Thursday, December 31, 2009

A Time for Giving


This Christmas brought a time of hustle, bustle, shopping trips to town along with the rest of the northern half of Texas, and........SNOW (Thank you Jenn Beamer!)!!!


That's right!  We had a "White Christmas!"

Our "Winter Wonderland" was also fraught with all of the perils of traveling in 3-5 ft. drifts of snow and inch upon inch of ice!



Our very own neighborhood was no exception.  On Christmas Eve, just outside of our backdoor and off of our driveway, at least 5 people got stuck in the 3 & 4 ft. drift that covered our street.......little did they know--and lucky for them--that at our house lived an "Every day Hero" by the name of Mr. Analytical!!

This, my friends, is one of the many reasons why I love this man so!  No matter the weather, the temperature, or what his daily-grind brings, he will never bypass a stranded motorist.  Thus, every one who was stuck outside of our driveway was greeted by Mr. Analytical--clad in his Carhart coveralls--with a smile and a "Need some help?  I've got a chain and my truck's warm," only to be on their grateful way within a brief time.  All except for the 9:30 PM stranded motorist....

At 9:30 PM on Christmas Eve we heard the intermittent spinning of tires and knew the scenario.  Mr. Analytical donned the coveralls, gloves, toboggan and headed out the back door with the same resolve he had when the sun was shining and he pulled out the first stuck vehicle earlier in the day.  Mr. Analytical and the driver of the truck pulled, dug, pulled, dug...and dug some more.  They worked tirelessly.  

At 10:02 PM, I began to get a little concerned that the two men had been out there a little too long and needed something hot to drink, so I set to work on some hot chocolate to take out to them (I may not cook, but I can whip up a hot chocolate that would make Santa feel all warm and fuzzy).  Just as I was pouring the cocoa into cups to take out--around 10:10--Mr. Analytical walked in the back door.  The man was out and gratefully on his way...and his vehicle had been VERY stuck!

Around 11:30 AM, on Christmas Day, Mr. Analytical was heading out the back door to go to work (he'd been called in for an acute heart-attack).  When he opened the back door there, hanging on the handle with a red bow and an anonymous 'Thank You' attached, was a brand new tow rope!!


Now, we have no idea from whom that package came, nor do we know when and where that person could have possibly purchased that tow rope between 10:15ish PM on Christmas Eve and 11:30 AM on Christmas Day!  But to you, Mystery Giver, we say 'Thank YOU!!!!'

I love this man I call Mr. Analytical.  Many who know him love him.  If you don't have the privilege of knowing him I hope that someday you have the pleasure and blessing of making his acquaintance.  He is a true "Every Day Hero!"

*This post is dedicated to the memories of Milton & Leona Troxel (who have both now gone home to the arms of our Lord, Jesus) of Austin, TX who first called Eric Knight a Christmas blessing and Every Day Hero on Christmas Day, 1995.*  

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Merry Christmas stomach flu.

This year, on Christmas Eve, I had the stomach flu. Really, you don't need anymore details than that. It was a short, unpleasant, stomach flu. Every body's been there.

Here's a list of things I didn't accomplish on Christmas Eve. (because I had the stomach flu)

1. no food preparation
2. no cookies baked for Santa
3. no wrapping of the last minute gifts
4. no movie watching (except Star Wars IV, V & VI) I love Star Wars, may the force be with you.
and
5. no children watching


Also, our town had about 8 inches of snow on the ground, so I did no snow playing, no sidewalk scraping, and no errand running. (These things I don't enjoy anyway.)

Basically, I got a free day in bed! Thank you stomach flu.

Wait a minute..... people here's the good part.

I have a really delightful husband! He took care of all the things on 'the list' plus tons of other things, and I didn't even have to ask him to do it! Just, he did it, because I had the stomach flu. He also kept me hydrated, cooked me some soup, and made sure my feet were warm. (how sweet is that?)

Christmas morning was awesome! Everything was done. I am truly blessed.

Today, we celebrate 20 years of being married. Happy Anniversary, babe.



I know! This scrapbook page is SWEET and AWESOME.... and, look how cute we are! It's amazing, 20 years is a long time.

This summer, my wonderful, talented friend, Brandi, came to our house and took some Anniversary Pictures for us. Here we are.



Here we really are.



This man, I love.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

"A Little Help Here, People!"

A girl's beauty is of the utmost importance....however, there is only so far a brother will go to ensure his sister's beauty.

*Scene:  A lovely family-filled Christmas night at Oma's & Opa's.*

Little:  Mom!  Can we put on my nails that Santa brought me?  Please, can we do it now?


PrissE:  Sure.  These will be stuck really well.  I'm using nail glue along with the self-stick adhesive.  You do need to let the glue dry for a little while though.


*time passes.....nails are being applied.......*

TAADAAAA!!!











Little:  OOH!  I have to potty!  Be right back!


*a few minutes later...........

Little:  BIG!  I need a little help here!  I have long nails now and I can't pull up my britches!


Big:  No.


Little:  OMA!  I need a little help here!  I have long nails now and I can't pull up my britches because now I have long nails.  




*and.....Scene!*

Sometimes, being beautiful is a collaborative effort!

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Merry (day after) Christmas!!



Merry (day after) Christmas!!

hey all you blog-stalkers,

Clear out of the way!! I'm on my way to the Target!!

p.s. meet me at the Barnes & Noble Starbucks.... you know the time! :)

Friday, December 25, 2009

Merry Christmas!!



Merry Christmas to all our blog-stalkers!

We LOVE You!!

PrissE & Sassy

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Dear Diva... YES!!! Drama Diva Has her OWN 'Advice Column!'

To all of our loyal "stalkers" (and the not-so-loyal, too...P.S.  if you're not loyal, get loyal!  and if you get loyal, bring more loyal stalkers with ya!  spread the word!):

We, here at Tales, are all about you, our reader.  AHAHAHAHAH!!!  Now, that's funny!  Y'all--you know it's all about us, right?  .....NO!  Wait!  Seriously, though, we are very appreciative of our readers and followers.  It truly is all about you!  So, we've decided to heed your call.

We've gotten so many emails, letters, and calls from people wanting to ask Drama Diva how she would solve some of their life's dilemmas that we've decided to ask her to be a "Guest Contributor" to the blog.  That's Right!!  Drama Diva will now have her own advice column exclusively here on Tales from the Compact!

Be here at 8:00 AM on Monday, December 21st, 2009 as Drama Diva debuts her new advice column, Dear Diva...





**Diva would like to thank her first 'desperate-for-Diva's-advice' seeker, "Drama Queen!"  And, GURL...does Diva have some advice for you!  STAY TUNED........