Isaac and Baker

Isaac is becoming quite the baker. Just as all the Christmas treats have been eaten, he wanted to make cookies. We all needed more sugar, right? Ha. He looked up a recipe and put all the different kinds of "chips" we had in the house into them. They turned out so good! He even cleaned up after himself.

Park Lights

We have a brand new park just a few miles away from us. They put on a Christmas lights display. We did not have an evening where everyone was home before Christmas so we went tonight. They did a cute job. The whole area was cleared of trees when the park was put in so I hope they keep doing it and add lights to the little trees they replanted as they start to grow. That would make it way better. Everything they had was brought in on metal frames. It was interesting and very random. They had police cars, college football team flags, Christmas-themed and even The Wizard of Oz characters.

Christmas!

We had a great Christmas. I think everyone was happy. Santa brought Isaac a mountain bike, Nathan a gun case and Magic cards, Hannah a laptop and Justin and I had full stockings. For years now, Isaac has asked that we go on a cruise with the Hurdles. Justin and I were excited to surprise the kids with tickets to a cruise over spring break with them. We will be taking a 7-day cruise with stops in Cozumel, Belize, Cayman Islands and Costa Maya. The thing I love best about Christmas is relaxing all day and talking to family and friends. I also love getting cards from family and friends!

Christmas Eve

I love it when Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday. We spent a couple hours at church singing Christmas songs and learning about the Savior and then came home and all pitched in to get our Christmas Eve dinner ready. We had ham, home-made macaroni and cheese, cheesy potatoes, stuffing, sweet potato casserole (it was a new recipe and was so good!), rolls and Justin had green beans. Yum.

Isaac had made the sugar cookies for us to decorate the day before. He did a great job!

 The tradition of decorating the sugar cookies lives on even though the kids aren't as excited about it as they once were. I think I am the only one who loves to eat sugar cookies.

Mine...

 Justin's...

Nathan's...

Hannah's...

 and Isaac's. He decided to make a snowman sandwich.

 After dinner and cookies, we read the Christmas story from Luke 2 and then opened up a little gift. Everyone got a shirt. The boys got t-shirts with something they liked on it, Justin's was a national park shirt, Nathan was the band Movement and Isaac was the band Breaking Benjamin. Hannah and I got plaid flannel shirts (Hannah had one on her Christmas list). I had also gotten the kids a joke gift. They each got a pair of socks. Hannah's and Nathan's had a picture of Hope's face on them and Isaac had a picture of Loid's face (his bird's). Nathan let Hope try on his pair. They were pretty funny.

First Acrylic painting

Hannah is trying to get her portfolio filled for her AP studio art class. I think she has to have 26 pieces. She decided she wanted to try and acrylic and has been working on it this week. I think it turned out pretty darn good, especially for her first attempt! She used a picture similar to this of Jenny Lake from our family reunion as inspiration. I can't seem to find the exact picture.

Picture for dad

Justin asked for an updated picture of the kids to take to work to keep on his desk as a Christmas gift idea. The picture he has right now has the kids around 2, 4 and 6 years old. I guess it is time for a new one. He was out of town with work so I told the kids to stay in their church clothes long enough to take a picture. I didn't realize Isaac had taken off his shoes until I told them we were done and they could change. Oh well. I love these goofy kids. Glad I could get one without someone making a face.

 Justin did not want one with Hope in it but I wanted one. She played along pretty good. 

Snow days!

We had an unexpected snow storm leaving lots of snow. This is very rare for December in Georgia. The forecast was calling for rain possibly turning into snow by the evening so school was not canceled. Well, when I got up that morning, it was already starting to snow. Hope and I went out for her morning walk just as it was starting to stick.

I went to the church to play volleyball. It had changed to rain on the way there but we could see it start to really come down as we were playing. About 10:00 all the adults started getting calls from their kids saying that school was going to be closing at noon. I got texts from both Hannah and Isaac and I told them to go on the bus. I decided I better go do my grocery shopping and head home myself. This is the view of the church from my car.

 It was my normal day to go shopping but I have now learned my lesson. If they are predicting a storm, go the day before. Holy cow it was busy! Everyone there was storm prepping and I was just trying to get my normal groceries. Ha. The check-out line took me a half hour to get through. I got home and put groceries away just in time for the kids to get home. I was getting worried thinking about Nathan driving home from Kennesaw at 6:00 (when the snow was supposed to really be coming down) but was relieved to get the text saying they were closing campus at 2 and he would be coming home. Justin had worked from home. The snow kept on coming!

 Hope was not too sure what to think of the cold. She just wanted to sit on my lap.

 This is about 4:00. So pretty.

Nathan's two friends had come over to play cards when the snow stopped and they thought it wouldn't be bad for another couple of hours. Well, they ended up staying the night at our house. Hannah was supposed to work so I tried taking her as she tried calling in to see if they would even be open. Just as I told her that we were going to turn around because we might make it there ok but there would be no way I could make it back to pick her up after it was dark and started freezing the van got stuck trying to go up a hill in our neighborhood. I guess the rain had already started to freeze underneath the snow. Of course, she got a call while I'm trying to get off the main road telling her they were closing. Ugh. Ammon decided he should head home a few minutes after I left with Hannah and he got stuck in the same exact spot. Justin, Nathan, and Rylan had ridden down with Ammon to help push me off the road and ended up having to push me and Ammon off. Thankfully, a neighbor in a 4 x 4 stopped and gave me and Hannah a ride home. It was cold! The boys decided to walk. I made grilled cheese sandwiches and soup for dinner and then Hannah, Hope and I cuddled up and watched a Hallmark movie. A great way to spend a Friday night!

We don't do sleepovers and neither does Ammon's family so the boys were very excited to get the chance to stay up all night playing X-box. The funny thing was just before midnight our power went out so they couldn't play. I think everyone was asleep by 12:30. I made pancakes, eggs, and bacon for breakfast the next morning. The sun was out starting to melt the snow a little. It was definitely the most snow we have ever seen in Georgia! About 11 we ventured down to pick up the van and Ammon's dad came in a friend's truck to make sure Ammon could get home.

 I borrowed Isaac's army boots. Those were nice! They kept the snow out and my toes warm.

 Justin and I had a good laugh when we saw that Ammon had left his window down the whole night. Luckily, there was not too much snow inside the car.

Isaac, Hannah, and hope had a great time playing in the snow.

 Some neighbors from around the corner stopped by to help make a snowman. They were so cute.

 Hannah put a scarf on Hope to keep her warm. Ha. She is so cute.

 Nathan and Rylan decided staying inside was more fun than playing outside.

 Isaac loved eating the snow. Isaac brought her snowballs in for her to eat.

 On our walk that night, we saw that someone had built the most humongous snowman I've ever seen. They needed a ladder to finish it. You can't tell by the picture but it is probably 8-9 feet tall.

 Church was canceled Sunday and because we don't have snowplows and sand trucks to get all the rural roads cleared, school was canceled Monday and Tuesday as well. So glad to have everyone back at school today! It was a fun couple of days though.