Happy 12th Anniversary!

Our 12th anniversary was Sunday, and Mom and Papa kept the kids for us to have a nice relaxing weekend at home ALONE! It was wonderful to be able to sleep in, go out to dinner AND lunch, and just listen to peace and quiet for a change. On Saturday, Papa called and said Avery was complaining of a headache, and she wanted to come home. We figured she was just homesick, and she ended up feeling better that day. But she woke up in the middle of the night on Saturday night crying. By Sunday morning, she had a low fever, so they brought her home. As soon as she saw me, she started crying about her head. I held her for maybe 5 minutes, and she started saying her tummy hurt. Then she got this look on her face and I knew what was coming! She starting puking all over me. I was holding her while she threw up 4 times on me from the living room to the bathroom. Poor baby; it was so awful! We both hopped in the shower, while my WONDERFUL husband completely sanitized the bathroom and my parents cleaned up the mess in the living room. So, I spent my 12th anniversay taking care of a kid with the stomach virus. That night, instead of a romantic evening with my husband, it was Bryan, me and Avery in the bed. I told Bryan that night, this kindof typifies our life stage right now, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. Happy Anniversay, baby! You're still the greatest husband in the world, and it is a joy sharing life with you!

Holly Jolly Christmas Part 2

Whew!! Christmas is my absolute FAVORITE time of year, but I must admit that I breathe a HUGE sign of relief when it's all over. Despite my attempts, I just don't see how it will ever be anything but hectic, and I really don't mean that in a bad way. I happen to love a packed schedule because I seem to get lots more accomplished. On Christmas day, Avery kept on wanting to know, "Why does Christmas only last ONE DAY?" One day, child? Where have YOU been? We've been doing Christmas for a whole month! But now that the decorations are all put away, the new toys are in their proper spot, the parties are all over, and the baked goods are ALMOST gone, I can finally sit down, relax, and reflect on the rest of this year's highlights...(continued from my previous post).

9. We celebrated with Shirley, Al, Shawn, Ash, Dennis and Tina and their families at the Smith's house on the 21st. Tina, as always, cooked a delicious dinner. The kids all enjoyed playing together, and somehow we left the house in decent shape. They were SOOOO wild!! Avery and Brynn sure do love their cousins though! The family is so big; thankfully, we draw names between the brothers & their wives/kids. But all of the grandchildren got lots of great gifts from PaPa and Grandma Shirley, and Brynn tried on every single new outfit and modeled it for everyone.

10. On Tuesday the 23rd, Mom kept the girls and baked Christmas cookies with them. I had to take Asa to the doctor that day - Diagnosis: double ear infection, sore throat, & brochitis. Poor Fellow! That night, we had Dad, Hope and Jeffrey over for dinner. We opened presents first (out of the ordinary for the Daniel family), so that we could enjoy a longer dinner/visit with the adults. Nonna read to Avery and Brynn and put them to bed that night, which was special for them.

11. On Christmas Eve, we went to church and then to Shirley and Al's house for dinner. Afterwards, the men went downstairs for their yearly "Santa debate" while the ladies stayed upstairs and were entertained by the younger kids as they did their "Program" of carols for us. The older generation of cousins (pictured) had to do "The Program" when they were growing up, and last year, they willingly passed the baton to their younger cousins. Tom Murvin lost the men's "debate;" therefore, shortly afterwards, the sound of Santa's sleigh was heard on the roof. Then, the highlight of the night, Rock n Roll Santa, showed up with his crazy dance moves. It was so funny to Bryan and me this year because all 3 of the kids actually danced with him. Well, Asa was actually PLOWED OVER by him (a video clip that Bryan is considering sending to America's Funniest Home Videos). It was hysterical! The evening continued in a blur of laughter, flying wrapping paper balls, oooohs and aaaahs over new toys, and generally LOTS of noise!

12. Asa was the first kid up on Christmas morning (7:15). Brynn was next at 7:45, and Avery joined the rest of us at 8:15. I am cherishing these Christmases, because I know in time they'll start waking up before the sun rises on Christmas morning. Mom and Papa came over to be a part of all the fun. First, we did our advent wreath & house and sang "Happy Birthday to Jesus" several times. They were REALLY into the whole advent candle thing and wanted to do it over and over again all season long. When we got around to seeing what Santa brought, the girls were really excited about everything they got, and they enjoyed opening Asa's loot too! Avery was especially thrilled with the Care Bear that was "exactly what she wanted." She told me later, "The elves are really good at that." I asked, "at what?" She responded, "at making Care Bears." After presents, we had brunch, and then just spent the rest of the day chillin' out!

13. On Christmas night, Bryan and I let the girls in on one of OUR traditions - sleeping on the floor in front of the Christmas tree. We pulled our mattress in the living room, and the girls brought their sleeping bags for a great family time of laughing, reading, and watching movies. They thought it was GREAT!!

And now, it's over. Another year almost gone. One of my favorite songs that our choir sang this year said these words..."It's a brand new Christmas...another year, another chance to make a memory - to cherish friends and family. A brand new Christmas...enjoying moments with the Prince of Peace. There's no gift like the present, and this is....a brand new Christmas." Those lyrics perfectly express my thoughts this Christmas. We've enjoyed our family and our friends; we've made many new memories, but more than anything, we've celebrated Jesus in a way that made THIS Chrismas special and unique.

A Holly Jolly Christmas

Well, the Christmas hustle and bustle have already hit around my house, so much so, that I haven't had much time to blog. Some of the highlights so far (in chronological order)...

1. I enjoyed my "Promise" marathon week. Practice with the IBC choir for 2 nights and then the production for 3 nights. Avery was a huge fan and came to see it 3 out of 4 times. On the first night, I was walking out on stage to sing with my ladies quartet, and I heard, "Hey MOMMY!!" I ignored her, not wanting to be distracted, and she yelled out, "HEY MOMMY" again. Needless to say, she spent the whole song moping over the fact that I didn't say hey back. I guess it's time to teach her a little about "theatre etiquitte."

2. Some of those everyday moments that you just HAVE to snap pictures of - like Brynn falling asleep during dinner at her little table. (see picture below) Or what about when I walked up and Asa had a highchair tray full of Cherrios (the culprit? Brynn, of course). She said, "But Asa wants some more Cherrios." What you CAN'T see is that there were hundreds in his seat, and the box was now empty. Thanks, Brynn!

Then there was the day when I rounded to corner to find my Christmas tree on the living room floor! Avery said, "I'm sorry I knocked over the Christmas Tree." I was so mad I had to send her to her room so I could cool down! We got it fixed (though I haven't put all the ornaments back on), and Avery said with a pout, "Mommy, I said I was sorry, and you didn't forgive me." Guess I can't be mad anymore. But the fact that I CHOSE not to take a picture of it prooves how upset I was. The thought entered my mind, but I deliberately didn't get out the camera! Now I wish I did....
Of course, Asa picks this crazy time of year to start climbing up on everything. He can climb up on the sofa, or a small chair, or the girls' art desk. He has sustained quite a few injuries. (No, one of them wasn't when I was snapping this picture, thank the Lord!)

3. We had our first family Christmas gathering last Sunday at Mom & Papa's with the Kitchings side of the family, and guess who showed up? Santa Claus!! Brynn ran up to him and jumped into his arms, and Avery was nothing but smiles. The kids all enjoyed singing "Happy Birthday to Jesus" and eating birthday cake, and the adults had a "Dirty Santa" gift swap that was fun.
4. Avery's Broadway Show Choir had their holiday performance at MLT. She did a great job. We bought her roses and gave them to her afterwards, and she thought that was great!

5. For my birthday (which was in September), Dad and Hope gave me 2 tickets to see Annie at the Grand. Avery and I went on a date to El Sombrero and then to the play afterwards. We had great seats, and Avery loved every minute of it. Afterwards, we went around to the back of the building and got to meet the cast and Sandy!

6. Avery and Brynn both had Christmas parties at school, and Avery's Christmas program was amazing! The 4K and 5K classes did a great job of celebrating Jesus' Birthday! Avery was originally on the front row, but she got moved because she kept on pulling her dress up. She also told Mrs. Ruth that if the little girl who sang the solo was sick, she could do it because she knew all the words! I was surprised that she would even WANT to do a solo because she clams up in front of an audience.

7. On Saturday, we had our Christmas gathering with the Harrison side of the family in Marietta. It was alot of fun. The cousins enjoyed playing together and the only mishap was that Brynn cut a hole in her dress with some scissors! Better dress than hair, I'll say!

8. Throughout the month, we have done dozens of crafts, baked cookies and cakes, had great times with our advent wreath and our advent house - all in order to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. This has definitely been a great one so far! And there is still so much more fun to come!!! This truly is the BEST time of the year!

2nd Annual Christmas Program @ the Kelleys

Tonight, the kids enjoyed being in the Christmas program at our friends', the Kelleys, house. This tradition started last year and has become one of my favorite parts of this wonderful season. There were over 25 kids who practiced this morning and put on the production for all of us tonight. The idea stemmed from the fact that Lanier just wanted her kids to experience the "Best Christmas Pageant Ever" kind of thing. The kids all have great little costumes, they (sometimes) memorize their lines, the music messes up every now and then, kids scream out "Hey Mommy" in the middle of the program (that would be Brynn this time), and we all just LOVE it! This year, Avery and Brynn were both angels and Asa was a lamb. Here are some of the highlights....

Asa and Elijah were 2 of the animals.

Avery and Brynn were angels, though Brynn was more interested in Baby Jesus than in singing the songs we had practiced all week long!!

Myra, Avery and Lydia

Brynn, Evie and Emma ringing their bells.

Brynn came in from outside later during the night and said, "Mommy, my pants fell down." She couldn't seem to keep them up! Nice crack!!

Can I say just say that Lanier wins the MOTY award. I don't know many moms who would let that many kids (ages 2 to 8) spend 2 hours at their house practicing for a play and then open their home up again at night for everyone to come back and watch/have dinner! But, it sure does mean a lot to all of us who get to be a part of it, and it's one of the Christmas memories we'll carry with us for a life time!! Thanks, Lanier!!

I'll Love you Forever

About a year ago, I was reading I'll Love You Forever to Avery before bed. Most parents, especially Moms, know this one - it tends to be a favorite of ours because it demonstrates how a mothers's love for her children is something that never grows old, even if THEY do! Well, have you ever really paid attention to the words of the book? On this particular night (a year ago), as I read the book to Avery, I did. Pardon me, while I recap the story...
Mommy sneaks her new baby out of bed, rocks him, and sings,
"I'll love you forever; I'll like you for always.
As long as I'm living my baby you'll be."
So sweet! A few years later, Mommy sneaks her toddler out of bed, rocks him, and sings the same song. So sentimental. Still a couple of years later, Mommy sneaks her little boy out of bed, rocks him, and sings the same song. I love this book! Several more years pass by, and Mommy sneaks her teenager out of bed, rocks him, and sings her song to him again. You get the idea! Well, it's all sweet until one day, when the little boy gets married, and Mommy gets in her car, drives across town to his house, climbs a ladder to his window, sneaks in his bedroom, crawls across the floor, gets her grown-up boy out of bed, rocks him, and sings, "I'll love you forever." For the first time ever, I looked at my favorite children's book and asked, "What kind of SICK Mama is this?" All of this to say that I may very well be on the road to becoming that sick Mama!! I love sneaking my kids out of bed at night and bringing them into my bed and just holding them and loving on them! I did it just last night with Asa, and I cherished every minute of it. His smell...last night, he smelled of lavender and maple syrup. His breathing...mouth closed into a pucker and nose breath rhythmically tickling my neck. The feelings of the warmth of his little body next to mine and the adorable twitch of his hand as he holds my thumb, assuring me that he is asleep and completely unaware that I am caught up in this moment. Yep, I'm definitely in trouble, but as long as I can get away with it, I think I'll keep it up! When my kids are older, I'll be the mama who is still sneaking them out of bed while they're asleep for these priceless moments. (But I may have to draw the line with the ladder!) Avery, Brynn, and Asa, rest assured, I'll love you forever!!

Bad Hair Day!

Well, today was one of those days that I'll always remember. Every mother of girls (and probably some boys too) has this deep rooted fear that one day their baby with the beautiful long tresses will give herself a new haircut. We keep the scissors out of reach; we try to instill in their minds that cutting your OWN hair is a REALLY BAD IDEA; we threaten them; basically, we try to put the fear of God in them! For me, it didn't work. Today was the fateful day when my baby cut her hair. Faithful readers of this blog are saying, "Oh no! Brynn strikes again, and Brynn's hair can't get any shorter," but you'll never believe it...the culprit wasn't Brynn, but Avery!! She decided she wanted short hair (like her best friend at school), and that was it. She took a big whack out of the front and ended up giving her self a ridiculous looking set of bangs and a really bad layered cut on the left side. I didn't end up crying (I was too mad to cry), but I didn't wait long before taking her to the "beauty shop" to get it fixed. She absolutely loves it and thinks she looks just like Carlie from school. I feel pretty fortunate that in the end she looks OK, just not like a little girl anymore. Boo - Hoo!!!

It's the Hard Knock Life For Us

Avery's newest musical obsession is "Annie." Today, we had my niece, Baylor, over to play for several hours. I nearly died when I saw what they were playing...they were pretending to be orphans and singing, "It's the Hard Knock Life" while they completely cleaned my house!!! They took squares of toilet paper and washed the floors, walls, furniture, and windows . They made my bed, cleaned Avery's room, and even picked up the mess in the house that they'd made. I couldn't believe my luck! Believe me, my house is "shinin' like the top of the Chrysler Building" right now, thanks to a couple of imaginative little girls! Think I'll have Baylor over more often!!

What IS it with my kids?

So, I'm at home the other day, and I can't find Brynn. It's about 4:30 (and we have dropped her afternoon nap, I should add), and the house is just too quiet, which always beckons the question, "Where's Brynn?" I am running around the house calling, "Brynn, where are you? Answer Mommy!!" I do this for what seems like eternity (really only about 10 seconds), but I am starting to get really panicky! I walk into Asa's room, and I just happen see 2 little feet sticking out from behind his crib. I go to look closer, thinking maybe she's playing hide and seek. But no, you guessed it, she's fast asleep behind the bed. What IS it with my kids??? (If you read my "Sound Asleep" post from September, you know what I mean!)