Christmas Happenings

We've been busy over this past week with lots of Christmas parties, Christmas programs, and other Christmas activities with the boys. Colby had his class Christmas party which was a Happy Birthday Jesus party, hence the birthday hat and plate in the picture. The kids also took part in a book exchange in which some of the kids just couldn't understand why some of the other kids were opening the presents that they brought. Many of the children wanted to open the same present that they brought. A few of the kids had minor meltdowns because of this, and yes, one of them was Colby.


The next day, Friday, Dalton had his class party as well as having their class go to sing at a nursing home. I thought it was such a sweet field trip for his class to go and sing for these sweet senior citizens, but some of the parents that also went on the trip were just rude. Some of them plopped themselves down in front, along with all their camera equipment and tripods, making it difficult for the residents and everyone else to see. Needless to say, I didn't get very good pictures of this event, but the children did a great job with their Christmas songs and verses they recited. After the trip to the nursing home, the kindergarten class came back to the school where they had their class party. They made Christmas trees out of upside down sugar cones and decorated it with icing and "ornaments". I'm really going to enjoy the Christmas break and not having to go back and forth to their schools and just having the boys home and getting to sleep later.



Finally, today, the boys and I made a gingerbread house out of one of those kits that you buy in the stores this time of year. I wanted to try it last year but didn't get around to buying one. I figured the boys were old enough now that they wouldn't be too crazy with the icing and candy parts. This was the first time I had ever tried to make one of these. I'm not exactly the craftiest person in the world so I was a bit worried about how it would turn out. The boys were so excited about making this. They so enjoyed helping to decorate the house with all of the candy decorations. They would try to sneak a little taste of the decorations when they thought I wasn't looking. It ended up looking pretty good and we all had such a fun time creating our little masterpiece.

First Tooth

BEFORE

Big day in the Self house today. Dalton lost his first tooth. It kind of makes me sad. It's just another sign that my little boy is growing up before my eyes. His little tooth was practically able to be pushed horizontally so we knew it was time for it to come out. He was very nervous about us pulling it, and when I was finally able to pull it out, he seemed a bit shocked at first. I also think he was a bit surprised that there was blood coming from the hole in his mouth, although it was very little. I'm a little sad that he won't have those sweet little boy teeth anymore. Sigh.

AFTER

Colby's First Performance

Colby jingling his bells while singing Jingle Bells

Colby had his Christmas program at his preschool this morning. Colby was just too cute. This was his first time performing in front of people like this so I wasn't sure how he would do. He was actually singing and appeared to be having a fun time up there. One of the funny things that Colby has said or sung actually while singing Jingle Bells at home is, "...Oh what fun it is to ride in a Wal-Mart open sleigh...Hey!" I may have to try to upload a little video snipit of the performance. I had planned all along for Colby to wear a cute winter/Christmas type sweater but the weather turned off unseasonable warm this week. I made him wear it anyway and just whipped it off of him as soon as we got home. We've seriously had some crazy weather recently. The highs for the next 3 days are going to be around 78/79 degrees. UGH!! Granted, I'm not a big fan of cold weather, but I do like to see it a bit cooler than this around Christmas. Fortunately I believe the weather is supposed to get cooler again next week just in time for Christmas.

Dalton even stayed home from school today so he could go to Colby's program

Hometown Parade

Awaiting the parade to begin

Floats being pulled along by tractors. That's how we roll in Perry.

Tiny ponies. Some of them stopped for the kids to pet them.

We went to the Perry Christmas Parade this past Saturday. It has become a little bit of a tradition for us to go to the parade. Usually it's just me and the boys, but this year I guess I twisted Shane's arm enough that he came along as well. Shane's mom and my niece, Walker, also came along with us. I love small, hometown parades. There were only 2 bands and it's not very long, but it's always easy to find a good spot to watch and chase after the candy that is thrown out to you. The kids loved it!!! They came back with quite a stash of candy. We watched the parade in a spot that was very near where the parade began so the people in the parade are usually more liberal in throwing out more in the beginning. It was like Halloween again for the kids.

Santa on top of the fire truck

The stash of candy the kids ended up with.

"Saxby...You Betcha!!"

Saxby Chambliss

Sarah Palin

I went to a campaign rally today in Perry for Saxby Chambliss with Sarah Palin as the guest speaker. It was a lot of fun. Chambliss is up against Jim Martin in the runoff election for senator tomorrow. There's always so much excitement associated with elections. I met up with some of my aunts and an uncle who were also going to the rally. We ended up getting there too late to get a good spot and were standing pretty far away toward the back but still ended up with some decent pictures. Sarah Palin is such a rock star. When Saxby Chambliss was introduced he received a lot of good cheers, but when Sarah Palin was introduced she received tons of screams with cheers as well. Good luck to Saxby tomorrow!

Our Thanksgiving

Frying the turkey

Ummm... Lookin' good!

We had such really relaxing day on Thanksgiving. We all managed to stay in our pajamas all day long until it was time to get ready to go over to my parent's house. We offered to deep fry a turkey this year to take it over to my parent's house for the big family get-together. My family has a large family get-together with many relatives on my mom's side of the family coming over to celebrate Thanksgiving. We usually eat around 6:00 so we had a lot of time to just relax at our house until frying the turkey and going over there. We were a little nervous about frying the turkey, but managed to not set the house or the yard on fire during the process although once we did set the papers underneath the fryer on fire. The wind blew the papers a little too hard once I think. The turkey turned out perfect! A fried turkey is absolutely the best tasting turkey you could eat in my opinion. I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving! We have so much to be thankful for!

Here's Colby outside playing in his pajamas as we were working on the turkey.

Thanksgiving Program

I've been intending to post this earlier, but we've had some computer problems lately and haven't been able to. Last Thursday, Dalton's kindergarten class put on their Thanksgiving program and had their Thanksgiving feast afterward. The kids dressed up as various things such as pilgrims, indians, and turkeys. Dalton was a pilgrim. It was a really good program filled with lots of songs, scriptures they had memorized, and joke-telling turkeys. The children had memorized Psalm 100 and did a great job reciting it. After the program we all enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving lunch.

The joke-telling turkeys

Girls Weekend Off

Mary Paul's Morning Mist Cottage

All of us girls standing on the deck overlooking the creek

This past weekend the girls from my life group from church and I took a little trip up to Shane's family's cottage up in Ellijay, GA. We packed all 7 of us into an Expedition and made the road trip up there late Thursday night and came back Saturday night. We had a much needed time of relaxing, playing games by the fire, hanging out, shopping, eating, and just being away from home and kids. The leaves were still pretty although many had already fallen. It is so relaxing and peaceful up there that I just didn't want to come home. I'm already trying to plan a time that Shane and I can get back up there soon.

The view of the creek running beside the cottage

Black Friday

I'm gearing up for the day after Thanksgiving sales around here. I haven't bought a single thing yet for anyone, but I know the time has come to begin figuring out what to get everyone. One thing I like to do this time of year in preparing for the after Thanksgiving sales is to check on-line for websites which will list all the sales for the day after Thanksgiving, otherwise known as Black Friday. You can begin checking on the sales for almost all the major stores such as Target, Best Buy, Toys-R-Us, etc. Just do a google search for Black Friday ads and you can go to various different sites that list all the Black Friday ads as they become available. I love to be able to see what's available at each store to be able to compare everything and read reviews on everything way ahead of time. Happy Shopping!

More Leg Trouble

Well, Shane may have torn his Achilles tendon last week during football practice. It was the last week of practice, too. He had torn his plantaris tendon back in January so when Shane injured his leg this time, he thought he just re-injured this tendon again. He continued to be in pain and it just didn't seem to be getting any better so he went to see a doctor on Monday. His initial diagnosis was a torn Achilles tendon and sent him for an MRI that night. The Achilles tendon is the big tendon that strethes from your calf muscle to your heel. Shane goes back today for his follow up appointment and to find out the results. If it is torn, Shane will probably need surgery immediately. Apparently, this kind of injury should be repaired within two weeks before the tendon begins to lose some of its elasticity. I've read that this kind of injury takes a LONG time to heal so hopefully it will end up being something else or maybe will only be partially torn. Of course, this is such a busy time of year with so many upcoming activities that this is the last thing Shane wants to have to go through. For now, Shane is back to walking around in the big boot again. We have a big ski trip planned this winter and Shane is hoping that whatever is wrong will be healed in time for that. Anyway, we'll find out what's wrong today. Pray that all goes well.
Update: We found out that Shane did not tear his Achilles but rather ruptured his gastrocnemius muscle (calf muscle) and won't require surgery. Hooray!!! It'll only be about 6 weeks recovery time as opposed to over 6 months recovery if it had been the Achilles. He still has to wear the big boot for another couple of weeks though and go through some physical therapy.

Ocmulgee Indian Mounds

Walking up the hill

The boys from the kindergarten classes on the top of the biggest mound

Today has been such a crazy, busy day. Dalton had a field trip today to Ocmulgee Indian Mounds in Macon this morning. It was such a beautiful day for a field trip out there. I used to go here a lot when I was young, but haven't really been since then. The kids watched a video of the indian mounds and looked at some artifacts and replicas of old, Indian treasures and then we did some walking. We walked and walked and walked! We went walking around to many of the different mounds around the facilities. Then the kids made some clay pots and had their snacks before departing for home. It was a really a neat field trip.

Making clay pots

The entrance of the Earthen Lodge

After the field trip, Dalton and I headed up to Atlanta for an auditon he had. This was the first time he had been called for anything. It was an audition for something to do with Nickelodeon. We'll see if anything comes of it. I really don't expect to hear back from them, but it was a good experience. I'm exhausted from all this running around. I can't wait to go to sleep tonight!!

Reformation Day

Joseph

Balancing an egg

Dalton's school celebrated Reformation Day today. October 31 stands as the day that Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg and brought about the Protestant Reformation. His class had a pizza party, played outdoor games, and dressed up as Bible characters. Dalton dressed up as Joseph with his coat of many colors thanks to some nifty, quick, sewing by my mom. It was a beautiful day and all the kids had lots of fun!

Getting ready for the 3 legged race

Pizza

Fast Asleep

When I arrived home tonight with the boys around 9:00 I looked in the back and saw this----------->
Ouch!! I'm always amazed that they don't wake up in agony from how their necks have been contorted.

Fall Festival...Brrrrr....

Dr. Dalton and Firefighter Colby

My little public servant

Dr. Dalton

My church had it's annual Fall Festival last night. It's always tons of fun for the boys. It's also so fun to see everyone that's there and all the cute little costumes the kids have on (and some adults too). The kids were able to play games, get candy, play on the jumpy inflatable things, and eat some yummy food. The boys had a blast dressing up as Dr. Dalton and Firefighter Colby. It was freezing last night though. I think it was in the 40s with a bit of a breeze blowing as well. BBBRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!

Cold weather sure has blown in early this year. Just last week I pulled out the boys' long sleeve shirts and now I had to get their sweaters and jackets out too. Whew! I think I'm almost ready for springtime. Just not a big fan of colder weather.

Here's Dalton and Colby from last year. Just too stinkin' cute!