Zander’s First Shave

We are currently waiting for an ice storm that is supposed to come through our area this evening and last a good portion of next week due to sub freezing (single digits in the morning) temperatures! So expect an update with how our week went after the storm passes! We are currently enjoying Beau cuddles (a newer development for our adopted pup who used to prefer resting in his dog bed at a distance away from the family). Zander also had his first shave with daddy’s help this week to get rid of the mustache that had appeared in recent weeks. Zander wanted to leave the mustache a little longer but we are liking his face without the extra facial hair just yet! It has been so cold lately making for less than ideal conditions for morning car rider duty, higher than normal natural gas bills and more evenings spent indoors rather than outdoors (giving extra time for puzzle completions). Zander got to go golfing with Grandpa (nine holes that he walked) before the weather conditions became less than conducive for golfing. We also fit in the boys’ (Eli and Maddox’s) basketball games this morning. I enjoyed getting to cheer on my littlest love and my Madman, both impressive basketball players who scored many points for their teams!

Basketball and Best Friends

I’ve been blessed to spend some time with my best friends over the last few weeks! We joined Aunt Kelly, Uncle Jonathan and Emma for lunch after church a couple weeks ago. I loved getting cuddles from this 2 year old cutie! We got to see them again this Sunday after church for “cook in front of you” Japanese! After lunch, it started snowing! It didn’t last but it made for a fun picture!

Maddox got to have his friend, Austin, come spend the night before their first basketball game of the season. The Boilermakers have brought home wins in their first two games of the season with Maddox getting many points on the board including two three pointers which he was pretty excited about! We get to catch the Kennedy kids in action on these basketball Saturdays too!

It snowed briefly last Sunday afternoon too…. And again it didn’t stick. 

AWANA is back…. Board game night was last week!

We spent the whole week without daddy while he was working in Connecticut…. We missed him but got extra snuggles on the cold evenings when we were at home.

As soon as Zack got back in town, I headed back home to see Liz for 24 hours of kid free fun! We enjoyed yummy food, hot drinks, a long walk on the greenway, in depth conversations and a trip down memory lane by visiting my high school. Thanks to Coley, we got to walk inside Freedom checking out mine and my sister’s Patriot of the Year pictures that are still displayed in the entry area and snapping a picture of the gym where Zack and I first met in 1997. It is crazy that it has been 25 years since I’ve walked these halls or stepped out on the football field. Time flies when you’re having fun! It was such a great weekend remembering the past, chatting about the present and planning fun times ahead! A great start to 2026!

Happy New Year 2026!

We have been enjoying this week between Christmas and the New Year! Today we were able to cheer on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons bring home a win against Virginia Tech! Our friends, the Millers, gifted us the tickets for today’s game! It was such a nice way to end our break! We are thankful for their generosity!

Last night, I took Maddox to see “David” the movie while Zander spent the afternoon golfing with Grandpa.

Beau has enjoyed extra time with us at home these last two weeks! He has even started to cuddle some, which I love!

I finished out 2025…. Running the most miles I’ve run in a year within my lifetime so far! It was a year that called for many prayers and my feet hitting the pavement.  This year started with a defamation of character against one of my cherished friends and a media attack on our school. Through a mismanagement of funds by our school district, I took a pay cut and added a couple job titles which also resulted in some dear friends losing their jobs. Zack took a promotion for work (which is a huge praise and also an adjustment to our daily lives). We navigated some health issues this year and said goodbye to three close friends who left this earth too soon. Every area of my life required prayer and I cherished the times I could head out for a run with my Christian music mix blaring while bringing all of this to God or the many miles I ran with my favorite running partner, my sister! Who needs a counselor when your sister has a degree in counseling and is such a great support and prayer partner?! If you are reading this, you were prayed for in 2025! I’m praying for you right now as I write this post. I’m so incredibly thankful for a God who listens to our prayers and walks with us through the highs and the lows.  He truly is another one in the fire (Daniel 3:25). 

We celebrated the arrival of the New Year with our typical NYE crew at our house! I’m so thankful for this tradition with our closest friends! The kids brought in the new year around 9:00 pm watching the ball drop in Australia with sparkling cider in hand! The adults were tucked into our own beds before midnight, opting to see 2026 during the normal morning wake up call when all these cute kids decided to get up the next morning.

This past week, we made a trip back home to see two of my childhood best friends and their five boys! When you are planning for seven boys in total between our three families, you know we opted for activities that provided an opportunity to get some energy out! We met up with Ashley and her three boys at SkyZone for some trampoline fun! Then, we joined Ginny and her two boys at the local climbing gym. We were able to see Grannie and GranDan during our quick trip back home as well! Daddy was waiting for us when we returned…. He had shampooed our carpets and geared up for a ping pong tournament for our family of four! Zander decided to replicate the ping pong tournament bracket for our NYE fun when the friends were over celebrating the new year! Mommy lost all games I played but fun was had by all!

Merry Christmas 2025!

 

On the Friday before Christmas, Maddox and I went to see the Nutcracker with Grammy, Aunt Lindsey and Emmy. His friends, Mollie and Rachelle, were in the program so it was so fun to cheer them on throughout the show. We enjoyed dinner at Bossy Beulah’s beforehand and it definitely put us in the Christmas spirit by watching this timeless classic. On Saturday morning, we headed west to see the Cantrells and the Houstons. We had our annual Dirty Santa game where this year a live lobster made its debut as one of the gifts! After lunch, we went to see GranDan at his new home, singing Christmas carols and giving gifts. Then, we went to sing carols at Uncle Johnny and Aunt Brenda’s and finished out the night seeing the lights at the J. Iverson Riddle Center with all three boys! My favorite light display continues to be Snoopy ice skating in the snow globe!

On Sunday, we went to the country house to see Granny V, Uncle Grant and Sib! We ate delicious food as always and the kids enjoyed being spoiled with more gifts, all things on their wish lists! Uncle Grant always helps us put the new items together, getting the gifts working in no time!

We got back home in time to attend our church’s Candlelight Service. I love this evening each year, filled with Christmas carols, scripture readings, communion and candle lighting. I hope the boys remember all these traditions when they have their own families one day.

We had a couple days at home before Christmas. They were filled with stops at a local coffee shop, Local Roots, making Jesus’ birthday cake, going to the Kaleideum with the cousins, making a gingerbread village and exchanging gifts with Grammy and Grandpa on Christmas Eve.

The boys were very excited Christmas Eve to set out cookies for Santa, write letters to the big man, set out carrots for the reindeer and rush off to bed where they heard the reindeer and Santa’s bells that night. They woke up Christmas morning to find that Santa had delivered what they wished for! They must have been good boys this year!;) Zander got his first laptop (a Chromebook) and Maddox got an electric scooter!

Merry Christmas from the Houstons! 

May we never forget the true reason for this special season. God sent his Son to this earth as a lowly baby, providing the way, the truth and the life! (John 14:6) Thank you Jesus for this incredible gift…the best gift at Christmas!

Elfalina

 Zander had his winter orchestra concert this week! He loves playing the violin and we loved hearing what he has learned this year in orchestra! It is crazy to see the improvements from 6th to 7th grade, and his teacher, Mr. Mitchell, is incredible to be able to teach novice students how to play a multitude of instruments in orchestra and band. I also threw in a picture of his buddy, Hampton, who made a sign for him during the volleyball playoffs! It was so kind of him to take the time to do this and Zander felt celebrated like the other 8th graders who had signs made for the games!

We’ve been having fun in elementary school too with daily dress up days and fun Christmas celebrations! I’m so thankful I have had the opportunity to stop by my boys’ parties over the years. It’s a work perk that I don’t take lightly. At Maddox’s celebration, Mr. Wyatt came in to announce I had won Certified Instructional Support Person of the Year. It is such an honor to be voted on by my peers and it comes with a sweet parking spot at the front of the building! The kids and I are excited we will get to park there for the next year! It was the icing on top to have Maddox and Grammy in the room as the announcement was made. 

Elfalina is our office elf who has been entertaining us all month long with her shenanigans! The kids’ favorite days included toilet papering my office, wrapping up Mr. Wyatt’s office with wrapping paper, a sleepy Elphalina, snowflakes/balloons and finally, getting to wear special gloves to give Elphalina a hug before she heads to the North Pole! We will miss this mischief maker until next December. She has brought joy each morning!

Kersey Valley Christmas

We have had some pretty memorable Christmas activities over the last week! It started with a “snow day”/ early release where the cousins got to come over for some hot chocolate and movie watching until their parents got off work!

We had the annual children’s Christmas performance at church. This year’s program was “Jingle Bell Beach” and I think the songs might have been one of my favorite CDs over the years. Can’t believe this is my fifth year helping out with this sweet program! 

Cuddles before bed with Beau

Annual Christmas Cookie Making at Grammy’s….. the boys participated minimally, opting to play outside instead. Emmy, Grammy, Aunt Lindsey and I enjoyed our time in the kitchen together.

For our annual Bakewell Christmas outing, we headed to Kersey Valley Christmas! The boys enjoyed the jumping pillows and giant tube slide the most. I preferred all the lights and activities after the sun went down (train ride, walking trail and wagon ride), making for a magical Christmas memory as we count down to Christmas! This is the 5th year the Bakewells have opted for “presence” rather than presents and I love this annual tradition the most. Previous outings included: Disney on Ice (2021), Polar Express (2022), Winter Wonderlights (2023) and Speedway Christmas (2024).

Seeing Santa

We made our annual trip to visit Santa with the cousins! This is always one of our favorite outings as it jumpstarts the Christmas holiday season for our extended family.

We had an unexpected “snow day” on Friday. They were calling for mainly ice but it turned out we just had a cold rainy day. So, the boys entertained themselves for most of the day in the house (including Zander making grilled cheese sandwiches to go with our soup and salad lunch). We went to the local rec center for some basketball and pickleball fun in the afternoon and finished off the day with celebrating Seph’s 11th birthday by watching Zootopia 2 at the movie theater!

Aunt Megan (aka mommy to Maddox) has an elf that makes an appearance each year. He has been entertaining the three littles each morning when we get to school!

Zander participated in our local Christmas parade with his middle school honor society. Maddox enjoyed collecting all the candy from the floats! The parents and grandparents enjoyed all the merriment and free hot chocolate!