Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Monday, January 5, 2009
Christmas 2008
This was our second year staying in GA for the Holidays. Last year I was sad to not be with my family and I missed them again this year. But I am so thankful that we stayed here for Christmas. Marlee was really into Santa and the idea of presents. We made Christmas cookies on Tuesday and talked about how it would come down the chimney. We watched every holiday movie I own (which is A LOT) and read so many Christmas books. Plus, we did not have a TV downstairs in the living room for the last two weeks. So Marlee and I sang every Christmas song that came on 98.5. And trust me, there are not really that many different songs, just different versions. She's still singing Jingle Bells and Rudolph!
Marlee and Cooper had a bath and got decked out in their matching xmas pj's. It is a goal of mine to find matching pj's for as long as they will let me dress them the same. :) Marlee helped me set the cookies and milk out for Santa. She was pretty wired up when we put her to bed. My parents came in Christmas Eve and helped finish up the last minute wrapping and off to bed we all went.
Marlee was beside herself with excitement. She didn't know which presents to open first. She of course wanted to open and play with all of her toys. Cooper had woke up extra early and was asleep, so she really had the floor.
Once Coop woke up, Marlee was just as excited to help him open his presents. She loved his toys as much as he did. We had a wonderful breakfast and lounged the rest of the day. Unfortunately, my parents had to leave in the early afternoon. They both had to work the next day.
Friday, Chad's dad came down to visit. Marlee and Cooper were excited and thankful for his visit. Mimi also came down that Friday night. They had Christmas all over again. Kelly, Chad's cousin, had sent some hand me down toys from her little boy Koen. Marlee and Cooper liked those toys as much as the new toys they got for Christmas.
Saturday was my 28th birthday. It was uneventful, but relaxing. Overall, I really enjoyed the low-key and low-stress holiday with family. Sometimes it is easy to get all caught up in the hoopla of Christmas. People thinking they have to spend tons of money on presents for the holiday to have any meaning. I learned the opposite. I learned that spending no money at all can really show you what this time if year is all about. This year will always stand out in my mind as showing me the true meaning of the season. Thank you to all of you wonderful people at Farragut Primary. I pledge to give unto others from here on out. I hope you will pledge to do the same and feel that warmth in your hearts that I felt this year.
Marlee and Cooper had a bath and got decked out in their matching xmas pj's. It is a goal of mine to find matching pj's for as long as they will let me dress them the same. :) Marlee helped me set the cookies and milk out for Santa. She was pretty wired up when we put her to bed. My parents came in Christmas Eve and helped finish up the last minute wrapping and off to bed we all went.
Marlee was beside herself with excitement. She didn't know which presents to open first. She of course wanted to open and play with all of her toys. Cooper had woke up extra early and was asleep, so she really had the floor.
Once Coop woke up, Marlee was just as excited to help him open his presents. She loved his toys as much as he did. We had a wonderful breakfast and lounged the rest of the day. Unfortunately, my parents had to leave in the early afternoon. They both had to work the next day.
Friday, Chad's dad came down to visit. Marlee and Cooper were excited and thankful for his visit. Mimi also came down that Friday night. They had Christmas all over again. Kelly, Chad's cousin, had sent some hand me down toys from her little boy Koen. Marlee and Cooper liked those toys as much as the new toys they got for Christmas.
Saturday was my 28th birthday. It was uneventful, but relaxing. Overall, I really enjoyed the low-key and low-stress holiday with family. Sometimes it is easy to get all caught up in the hoopla of Christmas. People thinking they have to spend tons of money on presents for the holiday to have any meaning. I learned the opposite. I learned that spending no money at all can really show you what this time if year is all about. This year will always stand out in my mind as showing me the true meaning of the season. Thank you to all of you wonderful people at Farragut Primary. I pledge to give unto others from here on out. I hope you will pledge to do the same and feel that warmth in your hearts that I felt this year.
"That's What Friends are For..."
I have to admit that I came back to a wonderful group of friends, and I have enjoyed visiting with most of them. One friend in particular, Lindsay, wanted to welcome our family home. She came up with the grand idea of decorating our house for Christmas. Since we were moving back on the 20th and would spend most of our time unpacking, we really didn't have time to get the house ready for Christmas. I had already reserved the fact that I would kind of skip Christmas this year. I really LOVE Christmas, and if I am going to do Christmas, then I am going all out.
Thankfully, Lindsay came to the rescue! We came home to a beautifully decorated home. I didn't take any direct shots of how well she did, but I made a mental note for next year! :0 Thank you Lindsay for making Cooper's first Christmas so special and decorating the house for Santa to visit Marlee. She was so excited about the "Pritty Kismas Tee."
Thankfully, Lindsay came to the rescue! We came home to a beautifully decorated home. I didn't take any direct shots of how well she did, but I made a mental note for next year! :0 Thank you Lindsay for making Cooper's first Christmas so special and decorating the house for Santa to visit Marlee. She was so excited about the "Pritty Kismas Tee."
Where We Left Off
Okay, so the last time I posted was before Christmas and our move back to GA. So, I'll start there. The last couple of weeks of school were hectic. I was packing up my classroom and the apartment, and I hate to pack. Packing up my classroom was a little weird. It didn't feel like I was really leaving, just going off for Winter Break. I had many more boxes than I thought I would have. I hope that I got everything that I really needed. My students were really sad. In the same breath of excitement about Christmas was a reminder that after the holidays I wouldn't be their teacher anymore. I don't know how well it really registered with them. I think it will hit them tomorrow. I hope they experience a smooth transition.
As for the apartment, it looked like a bomb had exploded. I was not motivated to pack it up. It of course never felt like home, but Marlee and Cooper has several milestones while living there. Maybe I'll just be sentimental about Knoxville and not the apartment! :0
Thankfully, my mom came the last few days and helped crank out the last minute packing. I think there was more than she was anticipating, but as I said I wasn't motivated to pack it up. So, I didn't! HA
Chad rented the dreaded U-Haul! We've kept them in business over the last 10 years as much as we have moved. Loading the truck actually went pretty fast. Josh stopped by to help Chad with the really heavy items. It was as packed as it could be Friday night, so we went to bed and got up and going around 7 AM. Chad was eager to get going and had planned for a 10 AM departure.
You may be wondering what we did about the cats this go round. Well, we were smart and had a sedative for Chloe. Chad drove the U-Haul, I drove Chad's car with the two cats, and my mom drove my car with the two kids! What an adventure! :0
I didn't feel the need to take any pictures, but I wish I would have been in the car with Marlee when they pulled up. She said something along the lines of, "That's my house!" She was oh, so excited to be back. She hasn't stopped running around yet.
I do feel a little guilty though. She does remember her TN home. Whenever we say we're going home, she corrects us and says we are going to her house. I think she associates the word "home" with the apartment and "house" with the house in GA. Hopefully, those memories will fade. Although, she does miss Ms. Karen and all her friends and day care. She talks about them frequently.
As for the apartment, it looked like a bomb had exploded. I was not motivated to pack it up. It of course never felt like home, but Marlee and Cooper has several milestones while living there. Maybe I'll just be sentimental about Knoxville and not the apartment! :0
Thankfully, my mom came the last few days and helped crank out the last minute packing. I think there was more than she was anticipating, but as I said I wasn't motivated to pack it up. So, I didn't! HA
Chad rented the dreaded U-Haul! We've kept them in business over the last 10 years as much as we have moved. Loading the truck actually went pretty fast. Josh stopped by to help Chad with the really heavy items. It was as packed as it could be Friday night, so we went to bed and got up and going around 7 AM. Chad was eager to get going and had planned for a 10 AM departure.
You may be wondering what we did about the cats this go round. Well, we were smart and had a sedative for Chloe. Chad drove the U-Haul, I drove Chad's car with the two cats, and my mom drove my car with the two kids! What an adventure! :0
I didn't feel the need to take any pictures, but I wish I would have been in the car with Marlee when they pulled up. She said something along the lines of, "That's my house!" She was oh, so excited to be back. She hasn't stopped running around yet.
I do feel a little guilty though. She does remember her TN home. Whenever we say we're going home, she corrects us and says we are going to her house. I think she associates the word "home" with the apartment and "house" with the house in GA. Hopefully, those memories will fade. Although, she does miss Ms. Karen and all her friends and day care. She talks about them frequently.
Apologies
Well, let me apologize for not updating in such a long time. If you have been reading the blog, then you know we moved back to GA a few days before Christmas. Well, we have been without the internet for nearly 2 weeks, then we went to the mountains for New Years.
So, I am ready to enter the blogging world again! I have tons of pictures and stories to share. So start checking back every couple of days. I will post blogs and pictures tonight after the kids go to bed.
Happy New Year and Happy Blogging! :)
So, I am ready to enter the blogging world again! I have tons of pictures and stories to share. So start checking back every couple of days. I will post blogs and pictures tonight after the kids go to bed.
Happy New Year and Happy Blogging! :)
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Wordless Wednesday
Caught red-handed trying to climb the stairs!
Notice the donut to ring around her lips?
Meryy Christmas!
Notice the donut to ring around her lips?
Meryy Christmas!
Friday, December 5, 2008
I can hardly believe that Christmas is 20 days aways. I love this time of year, but I haven't really been in the Christmas spirit this season. Too much stress with preparing to move back to GA, I guess. Although, I have enjoyed watching all of the classic Christmas movies with Marlee. She really likes Rudolph and Mickey's Christmas Carol. Marlee loses interest at the same part of Polar Express every time we try to watch it though.
She is very aware of holiday things around her. Knoxville has a thing about putting trees on top of buildings. She points them out and tells me their color. We took her to see some neighborhood lights the other night. She would say, "Oooh, soo prit-ty, Mommy!" We're going to Gatlinburg Sunday afternoon to see their winter display. I'll try and get her reaction on video. I think she will get a huge kick of the Griswold House in our neighborhood in GA. You have never see such lights. You can see the top of the house from Marlee's bedroom window. I'll try and snap a picture of it once we get back. We (or I should say I) sing lots of Christmas songs on the way to Ms. Karen's and home each day. Marlee doesn't really care about singing with me, but she will ask for Jingle Bells and Rudolph.
Cooper has enjoyed watching Ms. Karen's twinkling lights. I think he only swatted at the ornaments the first day and has left them alone the rest of the time. I'm working on our Christmas Card photos this weekend. I hope to get them sent out next week, but don't hold your breath! :)
Speaking of Cooper, he has started pulling up to low objects. He started last week pulling up on his knees, and now he's standing up. He gets so tickled with himself. People are his favorite targets. I can hardly get seated on the floor before he's crawling all over me. He does the same to Chad. His second tooth popped through a few days after his first one. His top gums are VERY swollen. You can see the outline of the two front teeth. I stopped nursing Marlee around 5 1/2 months, so it has been very interesting nursing Cooper with two teeth. He hasn't chomped down yet, but I can sense their presence.
I LOVE to read but rarely find the time anymore. Recently, I gave into the hoopla surrounding the Twilight Series and movie. I bought the first book Twilight over Thanksgiving. I can't remember the last time I read such a romantic book. (I'm thinking it was The Notebook.) I laughed at myself because it is about two teenagers, but the storyline has such a hook that I couldn't put it down. I stayed up till 1AM the other night! I am usually in bed and asleep by 10. I'm anxious to see the movie and compare. Although, I don't think movies are ever as good as the book. Well, I do have a few exceptions, The Notebook, The Green Mile, Lonesome Dove, and The Firm.
www.stepheniemeyer.com
Well, my sleeplessness this week has caught up with me, so ta-ta for now!
She is very aware of holiday things around her. Knoxville has a thing about putting trees on top of buildings. She points them out and tells me their color. We took her to see some neighborhood lights the other night. She would say, "Oooh, soo prit-ty, Mommy!" We're going to Gatlinburg Sunday afternoon to see their winter display. I'll try and get her reaction on video. I think she will get a huge kick of the Griswold House in our neighborhood in GA. You have never see such lights. You can see the top of the house from Marlee's bedroom window. I'll try and snap a picture of it once we get back. We (or I should say I) sing lots of Christmas songs on the way to Ms. Karen's and home each day. Marlee doesn't really care about singing with me, but she will ask for Jingle Bells and Rudolph.
Cooper has enjoyed watching Ms. Karen's twinkling lights. I think he only swatted at the ornaments the first day and has left them alone the rest of the time. I'm working on our Christmas Card photos this weekend. I hope to get them sent out next week, but don't hold your breath! :)
Speaking of Cooper, he has started pulling up to low objects. He started last week pulling up on his knees, and now he's standing up. He gets so tickled with himself. People are his favorite targets. I can hardly get seated on the floor before he's crawling all over me. He does the same to Chad. His second tooth popped through a few days after his first one. His top gums are VERY swollen. You can see the outline of the two front teeth. I stopped nursing Marlee around 5 1/2 months, so it has been very interesting nursing Cooper with two teeth. He hasn't chomped down yet, but I can sense their presence.
I LOVE to read but rarely find the time anymore. Recently, I gave into the hoopla surrounding the Twilight Series and movie. I bought the first book Twilight over Thanksgiving. I can't remember the last time I read such a romantic book. (I'm thinking it was The Notebook.) I laughed at myself because it is about two teenagers, but the storyline has such a hook that I couldn't put it down. I stayed up till 1AM the other night! I am usually in bed and asleep by 10. I'm anxious to see the movie and compare. Although, I don't think movies are ever as good as the book. Well, I do have a few exceptions, The Notebook, The Green Mile, Lonesome Dove, and The Firm.
www.stepheniemeyer.com
Well, my sleeplessness this week has caught up with me, so ta-ta for now!
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