It's happening....

.....I'm becoming my mother. I knew it was going to happen eventually, and now it is. My mom and I were in Vegas last weekend partying like crazy until 8pm every night. Well, one night I was sound asleep having a nice dream about showing Kimmie how to fix a lamp. I was very focused on the task when someone made a noise right behind me (my mom sniffed in the bed next to me). It scared me because I thought someone had snuck up behind me in my dream, and I yelled out in my sleep "OOOOH, dear!!!" I woke myself up with my own yelling, which is something my mom ALWAYS does and something I have NEVER done. I had also woken my mom up with my outburst and in a worried panic she asked me if I was alright. I mumbled some semi-mean response as though she were bothering me. I was annoyed and immediately grumpy because I had been woken up out of a deep sleep - I didn't care whose fault it was. But then I heard my outburst replayed in my head and I busted out laughing. My mom and I couldn't stop laughing for awhile after that. The most embarrassing part of the whole thing was that I had said "Oh, dear!" like only a grandmother would have said. I was really wishing at that moment that I had said something much cooler...like a cuss word....or at least some strong slang. Oh well....just call me Joy.

Confessions of a Daddy's Girl

I admit it. I'm a daddy's girl. I seriously have the best dad in the whole world though. You may ask yourself, "How could anyone ever know that?". Well, I took a poll.


Here are the top 3 things I heard the most from him growing up:

1. I love you.
2. Walk with God.
3. Stand up straight.

3 of my favorite memories:

1. Wrestling ("rassling") during commercials, especially the whole "Help, I'm falling off the mountain" routine.
2. Going on dates every Wednesday after my piano lessons. We would go to dinner and the dollar store for a treat. I was so easy to please back then!
3. Getting in trouble not just for cheating in school, but for being stupid enough to cheat off the dumbest kid in the class.

Top 3 favorite Tag-isms:
1. Hmmmmm-dabby-jabby: This is the act of unexpectedly sticking one's finger repeatedly into the abdomen of another person, each time saying "Hmmmmm-dabby-jabby" so the other person knows exactly what is happening.
2. Bora-hole: This is the act of sticking one's finger into the abdomen of another person after spinning your finger in a circular motion for an extended period of time in the air, chanting "bora-hole, bora-hole" while the other person gets a chance to build up an intense sense of dread.
3. And my nicknames, Sasa (pronounced "Sah-sah"), Sasa-rita, Booger Bear, Boog, Shoog, Sugar Bear, Shoogie boog, etc.

Top 3 selfless acts:
1. Selling cars on the side, one at a time, to pay for my college education so that I could graduate debt-free. We're talking 80 G's, people.
2. Putting teachers in their place when they told one of his children that they "should know better - they are the preacher's kid". oooohhhh, I hated that!!!
3. Going to every single game, recital or play the three of us had going on: basketball, baseball, soccer, volleyball, softball, piano recitals, school plays, every anything!!! Even if they were hours and hours away from home when Jeremy's basketball team played in championships (my teams never made it past the regular season games).

Top 3 reasons why I know I'm the favorite - probably due to the fact that I was the youngest and the only girl:
1. I got the nicest car in high school (Jason-the 15 year old family Corolla, Jeremy-big blue Bonneville we got from Grandma, Sara-2 door, 5 speed, white sports car)
2. I still have his credit card in case I see anything I like (I haven't used it yet, so don't judge me...oh wait, yes I did...there was this purse...)
3. I had a small auto supply store in my trunk in case I ever broke down on the side of the road while I was driving back and forth from college in Ohio: flares, reflectors, tire changing equipment, various assorted tools, bungee cords, gloves (so my hands wouldn't get dirty), a bottle of water (in case I got thirsty), etc. And no, I am not kidding.

Top 3 practical things he taught me:
1. Managing money
2. Changing a tire
3. Shooting a lay-up

Top 3 character traits he exemplified:
1. Dedication to God and family
2. Self-Sacrifice
3. Giving generously to everyone (if a stranger tells him they have a hangnail, he'll probably give them $30 for a manicure)

Bonus: I got NASTY looks from my dad if a guy even came within 2 inches of even THINKING about touching me. He also played the role of "mean dad" whenever someone would come pick me up from a date. He would not be embarrassed at all in saying, "When will you have MY daughter back?"

I love him!!!

Duh, Christmas pictures.....

The Kilgore's - Take One: Joy & Tag (where it all started....and apparently HOW it all started); Jeremy & Michelle; Jason, Madison, Robin & Oliver; Nick, Gracie & meTake Two - much better:
Take Three - I'm honestly disturbed here by what Nick is doing:
Tag: "Joy, are you really going to open that in front of the whole family?"

Joy: "Yep! Ta-da!!!"

A day we thought we'd never see - Mom & Dad scratching lottery tickets...too bad it only amounted to about $3:

The sister-in-laws and the niece:

The Jason Kilgore family:

Gracie and Oliver getting to know each other, as apparently dogs do:

I mean, she is the cutest thing I've ever seen.

And now, some Schlappi pictures!

Jack, Bennett, and their new dragon-slaying gear:

Look at that smile....who knew video games could make a grown man so happy:

The girls...waiting patiently for our turn to open a present:

The boys doing the same:

Just too cute not to put on here:

This is what I got when I asked for the biggest smile they've ever given:

Didn't work that well on Adam:

That's all for now.......Happy New Year!!