Christmas Eve Festivities

We spent Christmas Eve afternoon with Meme and Papa and the rest of Larry's family.  Since Ron has a big house we have gone over there for most family gatherings.  Lunch was wonderful as usual! And we topped it off with Meme's cinnamon rolls for tradition's sake! YUM!

Papaw and Meme tried to trick Larry with a train box holding his gift card to Academy!  Larry and Austin thought it was a good trick!

We didn't make it to Christmas Eve service due to festivities at Uncle Ron's but we went to Nana and Papa's for finger foods and presents!  It was great to have Dallas, Sarah and the boys with us for both Thanksgiving and Christmas!  I hate when they are gone but know they are enjoying time with Sarah's family. This year we took turns opening presents (at least the kids did) so Nana could watch her boys open presents.  This was a great lesson in patience but it was really fun that we all got to see everyone open all their gifts!

 Rhett was first and he was so fun to watch.  His facial expressions were priceless!

Rhett would throw the paper and sometimes the gift at Uncle Larry when he was done.

Jude went next....he was so busy it was hard to get a pic of him facing me!

Austin was 3rd and he loved everything.  Here he is sporting his new glove from Uncle Dave!

 Nana and Santa got them a Kinect to go with their XBOX!

 Last but not least....Cole!  Rhett did so good watching and helping!

Braves fan!

And Pokes fan too!  Thank you Aunt Sarah (and Uncle Dallas)!  And the hat was from Nana which he wore for the rest of the evening!

Pre-Christmas Activities

Amazingly we have celebrated another Christmas!  I am in awe of how quickly it comes and goes.  As I was boxing up my stuff (on December 26th), I was reminded that so many people box up Christmas literally and figuratively.  I hope to never find myself doing this.  My world would be so  different out of control without Christ.  I am thankful for his birth, death and resurrection so I can have direct access to the thrown of God whenever I want!

I haven't had a lot of time to do any entries so before I go back to work, I am going to post several over a couple of days!

It used to bug me that Larry wanted to put the tree and trimmings away the day after Christmas.  But I just start decorating a little earlier (before Thanksgiving!) and I have grown to love getting things back in order!

We Larry didn't do any outside lights this year, so Austin insisted that we buy the "hangy-down" lights for next year.  Being the bargain shopper that I am training him to be, he wanted to hit Wal-Mart on the 26th to get some for next year....and we did!

Larry is notorious for figuring out his gifts and I spent our first Christmas mad at him for opening his gifts while I was at work and then re-wrapping them.  If he would have just kept that to himself, I would have never known.  This is what makes Christmas fun for him....ugh! Well after almost 15 years, I have learned to just get over it!  This year was no different.  I had ordered him and the boys some new Nike's online and purposely ordered them separately so when the box came the boys' shoes would be there and not his.  Well that worked out but he got home before me the next day and found his on the porch.  He opened them, tried them on and informed me that evening that he loved them!  So, even though I told him he could go ahead and have them, he waited and let me wrap them so he could open them on Christmas.

He got the stomach bug a few days before Christmas and I finally got approval for specials on Oakley sunglasses since he is a police officer.  So, with our upcoming anniversary, I ordered him some.  I thought this might be good, cause he wouldn't expect that for our anniversary.  But once again, he figured it out.  We went out to dinner for my birthday (late due to Austin having stomach bug on my b-day) and he insisted we go pick me out something for Christmas.  I repeatedly told him I only got him the shoes and he eventually spills out that he saw an email that his sunglasses had shipped and he loved them!  He never checks emails!  But he did this time and once again spoiled the surprise.  Oh, well!  It's what makes him who he is....even though it makes me crazy!

Here they are....$180 sunglasses for $90!  Love good deals

We did an Advent calendar this year filled with activities to do as a family.  We tried to get them all in but that stomach bug tried to ruin some of our fun.  Some of my favorites were sharing your favorite Christmas memory, drinking hot cocoa together, watching a Christmas movie, going to see Christmas lights, buying gifts for kids in need (boys were most excited about this since it was for some needy kids they knew personally) and camping out all night in front of the Christmas tree!

CAMPING OUT!

Austin decorating sugar cookies to go in gifts for our neighbors!

 Can you ever have too many sprinkles?

Cole making his favorite....Chocolate chip cookies to add to our gift bags for the neighbors!

It was especially hard for Austing to not peek...he must get that from someone.  I think he did look because he couldn't wait til the 24th because it was "open 1 gift".

Here is the 1 gift...and I got to choose which one!

They were hoping for something fun....but new jammies are a tradition!

More to come!

Wow it's December!

On Wednesday, (Nov. 30th) I had to take Cole to the doctor because his ear was hurting.  He had an ear infection....first one in the last 10 years....strange!  Anyway, when the receptionist gave me his note to return to school then next day, I was completely shocked that it said "Cole can return to school on DECEMBER 1ST!"  What?  Where has this year gone?  I guess time flies when your havin' fun!

Thanksgiving this year started with the Hog Jog in Owasso.  Cole and I ran the 5K and I also ran the mile fun run with Austin.  I am proud of both of them!  Larry went for moral support and was the photographer.  It was a fun, new tradition we hope to continue!

Larry helping Austin get his race bib on.

At the starting line!

Ahead of me...big surprise!

Cole and I at the starting line for the 5K!

Believe it or not...this is the beginning of the 5K....my facial expression would tell otherwise!

Finishing...Cole was a couple of minutes ahead of me but I finished a personal best 27:47!

Both boys fell asleep in the car on the way home and then crashed on the couch and chair!

After the race we spent the rest of our Thanksgiving day at Jimmy and Joy's and then on to Ron's for 2 wonderful dinners!  We love spending time with our families.  And of course mom and I had to check out the Black Friday sales.  I wasn't that inspired so we went to Walmart at 9:00 for their 10:00 specials and after price matching from Target and Best Buy we were home by 11:00!  Larry and I then went out later on Friday to do some other shopping.  A great Thanksgiving and soooooo much to be thankful for.  God has blessed me beyond words!

Cole started basketball and has played 2 tournaments and one league game over the last 2 weeks.  They are 8 and 8 and have 2 1st place medals!  Great way to start the season!

1st Tournament and 1st Place!

Tip off Thanksgiving Hoopstarz Tourney 

Cole waits on the free-throw shot. 

 Thanksgiving Hoopstarz 1st Place!

Austin received the Awesome Reading Award in November.  I am proud of him for so many reasons but this makes his teacher mom very happy!

 He looks so happy!  He doesn't like to be up in front of people and the whole school was there!

Christmas is just around the corner and we are ready at home.  We put the tree up on Wednesday before Thanksgiving but got it all decorated on Friday after Thanksgiving.  I have found a new addiction in Pinterest, so who knows what other decorations may make their way into our home!

My mom made the comment "I can't believe you have a crimson and cream tree!"  I responded with it is burgundy and light gold!  It has inspired me to buy a tree after Christmas (hoping for 75% off) to put in our game room and decorate it in nothing but ORANGE and BLACK....Go Pokes! (Today is the Bedlam game so I had to get that in there!)

Our Advent Calendar inspired by Pinterest!  I plan to add pictures of some of our family activities as we do them this month!  Austin is so excited and it is rubbing off on Cole!

I CANNOT HAVE A 12 YEAR OLD!!!

Is it possible? Is it really possible that my first born baby boy is now 12?  I have no idea where the time has gone.  It truly seems like yesterday that Larry and I were trying to figure out just what to do with the small 6 pound gift God gave us.  He was not a sleeper and I spent many nights wondering how I was going to possibly go to work and stay awake for a classroom full of kiddos.  With Larry working nights, it was all me during the night and I spent many praying that Cole would "please go to sleep"!  I can't say I miss the sleepless nights, but I do miss the baby years.  Now I am finding it hard to wake the boy up to go to school.  Oh how times have changed.

But one thing remains.....Cole is still my cuddle-er.  He still unknowingly rubs my arm when he is tired or sick and my mind races back.  Nightly he says "Mom come sit with me" and we cuddle.  I know he will eventually grow out of this, but I hope not too soon.  (I guess it would be kinda weird when he's 20!)

Here are some of my favorite pics of my sweet Cole!

 This was early in the summer....

 ....this was in late July on vacation.  He is my little brownie!

Yes, it is sideways cause he was hanging sideways off the bed!

We celebrated Cole's birthday last weekend.  He got introduced to paintball last winter and has said that he wanted to do his next birthday party there.  It was a little delayed but we finally celebrated!  So glad he had a great time!

 Larry gets ready to go!

 Cole and his friends....Charlie, Alex, Brooks and Riley....getting ready to take on the dads and Austin and Colton.

Uncle Dave surrenders!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SWEET COLE!!!