It Came and It Went

I decided to rake the leaves a few weeks back, and sweet Miles came outside and joined me.  He loved jumping in the large piles of leaves.  There is really no point to raking leaves if you can't jump in them, right?

The Christmas Holiday happened about as quickly as it appeared.  I decided this year I was going to be more "festive" with the kids. I was a bit of a Scrooge last year.  I had started working full-time and was having trouble managing that and being a "festive, full-of-holiday-cheer mom".  I was determined this year!  We'd decorate the house and even the kids rooms (with mini-trees).  I'd get most of my shopping done early.  We'd watch lots of holiday movies.  Play Christmas music in the house all the time.  Work Christmas puzzles.  The kids would shop for each other.  We would make scratch cookies with icing.  We would construct a gingerbread house.  I'd make cheese balls, muddy buddies, holiday candies - everything to make the house more festive.  I have the extra five pounds to prove it.  Basically, I did it for myself =).  I noticed (this year especially) that the kids are growing up and not really interested in "big" Christmas gifts.  The older two didn't really even ask for anything.  Miles still believes in Santa, although he doesn't talk about it much.  He's very matter-of-fact about his relationship with him.  The grandparents took them to the mall and he told Santa what he wanted - dominoes and a Hot Wheels set.  He told me he knew that's what he'd get 'cause he asked Santa for it.  That's the extent of his belief though.  He doesn't ask a lot of questions about him.  He has no interest in leaving him cookies or checking out the fireplace on Christmas morning.  The kids actually asked for an Elf on the Shelf last week. I may break down and purchase one next year.  I think they have big plans for our Elf, and I can't wait to see what they come up with.  The spirit of Christmas is quickly fading in our house as the kids get older.  I think part of me just wants to continue with some traditions that the kids enjoy and look forward to - cooking, working puzzles, family time, etc.

This is usually what happens once the Gingerbread House is constructed.  Three rather large tornadoes take it down in seconds.

 

More holiday fun as we decorate iced cookies.  These are simply the best cookies ever and take two days to make.  My hand mixer decided to zonk out on me - not sure why since I've owned it for 16 years =).  I had to break down and buy a new mixer this year.  The holiday cooking would not stop with a BUM mixer, no sir.  We were going to continue on with our baking.

 

Sometime in December, Matt also finished up with his Master's Degree in Education - Teacher Leadership.  He's one educated teacher.  This is his third Master's Degree (thus the phrase, You Did it AGAIN).  The kids were psyched about the helium balloons and quickly emptied them once he saw them. I believe a helium tank was on their Christmas wish list - strange lil' people.  They love what it does to their voices =).

I didn't get many Christmas pictures.  I know, I know...but honestly, I don't need a bonanza of pictures.I don't print half of them, and it seems like I'm missing the action if I'm behind a camera (or I was just too lazy this year - maybe too full of sugar - who knows).  At any rate, our family Christmas celebration started in Nicholasville with the Pogue's the Saturday before Christmas.  I love getting together with my Mamaw's (Dad's) side of the family.  Since most of my cousins are married and have kids, it's a rather large gathering.  It's loud and wild and always so much fun.  The kids played football, ate lots of sugar, hung out with distant cousins they don't see often - simply had a blast!  The kids play dirty Santa and the adults have a game as well.  Miles played in the kids version, and Karson played in the adult version (Isaac had no interest in playing).  We ended up with a Spongebob basketball goal, a UK mug, Krispy Kreme gift card and tumbler and a First Aid Kit. 

 

The kids got a hold of my cousins phone and added lots of photos to his stream -he tagged me in them on Facebook.  Hey, at least there are some photos from the event.

 

 

Isaac woke up feeling bad on Sunday.  Karson had stayed home from school with a stomach bug the Thursday before - it was a 24 hour kind of thing.  Isaac was having the same symptoms Sunday morning.  He and I decided to stay home from church.   Because of Matt's Grandad and Granny's recent health issues, his mom Debbie thought it best to do Christmas with them in rounds with different families coming over at separate times so it wouldn't be so overwhelming. Our family went over there that day after church, but Isaac and I opted out since he wasn't feeling well.

 Our Christmas Eve picture, and I believe the only one we took the entire day (besides the one below).  I had some sort of stomach bug thing the day before (Dec. 23) and Matt had it on Christmas Eve.  Neither of us were feeling very well so I'll blame the lack of picture taking on that.  The kids always have a BIG Christmas at Mom and Dad's house.  The boys both got iPad mini's.  They both have dinosaurs in the Apple world - Miles has the original iPad and Isaac carries an old iPod touch that was left in one of his dad's used cars years ago.  It was time for an upgrade.  They LOVE them!  Karson had went shopping with Meme and picked out lots of things - a new volleyball, water bottle, cinch bag, knee pads, and a few other things.  The also got some money from their great grandparents and uncle along with some fun gifts from their cousins.

 

We stayed at their house most of the morning and headed over to the Deaton side of the family later that afternoon to celebrate with Matt's extended family.  It's been a tough year for them (us) losing Mamaw back in February.  It's hard to believe it's almost been a year since her passing.  Matt's aunt Karen who is the family hub, holding the entire family together (as Steve Maglinger describes her), continued the Christmas Eve tradition of getting together.  However, she recently got a poor report from her doctor.  Her cancer has returned.  We are seeking out options from University of Texas MD Anderson hospital in and hope they can find a way to assist.  Please be prayerful for her and the entire family.

Christmas morning, I woke up feeling poorly again with a sour stomach around 4 a.m.  Karson followed not long after and said she'd had trouble sleeping.  By the time 7:30 a.m. rolled around, I decided to wake the boys.  I couldn't believe they had slept in that long - very unusual.  They raced for the living room and tore through all of their gifts.  Miles got dominoes and a Hot Wheels set from Santa.  Karson received a Chromebook.  Isaac got a GO Pro! camera.  They also got lots of gifts from mom and dad as well =).  It was a nice Christmas.  We went over to Matt's parents house for breakfast around 9:30 a.m. and then came back around 4 p.m. to celebrate with the entire family.  It was a whirlwind and we managed to make it through it all another year.  We're very fortunate!!!  Happy 2015 to everyone!