Christmas

Hi to all who are reading my blog after getting our Christmas card! I hope you are all doing well, staying warm and getting ready for the blessed Christmas season!

I try to keep this updated at least weekly. My intentions were to do it daily, but with homeschooling, it's gotten pushed aside! And yes, you read that I am homeschooling. Shelby and I are spending some quality (?!) time together this year before she heads back to Northwest High School in the fall. It was a HUGE decision for all of us and it's a HUGE step, but hopefully we are getting her where she needs to be to go back and not be totally in a fog. It's a good thing, although somedays I may give you a different answer! Shelby also got her drivers permit this year and is working part time in the cafe that is located in the building where Mike works. She enjoys the job and gets to see some "stars" in the making in the theater class that is held there. That story in one of the older blog archives if you want to look for it! It's about Cody Linely. (if you have tweens, you'll know who he is!) She's very involved in the youth group and loves to go to any and everything that they do!

Alix is very involved in all the activities she can be in while in the 7th grade. She was on the volleyball team, she's cheerleading (like mother, like daughter!) and she's wanting to get into National Junior Honor Society. She's received straight A's for the first 2 Six Weeks and she studies hard so she can do well. She also LOVES to spend time w/her friends, especially going to the movies. It's a good year for her so far and her schedule has kept us all pretty busy.

Mike and Shelby spent some time in Honduras in June. They left the day after school got out for the summer and came back the day before Shelby's birthday. It was a life-changing experience and they are both eager to go back! We have some friends there who are missionaries and Mike and Shelby went to help out for several days. They have quite a few stories from their experiences and are always eager to share if you want to hear about them!

We all went to several concerts this year which is unusual for us! It seemed like we were going all of the time! We went to see Kenny Chesney (country singer) who also had Sugarland and Taylor Swift as opening acts. They were at Pizza Hut Park which is an open air venue and it poured down rain most of the night! What's cool is that they all won BIG CMA awards this year so we were glad we saw them all in one evening! That's a whole other experience, let me tell you! (I will if you want to know about it! )

Mike and I went to see Martina McBride (country singer) who had Little Big Town w/her. That was a great show-loved both acts! Oh, and I won those tickets on the local country radio station! Mike, Shelby and I went to see Chris Daughtry (former American Idol contestant-bald rocker, same season as Carrie Underwood). He was great! That concert was at the American Airlines Center in Dallas after the Texas Stampede and Rodeo. Lastly, Shelby and Alix went to the very infamous Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus w/the Jonas Brothers concert in Fort Worth. Of course, tickets were sold out and selling for thousands of dollars, but we were able to get some from Ticketmaster the night before the concert for face value of the ticket and they were great seats! They had a blast-the highlight of their year! Alix actually tried to see the Jonas Brothers at the Texas State Fair when it was Public School Day and all kids get free tickets. It was hot and totally packed and she was so crowded in that she almost passed out! Oh, and Mike went w/Shelby and one of her friends to a Six Flags concert to see Skillet, Grits and Kutless (Christian rock bands). Mike showed his age by wearing ear plugs =-) I know there are more that Shelby went to, but those are the highlights! Way too much money on concerts this year, huh?!!

We welcomed a new nephew/cousin in July. Mike's sister, Kayrene, and her husband Jeff, had a precious little baby boy, Ryan Jeffrey. He's a sweetie-smiles all of the time (well most of the time!). He's a doll and we are so thankful to have him in the family.

Our big highlight of the year was going to NYC in October for our family trip. It was suppose to be Alix's 13th birthday trip and we all got to tag along. We had a blast, but needed much more time there! There's so much to do and see that it's overwhelming. We came back thoroughly exhausted, but so glad we went. We saw Mary Poppins the Musical on Broadway which was fabulous and of course hit most of the tourist traps. If you've never gone, you need to. You'll love it!

We are getting ready for the holidays now. My grandmother, Nanny, is coming in town this Wednesday and staying w/us until Saturday. I don't think she's ever stayed w/us so it should be interesting! Mike's parents are coming next weekend and will stay the first leg of their trip at Kayrene's so they can spend time with the grandson and then will come here the day after Christmas. Shelby and Alix are going to Colorado December 30-January 5 w/the youth group (and Mamaw and Papaw are going!). They've never been and really want to try skiing, so they are heading out to see how they like it! Mike and I will be stuck at home, all by ourselves... =-)

We will be thinking of you all as we go through the season. If you sent a card, it's up in our entryway so we can see it daily and remember you all. Hopefully we'll see you all again very soon, but until then, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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