be merry

This Christmas has come and gone already.  It seems like just yesterday that it was December 1st.  We have been busy lately.  Isaac started playing basketball and his first game was December 1st.  Thankfully he has a couple of weeks off for Christmas and New Year's, so his next game isn't until January 5th.  The team hasn't had much luck at winning yet, but they are having fun and getting better.

 

 

The boys are out of school until January 7th.  That's two and a half weeks out of school for Winter Break.  A long time if you ask me.  Anyway, I took this week off work and won't be going back until January 2nd.  So, at least the boys only have to go to Fun Company a few days.  They're happy about that.  They are having lots of fun playing with all the fun stuff they got for Christmas.

Before school let out for Winter Break, Alex had a Christmas party.  I wasn't able to leave work to attend it, so Alex requested that my parents go instead.  They did of course, and he was so happy.

Our Christmas festivities started last Saturday.  The boys and C went to Chuck E Cheese to exchange gifts with Anna on Saturday morning while I stayed home and wrapped presents.  Then that evening we went to C's mother's house for Christmas.  It was a nice small gathering.

Sunday we didn't go anywhere and that was really nice, especially since C was off work for Christmas Eve.  On Christmas Eve we went to C's dad house and exchanged gifts with all of the cousins.  The boys had a great time and got a lot of great stuff.  We were also invited to my cousin's house on Christmas Eve night, but I decided that I'm not up for rushing through my holidays by running from place to place, so we had to pass on that gathering this year.

Christmas Eve at Nana and Pops

On Christmas the boys opened presents here at home and then we went to spend the morning with my parents.  We had a nice time eating, opening presents and spending time with my parents.  I am so thankful for another Christmas with both of them.  After we left my parents' house we went by C's Aunt and Uncle's house so the boys could exchange gifts with their cousins.  The boys got even more good stuff there.  We had to cut our Christmas Day celebrations a little short so C could get enough sleep to be ready for work that night.  But, I'm sure the boys didn't mind because that meant they had plenty of time to play with all of their toys.  They had so much fun, in fact, that they stayed up until 1:00 this morning.  I am so glad to see that they both had a great Christmas and are enjoying all their gifts.

one of the many books Isaac asked for this Christmas

Momma and her Luke Bryan outfit.  We're going to his concert in a couple of weeks.

Despite the look on his face in this picture, this has been one of his most favorite gifts!

 

And, our Christmas card for this year:

 

give thanks

It's two days after Thanksgiving, but I haven't forgotten what I'm thankful for.  I'll start with what's sitting in my living room right now.  I am thankful for a wonderful, handsome, supportive husband.  He is always the strength I need when I get tired.  He is always the laugh I need when I feel like crying.  He always has the sensible words I need to hear even when I don't want to hear them.  He loves me even when I know I am not very lovable.  He is my rock and my partner for life.  I am so thankful for him.

Next, I am thankful for my two handsome, healthy, smart, funny, irritating and lovable sons.  Children are truly a blessing, and I am so thankful I was given these two for whom to be a mother.  I am thankful that when they are not feeling well that we have a great pediatrician that I can count on to provide the best care for them.  I am thankful that they have great teachers who have the patience it takes to teach children.  I am thankful for their relationships with all of their grandparents who love them.  I am thankful they have many cousins with whom to grow up and make many memories.

I am thankful for my parents.  With so many losses in our family this year, I am especially mindful and thankful that I have both of my parents this Holiday season.  I am thankful that I have two parents that I talk to everyday even though I don't see them enough.  I am thankful for their relationship with our children.  Not having met my own grandfathers, I am thankful that my oldest son has had almost ten years of knowing his grandfather.

I am thankful for the relationships that I have with my husband's family.  I am so grateful for the support they provide when we need it.  It is so relieving to know that we have people who can help care for them. 

I am thankful for the friendships I have.  I am thankful to have ladies to talk with and laugh with.  Sometimes it is the best stress reliever in the world!

I am thankful for an amazing employer that helps me provide for our family.  I am very thankful for an even more amazing supervisor who is truly compassionate and values an even work life balance.

I am thankful for the roof over our heads, the heat and air in our home, the food in our kitchen and the vehicles in our driveway.

A lot of the time, life is very overwhelming, too fast-paced and stressful.  I wish that I would slow down more than once a year to reflect on what I have for which to be truly thankful.

seven

Our dear Alex turned seven five days ago.  I know, I'm slow at getting things to the blog.  Lately I've been having trouble uploading files, so that's part of the problem.  This year we planned a skating party for Alex's birthday.  Skating party = skating birthday boy, right?  Wrong.  Alex didn't skate at all at his birthday party.  But, his family and friends did, and I think everyone had a great time.  Regardless of whether the birthday boy skated.  I have learned another hard lesson when it comes to booking birthday parties.  Smyrna Skate Center is not a good place to actually book a party. There was plenty of time to skate, no doubt.  Because when it was time for the party room, the children were rushed in to eat their pizza so they could hurry up and eat the cake.  The person who was supposed to be helping us in the party room did as little as possible besides rush us.  So, I will not book another birthday party with them.  However, I will take the boys, or at least Isaac, back there to skate again.

I took lots of pictures of all the children skating, but with skating rink lighting, a lot them weren't very clear.

7 things about Alex:

1. He is perfectly stubborn.  This trait is causing a lot of frustration at this point in our lives.

2. He is a smart boy.  He is learning so much and his math and reading skills have come so far this school year.

3. He is funny.  He says the funniest things all the time.

4. He is a sweet boy.  He loves to spend time with family.  Sometimes it's just one of us and sometimes it's all of us who he wants to be near.

5.  He loves hats.  For his birthday he got a Miami Heat hat, and he loves it!  Not sure where the Miami fan in him comes from...

6. He loves smell-good stuff.  He loves cologne, hanitizer (hand sanitizer) in any Bath and Body Works scent, Axe spray, etc.  If it smells good, he likes it.

7.  He loves anything sweet, as evidenced by his many stomach aches and cavities.

Despite the frustration this child may bring to our lives, he brings a whole lot more laughs, hugs, kisses and sweet memories.  He is such a blessing, and I can't imagine our lives without him.

fall fun

While the boys were on Fall Break in October, I took a couple of days off work.  One of those days I took the boys and their cousins, Jay and Cam to the zoo.

Also in the month of October, the boys did several fall themed things.  They went to Lucky Ladd Farm and got to pick out pumpkins.  Then one weekend Isaac went with his cousins to the Ghouls at Grassmere.  Alex didn't want to go, so he hung out with us that night while we helped our friends pack up to move into their new home.

Alex's class went on a field trip to a pumpkin farm near their school.  Since I have been three times between both boys, I asked my parents if they would like to go with Alex on his field trip.  And of course they did!

This was the first Halloween since 2009 that C was home with us.  For the past two years, he was in Las Vegas for the SEMA show.  While we were glad to have him home, it still wasn't a typical Halloween. Alex was sick and ended up not going Trick or Treating.  Which made it a little less weird that we didn't go Trick or Treating with our friends like we did the past two years.  Since C was home, I was able to take Isaac out Trick or Treating in our neighborhood while he stayed home with Alex.  But, the boys did have plenty of opportunities for getting candy before Halloween.  We took them (and their cousins) Trunk or Treating at two different churches the Saturday and Sunday before Halloween.

Isaac Trick or Treating on Halloween night

Some of the spooky houses in our neighborhood

life lately

Our life has been so busy lately.  Between my work, school, soccer practice and games and C working 5, 6 or even 7 days a week, we haven't had time for much else.  But, we did manage to squeeze two birthday parties, doggie sitting and a weekend trip to see a concert out of town in there.

Aunt B turned 30!

Jess organized a party at Hooters to celebrate

Us at Hooters

Alex :)

Peanut, my parents dog who we doggie sat

Isaac adopted two fiddler crabs from his science teacher

Alex playing while Isaac was practicing soccer

The amphitheatre where my mother and I saw Miranda Lambert

My mother and I went to Pelham, Alabama to see Miranda Lambert in concert.  I went to see her back in May when she came to Nashville.  But, that was when my mother was sick.  So, we decided that we would hit the road for our first road trip to see a concert to see Miranda.  The trip was short, and the weather was fairly enjoyable.  Except for the little bit that it rained on us.  But, overall, it was a great show!

before the show

Lee Brice, one of the openers

Miranda

while I was gone in AL, Isaac spent the night with family and Alex stayed home with Daddy.  This is what I found in my bed the next morning. :)  Apparently he slept in my spot.