The Past Month

Wow!  I don't even know where to start there is SO MUCH to catch up on (including Christmas).  I have been meaning to blog for a few weeks but just haven't gotten around to it.  So I will just give a brief update of what we have been doing and then later I will do more detailed posts of the highlights.

Dec 18-20.  Reid had the stomach bug.  At the time we did not realize this would start a string of sickness that still hasn't ended.

Dec 21-23  Lilly and I got the stomach bug.  I guess it is because I am older but I thought I might die during this 3 day stomach bug while Lilly hardly seemed phased by it.  Thankfully it was over a weekend AND my mom was in town.  She was able to take care of me while Matt finished up any Christmas shopping we had left to do. 

Dec 22  Our sweet Tank died.  He was 10 years old and we knew it was coming but we miss him very much.  He was the BEST dog. 

Dec 23  After watching the weather all week and seeing it was supposed to snow on Christmas we decided to leave Christmas Eve night to go to Benton so that we didn't have to travel in the snow.  I was bummed because this was going to be our first Christmas morning at home but we just wanted to be safe.  It ended up being a good decision.  Matt and I stayed up super late wrapping presents because we hadn't wrapped a single one...or packed.

Dec 24  We had Christmas with my family and then headed to Benton.  We got there about 11:30pm, put the kids to bed, waited for Santa and then headed to bed.

Dec 25  It sleeted all day and then turned to snow in the evening.  We had a White Christmas and were very relieved that we came early.  However, anyone that wasn't in town couldn't make it for Christmas lunch so we hated that we didn't get to see lots of family.  The kids (and us) had a great Christmas!!  Around 9:30 pm--the electricity went out.  We went to bed hopeful it would come back in the morning.

Dec 26  We played outside in the snow, made a snowman, had a snowball fight, ate snow ice cream and then came back inside.  Still no power.  Decided to go to Peggy's house (Aunt Becca's mom) because they had power.  Spent the night at Peggy's house.

Dec 27 Still no power.  Luckily we had lots of sweet family to take us in.  We spent the day over at Danny and Melissa's house and then spent the night at Aunt Kay's.  The kids are LOVING this and think it is the BEST vacation ever because we are getting to hang out with so many people and stay at all these different places.  (: 

Dec 28  SWEET POWER!!  We went back to Mike and DeDe's.

Dec 29  There was a shower incident with sewage backing up into the shower.  I suggested to Matt maybe we leave a day early.  He said we weren't giving up now.  Hahaha.  Honestly (other than the shower--that was AS bad as it sounds) it wasn't as bad as it sounds.  We got to see lots of family and we laughed a lot.  A LOT. 

Dec 30  Came home

Dec 31 Had a fun New Year's Eve with some sweet friends

Jan 2  Thought Reid had Pink Eye

Jan 4  After Reid started running a high fever, took him to the dr--he had Strep.  And probably a sinus infection. 

Jan 6.  Took Lilly to the dr.  Probably strep.  Antibiotics for her too.  I think Matt was jealous that the kids got the "pink stuff."  We also started a 21 day fast with our church. 

Jan 9-10  Got to go back to KDO for staff meeting and then KDO.  We had missed 3 KDO days due to sickness so this felt like a big feet.  Until that night when I went to bed with a headache not feeling well.

Jan 12--Lilly and I were both running fevers so we went to the doctor--we both had the Flu. 

Jan 14--Reid joins us with the flu.  We ran fevers for an entire week.  We didn't leave the house.  We were starting to feel like prisoners in our own house.  Cabin fever was pretty bad. 

Jan 19--sweet freedom!  We got out of the house and went to a birthday party.  We were all excited!!  Matt said he was going whether we were well or not.  Ha!

Jan 20--got to go to church for the first time in a month.  It felt SO GOOD to be back worshiping the Lord with our church family!

Jan 24--KDO.  Came home and put Reid down and he woke up with a fever.  Sigh.

Jan 25--about 8 pm Reid's fever shot up to 104.  Matt and I panicked but no doctor's office was open.  We gave him a fresh dose of tylenol and put him in a lukewarm bath and his fever came down to 101.6.  We decided to not go to the ER and take him to the doctor the next morning.

Jan 26--took Reid to the doctor.  Left the house with a 99.6 fever...got to the doctor...no fever. He ran a little fever off and on that day but then was all better.

Jan 27--our fast ends--we made it even with all of the sickness!!  (more on that later)

Jan 28--KDO--I have worked a total of 3 days this month.

Jan 29--Lilly starts running a fever.  Low-grade.  Then at about 11 pm...she "gets sick."

That brings us to today where she is feeling much better.  I know that health-wise--we have it pretty good and that all this sickness will pass.  We are very blessed and we have not lost sight of that...but I would be lying if I said I wasn't really hoping that it is over now.  Hopefully I will get some pictures and some more details of other stuff that has been going on in our lives soon! 

Bring Someone Special Day

Last week was "Bring Someone Special Day" at Kid's Day Out.

 On Monday Grandma Odie came to be Lilly's someone special.  Lilly was very excited that Grandma came to be in class with her.  For someone special day they got to come in the class for the first thirty minutes and see what goes on in the class and then have a special snack. 

 Grandma read to Lilly before KDO started.  Then we read a class book about the symbols of Christmas and then we did an activity together that tied into the book.  (I can tell you what we did since I am the teacher in that room.  I was also a little bit nervous about teaching in front of my grandma.)

 Then they went and had a special snack. 

 Reid went out to have a special snack with them, too.

Lilly has asked if Grandma was coming with her every KDO day since then.  She really liked having a special guest and I am so glad she got to come, too! 

On Thursday it was Reid's special day and Matt came to be his special guest.  They did a special craft and had a special snack.  Matt said Reid refused to participate while he was there.  On the note home it said, "Reid was so very excited to have his special guest today!"  I showed it to Matt and he said, "Whoever wrote that is a liar!  You can't trust them anymore!"  We have laughed and laughed about that.  I think he was excited Matt was there and was just acting out a little bit.  ( ;  And then, just like on Monday, Lilly got to go out and have snack with Daddy, too.  We sure do our love our special guests and are thankful they are in our lives!

Christmas Countdown fun w/MoMo and PaPa Ray

Well it is one week from Christmas and my to-do list is so long I don't even know where to begin!  I just picked up our Christmas Cards today (still need to stuff, address, and stamp them), I haven't wrapped a single present, I am only halfway done shopping, the house is a mess, and the laundry is out of control!  And to be real honest, in light of Friday's tragic news, that all seems pretty unimportant.  It also feels a little off to be blogging about our happy Christmas fun.  But the, "Hey!  You are slacking on the blog!" phone calls started today.  So while I am waiting on load number four (of at least seven) to finish in the dryer--I am going to blog and stuff and address envelopes all at the same time.  Because I am talented like that. 

 Last weekend (not the one that just happened, but the one before that) MoMo and PaPa Ray came to visit.  (Also, on another sad note, PaPa Ray's mom passed away unexpectedly yesterday so if you could please join me in praying for his family during this time.)  Ahem, now for the happy.  While they were in town we went on the Holiday Express Train. 

 Reid was excited on the way to the train station.  Once we got there he decided he didn't want to ride the train anymore.  This is his new thing lately--we will be going somewhere and then when we get there he will throw a fit saying he doesn't want to be there.  It is frustrating because the whole time I know he will like whatever we are doing...especially a train ride.  After a few minutes he decided he was happy to be there and we were ready to go! 

 One of the family's that works with my mom were in town and they joined us on the train ride.  Reid was happy to have Peyton to play with on the train! 

All ready!

All aboard!

 Once we were off they served cookies...

and hot chocolate!

 Tasty!   Nice mustache kid!  Ha! 

 Looking out the window and pointing out the things they were seeing.

 Then the train stopped and this was Lilly's face when she saw Santa. 

 We were at the front of the train and he started at the back so we had to wait a while to see him.  Lilly was so excited to see him but when he got up there she got shy.  That is until Santa said (on his own with no prompting from me), "Do you still want those princess barbie dolls?"  Well I guess those were the magic words because her and Santa were best friends after that.  Ha! 

 Right now if you ask Lilly what she wants she will say, "A baby that eats and pees and comes with wipes."  (And this Momma thinks...in a whiny voice..."Buuuuuut I juuuuuust got you two OUT of diapers!")  If you ask Reid he says, "Cars!"  But Lord have mercy if you take Reid through a toy aisle he will point out 852 things to add to his "Christmas List." 

 While MoMo was in town we also went to go see Rise of the Guardians. 

All of MoMo's managers were in town because their big company Christmas party was last week so we got together with all of them and had dinner.  It is always good to see the people you hear about regularly!  ( :  We had fun and played lots of games.  I don't want to brag but I did win a travel coffee mug for my skills.  ( ;  Lilly also won the above "Snowball Fight" for singing a Christmas Carol (she sang Mary Rode a Donkey) and we have had SO MUCH fun with this!! 

Cookie Decorating

 Our day 7 activity was to make and decorate cookies.  We made the from-scratch-from-a-bag kind of cookies (sugar and gingerbread.)

 Cutting out fun shapes. 

 Reid was excited to make cookies.  When we made salt-dough ornaments he kept calling them cookies so he was excited that we were going to get to eat these!

 After we made the cookies at home we packed them up and met up with Grandma Odie, Aunt CiCi, Rachel, Marshall, and Eva Kate.  We had lunch at a local Mexican Restaurant and then headed back to Grandma Odie's to decorate some cookies.

 Lilly, Marshall, Reid, and Eva Kate.  You can see Reid licking some icing off of his finger. 

 Take 2.  Ha! 

 Sprinkle Time! 

 Reid is pretty conservative on cookie toppings. 

 Marshall--his cookie was pretty impressive--he covered it in white and then put red stripes on it.

 Eva Kate decorating hers. 

 Lilly squeezing with all her might...

and this is right after I caught her sucking the icing out of the tube. Ha!

 And we can't ever visit without feeding the ducks and fish!  (If you can see Reid's hand--he has a TON of bread in his hand about to throw it over.)

 Happy ducks and fish!

 Rachel showing the proof that Lilly was offered a jacket because it was cold outside.  Lilly prefers "cold arms."

 Watching the ducks and fish.  We had a great time spending time with Grandma Odie and the cousins! 

 Friday night was Friday Night Out and it was pajama night!  (Are you not dying laughing at Lilly and Reid's facial expressions in this picture??)

 The kids watched Polar Express and had hot chocolate and Matt and I went to dinner with some friends and then did a little Christmas shopping before we ran into some other friends for dessert.  I just can't say enough times what a blessing Friday Night Out is for us and what a great marriage ministry it is--I am so thankful our church does this! 

I hope you are all enjoying some holiday fun.  I have had a few too many cookies and am thinking that "holiday pants" needs to be invented.  They should be like maternity pants but they would be socially acceptable to wear even though you are not pregnant and they should be a little bit more stylish than sweats...but at least as comfortable.  Ha!  A girl can dream, right?

Christmas Cards for Soldiers

Our day 6 activity was to make a Christmas Card for a soldier. 

 I saw a Christmas tree made from shapes on Pinterest (that link has a template for a whole page sized-one) and decided we could mix in a little shape practice while making our cards.  I cut out four different size green triangles, a brown rectangle, a yellow star, and then I used a hole punch to make lots of little circles.  While we made the tree we also got to practice sequencing from big to small.  Of course Reid and Lilly's favorite part of making the cards was squeezing out all of the glue!

 Tree assembled.  Happy, happy, happy. 

 Lilly serious while gluing. 

 Adding some ornaments.  

 So excited that I want to take her picture again.  Ha!

 Finished! 

 Finished!

 Here they are right after they finished.  Please note all the glue.  ( ; 

 And after the glue dried. 

 And then on the inside of the card we made angels with glitter glue and coffee filters and I wrote Psalm 91:11 "God will command his angels to protect you wherever you go."  And that is what we will pray over the soldiers that receive these cards. 

I will note that I actually went to the Holiday Mail for Heroes site today and realized that you are supposed to avoid glitter and that they were supposed to be mailed to them already...so ours are going in the mail today and we are praying that they still reach the person God intends for them to despite my error in timing! 
The mailing address is:
Holiday Mail for Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456