Christmas Blizzard

Okay YALL

I live in Texas and on Christmas eve..my family and I DROVE through a FLIPPIN BLIZZARD! I had never ever seen a BLIZZARD before. When you think of Texas you dont think of Snow on the ground. Well this year was deffinatly a white Christmas. Let me back up by explaining our plans.
Every year since I have been out on my own we drive the short little hour back to mom and dads house. My two children, my other half, and of course me. Since my other half was scheduled to work until 4 o'clock on christmas eve we werent scheduled to leave until 430 or so.
We woke up to sleet coming down and by 9 o'clock am I knew that if we were going to go WE HAD TO GO RIGHT THEN. My Other Half's boss the generous girl she is let him leave. I bundled both children up in full winter gear. Hats Gloves big heavy jackets. Loaded the car with water bottles and blankets just incase. It may have been the old lady worrier coming out in me but I wanted to be on the safe side. So by 10 we were on the road to our Nini&PoPpies (my parents) house.
The children were never so quiet on a car trip in there short little lives. Normally there talking constantly, whining, or just screaming. We couldnt even see infront of us on most parts of the road. Cars were going 5 and 10 miles an hour ( well most were). We stayed with the slow folks and didnt end up in the median stuck, like several (well more than several) cars and trucks did. Tow Trucks, desiel trucks and semi's even were getting stuck. It was the most scariest thing. All in all though we had an angel watching over the West Family that day. We arrived 3 HOURS after we left ( remember I said it normally takes an hour) After that Christmas Eve and Christmas day were wonderful, normal traditions. Kids set out cookies for Santa Clause. We wrote our oldest son a letter from Santa, filled the stockings. The next morning Santa had came and left lots of goodies from everyone. Then mom made a wonderul lunch. It was an adventerous day but WAY worth it.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LIL MAN!

I OFFICIALLY HAVE A BIG NOW IN THE HOUSE NOW!!!!  My Son just turned 5 years old. I cant believe it has been five years since this little man was put in my arms. Getting tearing just thinking about it. Sometimes I get very frustrated with him, but my love always remains. Everytime he tells me something he has learned in school or wonders about. I am amazed.

Self Disciple

This year my Son has started preschool. They send a newsletter home every week. The purpose of the newsletter is to let us parents know what supplies is needed, and what my child is learning in class. We are in our third week of school, and I received a new newsletter today. What is my child is learning this week? The letter M, Colors, and SELF DISCIPLINE! Self Disciple for a 4 year old is hard. Its hard for a 23 year old. Self Disciple towards food has been a BIG struggle for me lately. I have to tell myself that cupcake is not going to help u fit into those jeans.Self Discipline in preschool is necessary no doubt. However, my question is "why is it so hard for people to learn this lesson?"

pulling my hair out

Okay I am literally about to pull my hair out. My daughter has been sick all day! Fever and upset tummy do not equal a happy baby. On top of all that my son has been acting up this evening...Cant a mom get a break??? I seriously want a huge chocolate bar so I don't pull my hair out!! Say a prayer that I make it to bedtime!!!

Zumba Zumba!

Okay so for those of you who dont know, Zumba is an excersise class. You dance instead of walking the neverending walk to nowhere on the treadmill. Its incredibly fun.They also play great music. I have recently become a Zumba Addict. Lol! I even have avoided several brownies for this thing! What the heck am I crazy??? Giving up chocolate so I can go dance! Cant let chocolate make me heavy on my feet gotta get those shakira hips grooving and moving.

Getting Fit!

Okay, I have recently started to watch what I eat. My goal is to be bikini ready next year. Okay maybe not Bikini but swimsuit ready. My family and I have signed up for the YMCA! We all want to be fit. I will keep ya posted on how we all do! Chocolate has always been my friend. I promise Mr Cocoa, we can still be pals just cant hang out every single day like we do now! No hard feelings I hope!

Grandma & Facebook

Okay so I wrote the blog about my Techie Dad, got to give Grandma some credit too. Several years ago Grandma didn't know much about the Internet. I taught her how to email and even to instant messenger using Yahoo messenger. We email each other little hellos and such every day. Recently Grandma Horner has gotten a Facebook account! My brother can't believe it! I just say to him She is a TECHIE GRANDMA. The Internet doesn't have an age limit! Its our generations thing, but why cant we share?? I welcome it, and am very proud of her for learning how to write on my wall!!!

Dad And Technology!

My Father is a doctor in a small town. He has had a cell phone for awhile, so that the hospital can reach him when needed. Then he caught on to the texting trend. He uses that to keep up with his friends and us kids. We text at least once everyday. He even puts minutes on my tracphone so we can keep in touch. Then one night I got a text from him asking if I was on "twitter." I laughed so hard that night my side hurt. I had just learned what twitter was by watching "THE VIEW." I signed up to see what all the fuss was about. So I followed him. He doesn't update it often but at least he can say he has a twitter account! Just the fact that my dad signed up for it was funny. Now he is on Facebook! He loves it and so do I. My Dad the "Tech Dad!"

Cleaning Fairies

Okay So I love being a mom and taking care of my family. However as all people do I have to complain. Every now and then at least. Those darn cleaning fairies wont come to my house!!! I am ending up having to do the dusting, which living in Texas needs to be done every other day. I have had to clean the bathrooms, and needless to say with two boys in the house our bathrooms are GROSS!!! Toys keep appearing on my floor, when I swear I picked them up like 30 seconds ago!!! Cleaning Fairies did you send your friends the "Messy Fairies?" Okay maybe the messy fairies are the two little munchkins running around. Anyways the Cleaning Fairies DON'T EVEN DO THE MOUNDS OF LAUNDRY THAT PILE UP THROUGHOUT THE DAY! I have a 13 month old who is a constantly drools don't they know laundry has to be done!!! Well maybe I will have better luck tomorrow. Cleaning Fairies I don't know whose house your at, BUT GET YOUR LITTLE WINGED BUTS OVER HERE!!! I NEED YOU!!!

You Know Your a Mom When....

I found this on net and thought I would share...Laughter is the best medicine...

You Know You're A Mom When...
Your feet stick to grape jelly on the kitchen floor..... and you don't care.
When the kids are fighting, you threaten to lock them in aroom together and not let them out until someone's bleeding.
You can't find your cordless phone, so you ask a friend tocall you, and you run around the house madly, following thesound until you locate the phone downstairs in the laundry basket.
Your idea of a good day is making it through without a child leaking bodily fluids on you.
Popsicles become a food staple.
Your favorite television show is a cartoon.
You're willing to kiss your child's boo-boo, regardless of what body part it happens to be on.
You're so desperate for adult conversation that you spillyour guts to the telemarketer that calls and HE hangs up on YOU!
Spit is your number one cleaning agent.
You buy cereal with marshmallows in it.
You count the sprinkles on each kid's cupcake to make sure they're equal.
You have time to shave only one leg at a time.
You hide in the bathroom to be alone.
Your kid throws up and you catch it.
You cling to the high moral ground on toy weapons; but yourchild chews his toast into the shape of a gun anyway
You find yourself cutting your husband's sandwiches into cute shapes.
You're up each night until 11 PM vacuuming, dusting, wiping,washing, drying, loading, unloading, shopping, cooking,driving, flushing, ironing, sweeping, picking up, changingsheets, changing diapers, bathing, helping with homework,paying bills, budgeting, clipping coupons, folding clothes,putting to bed, dragging out of bed, brushing, chasing,buckling, feeding (them, NOT you), PLUS swinging, playingbaseball, bike riding, pushing trucks, cuddling dolls,rollerblading, basketball, football, catch, bubbles,sprinklers, slides, nature walks, coloring, crafts, jumpingrope, PLUS raking, trimming, planting, edging, mowing,gardening, painting, and walking the dog. You get up at5:30 AM and you have no time to eat, sleep, drink or goto the bathroom, and yet ... you still managed to gain 10 pounds.

Tv Addiction

Okay, so I am a self proclaimed Television Addict! It was passed down to me from my mother. She quotes TV sitcoms in almost every conversation, if she gets the chance. Ha ha! She often gets teased about it. However I am finding that I am doing that more and more. Shh, don't tell mom! I have a DVR(Digital Video Recorder) and it is always full! I don't know how I am going to manage when football season comes around and Jesse wants me to record games!! :( I will have to remember a lesson I learned in kindergarten, SHARING! The Sad thing is I have passed this TV addiction on to my son. He is addicted to my dvr now. It works because he doesn't have to watch his fave shows when there live, and with a short attention span I can fast forward commercials. So hey, just realized I already share it with him! That's pretty good isn't it? Well I guess a few football games on there wont be so bad!


Favorite Shows Of Mine

• Army Wives
• Tori & Dean Home Sweet Hollywood
• All My Children
• One Life To Live
• General Hospital
• The View
• The Mom Show

Zack's Fave Shows

• Handy Manny
• Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
• Arthur
• Barney
• Winnie The Pooh

Pre-K Time!

Zack started pre-k this morning. He got up really good, but once we got to school tears came running. Okay the tears were not from Zackary, they were from me. I just couldnt believe how grown up he looked sitting at the little table in the matching chair. Coloring a page. He sat nice and quietly and even greeted the teacher. He was to nervous to say Hello so I think thats why he just smiled at her. My baby boy is a BIG boy now! I cant believe how fast the time has flown.

My Last Name

Well as I said in the about me post I am not married. Well not on paper anyways. My last name is still my maiden name. My significant other and I have been together over 6 years, but haven't done the whole standing in front of our family and friends saying cliches. We are waiting for the right time.
Anyways my son is 4 years old. He has a very inquisitive mind. Sometimes I swear I can see the wheels turning inside his tiny head. Well anyhow the other day he was playing office (a fave game of his). He looked up from his clip board and says
"mommy whats your last name?"
My reply was "what is my last name?" thinking he would say something silly like mommy? well he popped up and said
"Branham"
I was shocked that he had been paying attention to me when I was on the phone or at the doctor's office and said my last name. So I curiously said " How did you know that?" Well turns out he wasn't paying attention to me. He heard it from my dad. Anyways the conversation continued with Zack telling me he wanted my name to be his last name. I just laughed at him and said it would be one day. He was satisfied with that answer, but that conversation is certainly one I will remember always.

Count Your Blessings

Be Thankful


Watch this video
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gc4HGQHgeFE

Samuel David

I am a proud AUNT and have been for a few years now. I just recently met my newest little nephew. His father is my brother Christopher. We have always been close, but I think in the most recent years we have grown closer. Even more so in the most recent months. He is such a great dad! I enjoyed seeing his face when he came out to tell the waiting grandparents and aunts that little Sam finally was here. I even got to supervise the first diaper change Chris did. I didnt

even have to help much. I know he will continue to be a SUPERDAD!

Little Samuel was born on July 3 almost an Independence Day baby boy! He weighed seven pounds two ounces. He has all ten little fingers and toes and is so adorable. I cant wait to watch him grow. Just hope he doesnt do it to fast!

a repurposed play kitchen

Have you ever felt bad about throwing stuff out?  How about repurposing the entertainment center that you traded up from. Visit this site Sutton Grace for a wonderful idea. You can have a wonderful play kitchen for your kiddos. Check out the idea it is SO CUTE!

About Me!

My name is Jessica. I am a 22 year old gal living in Texas. I have two beautiful children. Zack is 4 and Ryleigh just turned 1. I am not married but I have met the love of my life, Jesse Ray! I have started this blog to get back into writing, and to share my writings with my family and friends. I hope you enjoy!