A Post for our Nana

We aren't going to see Nana over Christmas, so for her enjoyment, this is a post just for her of her beautiful grandbabies opening their Christmas presents from her. I decided to go ahead and let them open them today so they would have all day to enjoy their gifts and hopefully relieve most of the pre-Christmas anxiety they tend to have on Christmas Eve. So far so good. So, Nana, enjoy some pictures of us opening our gifts


Philip was beyond excited that he had a gift as tall as he was. He thought that was just about the neatest thing ever.

Thanks Nana, for our Christmas presents.

Merry Christmas. We love you!

Getting It All Done

I bet you thought that since I'm not working anymore that I would have plenty of time to keep this blog updated, didn't you? Well, think again. It has been almost a month since I stopped working, and I don't know where the time has gone. Everyday I wonder how in the world I had time to do anything when I was working. And thank goodness I have had time this month, because we have been busy!

For the first time since we lived here, we decided to check out the Newnan Christmas parade. It was a great parade and the kids loved it!! Donny thought a 2-hour parade was a bit long for him, but I fed him pizza to hold him over. We even saw my former co-worker and friend P Phillips driving a float for his church in the parade, along with his fellow church members who, lucky for us, were passing out propaganda to the crowd, asking us, their fellow sinner friends the ever-pressing question on everyone's mind while watching a festive Christmas parade - "If you died today, where would you go - Heaven or Hell?" The most delightful flyer answered all my questions regarding this issue that plaques me everyday. So grateful for that. Other highlights included the gorilla and Santa on motorcycles, the pooping horses, and the great high school bands






Too bad no one was passing out flyers explaining to me how a horse can be trained to do just about anything (I know, I've seen them in the circus do just about anything), but they can't be trained to walk down a road for an hour without snicking every five minutes. I just don't get it.

Anyway, next in our eventful month came the night to not soon forget. If you know me, then you know that I am terrified of bad weather. Completely freaks me out, especially storms at night. Rain is always guaranteed to wake me up, so I am up, checking the news and the sky, bracing for the worst. It drives Donny crazy. So at approximately 4:00am on the morning of 12/8, I was awakened to what sounded like a doozy of a storm brewing outside my house. The news confirms a tornado watch, and the sky and wind confirm it is a nasty little booger of a storm. We have this lovely canopy that covers our deck, and when the wind is really blowing, the roof of that thing looks like a balloon trying to blow up. So I am standing at the window watching the storm and the canopy. One second it is there, the next it is crushed by a falling tree limb. I immediately begin screaming at Donny to get the kids, we are heading to the basement. The rain is moving in circles, and by this time, I am completely losing it. Donny, of course, is moving in slow motion. He thinks I am a general over-reacter. Needless to say, we made it to the basement with our lives still in tact, and weathered out the storm. We survived, but the canopy did not.




R.I.P. Beautiful Canpoy. R.I.P.

Philip had his tonsils out on 12/10. He did amazingly well. The nurses said he was the best behaved kid they had ever seen. They said most kids will scream and cry and fight them, but Philip just took it all in stride. His biggest complaint was having to wear that lovely hospital gown. Who knew my kid was so shy and modest? He didn't want anyone to see his underwear, and was so silly about that whole thing. He made sure he was completely covered at all times. We haven't seen much a decrease in his asthma symptoms like we had hoped, but he is still doing great, and we are glad to get those nasty giant tonsils out of there.




Madilyn graduated from S.A.F.E. and has made a committment to live her life drug-free and avoid violence.




Philip recovered fast enough from his surgery to get back to school and enjoy celebrating Christmas time with his class.




And now school is out, and we are getting ready for Santa to come. Philip's excitement is at an all-time high.

After a long day going to three doctors' visits yesterday, I promised the kids if they were good, they could open one present under the tree. They decided to open to gifts from each other, and they were all super excited.


And, thus begins my favorite part of Christmas - trying to get those blasted toys out of their packaging. Nothing says "merry and bright" like that kind of joy!

So, from us to yours, Merry Christmas!!!

Happy Holidays

If you are like me, you are still in shock knowing that it is already December and Christmas is rapidly approaching and this year is coming to an end.

We all do things to bring on the holiday spirit. We decorate our homes, we make our favorite traditional treats, we go overboard shopping on Black Friday.

This year, we started a new tradition to welcome the holidays, one that hopefully we will be able to enjoy year after year.

Ever been to Stone Mountain Christmas? It is quite the festive treat. I have been wanting to go year after year since we have lived here, and we finally made the time to go, and we are so glad we did. It was so delightful and the kids actually enjoyed themselves and we spent the whole day together being happy. It was an early Christmas miracle!

The whole park was covered in Christmas lights,


Madilyn and Colin helped Santa's elves sing and dance as they tracked his progress around the world on Christmas Eve


And Philip's favorite part was when the flying angel came and made it snow.


The weather was perfect. Cold enough that it felt like Christmas-time, but not so cold that we couldn't stand to be out there.



And just to prove that I was there . . .


Thanks Stone Mountain, for a great holiday treat!

The New Ole Blue

Remember how Ole Blue was giving us some trouble recently? Well, after we welcomed Suzie into the family, Donny decided it was time to bid farewell to his somewhat reliable old friend. A quick listing on Craigslist yielded dozens and dozens of emails and phonecalls. Who knew Ole Blue was so popular. In the end, a lucky 16-year old boy was gifted Ole Blue by his father, and in exchange, we got quite a nice stack of Franklin's.

So, the big question was raised. What do we do with this money?

Oh, believe me, I had many an idea floating around in my head. But we finally made a decision to purchase something the whole family could enjoy for years and years to come, something to would create lasting memories of good times and family fun for us all.

What could bring about such memories and delightfullness?

Well, nothing else but new hardwood floors for my living room. No more nasty carpet. Just beautiful clean floors that will last us forever and ever.

Oh, wait. Sorry. That's not quite right. That's what I would have selfishly spent the money on if it were just me I was thinking about. Nasty carpet, still in my living room.

But something better now sits in my garage along with my new friend, Suzie. The two of the them fit together quite comfortably, and our choice so far has yielded good times and actual fun together.

So, without further adieu, allow me to share with you our newest purchase


Yes, folks, we bought a pop-up camper. We have already taken her out twice, and I have to say, it has been really nice.

We camped last weekend at Stone Mountain park. They have a nice campground, and for us beginner campers, things couldn't have gone better. The weather this time of year is perfect for camping. It's not hot, you don't have to deal with bugs, the campfire is so warm and cozy, and did I mention that it's not hot? And since you have a camper with a heater to sleep in, what's to stop you?

Enjoy some pics of our trip





And apparently everywhere we go, someone has to be fighting. Luckily, this time, it was only the geese


Good times for all!

I have a thing for Doctors

It's only the first day of the month, and already we are booked full of doctor appointments.

Today - Colin - doctor
12/8 - Philip - ENT
12/10 - Philip - Tonsilectomy surgery
12/15 - Colin - doctor
12/22 - Madilyn - Dr. Shore
12/22 - Madilyn - Dr. Fabregas

And somewhere in there I will have to squeeze in Philip's post-op ENT appointment and I need to go to the eye doctor. Let's just hope noone gets sick this month, because then I might as well pack up and move into the doctor's office.

I have a stack of EOB's the size of Mt. Everest at this point. My insurance company must really love me.

And, remember, Donny and I are open to taking a second wife if she is a doctor. So, if you know anyone . . .