Month: December 2019

It’s our first year as a family to do the 12 days of Christmas. I first started doing this with Tatum because I wanted Christmas to be more about serving and giving then taking and getting. We put it up the night before, and got excited for the first day.

The next morning, we unveiled the FIRST day of the 12 days.

We are going to do this again on Day 1. Simple yet not necessarily easy when you get caught up in your day. We must stop and think about others through the day. Build others up!

Well, the day did not go according to plan.

I received a phone call right after I dropped her off. Apparently, Tatum fell off the slide right onto her back. A BIG PLOP> She stayed in the nurse’s office until I got there. We came home for her to rest. But first, we stopped in to her class to say goodbye to Mrs. Finnman. Tatum took that opportunity to compliment her too. (WOOHOO!)

At home, she rested her back, read some books, and relaxed. Coopy was sad with her.

Later, we headed to the Dr. to get an x-ray request.

We are praying that it is just a sprain.

Day 1 did not go according to plan. The 5 compliments did not happen, so she told me she’d do it on Saturday.

I decided to give her an ornament for our tree to make her smile. (She made this piece of art and I had it made into an ornament).

May you rest well tonight my sweet girl. May your back heal and may we focus on Jesus this season and especially these 12 days prior to Christmas.

Oh, those precious ears. While I was in Tatum’s classroom volunteering (reading to some of the challenged readers), she told me her ears really hurt. I didn’t hesitate to take her right to Urgent Care. We don’t have time for her to be sick!

Luckily we caught it in time, but she sure didn’t feel well, so I took her home. She ended up playing most of the day after we did our math facts, reading, and piano.

It was time then to build a fort.

Upon planning and planning on her little think pad, we built. Well, I built, and she directed.

Here, Mommy… right here. No, not there, here..

Those darn pillows were a bit flimsy, I would say, but she pursued.

Steady….

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Then it was time to climb inside because this is why you build a fort!

Her ears miraculously felt better all day after this fort excursion.

My ears, in the meantime, enjoyed listening to her play on the piano.

They also enjoyed listening to her read in the car! This book was over 60 pages and made me laugh.

I’m so blessed that I get to use my ears to listen to my girl everyday.

A gift from God, our ears. Maybe we need to build more forts to keep those ears healthy! Hmmmmm..

The day started out so great since I knew would be spending time with my girl in the morning and then dressing up with my honey at night for the PVCP Christmas Party.

Tatum and I decided to make ornaments.

Cooper took a break from his squeaky duck to watch.

After drying, they were ready to hang. How festive!!!

Later on that day, I got all dressed up for our party, and Tatum wanted to have her hair curled too.

Like mommy like daughter. Coopy wants his hair curled too?

It’s so fun to be her mommy.

Doesn’t my honey look HANDSOME!?

And Tatum wanted in.

We love you, Daddy!

What a great Saturday. So grateful for my family. XO

That is code for Daddy Daughter Time!

A few times a year, I go to various school districts to help prepare teachers for the PRAXIS test. GCU pays me quite nicely to do this. While I’m gone, it’s a win-win because Daddy and Tot hang out. I left a little gift bag full of goodies for Tot and a card for Daddy. New jammies always help!

Cooper wanted to go to space with Tatum.

And Daddy got a nice card. I wanted to tell him HOW MUCH I appreciate him and HOW MUCH I love him.

They had so much fun together! Daddy got her a little notepad so she could write. She hasn’t put it down because she loves what it says.

All things are possible like all of these clips!

Also, losing a tooth was very possible! She is up to 8 missing teeth now which means more tooth fairy action. Another $2 to the rescue!

Sadly, I had to miss her Christmas concert, but Daddy recorded it. She and Charlotte looked so cute.

Meanwhile, I taught my seminar at the district office where the rooms are named. This particular room was called the PeeDee room. Apparently there is a river in South Carolina named the PeeDee. Now, this is VERY funny to us educators because we all have to attend Professional Development meetings. We call them PD’s. HA! Get it?

Then, more excitement . On my way home from Columbia, I had to stop in Charlotte to switch planes to get back to Phx. They scheduled the flights pretty close together. Well, my flight was delayed, and I had only 15 minutes to get to my other flight. We landed at E43 and I had to get to B7. (ACROSS THE AIRPORT). Needless to say, I got there right when the door was closed, BUT I MADE IT! I haven’t run that fast in….well….um…NEVER!

When I got home, the house was decorated with lots of love.

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And Coopy gave me lots of kisses. I gave him a squeaky duck and he was in squeak heaven.

OH, my family. I just love them so!!! When I leave, it makes me appreciate them ten times more. I’m so glad to be home.

Thank you, Daddy for being SO AMAZING while I was gone.

Doug started to assemble the tree. Now first, assembling a tree. This sounds strange doesn’t it? I mean, usually, snow is falling, and you get in your 4 wheeler and head up the mountain with your hack saw and chop down a beautiful pine. Then you tie it up to your monster truck and lug it into your living room. Isn’t that would it should look like?

Well..ahem…..Nope. We opted for the turbo version: quick assembly, and I am FINE with that. Doug did a LOVELY job getting it going as Coopy watched.

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Lookin’ good honey!

I made hot cocoa and we did a little cheers in front of the tree before decorating.

Oops! We forgot our Santa hats! That’s better!

Cooper, you need one too.

Hold still, little guy. Oh, our little wiggle worm.

Our first ornament was from our wedding. Thank you to DK our photographer.

Cooper likes our lovin’. Ok, time to get decorating, Hays!
How about some ice skates?

Or maybe the wedding cake my honey bought me our first Christmas. Was he asking (suggesting)?

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We had so much fun making up our first tree. Tot worked up a sweat apparently!

We started our other traditions of our advent calendar.

Cooper got one this year too! Salmon and Sweet Potato treats daily. His form of chocolate!

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He is looking forward to the Savior’s birth as well.

Time to head over to the Manger scene. Tatum has taken this over now that she can read.

She adds a character a day as we count down to Baby Jesus and HIS GLORIOUS birth.

It’s so exciting beginning new traditions and keeping some of our old traditions in our Hay Family. We look forward to a bright and beautiful December!