Christmas 2007

WE WERE BLESSED TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS WITH BOTH FAMILIES THIS YEAR!

WE HOSTED THE "WHITE" FAMILY CHRISTMAS AT OUR HOME AND IT WAS A BLAST. STEVE'S MOM IRIS, HIS BROTHER'S MIKE, MATT AND ALSO HIS BROTHER RANDY AND HIS FAMILY CAME. WE MISSED RYAN, LAURA AND THERE GANG A TON, IT JUST WASN'T THE SAME STEVE SAID WITHOUT THEM! OH AND WE CAN'T FORGET THE NEWEST MEMBER OF OUR FAMILY... MATT'S PUPPY. THE KIDS LOVED PLAYING WITH HIM, HUNTER TRIED TO SIT ON HIM.. OOPS. HE WAS REALLY CUTE AND GOT LOTS OF ATTENTION. WE HAD A FULL HOUSE AND WHAT A FUN TIME IT WAS WATCHING MOVIES, DRIVING AROUND TO SEE THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS AND WATCHING THE KIDS PLAY. WE BAKED, AND COOKED, ATE AND ATE AND ATE.... CHRISTMAS EVE WE WENT TO A JAPANESE STEAK HOUSE AND THE KIDS LOVED IT. THEY LAUGHED AND CAUGHT THE ATTENTION FROM OTHERS SITTING AROUND. THEY DID A GREAT JOB... HUNTER WAS AFRAID OF THE FIRE AND HELD TIGHT TO GRANNY, BUT FOR THE MOST PART HE AND GRACE LOVED IT. WE ALSO GOT TO OPEN A CHRISTMAS PRESENT ON CHRISTMAS EVE AND THE GIRLS GOT MATCHING PJ'S... HUNTER WAS FUNNY WHEN HE SAW US HE KEPT SAYING 2 PINKS!! GRANNY ENJOYED TIME WITH THE GRAND KIDS AND READ THEM CHRISTMAS STORIES BEFORE BED. CHRISTMAS MORNING HUNTER GOT A NEW BIKE, BUT I THINK HE REALLY WANTED DADDY'S REMOTE CONTROL HUMMER, HE PLAYED WITH THAT MUCH MORE. HE REALLY LOVED THE BASKETBALL HOOP! GRACE LOVED HER PRINCESS OUTFITS AND GAVIN WAS JUST HANGING OUT AND LOOKING CUTE! WE WERE ALL VERY BLESSED IN THE GIFT AREA AND ENJOYED THE FAMILY TIME WE HAD.

BARATTIERO FAMILY CHRISTMAS 2007
A COUPLE DAYS AFTER CHRISTMAS WE WENT TO ALICIA'S BROTHER HOUSE FOR THE "BARATTIERO" CHRISTMAS. I ALWAYS LOVE TO BE WITH MY SIBLINGS AND THERE FAMILIES. THERE IS NOTHING LIKE JUST HANGING OUT WITH THE FAMILY. PAUL AND HIS FAMILY HOSTED AND PROVIDED ALL THE YUMMY FOOD, IT WAS GREAT! WHAT A FUN TIME WE HAD, WE EVEN GOT TO GO SEE PAUL'S NEW HOME... AWESOME! IT WAS GORGEOUS! WE CAN'T WAIT TILL THEY MOVE IN. ONCE IT WAS PRESENT TIME MY NEPHEW JACKSON AND NIECE ANYA PLAYED THE ELVES... THEY DID A GREAT JOB. THE KIDS HAD A FUN TIME AND WE WERE BLESSED WITH FUN GIFTS FROM EVERYONE. THE BEST GIFT EVER WAS BEING ABLE TO BE A ROOM WITH ALL OF MY SIBLINGS... NOW THAT WE ARE ALL IN DIFFERENT STAGES IN LIFE I TREASURE THE TIME WE ARE ABLE TO GET TOGETHER. BEING WITH FAMILY IS WHAT CHRISTMAS IS ALL ABOUT,REMEMBERING CHRIST AND KNOWING THAT WE HAVE ETERNAL FAMILIES BECAUSE OF HIM.

Visiting Santa!

Steve and I took Hunter to the mall to see Santa Clause last week and as you can see Hunter was trying to climb over the rail instead of go around it, he was so full of energy, he loved checking out the reindeer move so we thought o.k. we will try it out and get a family photo... Hunter sat still we were surprised... After it was done being our turn, someone else came and we were trying to leave and Hunter took off running in the middle the picture back to Santa... never a dull moment in the White Family.... Hunter is so much fun to have around we are always laughing at him and the cute things he does... what a spunky kid... SOOOO We purchased some pics and later on Steve looks at them again and he says that he looks drunk and I look fat!! NICE!!! Needless to say we haven't mailed those out.. not sure that we will. :) Happy Holidays Everyone!

Christmas Parties Galore!!

This season has been so festive and full of fun times with friends, we can't wait for christmas with our family. Joe and Lacy Lowry invited us to a christmas FHE, what a fun treat it was, they had a spread of yummy food and a fondue bar the cheese and chocolate was awesome!! Joe shared a christmas message with us and then we sang some Christmas songs... it really was the perfect FHE with friends.
Thanks Joe and Lacy are family had a great time!

My Girlfriend Christmas Party

What a fun time we had bringing in the Christmas season with fun festivities! I invited 7 of my closest girlfriends (that lived here) to enjoy a christmas dinner, appetizers and games. I so enjoyed making this new sweet potato cass, green bean cass, ham, Lacy brought a delicious bread, egg nog, and stuffing.. I was all delicious! The table was set with fancy dishes candles and decorations galore and I put a candle on each one of there plates telling them thanks for lighting up my life when I was having a hard time with my cancer treatment. These woman in the pics have been a huge part of me and I love them greatly. It was a fun night sharing Christmas traditions and playing the gift exchange came.. we learned some things about the ladies we didn't know... shhhh can't tell.... It was a fun night and I came away with some comfy slippers, some got jewelry, candy, a scrap booking book.. It was nice and relaxing chatting and having a girls night in! I would love to have dinner for all the girlfriends in my life you are all amazing!
Merry Christmas ladies!

Who is Seminole Steve?

My Sweet Husband, yes he a is Seminole fan but I can't hold that against him cause he has so many other amazing and wonderful things about it. And the gators did win against them this year...although he reminds me that Bobby Bowden has a winning record against the gators, FSU puts more players in the NFL than UF, has had more first round draft picks in the last 20 years, won 2 national Championships in 52 years while it took UF 100 years to acomplish that, finished in the top 5 for 14 straight years, and has the NCAA leader in all time wins as a head coach! (steve got hold of the computer on that part :) :) :)
Steve loves to Hunt, Fish, hang out with his brothers, friends and watch FOOTBALL, but likes to watch fotball (mainly FSU) by himself. He can get very stressed and his blood pressure rises dramatically. He also doesn't like people talking while the game is on which is another reason why he likes to watch games by himself, plus there might be a few choice words used during the game so it is probably best he watches games alone! One day Steve would love to own several hundred (thousand) acres and make it a awesome hunting preserve/family getaway... until then he loves his job now as a independent car dealer. Owning his own company has been rewarding and yet a struggle.. learning lots as he goes. He is a father and a dang good one at that. He amazes me more and more everyday the way he is with Hunter and the way they connect.
Steve is the type of person that will do anything for you. He laughs alot and often at things that happened awhile ago but he brings them back up in his head! Now I know why Hunter is so happy all the time..

Seminole Steve is awesome, genuine and feisty. It takes awhile to get him to open up and get to know him but once you do you will see how neat and special a person he is .. he will leave a specical mark in your life.

Harn Museum Field Trip with the Hunter - WAY FUNNY MUST READ

We went on a field trip to the Harn Museum in Gainesville, it was quit the experience. We meet up with Lacy and her kids Joseph and Millie. The boys entered the museum letting ALL know that they were there. We explored the cave, the sea life, the Indians and there hut and it seemed to be a good day the SECURITY only had to ask us to keep the kids off the shells in the one area the boys were curious and we caught them in time and THEN..... I'm pushing the stroller and Hunter TAKES OFF... toward the big dinosaur and he proceeds to go under the barrier and in between the 2 huge dinosaurs, you can only imagine my face and i'm running after him to get him out and then the SECURITY is like honey, honey, honey come here we were all trying to get him to come out and I just jumped over the barrier and got him... oh my gosh!!! 3 adults trying to get this 2 year old and he is just laughing... My deoderant stopped working for sure...I thought I was going to die!!! Can you see it... Alicia White put in Jail for tearing down a ancient dinosaur... Front page of the newspaper toddler gone wild in Museum. Needles to say it was a fun time with the boys, we had a picnic lunch and headed home... all is well!

HANGING OUT WITH "SOFT" GRANNY, UNCLE JIM AND AUNT BERT IN TAMPA

Granny said that Hunter wore her out this visit... Hunter is a happy happy happy child full of energy and life...he keeps mommy and daddy very busy. We love it!

HIGH FIVES FOR UNCLE JIM!!
Hunter did the funniest thing the other day in at Granny's. Right after Uncle Jim sat down Hunter goes up to him and sayes...... your PEE PEE! Oh yeah... and then he said it to Uncle Eli when he sat down... apparently Hunter is now understanding that he has the same thing they do. I thought I was going to die I was so embarrassed. Uncle Jim just sat there and I turned bright red. Oh my goodness, when steve came home he just started laughing so hard.... what kids do and say... gotta love it!

READING BOOKS WITH AUNT BERT

Amber and Alicia's Christmas Playgroup

We brought in the kids christmas playgroup with bells a ringin!! Amber baked cookies for the kids to decorate.... Mom's baked goodies to share... kids played, played, played.... the little village that my Steve's mom gave us was the toy of choice... they loved driving the cars thru the village, putting the houses in straight lines and of course eating.... check out Reese... busted with her hands in the goodies... Keri must have baked the best brownies ever Reese loved them! Jingle Jingle the moms got to mingle lots.... Merry Christmas to all!

I have had the itch to change up the guest bathroom from Sunflowers to something more for a boy & a guest- so here is the transformation! I love it!

I did all the painting myself while Steve watched Hunter.... man it was hard work tapeing, painting, cleaning up ... getting the high cracks... but it was worth it. Steve likes the bathroom (YEAH) and I love it also. Merry Christmas to me... This was my early christmas present from Steve.

Thanksgiving Fun with Family

North Carolina Thanksgiving

We had a great Thanksgiving... we spent it in beautiful North Carolina.

Papa Tom, Steve, Hunter and I drove leaving Gainesville at 6:30 in the morning.... The traffic wasn't bad at all it was a beautiful drive, the leaves changing, sunny skies and good company.. we hit a couple places to eat (DairyQueen seemed to be the dessert place of choice, Steve and My dad had a ongoing joke about it.)
The best was Hunter did amazing, he enjoyed having papa Tom in the back seat with him 9 hours is a long time for a 2 yr old.
We spent Tuesday till Friday there and loved it... visited with my sister Bethany's family (blackwelders) there inlaws and family. We stayed with my mom and Ron which was nice we got to visit and catch up on things. Hunter enjoyed our visit to see his great-grandparents Maxwell.. Hunter laughed a ton at the toys that they had. We went on a mini hike and saw some water falls and I also went shopping on BLACK FRIDAY!!! I must have been crazy I have never seen so many people and cars in one place. IT WAS WILD!! Bethany, her mother-in-law, baby Logan and me all went.. we got up at 4 oh yeah 4am! Out the door at 5AM... craziness I tell ya!!! But it was worth it we got some great deals.

The greatest deal ever was to hold my precious nephew. Logan was 5 weeks old and so adorable and what a gift he is. I just loved holding him, smelling his sweet head, the way he cuddled up close to my heart and slept so sound in my arms. That was my highlight of the trip. I felt so close to the lord when I held him in my arms. Neil was able to bless him while some of the men family members where there for Thanksgiving what a neat experience.

We all have so much to be thankful for it was a great and special thanksgiving for our family. The company was great, food was yummy and we left with a full tummy. Thanks Grandma Heather & Papa Ron for Hosting it at your home.

Hunter also loved to see his Papa's in the same room... he kept saying 2 Papa's it was so sweet. Hunter is a blessed little boy to have so many papa's 2 on earth and 1 watching him from heaven!

We truly are a blessed family! We hope you all had just as much of a blessed Thanksgiving as us.

Celebrating my 33rd birthday

A true FRIEND
WARMS you with her presence..
TRUSTS you with her secets..
and REMEMBERS you in her prayers..

Alicia's Girlfriends! They are my strength, Inspiration,roadmap to motherhood, and gift from god!

We shared so much laughter
And bear each others tears
Our spiritual kinship
Will grow stronger each year
We're not sister by birth
but we've known
from the start
God put us together
to be sister by heart

Our precious daughters Birthday this month.

Our Daughter Haley went to heaven the day she was born. We love her so much & miss her greatly yet know she is watching over her family... especially her little brother Hunter. Happy Birthday Haley, 4 yrs old and absolutly perfect.

Sunny days seem to hurt the most
Wear the pain like a heavy coat
I feel you everywhere I go
I see your smile, I see your face
I hear your laugh' in the rain
I still can't believe you're gone

Would you see the world
Would you chase your dreams
Settle down with a family
I wonder what would you name your babies
Somedays the sky's so blue
I feel like I can talk to you
And I know it might sound crazy

It ain't fair you died too young
Like a story that had just begun
But death tore the pages all away
God knows how I miss you
All the hell that I've been through
Just knowing, no one could take your place
Sometimes I wonder, who you'd be today

Today, Today, Today...
Today, Today, Today...

Sunny days seem to hurt the most
I wear the pain like a heavy coat
The only thing that gives me hope
Is I know, I'll see you again someday

Someday, Someday...

(Kenny Chesney) what a great song!

Gator Homecoming!!! Go Gators!

Me and Hunter went to the Parade on Friday with some of our friends. I took pics of Hunter's favorite floats... I bet you can guess what they would be... TRACTORS! ONES WITH BALLOONS! FIRETRUCKS!!! Oh yeah! Hunter had a great time with all the firetrucks came by and the HUGE LIMO! Hunter was so excited when he saw the "COW" he gave him a thumbs up and five.