A Dickens of a Christmas!

A Human Star!

Abbey and I went downtown with some friends last night for "A Dickens of a Christmas" and had a great time. We went with Christie & Allison and their children. It was cold but we enjoyed it. This is an annual tradition that Christie and I do and it gets more special each year. I guess in a few years Abbey will not want to go with me! The boys went to the basketball game with Gordon -- at the last minute Jake decided he wanted to go with me but he didn't have a coat! I was saddened because it will not be too much longer before he will choose a root canal over going anywhere with me. I can't help but to feel like I am racing an hour glass ~ I tell you I have heard my entire life that "Time Flies" well, when you have children it passes by faster than the speed of light. What happened to my little boys?

This could possibly be the funniest picture I have ever seen!

Abbey has her last Pre-school Christmas program this Sunday night. I was supposed to leave for Charleston for a conference Sunday morning but will wait and leave early Monday morning! They called from the church the other night and asked if one of the boys could be a Shepard in the manger scene ~ I immediately asked Jacob because Ethan has a part in their 4th Grade Singing Christmas Tree as an Elf. This should be hilarious!!! He is almost as tall as I am and will be up there with 3,4,5 and 6 year olds.


Have a great day!

Awesome!!

My mom bought this CD this weekend and LOVES it! It also made Oprah's Favorite Things List!

I may just have to borrow it! I really love Jimmy Buffet's Christmas Island and Harry Connick Jr's When My Heart Finds Christmas!

Oh -- and if you are looking for some great music -- check out Tyrone Wells! His song Seabreeze is amazing! Sounds very much like my beloved Michael Buble!

Thanksgiving......

We had a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving! I hope everyone else did also! This is the first time in 15 years that we were at home and I have to say that it was VERY relaxed and AWESOME. We always go to Edisto Beach - which I do love but, it was nice to stay at home and not do all of the running. I did miss doing my Black Friday Christmas shopping in Charleston but, did not miss the 30 minute drive from Edisto to Charleston. OK - I did miss it! Anyways, we went to the Carolina game on Saturday and it was disappointing -- on both sides. I am embarassed for both teams! We actually left and were walking under the stadium when USC got the touchdown to put them ahead. I had listened to a Clemson boy (I REFUSE TO SAY MAN BECAUSE HE DEFINITELY WAS NOT ANY TYPE OF MAN) say some of the nastiest words I have ever heard. I think he may have made up a few! I don't mind the Clemson/Carolina talk but I listened to some very nasty vocabulary with all of my children sitting there and I finally turned around and said "THAT IS ENOUGH" and people around him looking at me and said THANK YOU! He then started saying things to me so, we left -- but not before telling a fine Columbia Deputy Sheriff -- who said I needed to take it up with the University -- OKAY -- Why are you there? Free admission to the game? Extra $25 that they pay you to stand there? Give me a break! Do your job or get a new one! I then told the Event Staff and she said "Why didn't you tell a police man?" HA!! I explained that we have 12 sets of season tickets and are FULL scholarship -- which they may NEVER get another penny again -- and I do not feel like I should have to sit and expose my children to such filth! Anyways, that is the end of that!

Christmas is going to be here really soon and I can't wait! We have such a big surprise for the kids - we are taking them on the Polar Express Train Ride! It is going to be a surprise for them and they are going to love it!

Jake had pitching lessons yestersday and did great! He is learning so much! Coach Mabry videotaped him -- I am trying to figure out how to get it on here! Soon!

Have a great week!

Be courageous! 2 Timothy 1:7 - "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of Love, and of a soundmind.

What am I supposed to put on here?

I just don't know what to put on here! I guess we are pretty boring! Gordon and all 3 children went to the USC/Florida game this weekend and it was HORRIBLE!! It was cold, the fans were cranky and we LOST!!! UGH!!! Maybe my boys will play USC BASEBALL -- yeah - that's the ticket!!

-- Abbey is the one in blue closest to the ball.

Abbey scored the only 2 goals at her soccer game Saturday -- she is the youngest on the team -- they accidently put her on the team for 1st & 2nd graders instead of K-5s and she still did great! Maybe she is following in Krista's (my niece) footsteps -- Krista is in the 9th grade - never made anything below an A and takes ALL Honors classes! Plus, she is an AWESOME Soccer Player -- she has played since she was in K-5, plays travel soccer and was on the JV team last year in the 8th grade!!!

The boys are getting ready to gear up for basketball. They have basketball conditioning tonight with Danny Thompson -- I will tell you that I know NOTHING about basketball but......it amazes me what Danny knows -- just little things that he teaches them! Maybe it is common knowledge to everyone else but it is pretty cool to me.

Jacob is still taking pitching lessons from Barry Mabry -- Barry was drafted by the Atlanta Braves right out of high school and he knows his stuff too! I went and watched last week and Jacob was a different person compared to when he started lessons. Watch out SPRING TRAINING -- Here comes Jacob Ray!

RAYFIVE

This is being created to keep family and friends up to date on our family! And, really just to have fun!