Our 3 Christmases in pictures.

From his Auntie

Slinky dog from Santa. The only thing he asked for from Santa

That mountain of presents between Tyler and G are ALLLLLLLL G's

His favorite activity was the bubble wrap.

G got wrapped batteries from Papa. LOVE the side-eye

They went with this remote control car. Fun!

I love this picture because the Crazy nana looks all Crazy.

I can't figure out why my hair looks so damn greasy.

12 years.

The years go so fast. It feels like I JUST wrote this post about being married 10 years.

12 years ago - Chris and I ran off to Eureka Springs and eloped. And I wasn't pregnant. But he was on leave from the Air Force. And there was NO WAY we could be together if we weren't married.

We were 18 & 19 years old. and dumb. and in love.

12 years later. We've built this life and this family and this world. And it was hard. and happy.

Chris and I were discussing someone getting a divorce. And he said sometimes it sucks for 2 or 3 months. And you get caught up in that. And you trick yourself into thinking that it has sucked forever. But it will get better and it does get better.

We know. We have been to marriage counseling 3 different times. We are not perfect. And our marriage is not perfect.

But we have support and respect and love for each other. And for Grayson.

We have a different love than we did at 18. and a different love than we did at 25. and a different love today.

But it's there.

I'm a bitch blogger.

I've become one of those.

The ones that blog. and don't visit. or reply to emails. I SUCK so much ass right now.

Forgive me for being an ignorer. I still love your face.

I'll be better in January.

for realsies. And if I'm not - i totally want you to call me out on it. That is if anybody still reads this crap by then.

Ending with a Grayson quirk - he is VERY particular about what he wears.

Shirt - 1 of 3 - toy story with potato head, toy story snow, or scooby
pants - black
unders - spiderman
socks - toy story
shoes - cowboy boots.

He DEMANDS that he wears these things EVERYDAY.

If something is dirty - all hell breaks loose.

Photography DRAMA

I have issues.

I love getting our family pictures done but I can't find "the one" You know - the ONE photographer that is affordable and professional and timely and talented. And I want a CD with rights. And AFFORDABLE.

G's newborn pictures were taken at JCP. HATED them. I'm just not a fan of studio shots.

Then I found a girl in my hometown that took TONS of photos but had shoddy editing.

Then I found a girl via Craigslist. LOVED her face off. She met all my criteria. She caught "the shot" and had mad editing skills. I used her for G's 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year. And every time she got just a little less afforable. And because she was that talented - she got too expensive.

I cheated on her with a new girl - met through a friend of a friend - and she was affordable and mad skillz. She did G's 18 month pictures. Then she decided to be weird (became a swinger) and not pursue photography anymore. *sigh*

Then I found another chick. Who I kinda liked ok. She did G's 2 year pictures. I'm not sure why I didn't just go with her again but she was a little on the pricey side.

So another photog - who did a friends pictures. I had such high hopes. Then she rescheduled our first appointment without me even knowing until I messaged her at 2pm THAT DAY.

Finally a new appt - which she was late to.

THEN turnaround was supposed to be 2-2.5 weeks. (TOTALLY UNDERSTAND)

BUT no pictures until OVER a month later. AFTER I bugged her 3 days in a ROW!

And I'm super mad. Because I WANTED to like her. I WANTED to be photog besties. But I just can't.

Operation: Drug Seeker

I did it.

I saw my doctor yesterday. He basically wanted to make sure my Citalopram was working or if I needed a different anti-depressant.

I explained that 90% of the time I'm good. But then THE NANA.

I did tell him I was deciding between seeing him of carrying a flask. He laughed. I didn't.

I also told him that I just can't. That I'm at Target with her and Grayson and it's MAYHEM. and I can't deal.

I'm now the proud owner of 20 tablets of Valium. with no refills.

He explained that I should probably only take 1 or 2 a week and only when necessary (the nana)

That I should not be taking one to just hang out at the house alone.

I told him that being home alone was awesome by itself.

So at 1 or 2 a week - These SHOULD last me several months.

I hope I still have some after New Years.

Kidding.... mostly.

Gone to the Dark Side

The crazy nana..... There are no words, really.

She drives me NUTS!!!! I took off work to do the Christmas shopping thing with her on Monday. We started at 8:30 AM and I dropped her off at home at 7ish (that night).

I was doing pretty well even though in the first 10 minutes she commented about how I just rolled out of bed and got her. Which I actually took a shower AND put on makeup. But I guess I still looked like shit.

I did good when she tried to make the poor girl at Drysdales run her legs off looking for something that didn't exist - black steel toe boots.

I was maintained while she told me for the 470th time that she used to work at Drysdales and they need to make sure she is happy.

I was a good girl while at JCP she called the cashier a "stupid bitch" . It was where only I could hear it, but really? Where's the Christmas spirit?

Then Walmart. Walmart is evil all on its own without the Nana.

So while I was trying to decide between pushing the Nana into their Christmas tree and running. Or choking her and stuffing her in a $5 DVD bin.

I used my secret weapon. Valium. Yes drugs. Illegal-not-prescribed-to-me-drugs. My friend gave me one just for the CNE. Crazy Nana Emergency.

I took it and it was heaven. I didn't feel drugged up or anything. Just mellow. Just less angry and lashy-outy.

I want more drugs.

Because I will be seeing the nana a LOT before Christmas is over. More shopping. I have to wrap all the presents (because she's too busy and doesn't know how) and stocking stuffers.

And that's my dilemma. How to go to my doctor and say "Yo, I need some Valium. Because the nana is crazy. Not regular "old people crazy" but CRAZY CRAZY. And I took an illegal valium and it made life better, so can you hook a sistah up?"

Grayson's 3rd Birthday Party

Yay - pictures.

The theme was cowboy. The cake made me super happy - it turned out so cute.

The printables were also adorable and helped pull everything together.

Grayson wore woody dress-up and his cow print vest.

TONS more pictures on Facebook. Please be my friend - I won't think you are a stalker.

A Christmas Card Giveaway

I will send you a FREE christmas card with MY picture on it!

TO WIN.... Just give me your mailing addy. ITS THAT SIMPLE!!!!

(tricked ya, huh?)

I really do want to send you a card so if you would like a fabulous Christmas card from me

PLEASE email me your mailing address.

Email me at Brandyatydk@gmail.com

Love your christmas card lovin faces.

Grayson is THREE today!

A little slideshow for the last 3 years




And it feels like it really did happen THAT fast.

Tyler's band concert

Last night we went to the hometown to see my nephew, Tyler, play his band concert.

He looked so handsome.

Tyler and my sister

Tyler escorted a Queen candidate

G and him are my loves.

It's weird to graduate from a small town and move away. I run into people that I'd rather not see again.

The guy that was my first kiss was sitting in the row in front of me. And my first serious boyfriend and the bitch he left me for were also somewhere in the audience because their kid is in band.

It's just weird. And I like to make up a fantasy thing in my head where The Big City Chick swoops into town after having escaped that hell hole. And I turned out totally awesome.

The Christmas Train

We took G to the Christmas Train after his party on Saturday. It's like a christmas town type thing and has a train and tells the story of Jesus as you ride through different scenes

Or as Grayson puts it, "We rode train and saw space and God"

It was good except we waited 25 minutes to get on the train and were approx 30 seconds away from boarding and G tells me that he has to potty. I ask him to hold it until after.

He pees on me on the train.

Tyler not knowing kinda tries to tickle G and G hollers, "Yeave me alone. I'm havin a bad day"

We get cleaned up as best as we can and try to enjoy the rest of the town.

including a stage coach ride

old-timey towns with awesome goodies for sale.

And this picture just cracks me up. He's holding on to the carousel for dear life.

It wasn't going yet.