So we always have fun with the gifts mom gives us each year. She makes us laugh. Not sure that is her intention exactly, but still, we love it. This year there was a theme for Michael and Jon. And it was called "Winter Gear That Only People in Alaska Need." Michael got some chains for shoes. Like there are chains for tires? Well these are chains for your shoes. To wear in the ice. For all of his ice walking needs.
Jacob and Morgan got SpongeBob body wash. Yep.
Jacob randomly told me about 2 weeks before Christmas that he wanted this tshirt. I thought, no big deal, I will order that bad boy from Amazon. Except that Amazon doesn't sell them. And every single website online was out of them. And none of the regular sports stores sells them. Great. Thank goodness for my tshirt making hookup. She and her dad came through like a boss. Or bosses I guess. He was so excited.
My friend gave me this blanket for my birthday, and we all fight over it.
Hallie, Jennifer, Cristobal, Jacob.
Jon's mom, sister Pam and Lucy
sister Donna and Lucy
Jacob has wanted a hoverboard ever since last Christmas. We didn't get him one last year because a) they were blowing up last year and b) they were stupid expensive. This year supposedly the blowup part has been fixed and the prices came down. Jon was still strongly against it because amazingly he is the worry wart in this parenting couple. But this was all he wanted so we got it. One day Jacob and I ran some errands and came home to Jon showing off his mastery of the hoverboard. Dork.
Keith was in town for 2 WEEKS!! It was great. I think he was sort of regretting making the trip for so long because that is a long time to be away from your home, even if you are visiting family. But it was really great. We just got to get past the "so how's work? how's life?" small talk and really spend good time together.
We usually make Christmas cookies with Hallie and Abby but this year that just didn't work out. Hallie has two little kids which, as it turns out, really makes things difficult. And Abby is just super busy with work and 20 year old life. Sniff. Anyway, I told Jacob we would invite his friends over instead, and it was a lot of fun. I still would rather have done it with Hallie and Abby, but we had a good time.
The designs were a little different than we would have seen with just family...but still fun.
I made my mom friend, Kristi, a.k.a. tshirt guru, come and help/keep me sane.
Keith giving Jacob tips
Nikki, Kristi's daughter, made a Donald Trump cookie. Complete with hair swoop.
Jacob opening his early gift, which was a pair of khakis. Because the pair he had was being worn with a rubber band through the loop holding them up because the waist was too small.
Morgan wearing the necklace I gave her. Close up later on
Jacob opening his new phone.
Holding the new necklace (I was pretty excited about it)
He found something to stick in his shorts to look like a tail. I don't know.
While Jon and Michael got the infamous winter wear gifts, Keith managed to get gifts he could actually use.
The new phone (which was a refurbished iPhone 5).
Opening the new phone.
I have such a problem finding pj's that are long enough, but somehow mom always manages to for me. It's pretty exciting.
Love that he still gets so excited.
Mom got us both a Frosty nutcracker. I have been collecting for years, but she just started Morgan.
These would be part 2 in the "Winter Wear" theme. They are HUGELY BULKY BOOTS.
A girl from school who always hugs on me-Donnace.
Another sweetie-Teewar.
Selfies with a bunch of the kids on the last day before break during the sing-along.
We went to the Enchanted Forest with Jacob and Morgan. They were actually really excited about it, which I did not expect. Especially from Jacob. At the end, there are gingerbread houses different companies have entered into a contest. Morgan's fave Christmas movie has always been A Nightmare Before Christmas, so she was thrilled to see this.
Doing the scavenger hunt in the Enchanted Forest. Again, I was shocked they grabbed the sheet.
A lot of the schools do a fund raiser every year for St. Jude. Each penguin represents $50 the school has raised. Morgan's homeroom this year did it with just the kids in there so she was excited to see their penguins.
I couldn't find Collierville Middle, where Jacob is now, but I found the elementary.
The week before we got out for break, there was of course a theme every day, and of course I embraced it fully. This was "favorite Christmas movie day."
still playing with the train. love
I have really loved the middle school this year. I hope I still do at the end. But so far everything about it rocks. The principal, who is Santa above, is so ORGANIZED AND COMMUNICATIVE!!! I mean, I loved him already, clearly, but then one day in car line he was dressed like this. What.
I think this was silly sock day?? Not sure... but I kept sticking my foot in front of kids saying, "Santa is watching you..." The little kids loved it, the older ones told me it was creepy. Whatever.
I ended up basically teaching a 5th grade math class for the month of December because one of the teachers lost her baby at 7 months (horrible). They couldn't get a good sub in the class who understood the math they were doing, and who could speak clear English. Anyway, I totally bonded with the class. One of the girls and I were talking one day, I don't even know about what, and I mentioned I loved snowman. A couple days later she came in with this. I was floored.
The close up of the necklace I got Morgan. There are two discs, one with M and the other with L, for Lorelei. She's obsessed with her sister.
Opening the body wash. I think his exact reaction was, "how old do you think I am?" I'm so proud of my parenting skills coming through in that oh so polite statement.
Morgan's sweater that she got from Mom. A little big...
Josh bought Hallie a game last Christmas called "Ticket To Ride." None of us had ever heard of it but it is so fun. Jacob, in particular, LOVES it. She got him one for Christmas this year.
My mama bought me a lap top. I was so excited. My computer was so old.
holding Lorelei at the Enchanted Forest
Nice pictures. You won't be laughing when winter hits next year, a really coooooooold one always follows a mild winter. Glad you liked your pj's and computer because I sure had fun buying them.
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