Shh!

We are guilty of breaking that "DO NOT OPEN UNTIL CHRISTMAS" seal.  We just could not wait any longer.  Especially since it came into our house last night.  It had been sitting in our garage for over two weeks, but we could not lift it upstairs.  After JM and I took his PAs and spouses out to a VERY FANCY dinner last night, Patrick (one of the PAs) stopped by to help JM carry the 200+ pound box upstairs.  Now the box is open, and calling out JM's name!  TaDa......

JM will have to teach us all how to play.  JM was very glad that it came with an official game rules book because we all know that Tyler will challenge to rules many times!!  

Thank you Grammy and Papa for the awesome Christmas gift!  We will enjoy hours of great family and friend time over the next generation.  

HO! HO! HO!

 
  

 
After two church musical performances this morning and Misty sitting a room full of 18-24 month old kids for 2 hours, we went to visit Santa.  Tyler did a great job "protecting" Lyndsey who is still a little scared of the big man with a beard and a red suit!  Corynne and Lauren just enjoyed sitting on his lap and sharing what they wanted Santa to bring them.  After we visited with Santa, everyone enjoyed cookies and crafts!  Lyndsey loved the little girl looking back at her in the mirror!

A new season!

Basketball season opened today for us!  Although, Corynne missed her game because of mandatory church musical rehearsal that ran very late, and Tyler's was rescheduled for next Friday night because it conflicted with the BIG GAME - Alabama vs. Florida!  So Lauren was the only one who played.  She played a good game for Lauren.  She did try to shoot the ball a few times.  We will let you all know when she scores a goal for the first time.  At least, she was not talking and fixing her hair the whole time like her first game last year!  It is hard for a princess to be competitive!

Daddy's Date with the Girls

JM was the ultimate great dad today!  He started off the day by taking the big kids to school.  At 11:30 he spoke to Corynne's 3rd grade class about bones and muscles.  They have been studying this chapter for over a week, so the 3rd graders had a lot of questions for Dr. Dad.  JM said he spent most of the time just answering questions.  I asked him if he was stumped by any questions!  JM responded, "It's not whether you know the answer, but convincing everyone that you KNOW the answer!" (i.e. just sounds good! What has your dr. told you lately?!?!)  No pics for mom even though JM had the camera.  He said he felt weird asking the teacher to take pics.  Next time I will tell the teacher ahead of time to get the camera from him and take some pics for the scrapbook!

Then, Dad hung around a few minutes to pick the girls up from school and take them to lunch before he went back to work.  

Tonight was the night of princess dreams.  JM took Corynne and Lauren to the Father Daughter Diamond Princess ball tonight.  The girls were so excited to "take Dad away from Tyler" for the night.   They danced the night away with Dad and some friends, crashed an ER party that Dad was invited to attend, and finished up the night with drinks at Starbucks!  What more could two girls ask for!!!

Reading her 1st real book!

Lauren read her first real story this morning.  I have to admit that when I saw the book in her homework folder, I did sigh inside and think this is going to take awhile.  She was so excited!  And she did it all by herself!  I know...she is 5.  I know it is about time for her to start reading.  I know...you had a kid that started reading at 3 1/2 or 4.  I know..I had one that started reading early also.  IT WAS MY FIRST CHILD.  Lauren is my third, and she learned to read despite my bad parenting!  Way to go Lauren.  Now I know that there is hope for Lyndsey!

The Waltz

I had one of those moments tonight.  I knew Corynne was a "waltzer" in our church Christmas program, and I knew that involved dancing with a boy.  After the adult Bible Study was over, I went into the auditorium to check on the big kids and get a time estimate on them finishing before I went to get the little girls.  Within seconds of my entrance, I saw Corynne on stage in her fancy ballroom gown dancing with a sweet little boy from her school all decked out in a TUX!  Andrew with his perfect waltzing posture and Corynne just gracefully moving to the music.  My heart sank and tears filled my eyes.  She is too young for this!  I am not suppose to have this kind of emotion until prom or weddings!!!  I know now to take a bunch of Kleenex with me on Saturday night and Sunday!

A look into the future...

The busy holiday season is upon us.  The kids started Upward Basketball this week which adds 3 practices to our afternoon/evening schedule.  Fortunately with the exception of this week, they are all back-to-back-to-back on Tuesday!  The first games are on Saturday. 

 

We finally got a new basketball goal up.  Our old one had fallen over while we were at church months ago - by nature or by someone else we do not know.  The end result was a broken base which would not support the goal anymore.  I have been working on getting to new one installed for quite awhile...really!!  Today it went up, and Tyler came home to practice.  Guess what - he missed more than he made!  Guess whose fault it is...mine of course!?!?  Only time will tell if his star quality shot will return!!!

We are in the final week of rehearsals for the church Christmas program.  Tyler and Corynne have small extra parts in the program.  We have a minimum of 1 hour of practice Tues and Wed.  Then dress rehearsal Saturday morning (with basketball sandwiched around this possibly).  The program in Saturday evening and 2 times on Sunday morning.    Done by NOON!?  No, there is brunch with Santa  until 1pm.  Then an adult Sunday School Party on Sunday night!    

I forgot to mention that Friday night is the annual Father/Daughter Diamond Princess Ball.  Corynne and Lauren have been waiting for this event since last year.  Their spirits were not even hampered when I told them I was not buying a new ball gown this year since last year's gowns still fit!  (Although, JM is planning something different!)  This is their date night with Dad complete with dancing!

Saturday evening we also meet up with our PAs and their spouses for dinner and fellowship immediately after the church Christmas program.  It should be a fun evening, but I still have to find a late night babysitter!

This is all extra stuff for this week on top of the normal piano, tennis, and dance!  Oh, I got a call today that I had schedule dentist appointments for kids 6 months ago for TOMORROW!  I think that Ty may have to check out early so we can get to dentist, dance, tennis, basketball, and rehearsal on in one day!!!