Too Late Tour? Snowmen, Santas, Sanatation Workers

Welcome to our home! Christmas time is very special around our house! We spend months preparing for service projects, gift ideas and yummy food! One of my favorite traditions is Christmas treats for the Sanitation workers! Aubrie and I waited outside this morning for our men to come by! Here is one of our precious workers with his treats!





Welcome! This is the entrance way to our house! You are greeted by snowmen, Santa's sack, a nutcracker and some cute trees! Above all this is a painting of Mary and Baby Jesus!

This is a paint by numbers painting that my Great Aunt painted in 1959. She gave it to my grandma and when we were packing up her stuff I found it and framed it! Thought it would make a great Christmas decoration.

Ah! Here is Aubrie! Waiting by the tree! She would like to show you some of our favorite ornaments. We only use family ornaments, so each year we add more!

This is mine and todd's first Christmas together ornament! It always hangs in the "heart" of our tree!This is Madyson's Hallmark ornament from her first Christmas

When Aubrie was born one of the nurses gave this to us before we left. We use it at her first ornament.This isn't a "favorite" but each member of our family (including siblings, parents, nieces and nephews) have a special ornament on our tree. My parents bought this for me my first year of life (it is one of the 4 I have!) I have always had a fear of clowns so i think its funny that one of my ornaments is a clown. he hangs on our tree next to my brother and my sisters ornament.Here is Madyson! She is in the kitchen making brownies for her class Christmas Party! Lets look at the dining room, because our kitchen hasn't been remodeled and it is tackY!

I love this! My grandmother just went into a nursing home and she gave me her china cabinet! I have filled it with all her holiday platters and my moms Christmas plates. We have a tree in here too! it is full of red and gold balls!

In the den we fill it with snowmen and santas. There are 45 santas in the room and about 50 snowmen! I started collecting these when i was 10!

This are two special snowmen that are next to the fireplace this year! The group of snowmen was a gift from a coworker! I love them! The little single snowmen was my moms.

This Santa (or we actually call him Ho! Ho!) was a gift from my dear friend Courtney! He use to sit by our apartment door but now that we have a house he has moved into the den.

We have a mantle but my friend gave us this stocking holder and I really like it! So we use this (for now! when baby #3 gets here one day we will have to use the mantle) Todd's mom made us the stockings and they are very special to us!
This santa was given to me when i was 5 by my dad! He now sits proudly in one of the chairs!

Last but not least is the Nativity Scene my mom bought when I was a baby! The figures are "playable" which is great with kids! I love our little set and the kids love to act out the Christmas story! Thanks so much for visiting! Remember Jesus is the Reason for the Season!

Merry Christmas!!! The Broadus family!

Catch up

The holidays are about to hit and I want to catch up on all the old news before I start with the holiday blogs!

Lets start with the Hubby.

Todd's dr's appointment went okay. The doctor told us he was not going to die from the lump in his breast and that he wouldn't even do surgery to just remove it. BUT Todd does have some more lumps on his back that are clogged sebacious glands (aka HUGE zits under his skin)

If Todd wanted to have those drained (which if this happend I would totally have to be in on this to see!) he would remove the lump as well.

Todd wanted it removed but agreed to watch 4-6 weeks to see if there were any changes. As of now he is just trying to forget about it

He has been keeping busy with decorating the house with Christmas lights. Last night we had had remove some so we could rake. But they are back, and here is a picture.

this picture doesn't do it justice on the left side is a snowflake and cross in lights.

Madyson is just a very busy girl! She rode in her first Christmas parade a few weeks ago. Todd and I took her on a "date" to see Disney's New Princess and the Frog. (AMAZING JOB DISNEY!!) This was her first movie and she LOVED it! She is already wanting to go back

Aubrie Kate has gone potty the past week! She still is in diapers (santa is bringing training pants!) but she will go 1 & 2 if you remind her! She also spent the day home with me last week! We finished up our holiday shopping. She ofcourse wore her new ZOZOBUGBABY outfit that I won from the blog follower drawing! IT is amazing! I love it so much because it is a "grow with me outfit" it can be pants, long top (over a turtleneck) right now. In the spring it can be a dress or a long sleeveless top w/pants and as she grows the pants will come into capris and the long top will become a smaller top! She loves it too! She was very proud to wear it!

well that brings us to Me.

I have been busy cleaning and getting ready for the holidays! Last night I completed my first electrical job-hanging my new light fixture in the dining room! I am in the debate over weather to turn my hair back blonde, and preparing for the year 2010! The Broadus family is going to change ALOT in 2010! We are going to pay off all the bills, save for our 2011 Disney Trip, worship more, shop less, serve more, complain less! Todd and I are praying about this big change and hope we can adjust!

Tomorrow I am going to post pictures of my favorite holiday stuff. We are a simple family so its not very "fashionable" but they each mean alot to me! So check back for our tour!

Wednesday's Word: Letter A

A

A is for Aubrie:

She is 21 months old this month! So hard to believe how time flies. She is potty training, talking all the time, sleeping through the night, and finding her own place in "madyson's world".

She loves dressing up. She adores a good pair of peep-toe pumps (esp. mine), her favorite store is Nine West. She loves any type of jewelry or anything that sparkles.

(this amazing photo is from flyaway photography)

Advent:

We have never had an Advent Calendar before. Actually, I wasn't really sure what one was until I started researching them. (i know this is pitiful, but my parents weren't into this kind of stuff when I was growing up) This year, Todd's grandma picked out one for us at Pier 1! I love it and Madyson has enjoyed opening the days. I am now on the hunt for a perfect one for us to use every year.

2009 Christmas Lights

One of our very favorite holiday traditions is going to look at Christmas Lights throughout the metro Jackson area.

Well I have compiled a list of our favorites from this year! I am sure we missed alot of great houses and if you know of any, please let me know!



Here are some houses in Clinton

Here are some in Ridgeland




This is our favorite "house" it actually 3 neighbors!

Flyaway!

Today I received one of the greatest Christmas gifts I could ever receive, pictures of my family!!

Now, I have LOTS of pictures of my family but none that are just us being us. This past Sunday we got the opportunity to come and "models" for Flyaway Photography. Operated by Christi and Becca. Becca and I have known each other most of our lives. (that is one of the blessings of growing up in Clinton,Ms...knowing everyone in your graduating class!!) She ended up marrying mine and Todd's best friend's cousin...so that makes us family =).

Anyway, she facebooked me the other day and asked if we would sit for them to do some test shots, of course I agreed...I am always on the quest for 1 photo of my kids looking somewhat normal!

These "ladies" didn't just give me 1 photo, so far they have given me 6 (i think) and Becca tells me there is a CD coming! Becca, thank you so much for thinking of us for your business! We are so grateful that you helped us capture our family. Your photos not only bring smiles to our faces, they create memories for us to cherish!

Here is one photo that we have seen. Click here to go to their blog and see more of their amazing work!

What do I like about me?

The last 6 job interviews I have been on I have been asked the question (or something similar) What is your best asset?

Never really understood this question in an interview because as a past pageant contestant you know the right answer, "My best asset is I am very organized." I mean go to dictionary.com and they will tell you the answer! But really what employers should ask is What do you like best about yourself??? If I was hiring someone (which I have done in the past) I would like to know what they like about themselves and not except cookie cutter answers (any body part, or generic answer "personality, love for animals and others.."blah blah blah.

Seriously, WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF?!?!?!

Here are a few things I like about myself

1) the ability to make homemade biscuits in less than 10 minutes (not counting cooking time)

2) the ability to take something plain and simple and turn it into something fantastic (I crave my creativity!!!)

3) How I can think with my brain and not with my heart. I know that sounds weird but it is a secret talent I have developed over the years. I can take a situation that is full of drama and force and spit out a logical solution. This is not saying that I NEVER think with my heart I do, but I am capable of thinking without it at times, and I like that about myself.

I am sure there are some more but as of right now, those are things that I know at this point in my life.


And with the positive there comes the negative.

Some things I don't like about myself:

1) How instead of being thankful for what I have, I sometimes compare my life to others.

2) I talk sometimes before I think.

3) I will take on others problems before solving my own.

Well there is some insight into me.....so people, What do you like about yourself?

Chicken Rotel Soup

Great soup and under 20 bucks to make!

3 chicken breast
4 cans of Campbell's Cheese Soup
3 cans of Rotel
1/4 stick of Velveeta cheese (cut in cubes)
1/4 cup of chopped onions (i use the dried kind that you have in your spices)
1 can of chicken broth
1 can of kernel corn
salt & pepper

Step 1) boil your chicken breast

Step 2) mix all your cans, onions, and Velveeta in a pot on medium heat

Step 3) when you chicken is done boiling shred it and add it to the pot of sauce

STIR

Simmer for 45 minutes, stirring every 5-10 minutes

add some salt and pepper and you are good to go!


For less heat only use 2 cans of Rotel
For a thicker soup use 1/2 bar of Velveeta

Serve with crescent rolls PERFECT for dipping!!