Caleb's Birthday

"Happy Birthday to Caleb! Happy Birthday to Caleb! Happy Birthday to Caleb! Happy Birthday to Caleb!" We started off the morning singing to Caleb before breakfast. After we finished our waffles we watched a New Kids On The Block video that Mrs Andra loaned us. The kids had a great time dancing and singing along. I was so proud! Then we got dressed and headed to Fort O to Buddy Bear's Playhouse. Tuesdays are half-price so that worked out even better for us. The kids were so excited to discover that some of their friends from school were also there. They played hard and ran around that place over and over again. All I could think of was what a nice nap time we would have this afternoon! Lydia sliding down the inflatable slide (above)
Abigail running the bungee cord race (below)

Caleb jumping in the inflatable with his friend Chandler (below)

After we had worn ourselves out at Buddy Bear's Playhouse we went to Baskin Robbins for ice cream. (I love coupons!) The kids each got their own kids cone and we had a great time! Then we headed home for a nap. Since Caleb is having a party on Saturday we didn't do presents or cake today. Caleb seemed to be okay with it since we had such a full day. He got a few birthday cards in the mail and a few other people called to wish him a happy birthday. He was very happy with his day!

Weekend in Pensacola

The morning after Christmas I got up before the crack of dawn and headed to the airport for a weekend in Pensacola with Mom. We were officially going down for Natalie Hammond's wedding but we decided to make it a mother-daughter weekend. On Friday, after a bit of shopping and lunch at Olive Garden, we headed to the beach. I love the beach! It was so relaxing and it was just beautiful. Beaches and mountains always serve me to remind me what an awesome Creator was responsible for forming the earth. When we got back to the hotel we ordered pizza and went to bed early. Saturday, after sleeping in until 8, we had breakfast with the family members that were staying in our hotel. Then it was out for some more shopping before getting ready for the wedding. We only got lost a few times which is pretty good considering we didn't have a map or gps with us! The wedding was at the Pensacola Country Club. The main hall was gorgeous and the ceremony was outside looking out over the water. Natalie was beautiful and looked so very happy.

(above) Natalie dancing with her dad, Uncle Mark.
(below) Natalie with her mom, Aunt Trudie.

We had a great time at the wedding and reception. We finally left around 10-ish and the party was still going full swing! I needed my rest! Sunday morning we got up around 8 and headed back out shopping. We had a great time but the flight time was looming on us. Mom dropped me off at the hotel and I headed back home. I was glad I got to go but oh so ready to get home to my family!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas morning at the Dentons! The kids were so excited that Christmas was finally here. They woke us up at 7AM ready to go downstairs and see what was under the tree. The kids did a happy dance when they saw what was waiting for them. They started with their stockings and then moved on to their presents. We wrapped each kids presents in their own wrapping paper to make it easier to tell which presents belongs to each child.Caleb was so happy to realize he had gotten the Transformer he asked for. He also got an Iron Man costume and immediately went and tried it on for us. It fit perfect! He also got a Hot Wheels game for his Smart Cycle and Speed Racer movie along with some much needed new clothes.

Abigail got the sing-a-long Gabriella from High School Musical and immediately opened it up to sing for us. She is already practicing to be a famous singer. She also got a Hannah Montana costume, Barbie movie, Ratatouille game for her V-Smile along with some new clothes.

Lydia loved her life-size penguin and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse as her favorite toys. She also got a doctor kit, Care Bears movie and Hannah Montana costume along with some new clothes.

After we opened presents Daddy made us a big breakfast of pancakes, grits, and sausage links. The kids spent the morning playing with their new toys while we got ready for Christmas Dinner. Aunt Alli, Tommy, Grandmomma, Granddaddy, Brooke and Dale came over for a turkey dinner with all the fixins. Christmas with family and friends!

It's Almost Christmas!

Christmas Eve at Grandmomma and Granddaddy's house. After the Christmas Eve Service at church we headed over to their house for dinner and presents. Grandmomma made chili, fried chicken, chips, chex mix, monkey crunch, scones, and chocolate cake. The kids sat in the living room to eat while the adults sat around the kitchen table and visited.After dinner it is present time. Grandmomma hands out all of the presents and then everyone opens all of their presents at the same time. It is a little crazy trying to see what everyone gets from each other but it is always a good time!The kids each got some clothes and a toy off of their Christmas list. The clothes are probably a lot more important to me than to them but the toy makes it all worth it! Tommy was very happy with his new coat. Peyton and Logan got gift cards to Game Stop so they could get a new game for their Play Station 3 that they got for Christmas. Grandmomma also got them toys to play with and the promise of a shopping trip so they could pick out their new outfits.

Grandmomma and Granddaddy looking at the scrapbook we made for them from their Spring Break Trip to the Grand Canyon.

After the presents are opened and the mess is cleaned up we head home to get ready for bed. The kids are usually pretty wound up so it takes a little while for us to calm down and get to sleep. Then it is time for Mommy and Daddy to wrap the rest of the presents for Christmas morning. 7AM is going to come way too soon!

Christmas Sunday, December 21, 2008

It's Christmas time! I can't believe this is the week of Christmas. It finally hit me Saturday night when I was setting out the kids clothes for church and I realized that I needed to get their Christmas clothes out. It has been so crazy busy that it snuck up on me again this year. Luckily I didn't have a lot of shopping to do so I have been finished with the Christmas shopping since Black Friday. I know, I know, that is annoying to you procrastinators but I can't help it. So, here we are in the sanctuary after the morning service.
I snapped this one before we left the house for Sunday School. The kids were in much better moods and cooperated a little better. Aren't they just the cutest kids in the world?

Children's Choirs' Concert, December 14, 2008

Caleb's group went first so that they could spend the rest of the concert under parental supervision! They did such a good job. This was the first time any of them had tried on their costumes so there was quite a bit of adjusting and playing going on. Caleb's friend Sebastian kept us entertained with his antics. He wasn't really into the singing and he was hilarious to watch. (Those Major kids again!) I may try to post the video later because I spent a good portion of the concert trying to hide the fact that I was laughing. But, the kids really did do a good job and they picked up their props when they were told to and put them back down when they were finished. Caleb may not have a future as one of the great tenors but he has a great attitude and works hard. I was so proud of them.


Abigail's choir went after a short break for the Handbell Choir to play a few numbers. She did such a great job. She loves to sing and she is very loud so the teachers love to have her in the group. This year we are struggling with talking with our friends instead of doing what we are supposed to be doing. (Now who does that sound like?) This proved to be true during the concert also. She is standing beside her friend Tessa and a few times throughout the evening she leaned over and made a comment. I think next time I may suggest placing her beside a boy, she is still uninterested in them!

Christmas Card Time!

It's that time of year again, we get to pose for pictures so Mommy can send cards to our friends and family. This has been a busy few weeks so I was afraid to wait any longer to try to catch some pictures because I want the cards to actually arrive before Christmas Day! Last weekend was the Christmas production at church so Roy was at the church every night until after midnight. We also had the Christmas Luncheon at RPS that we coordinate the food and Roy bakes a cake for 120 people so that added to the work load. This week is Roy's finals and I am still trying to get the rest of the decorating done. Roy was in class taking a final so I got the kids dressed in their pajamas for a photo time. End of the day probably wasn't the best time to ask them to smile and cooperate. But every weekend seems to be full and I had to take what I could get. It is very difficult to get all three to smile at the same time. I have several shots of two smiling children while the third one is looking off into space or looking scared, or frowning. It was very hard to get all three to look halfway pleasant at the same time! I was exhausted and still not over this cough/cold I have been struggling with for a week now so I'm sure that didn't help. So this is the one I chose. Great picture of Abigail, Okay of Caleb and Lydia is being silly, but hey, what can you expect ... there are three of them to deal with!

Every year I say that we are going to slow down and enjoy the season, but it hasn't happened yet. I think this is why I have a love/hate relationship with Christmas. I love the reason we are celebrating - Jesus's birth and what that means in my life and for the world, I love the decorations, I love giving to others, I love the music ... but then there comes the part I hate - the angry/mean shoppers, the commercialism, the busyness, the lack of respect for the true reason we celebrate. I really have to watch myself or I can become a big scrooge over it all. I guess what I need to remember is that I only have control over the behavior of one person (and partial control over the behavior of three little ones) so I need to let the change start in me. I can choose to slow down, say no to people if it will conflict with my family time, keep the right attitude even when others don't, choose to make my holiday season a happy one. After all, we truly have the greatest reason of all to celebrate!

Thanksgiving

We were all so excited to head to Thomasville for the long weekend and see the fam! Unfortunately everyone else was also on the road at the same time so the drive was much longer than normal. The kids were very anxious to be out of the car by the time we got to Mema and Pepa's. Erik and Faith were already there by the time we got there so we all went out to dinner together at Beef O'Brady's. After stuffing ourselves full we headed back to the house to visit and hang out some before the busyness of the next day. Thursday morning we got up and headed to Tallahassee to Auntie Jo's for Thanksgiving Dinner. There is always a lot more food than anyone can eat and the leftovers are just as wonderful! Before dinner we snack on veggie trays, Erik's famous deviled eggs, and a relish tray. We had a great time catching up with family members that we only see on holidays. The kids were busy as well. Auntie Jo has a wagon with hay for the kids to go on hayrides up and down the long driveway and the kids always love feeding the geese in the backyard by the lake. I brought some activities to occupy them: pin the feather on the turkey, Thanksgiving bingo, coloring pages, and a Thanksgiving matching game. They kept themselves occupied with the activities while the adults kept themselves occupied with the talking! When dinner was ready the real fun started! We piled those plates up high with all the good stuff: turkey and dressing, ham, sweet potato casserole, green beans, Mema's mashed potatoes, Aunt Cindy's baked ziti, rolls, and salad. The only decision to be made is whether to eat too much of the real stuff or wait for dessert time to eat too much! Aunt Cindy's cheesecake is the best! But we also have pecan pie and cookies. About half of us eat in the den in front of the football games and the other half eat out on the lanai. There is always a lot of talking and laughter throughout the day. For all our faults we love each other and when push comes to shove no one else messes with our family! By the time we headed home the kids were exhausted. Mema and I looked at the sale papers to decide when we were going to head out in the morning. There weren't any door buster items we just had to get so we decided to sleep in and go shopping a little later. We still managed to get everything we wanted to get and everyone was in much better moods! We had a lot of fun at the mall and finished up our shopping, what a relief! We headed home a little early to meet up with Erik, Faith and Anna. This was the first time we met Erik's girlfriend since she is in school in Texas and hasn't been home for an extended amount of time since summer. We got the picture albums out so Anna could see pictures and hear stories of Erik when he was younger. That was hilarious! As is our tradition, we went to supper at Crawdaddy's in Thomasville so the guys could have all-you-can-eat crab legs. I think the waitress was surprised by how much they can eat! Mema's friends Ricky and Ann came to so we had a full table or two or three! We always love eating at that restaurant, it's the best seafood in T'ville! After dinner Mema had the waitresses sing to Roy since my family didn't get to celebrate his birthday with him last week. He was quite red and I can't believe we didn't get a picture! He was very excited that they had gotten his watch fixed for him. We wore ourselves out for a second day in a row so we headed home after we finished eating his dessert. Saturday morning dawned bittersweet, we were sad to leave but anxious to get home. We planned a family breakfast in Tallahassee at Cracker Barrel so everyone could meet Erik's girlfriend Anna and Will's girlfriend Chelsea. Fitzgerald party of 20, your table is now available. It was a mad house but we had so much fun. The cousins all sat together and visited. I never know just how many stories we are gonna tell or who will be picked on this time but it is always a lot of laughs. It was so great to spend more time together! As if we hadn't packed enough into this weekend, we also decided to let the kids open some Christmas presents before we headed home. It was a whirlwind! We had so much fun and were sad to leave everyone but I have to admit I was glad to be home too!

Caleb's Thanksgiving Play

Caleb's kindergarten class put on a Thanksgiving play for their family and friends on Tuesday. It was at lunchtime so that made is easier for me to be there. He was an Indian in the retelling of the Thanksgiving story. They all had a part to play and they did a great job. They also sang a couple of songs and recited a poem. I was especially impressed that they put so much emphasis on the religious aspect of the Pilgrims coming to America. Usually in public school they tend to gloss over that part. I am so thankful his teacher is a Christian and allows the students to discuss these things in class. After their program they sat down to a feast. They said a blessing as a class before they ate! One of the parents brought venison for them to try, Caleb loved it! It was his first time tasting it so I was interested to see if he would like it. They also had turkey, raw veggies, popcorn, pumpkin cake, rolls, and juice boxes. Okay, it wasn't exactly a traditional meal but the kids loved it! He did a great job, I was so proud!

Awana Carnival

Sunday night was the Fall Awanas Carnival. All three kids are in Awanas this year so they were very excited to get to attend. They had a blast! This year we had the carnival in the gym at the BX so there was plenty of room for everything and everyone. They had the inflatables, cookie walk, marshmallow shooting range, bowling, t-ball, football toss, baseball toss, face painting, tattoos, pretend first aid center, balloons, popcorn, pizza and cokes. I can't think of anything that they didn't have! The kids played until they were exhausted and then played some more. A big thank you to all of the workers who made it possible!

Tree Trimming

Every year Roy wants to put up the tree as soon as possible because he absolutely loves having the house decorated for Christmas. Since we are going to be out of town next week for Thanksgiving Roy and the kids convinced me to put up the tree early because we won't get to do it the weekend after Thanksgiving. All week long he and the kids have worked on cleaning the house so we could get the decorations out today. The kids put up the trees in their rooms and helped decorate the tree in the den. We will wait to put up the live tree in the living room until December! I left most of the decorating of the house to Roy this year. He loves to do it and last year he missed out because he was working so much. I also am a creature of habit and would have put everything back where I had it last year. It was fun to see where he put stuff compared to where I would have put it. Now we have a house that is decorated for the Christmas holiday when we get back from Thanksgiving weekend in Thomasville. That will be so nice to come home to!

Abigail's Thanksgiving Dinner

Abigail's class had it's Thanksgiving Dinner on Friday and I was able to get off from work to come eat with her. Many of the children had parents or grandparents there to enjoy the turkey and dressing with them. It was nice to have a chance to talk to some of her friends and their parents. I was glad I got to spend the time with Abigail even thought being away from work for so long made the day hectic. Abigail was thrilled to have me there so that made it all worth it!

We had one little boy who sat with us that didn't have any guests with him. He shared some stories of his home life that I feel certain his parents wouldn't have wanted shared! You never know what your children will share when you aren't around. It was a true wake-up call for me. I need to watch what I say and do even in the privacy of my own home because there are eyes watching!

Roy's Birthday

Friday, November 21, was Roy's birthday. Before I left for work and the kids left for school we gave him his cards, gift, and sang to him. He was surprised because he didn't realize we were going to do it first thing in the morning. He also wasn't fully awake and had bed head but that just makes the pictures all that more fun! The kids are always excited every time there is a birthday so they talked about it all day. Both of their teachers knew it was Daddy's birthday and wished him a "Happy Birthday" also. Several friends called, emailed, or sent cards so that was nice. Erik and my parents each called to wish him a "Happy Birthday" too. I think he enjoyed the attention on his special day! That night was conveniently Parent's Night Out at church so we also got to have a date night. We had a coupon for Big River Grill, which was a big treat for us. I think that was only the second time we have eaten there since we moved here two years ago. It was very nice to have a meal alone and actually get to talk and eat our food while it was still hot. After dinner we walked around Barnes and Noble and Books-A-Million until time to pick up the kids. Any of you with children know what a treat that is. We just browsed and talked. After we picked the kids up it was time to head home and get them in bed. We relaxed in front of the tv for a while and headed for bed. All in all I think it was a good birthday!

Girls Weekend in Gatlinburg

We had a group of eleven ladies from our Sunday School class decide to take a trip together to Gatlinburg. Although our main goal was to make a dent in our Christmas shopping without our children along, we also wanted to just get away and have some fun "girl time". We had a blast! Friday evening we talked and laughed and played "Apples to Apples". Now that was interesting and maybe a little scary to see how some people's minds worked. We also had a visit from the cabin's pet raccoon, Bob, and fed him some bread. He wasn't the least bit scared of us. Saturday morning dawned cold and rainy but we would not be deterred from our mission of having fun and shopping. After a trip to Starbuck's, we spent the day at the Tanger Outlet Center, lunched at The Chop House and shopped some more. We arrived back at the cabin exhausted but happy with the day. That night we just relaxed at the cabin and ordered pizza. I was the only one who would brave the hot tub but it was wonderful and relaxing. We got up Sunday morning and headed home. It was so nice to hang out with old friends and make some new ones. Now I am wondering how we can fit another trip into the schedule/budget soon!

The Enchanted Maize

This is Abigail's fall field trip, the entire first grade at RPS went to The Enchanted Maize. With students, teachers, and parents there was a total of 102 people who went. It was a mad house. Abigail was so excited that Roy was able to go with her. He followed her and her friends around taking pictures and having a good time. They had lots to do other than the corn maze: hayride, playground, tractor-coaster, photo ops galore! Friday was also team spirit day so Abigail wore her UGA jersey. After they finished at the corn maze they went to the park near my office to eat their lunches so I met them there. It was nice to get to be a part of a field trip without having to take a day off from work. I didn't tell Abigail ahead of time that I was going to try to attend so it was a surprise when I met them there. I got to sit with her and her friends while they ate lunch and play a little on the playground with them until time for them to head back to school. This is the stuff that memories are made of!

Kittens

A year ago, the day after Thanksgiving, two pitiful looking kittens showed up in our backyard while the kids were playing outside. I made the mistake of feeling sorry for them and feeding them. That was the day we "adopted" two kittens. I am not much of a cat person plus I am allergic to them so it was not my intention to have two cats. I put up signs and called the animal shelter but no one claimed them. Of course, the kids were overjoyed with our new pets: Brownie and Stormy. About eight months later we had three new kittens. The kids thought it was perfect because now we each could have our own cat ... never mind that I didn't want a cat! The kids each got to name a kitten: Abigail named Gabriella (Black/brown), Caleb named Jasmine (grey/brown) and Lydia named Princess (fluffy grey).

Here Lydia is playing with "her" kitten, Princess. I am amazed at how much they will take from her. They let her pick them up, carry them around, drop them, pet them, squeeze them, what ever she wants! Unless it is raining, she goes outside to see them everyday. I think she is the cat lover of our family.

Pumpkin Head

This was Abigail's homework for school the week of Halloween. On top of the regular reading, math, and spelling homework she had to decorate a pumpkin for a contest on Friday. She and Roy looked at bunches of pictures online for inspiration (Roy was thinking elaborate: Cinderella's carriage and Abigail was thinking something much more doable: Spongebob). She chose to do a silly face and name it "Pumpkin Head". She did all of the painting by herself and made the silly hat with very little help. She was so proud of herself for doing it by herself. (She is growing up so fast, oh where has my little girl gone???) She won the award for the cutest pumpkin. The pumpkin is decorating our den and the award is on the fridge.

Choir and Orchestra Retreat

We had a great weekend with the choir and orchestra learning the Christmas music, fellowshipping, and praying together. We met Thursday night and Friday morning with Rick Stone of FBC Jonesboro. Then on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning we met with Derrick Johnson of Orlando. Derrick arranged the musical that we are doing this year. It is the same musical that Disney uses for the Candlelight Christmas show. We had a wonderful time listening to their stories and learning from them. As a fun break on Friday night, we went to the Vaudeville Cafe in downtown Chattanooga for a Murder Mystery Dinner Show. As each table walked in we got our picture taken with the statue of a knight. Then they took a picture of the statue coming to life and scaring us. That was not nice! We had Italian food and got to visit with the people at our table. It was entertaining, but I didn't guess correctly, so sad!

On Weldon Pond

Our Sunday School class had a fall get together at the Weldon's pond in Ringgold. It was a great time for families to get together and visit. I'm not sure exactly how many people ended up coming but there were 90 people (adults and children) signed up to be there. Several of us brought pots of chili, desserts, snacks, and drinks. Someone also had the right idea with the bonfire and marshmallows! The Weldons also got the horse out and let the kids take turns going for a ride. Here we have Abigail and Caleb relaxing at the end of the day.

Field Trip!

Caleb's kindergarten class took a field trip to Little River Farms. There was so much to do there: pony rides, corn maze, petting zoo, crafts, playground ... it was a packed morning. Roy was able to chaperone so that was very special for both of them. Mrs. Queen's camera was broken so Roy was nominated to be the class photographer for the day. He came home with 106 photos on the camera, and I almost had a stroke when I saw how many he took. And he wants to pick on me for taking too many pictures! Caleb had a blast and Roy got to meet his friends. Both of my boys had fun, so that is a successful trip in my book!

Hard at Work

Lydia came by my office to "help" me while Daddy had a meeting in Chattanooga. Luckily it was a pretty slow day so we were able to spend time together. She had a great time going from office to office visiting with each of us. There are four offices with televisions in them so she was definitely enjoying that! One of the offices has a loveseat for her to recline while watching tv. One of the offices has a fish tank for her to look at. We also keep popsicles in the kitchen area and candy in the reception area so she was set on sweets for the day. It's almost like we were there just to entertain her! She came armed with snacks, toys, and coloring books and was ready to stay awhile. She keeps asking when she can come again. It was nice to have her there but it definitely wouldn't be good for productivity if she came everyday!

RYAA 2008

Caleb got his first trophy! He was so excited! His team, the Ringgold Tigers, met at Buddy Bear's Playhouse, an indoor playarea with lots of inflatables and some arcade games. The kids played together and had pizza. Then came the big moment, each child got to come up and receive his trophy while the coach talked about the good things they did or areas of improvement. Caleb was so proud. When they got home, he came running in the door to show me his trophy! We just had to snap a picture to commemorate the day!
On a side note, you may notice that Caleb isn't wearing his UGA jersey on Game Day. Well, he wanted to wear his FSU jersey, because PePa likes FSU and he will be so proud! I wanted to give him a hard time about it but I didn't have the heart. Instead he decided to wear his UGA jersey to school today! I think that was a fair trade-off.

Ringgold Tigers Flag Football

This is our first year with rec sports. We are the Ringgold Tigers, which is hard to get used to after spending many years teaching them the Bulldog cheers. Abigail and Lydia are cheerleaders for Caleb's flag football team. It has worked out pretty well since they all practice at the same time at the same fields and games are on Saturday mornings. The season ended this past weekend and it was bittersweet. They were 3-5 in their 8 games but we were all still proud that they worked so hard at it. Caleb is looking forward to playing tackle football next year. His goal is to play football for UGA. We are so proud!