Sandy Hook School Shooting

This was a horrific horrific tragedy for our country.  I won't go on an on about it because it's truly incomprehensible.  A young twenty something man went to his mother's home and shot her with guns he had stolen from her home.  He then proceeded to go to a local elementary school in Newtown, CT and kill 28 people.  Most of which were first grade children.  My heart just ached for those families who sent their precious little ones off to school only to find them dead and bloody just hours later.  

This all  happened while I was back in Illinois.  The hardest part for me was that I couldn't hug my own little ones.  I wanted so badly just to hold them and kiss them, but was miles and miles away.  The reality is that it could have been anyone's little ones.  There's no guarantee that won't happen at my kids school.  Lots of criticism was being tossed around about security measures, but nothing is going to stop a determined crazy with semi automatic weapons.  I don't care about your buzzer system.  

Sometimes I let my own thoughts torture me.  To try and imagine what it must have been like for those who endured this massacre   Imagine my sweet little dimpled Katy being horrified and helpless at the mercy of someone so evil.  It's just heartbreaking and sickening.  

The only thing that can ease my heart is the knowledge that those babies are in the arms of their Father in Heaven.  They were so sweet and perfect that they are guaranteed a place in Heaven for the eternities.  I don't worry about them at all.  I ache for their families left here to miss them.  To mourn them.  To spend Christmas with their unopened gifts under the tree.  Truly truly devastating.  But I also believe that there were angels there that day.  They couldn't stop the madness, but they could be with those innocent ones who were victims.  I don't believe God would leave them alone at a time like that.  

Christmas Cuties

 
 I guess it's become tradition to take pictures of these two in front of the tree.  At least that's what they tell me.  I don't mine, they're kinda cute.  Unfortunately I take way too many pics with my phone now adays so the quality isn't so great.

One of my favorite Christmas activities this year was Bo's piano recital.  As I sat there and listened to several little ones (and a few big) play simple Christmas songs, I had such a feeling of peace and contentment.  Like these are the things that make Christmas special.  He is a little bit of a stink and didn't really practice his piece at all.  In fact, it was only the day before that I found out he didn't even have his music, he lost it.  We scrambled and got what he needed.  He played the whole thing from memory at the recital. Imagine if he actually put a little effort into it.

22 Years

Twenty two years and counting.  Yesterday was our anniversary.  I always encourage people who are considering a wedding date to stay away from this time of year.  It's fun the first year, but kinda stinky from then on.  By the time I'm done with Halloween, Thanksgiving, the whole Christmas season, New Years and having my kids home for two weeks, I can barely think about my anniversary.  I'm just too exhausted.

This year in an attempt to at least make an effort, I planned a long date for us.  We didn't exchange gifts or even cards this year.  I made reservations for us to get massages at Massage Envy.  They have a couples room where you are together the whole time.  This was Glade's first time, and my second. The first was not a good experience.  He was really nervous about the whole thing.  I'm glad I didn't tell him till we were almost there, he may have backed out.  Turns out it was really nice.  Nothing we would do regularly, or maybe even ever again, but fun to have done it once.  After, we went for an early dinner at Texas Roadhouse.  It's great to get there before the dinner rush and have absolutely no waiting.

Glade had agreed to humor me in going car shopping.  We just paid off our van and have no car payment for the first time... ever.  Not that I'm looking for one, but I'd like to see what I could get if I saved all my car payments for a year.  I hate driving the big ol van around every where I go.  Not to mention that it's empty most the time as well.  The kids have beat the heck out of the blue one and that has become "theirs".  So I would like a nice little car with good gas mileage to get me around.  Well, cars cost more than I thought so that was a little disheartening, but it was at least a reality check.

Car shopping was the last thing on my "plan" (it didn't take very long) so now it was 5:30 and we had done everything.  Woops.  Guess when you're old...  So we did a little "shopping" close to where we were and then decided to jump across to the movie theater and see Parental Guidance.  Luckily it was starting in just 20 min so we got right in.  It was pleasantly surprisingly cute.  I had low expectations, but it was really funny and had me crying by the end.  We ended our night at DQ getting hot fudge/brownie ice cream.  Home by 9:30.  Sweet, cuz we started 8am church today.

We love going out with our friends and being with family, but sometimes it's just nice to have each other. ♥

Going Home

Mom and I made a trip back to see family in Illinois this Christmas.  I always look forward to that time.  It's so great to get to know my family again and not worry about entertaining my children and worrying about their needs.  I arrived on Thursday night where I was treated with my favorite sausage and potato pizza from Pizza Joint.  Yum!!  The next morning we just chilled and ran to the store to get a few things for the party that night.  We came home to awful news about a school shooting that I will post separately about later.  What an awful day.  

That night, my dad's family all came for dinner.  Jo Anne had outdone herself with the food!!  She's amazing. Everyone came and it was so nice to just chat and catch up with everyone.  I wasn't that close to my cousins growing up so it's nice to have them now.  

 Me, Dad and sister Sherri

 Me, Dad and JoAnne

Grandpa Joe

The next morning I got up and around and headed to my Gramma B's house.  Oh how I miss her!!  We went over to Lisa's for the family party with my Mom's side.  Again, almost everyone came out to see us.  We had an awesome lunch and played the white elephant gift exchange.  It rained a bit this day, but they were having unseasonably warm weather, go figure.  I barely even wore a jacket.

 Me and Gramma B.

After the party, we went back to Gram's house to play a little Eucher.  While waiting for Vickie, we had a nice talk about Grandma's life and her family, I love to get to know all the little stuff about her. Vickie came and we ended up playing cards till midnight.  Let me just say... laugh till you cry.  That's what we did.  "you could make a cheeseball out of it!!"  Fun times!!

Sunday morning came and it was time to go home.  We were going to go see Polar Express, but it stopped showing the day I got there.  Instead Dad, Jo and I went to lunch and then did a little shopping.  That's when I got this

It opens up and Santa is inside!!  I'm very spoiled and also very grateful, Thanks Jo ♥

We still had a little time before we went to the airport so we went to visit Grandpa Joe.  Again I got to hear stories from the past.  I wish there was an easier way to record all of that so I had it forever.  

The plane ride home was awful.  Mom and I finagled to get seats together and then chatty Cathy next to mom talked the whole time.  No biggie, I was tired anyway.  Oh wait, drunk guy in the row over was LOUD!  Seriously, people complained and the stewardess even asked him to be quiet a few times.  He didn't care, just made him louder.  Kept saying rude things like "get naked on the plane!"  Then when it would get quiet and he couldn't think of anything to say, he would start "ho ho" ing this awful laugh.  I wanted to kill him.  Not even my headphones with music could drown him out.  

I absolutely LOVE my family.  Both of them and I'm so grateful I get to share these times with them.  But on the way home, I was listening to the song "I'll be home for Christmas" and I got a little emotional about seeing my little family again.  That's really my home, where they are.  

Christmas Bunko

I was the lucky one to host Christmas Bunko at my house this year.  This group has been together just around 15 years now.  Obviously some have come and gone, but there's a nice core group that has stayed together through the years.  I love these ladies!!  Tiffany Turner, Laurie Smith, Ann Cook, Valerie Blau, Heather Cook, Dacia Conoyer, Alicen Rapier, Jenny Johnson, Tracie Garr, Jana Williams, Camille Campbell and Leslie Woolf.  These are some of my very best friends *tear* (missing is Kristine Garner)

Glee, North Pole Diaries

This year we did Glee differently than last year.  It was a play within a play.  I did most of the choreography and helped direct.  It's a whole different experience being on this side of the production.  Whitley was the lead "polly the producer" where she got to sing "Get Happy".  Dalin was the "chief of staff elf".  He had some lines and got to be on stage quite often.  Brooklyn was in several dancing numbers and did great.  Bo was "toothless elf", he got to read a part and sing a solo in the beginning of the song "All I Want for Christmas" as well as dance in several other numbers.  Rhett had a guest appearance as a QC Krew member rapping "Airplanes" with his friend Jake.  

We were very nervous as showtime arrived, some numbers just never quite "got there".  The one number I was most concerned with, they had not done right even one time.  It was a mess!  Then showtime came and they did it perfectly!!  I was beyond excited.  The whole show went really well and all the kids did great.  I may not have the most talented kids as far as singing goes, but let me tell you... they are all great on a stage!

 Rhett and Jake

 Brooklyn sang the back up to airplanes with two other girls. She added so much to that number

 Whitley

 All the little boys danced to "Fiddle in the Band".  Holy.  Awesomeness.  They were definitley the show stoppers.  The crowd went crazy as these little cuties got their cowboy on.  

 Bo is the second from the right

 "cotton -eyed Joe!"

 Brooklyn doing a step routine, no music, just rhythem with their bodies

 Dalin got to read a diary entry as the chief of staff.  He was awesome!  He really does well in the acting category.

 Bo as an elf

 We needed extra voices so all of our leads became our North Pole Glee club to sing through the whole second act.

 Brooklyn as a hula elf

 Bo reading his diary entry for toothless elf

 "..then I could wi"th" you Merry Chris"th"mas!"

 Brooklyn as a hip hop reindeer

 She got a solo rapping at the end of hip hop reindeer

 Sparkle Jolly Twinkle Jingl-y!

 "..I really like Christmas but I don't like kissing at all!"

 Dalin taking care of Santa on vacation

Chief of staff

If only...

If only I actually wanted to blog.  Life is crazy busy right now and the last thing I ever want to do is relive it in a blog post!  We have been totally consumed by Glee since this weekend is our performance.  Every night of the week rehearsals.  Add to that trying to keep up with homework, chores, church activities and it's just a little out of control right now.  Our last family home evening was one of deciding to get our lives back to order instead of chaos.  Unfortunately that can't really happen till after the holidays.  The catch up here isn't too positive I'm afraid... Here's what we got going on:

- Brooklyn's playing basketball, so proud of her for working so hard.  On the down side, she's failing 3 of her classes so she hasn't been able to play a single game.  Hoping to have that rectified soon.
- Stephen and Nick are still working many hours a week causing me a lot of "in the car" time since neither one can get their license until January.
-Bo is having his second round of detention this week.  First was for not turning in his homework way too many times and the second for "fighting".  This was a serious over reaction by an aid on the playground in my opinion.  Both boys got a little overzealous in their playing in which both boys got caught up in it and a little anger definitely entered the picture.  Had the aid stayed out of it, they were both fine and would have gone on playing but now they have discipline records and detention.  Seriously tired of this kind of "parenting".
- Katy is still a joy and doing great in school.  Her teacher sent home a note telling of the class struggling with their math and how they were repeating a math test they had done poorly on the next week.  I looked at Katy's test and she had 100% .  Apparently she isn't struggling.  Being good still makes her happy!
-Dalin is just plodding along.  He's funny and quirky and doing fine in school.
-Rhett is getting bored now that track is over.  When Rhett gets bored, no one's happy.
-Whitley is working hard and being very busy and has seemed to completely recover from her break up.  She's even been on a few dates.  I love having her around.
- Chelsey and Spencer are both in school and doing fine as far as I can tell, I hardly see her anymore. :(

We've had a little family drama going on which is always exhausting and frustrating, but I guess that comes with parenting.  As much as I have loved doing Glee, I'm ready for that responsibility to be over.  I tell myself that my time will be my own again but in reality, I can't remember when the last time that was actually true.  So we keep going, trying to enjoy each event and phase as it comes and try to not drown in the meantime.  Laundry, projects, floors... they all miss me, but they don't seem to be going anywhere so I'll get there eventually.  Right now.... I have a life to live. ♥