Thursday, December 23, 2010

Christmas Caroling




We took the kids and went caroling for Maw-Maw, Grannie, and Nanny Mildred last night. Kieanna played her Clarinet to Silent Night and Away in a Manager. The kids sang Silent Night, Jingle Bells, Away in a Manager and We Wish You a Merry Christmas. It was so cute! The older ones even enjoyed it after having to be coaxed to go. We plan on going again to the Nursing home where my grandmother is. My mother actually cried. They were so sweet. The kids cooked and prepared Candy, Cookies, and treats all day and then made goodie bags for everyone. Everything turned out really well. I am so proud of all the kids. Everyone has been exceptionally well behaved this Christmas. Keith ask all the kids in the van last night specific question about Jesus birth, and most all of the kids got all the answers right. I truly want the kids to get the real meaning of Christmas. Now days Christmas is so commercialized. It's all about the money. I do want them to receive gifts and enjoy being a child. But I don't want them to think of just themselves and what they can get. Jesus received gifts and that is one of the reasons we give to each other. Looking forward to many more Christmases with all of the kids!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Making Christmas decorations











The children painted Christmas ornaments for the tree. They all turned out really well. We still have several more crafts to do by Christmas. We cooked over 200 cookies yesterday and today. We also made Chocolate covered cherries, Peppermint bark, and peppermint patties. The girls really like making goodies for Christmas. The kids used there "updated" Christmas lists to place their ornament on to paint. If you look close at some of them you can see what's on them. Little do they know Santa has all the Christmas presents he is going to deliver here.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

blogging

I haven't blogged much lately. I think of a thousand things I'm going to blog about and just don't take the time to sit down and type. Several people have scolded me for not keeping it up to date. It just takes time and that's something I don't have much of. We are planning on taking the kids carolling tomorrow night. I made cute red shawls for the girls and the boys have black outfits with red gloves. They all have Santa hats. I know they will be so cute. Thursday we have planned to make gingerbread houses. We did this last year and all the kids loved it. I guess it's a new tradition. Jennifer will be here in the morning from Tennessee. Brian and Amey are suppose to visit tomorrow too. There are still hand made ornaments to be painted, Christmas candy and cookies to be made and pictures to be taken. Oh and I don't have enough of the presents wrapped. We don't wrap everything but this year I've not wrapped much at all.

Busy, Busy, Busy!

And I have a new niece: Victoria Carol Mauldin. I got to keep her 2 nights as her mom had to have a minor surgical procedure done. I fell in love with her, except at 1:30 in the morning, then I was glad she was my brothers daughter and not mine. LOL I do miss those days.(nights)

Another post coming with pictures. Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays!

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Hot chocolate, cookies, and decorating the tree
























































We had lots of fun decorating the tree.
I'm a little late posting pictures, we have been really busy. A cheer leading competition, a national guard Christmas party, a church party, and basketball games has made for one bus schedule. I'll catch up soon.









Friday, December 10, 2010

November birthday pictures














Katelynn, Krishawanda, Selena, Keith, Brian and myself all had birthday's in the month of November. 9,17,15,52,27 and ?????29(again) I'm 29 again of course!





Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Strep throat

Strep throat.UGH! 4 of the kids are sick. Kieanna was acting like she wasn't feeling well about a week ago. I ask her if she was sick. No, she insisted she was just sore from the adjustment on her braces. She was invited to a friends house and really wanted to go. I waited until the last minute and didn't let her go. She was upset. Well now that 4 kids are complaining with sore throats and coughing she comes clean and says yea my throat hurt last week too. I'm sure she got it from the basketball team. They share water bottles. Every time I see her drinking after someone , I cringe. I've nagged and nagged about sharing drinks, but they don't listen. I'm sure more will come down with it. Our appointment is at 11:20 today. I've already been to the psychologist office this morning. I really plan on taking the month of December off. I need to shop and just about every day someone has some kind of appointment. I do have some dentist appointments I can't cancel because rescheduling takes forever. But all the therapy, school, and psychologist appointments are getting rescheduled to the first of January. In November I had 25 appointments. Some were at the same place and I had several school conferences scheduled on the same day. But that's a lot of places to be. That's my normal, I'm not complaining, I just need a break. I'll spend that break shopping for the best deals, and trying to shop from their Christmas list. Every year I say I'm going to cut back for gifts. The kids are all spoiled and have come to expect a big Christmas. I'd like to concentrate on the real meaning of Christmas. I read one family buys 3 gifts for each child on the basis of that's what Jesus was given. I like that. All the adults drew names this year. There is just too many adults to buy everyone a gift, now that I have 6 almost 7 children over the age of 18 and some of the with spouses. Sometime I'm glad they are all getting older and I think about how nice it will be not to have to clean vomit, wipe bottoms, clean toilets, do 10 loads of laundry a day, attend conferences, cook mega meals, step over blocks, and dolls, strip wet beds, and 100 million other things moms do. Then I think about what all I'll be missing, like the wet kisses, the hugs, the snuggles after a bad dream, the art they make, that says I love you mom, the laughter and smiles from just being goofy, all the chattering when everyone talks at once when the bus runs, all the games and singing and dancing and all the times they make me laugh and I don't want an empty next any more, I want my kids to take their time growing up.

Friday, November 26, 2010

Thankful for Family


We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. All but one child (adults included) was home. He came on Tuesday but I really missed him on Thursday at our Thanksgiving meal. This may be a new normal as kids grow up and move away. Oh well I'll be Thankful every time we are all together, holiday or not.