Halloween Parties '06

This year for Halloween Wes and I decided to participate by dressing up. Well, actually we had invites to two parties on Saturday night that strongly encouraged costumes and we didn't want to be the odd ones out. Generally this particular activity is not something we get excited about but after visiting a local vintage 70's store and laughing hysterically at each other coming out of the dressing room, we figured it really wasn't so bad.



Peyton of course had picked her costume out months ago. She was the mermaid Nori, from Barbie's Mermaidia movie. Can you tell she is pleased with the outcome?






The first party was carnival style and kid friendly at the Lyles house and as always was a lot of fun. They have been throwing this party for the past ten years and everyone including out of town friends drive in because no one likes to miss it! Here are a few pictures we captured of the night.

Lyles Halloween Party 06

The second party was adults only so Kimberly graciously volunteered to take Peyton home to play with Abbie and Hollie. Russ and Christy Landers have the best party house and are always such fabulous hosts. My favorite aspect of their parties is the age ranges you will find when you walk through the door. Everyone is welcome and there is never a dull moment. The food, the music, the games, the drinks....everything is always set up for a blast! Oh and the best part was that Wes and I won prizes for our costumes!

Landers Halloween Party 06

Random ramblings

Ok, not much is going on right now so I made a list to hold all 5 of you over!!

28 RANDOM THINGS PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT YOU.

1. I can stare at a camp fire all night
2. I have hypothyroidism
3. I don't like red meat
4. I will never "upgrade" my engagment ring
5. I love the soap opera Passions
6. I want to run a marathon someday
7. I love the beach but am scared of the ocean
8. My favorite gum is Orbit Bubblemint
9. I cried at the end of the last episode of Sex and the City
10. I don't remember peoples name the first time I meet them
11. I hate to ride in a car for more than 4 hours
12. I didn't own my first pair of heels until I was 27
13. I have skinny fingers
14. I have an obsession with adding things together in my head
15. I can't parallel park and I have to do it everyday
16. My dream house is a loft apartment
17. I don't own a tube of lipstick (just lipgloss)
18. I over tweeze my eyebrows
19. Pedicures make me way too happy
20. I want to sit on "the Oprah couch"
21. I don't like red sauce on pizza
22. I am named after my great-grandfather
23. I steal my kid's halloween candy
24. I love long dinners but I eat fast
25. I don't know how to type
26. I love People magazine
27. I am a huge procrastinator
28. I like taking surveys

My Little Equestrian

There is someone in everyones life who stands out above the rest. Someone who is the coolest, smartest, funniest, bravest, ect. This person for Peyton is Emily Guest. Everything that Emily does, down to the kind of jeans she wears is absolute perfection in Peyton's eyes. Not that I can complain. I don't think she could have chosen a better 13 year old to hold up in such high regard.

Emily, to put it simply, loves horses. One of her top goals is to own her very own. Every Wednesday is riding day. So I take her and a friend after school with Natalie and Peyton in tow to the barn for their weekly lesson. She is very good and has been doing this since she was 6 or 7. Peyton and Natalie usually want to head straight to the playground but only after petting the assigned horse that Emily brings out.

Now these horses in my opinion are really big and very intimidating. Peyton has always been a little nervous about wanting to get to close, much less ride, but after a little coaxing Emily talked her and Natalie into riding in the lead line of the fall horse show. It was so adorable! They all had little helmets on and the stirrups were adjusted really high so they could put the feet in just like true riders. Peyton hopped right on and never flinched. She rode around with Emily's friend leading her like she had done it hundreds of times before.


This is before the show with Emily leading her around in the grass

Although she wanted to ride a pony named Sammy, an old slow horse named Fudge (much to my relief) was picked for her.

Natalie had a great time too. She entertained us all by cheering for all the other horses and their riders. She loved shouting "GO Ace"!

One long lap around before awarding the ribbons.

Everyone was given a big blue ribbon and a stuffed pony for doing such a fabulous job!

The day couldn't have turned out any better!

Do you know this girl?

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Youlanda Gray Stubblefield

This past weekend Wes's grandmother and Peyton's namesake passed away. She had suffered from Parkinson's Disease for over 16 years. The entire family gathered together to celebrate her beautiful life. It was the first time in years that all of the grandchildren had been together. The service was done by her two sons, two oldest grandsons, and two brothers-in-law reflecting on all the wonderful memories that made her such an amazing lady.



I only wish I could have had the chance to know her better. I wish that Peyton could have had that same chance, but luckily she will have the stories from memories that mean so much to Wes. He has already told her several Silly Willy jokes and she loves them as much as I imagine he did at her age.

These were the flowers given by her 3 great grandchildren Laura Brittain Peyton, and Miller.

A very sad last good bye. She will be missed terribly.


It was such a blessing that everyone was able to be there