All aboard... to OUR Christmas Break Madness!!!

Christmas 2008 came BIG and has now been wrapped up and put away until next year!  I am always ecstatic for the Christmas MADNESS to begin, that when it finally gets here, all I can think about is how it will soon be over.  :-(  So jump aboard the Crazy Train of Our Christmas Break!

We start off with a last minute trip to Dallas with Joey & Nicole.  We were lucky to get tickets to the Farewell Cowboy Game. (Thanks Dad)  Description of the game - Atmosphere: Perfectly FREEZIN and Exciting, Food: Greasy and Delicious, The Actual Football Game: Comically HORRIBLE!!!  Would it have been to much to ask for them to ACTUALLY play like they DESERVE the $ million dollars they are PAID every year???  I mean come on...

Anywho, we decided to leave at Halftime so we could go to... ICE!!!  Oh yeah, ICE, ICE, BABY!!!  We're talking 9 degrees and 2 million pounds of ICE people! A Winter Wonderland in TEXAS!!!  Whoo-hoo!!!  Here are some pics from the weekend...

You're never to OLD to SLIDE on ICE! (Thanks ~ Nicole)

Tuesday Night we had Christmas at my parent's house...

Christmas Eve at the Kraus House!

We spent Christmas Day with my Mama's Family...

 The Cox's!

Last, but not least, the day after Christmas we spent with my Dad's Family...  The Green's!

I was so happy to see Paige and Erin, (two of my GREATEST friends since 5th grade,) this past Saturday before they headed back home. It was great to be able to catch up" IN PERSON," which is so much better than on the phone! It was just like old times! Here is a pic, from our Great Breakfast, at none other than the International House Of Pancakes (IHOP)! Can't wait to see ya'll again!

As you can see Christmas Madness can be quite exhausting.  I am now ALL caught up on my rest and ready to BRING IN THE NEW YEAR!!!  Bring it 2009...   I am awaiting great things and LOTS OF 2009 BABIES!  Here is a shout out to all my fellow "Baby Bump'n Mamas" (Michelle, Katrina, & Ashley) our little guys will be here before we know it! 

Happy Holidays Everyone! 

Love, Amanda Laine

Just when you thought elections were over...

Alrighty people... I want to know whatcha think!  Take it for what it's worth... because usually "I DON'T CARE!" (just kidding :-)  No really, I am taking a gender poll which is located on the right side of your screen.  If you wouldn't mind please put your two cents in and vote!  :)    

Baby Bump Update...

So let me take you back to last Thursday.  We had another doctor appointment... which I find myself looking SO FORWARD TO these days!!!  Ha!  Who would have ever thought that a doctor's appointment would be the HIGHLIGHT of OUR month?   During this visit, we were going to get to see how our little miracle had grown since our 1st sonogram.  Our last sonogram was 6 weeks ago... remember the "Lil Kraus Blob?"  Anyway, Beep and I have been reading and keeping up with how the baby has been developing, but that still did not prepare us for what we saw.  I think that we both still thought we were going to see this blob with a fluttering heartbeat... again! 

"HELLO!!! There is a BABY in my TUMMY!!!"  A real baby... not a blob... A PRECIOUS BABY!!!  When the tech put the wand on my petite (lol) belly immediately we could see the BABY... I sat straight up (don't do that) to get a better picture of the screen.  I was then asked to lay back down and relax.  RELAX!!!  Are you kidding me... I wanted to say "look lady - - I haven't felt pregnant, I don't get sick, the only time that I truly know that I am pregnant is when I come here and you put THE WAND ON THE BELLY!"  I didn't want to ruin the moment :) so I kindly laid back down and strained my neck to look at the screen.  

I wasn't the only one who perked up... ole' Beep straightened that LONG BACK of his straight up.  I think that he grew 5 inches!  He thought it was amazing... to say the least!

As we peeked in on our little one... he was just chillin!  Laid out on his back... like "yeah, glad ya'll good drop in, this is where I stay!"  (Of course he talks LIKE HIS MAMA...)  We also learned that Baby Kraus (like his cousins) loves the camera and is very photogenic.  He laid there long enough for the tech to do all the measurements and then some.  We were able to see him: yawn, have the hick-ups and do some backward caterpillar rolls (look out Uncle Joey, you've got competition coming June :).  Apparently, we had stayed to long, because lil Kraus rolled over and showed us his bum... PARTY OVER... EVERYBODY OUT... and that was it!!!

So here is our "STAR of the Show!"  I have also posted little labels for those of you that do not know what you are looking at when looking at sonograms!  No need to thank me!!! :)

Yes, I feel the need to explain that I do STRONGLY believe that this child is a little boy. Whoo-hoo!  I actually do not care the sex... it will just be great to know what IT is.  So when referring to Lil Kraus I naturally just say him. Hmmm... maybe we need to start a gender pole!  I will get on that!!!

Gobble... gobble... till ya wobble... wobble!

I hope that you all had a Happy Thanksgiving!  I gobbled... gobbled... FO SHO!  The night before Thanksgiving we always head over to the "Kraus House," to help out with the big FEAST... wait... DON'T GET ME LYING!  The BOYS help make a mess, in Flipper & Frannie's kitchen... while the girls play with the babies :) and watch SCARY clay-mation Christmas Movies!  It's all big fun really!  If you know the Kraus Boys AT ALL... you know that when they get together they always invite: Jack... GIN... and Mr. WINE-O! These three pals always seem to make the gatherings get "a lil HOT," which makes the Kraus Boys LOOSE THEIR CLOTHES...  

                                        

Example 1:

Now you know these boys were raised better than that!  Sitting at the table, preparing Thanksgiving dinner, with their shirts off didn't last long!  No worries... Flipper was happy to share his "Beach Tanks" with his boys... even Carson Grant got one!

Example 2:  

Thanksgiving Day, we continued our "Eat-athon" over at the Kraus'.  I ate like it was my last meal... to give you a visual on how full I was----> I know that you have all seen those Great White documentaries.  Okay, well you know when they show the Great White PIGGING out on a Whale carcass, and the Great White eats so much that it becomes drunk and begins to float on its back.  BINGO!!! THAT WAS ME!!!  I am sorry to disappoint you, but I do not have a picture to illustrate!  :(  

I do have a family picture that I managed to get, after our YUMMY meal!  Thanks again Flipper & Frannie for a great Thanksgiving!  Love ya'll!

Did you think that our Thanksgiving was over???? Heavens NO... we still had to FEAST it up with my family!  This year we did things a little different... I couldn't have planned it better myself! If I was to imagine a perfect Thanksgiving, this is what it would be... DRUM ROLL!!!!

Me, Beep, Hunter Jacob, Grandmama, and my Mama and Dad loaded up and went to Cracker Barrel! Whoo-hoo! It was perfect and shockingly NOT CROWDED... perfect timing they said! :) I know that you are wondering how could I have possibly eaten MORE FOOD, when less than 3 hours I was floating upside down at the Kraus'... I am telling you it was a miracle, when they brought out all that MAC & CHEESE, I was hungry ALL over again! :) Amazing!

The festivities didn't end there... we left there and went to SANTA LAND! OMG This is like one of my most favorite places... what is better than blaring Christmas music and looking at more Christmas lights than you eyes can handle? Oh, did I mention that my Dad bought us all these 3D glasses, so that when you saw the lights they turned into snowflakes, even headlights on cars? ;-0 GROOVY!!!

Me and my Mama enjoying all the LIGHTS!!!

Hunter & Beep... Trippin on some Snowflakes!!!

Thanks Mom and Dad for helping make my Thanksgiving so special and fun!

My life has truly been blessed and I have so much to be thankful for...

Hope that you all had a Happy Thanksgiving!

Love, 

Amanda Laine

R.I.P "BB-Ring"

Dearly beloved,

We are gathered here today to mourn the loss of my friend "Pinky" the BB-Ring.  For many years she graciously, helped "ICE*OUT" my belly.  She had everything... from ATTITUDE to BEAUTY!  

I remember the first time I met "Pinky"...  I was in a "upper class" tattoo shop, in South Longview (lol), signing my life away, so that some random "SCARY MAN" could put a hole in my belly.  I was taken over to a display case that was full of BB-rings - when I saw her.  She was BLING-UTIFUL and PINK... Perfect for me!  I knew that she and my "INNY" would be a perfect match.  They hit it off immediately!  

Pinky, was always so supportive, never complaining after ALL those HOT summer days I would BAKE in the sun and HEAT her up.  She never skipped a beat just kept on SHINING!

We have been through so much together!  She helped me get through college.  She traveled with me through Europe.  Pinky, was even there when I walked down the aisle and became Mrs. Kraus!

October marked the beginning of the end.  This was when "Pinky" got the news.  She was a fighter and fought till the end, but the END was inevitable...

After much thought, "INNY" and PINKY decided that it was time to part.  "INNY" explained to PINKY that BIGGER things were in the near future and that over time he would most likely become an "OUTIE," involuntarily of course. 

November 21st, at 8:15, Pinky was unscrewed and taken out of "INNY."  It was a planned and peaceful ceremony.  She was cleaned and laid to rest.  

PINKY is survived by: INNY, her partner of 8 years.  Best Friends: Mrs. Wedding Band, Mrs. Diamond Earring, and Mr. Toe Ring.

Summer 2000 - November 2008

Coming June 2009

Last Thursday we went to the doctor to have our 1st sonogram. Yea! We were able to see our little "Blob Baby" and it's heart beat. It was AMAZING to say the least! 

Things that we learned:

*There is ONLY 1 baby :)

*Our baby is 1.3cm long (size of a blueberry)

*Heartbeat was 159 bpm (Does this imply a BOY or GIRL?)

*The Due Date is... June 20th (Grandma Joan's B*day!)

Ladies & Gents we are proud to SHOW-OFF... 

"Baby Blob Kraus!"  

Check him/her out.. :)

It was a Trick-or-Treat FO SHO!!!

Our house was FULL of "A LIST" Celebrity Craziness this Halloween...

The guest list included: Michael Phelps - dressed in a lil more than just his gold medals; Sarah Palin - who was still trying to win over some last minute votes; The Cutest Polar Bear in Town - who chased Bailey Boo "the BUG" all night long; JOEY - yes you read correctly, Senator came dressed up as JOEY.  Live entertainment was provided by a "local musician" that is still hoping for his BIG BREAK!  Ahhh yes, Beep and I too dressed up, FRO and all!  :)  Beep was a "70's Flipper Flashback," and I was an "80's HOTTIE" of course! lol  

From the moment that our guest stepped into our house they were playing a game - - and didn't even know it!  We changed ALL the pictures; in our house, to "CLUES" that TIPPED off a few and CONFUSED one or two.  It took some longer than others... but there was one clue that made it all so CLEAR "it was as if it were written in the sand!"

Thought that you may like to see some pics from the Halloween Bash!!!