Merry Christmas!!

It has been an awesome (and tiring) Christmas.  The day started early (about 7:15 a.m.) when the kids got up and saw that Santa had stopped by and left them a little something.  Hannah got a mountain bike, puzzle, the game Aggravation, and "Hannah Montana - The Movie."  Will got a scooter, puzzle, Black and Decker play set (including tools, toolbelt, hat, screwdriver, hammer, etc), and the movie "G Force."  Andrew got a Cars play rug, Mr. The King (from the movie "Cars"), a Black and Decker play set, the game Chutes and Ladders, and the movie "The Jungle Book."  I got some clothes, a book and an envelope with a clue inside.  Mike, playing Santa, hid clues around the house that lead to a gift hanging on the back of the tree.  It was a Mommy's Bracelet that had all three kids names.  I cried when I opened it.  After searching around town for quite a while, Mike found a place in Atlanta, GA that could add Andrew's name to my existing bracelet.  It was wonderful!!  Mike got the Garmin GPS with heart monitor that he can wear while running.  He's been wanting one for a few months and I finally got it for him.  He also got Glenn Beck's new book "Arguing With Dummies," and a new travel kit.  The zippers broke on the one he had because he had it well over ten years.  Santa left Mike and me a Dance Dance Revolution game, Dance Dance Revolution mat, another controller and nunchuck for our Wii that came with another Sports game that has nine different sports. Mike and I got the kids a Snuggie each (it's a blanket with arms) and a toy.

Melanie and Nathan came over and we opened gifts.  Mom wasn't able to come because she woke up with a 23-hour stomach virus.  She sent over some of her presents for us and kept some others for us to open when she feels better.  The kids got clothes (something Hannah and Will desparately needed!) from Mom and Mel.  Andrew got a rolling Cars suitcase that contained a blanket, pillow and flashlight.  He also got a Cars book where some Cars toys "drive" on a track inside.  Will got a Hungry Hungry Hippo game and some Hot Wheels cars.  Hannah got a Junie B. Jones book, an activity book and some red sparklely flats.  Mom got us another nunchuck and controller for our Wii (now we have three - YEAH!)

Susan, Todd and their boys came over and ate lunch with us.  I cooked my first turkey today and it was good!!  We also had mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, cornbread dressing, pineapple casserole, broccoli-cauliflower salad, and cranberry sauce.  I forgot to cook the crescent rolls but we were not suffering for food.  We had planned to also have ham but looking at the amount of food, I decided not to cook it and save it for later.

Now, the kids and Mike are watching "G Force" while I type away.  Our guests left for their houses with some great memories made today.  I hope everyone has a great day and remember the reason for this season - JESUS CHRIST.


P.S.  I realized after I posted this message I had forgotten to mention one very important gift the kids (and parents) received this year - a Nintendo Wii gaming system!!!  My dad and step-mom bought it for the kids and we all have been having a blast playing it.  It came with five games: tennis, golf, boxing, baseball and bowling.  Both Hannah and Will are really good at Bowling.  I started out doing great (my best score was a 202 with FIVE strikes in a row!!) but has steadily gone down hill.  Tonight, I bowled a 98.  Horrible!!  Mike and I like to play it after the kids go to bed.  Some nights, Mike will play all five games before turning it off.  Now that we have three controllers, playing multiple players will be a lot easier.

Richest Woman in the World

As I write this, the clock has turned past 12 a.m. so my 42nd birthday is officially over.  It has been a wonderful day filled with love and friendship.  My day started early when Andrew and Will woke us up at 6:45 a.m. (That's early for us.  I usually don't go to bed until around 12:30 a.m. and get up at 7 to get the kids ready for school.)  As I'm changing Andrew's clothes and diaper (his diaper leaked and he was soaked), the phone rang.  It was Nathan and Melanie calling at 6:50 a.m. to wish me a Happy Birthday before they went to school and work, respectively.  Hannah fixed me breakfast and had it waiting when I went into the kitchen. 

My birthday presents were sitting on the table.  Mike and the kids bought me a nice multi-pink robe, some pink house slippers, a gift card to Gould's Day Spa, and some roses.   I felt like a queen.  Hannah, Will and Andrew each made me a beautiful card and Mike bought me one with the sweetest saying.

The kids got ready for school all on their own, without me having to be on them constantly.  They dressed themselves (including socks and shoes), brushed their teeth and hair, made their beds, turned off their lights and opened their blinds.  They even had time to watch a little t.v. before heading off to school.

I spent the morning running errands and doing a little Christmas shopping, enjoying my last day by myself for two and a half weeks.  For lunch, I treated myself to McAlister's and used the $5 coupon I received as a birthday present from them.  It was sooo good! 

Mom came over after work and watched the kids so Mike and I could go to dinner.  We went to Kyoto's in Olive Branch and enjoyed watching they Hibachi cook.  The meal was delicious and the company was even better.  At 8:00 p.m., I met some girlfriends at Starbucks.  We enjoyed having some adult girl time without kids.  It was awesome!!!  We didn't leave until 10:30!!

Every time I checked Facebook, I had a ton of notifications letting me know someone made a comment on my profile page.  Friends and family members left birthday wishes and greetings all day long.  It was so nice to know so many people were thinking about me today.

I am truly blessed!!  I have wonderful kids, an awesome husband, great parents and fantastic friends.  I am the richest woman in the world and couldn't have asked for a better birthday present. 

Thank you all for such a wonderful birthday!!  I love you all!!

Kids and Their Sayings; Happy Anniversary

Kids do say the darndest things.  This one comes from Andrew:  "Mom, the sun is looking at me!!  Tell him to stop!!!"  (During our trip to North Carolina, we moved all three kids to the backseat of the van so they could all watch the  DVD player.  When we got home, Andrew asked if he could stay there.  Since then, the sun seems to bother him more.)

Last night while decorating the tree, Will started singing "Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle on the way!"  I laughed then remembered a little boy I taught in Sunday school many, many years ago.  His name was Jared and he was five at the time.  My friend Jeff and I were getting supplies out of the closet when, in a loud voice, I heard Jared sing, "Don't tell it on the mountain!"  We started laughing and trying to figure out where that came from.  I remembered Jared's parents were in the Christmas program and he had heard them practicing the song "Go Tell It On The Mountain."

Don't you just love it?!

On a side note, I want to wish my friend Stacy and her husband a very happy anniversary!!!  I hope you enjoy your weekend together with no kids (they have six, a son-in-law, and one grandson).  I love you girl!!!

St. Jude Marathon

On Saturday, December 5, Mike and his friend Bill ran in the St. Jude Marathon, which benefits the St. Jude Childrens' Research Hospital in Memphis, TN.  They started training about 12 weeks ago.  Mike had set a personal goal of finishing in four hours and finished the race in 4 hours and 2 minutes!!!  Bill finished about 20 minutes behind Mike because he started cramping some during the race.  After he got to the car, Mike called and asked how long it would take him to get home.  When I told him, he asked me to have our whirlpool tub ready and waiting for him.  His knees and legs were sore.  The kids and I babied him and let him take a long and well-deserved nap.  When I asked Mike if he would do another marathon, he said to ask him in 3-4 days, after he had a chance to recover.  He said he would definitely do a half-marathon (which he has done two or three times before).  I AM SOOO PROUD OF HIM!!!  (For those who aren't familiar with the distance in a marathon, the participants have to run 26.2 miles.  A half-marathon is 13.1 miles.)

We had a few friends that ran in the marathon and 5K.  All of the races (marathon, half-marathon, and 5K) were completely booked.  In all, there were about 11,000 people racing that morning.  I had thought about taking the kids to see Mike run and cross the finish line but decided not to.  It was really cold (the high was about 45 degrees) and the kids would have been bored out of their skulls.  The marathon raised about $1.65 million dollars that will go towards cancer research and helping families that can't afford the treatment.

WAY TO GO MIKE AND BILL!!!!!!!