Fra-ra-ra-ra-ra...Ra-Ra-Ra-Ra!

This year I'm experiencing my own version of "A Christmas Story". You know the movie..."You'll shoot you're eye out!"

So, normally on Christmas when we don't go back North, we go to dinner on Christmas Eve with Matt's sister's family and then we get with them on Christmas Day for a big lunch.

Not so shockingly...she called me Sunday night to tell me that her daughter had just started throwing up.

Great. I swear...the illness is relentless down here!

So, tonight we headed out solo to our favorite Chinese Bistro..PF Changs...and had chinese food for Christmas Eve. Our waiter was highly amused that we'd found our way there after a Christmas disappointment and in his pity, he gave us free stuff.

We are officially "just us" this year. We have big plans of staying in our pj's all day and eating! I'm sending half of our food to Matt's sister smothered in complete compassion for what she's going through. Eh....

Then, maybe we'll do something crazy like see a movie tomorrow night?!? I guess it's totally up to us?!?

Weird.

To my family back home and my sweet BFF...I miss you all so much and hope your day is really great. If you feel an unexplained sense of emptiness...it's not that you need more pie-it's my absence! :)

Love you guys!














Me, getting attacked by the boys when they opened up their Christmas pajamas!

Family Christmas Movie

Well, today was our 4th annual Family Christmas Movie Day.

We've sort of made a little tradition that on our Christmas school break...right before Christmas, we take the boys out to a movie and an expensive dinner.

Two weeks beforehand, I make special invitations and leave them for each family member and in them they find the date for the special day and that family member's special job for the day. (Pick the movie, pick the restaurant, pick the after dinner desert and game, and of course, the BIG one...pick the movie snacks!)

I know alot of families probably take their kids to movies and dinner all the time but really...this is the only time of year we can afford to do the whole big deal. I'm happy about that, though. It makes it really special for the kids.

I wish there always was a great Christmas movie out that we can take the kids to but many years we have to hope and settle on just the latest release. This year we found one of the last theaters showing the "Bee Movie". We had to drive a bit to get to it but it was worth it. Really cute.

Afterwards we went to Carrabas to eat (this year it was MY job to pick! Yeah!). And now the boys are hovered over a gingerbread house and I'm watching "Little Women".

I'm learning to lower my expectation over the holidays and just enjoy those few moments that seems so special. Who knows what the next hour will bring? For now...the Christmas spirit is in full bloom at our house and I'm thankful for that!

No One To Deck The Halls...

...Of our school.

So, the germ of the century appears to have invaded our school. I've been told not to despair-this is actually probably going on in every school but to me, it just feels personal.

Josiah apparently has caught the same bug as me.

Yesterday and last night he threw up for 17 straight hours. It was horrible. I just kept thinking, "This will be the last time...SURELY this will be the last time!"

I called the doctor today and he put him on a medication to stop the vomiting so he could drink. Thank the Lord for this medication. It totally worked. I was freaking out this morning, trying to figure out how I was going to get the meds with this sick baby and Matt had the insurance card 30 minutes away in a Math class..and I needed other grocery items....AHHH!

I called a CVS with a drive through and was pleased to hear the voice of one of our Prasso students on the other end. She totally bumped my prescription to the front, dealt with the insurance and then took my grocery list and shopped for me to have things waiting at the drive through when I came. Providence.

Oh...and the CVS is right beside Starbucks so I got the meds and an Eggnog Latte. A latte can heal a multitude of concerns and get an exhausted mom through a long day.

Poor baby...He has to miss his first class Christmas party tomorrow and I was suppose to help host Sam's at another mom's house. My e-mail tonight let me know that Sam's party is now at the school "due to sickness at the Gray's house".

Ah-oh. Another one bites the dust.

So many kids are sick and I'm glad for the break. I never thought I'd say this but...we need to let things die at school!

If you pray (notice I'm desperate. At this point, I'll take prayers from ANYONE!) Pray for Sam not to get it. With his blood sugar stuff, this will land him in the emergency room. I don't want him to suffer and I don't want to spend Christmas in the hospital!

Are you guys healthy?

Sweet Boy

Okay...this is like the sweetest thing I've heard in a long time. My husband posted it on his blog and I loved it! If you're a mommy-get your kleenex box ready!

This is Logan's Theology Lesson. A little boy in Texas that called into a radio show to share some thoughts. Steph, you'll love this...it's all about his favorite pet.

It's not long...Enjoy!

School Christmas Party

Thankfully by Friday night my appetite had returned from the "bug" and I was ready to party!

I love our school. Seriously, I work with some of the kindest, sweetest people around. Salt of the earth. I enjoy them so much and they are quickly becoming family to us. They think Matt is so cool and that brings me real joy. Mostly because I've always known how cool he really is and it's great that all on their own, they've discovered it too!

We will spend Christmas night with my friend Maria and her family and I'm expecting a great time!


(Me and Maria)

So, my boss treated us to a fancy dinner which is REALLY appreciated by a room full of poor Christian school teachers who have to save up just to go to Chick-fil-a!


(Matt, Jill...our administrator, and Me)

We all put it down! Everyone looked so pretty all dressed up and my table was full of my colleagues that work on my side of the school. Fun, Fun, Fun.


(Me and Sarah..Jo's teacher that works next door to my classroom.)

I can't wait until next year already!



(Doesn't Matt look SO nice? I will NOT tell you what a drama it was to get this guy dressed up! Ridiculous. If you make it this far on this post then please send a "Compliment Comment" to my hubby so he will know how nice it is for a wife to see her husband dressed in something other than a ripped up flannel!)