After Christmas updates

Well, the presents under the tree have all been opened, the turkey and ham are now relegated to leftover status....and I am so grateful for another Christmas. Each year I am reminded again of the incredible gift God gave us. This year we sat in church singing hymns and I was struck by one of the lines, "Begotten, not Created..." and I was reminded again that God Himself chose to come to earth in the form of a helpless child. To live and Die and Live again--For US! What an amazing thought.

In the business of getting everything ready, and David working 2 jobs and kids in 4 different schools, sometimes I just get overwhelmed and FORGET why I do this job I do. Why we moved. Why we live. And then God reminds me. He loves me. He put me here. He will help me if I let Him! And I love my job, my husband, my kids, my life! What a thing to forget...

Next year, I will continue this blog in a more timely fashion...I am also thinking of ways to make Christmas a little easier on me. Each year I think I will get stuff done earlier, and sometimes I do. David reminded me that a lot has changed this year and I was busy. I needed that reminder.

I am kindof rambling at this point, but I want each one of you who reads this blog to know that I have enjoyed sharing a little about our family this way, and would love for you to stay in touch!

My good friend, Diana, has been blogging, too, and I have so enjoyed seeing pictures of her family and reading about their lives as she posts!

We have had the flu, I think, on top of all the Christmas festivities. Molly got sick last week and it is going through the kids. I am not surprized, since we spend many holidays with something or other, but I was the only one who got a flu shot, and then had hives for 10 days afterwards. So, we debated too long for everyone else!

Here are some random pictures from the last few days and I will also try and get some new years pictures to post! I realized that the picture is sideways, and since that is how I am feeling at almost midnight, I am leaving it...I may change it in a few days! I have some pictures of Christmas morning and advent that I will post in the next day or two, providing the sick children let me get on the computer!!

Christmas Trees...

It is a most magical time up here! Yesterday we made plans to finally go get our tree. And woke up with gray rainy weather. We sent the kids off to school saying that if it cleared up we would get them and go as a family (minus the college student) to get our tree. Well, God was smiling down on us, because about 2pm it cleared up enough that we did just that. We picked up the kids, stopped for some Christmas tree decorating essentials (apple cider, cheese, crackers and beef stick), and headed to the Tree Farm.
Ron has been saying for 3 weeks that he wanted to go out to the woods and get a tree. So, we found out that there is a tree farm just down the road from Molly's school! How cool is that? The weather was still cloudy, but warm enough that we were all fine in a jacket. We pulled into this beautiful farm with Fraiser Fir trees covering the rolling hills. In among the trees are cabins that can be rented....and the most wonderful smell of Christmas all around!
We found out which direction to head (up) and started on our way! Let's get this one....it is only 10 feet tall and $160! No, how about this one? After a quick pow wow and a few calculations we decided that around 8 feet would be good, thin better than fat for our space and between 60 and 70 bucks would be a little more manageable....okay, armed with those facts in mind we continued up the hill looking and running and sniffing and just enjoying the moment. Finally, at the top (are you surprised??) of the mountain, we came upon the tree-our tree. Not too tall, but tall enough. Not too fat, but full enough and ONLY $69. Ron said, "This is the one." And we agreed.
So, the guys came with the chain saw and Ron helped them cut it down. Then down down down the mountain we went! While they got the tree ready the kids and the dogs from the farm played badmitton and then we loaded up.
While David got the tree in the stand, I made apple cider, Maddy started the Christmas music and then we ate and decorated until we and the tree were full! I will post pictures tomorrow. It was a magical memory....and yes, totally worth the price of the tree.

Thanksgiving break turned into a Snow Day!!

Just when we thought the kids were headed back to school....Snow Day! And what a snow it was. Big flakes drifted down all day long. The kids headed out about 9am and came in for lunch and headed back out. I watched from the windows while they sledded and practiced snow boarding on the different hills around our neighborhood. Jay is ready to hit the slopes! The ski area is about 5 miles from here, so he will try and go a couple of times this year. Next year we hope to buy a locals pass for him. We missed out this year, because they sell them at the end of the season! I got a few pictures of the kids playing in the snow. We also made Snow Ice Cream, which was always my favorite from when I was a kid....we just used snow, vanilla, sugar and milk...no eggs. My mom used to put eggs in it too, but I thought this was pretty good without them! We are working on Christmas presents and the kids have been making their lists....and planning what to get for each other! We started trading names a few years ago to make the gift-giving in our family a little easier (and easier on our pocket-book, since we end up funding most of the gifts!) The kids love trading names, and picking out something for their person. I love helping them. However, I have David's name this year, and I am stumped as to what to get him for under $10. Any ideas??

Molly's Magnificent List

1. Snow days!
2. 2 hour school delays
3. Pirate Day (We all went to school as pirates and did piratey things....and we have been learning about North Carolina real Pirates, like Blackbeard whose real name is Edward Teach)
4. Long Thanksgiving Break
5. friends
6. living near my grandparents
7. Long Christmas Break
As you can see, Molly's life revolves around school and getting out of it!! She is in the 4th grade and has awesome teachers...Ms. Vinson and Mrs. Hembree! They love the kids and love teaching and make learning fun!
Molly is 9, full of love and life and continues to amaze us with her interests.
This year she was in a PLAY with 4 of her brothers and sisters. She was a townsperson in The Emporers New Clothes and even did the hula-hoop on stage. She was awesome!
Molly loves to read....Her favorite book so far is...The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (I love it, too-check it out!)
Molly, the child who didn't want to move, loves our new awesome house. That is so cool!

Christmas NO NO's

I should know better by now. I mean, I have been doing this parenting thing for a long time. But last night, I was tired and it was out of my mouth before I realized it....I hate it when that happens!
I came home from a date with David. We had had a nice meal, went shopping at the mall, and in the process, picked up a few things for the kids for their Christmas. We had a relaxing drive home...enjoying the time to talk to each other without using code words or being interrupted every five seconds. Ahhhhhh
In the door we come, and the first thing out of the littlest one's mouth is, "did you get anything for meeeeee?" (Here comes the blunder...can't you just feel it-stop Kym!!!)
"Well, nothing for now, but I did get one of your Christmas presents...."
Oh, stupid me, I really should have learned...
2 hours later I put one totally worn out, disillusioned 4 year old to bed thinking she has the meanest parents in the world because I won't give her what I bought last night- NOWWWWWWW!
And to top it off, Ron decided I was so mean that he put a box over his head and kept it on the rest of the evening. He threatened to keep it on until we gave him his present! He even fell asleep with it on his head!
So, during your Christmas shopping, don't follow my lead. Keep your mouth shut. Deny everything! It is much easier on your heart!

Baylee's TOP 5!

this year has been a very exciting year for me.

the top things this year are...

living where it snows!

knowing where to go to school, and what to study (mars hill college, religion)

moving.

making new friends

graduation!!!

it has been a hectic year, graduating, trip to OK, and while all that was going on we moved. WOW.

so much change but it has been good.

love you all!

Baylee

It's beginning to look like Christmas!

For the first Holiday season in most of our kids lives, it is beginning to look like what most people think of at Christmas...of course I think it will seem weird to them! No going to the beach on Christmas break, etc.

We have already experienced our first EARLY snow. The kids were delayed going to school by two hours, just long enough to play outside!

It is amazing to watch the leaves change and the days look cold! It is something I both long for and did not miss at the same time! We will see what we think after our first winter.

Thanks for stopping by our Christmas Chronicles....check back through the season as you have time and enjoy experiencing our first mountain Christmas!