MUCH better!!

The last post I published, I was balling my eyes out as I typed. Oh me. What a time in my life that I will never forget. You know what? I've made it past it! and I FINALLY got my answer from God, requiring yet another change!
Later on the same day of that last post, I changed my tune. I told God that I wasn't going to ask him which school route to take but I was going to tell him that I wanted to make a decision that was going to allow me to be the best mom I could be. If it was homeschooling him, I could do it, if it was taking him to school and just loving him to pieces when he came home, I could do it, I just needed to know which way I'd be a better mom. On Thursday, I got Carson up to take him BACK to school. He cried and begged and pleaded with me not to take him, and I gave in, one last time I thought. My daddy called me later in the morning just to check on me and see how things were going. I told him about the morning and how I just could not take him the way he was and leave him. Later on that morning, Carson had some focusing issues and I was becoming a little frustrated. In the midst of it all, he asked to go back to Saltillo. Increasing my frustration level I realized I could not start out on something so shakey, and that if he was going to ask to go back, since this was the second day for these comments, I needed to take action. I honestly felt like God had hand picked everything about Saltillo primary especially for him and me this year. After a lecture we loaded up and went BACK to school at 1230. He had officially been withdrawn but no new students had arrived and taken his place so he went right back where he left off. He told me when I picked him up that all his friends came running up to him and said, "Carson, you're back" with arms open wide for lots of hugs! How happy that made me feel!
At any rate when I left school that day, I called my Daddy. I have an AWESOME daddy! He had prayed a very specific prayer for me that I had no idea he was praying. He prayed that the Lord would do whatever he had to do to let me make a clear decision and have no guilt attached to it. He even prayed that my frustration level would reach a height of no confusion on an answer. And do you know what? Within 30 minutes of that prayer, the Lord took Carson and I to a level of frustration that made everything clear! I knew I could only trust him at that point and not doubt the decision that had been made. God placed my little boy in a classroom with a christian teacher, one I've known since high school, he gave him a homeschooled reading teacher, who understands why parents homeschool and what it's like to be homeschooled, and he placed some awesome boys and girls in his class from his own Sunday School class to hold him accountable and be examples. Without a doubt I know we are taken care of and I just thank God for showing me the direction to take that will help me be a better mama right now during this season in our lives! I also thank him for an earthly father who still prays for his little girl and the struggles she goes through as a mother!
And for all my friends who listened to me literally sob during all this and offered a listening ear as I tried every day to figure it out! not to mention the prayers! I'm blessed in so many ways!

This Photobucket thing...

Does anyone know how to get this off? I have no idea how it got there but it's in the way!

Shawna

BTW -- I don't know why I didn't think to visit Focus on the Family's website for some direction. I love me some James Dobson and value his insight on many, many topics. After another difficult night at work and feeling like I was having palpitations in whether I was going home to get a little man ready for school, I found a lot of encouraging information on Focus' website regarding school choices/decisions and young children. One being "what parents can teach young children in informal one-on-one interactions surpasses what their little minds can absorb sitting among 25 age-mates in a classroom" and how research now validates the wisdom of keeping boys and girls in a protected environment until they have achieved a greater degree of maturity, it is noted that they benefit emotionally as well as typically make better progress academically. Dr. Dobson also goes on to say, if he and his wife were raising their children again, they would home school them for at least the first few years. BTW again --- I'm not typing this on here to be valuable information to anyone else, I'm doing it so that when I doubt myself and my decision I can come back and re-read it for encouragement!

Crossroads in my life..

I have never felt more at a crossroad in my life than now. Normally, I realize there is a decision I have to make and sometimes it's so obvious it doesn't even require much thought. Other times, it takes a little time and prayers, and then the answer is still clear. This has been a summer of struggles for me and I feel like I'm in the middle of the see-saw and each time I decide which end I want to inch towards, I scoot right back to the middle, trying to balance it out.
For most of you that read this when I update it, you know that I have had a tremendous struggle with public school or homeschool. The decision was made last year to homeschool Carson b/c we had decided to hold him back d/t his birthday and I didn't really want him to repeat kindergarten or first grade, so we did something new. I remember this decision was semi difficult but I of course analyzed it to the max, made the decision, cried the "first day of school" b/c I felt guilty for not sending him but after that I was fine, he was fine and we made it, with no regrets. Actually, no regrets, leading me to wonder if I should do it again.
I don't even have time to go through all the avenues I've walked trying to make this decision but one of them is inadequacy. Most homeschool mom's you know are solely stay home moms. I'm not, I have to work outside the home, thankfully, it's only part-time but it's still a job and the way I have chosen to do it, is work at night, so that I can be home with my kids during the day. This in turn leads to exhaustion on some days but I make it! Most homeschool moms aren't in college. This too is not the case for me, b/c I realize I will have to go back to work full time one day, I decided -- with a good bit of analyzing-- that I wanted a more "normal" job before my kids were grown and gone. Therefore, going back to school for a different nursing job was the answer, and on paper, the direction was clear---to teach nursing. God has affirmed this to me in several ways since I got accepted in the spring and started the program in June. This too is on a part time status so please don't think I'm taking 9 hours of graduate classes, working 40 hours a week and homeschooling my child!
Vince had wanted me to homeschool again this year --- just this one more year --- to lay some more concrete down as a foundation. I was considerate of his request but at the same time he did not want to "put too much on me, or more than I could handle". I wanted to do what the Lord, wanted us to do and did not want to make the decision myself. I wanted a clear answer that was no denying that was the road to take. Guess what? I still don't think I've got it, I'm still standing in the middle of the two roads and it's past time for a decision. I honestly felt like God was saying, "you've got to make this one and I'll be there on the road with you, no matter which one you take". I did pray for signs and I did get them, Rainbows --- "Shawna, TRUST ME! to take care of you and your family and your little boy, comments from my preacher------"when you have the opportunity to invest in your children for ETERNITY, take it", Emails from friends ---- "GUIDANCE -- stands for God, U(you) and I, DANCE --let God lead the dance and I will follow, running in to an old friend at Wal-Mart who has all her Abeka homeschool cirriculum for sale 1/4 price.....the answer was obvious THEN I got the call from the one first grade teacher that I had hoped if he went to public school he'd get. And guess what? he was in her class. Oh, Lord, I need help so bad, a push in the right direction!!!
At any rate, I took him to school 2 hours late on Thursday, the first day of school, with not the first school supply b/c I woke up with an overwhelming guilt that I was keeping him from proper education and that he'd surely get something that he'd need that I failed to teach him. This has torn me apart. I was an emotional wreck the whole, entire day and the next. He cried at the door, but went on in. I cried at home. I took him back on Friday b/c the counselor asked me to, and same story. He cried at the door but went on in, I cried even more. But he was so happy when I picked him up. Over the weekend I worked and asked Vince to please make a decision and let me know that emotionally I could not handle this anymore. Why is this so easy for some and such a hard decision for me??? I'm a mama like everyone else and they don't have this much trouble, or do they?
Anyway, the decision was made to homeschool this one more year. And you know what, I've cried over it too, b/c I'm still feeling like I'm inadequate and he'd like school better.
Yesterday I worked and a friend of mine had invited me to a women's conference at her church in Corinth. She brought me a flyer on the topic...Jochebed, Moses mom. This overwhelmed me with guilt again... it's says, "have you ever wondered why a loving God would bring you to a crossroad and silently wait for your response? Have you struggled with the realization that you must release someone you love dearly and trust the invisible hand of God to hold them for you? Ultimately, we must all surrender our will, our desire to control, and even surrender our desire to protect into the invisible hand of God. He kept Jochebed's baby alive and that basket afloat! And he will do the same for us!" Oh my goodness, tears were POURING again. I took this as, I've got to take him to school, he has to go, I've got to put him in that basket and TRUST GOD! But you know God speaks to us in different ways. I showed the paper to Vince and asked him to read it and tell me what he thought. He read it and said, "it's saying we've got to let them go" and my next question was to him, "do you think it means now, with this whole school ordeal?" and he's reply to me was..... "No, Shawna, his basket isn't ready and we're getting him ready to put in it" Thank you God for husbands. Please give me a peace about our decision, please give me affirmation when I need it and energy and time I need to devote to it. Please, one day, let me look back and see the big picture and how you were here through it all and walked down this road with us. I can't keep standing at the crossroads and I've made the first step but I need help to keep going! Please watch over Carson's class at school, his friends there, his teacher, keep them safe and under your care and prepare us and our hearts for what is in store for next year. Help me to not have regrets about this decision and to know that you are in control and to know you told me you'd take care of me whichever way we chose.

Shawna

Well, it's August....

So, the last post I made it was the first of July and now, whoa, it's August. Sometimes do you post things and then go back and read them, thinking of how you needed to hear what you said previously??? I have not been on this blog since that last post and boy did I need to read what I wrote then!
I'm finally finished with my first graduate class and my grades should be posted today. I got an e-mail from my professor saying she had forgotten to add some extra points to my average, which in turn raised me a complete letter grade. I'm hoping that means I got an "A". I have put great pressure on myself, not meaning to, but doing it anyway, to be a success in school. I have no idea why making good grades is so much more important to me now than it was 16 years ago but maybe it's my age.
For any of you that have been around me the past couple of weeks, you know I've also been stressed out beyond measure regarding a very special little boy in my life, you guessed it, his name is Carson.
I can barely type this without my eyes filling with tears but I am so torn about school, here two days before it starts. I know that school is a "normal" place and there are so many of you that I have ultimate respect for that are about to send your babies off to school. I also know that one day my babies will go off to school as well. I cannot figure out why this is such a tough decision for me. I want him to be at both, home and school and am having great difficulty in seeing through it all to see what is the best for us right now, in the immediate, but basing it on the eternal. I honestly LOVED the fun and freedom we had together last year at home but I want him to be with all his buddies from church and Calvary and baseball and boy scouts, that will be at Saltillo. I wish I could alternate a week at a time but that's not life. This is a decision that I have to make and have to have faith and Trust in God. No matter what we decide before Thursday, the first day of "school" I'm sure it will be an emotional day. I'll either be dropping my baby boy off at school, or I'll be keeping him home, "one more year". Only God can see but I'm sure he's going to take care of me!
With all that said, for all of you who have given me a hug, told me you were praying for me, and have listened to me sob, I appreciate you, and I value the friendship that I have in you! Please continue to pray for us, I still need it!
On a happy note, Vince went for his 3 month repeat chest CT this past week and there were no changes. He will go again in 6 months and then will be able to have regular chest xrays after that if still no changes. Dr. Ungo still doesn't know what his scarring is from, but it's nothing to be treated right now and we are thankful for this news!

Terrible Job at Keeping Up!!

I have done a TERRIBLE job of posting to this blog this summer. We have been so busy and haven't been anywhere!!
We started off with baseball, then VBS, then two weeks of swimming lessons everyday, and now it's JULY. I can't believe it. The summer is flying by.
I started back to school the first of June. That is occupying much of my time and lots of energy, then I'm still trying to do all the things that need to be done around the house, play with my kids, and work a little. I'm tired alot but it won't last forever. School is going good, I'm learning alot and having to remember alot. I really don't know what direction I'm headed in but I know that God has opened so many doors and I'm thankful that in the end I'll be able to see his plan the whole time. It's about trusting Him! Speaking of, I still have no idea what I/we are doing about school this coming year. I can say I fell in love with homeschooling and I'm so completely torn about what to do -- and doing the right thing. I went to the Abeka display last week with the thought in my mind that I wouldn't be impressed with any of their second grade stuff. ..... boy, was I wrong. I saw several people that I knew, even from my high school days, that were so encouraging and I just wondered, "Lord, is this you? guiding me???" The achievement test scores should be back next week so hopefully that will give me more direction.
We have some fun things planned for the rest of the summer and hopefully they will all work out, Atlanta Braves Baseball, American Girl Doll Stores, the beach if it isn't covered in oil and maybe if it is, camping, cookouts, fishing, etc.
And by-the-way, I had a fabulous birthday yesterday! I turned 36 and had so much energy!!
I spent the day with my family, playing at the fountain, swimming lessons, an awesome dinner at Vanisi's in New Albany some yummy cake from Sugaree's!!

Happy 7th Birthday Carson!

Emilia with her new book from Mr. Terry too!

Looking at a new book from Mr. Terry

At Olive Garden


Carson & Emilia with Mr. Terry

Papa, Emilia, Carson & Nannie

Up to bat...

Hugs from a sweet sister...

Today my little man turned 7!!!! I can't believe how time has gone by so fast. We have had revival this week at church and one of the speakers made the comment that his daughter, a mother of young children had told him how the days and weeks creep by but the years fly. Oh, how I agree.

We had Carson a birthday party last Saturday b/c of revival and didn't want to be a reason for people to have to "choose" where they were since there were activities also planned for today at our church.

Today he also had ballgames at the Saltillo Sports Plex which made for a long, fun day.

His first game was at 1215 and his team played really well and won that one. It was actually over in 3 innings. We came home for me to wash a sweaty uniform in time for game #2 at 6:15 tonight. His request for the day was to eat at Olive Garden and eat one of their chocolate cakes for his birthday cake today. So, my parents along with their adopted grandfather, "Mr. Terry" all went to Olive Garden at 4:30 for an early supper. Thanks to Mr. Terry who got there before the rest of us to get our name on a list for the table, and then actually had the table by the time we arrived! Thanks Mr. Terry, we appreciate you!

So, we all stuffed our bellies and then left there for the ball fields again. This time, the team played really well but we lost 12-15. I was proud of the boys though, and Carson was especially happy to receive the "game ball", not because he accomplished any great plays during the game but b/c it was his seventh birthday and his seventh game! He's real proud of that ball that says "MVP"

As we were finishing up the game a few sprinkles began to fall and then the bottom fell out! So, needless to say, we didn't have fireworks and we hurried home to get baths and dry clothes and now we're ready for bed!!

Happy Birthday Man, I hope you've enjoyed your day as much as I have.

Releasing our Butterflies...

I will post pictures later but if you scroll down a little you will see the caterpillars we ordered a couple of weeks ago to go in our butterfly garden. We have had a fun time watching these five little furries change into beautiful butterflies. They did just as the instructions said, they ate and ate their food that was in the bottom of the cup they arrived in until they were fluffy, big caterpillars. Then they crawled to the top and began to form their cacoons, after they were all hanging, we removed the piece of paper that they were attached to and attached it to the inside of our mesh butterfly garden. They hung there for almost a week and then slowly they all began to hatch out, until there were five butterflies. Since the weather was stormy over the weekend we fed them watermelon and orange slices until today when we released them. It was a happy event to watch each of them flutter out the top and into the big world. We watched to see where they might go and then another would emerge. Carson asked if I thought they'd "come back home". I told him probably not b/c their life span was short but I was sure they enjoy being about to fly around. They all made it safely until the fifth one exited. Apparently one of our cats was nearby watching these fluttery things and thought it would be neat to play with it. The fifth one flew only a short distance and landed on the grass, when pounce, the cat caught it by the back wing. The cat went running, the butterfly fluttering as best it could and me chasing the cat. I was so upset with this cat. When I finally caught it, she let the butterfly go and with one mangled back wing, the butterfly flew. I was so grateful and Carson kept a close eye on it, wondering if its wing would heal. He actually found it on a bush in our front yard and was able to get it to walk onto his finger. He carried it around in the garage for a while and then put it up high in a safe place so hopefully the cat would not get it again. Later when we went back outside, it was gone, so hopefully it flew away. At least that's what we hope happened! It's so neat how God makes things to know exactly what to do, crawl, eat a lot, hang upside down, spin a tight cover around you and then EMERGE as a beautiful butterfly. Thank you Lord for creating butterfly's and how they teach us about your handiwork!

Playing with my kids.....

I often end a day thinking, why did I answer in that tone? why did I react this certain way? what was I thinking when I said that? was that really a big deal? ect. and after telling Carson and Emilia goodnight, saying our prayers and telling them how much I love them feeling a yuck feeling that I need to apologize to them for my actions at some point that day. I often find myself wondering, "when they are grown, what will they remember most about the mom and wife that I am to them and to Vince now?" I dust my furniture and see pictures of them while they were still babies and even still at the hospital. I see more of them when they were just one and then just two and now 6 and 4, almost 7 and 5, and I wonder, "where in the world has the time gone?" I know that it will be over all to quickly and then I ask myself, "what will I remember about these days I'm living now?" I so want to be a mom who taught them what was important in life, who spoke gently but got my point across when I needed to, who disciplined in a way that they learn from their mistakes and hopefully don't make the same ones again. I want them to want to come home to visit, to call me when they need help or just need to talk, to have a smile on their faces when they talk about their childhood. With all this to say, my days are never slow paced, there are always 100 gazillion thoughts going through my head of what I need to do next, laundry, iron, cook, clean, get myself ready, lay pj's out for that night, get clothes out for the next day, clean out a closet, go to the grocery store, dr's visits, etc. And so often, I don't take time for just them. Last week, I didn't plan this, it just happened. It was a beautiful day and we were outside, and they say, "hey, mama, will you play hide and seek with us?" and I said sure. Oh my, I haven't played hide and seek, since I was a kid!!!! But you know what??? I had a blast. It was probably more fun that day than when I was a kid, and then we threw the Frisbee, and we threw the baseball and we played kick ball and you know what? I felt SOOOO good inside, b/c I had taken some time out with my kids to be a kid to them and let them know that what they want to play and what they would like to spend time doing with me was important to me. Today, we sat chris-cross-applesauce in the driveway, in the sun, we talked about all the birds, and wondered if they were like the ones in Cinderella and snow white, we ate lunch while we watched Beatles crawl and talked about how fast they got from one place to the next, we talked about how our cats just lay around and about why it's so neat to find a four leaf clover. Then we played tag and hide and seek again and even threw some baseballs. And you know what? I felt soooooo good inside. If you are completely stressed out about something or you just don't feel like an adequate mama b/c you have so many other things that have to be done, just take about an hour to PLAY with your kids, it's amazing what it will do for everybody!!!!!!

Pedicures

The Saturday before Easter, Emilia and I had our first pedicures together. Since we had been gone that week to Memphis with Carson, I had made us an appointment to have this done Saturday morning. Bless her heart, her little feet could barely reach the water, but she had a great time getting pampered and I hope that when she's a mom, she will take more time to do these little relaxing things for herself than I do!!

Easter

We had a fun day on Easter Sunday. Carson had surgery on Good Friday in Memphis and when I went to pick Emilia up on Friday afternoon, she had a small, white, fluffy, little ball with two tall ears to bring home with her. This is Ella. So now to go along with our dog, two cats, we have a sweet bunny rabbit. Easter Sunday we went to Sunday School and church and then came home to eat. Then we played outside, we hid eggs for Carson and Emilia to find, and then they hid eggs for us to find. It was a fun day!

Fun Stuff

Last week we did two fun activities in school. First our butterfly caterpillars arrived. These little ladies are amazing. We actual did a study on butterflies in the fall but the weather was not appropriate to order our caterpillars to be able to release them. We have five, all alive and well. Right now they just eat and sleep and my have they grown. They remind me of the song about sitting on a fence post chewing my bubblegum and along came Herman and the book "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" We are waiting for them to start forming their crysilis. How exciting.

We also planted carrot, onion and radish seeds in a small test tube garden and have already got some little radish sprouts! We are excited about these as well as our real, big garden we planted at Nannie and Papas house!

Boy Scout Campout

This past Friday night we went on our first "family" campout with boy scouts. Vince and Carson had gone once before, just the two of them, but since Vince had to leave early Saturday am to go to work, we all went this time, so that Carson would be able to participate. We had the best time, my parents were so sweet to come over early Saturday am to help us fish, although we did not ever catch any!!! But we had a great time anyway.

Prayer Request

for those of you who know me personally, you know I can do some talking, just as I can do some typing.
I've been debating on whether to even mention this but I feel like I need some prayer for this matter. I've struggling with for a little while now.
Last year Carson went to kindergarten at Calvary and what a year. A year I will NEVER forget, so many memories. And to be honest, the plan was for him to go on to first grade this year until around March. At his parent/teacher conference, his teacher asked me if I had considered holding him back, which I had not although I knew he was one of the younger kids in his class. After more talking, praying, talking with other moms of boys, other moms who had made the same decision we decided it wasn't a bad idea. Somewhere in that decision, the thought of homeshcooling came up, which I had never thought of or considered before. This was so hard for me. I wanted to know without a doubt I was doing the right thing. God is amazing and I had to pray myself up for so many things. Example, calling the school to tell them he would not be coming, picking the right cirriculum for us, having to hear everyone else's opinion, etc. God showed me so many times over and over at the beginning I had done the right thing, in books we read, in topics we studied, in conversations we had, in fun things we did, it was obvious. And so, MY plan was, I'll do this, this one year and then send him to public school. We'll, low and behold the year is coming to an end and what in the world is going on???? I have NO idea what direction we are suppose to take for next year. I'm praying that God will be so obvious to me again, that I will completely trust him in this, and that my eyes will be open to every sign he sends me to make the right decision. I want my children to learn as much as they can and to be in the right place. And I can honestly say, often times I doubt myself that I can be the "teacher" they need to teach them those things, and if I can, how long can I? So, without a clear answer, I would like to ask, especially you homeschool mom's, that when you are praying for specific things that you would pray for me, that we will be able to make this decision, knowing it's God's plan for our family (and not just MY plan), whether it be to continue homeschooling or go on to public school.

Random things...

I guess for some reason I think I have to have pictures to post to add a post..... but I don't so I thought, I'd just write.
Lots of surgeries have been taking place at our house recently and we still have one to go. Vince has had surgery on both eyes now, hoping that he would not have to wear glasses anymore or contacts, which has not been the case. But his vision is better. He was off work for 4 days with each surgery, but is back, has some temp. glasses and is doing good.
Today, Carson had oral surgery to remove his extra tooth. Thank you Dr. Chrisman!! He was such a trooper and I was so proud of him. I had the day all planned out to handle it all by myself... I would wake Emilia up and try to let Carson sleep until right before we left, feed her breakfast, so he wouldn't have to watch or smell, since he couldn't have any, get her dressed, then get him up, brush his teeth, get him dressed and out the door. All that went as planned. Then I'd take her to school, take him to get his allergy shot and then we'd go on to the oral surgery clinic, maybe a little early, all still going as planned. Vince didn't think he'd be able to get off or leave so early in the am but wasn't sure, so I had just decided I'd be there alone. We did get to the clinic a little early, signed consent forms and were soon called back. They got Carson all situated in a chair, and talked him in to wearing the little gas mask. About that time, the assistant said we had a visitor,,,, guess who.... it was Daddy and were we happy to see him. Vince had been able to leave the hospital to come over for a little bit. He was there when Dr. Chrisman started Carson's IV and until he got sleepy. Then we went to the waiting room to wait.... and my sweet mom showed up. She thought I was going to be by myself and wanted to be there with me, if I was. So we all stayed until Carson's surgery was complete and then we all went to the Recovery room to wait with him. Precious was not the word. I wished so bad I had had my camera. He was laid up in a recliner, leaned back, IV in arm, BP cuff on other, licking his lips, eyes jerking from the ketamine and continuously winking at me!!!! I love this little boy!!!!!! When he finally could talk, he looked right at me and said, "mama, why do you have four eyes?" All I could do was laugh. Vince was able to carry him to the van for us and get him all situated and then it was to Shipley's for lemon filled donuts (his favorite) and donut holes. Nannie picked Emilia up from school and they hung out in Tupelo for a while and Carson and I headed home. He laid on the couch for a little while and then got up to use the bathroom. After that, he was good to go, playing games on the computer and then outside. He's a great patient. Now we have his surgery at Lebonheur next Friday and hopefully we're done!!

Trip to the dentist....

Today Carson and Emilia had their six month check up at the dentist. They both walked right in and the hygienist informed me that they needed to obtain Emilia's first set of bite wings, so to the xray chair she went. She sat like a big girl, smiled at me and had her pictures taken. Then she was to the sink to brush and later to the chair to have her teeth cleaned and checked. At this time she required me to sit at the bottom of the chair and hold her hand and from that point on, everything was fine. No cavities. While this was taking place, Carson was being the big boy he is and getting his bite wing xrays as well as his first panoramic xray to make sure all his permanent teeth are where they should be. I could hear the dentist talking about something to the hygienist but couldn't quite understand him and thought, I'll check on that when Emilia is all done. He then called me over to look at the xrays. When Carson lost his left front tooth, he actually had to loose two to make room for one to come in. He lost his right front tooth the end of December and still doesn't have his permanent tooth in! I just assumed that he would again have to loose two teeth to get one!!! Seeing how the "little" tooth has just become loose, I figured it wouldn't be too much longer. Well, little did I know. The child has an EXTRA tooth!! And not only that, it is curved like a hockey stick and is wrapped under the real tooth that needs to come out. So, poor baby, has to have oral surgery. He's not too excited about it either. I called when we got home and set him up for a consultation and we'll go from there. Hopefully it won't be too painful and he won't remember a thing!! At least that's my prayer for the little fellow.

No Training Wheels!!!

Saturday I had to work for a little while and we had planned to take Carson to the 100th Birthday Celebration of Boy Scouts at the mall. I was at work a little longer than I had planned and called Vince to see if he just wanted to meet me there, he just kept making excuses about me coming on home and when I got here, this is what I saw in the street!!!! Vince had been outside working on pruning our crape myrtles and Carson had asked him to take his training wheels off. Vince said the next thing he knew our little man was riding up and down the street!!! Never did have a wreck!! Thank goodness. I was so excited that I came home and glad I didn't act ugly about the reason why - you just never know :):)

(just a side note for anyone that is concerned - we DO have a bike helmet and it is REQUIRED!!!! he just told me it made his head look big for the pictures, I know, not a good excuse, but just took a few without it)

Family Reunion

Playing in the bathtub
Carson & Jack

Our family on my mom's side

With my grandmother

My only living grandparent is my mom's mom who lives in Sevierville, TN. We try to go and visit at least every 5-6 months and sometimes we make it more often. This year, in January, my brother and his family, my parents and my family all went for a family get together with my grandmother, her living siblings and their kids, grandkids and great grandkids. It was nice to see my mom's first cousins and their children that I grew up playing with and now for OUR children to get a chance to play together as well.

This is the first time we have all been since my grandfather passed away about 10 years ago, so since our families have grown we decided to rent a cabin this time. We normally stay at my grandmothers house but didn't think she could handle 11 more people. The cabin is only about a mile from her house and so it was very convenient for everyone to hang out there. The kids LOVED it. It had lots of room with a game room and hot tub. They really enjoyed the hot tub until the thermostat got stuck on HOT and the water was BOILING!! Thankfully the maintenance crew was quick to respond and repair it but in the meantime the jacuzzi tub was a fun place to play!

Homeschool Valentine's Party

The Girls

The Boys

Our salt dough hearts

Emilia Painting her heart

Carson & Chip (a.k.a. Arnold)

Carson & Emilia

The week of Valentine's Day our homeschool group met at our church for a Valentine Party. I had volunteered to be in charge of this one and what a week. Vince ended up having outpatient surgery on Tuesday, I was already scheduled to work all night Tuesday night and could not get out of it, Vince had to be back at the doctor's office at 8:15 that Wednesday morning and the party started at 10:30!!!!! Thank goodness my gracious charge nurse let me leave around 4 am so I got about 3 hours of sleep, my mom had thankfully spent the night at our house b/c of the crazy, unexpected schedule, and offered or agreed to go with me to the party to help. After taking Vince to the doctor, I came home to finish getting ready and we were on to the church. I had gone earlier on Tuesday before Vince's surgery and decorated, thank goodness b/c I didn't know when I would have any other time. There wasn't much to it but we all had fun. We played Valentine Bingo - which gave the kids an opportunity to practice their numbers, find your matching heart mate, each heart was cut in half with a different pair of scrapbooking scissors and there was also a Bible verse on each one related to love. This gave you two ways to match your half up with someone else, knowing the Bible verse and looking for the same design. Then we all painted salt dough hearts with ribbon as hangers. I had also baked these on Monday since they had to bake for a whole 2 hours and then cool. I have to say they turned out really cute but they sure were a pain to make, the dough was a mess to get to roll out consistency!!! Not sure I'll do that again... and then we had our usual homeschool lunch of PIZZA. Thanks to my mom and Ms. Vanita Billingsley for going to pick this up for us. Ms. Vanita also made the cupcakes and my sweet friend Angie made goodie bags for all the kids.

Each child also brought their on Valentine's to share with their friends.
A tiring (for me!) but a fun, fun day!

Christmas.....

Mari-Todd, Emilia, Pressly, Carson, & Jack

My "gifts" from Vince


A special gift from my dad, I didn't even know he knew what this stuff was!!!

A pretty princess with a bow...

Sweet hugs....

My Daddy

THE pyramid!!

Just a sweet boy, with a new BB gun..

A pretty girl too

We had a lot of fun on Christmas at our house. On Christmas Eve we have started a tradition of having a family over for supper that is from out of town and rarely gets to spend the actual holiday with any of their immediate family. This year, Vince grilled the most awesome steaks and we had the best time. They bring their kids in their pj's and I already have mine in theirs and we just enjoy the "night before Christmas" Then I love to plan/prepare our Christmas morning breakfast, which is always a little more than we normally have. This year, Carson and Emilia begged my parents to spend the night and we graciously welcomed them. They seem to help get the kids in the bed and keep them there so Santa can come early! Of course, we were awoken around 6:45 but who can deny an excited child from getting up early to see what Santa brought???? So here we went. So much fun. We looked at all that Santa had left, then we ate breakfast casserole, sausage balls, monkey bread and fruit pizza. Then we all got dressed and enjoyed opening gifts from each other. Then it was NAP time, what I had been looking for. After a good nap, we made homemade Chicken Noodle soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for supper and then were off to the movies. Another tradition we started about three years ago. This year to see the CHIPMUNKS!!! So cute. By the time this was over, it was time for bed and much needed rest. I have to say, we had a GREAT CHRISTmas and are so thankful for Jesus' birthday and the opportunity to celebrate it!

Christmas in Nashville

Carson & Emilia at the entrance of ICE

Waiting on our carriage ride!!!

Our family in the carriage

The weekend before Christmas we took a Christmas trip to Nashville, TN. Oh, what fun we had. We had taken a Christmas trip last year to ride the Polar Express in Birmingham, AL and this year the kids asked where we would go for Christmas. One of my friends had been to see ICE last year and highly recommended it so that's where we decided to go. We left on Friday afternoon and got to our motel room later that night. We were up and ready on a COLD, RAINY Saturday morning and at the ICE exhibit by 9:30. Got our parkas and went in to the 6 degree building to see the ~ 22 million (?) pounds of ICE that were carved to resemble a Charlie Brown Christmas, by approx 100 Chinese in a two month period. It was very COLD but unbelievable! We then went to Winter Wonderland at Opryland Hotel where Carson and Emilia rode the Christmas train, made gingerbread men and looked at all the lights. We went to see the Rockettes that afternoon at the Ryman and then we went to the Aquarium restaurant in the Oprymills mall for supper. What a day..... we were slightly tired and ready for bed, but had a wonderful time and lots of happy memories!