Fantasy of Trees

Every year the local children's hospital does a Christmas fundraiser called the Fantasy of Trees. Local people and businesses donate uniquely decorated trees and gingerbread houses that you can go see before they are sold. They also have little crafts for kids, performances from local musicians & dancers, and of course Santa. We decided to take Gabby to see it this year. Gabby had fun in the preschool play area, while Tim & I enjoyed the beautiful decorations (I loved the Harry Potter tree, while Tim was excited about the many Vols themed trees). Gabby told Santa she wants a bear, last week it was a playdough ice cream maker, who knows what it will be next week.

Feast with the Beasts

Gabby made her own Thanksgiving picnic on my bed for all her stuffed animals and baby dolls. They had Gabby's favorite foods: hotdogs, fruit, ice cream, and pizza.

Court Sessions & Midnight Movies

As of the 19th, Tim is officially a licensed attorney in the state of Tennessee. That morning we attended his swearing in ceremony at the courthouse in downtown Knoxville. It was a really special experience. Each new attorney had to have a sponsor, a practicing attorney, come in front of the state Supreme Court Justices and make a motion to have them admitted in. The sponsors talk about you and your character and how you will be an asset to the field of law. Tim's sponsor, Charles Poole (the attorney he is working with in Sevierville), talked a little about Tim's fluency in Spanish and his mission. Once the sponsor is done one of the Justices will grant the motion. Following that the new attorneys stand and take an oath together. Then the Justices took a minute to give some words of advice. One thing they all seemed to emphasize was the importance of your reputation, they said every attorney will have one, so make sure yours is a good one. It really was a shame our family members could not attend. The ceremony was very unique and personal, since unlike a graduation you get an opportunity to hear about each individual.

Of course that evening (or early the next morning) at 12:01 was also the premiere of NEW MOON!!!! It was great, of course it wasn't as good as the book, but it was far better than the first movie. I dressed up as Alice (the oufit from the voting scene) to go see it. I think for the next movie I might have to dress as Victoria, she was amazing in this movie. Loved it, can't wait to see Eclipse this summer!

The Waffle Crisis...

I don't usually make more than one post a week, but this is an emergency. My daughter may only survive two more days because we have only four more waffles in the house. Due to the waffle crisis in our nation, my daughter may have to start eating something that is semi-tasty and nutritious for breakfast. All this time Americans have been wasting worrying about swine flu, what we really should have been concerned with was Eggo Waffles. I am told my daughter may have to go without for up to 8 months. I'm worried during this time that poor Gabby may have to eat such things as fresh fruit, eggs, or even oatmeal. Oh the horrors! It's a sad time, but hopefully we will make it through it.

Not Much Here...

So not much going on here. Tim took a big test in Nashville this week to be a court interpreter. Still not a hundred percent sure why he took a test be an interpreter which only pays up to $50 an hour, when come Thursday he will be an attorney and able to charge clients over $100 an hour. Who knows?

Regardless, I finished my Christmas shopping this week (which is driving Tim nuts because he wants to know what I got him). He tried to play 21 questions to guess it, but I'm not telling & he won't be able to guess it anyway.

Gabby has been having an on again off again relationship with the common cold the past few weeks. And I am so over it, she just needs to get over it and move on... as long as she doesn't move on to the swine flu...

And of course none of this has anything to do with the photos of us raking mom's yard with Torri.

Falling Leaves

Gabby & I played in the leaves one day this week and I took these funny photos with my feet (while listening to my ipod). Yes, I know I'm so talented (or was it special, definitely one of the two).

This is Halloween...

This is Gabby's 'non-flying' Rosetta fairy costume. Instead of paying $80 for the real rosetta costume at the disney store, I found this one at children's place for $25 and the leggings can be used again with several of her skirts. Gabby was convinced that the other fairy costumes make you fly because they have a red button on them (I'm pretty sure this is all in her head)! But once she got candy, she forgot all about that.