I have to say, I think I'm doing pretty well this December!! Last year was probably the craziest one yet, and I've been determined not to let that happen again this year! I was filling in for the lunch room this time last year - Thanksgiving to Christmas - worse time of all to work in there! I was solo room mom times two for party planning. I made a day trip to Florida and back to hug my sick sister. Christmas was here before I knew it and was totally rushed.
This year, esp with Thanksgiving being on the latest day it possibly could, I knew I had to be on top of it. It was December when we came back from break! I'm trying to remember that less is more and to be more intentional with the time we have. And not having the lunch room or party-planning has been huge! We've picked out a few favorite things we'd like to do. I did a ton of shopping super early. In fact, I did my personalized Shutterfly gifts before Thanksgiving. It's really been going well. I just checked Chloe in tardy today after missing the first two days of the week. But even so, it's all worked out, and I haven't been worried about getting behind!
Nana came last week for a few nights which was really nice and fun! Wednesday night we brought crockpot bbq chicken to our neighbors after Kathy's surgery. I doubled it, and we had dinner with Nana! Yumm. And Thursday afternoon was the BEST! Ryan was off playing with the neighbors as usual, but they got in a little tuft and Zach sent everybody home. Chloe was playing in the backyard with neighbor Emmaline, which left Ryan and Abby and I in the driveway playing knockout. It was an absolutely gorgeous afternoon, and I had the best time playing with them. And I won!!! [once out of probably 15 games. But I still won!]. My Big Two are quite the competitors and they have some serious knockout/ basketball skills. When Nana and Daddy got home Thursday night, it was date night!! Coleson and I walked the Avalon and took in Christmas lights and did some window-shopping and ate a wonderful dinner at The El Felix. Nana and the kiddos had Las Palmas.
Friday was fun too! Barbara and I went down to Apple Annie's craft show. I got sooo many great Christmas gifts. We had a lot of fun browsing. Barbara left from there for home, and I did a few errands and treated myself to Chicken Salad Chick for lunch since I was out and about and had left the county and all. Friday after school, Ryan and I picked up our race packets for the Reindeer Run. We've run this at least the past two years, and it's always fun. Last year was CRAZY rainy and everything was flooded [it is at a river park after all]. It was like high marching to get through the streams of water covering over the sidewalks. I've run a handful of half marathons, but I still think last year's reindeer run was the hardest race I've done :) But we did it and we had fun and now we have a story!! This year we found out we couldn't run on Saturday because of an academic bowl tournament, so we picked up our packets Friday night and ran three miles ourselves - DIY Reindeer Run 2019. Ryan wanted to do six laps instead of an out and back over the bridge which worked out well since it was dark by the time we finished. He ran ahead of me the first three, but he was having some cramps, so he waited on me and we slowed quite a bit for the second half. It was really fun actually running together and chit-chatting. From there we met Daddy and the girls in downtown Canton for a Christmas festival. There wasn't a ton of stuff to do [at least without long lines that the kids didn't want to wait in any more then we wanted to either], but honestly it was really nice just walking around and being together. The kiddos got hot chocolate, and then we ate a late dinner at the new Panera bread. It was simple and fun. The girls rode in my car home - Chloe fell asleep and Abby must have told me a dozen times what a nice evening it was, awwwww.
Saturday morning the guys went to academic bowl, and I took the girls to see Santa at church. It was a really well done event and Santa was great! We enjoyed seeing friends, especially the Khodabakhshs. I took a couple pictures, but they had a photographer there, so hopefully in a few days I'll have some great Santa pictures of my girlies! Oh, and the shoes! So we're going from there to Abby's basketball game. Which meant changing clothes. And despite all my reminders, Abby didn't bring any basketball shoes, and she's in her cowboy boots. So she and Parker swap shoes in the parking lot since he came from a basketball game. Soo much fun watching Parker line-dance all around the parking lot in Abby's boots. He's such a fun kid!! We took Taylor with us to Abby's game. It was the first game of the season, so it took awhile for both teams to warm up. It was 2-2 forever!! The second half went better and Abby scored eight points - three baskets and both of her free throws. She fouled out with five minutes to go! She's the point guard and leader of the team for sure, so it kinda fell apart without her and they lost 18-13. But it was fun, and it's great to be back in basketball season!! Ryan's academic bowl tournament wasn't going well and there was some tension, so they ended up leaving to go to Ryan's game. He fouled out too, way to go?!?! [Coaches like to see that aggressiveness at this age, esp on Abby's girl teams]. They lost as well, but Coleson said Ryan looked really good. From basketball, I took my three girls right down the road to Soho bagel; we used to love going there when we were at Watermarke church. The bagel sandwiches were soo good and a hit with all the girls. And the staff was super friendly, esp considering I had three kiddos [and myself!] randomly ordering piecemeal, personalized sandwiches :) From there, we played at our neighborhood playground until Taylor left. It was another beautiful and sunny day, so you gotta enjoy them when you can! Ryan spent Saturday evening at Tripp's house while we all watched the Dawgs lose painfully in the SEC championship game.
Sunday was church and the grocery store and FINALLY decorating the tree that we had put up the weekend before! We had the Esterlings [minus Jessi], the Khodabakhshs [plus one!], and David Niles over for a fun evening and a spaghetti dinner. I'm so glad it worked out! This whole less-is-more approach in December and hosting a dinner made our short list :) I think the kiddos had a blast playing, and I know I had a wonderful time visiting with friends.
And then Chloe threw up Sunday night and again first thing Monday morning. Fortunately, Coleson was able to work from home Monday, but only until 10:30 as he had an 11:00 meeting. I was able to make my yearly lady appt [which I'd already rescheduled once] and do a bunch of errands - the dollar store, Michaels, the bank, the post office, and Hallmark. And I made it back at 10:25, pheww!! I must say, I felt pretty accomplished. I should also note, after Chloe threw up she was totally fine the rest of Monday. Tuesday morning she woke up crying with a headache and had a low fever, about 100*. She went back to sleep until about 9:30 and was fine again most of Tuesday. So when Coleson came home a little early yesterday - although he went straight into his office on phone calls until 6:30 - I handed the tv remote to Chloe and I was outta here. I had a couple things I had to get at Kroger and drop off for school, and then I got in a nice run. Chloe had a headache again last night and I thought for sure we'd be at the doctor's this morning. It's been tough the way whatever this is just keeps lingering. She'll be fine for hours and then have a headache and then be okay again. Let's either kick this or get an antibiotic, you know?! But she woke up totally fine today, ate breakfast, helped me wrap some presents, and even cried at one point because school is "awesome" and she wanted to be there. I eventually checked her in. It's not been a full 24 hours since the headache/ low fever last evening, but we've always said if we keep Chloe home every time we thought she might be sick, she'd never go to school. So here's hoping she's truly better and not getting anyone sick! And it's book cook day! I'll be up there too in a couple hours helping the class make pancakes. Second grade with Mrs. Shakespeare is the best!!!! On a side note, I feel sooo bad for Abs this year. Fourth grade is big kid, and they don't get to do the Grinch days and watch the Polar Express and wear pjs and have a class elf. I don't remember this transition phasing Ryan, but she's been so sad which makes me so sad!! But at least she's got a class party coming up?! We keep reminding her of that, because sixth grade really is big time. Not even a party for Ryan, in fact he's got five midterms next week, one each day. Bummer. The real world isn't all it is cracked up to be. I keep suggesting to them that they should just stay little and stop growing up so fast. To which cute and sweet Chloe says, I can't help it I have to grow! Okay, fair enough...
So anyways, Happy December and Merry Christmas season from this rambler!!
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