, too.

I melted.

Instead of doing a toy gift exchange, the class did a book exchange instead.

Shelby got a Barbie book.

She was pleased with hers.

Ready for Christmas!!

Until then...

Tooth #3!!

Tooth number three has fallen out.

Well, sorta.

It had been very loose for about a week or so and didn't look like it was going to let go.

So we helped it along.

But only on Shelby's terms.

She first wanted to tie a string to Sebastian's tail and have him pull it out for her.

He didn't want any part of that.

She then suggested we thumb tack the string to the wall and she would run and pull it out.

That didn't happen either.

While she had her back turned to me, I snuck up behind her, grabbed the string that was tied to her tooth and pulled it out.

The Tooth Fairy brought her

a High School Musical nitelite

for her room and another gold dollar.

Shelby is still amazed by the whole thing.

Still unsure of the scheme of things and how the Tooth Fairy knows when a tooth is ready to be picked up.

All is well in Greenville.

Until then...

The life of a six year old

This is going to be an update of the past couple of months as Shelby lived them.

In October children begin the quest of the perfect costume.

Shelby was " 'Punzel ".

In November the holiday season is officially underway as we prepare to gorge ourselves of turkey and all the fixings.

Each class in the first grade put together a little re-enactment of the first Thanksgiving.

Shelby was a pilgrim.

The Fulmer family came up for a few days to celebrate Thanksgiving with us.

Shelby's bff Nic and his older brother Justin.

Shortly after Thanksgiving, we began preparing for the Christmas season.

Shelby has her special ornaments that have accumaleted over the past six years.

In tradition , she puts those on the tree.

Every year Larry's company provides the children of their employees a fun day in place of a Christmas party.

This year we went to Gatti Town.

It's an elaborate form of Chuck E. Cheese's.

Playing Skee-ball

Dominating the game of Air Hockey.

She "beat" Mommy, Daddy, and Mr. Brandon!

Always a guaranteed good time on the carousel.

In Memory

AKIRA

aka

"KiKi"

1995 - 2008

Yesterday a special member of our family passed away.

He had a full and happy life with us.

He will be missed.

On this day

13 years ago today...

We said, "I do!"

Until then...

You're only one once

This weekend marks a special time in someone's life!

Miss Kaitlyn Francine Fulmer

turns

ONE!

Happy Birthday,

Sweet Girl!

My beautiful Shelby Jo

"Grin big"

Cats and Dogs and (fill in the blank), Oh my!

We take our sleeping very seriously here.

Can anyone tell me if cats are supposed to lay like this?

Somehow this just doesn't look normal.

Until then...

They make cards for this?

There are times when when the simplest words can express how you feel.

Then there are times when you can't seem to find the right words.

So, that's when we turn to greeting cards for help.

Well, my friends, I send you words of comfort and hopes for a great future.

With our country being in the state that it's in, I felt this sums up what a lot of people are thinking.

(The really strange thing about this card is that it's a birthday card!)

Until then...

I ARE STUPID

Hi.

My name is Angelia.

I'm the founder of NCOS.

National Committee of Stupidity.

Or my mom or grandpa would say that I have a bad case of the stupid.

Last night I was watching the 11:00 local news, when I heard that my favorite author of all time was at one of Greenville's bookstores for a book signing.

That's right.

NICHOLAS SPARKS

was approximately three miles from my front door.

And where was I?

Sitting on my thumbs at home doing NOTHING!

My friend Tenisha said I was the perfect ad for ATT&T.

That one day I would look back at this and laugh

or CRY!

(A lot like that fan of Michael Phelps)

So when I found this out, Tenisha looked up on his website to see where he was scheduled to appear next, she discovered he was going to be in Charlotte, NC.

That's an hour and a half from here.

For those of you who know me, you know that I would have driven up there and not thought twice about it.

But with the gas shortage and the price of gas if you can find it being what it is, I decided against it.

But could you imagine having a first edition autographed copy of one of today's most popular author's?

(Sigh..)

Until then...

I can't take much more!

You know when someone has their house or any other type of private property such as a car vandalized they say they feel violated?

Yeah, well, it's true.

Larry, Shelby, and I left this morning to go to school as we normally do.

Took her to school and ran a couple of errands.

The weather here had been cool so I didn't pay much attention to what at the time I thought was dew on my car windows.

When making a turn into the parking lot of a parts store Larry and I heard what sounded like beads rolling around in the back dash. We both turned around to see what maybe Shelby had put up the window when Larry said,

"Your back windshield is busted!"

Sure enough.

So after a few choice words we drove back to the apartment where I filed a report with the management office in case it had been on their property and called the police to file a report with them.

While standing outside talking to the prpoerty manager one of the maintenance guys asked about what had been done. Come to find out there has been a crime spree here in Greenville where the vandals are shooting in windshields with BB or pellet guns.

So I have been a victim of a what could have been a car break in.

When looking at the glass, near the bottom of the window you can see where the pellets struck the glass not once but twice.

The windows on my car are tinted so honestly I think that was what saved my car from being actually broken into because the glass never gave way.

Until then...

Snagglepuss - Take 2

Does anyone know what the rules are for the toothfairy returning for a second time in a 24 hour time period?

Is she on call 24/7?

Here's hoping.

Last night the toothfairy brought Shelby a gold dollar coin, the new animated Barbie movie, and a certificate. I think Shelby was amazed by the whole thing.

It's funny how just two missing teeth can change the way you look.

It's goofy looking but very cute at the same time.

Until then...

The beginning of a Snagglepuss

After much anticipation it's finally happened.

The loss of the FIRST tooth.

It had been loose for what seems forever.

Ok. Several weeks.

Now that she knows there is virtually no pain the next ones will come out at a more rapid pace.

After we wrapped it up and put in the pocket of her Tooth Angel bear she quickly got in her jammies and said that she needed to go to bed so the tooth fairy could come.

I don't think she quite knows what the tooth fairy does, but she knows it's important.

Until then...

This confirms it

This definitly confirms what I've been thinking all along. I still don't know which direction to go in.

Your Issue Profile: 56% Obama, 44% McCain

Truth be told, you're not really satisfied with either of the candidates. You could vote for either of them. You are the typical coveted swing voter. You may want to narrow yourself down to a particular set of issues in order to pick your president. Or start looking at third party candidates. One of them might suit you better.

Should You Vote for Obama or McCain?

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday, my dear Larry!

Introducing...

May I introduce the newest member of our family...

SEBASTIAN

He is 16 weeks old.

We got him from one of our neighbors.

First he melted my heart when I saw how he took to Shelby.

She asked if we could keep him and I told her she would have to ask daddy.

Larry has been dead set on not having anymore cats.

But then came Sebastian.

(of course it didn't help when Shelby stuck out her lip and said please as she looked at him with her big brown eyes)

His coloring is completely opposite of Akira's. He's half grey and half white.

Akira has accepted him as a grandson, and well Gennie thinks he's a new toy.

They all get along very well.

Shelby has taken the responsibility of feeding, watering, and cleaning his litterbox.

So he stays in her bathroom when we're gone or asleep.

As for being fixed, that is in the VERY NEAR future.

Until then...Tuckered out

From My Heart to Yours

With all the buzz about both of my sisters having baby girls of their own, our family is estatic.

So, I dedicate I this song to ALL generations of women in our family.

This song holds a very special place in my heart.

I hope it does for you, too.

Until then...

Watching and Waiting

Since I've started feeding the birds around here, as to be expected we get other types of guests. Such as squirrels. Akira and Gennie have become bird watchers as well. These pictures catch them doing just that. You can only imagine what's going through their heads. These are my interpretations. "Wait for it....

..NOW!"

Notice the squirrel in the background.

Aren't these great?

Until then...

Just us girls

With me not working yet, Shelby and I spend a lot of time clowning around. This can be the result in some cases.

These are the times that I hope she remembers the most.

I know I will.

Until then...

It's hard to believe

If you 've been keeping track, not only was yesterday Shelby's first day of school, it also marked that Larry has been living in Greenville for one year.

The funny thing about that is I've been here for three months and I know more about and how to get around here more than he does.

And so it has begun

The count down is over.

The pictures have been taken.

School is now in session.

Shelby Jo is in First Grade.

Wow.

Our morning started at 6:30 a.m.

With my first cup of coffee almost finished, I woke Shelby up to start her day.

She jumped up without fighting me and got dressed.

Brushed hair, ate breakfast, brushed teeth.

And we were off.

School here starts thirty minutes earlier than back in Augusta (8:00), so we left home about 7:40 to get to school a tad early so we could walk her to her classroom.

The school faculty said we could do this for this first week then we drop them off at the curb in front of the school.

Shelby walked right in her classroom, found her desk, and proceeded to color.

After we left her, the PTA was hosting a "Sip And Sob" for the new parents of Pelham Road Elem. So Larry and I went and checked it out. They had coffee, juice, and doughnuts. It was basically a meeting to suck you in to volunteer in the school. The PTA here is like Warren Road. Hungry wolves looking for fresh blood. I explained to them that I was going to be working during the day and couldn't spend a lot of time at the school, but would be more than willing to do things from home. Send snacks, cut out things for the teachers, etc. I told Larry that should hold them off for a little while. ;)

Something told me to look behind me at one particular moment. As soon as I did I saw Shelby, another student, and a teacher walking in the lunchroom. She was carrying a piece of paper. In school thirty minutes and is already running errands. I think we may have some student council material in our midst! She has always been a doer and willing to help out.

School got out at 2:30, so off we went several hours later.

We bombarded her with questions about her day.

Her answer, "I don't remember."

Well, I'm sure more information will eventually come out.

It IS just the first day.

Until then...