Your kids love you, Daddy (Oh, and so do I)

Every morning, Cooper is AAAHHHHed by Daddy. He is truly riveted with the tasks Daddy has to do.

Case in point:
Ironing.

I know! It’s like a spectator sport! I think it’s how cute he looks in his white T-shirt, but Cooper hasn’t told me what makes him so enthralled.

It must be the hypnotic back and forth; back and forth.

Tatum also is thrilled by Daddy. One reason is because he gives her love notes. Here is the latest:

And she notices it !

She added to her gratitude card.

We love you so much honey! XXOO

Day 3 and Gratitude

We did not go to church today because Tatum needed to recover from her back pain (from Friday) and from her ear infection (from Saturday). We would just stay home and relax, well she would relax at least. (Ha!)

Hay Happens, our meeting, is tonight, so we would combine this activity with our meeting.

We would write out things we are grateful for among each other.

I filled out a card for Tatum and Daddy (as they filled out their respective cards)

We then read what we wrote. We have all week to add to them. The key is that we keep an eye out for those little things that we take for granted. Let’s celebrate all of those little things and make sure we say, “I NOTICED.”

I love you, family.

Day 2 of the 12 days (2019)

Day 1 was a bit sketchy because Tatum had a fall, and then came home from school. She carried over giving compliments even though she did not feel so hot. We also had Day 2 and Winter Wonder at SBC in store for the day.

Barely awake, she checked out the task for the day:

OOOOH! Draw a picture? Right up my alley, mom!

After a few errands, where she did give a few, “I like your shirt,” and “You look nice today,” we got to work. First, I wanted her to make Christmas tags for the bags of cookies for her teachers.

THEN,…. she picked a figure skater to draw.

Cooper of course watched, as usual, feeling ignored.

And VOILA! Mrs. Finnman, Tatum just adores you.

Cute!
Well, we headed to SBC’s show, and….

the Tot started to hurt. Her back…her ears. Oh no. I think she might be getting that ear infection.

Alas, she had a temperature when we got home, but how cool is GOD? That Monday, we had gone to urgent care, and they had filled an Rx already, so we already had antibiotics waiting for us.

Day 2 was another “off” day, but we made the best of it. Day 3, what will you be?

The third annual 12 Days of Christmas

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.

Hear ye Hear ye!

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….

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..

Time with my TWO loves

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

South Carolina means DDT

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.

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.