Christmas

This Christmas was one of my favorites in recent memory.  I always think about Christmas as before break and after break.  Before break was as crazy as ever.  Sometimes, I wonder why every organization feels the need to have a Christmas concert, play, party, open house, recital, etc.  It really fills up every evening!  Not to mention, I had a ton to do as 4th grade coordinator.  The teachers in 4th grade really rely on my to do  lots of the planning for any party or field trip.  The last week of school, we went to the Perot museum in Dallas, had our 4th grade musical, and 4th grade Christmas party! Phew!  After that, Mary Beth's ballet open house, piano recital for Thomas and MB, Matthew's choir concert, and work Christmas parties, I was definitely happy to reach the "after break Christmas"!

Michael and his family came in on the 22nd.  This would have been my grandmother's 91st birthday, and we celebrated by making her famous spaghetti, cole slaw, and corn bread.  We also went to Cracker Barrel, Homestead Heritage, Lauren's house for the 23rd, and our house for Christmas Eve.  I made eggplant parmesan, and used my grandmother's silver, and my great grandmother's red depression ware.  I love traditions and using dinnerware passed down through the ages.

Christmas morning was as fun as always!  Matthew got the shot gun he has been wanting forever.  I asked him how he was going to shoot a deer with it.  He looked at me like I was crazy, and told me it was a bird shot gun.  There is a difference?  Yes, our oldest child is quite the outdoor sportsman!

Thomas received a golf stroller cart that makes it easier to walk a golf course instead of carrying his heavy bag on his back or using a golf cart.  It has been used many times since Christmas!  He also received a ton of books that he has been wanting.

As per tradition, Mary Beth received an American Girl Doll,  along with Holiday Barbie, and an orbees foot spa.

Thomas and Deedah on their mutual birthday.  One is 12, the other is 65.

 Mary Beth and me on our traditional girls' baking night.

 Gigi night!

 Christmas Eve

 Cracker Barrel for Christmas Eve brunch.

Lydia is going through a huge "Bibi" phase right now!  How awesome is that??  Normally, all the kids in the family adore Bryon, so it's my turn.  I love that little girl!

 After opening Santa gifts, we all headed over to Mom and Dad's for presents, Christmas brunch, and a delicious meal of beef tenderloin, twice baked potatoes, and green bean casserole.  Yummy!  My mother never ceases to amaze me how she can do so much for us at Christmas while working a full-time job.  She's Wonder Woman!

 And that's our Christmas 2013 in a nutshell!

Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer

I volunteer at the elementary school library every Monday afternoon.  A few weeks before Christmas, I was working, and several of Mary Beth's friends came in at different times to tell me that Mary Beth had gotten the part of "grandma" (of Grandma Got Runover By A Reindeer fame) in the Very Silly Christmas Singalong 4th grade musical!  I could tell by their wide eyes and tone that this was a big deal!  Given Mary Beth's theatrical nature, she was thrilled with the part!  She got the whole audience laughing with her Grandma antics.  Back in 1999, my grandmother had breast cancer and needed a wig.  That wig has been useful on more than one occasion!  Thomas used it for Mad Scientist Night to be Einstein a few years back!  Again, it was one more "last" at our elementary school.  All three kids have had big parts in their elementary musicals over the years.  One of the perks of having three extroverted kids!

Thomas at 12

Happy Birthday to T-Bone Diggity Do!  I can't explain how much I love this boy of mine.  Here is a look at Thomas at 12:

**Thomas is happy most of the time.  It's rare to see him not smiling.  He is always happy to be along for the ride and is easy going.
**The only thing that ruffles his feathers is the occasional blow up with big brother.   They are best friends 80% of the time, but that can change on a dime when they are playing basketball and football  outside!
**He loves playing football, but loves golf more than any other sport.  In the summer, it is rare that a day passes when he isn't playing, and many afternoons a week, he asks to go, even when it's 40 degrees!
**He loves school.  Loves to learn.  Signs up for any reading competition, UIL event, science fair, creative writing seminars that he can.  He is always reading.  Math is his favorite subject.
**I love talking to Thomas and getting his opinions on different subjects.  He has a unique way of looking at the world and seems wise beyond his years.  He also has a very deep spiritual side.  I can't tell you how many times I have been at a very loud, crowded dinner, and seen Thomas quietly bowing his head with his hands folded praying.
**One of Thomas' most endearing qualities is his selflessness.  I've truly never seen anything like it.  He was given money for his birthday and bought gifts for his cousins with it.  He would give the food off his plate or shirt off his back to anyone. He believes the very best in people and celebrates with his friends' achievements. He gives Mary Beth anything she asks for.  In my next life, I want Thomas to be my big brother! This is something that has always come easy to him.  One of my favorite stories about him was when his first grade teacher handed me Thomas' Christmas list that only had items for his brother and sister on it.
**I think another thing that I adore about Thomas is his teddy bear-edness.  I just made that term up!  He continues to be taller than his friends and wears a size 10 shoe.  However, he has to be the most gentle 12 year old boy I know.  He has a calm, soothing voice and sweet disposition.
**He is still quite the Mama's boy, and he and Bryon have discussions over who loves me more.  How special is that?  I'm one lucky mama!
**On a funny note, I would say that Thomas is very comfortable in his own skin.  Maybe too comfortable?  Where his brother typically looks like he just stepped off the cover of teen GQ, or a Nike ad, Thomas has to be sent back to his room several times until his outfit is fit for school.  It isn't uncommon for Thomas to come out with a maroon shirt, neon orange shorts, pink socks, and neon green shoes!  In fact, that combo was displayed this morning!  Let's hope Thomas marries a sweet girl with great fashion sense!

Matthew at 14

Another big event this fall was our "baby" turned 14!  Of course, there isn't much baby left in our boy.  Here is a look at Matthew at 14:

                                               

**Football is his life.  He lives and breathes the sport.  He looks forward to football workouts more than anything.

**He is extremely health conscious.  Matthew hasn't had a drop of soda or any drink other than milk or water all year.  Work outs and protein powders are very important to him.  Bryon and I wonder where he came from sometimes! ;)

**He is getting so tall!  Taller than me!  His foot is now a size 11 and his voice is sounding more like a man every day.  In fact, they switched him to singing bass in choir recently. He also has to shave now, and takes 3-4 showers every day!

**I have said it before, but there are few people on earth who make me laugh as much as Matthew!  We have similar senses of humor, and there are times that he only needs to look at me to send me into the giggles! He has a very quick wit that I appreciate.

**He is an awesome cousin to the little boys.  He seems to be really happy in the mentor type roll with this age group.  Matthew is also helping referee the Upwards games for the k-2nd grade and doing a great job so far!

**Still smart as a whip.  School comes very easy to Matthew, and he puts little effort into his As in his pre-AP classes.  His brain is always on high alert, and he rarely misses anything.

**Matthew rarely sits still.  We weren't home 5 minutes from our trip to Arizona before he was jumping in the car with his friends to play basketball at the YMCA.  As much as he loves to hunt, fish, exercise, and play sports, I cannot imagine a sedentary life for Matthew!

**Matthew wants to be grown up more than any kid I know.  He is mature beyond his years and extremely independent.  I trust him implicitly to take care of things when we are gone.  As much as I'll miss him, I think Matthew's happiest day will be the day he heads off to college!  That's just 4 1/2 years from now!  Wow!

**He is definitely my most challenging child.  Always has been.  It's not a "problem child" kind of challenge.  More of a teenage Dennis The Menace challenge.  He loves to give me a hard time and has a sly smile on his face often.  

I love Matthew more every year!  What a fun, funny, interesting person we have been given to raise!  I am grateful for our special relationship and wouldn't trade it for the world.

Oompa Loompa!

There are many reasons why I love being a part of Midway ISD, but one of the biggest is how great our fine arts department is!  It has changed light years since I graduated over 20 years ago, and they put on broadway (or off broadway :) caliber productions now!  This year, the theatre, choir, art, and orchestra departments decided to perform Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  Just for fun, the theatre department asked for 4th graders from the 6 elementary campuses to join the cast as Oompa Loompas!  Mary Beth was excited beyond words to be a part.  She is such the budding performer!  The show was adorable and Mary Beth had a permanent smile on the entire performance.

Thanksgiving

I was very excited to get to host Thanksgiving this year.  I love making the meal and was happy that my parents and many in laws would be coming.  We have been wanting to change out our flooring for many years, and finally bit the bullet the week before Thanksgiving.  Unfortunately, the workers said that our floors were almost superglued to the slab.  In all their years of working, they had only seen this in one other house.  SUPER!  They worked tirelessly and finished the floors the Monday night before Thanksgiving.  Lots of cooking and cleaning were done that week!

Mary Beth helped polish silver when there was nothing else to do but wait for our floors to be done!

Case Closed

We have had lots of great memories at Floyd Casey Stadium (the Case)!  Here we were with our 10 month old, Matthew, at his first game.  He has rarely missed one since.  It was time for Baylor to finally have a stadium on campus, so this was the last year that Baylor games would be played at the Case.  As it happened, we were to play UT for the last game.  We were NOT expecting temperatures to dip into the 20s.  I'm sad to say that I had the good sense to stay home during the game.  I just didn't have the desire to freeze my brains out for a game that I could enjoy next to a fire in my living room!  The boys had a BALL and we closed out the stadium with a win over Texas and a Big 12 championship!  It was very exciting on the field after the game, and the boys managed to find most of our key players and BU's president, Ken Starr.  Looking forward to making new memories at McLane Stadium in the fall!