Fun During Break!

We have had fun being off school and hanging out at the house. The kids have spent several hours outside shooting Turner's gun at homemade targets.  We also ate at Chili's one day for lunch and spent an afternoon at Chuck E Cheeses.  Before Christmas Maddie and I saw the new Annie movie and loved it.  The kids also decorated gingerbread cookies at our house and made them again with Mimi.  Taking advantage of the time we have as a family and loving it.  We are currently in Savannah and are having Christmas with them tomorrow.  Will post more on that when it happens:)

Christmas at Mimi and Boo Boo's!

We headed to Mimi and Boo Boo's for brunch and to exchange gifts with them and Megs and her crew.  It was another fun filled chaotic event.  Mimi and Boo Boo sent the kids on a fun scavenger hunt where new memberships to the zoo were found at the end.  We were all excited as they got lots of use last year.
  Maddie got a sewing machine and can't wait for Mimi to teach her how to use it.  Turner got a BB gun which has already gotten lots of use and Harper received a sweet monkey baby that she loves.  The cousins exchanged too and it is always fun to watch them play.
  We have had a pretty full year and it was so nice to have everyone healthy and together at Christmas.  I am so thankful for both sides of my family and truly cherish the time we spend together.  We hung out till about noon and then headed home to play play play!

Christmas Morning!

Like a kid, I was up bright and early just waiting on the kids to come get us out of bed.  This is also one night Turner won't join us in the middle of the night.  He is scared Santa might see him....Maddie said when she woke up his head was buried under his pillows.  Silly boy!  Harper on the other hand, was snug as a bug in between Kevin and I.
  It was almost 7 before they came and woke us up.  Daddy always gets the video camera and goes ahead of us and let's them know Santa has been here.  All 3 kids run down the hall screaming and chaos begins.  I love it!
  The kids were thrilled and the playing began.  Turner's big things were a keyboard and a 360 bike.  Maddie received a karaoke machine and a floor beam.  Harper loves her new tent and baby dolls with stroller.  Mimi and Boo Boo stopped by to see everything.  
  We played at the house till about 10 when it was time to head to Mimi and Boo Boo's.  Did it mention it was Jesus's birthday?  Thank you God for sending our Savior!!  What a glorious day!

Christmas Eve!

Christmas Eve is always lots of fun for our family.  When the kids woke up Wednesday morning, Bubblegum was hanging out on the ceiling fan in the kitchen.  Beneath him was a gift for Maddie and Turner.  I guess Bubblegum figured Harper was too young to care:)  They both received a diary which they had been wanting for a while.  They immediately got to writing and locked up when they were done.  I have already checked up on them....mercy.  That is a post for another day.
  We spent the day at the house and headed to the candlelight service at church at 5.  There wasn't childcare so Kev didn't hear much of the service.  He and Harper out in the gathering area.  There were testimonies given about members favorite Christmas.  Mimi and Boo spoke about their journey to have a baby which ended in me being brought to them in a stocking.  It was sweet hearing them talk about it.  At the end of the service we all lit a candle and sung Silent Night.  That was the kids favorite part:)
  From church we headed to Uncle Warren and Aunt Debbie's house.  This is the one time a year we get together with all of our family on Dad's side.  In addition to my cousins and sister, this means 2 teenagers and 9 children under 8!!  Two of mine were some of the oldest.  It was a fun, loud, wild night.  We draw names for the kids and the grown ups play dirty santa.  We loved seeing everyone but headed home around 8:30 to get into bed.      The kids sprinkled reindeer food in the front yard and set cookies and milk on the fireplace.  This is always the easiest night of the year to get the kiddos to bed:) 

Halfway to 70!

A dear friend of ours informed me I would be halfway to 70 on my birthday...I'll take it.  Thankful to celebrate another year.  I had a great day.  Daddy and the kids baked me a cake and we tried out a fairly new restaurant in Bartlett called Baileys.  We met Mimi and Boo Boo there and it was a hit.
  After lunch we headed to Bass Pro to see Santa.  Like last year the line was forever long.  So we just waved at him and played some of the games.  The kids always enjoy it and it is probably the only time each year we go.
  I had a great day and look forward to what this next year brings.

Flu...Boo!

I have a few other things to blog about, but today it will be the flu.  Yesterday, it was pink eye.  This is proving to be the 2nd year we end with a bang.  Harper has pink eye, but fortunately it doesn't appear to be bothering her.  I am hoping no one else gets it.
  Last night Maddie kept saying she was tired and when we got home from church was running a low grade fever.  This morning that thermometer just kept reading higher and higher.  She missed pj day at school and was quite upset at first.  She has flu type A and hasn't gotten out of the bed.  I think she now sees there is no way she could have gone to school.
  Harper received the flu shot yesterday...she didn't shed a SINGLE TEAR.  Maddie had her nose swabbed today....you would have thought someone was beating her.  Turner is mad everyone is sick and gets to stay at home while he is forced to go to school:)  The differences in these kids is amazing and so interesting to see.  A little of me, a little of their dad, and then their own personalities all rolled into 3 very different, but so precious to us kiddos.
  Maddie is going to be holed up in her room over the next few days while Kev and I take turns taking care of her.  I have sprayed so much lysol in this house I can hardly breathe.  We are all taking Tami flu with the hope that nobody else will get it.  Today would have been my last day of work before break.  After MDO'S program tonight I will have the next 2 weeks to just focus on the kids and get everyone well.  I hate the week before Christmas we have some down.  The upside.... I wasn't going to get a paycheck anyway so our budget isn't being affected. 
  Praying Maddie is back to herself soon and hopefully my next post will be a little more fun.  We still have some things we would like to squeeze in before Christmas:) 

Alpine Villages!

Last night we went to Alpine Villages with Megs and big A.  It was our first year to go and it was my favorite Christmas activity to date.  It was at Trinity Baptist Church and the kids had a blast.  They decorated cookies, made a toy, picked out a book, made an ornament, played in the snow, and much more.  There was a live nativity scene, and a visit to the north pole to see Santa.  The best part...it is free!  It was great for all ages and we ended the night with a puppet show.  It was the same story that Maddie's choir performed last Sunday.  The kids sang to every song.  It was a fun night.