CONFESSION TIME

What we did on Christmas Eve

We went for our annual Christmas Eve breakfast
at Cracker Barrel and then........


See these books?

They are gifts from the birthday party for the girls in March.
The party where they requested books for presents so
they could give them to charity.

See this bag of books?
This is the same bag of books wrapped up for Christmas
ready to be given to kids at the Children's Hospital.
On Christmas Eve.
They are only 9 months late.
I feel like a lump for not taking them sooner.
Don't judge me.

It wouldn't be that bad but Mike and the girls would ask
periodically when they were going to get delivered and I would
say, "Soon! I'm going to do it this week."
Well, now it's done and we were excited to take them.
See those bags that the girls are holding in the picture above?
They were given a gift for bringing all those gifts.
The lady at the front desk was so sweet.

After we left the hospital we went to the Adventure Science Center.
The people in the photo up there~they make me smile.

We left there and went to the movies.
Then, home to wait for Trev and Jessie.
Wow, I feel better now that I got that off my chest:)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shelby had a holiday piano concert at her teacher's studio.

Friday night was Shelby's choir performance. You can only see a little bit of her because her director is standing right in front of her.

Abby and Shelby did a small part in the reading of the Christmas Story at church. They sang some sweet Christmas carols.

After church we went to Pei Wei with Trevor and Jessie. Abby took these pictures. I'm not sure what Trevor is doing in the background.

Mike's Christmas light necklace was a hit. Everyone wanted to know where he got it. We had some beautiful snow falling all through church and all afternoon. It really was a wintry, nice day.

Shelby looking at the baby Jesus at Walk Thru Bethlehem.

They were trying to catch snowflakes on their tongues.

PUT ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER

We've had lots of good stuff going on this week. The girls and I have went to a piano lesson, choir practice, musical beginnings class, etc.

It's been busy but good. Now I'm ready for things to slow down a little bit. Next week we only have a piano evaluation and a piano recital party. Plus, lessons and the usual stuff that is necessary to keep a household running.

The girls spent the night with my sister last night so Mike and I shopped all day today. I know that sounds exhausting but it really wasn't. We enjoy being together and getting items checked off the list. I am married to a man who isn't afraid to, not only shop with his wife, be really engaged in what we're buying. He has a good handle on what our kids will enjoy and makes great suggestions. One of the many, many reasons I love him so much.

Shelby and Abby are in a little Christmas program tomorrow at church. Then, after lunch, we are planning to go to Walk Thru Bethlehem after church. It is a tradition for us and we really enjoy it. We're excited because Trev is bringing Jessie and we'll get to experience it with her this year.

Tomorrow evening is our MIM class~MIM means "Mothers In Mayhem". I'm speaking on "Volunteering". While gathering facts for my "little talk" I have come across some good information and I am thinking of using some of it as a unit study for the girls.

The weather people keep calling for a wintry mix tonight. I hope we either get A LOT or none at all.

Hope you all have a great day of worship tomorrow.

Deo volente

HOLIDAY OUTINGS

The first thing we did to kick off the holiday season was Shadrack's Christmas Wonderland at Jellystone Park. We received a coupon to get in free (Thanks, Misti) and we thought it was so cool. Thankfully, we had the coupon because we thought it was a little pricey if you had to pay the full amount to get in.



Next, we went to Ice! at Opryland. Mike was able to snag a coupon for Buy two tickets, get two free so we were able to go at a reduced rate.





It was cool. I mean, COLD!! They give you parkas to wear and thank goodness for that!!! It was a nice temperature outside so I just wore a pair of slip on shoes~~with no socks. Yeah, by the time we left there my little piggies were freezing. There was a slide made of ice and Mike and the girls braved that. Mike flew down that thing and made me glad I decided to just watch.





Friday night we went to the Nashville Parade. It was cold, not as cold as Ice!, but cold enough to make you want to dance around to get warm. This has been a tradition since we moved here except one year, I think.

They start the night off with the Tree Lighting at the Capitol, then The Rudolph 5k Run/Walk, followed by fireworks and the parade. It really is a fun evening.


We are looking forward to more fun things on the agenda this week.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

O wait a minute.... that was last week!!!

I think I'm behind.

Anyway, I hope y'all had an awesome Thanksgiving.

We did! We ate at Trevor's girlfriend's parent's house. I hope you followed that:) We ate, listened to Jessie and her family play music, sang, and ate.

It was a pretty relaxing day for the most part. Well, except for a few tears. No, not one of the girls. Not Mike. Me. Why? Because I'm a girl~~that's why. I can't even pin point an exact cause. If you had asked me on Thanksgiving it would have been because Mike said something that hurt my feelings but, a week later, I don't think that is what it was. I just think I needed a good cry and when you need a good cry it doesn't wait til a convenient time or day. Does it, ladies?

I'm all better now. Thanks for asking.

Moving on....

Our Christmas tree is up. Trevor and Jessie came over on Sunday afternoon and ate lunch. Then we went and got our tree. After we got it in the stand we watched Polar Express and some of us took naps. Then we decorated the tree and reminisced about the ornaments. I love it.

We have already done some Christmas-y things and there are lots more on the agenda. I'm going to try to blog about a couple. No promises.

Christmas shopping has to be a little more creative this year because Trevor is no longer at home for babysitting. We are doing a little more shopping on line this year.

Shelby had her first mini piano recital on Nov. 22. I call it mini because the whole thing didn't last more than 15 minutes. She has a choir performance on the 10th and a piano Christmas recital on the 16th. She has a lot of practice to get to in the next couple of weeks.

We have been watching family movies the past couple of nights and we've laughed til we cried. Abby was upset the first night because we were watching one that didn't have her in it~~because she wasn't born yet. So last night we watched one with her in it. She was about 9 1/2 months old and was whining a little and Abby got upset that we were just letting her whine. Mike and I cracked up. I told her that just because she was whining a little didn't mean she wanted to be picked up. She may just feel like fussing a little.