A December to Remember

It's January 2nd.  I started writing this post on December 26th but couldn't get it done.  I got sidetracked.

#squirrel

Another Christmas is come and gone. My mind is blown that it is already the end of the year.  Where has time gone?

This may be a bit long, but I am going to recap the month of December.

This month kicked off with a girls trip to Memphis with my BFF Stacey to run the St. Jude Memphis Half Marathon.  This is hands down my favorite half marathon because it solidifies the reason I run.  My motto is that if kids and their families can go thru cancer and there is a place like St. Jude to help them, then darn it, I will run 13.1 miles for charity.

My friend Sara, pictured in the middle, is the Mama of a cancer survivor.  Her daughter, Kellan, is also one of Caylee's BFFs.  Those two are the reason I am a half marathoner.

I snapped this picture as we were running into the campus of St. Jude.  There weren't many doctors, nurses, patients,  and families out as there were in the past (due to high winds).  Still very emotional though.  At one point, I looked up at one of the windows of the hospital and thought about the family behind that window and what they were going through.  I said a little prayer for them as I trudged along.

In Kevin Milz fashion, I stopped to take a selfie with a mascot.  I am a little upset though because that selfie (and my stop at the port-a-potty) probably cost me a PR.  Oh well.  It wasn't about a PR- it was about the fun! 

Best. sign.ever.  I asked the girl if I could take her picture and she said yes but I snapped before she put the sign down.  Oops.

Slow as a turtle.

From the race to the stage:

As soon as I returned from Memphis, Nutcracker week kicked into high gear.  I got home from Memphis at 1:30 in the afternoon on Sunday and was on stage three hours later.  Caylee was a Ma Petite again which meant that Chad and I got to be in the cast as well.  I absolutely love Nutcracker and it is bittersweet when it is over.  I will say; however, that I am glad to have my Saturdays back (until baseball season starts).  Caylee did an awesome job.  She danced in the party scene (Ma Petite) and was an angel.  Chad and I enjoyed getting to know the other parents in the scene and cast and members.   The only bad thing about being IN the show is that you don't get many pictures.

I've mastered party scene curls!

Be still my heart.  This is probably one of my new favorite pictures!

Caylee and Madison.  They didn't like the flash!

From Nutcracker, we finished a crazy week at school then Chad and I headed to Chattanooga and Nashville for a kidless getaway!!!!!!!!!  Chad ran the Lookout Mountain 50 miler on Saturday then we went to Nashville on Sunday to see the Rockettes.  While Chad ran on Saturday, I spent the day with my friend Jana.  We ate a yummy breakfast, got our nails done, then went to Costco.  It was my first Costco trip and I LOVED it.  Once we said our goodbyes, I headed to the Finish line to see the guys finish.  I offered cookies and wine purchased from Costco but no one took me up on it.  That's ok, more for ME!

Sunday morning, we drove to Nashville to finish Christmas shopping, walk to the Opryland Hotel, and see the show.  I have wanted to take Chad to the hotel for years- so glad we got to do it this year.  Maybe next year, we will spend the night there!  

 We made our way over to the Grand Ole Opry to see the show.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Rockettes.  I trained under a former Rockette.  The show was amazing.  Funny story- our seats were on the first level of the balcony and at one point Chad made a comment about how straight their lines are.  He is truly becoming a dance dad!!!!

While we were in Nashville, we got news (from Carson nonetheless) that my mom had been hospitalized.  She passed a kidney stone and went to the ER in the middle of the night.  While in the ER, she likely picked up the nasty flu/stomach bug going around.

We we got back home, we kicked the Christmas celebrations into high gear.   We went over to Carolyn and Tom's for an appetizer dinner and to open gifts.  The only picture I got was this one of the kids reading.  Carson got the entire Big Nate series.  Carolyn got him the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series last year.  She likes giving books as gifts.  Both kids like to read and I love that.

 Christmas Eve, we headed over to Chad's parents for dinner and more gifts.  We typically only buy for the kids in the family but we couldn't let Christmas slip by without getting the grandparents and Grauntie Carolyn and Gruncle Tom a little gift.  Caylee got an Easy Bake Oven and Carson got a radar gun to track his pitching speed, among other gifts.  We joked that Carson could stand in the yard and radar the people that fly down the hill in our neighborhood and make a citizens arrest!

 Santa definitely came to our house!

 This was the scene at 5:05 in the MORNING.  The older they get the earlier they get up.  Chad said that Starbucks saved them from being moved to the naughty list.  I do love me some Starbucks home brew!

 Surprise!  We got a WiiU!  Three of the four Macs have played this nonstop!

 Caylee and Isabelle racked up too! This was Isabelle's dance barre.

 Isabelle has a whole new wardrobe (and Caylee has wild hair).

 Carson LOVES his bluetooth speaker (heck, I like it too).  He likes to take it to the basement and crank up some tunes while practicing his pitching (or riding around on his scooter).

 Elmer... Oh Elmer.  He is in the chewing stage.  BIG.TIME.  He chewed up three Christmas gifts we'd ordered online and our CHRISTMAS CARDS.  Long story there.  Needless to say, Christmas cards didn't get mailed this year.

 Christmas Day we went to my mom's.  Even though she wasn't feeling the best, we still celebrated.   I didn't get many pictures here either.

Once we got home, the math nerds broke out Rummikub.  It is basically rummy but family-fied.  I played it once and still don't understand it!

The days following Christmas have been great.  Chad took vacation and I must say this has become my favorite week of the entire year.  I love not having anywhere to be, no schedule, but most of all, having him home.  The day after Christmas we cleaned up the basement.  We still have a lot to do there but we made a good dent in "Operation Clean Out Basement As If We Were Moving 2015".  On the 27th, we took a hike to Laurel Falls.  We hope to make this a Christmas tradition.  It was a beautiful day for a hike and was nice to get out of the house.

Caylee hosted her first sleepover!  I only took one picture of the event but her BFF A-C spent the night with us.  They said they didn't go to bed until 3AM (YIKES).  I told them goodnight at 10:30 and told them they didn't have to go to bed but they needed to be quiet.  Apparently, they played with their American Girl dolls.  Hopefully A-C's mama is still my friend.  Carson also had a friend spent the night on NYE and I took zero pictures. They played the WiiU and played in the basement.  Boy sleepovers are much louder than girl sleepovers but I love having the company of both genders!  It takes me back to when I spent the night with my friend Cindi- such wonderful memories!

Speaking of NYE, these party animals partied it up- and by that, I mean, they didn't tear anything up!  

Tank loves my bathroom rug.  I love it too but I wish he'd stay off of it.  Dog hair in a rug that is difficult to wash-EW!

Well folks, you survived my December recap!  Hopefully I will get on a streak to blog more!