Christmas pictures

Christmas Highlights or NOT!

It was a very different Christmas. We ended up in urgent care with Molly on Christmas Day because she started getting really sick and going downhill....she ended up with an ear infection (mostly just red and irritated) and possible pneumonia. The doctor said she had RSV and her lungs were getting junky. So she ended up with her first antibiotic, an inhaler, nasal spray, a second tooth coming in and trip to urgent care on her first Christmas! She still enjoyed the day for the most part. She was interested in all the new things in the house and loved the excitement although, I know she would have enjoyed it more if she felt better. I literally did not leave my house on Christmas day which I think was a first for me. On Christmas eve, we did attend the church service, sang some wonderful Christmas carols, and went over to John's parents' house for dinner and presents. John's mom had stocking lined up on her mantel for each grandchild. There were 8! Each kid enjoyed opening their goodie bag stocking stuffers. We had birthday cake for Jesus and the kids enjoyed playing with their cousins. The next morning, I was up before the kids making breakfast casserole and monkey bread. Molly was the first to wake up and she definitely knew something was going on and couldn't keep her eyes off all the stuff, even to nurse. The big kids woke up and ran in and of course, were so excited. Santa did a good job! We read the Christmas story and did a "what God wants for Christmas" story book devotional the night before. We talked about it some more as they sat there in amazement and discussed the reason we give presents and what the Wise men gave Jesus and talked about the most amazing gift that God gave us.......JESUS! My kids aren't the crazy type that go nuts ripping stuff apart and getting over wound up...it is not their personality. They plod through things a little slower.....John Daniel kind of danced around his stuff like he didn't want to mess anything up. Emily slowly opened up her American Girl Wardrobe and just started organizing it. She even went and got her doll clothes from her room that she already had and added them to the wardrobe. It pleased me greatly! We then ate breakfast together as a family....still in our pajamas! Then on to the opening of the gifts under the tree. Our Santa does not wrap his presents so that is why those come first...they are already out! John was dying for me to have my present....I heard a "ring" coming from under the tree and looked and there was this fancy phone just for me!!! John got me a droid...the newest thing out! This is probably the first year that we made a point for each kid to have something for their siblings and mommy and daddy....John and I in the past have just set everything out and not really labeled anything..from Santa, from mommy and daddy...but we did this year. John did awesome in that he took each kid Christmas shopping for me which was really sweet. Later on, around noon...my parents, grandparents, and brother stopped by. John took Molly to urgent care soon after. The kids loved showing NeeNaw and Pop Pop their presents and of course they got MORE! Emily said, "I'm the American Girl Queen!" because she got lots of American Girl stuff....Which I highly approve of! John Daniel, my very literal child, told me that Santa did not get him what he asked for but that was o.k. He asked for, out of the blue I might add, for this HUGE GI JOE Tank that was like $90. Well first of all, he just had a birthday and he has plenty of stuff similar to that to play with...figurines, headquarters, vehicles, etc....and I was not paying $90..instead Santa got him a smaller GI JOE jeep set. But I think he was o.k. We all rested a bit in the afternoon, John got ready for work, and my parents came to get the big kids to take them to my Aunt Ginger's house. I opted to stay at home with sick Molly. It was weird being so isolated on Christmas but at the same time very relaxing and quiet...I sat on the couch, put on my crest white strips and played with my new phone! A few quick highlights: Emily got the American girl wardrobe, clothes, a desk, a couch, and a hair set for the dolls, she got a justice gift card, a text messenger, justice perfume, a purse....John Daniel got GI Joe stuff, a table Foosball game, a model rocket, tinker toys, a football....they both got new (really nice) sleeping bags, camping chairs, monogrammed pillows, zhu zhu hamsters (which are the cutest things), art supplies, paper lanterns for the ceiling in their room....Molly's big gift was the crawl through tunnel that she was scared of at first, a really cool leap frog friend that is programmed now to say her name, a riding car and she got her first baby doll! Mommy got a new watch, attachments for my Happy Everything plate, the Junior League cookbook, the droid phone, and some earrings, etc. etc. Daddy got an outdoor fire pit, a set of cologne and aftershave lotion, new sunglasses, ammo, bike shop gift card, etc, etc....

The coolest most awesome gift of all was the playhouse that Pop Pop and Daddy built in the backyard..designed by Pop Pop and inspired by Kit Kittridge, the American Girl. It is so neat! I know this is a lasting gift that the kids will play in for years to come! It has steps, a fireman's pole, and a pulley system with a bucket. They love it. They have already enjoyed eating a picnic in it and had friend's over to play in it! I am so appreciative and so in love with it!

Giving Gifts

I love surprises. I love getting surprises and love giving surprises. I don't need anything big, expensive or fancy...I just love the thought that someone loves me and wants to surprise me. My children do not lack for anything. They have plenty of stuff. This year I have tried to get things that are special, personalized, things I know they will really use or play with. Emily will not be getting barbie stuff, polly pockets, etc. She is getting American Girl clothing and furniture that I know she will really play with. The kids are both getting new (really nice) sleeping bags that are rated for 25 degrees. They both are getting new camping chairs. John Daniel is getting a rocket that we can all go out and "blast off" together. I always over do....but I do plan things out very carefully. I have been shopping for over a month. And the tree house won out! Emily will not be getting an ipod (maybe for her birthday) and instead my dad with help from John has built the coolest tree house ever that the kids can not wait to play in! As far as Molly...she is getting some decor for her room, a box of diapers, one new thing...and some hand me down toys from the attic!

John and I over the years have done big and other years we don't do much at all. One year we decided that we would just do stocking stuffers...everything had to fit in the stocking. I bought John an off road bike last year and this year he is getting more practical stuff....

I get a text from him the other day. He had shopped for two days straight with the kids. He texted me...."I just bought you the present of the decade!" Now he is either playing a really big joke (he is quite the jokster) or it really is something cool because he is not one to get really excited about gifts and he doesn't normally like to shop. So he has been asking me for two days now...."do you want your present now?" I do not want it early!!!! I want a surprise on Christmas day!

As for the extended family...we do not exchange gifts with the adults in John's family. There are 7 grandchildren now and it just gets to be too much for everyone...I usually frame a new picture or give them some little "grandparent" type gift. We are spending Christmas Eve with the Gays tonight! We do exchange presents with my mom, dad, and brother. My mom will not quit doing that...she still does stockings for all of us! Not big expensive crazy presents...just small meaningful things that we all pick out. And I usually buy my grandparents a little something.. We will get together with my dad, mom, and brother at some point in the morning and exchange presents. Then, my Dad's whole family..aunts, uncles, cousins, etc....get together on Christmas night usually. Tomorrow night, after John leaves for work, the kids and I will go down to my Aunt's house in Crawfordville and eat together. Again, the little kids get gifts but the rest of us just Eat, chat, and have fun!

All that to say, I do not stress about it! I did early on in our marriage and I spend way to much money, and was always running about crazy trying to do it all. I am at home today, baking, folding clothes, and not worrying about it at all! Can't wait to go to the Birthday Party for Jesus at church tonight!

We have nothing to complain about

In talking to a very close friend the other night, I became very moved, convicted, stirred, and peaceful all at the same time. This topic deserves much more than I can give it at 12:19 am in the morning....but I wanted to write it down. Basically, our conversation went like this...We were discussing hurt feelings, being misunderstood, and unmet expectations...and both came to the conclusion that we have NO RIGHT to hold on to hurt feelings or saddened hearts or anger in light of Jesus Christ and what He did for us. We were specifically speaking of relationships and how it really stinks when someone does you wrong and hurts you....even family members but in talking to her, we both realized that the relationship we have with Jesus Christ should "fill us up", we don't need affirmation, feelings of belonging, pick me ups, feelings of love from others so much that we let it sadden us if they do not fill that need IF we let Jesus Christ "fill us up." God gave his only son...a gift that was free, perfect to give us everything we need...we don't have the right to feel jealous, upset, mad, prideful although these things are human...HIS love is all we need..is this awesome gift not enough??? The relationship I have with him is enough to get me past hurt feelings, unmet expectations, jealousy, and pride. I felt a peace after our conversation. Thanks Becca for helping me remember these things that I already knew!

Anniversary

Today is the 9 year anniversary of the death of my uncle and grandmother...December 23rd, 2000, they were on the way home from my Uncle's office Christmas party and were struck from behind on Buck Lake Rd by a teenager driving over 90 miles per hour in a sports car. They were killed instantly, the car in flames, my grandmother thrown from the vehicle and the scene and wreck were horrendous! It was an awful time for my family. I was the first to know. Somehow the FDLE officer could not locate my mom and found me instead. I was at home by myself at 2 am in the morning when I heard knocking at my door. Of course, with John working night shift, this scared me to death. To make a very long story short, the officer told me....called John on his cell phone at work for me...drove me to my parent's house to tell them and so on....We remember this every year and will always remember it but the horror of how they were killed has I guess dulled some. Dulled so much to the fact that I have forgiven Austin Jewell. Austin waits on me at Starbucks on Thomasville rd and Kerry Forrest on a weekly basis. He has no idea who I am, although I sometimes wonder if I look familiar to him...from the courtroom during his sentencing and hearing. He is courteous. He knows his coffee. He is a manager there. Very ironic...I have never felt the need to tell him who I am....or ask if he knows the names Ruth and Raymond Revell. I have wondered if he is a Christian, if he struggles with the memory, if he wishes he could take it back. I really do believe that he is sorry. I have been thinking about Roosh and Raymond a lot lately. The whole Bobby Bowden/FSU stuff has made me think of my Uncle Raymond. I bet he would have just been sick with their losses, the way Bobby Bowden is leaving and I think the rest of the family would have definitely tried to send him to the Gator Bowl....He LOVED FSU football! I think of my grandmother everytime I cook. She was, without a doubt, the best cook I have ever known. Tonight I made pork chops...ROOSH STYLE..for the family and I thought of her as I smelled them in the oven. I really wish they could have met my children. Raymond loved kids and loved being silly and goofy with them. Roosh would have played patty cake with Molly. They would have been at every event for my kids that they could...although if Roosh was still living, she would have just turned 100 this year. It makes me smile to think that she was out at 9 pm at night going to a Christmas party at the ripe old age of 91 just before she passed. I have some of the greatest memories of those two...ones that I cherish and hold on to....ones that make me smile with the smell of pork chops and the mention of Florida State Football!

Lots and Lots of December Pictures!

Christmas Pajamas!

The treehouse going up in our backyard! Great job Pop Pop and Daddy! This is Pop Pop and Nee Naw's present to the kids.

Emily's Piano teacher, Rebecca, at the piano recital

Emily's Teacher, Mrs. Smith

Emily played soccer this fall for CCS. At the end of the season soccer game, her team won a game and tied a game! Way to go #4!

Emily and her friends at her Christmas Ballet Recital

John and I at the top of the Hotel Duval!

Saving lives

John just left our house...he had stopped by to get a bite to eat before making his rounds around town as the supervising Captain. As Captain, he doesn't get to run many "calls", now he deals with a lot of administrative duties. But, the past couple of shifts, he has run several calls and he was enjoying telling me about them. I sometimes forget what he does on his job. These guys do things that even me, as a nurse, don't want to do. I really believe there has to be some kind of love for the unknown, love for an adrenaline rush, and fearlessness or confidence in what you do. Last night a 911 call came in and John was nearby so he went l"ights and sirens" to the call. He, by himself, was the first to arrive on scene. A man and his wife were driving down the road and the woman "coded". The man pulled his wife out of the car and onto the side of the road where he called 911 and started doing CPR. When John got there, he took over doing compressions on the woman's chest and then put a tube down her throat and into her lungs to breath for her...they shocked her three times. Tonight, again, John went to a call to assist one of his trucks. He again, tubed the patient. This is minor to some of the things he has done in his 10 year career. He has punctured people's chest and put tubes in their lungs, he has tubed children, he has almost delivered babies, he has looked into the face of people that have tried to commit suicide by putting a gun to their body, he has drilled into the bone marrow of a patient's leg to start an IV, he has seen a 3 month old beaten, broken, and damaged due to the anger and abuse of a parent, he has seen stuff that would make most people pass out, he has saved many and lost many. I worked on the Cardiac floor for three years as a nurse and saw so many people "code" and I hated that tense, horrific, hurried, crazy, stressful moment of trying to save their life...I am so glad that some people, such as my husband, like that kind of moment!

Some Tallahassee Christmas Traditions

We have had some fun around town at various venues celebrating Christmas. Some of our favorites are:

The Singing Christmas Tree..Our Church puts on a Christmas Concert where all the singers are in a HUGE Christmas tree...they look like ornaments. The kids think it is pretty cool and now my Dad sings in it so that is pretty fun to watch!

The live Nativity...Following the Star in our Neighborhood to "Bethlehem" has become one of our favorite things to do as a family. The kids beg to go when they see the signs pop up in the neighborhood. A local church puts it together and it is truly amazing with live animals, the town scenes, the Wise men, horses walking down the street, real fires, fishermen...you really feel like you are traveling down a street in Bethlehem. They even stop you in your car as you drive up and they "pretend" you are coming into the town for the census...a woman dressed in full costume asks how many are traveling in our party and then she tells us the Inn is full but we could try the stables at the edge of town. It is very real looking and they don't do a whole lot of talking which I like....they let the visual pictures and scenes tell the story!

Christmas Card photos and Lights at Dorothy B. Oven Park. I had a very wonderful and generous friend take the kids' picture at Dorothy B. Oven park this year. She is a professional photographer on the "side" and a nurse at urgent care. The pictures turned out awesome and I can't wait to mail out the cards..we also enjoyed the lights at the park that night. Almost as good as Callaway Gardens!

Santa...I took the kids today to meet Santa. Emily asked us recently if Santa was real and John came up with this answer, "I don't know all the answers but I do know this..when you believe in Santa, then there are always presents under the tree from him." That seemed to do but I know she is suspicious. All the kids sat on his lap and the big kids told him what they wanted. Emily said American Girl Stuff and John Daniel said GI JOE. Molly just looked at him funny. John Daniel was very serious when we got in the car...he said, "Now we got to be good!" and then I asked them..."How do you think Santa knows what to get so that he doesn't get you something that someone else like your grandparents are getting you?" HMMMM....Emily thought about it for a minute and then she said..."there is a big computer and Santa keeps track of everything like that on the computer."

Emily's busy week!

I would not usually say that I have my children overcommited but it looks that way this week! Emily's week:

Monday: Christmas Ballet Recital
Wednesday: End of the Season Soccer Game...GO #4!!
Thursday: CCS' s Christmas Concert
Friday: Christmas Piano Recital

Resourceful Man

The beginnings of the kids' treehouse!


I could describe my father as being quite the resourceful man but he is many other things...extremely hard working, wise, smart, positive, fun, handy, strong, manly, protective, go getter, stern, self sufficient, brave, and extremely gifted in the area of building and fixing things. I said resourceful at first because he is always the one I can go to to figure something out...he just seems to have a lot of friends, a lot of resources, a lot of handy objects, and knows how to do so many things. Just recently I needed a couple of things for church to help with some mission projects. He had the large plastic water bottle that I needed and let me have it. He also had this huge shelving unit at his store that has slots in it that we are using as our GA/RA post office at church. When John and I cannot figure something out or don't know where to get something...I call my Dad. In thinking about my dad...I feel very loved, protected, and dependent on my father. In fact when John and I got married, there was a time when before asking my own husband, I would call my Dad first and then I realized I probably needed to start at least asking John first....because he is very handy himself. I think that is one of the more attractive things about John to me...the fact that he can and is willing to DO a lot and can figure a lot of stuff out. I grew up in a house where my Dad could fix anything and was always building or doing something for us. If it needed to get done...Daddy could do it. He has built furniture, built numerous additions onto houses, put a roof on our house growing up, can work on any type of machine or appliance, do plumbing, do simple electrical work, etc etc etc. He was always up at the crack of dawn working on something. My mom often joked that some of the men she knew couldn't even screw in a light bulb....well that was not the case in our home. So I guess I chose a person as a husband that could do some of that and is always very willing to try. John isn't quite the builder that my dad is but mostly because he doesn't have the resources in tools etc. but he has knocked down a wall in our house and has remodeled most parts of our home. Being Baptist, we have sat through many Parent/Child Dedications. The pastor almost always says something to the Dad that goes like this...."An earthly father is the first impression that a child has of his Heavenly father." In thinking about this.....it is very true for me. My impression and first thoughts of my Heavenly Father were this and still are...I feel like God is my protector and has enduring love for me that never fails....I know/feel like God wants to be a part of my life in every way....at the same time I fear him being upset or mad with me...like I don't want to disappoint Him. These are the impressions that I have always had in my relationship with my dad as well. Many people ask me why I "behaved" as a teenager for the most part....I always say, well I was scared of my Dad amongst other things...and I don't say this to say he was ugly or mean or abusive by any means (he never once laid a hand on me and I never even got a spanking) but I was very fearful of disappointing him. You can tell when he gets made...his dark Italian skin on his head gets red in color and his eyes get really big. I also feel VERY protected by my Heavenly Father as well as my Earthly Father. I hate storms...I can't stand lightening or thunder. One of the first things that I thought of when John said he was going to night shift was...."oh no...what if a storm or hurricane occur at night while I at home by myself"..then I said to myself...I will call my Daddy and I am serious...it would scare me to death to be by myself. I know he would be here in less than 10 minutes to "rescue" me and the kids. He was such a relief to me at times when I was sick during my pregnancies...he is certainly a protector! My Dad never went to college but I think he is one of the smartest men I know. I find a man much more useful and attractive when they have "street smarts", can work around the home, fix things, lift things, etc than ones that have to call a "fix it man" every time something breaks...but that's just me! My dad was over here today...and dug three HUGE holes, lifted and put three HUGE beams in the ground for a tree house, and had designed the whole thing in his head in a matter of a week. He does math in his head which has always amazed me. He and my grandfather are just incredible in that they can figure, design, and put things together..numbers...measurements, etc....all in their heads. I know that I can always call him for advice, for help, and to answer a question. I feel very blessed to have a Dad like I do and he has actually mellowed a lot in his "old" age...he is very fun, likes to joke and play with the kids, and is not as stern. He is one of the hardest working people I know.....lazy or unmotivated is not even in his vocabulary....he has always had calluses on his hands...he has amazing talent and I am always proud to say to people when asked about the things he has built or done for me, "my dad did that or my dad can do anything!" We can't wait to see our tree house when its done. The kids are so excited! My Daddy is one in a million!

The art and skill of couponing!

It truly is a skill....seriously! It takes time, attention to detail, wisdom, and assertiveness. "Couponing" has become the great fad of stay at home moms. I have many friends that have caught the wave and become quite the savers by using coupons. There are SOOOO many little tricks of the trade that you really have to figure out. Thank goodness some wise and helpful friends have gone before me and learned the tricks so that they can share them with me! My friend Amy is a numbers gal. You can tell when you are talking to her she has worked it out in her head and knows that the reason she goes through all this work in cutting and searching for coupons is because she really does save money! I have friends that save over half of their grocery bill using coupons. I have friends that in the end get PAID for buying groceries. So, all that to say...I have begun the process of being a coupon clipper and user. I have talked to friends, read the blogs and am ready to tick all the people off in the line behind me while I save over 50% on my grocery bill! Today was my first test! From what I can tell Publix is the best place to shop and use coupons. They are friendly and easy to deal with. They take competitor coupons and double coupons. This is awesome b/c I love publix and I always felt like I was "wasting" money by not shopping at a Walmart but I just hate Walmart and Publix is soooo much easier...so I am pumped about that. I went in tonight with a very short list....things I knew I needed and things that I had coupons for that were very "first timer" friendly. I came away saving almost $20 on a $60 grocery bill...not half but I am going to get there! I was sooo excited...and I didn't even get into doing the buy one get one free deals! I used all these target coupons at publix, harveys coupons, and a CVS $5 off of a $30 purchase coupon (a coupon that you can get by taking a 1 minute quiz online and print off the $5 off numerous times)....how cool is that! I have heard the best trick is to use a manufacturers coupon and a store coupon on each of your buy one get one free items and you can get the items totally free!!! The cashier at Publix was great! I have signed up for numerous online coupon sites, will continue to take my online CVS medicare quiz to get more $5 off coupons and am totally STOKED about getting my TWO SUNDAY papers tomorrow so that I can go to cutting...and place the coupons nicely in my "baseball card" protector sheets in my three ring binder :) Now just to have time for all of this....

My friend Amy explained to me that you have to change your mindset...you aren't shopping anymore for only things that you are out of...you are now shopping for deals to get stuff you know you will use eventually so that in the near future....you are only shopping for things to complete a meal....and eventually you have such a stockpile that you will never pay full price for ANYTHING. John gave me a good idea...........he said when I go to the store and save money.........go ahead and take that money out that I saved (so like $20 today) and put it in a jar........and see how much I save up over time and then spend it on something I have been wanting as a gift to myself! I feel like it is a way for me to be a wise and prudent woman..."looking well to the ways of my household, and not eating the bread of idleness" Paraphrased from Proverbs 31. Hmmmm...just looking over this verse again...it also says, "she rises also while it is still night and gives food to her household"....still working on this one :)

Two things that I take for granted

I had two different conversations yesterday about two topics that made me realize that I take two very important things fro granted....the fact that my baby/children DO NOT have to go to daycare and the fact that we have VERY GOOD and CHEAP health insurance. While at work yesterday, I was talking to another nurse. She shared with me how her sister just started leaving her baby at daycare. The baby is 3 months old. She said that she has had really bad "luck" and is having a very hard time leaving the baby. She has noticed that the baby has puffy eyes when she picks him up from crying so much. One worker made the comment that she had to "shake" him to make him eat, and she was told he gags a lot when he cries because he cries so much. This is not the first time I have heard horror stories about daycare. Another nurse told me one time that when she went to pick up her baby from daycare that the baby was cold and shaking because she was so wet from being in a soaking wet diaper for WAY to long! No way would I ever leave my baby somewhere like that! I cannot imagine being away from my baby for 9-10 hours a day only to come home to kiss them and put them to bed! All I have to say is Thank You God for the kind of Jobs that John and I have where one of us is always caring for our Children and I am so thankful that I do not have to work full-time somewhere....I know there can be a lot of controversy over working women/moms and we could go on and on about the choices one makes etc but for this Post.....I am making the point that I forget about how blessed I am with the situation that we have!!!

The second thing that I am grateful for is very good health insurance. My second conversation last night was with a fellow mom at church. She asked if I worked full-time at CHP and if the benefits were good. I explained that I only worked part-time and that only full timers at CHP get the free health insurance but that it didn't really matter to us because John had really good benefits. She asked how much we paid for health insurance for the family. I told her we paid $140 a month for the whole family (it use to only be like $100). She about fainted...literally!! Her husband has a good job...he is a computer/tech guy and she works from home doing graphic design. She said they pay $950 a month to cover their whole family! She is even thinking about getting a job at Starbucks part-time just to get the insurance. So I realized again, that I take this for granted. John may not make the biggest paycheck in the world but we have very good benefits. He gets great insurance and great retirement! I work for CHP so I am kind of biased a little but we just got named top 5 HMO in the country. My family has certainly had it's share of health issues. CHP has paid thousands of dollars for John's cancer treatment and followups. They paid for me to have a $15,000 elective heart surgery with NO questions asked. They paid for Emily to see a specialist out of town and paid for her to have numerous scans and then a $8,000 elective ureter reimplantation. We pay $7 for most meds. We pay $10 when we go to the doctor. We pay NOTHING when we have to go to the ER or ride in the ambulance (I know because I have ridden twice with a irregular heart rhythm) and pay NOTHING to have a baby, have a c-section, or admission to the hospital including Emily's stay at the children's hospital in Jacksonville. I have NEVER had to call and straighten out a bill or get a referral worked out or fought with ANY person over any issue regarding our healthcare. It really is a HUGE blessing that we overlook many days!

Sprinkles, Sprinkles, Everywhere!

Decorating Cookies with friends! We let everyone in on the action, even the babies. We let the kids put whatever they wanted to on the cookies...and boy did they put a lot! Lots of fun with our very treasured precious friends!