What I would really like to tell you. . .

I have been keeping up, for the most part, with this blog for one year now. Some months I have been better than most for what I have included - so I decided to have a month by month year in review. January - Start of a new year. Super Bowl Fun. February - Beach trip with Grandma. March - Discovery Place, The Dead Sea Scrolls. April - Beulah Land. Egg hunts. Beach trip with just kids and moms (Jennifer and Anna Claire) May - T ball started (Cole) and soccer started (Katie) June - School over. Mountain trip. July - Fourth of July cook outs. VBS at church. Beach trip with Lee family. August - Pre school for Katie and First Grade for Cole. September - Beach trip with Thomas family October - Cole and David NC State Football Game. Mountain Weekend Trip. Halloween at home. Boy Scouts started. November - Basketball started. Thanksgiving. Cole awarded book mark contest December - Cole awarded for scouts.Polar Express/Grove Park Inn. Puppy for Christmas (Max). 2006 was a very busy year fille...

On Wednesday night, David and I gave the kids each a gift. They unwrapped a new pair of PJs and a bath robe. We then told them that we were going on the Polar Express on Thursday. We loaded up the truck and took off for Bryson City. It was about a four hour ride from our house so we stayed over night in Ashville. The train ride was wonderful. The hot chocolate was great and the two waiters on our car were super! The kids gave letters to Santa and he gave them a bell. This morning after breakfast, we took off to the Grove Park Inn. We looked at all the beautiful gingerbread houses. Some of the houses were huge and amazing. The kids were amazed at the size of the Grove Park. It was a magical day! We now wait for Christmas eve. . .

This is just day three of our Christmas break. We have been to the dentist twice - a two hour round trip driving time for each visit. We have wrapped the rest of the gifts. We have attended Cole's first basketball game. He did a great job passing the ball. In fact, he had three assists! We have had Cole's Cub Scout award presentation. This involved finger foods and advoiding flu sick kids! Cole received many beads for his uniform. Way to go! Tonight, we will sit. Thankfully. I need to pack for our mini overnight trip. It's a surprise for the kids! Christmas is really a great time. David sees to it that we all have fun. I have to say he really is a Christmas nut! Love you hon!

We had Christmas all day long on Saturday. We started with the Lee extended family Christmas. The kids get tons of gifts - including a gift from an aunt and uncle that love to give the kids clothes. It is a gift that I really like and for the most part the kids do too. I always go over with the kids the rules of gift etiquette - No matter what - like it and say thank you - even if you already have it or really do not like it - always smile and say thank you! Cole can repeat this and took the opportunity to say it as Katie was opening her obvious box of clothes. The aunts and uncles laughed - I was ready to melt into the floor. Katie did say thank you - but I believe that they are on to me!