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.

Pool, Fireworks and Pimento Cheese

"...one Nation under God, indivisible,

with liberty and justice for all."

The 4th of July is always one of my favorite holidays. It's a summer holiday and one that we never travel for...so it's just one of hanging out with the family...which is why Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love days to just hang with the family.

Yesterday, on the 3rd, I had the day off from work since the 4th fell on a Saturday this year. The kids had been dying to go swimming - so I took the kids down to the pool at my parents condo. We had a blast swimming and playing in the pool. Myles actually jumped in - although I'm not sure if he meant to do that...lol. We stayed for lunch with Grandma and Grandpa - pimento cheese, chips, and raspberries...fun. I must say that pimento cheese was my absolute least favorite meal growing up...Stephanie loved it, so we got it every time she had a birthday - but my taste buds must have changed somewhat. I didn't think it was as bad as I remembered.

After lunch, we headed back to the 'boro because Steph, Travis and the kids were coming over for dinner and to watch the Smyrna Fireworks program. Smyrna usually has their fireworks the day before the 4th, as to not compete with the huge thing that Nashville does on the 4th. I love it because it's close to the house - and it's not crazy-packed like the one in Nashville. I've never been comfortable taking my kids downtown with thousands and thousands of people...makes me nervous.

Terrance grilled out hamburgers and hot dogs and we had chips, fries and a salad (that Steph brought). It was yummy. We then loaded up the kids and drove down to the K-Mart parking lot. That is where we watch the fireworks from. We could go down to the Rec Park - but they close off the main road into it at a certain time - and we like the option of being able to leave whenever we want. The show lasts about 30 minutes and I love it. I have always loved fireworks...I don't think I'll ever get too old for it. This year, we were kind of interested to see how all 5 kids would do (this was Elizabeth's first big firework show - and Myles has historically not been a fan of the booming) - but they all did great! We had about a 2 hour wait before the show started - and they waited so well. I had bought some $1 bubble tubes at Wal-mart that were the best.purchase.ever. It really kept the kids entertained. They blew bubbles...and ran after bubbles...and tried to catch the bubbles...great fun. Jordan and Terrance played catch with the football while they waited. The hardest part for Noelle was waiting on the lady that sells the cotton candy to come by. lol I can't say enough how much fun I had watching the kids enjoy the show.

Today was a lazy day. I took Jordan to meet up with Dad - she is spending the night over there - so it has just been Myles here today. I got back and mowed the lawn...not much to mow since it hasn't rained since the last time I mowed. Myles played in the slip n' slide for a while before we came in to take a rest and eat some lunch. We napped (((or should I say...I napped))) and now are contemplating heading back out for a little more slip n' slide fun.

I hope everyone else's 4th of July is as fun as ours has been.

This nation will remain the land of the free only so long

as it is the home of the brave. ~Elmer Davis