Vacation

We went to a new Jumpy place today. I forgot my camera, so I took some pics with my phone. They did not turn out good at all, but that's what I get for forgetting the real camera.





AJ's been on vacation since last Tuesday. Today we found out that several people got laid off at his work. Thankfully he wasn't one of them. He is now the only one doing his job. Probably a good thing for us, more money, but more work for him. He was worried when he got the call, but we don't have to worry anymore, so it's all good.

We have all just been hanging out, taking it easy, sleeping in, etc. It's been nice. He was supposed to be off all this week, until Monday, but he has to go in tomorrow since he is the only one there to do his job now. It's just a half day, so not too bad. We were being lazy tomorrow anyway. :)

Anyway, no other plans for us this week. I'm lovin' it!

Christmas

We had a great Christmas. The boys loved their stuff, and so did Mommy and Daddy. We spent Christmas Eve at AJ's Grandmother's house. It's our family tradition. We came home, set out cookies and milk, and sent the boys to bed. Santa came a bit later. Sam woke up just before 8:00 on Christmas morning. He was up before Avery! Now that's weird! We finally woke Avery up about 15 minutes later and went downstairs. They totally love that part, seeing the tree full of stuff.

Sam got a new guitar (he has been dying to learn), tons of books, some art stuff (he loves to draw), and a few toys.

Avery got tons of Bakugan's (that is all he kept saying he wanted), a Ben 10 watch (we got the wrong one so we have to return it, and some other toys.

They got a few Wii games, a couple of board games, etc.

It was a good haul. :) Of course, we remembered why we were celebrating, and have made sure to teach and reteach the meaning of Christmas.

Lindsay and Fam came over later. We played games, lots and lots of games, the kids played, we ate, etc. Kinley was grumpy cuz she has been sick, but it was a good day.

Yesterday we just hung around, cleaning up a bit, and playing. Tonight is our fun party. We finally found a babysitter. Not free, but at least we found one. This will be the kid's first babysitter that wasn't an adult that we know well. Yikes!

Now, on to the pics.

Before Christmas is CRAZY!

Whew! I am glad that week is over. I worked every day, Monday-Thursday. I did a Kindergarten class. It went well. I was a little worried because it was the week before Christmas, in Kindergarten, with a party looming ahead, and not many planned activities. It all went fine though and we had fun. Man, it sure is hard working though! I had way too much to do afterwards. So I would work all day, then we would have to do some sort of errand after school. Then we would come home, I would have enough time to make dinner, and then I would need to leave and go do something else. Most of the week I didn't get home until after 10:30.

Later in the week I got an invitation to a party I was hosting! Haha! It was for a progressive dinner for our church friends. I had been asked if I would like to help host. I said, "maybe", needing to know more details like a date, etc. Then later AJ got a text asking if we were free the 22nd, but then didn't hear anything again. Then I got the invitation! It all worked out though and went fine. It just added a little more to my already busy week. The party went great though. There were about 40 people who went from house to house. We went caroling between each house. Of course it had to drop to down to freezing cold yesterday, so we were caroling in like 12 degree weather, but it was fun.

I also went to a few parties this week. I did a party for the front row for singing. We exchanged ornaments. It was fun, and some of those ornaments were really funny!

I had an MNO (mothers night out) where we did a white elephant exchange. It was the funniest night. I laughed a ton, and even laughed so hard once, I was crying. Great times!

Friday we had Sam's Christmas Party at school. We did a candyland theme. It went well. Afer that we had to rush home for a party for Playgroup. It was at my house. We got here 2 minutes before all the guests arrived. We had been doing a Secret Santa thing for the whole month and Friday was our big reveal. I love Secret Santa, it is fun. I was definitely surprised by the person who had me. i usually figure it all out in advance, but I didn't have time to even think about it this month.

Saturday we didn't do much. In fact I didn't even leave the house. I was able to wrap some presents, but I still have a ton to do.

I can't believe Christmas Eve is tomorrow! The kids are SOOOO excited. I put some of the presents under the tree on Saturday. Most of them are the ones for other people, but a few are for the kids. Avery did not understand why we couldn't open them right then. I put them under them while AJ and the boys were gone, so when they got home and saw them Avery said, "Did you see Santa!" It was in an awe-filled voice, and very cute. Of course since then it hasn't been as cute, with the constant question of "Can I open a present now?" I told him he wasn't allowed to say that to me today, so he hasn't, but of course he has already managed to "talk" to me about the presents 3 times.

This Saturday we have an after Christmas party to go to. It is another White Elephant Exchange. AJ LOVES this and is so excited to go. We have the perfect gifts. Too bad we don't have a babysitter. He is dying to go, so we need to figure out something, I just don't know what. The church girls are already taken. Lindsay is going too, so she is in the same predicament we are, and I can't afford an expensive babysitter. We've got to figure out something though or AJ will die! Any free babysitters out there???

Anyway, I probably won't blog again until after Christmas. So MERRY CHRISTMAS! I hope it is a wonderful time for your families!

Snow, Takin' A Chance, and More

It snowed last night, like REAL snow! Tennessee rarely gets snow and when we do it is just a little bit, more like half an inch or less, and it rarely sticks. Well last night Lindsay calls me and says she has been driving home from Franklin for 30 minutes and she still isn't even close to home (it only takes 30 minutes total to drive from there to here). She was talking to me and telling me how she kept sliding, etc. It had rained heavily for the last 2 days and it was colder so I just figured the rain was turning into ice. Then a few minutes later she says something about snow! I had no idea! She couldn't believe I didn't know and told me it was snowing a ton, and it was so thick she could hardly see. That for sure never happens! So we went and looked outside and yep, big, heavy flakes. Our ground wasn't covered yet, though. I went and looked out 20 minutes later and snow was everywhere! It was actually sticking and accumulating! A miracle! The kids were so excited! They went out and there was already ice forming on the stairs. I figured that would mean no school. It did. Anyway, we probably got about 2 inches of snow and it is still there this morning. Here are some pics!







It was still there this morning, but had already started melting by 9am. There was still enough to play in though. So just as the boys were getting ready to go out to play, Sam's friend Riley comes over and asks if they can go to his house. THey have a big hill in their backyard and they were going sledding! I told the boys to at least let me take a couple of pictures before they went. There first time sledding and I had to miss it because I was still in my pajamas! Plus, cold and me do not get along so I might have missed it anyway. :) Anyway, they were there for a while and then Riley's Dad drives them back home and comes to the door. Yes, I am still in my pajamas. Oh well, I found out later that so was Riley's Mom. LOL! Must be a Mom thing! Sam had his first sledding accident. Him and Riley collided and Sam somehow hit his cheek. It was swollen and already had a bad bruise. Poor kid always gets hurt doing fun things!



Riley's Mom did get a good pic of the sledding, or should I say tubing, fun!


So that was our fun night and morning, but it was not the end! After all the excitement about the snow and no school today, it was time for bed. Rewind to last night, by the way. So Sam had just gotten in bed and my phone rings. It was Santa! :) Our city does Calls From Santa every year, where the city workers will call kids and be Santa, Mrs. Claus, or an elf. Last night was there night to call. You should have seen how excited they were! Of course, they totally think he was the real thing, which works for me, because I can easily let them know that Santa will call back again and I will tell him if they have been naughty. Muahahaha! :) Anyway, Sam was practically yelling into the phone, he was so excited. Avery could barely speak! It was too cute. After all that Sam had a terrible time going to bed. He kept coming down and saying, " I can't believe it!" It was funny. Whew!

Now onto the next subject. Sam was sick, if you recall. He finally went to school on Wednesday, but only made it half the day. He finally went to school all day yesterday, and then got a snow day today! He was so sick though, so he didn't have much fun. He also had tons of work to make up, but I think we finally got it all done. At least he is better now. I hope no one else ends up getting it. I sanitized the house like crazy, so we better not!

Wednesday night my quartet came over for rehearsal. We finally have a name and are a registered quartet. We are "Takin' A Chance" We all 4 liked it, so that's what we went with. At least we are named. We are singing at a Christmas party tomorrow night. Our first "gig"! It should be fun. Scary, but fun.

Also yesterday, geez, a lot happened yesterday, I had a photography session. It was fun and the pics look great. Yippee! :)

Let's see, what else..... Oh, um, tonight is AJ's work Christmas Party. Lindsay will watch the kids while we go. They are excited to play with her kids and have been asking since yesterday to go over there.

I have to go grocery shopping today, with BOTH kids. Yuck! I am NOT looking forward to that, but really I better get moving cuz it is going to take so long. It's the only day I can go though because I work everyday next week. It's funny, I worked every day last week, not one day this week, and every day next week.

Anyway, I guess that is it for now. Happy Snow!

Poor, Poor Sam

Sam is Soooo sick! He started feeling sick on Sunday. He threw up that night and had a fever all day. Yesterday he was still so sick. He laid around all day, went to bed, threw up some more, and had a fever of 101 something all day. Last night his fever was 103. This is all with us giving him Motrin and Tylenol. He did sleep all night last night, and is still sleeping, but I felt his head and his fever is still there. He feels TERRIBLE, and I feel terrible for him. Poor kid! Anyway, please keep him in your thoughts. :( I will update more later if I can.

1st Week in December

This first week of December was full of work, work, and more work. I subbed every single day this week!

I also had quartet practice one night, where we tried to decide on a good name for ourselves and failed. One day.....

Friday, I told myself that I was not working no matter who needed me. I even put myself as unavailable in subbing world. I had shopping to do and stuff. Well, as I was eating breakfast my phone rang. It was school. I wondered if they were trying to get my to sub, but what if it was something about one of the kids. I answered. "Mrs. Sweeney, you wouldn't want to sub today would you?", says an office worker. I knew that meant they were desperate because subbing world is supposed to call, not the school. I said, "Nope! I have worked everyday, this is my one day off." She said, "I know but we need you." " I asked who it was for. "Ummm, 5th grade.", said tentatively. "Um, not helping your case, Rose!" I don't like 5th grade, I like the little kids! :) She said, of course I didn't have to, but of course I felt like I did. I REALLY didn't want to though, so I told her to keep trying everyone else.

30 minutes later my phone rings again. School. Oh how I didn't want to answer. I did. She needed me. Mr. Lewis would so appreciate it. Hmmm, maybe I should be getting a nice Christmas Present, Mr. Lewis! Just like always I said OK. It wasn't bad, really. They are just bigger than me! Mrs. Tarpley saw me walking down the hall with them and burst out laughing cuz here is little me, walking with these kids a heead taller. Sigh.... I did have a girl throw up right next to me in the trash can. Ummm, ewww, throw up and I do not get along. Thankfully she was quiet, but I still felt sick. Yuck!

I was going to make AJ take me out to dinner that night, but ended up having to go back into school to help set up the camera equipment for our Breakfast with Santa the next day. Sigh...

The next morning, Saturday, couldn't even sleep in. Got up early to go take pictures for 5 hours of kids with Santa. That wasn't bad either, just tiring, and long. My legs hurt. It went well though. :)

When I got home Lindsay's kids were there. We were babysitting while Lindsay and Den were at some Navy Awards thing. The kids played. Then they watched Kung Fu Panda while we watched Made of Honor. Good movie. :) Then we all wen tot Chuck E Cheese. We had fun. I was tired.

We came home, put our kids to bed, took Lindsay's kids home, then I went to bed. Slept my whole 9 hours (the perfect amount of sleep for me, yea!) and then woke up with the house all to myself while everyone else slept. Now dinner is cooking, we have to go back to church for a meeting with the Bishop, and then it will be Family Home Evening Time. That's a night set aside every week for family time, a church lesson, games, fun, and a treat. Both the kids don't seem to be feeling well, so we will see what tomorrow brings.

This week, I am probably only working one day, because I have a million other things to do since I worked too much last week. I also need to plan a Christmas party for Sam's class. Whew!