The 10 Best Things About the Holidays Were…

Well another season has come and gone, all the decorations are packed in the attic, everyone is headed back to work, and I stop to think about the wonderful Christmas that just passed.
Here is my 10 Best Things About the Holidays Countdown…
10. I love that I had the chance to spend the last day before the holiday break in Megan’s room. Once you are out of the regular classroom, holidays aren’t quite the same. While the chaos can be exhausting and we all can’t wait for that dismissal bell on that last day…spending the holiday with a group of kinders just can’t be matched!

9. I love that Megan is close to her sister in law (Tyler’s wife, Ginny) and her cousin Jenny! So on the first Monday of the Christmas holiday my house was a total wreck…and I survived! Jenny..with her 3 kids, Megan and Matthew and Ginny all spent the entire day at my house…starting at 6 am!Megan made special name pancakes for breakfast. We spent the rest of the day doing crafts and making cookies. They were still there when the guys got off of work so Andy headed over to the BBQ place and picked us up some dinner! No time for cooking dinner when there are cookies to bake!

8. Andy finally had a chance to paint my bathroom!
7. I was there when Matthew saw Santa for the first time. It was absolutely magical. No tears…this year!

6. As of December 15 I had only purchased a few gifts. Thank goodness the weather cooperated and I was able to spend the entire week shopping and wrapping. But, the highlight is, I was there when my kids opened their gifts. We take that time for granted when our children are little. But, when they grow up they often find themselves living in other places that makes spending the holidays together impossible. I love that both of my kids and their spouses live right here in the same town as us! Nothing better.

5. I loved our first annual family pajama party! Okay, I have to admit that it felt kinda like one of those corny Christmas movies, but we had a blast. I went shopping and found matching pjs for the girls and the guys. I washed them (my family won’t wear things that haven’t been washed), put name tags on each pair, and wrapped them in a box with Christmas movies and that new game from the Ellen Show…I can’t remember the name.  We spent the rest of the night just hanging out, playing games and watching movies.
4. The week after Christmas we loaded up in Ginny’s pilot and drove 2 hours to see the Fantasy in Lights at Calloway Gardens.  We had to ride the “jolly trolly” instead of taking the car (which would have been much warmer) so that Matthew could see the lights.

3.  On Christmas Eve my entire family came over for snacks, fun and games. That’s right….everyone. My mom, my three sisters, their spouses, children and grandchildren, and my family all settled in for a little family fun. After eating a few snacks we loaded up and all went to church together. While we usually all go to different churches, we decided to go to one church So since one of my nieces was singing at her church, the decision was made. After church, back to our home for fun and games. Andy set up the photo booth and the posing began.
2. What fun was it to celebrate Matthew’s first Christmas. He was so much fun and totally understood about opening presents! I know you hear me gush over him all the time. Can I just say I am totally in love with that little guy?!

BUT…..next year there will be even more love to gush over. That’s right! Grandbaby number 2 is on the way!

1. The best thing about Christmas is that I was able to spend it with the love of my life. As many of you know, Andy is currently living in Oklahoma for his job. Let’s just say we are building lots of frequent flyer miles! Andy was able to be in GA for nearly 3 weeks. Not to sound too cliché, but I just can’t imagine a better match for me. He takes me in all of my many moods, my insecurities, my manic pace, and OCD issues, and through it all keeps us both sane. I’m thankful that he is a good Christian man who loves God and raised his family with that same faith. I’m thankful that he has worked hard his whole life to provide for his family while showing his children that you can love your job, do it well, and enjoy the fruits of your labor. While he can drive me crazy with all of his clutter, he can fix anything and knows how to cook and sew! We have been married nearly 30 years, moved 3 times, raised two great kids, and now look forward to filling our home with lots of grandchildren.