Blizzard of 2011

 On Sunday, January 9th, it snowed six inches in Georgia. After it was done snowing we had 1/4 inch of freezing rain come down on top of the fresh snow. When we woke up on Monday morning it was a MESS outside! The city of Atlanta,with a population of 5 million, only has 10 snowplows. You do the math...but I can help you out by telling you the roads were HORRIBLE!! The boys had the week off of school so we got LOTS of sledding in!! Chad had to stay in a hotel close to his office so we didn't see him for the week. He had to work and we got to play!!

 We have the best hill in our backyard for sledding!!

Surgery for Drew

Drew had surgery three days afer Christmas...he had tubes put in his hears and his adenoids and tonsils removed.  We had noticed around August/September that Drew couldn't hear so we had his hearing tested.  We were correct...he was "deaf" in his right ear and could only hear 40% with his left.  He had fluid in his ears that the doctors kept missing.  We figure that this had been going on since last March.  We went to an ENT doctor and that suggested that we get everything removed.  His tonsils were huge and he was getting strep every three months are so.  Drew also has been coughing every night for about a year and had black circles under his eyes.  He was not healthy and couldn't hear.  Drew never complained...he is such a trooper.  We are happy to report that he can hear and he thinks his family is LOUD!  He also has not coughed once at night since having surgery.  He has more energy and can't wait to play soccer again this Spring because now he can hear what the Coach is saying. 

 Getting ready for surgery...he is so brave!!

 The nurses gave him some "happy medicine" to relax him.  It made him silly! 

 The nurses at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta are WONDERFUL!!  They took care of Drew and us with such loving care.  They wheeled Drew away to the operating room and Chad and I felt some helpless but knew he was in very caring hands.  They put him under and the surgery only took 30 minutes max...after he woke up they wheeled him back into his room where we were anxiously waiting.  Drew was very upset and in pain when he woke up but went right back to sleep for another hour and a half.  When he woke up the second time he was aksing for a slushie!  We took him home that night and he slept for 13 hours!   

No more tonsils!  Drew relaxed in bed and/or on the couch for a good four days.  He was ready to go back to school after a week.  He did so good!! 

Kennedy is growing up so fast....

A White Christmas

Kennedy's first Christmas was white!  The last time it snowed on Christmas day in Georgia it was over 100 years ago.  We made a Christmas Bear with the kids...they LOVE playing in the snow.  We don't have snow pants or boots for them so they get very cold but don't complain. 
We do dinner on Christmas Eve so that Mommy can spend all day relaxing around the house like everyone else.  We all had a fantastic holiday season and we hope y'all did also!

Christmas Cabin

 Cheers!  We spent four days in the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg, Tennessee area the week before Christmas with family and friends.   Nana, Papa and Grandma all came with us.  Along with our great friends, Ben and Heather and their three kids.  We spent our days at an indoor waterpark and nights laughing and playing games at the cabin.  Chad even brought the wii up to the cabin with us....that brought a lot of laughs with the adults after the kids went to bed.  We all had so much fun that we are planning on going next December again!

 Kennedy playing wii with Daddy!

 The kids are "vegging out" in the media room after a long day at the waterpark!

Bryan LOVED the hot tub....he thinks we should get one!

November - Breakfast of Champions

 Drew was selected for the November "Breakfast of Champions" at his school.  Tyler and I went to cheer him on and have breakfast with him.  Drew was very excited to be a part of this again....yes, he was a "Champion" last year also.  Way to go Drew!

Drew's very proud of his medal!

Bryan's Field Trip to Petit Farms

 I had so much fun with Bryan's Preschool Class at Petit Farms.  They are such a great group of 4 and 5 year olds....and his teachers, Ms. Cindy and Ms. Shannon are wonderful!  They are very good with the kids and he has learned so much since starting school in August. 

 Bryan touching a baby boa.  He is brave...I wouldn't touch it.  I don't do snakes. 

 Now this is a big snake...and it is only half the size it is going to get!!!  He feeds it chickens mostly...and once or twice a year he will feed it a whole pig.  Yep, that is gross!! Oh, and it lives in his living room. 

Kennedy....talking and squeaking!

Tyler Plays Soccer with the Big Boys

A team didn't show up on Saturday to play against Bryan's team so the coach split the team up and had them play each other.  However, he needed one more player - so he picked Tyler.  Who was so excited!!  He is one tough three year old.  His little legs ran so fast, he kicked the ball and passed it and even scored!!!  We can't wait to sign him up for soccer this Spring. 

Washington DC

I went with Chad to D.C. October 21 and 22.  He had to work for a little bit on Thursday and then the rest of the time was ours.  We stayed at the BEAUTIFUL Gaylord National Hotel - incredible. We were upgraded to a suite (we are lucky!!) since our room wasn't ready and it was gorgeous!!  The hotel is made up mostly of a atrium that looks out to the Potomac River. 

Friday we got up early, crossed over the Potomac and headed towards our Nations Capital.  Amazing.  Amazing.  The architect and history kept giving us goose bumps.  We only had four hours to see what we could before we had to head to the airport.  (Boys have soccer on Saturday mornings and we can't miss that)  After about 40 minutes we finally found a parking spot by the National Mall.  We went and saw the White House first.  Breathtaking...just thinking of all the history that has happened inside its walls.  (We are going to take a tour next time!!) 

We walked towards the Washington Monument (1884) and couldn't stop looking at.  It is made up of granite, marble and sandstone and was gorgeous against the blue sky. 

Next we walked towards the Reflecting Pool and Lincoln Memorial.  The pool is undergoing a renovation ($30.5 millions dollar renovation) so the water was being drained and it was very dirty.  It was still gorgeous in the way the Washington Monument reflects off of it. The pool when full holds 6.7 million gallons of water. 
We couldn't wait to walk up the steps of the Lincoln Memorial (1922).  Chad has always wanted to sit on the steps - so of course we did!!  As you enter the Memorial there is a sign to "Please be quiet out of Respect".  Goosebumps, again!!  Lincoln changed the way we all live today...honor, I will!  Chad and I spent so much time looking at the statue and reading the  Gettysburg Address - we were in awe. 

We only had a little bit of time left before we had to leave for the airport ... so we stopped at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.  It is humbling....58,267 names are etched into the black granite that is reflective. 

There is so much more we wanted to see - Jefferson Memorial, the Capital Building, Smithsonian and all the other Museums on the National Mall.  We could have spent a whole week there.  And we plan on it - with the kids next time.  Drew was so excited when we told him we were going to D.C....he started talking about all that he has learned in school.  Love it!!!  Chad and I were in such awe the whole time we were in D.C.  What an amazing city...we can't wait to go back!