Getting Back Into the Swing Of Things...

I have been so bad at blogging - it seems like all I ever do lately is huge recaps of what's been going on.  Well, it seems like this one will be more of the same.  Although I promise to try to keep more on top of things...

Thanksgiving was another Smith/Gray/Shepherd trip to Galinburg.  It was a ton of fun - as usual.  There was some brutal UNO games, horseback riding, hiking, eating (of course!) and family squabbles over who's turn it was to hold new baby Ethan - plus the obviously required trip to the hot tub.

Plus - dad took this wonderfully fabulous family pic of us all.  ((there was a "proper" one of course, too - but this one says it all!))

Christmas came next - with all the hustle and bustle that comes along with it.  It was a great time spent with family and friends.

Now that the holidays are over, I'm assuming life will slow down for a bit - until softball/baseball seasons start up again in the spring.


I am really ready for the weather to warm up a bit - don't really like freezing my tush off every time I go outside.  But, I have decided to attempt the read-through-the-Bible-in-a-year thing one more time.  :)  I'm hoping these cold winter months will get me into a habit of reading so it won't be so hard in the spring when things get super-busy.


I guess that's it for now.  Sometimes I wish I had some enlightening words or deep thoughts...but I guess today I'm just empty.  I think I'll take a nap...

December/Christmas 2009

December has been a pretty crazy month around our house. Lots of things to do - places to be - stuff like that. There was ear doctor check-ups for me...Jordan's birthday...orthodontist appointments...Christmas program practices for the kis...choir practices and her last program for Jordan...Christmas parties to attend...& shopping - lots of ((online!!)) shopping!
Among all the hustle and bustle of the season, Terrance and I were struggling with whether or not to pull Jordan out of her school and have her home schooled again. She has been asking for weeks to be home schooled again. At first, we just thought that she was just being kind of lazy and not wanting to do all the extra work that came with middle school. After talking to her at length about it, she told us that a girl at school - that she has had several previous encounters with this year so far - thought she was bi-sexual and had a crush on Jordan. This made her extremely uncomfortable ((which I could totally understand)). She normally loved to go to school every morning - but started dreading it. She would ask every night if she could stay home the next day. Terrance and I talked about it at length and decided that if we had the ability to pull her out and have her home schooled - why wouldn't we? There is no reason that she should be subjected to that level of discomfort every day.
Thankfully, Myles' babysitter, Mama Jean, agreed to home school her again. She had home schooled her from kindergarten until second grade and will do it again. We are so excited about it, as is Jordan. I know Myles will be ready to spend the days with Jordan again too. As soon as we told Jordan that we had decided to let her be home schooled again - it was like a weight had been lifted off her. She looked so relieved to not have to return after winter break. She was able to keep all of the workbooks from school that she had started - so Mama Jean will know excatly what all she has done.
With all of the stressing about Jordan's schooling - it's no wonder that I haven't really been in the Christmas "spirit". I'm not sure why, but it never really felt much like Christmas until yesterday (Christmas day). We had a great time yesterday though with the family. Christmas Eve was spent lazing around the house. It was really nice because I usually have to work on Christmas Eve - but because Christmas fell on Friday this year - and we usually got the day after off - we got the day before off. It was really nice to just lay around with nothing on the schedule until the Christmas Eve service at church that night. After the service, we went over to some friends house for our annual Christmas Eve get-together. On the way home, I remembered that 16 years ago - on Christmas Eve - Terrance picked me up from work and drove me down to the Opryland Hotel to look at their beautiful light display. While we were out looking at the gorgeous tree right out in front of the hotel - Terrance proposed to me. It sure doesn't seem like it has been that long ago. I guess that's a good sign. :)
Christmas day was spent opening gifts as a family. (Stockings were done on Christmas Eve...a new tradition we are trying out. Second year doing that.) We then headed over to Terrance's folks house for Christmas and breakfast with them before heading down to my folks' house for Christmas and dinner with my parents and Steph, Travis and the kids.
All in all, it was a great day. We had a blast hanging out and watching all the kids open their presents. I love the looks on their faces when they open something they're really excited about. Terrance got me the most comfortable pair of boots - cowboy boots, too!! - I really love them. He also surprised me with a mani/pedi gift certificate that I can't wait to use. :)


Here are just a few pics from our day:


Myles was sooooo excited to get another Clone Wars movie. lol He does wear clothes (as many people have wondered) but this is Christmas morning...and when you sleep in your underwear...you open presents in your underwear. :)

Jordan got a new (electric blue!) ipod. We debated about whether she was ready for the responsibility of an expensive gift (the dog ate the last one) and decided to give her another chance.

Probably my favorite gift I gave this year. Terrance is a huge watch freak. He loves watches! But, unfortunately, most of them need batteries - so I decided that this year...I was buying a watch that doesn't need batteries. I must be getting smarter in my old age. lol

My dad loves apricot nectar - so every year, Jordan gets him 2 cans for his stocking. Noelle decided she needed a pic with Grandpa and his nectar can. :)

Probably my favorite pic of the day. When I saw that Elizabeth had crawled up on the couch to lay with "Jorny" - I knew I had to take a pic.

Mindless Fact Monday ~ December 21, 2008

For this week - I will have a Christmas themed "Mindless Facts"...

~ Author Robert May considered the names Reginald and Rollo before settling on "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer".

~ Oliver Cromwell banned Christmas carols in England between 1649 and 1660. He thought that it should be a solemn day so he banned carols and parties. The only celebration was a sermon and a prayer service.

~ During the holiday season, approximately$220 million of poinsettias are sold.


~ "Silent Night" was written by Joseph Mohr in 1818. He was told the organ was broken the day before Christmas, so he sat down to write a song that could be sung with a guitar.



~ In 1836, Alabama was the first state to declare Christmas a legal holiday. Oklahoma became the last state in 1907.



~ In 1856, President Franklin Pierce decorates the first White House Christmas tree.



~ Electric lights were first used in 1843.

~ The actual gift givers are different in different countries: The Three Kings (Spain and South America), La Befana - a kindly old witch (Italy), Father Christmas (England), Pere Noel - Father Christmas (France), Christkind - angelic messanger from Jesus (Germany), and St. Nicholas (Holland).

~ Mexicans call poinsettias "Flower of the Holy Night" - the Holy Night is the Mexican way of saying Christmas Eve.



~ "It's A Wonderful Life" appears on TV more than any other Christmas movie.

Merry Christmas to All!!!!

Getting in the Spirit...

Stolen from Steph


1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? For the family - paper; for folks at the office - bags

2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial - just the thought of all those needles all over the floor grosses me out.

3. When do you put up the tree? Usually the day after Thanksgiving.

4. When do you take the tree down? Usually just a couple days after Christmas.


5. Do you like eggnog? Oh.my.gosh - Yes!! Or "Christmas Milk" as we call it at our house.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? I got an easy bake oven one year - that little light bulb made the best cakes. :)


7. Hardest person to buy for? My dad - whatever he wants he just gets for himself - ditto for Terrance's brother.

8. Easiest person to buy for? My sister - she always makes great lists.


9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes - one from Israel that my parents brought back made out of olive wood.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail.


11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I can't think of one that was too bad.


12. Favorite Christmas Movie? For the whole family - the Charlie Brown Christmas movie - for the adults - National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Just thinking about cousin Eddie with his black dickie under his white sweater makes me laugh. LOL

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually about a month or so ahead - I have been really bad this year.


14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes - I received a beautiful cup and saucer last year (I think) and gave it to the kids' babysitter. I told her it was a re-gift - so I didn't take credit for it...and I only did it because I don't drink coffee - or tea - and would have never used it and it was too cute for it to never be used.


15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? My mom’s taco dip - I have to theif Steph's answer on this one...it rocks!!


16. Lights on the tree? Yes.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Clay Aiken's "Mary Did You Know" - he has an amazing voice. As far as a tradional song...I like "The First Noel".


18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We stay in town - but we do Christmas at our house - then over to Terrance's folks - then on to my parents. It's a busy day - but we have a lot of fun.


19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yes - Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, & Rudolph (of course).

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? We have a fiber optic angel that Jordan just HAD buy last year.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? We do stockings on Christmas Eve but leave the rest for Christmas morning - it's a new tradition that I am still getting used to.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? People that make the season "just" about the gifts...it is about our Savior's birth...and the extra bonus of spending time with our families.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? We have several Santa statues that Jordan bought from the dollar store that are on the mantle...that's about our only theme.

24. Favorite thing for Christmas dinner? I love that we do a non-traditional Christmas lunch - chicken enchiladas & more of mom's taco dip. Yum!


25. What do you want for Christmas this year? I already got what I wanted - a new dryer!! It is soooooo fabulous! And it's HUGE!