Where to start...

I am extremely behind in my blogging! Please forgive me as this is a very busy month for us as I am sure it is for you also.  Let's start with Cyril's birthday. He turned 5 on the 15th of December. He requested a Power Ranger theme for his birthday. So for his actual birthday I made Power Ranger cupcakes for him to take to school and we had a green power ranger cake at home that evening. Then on Saturday we had his party with some of his friends at the Bounce House in Knoxville. He had a blast!

He got a Kung Fu Panda card from his Great Grandparents and he LOVED it :)

This is his birthday hat he made at school and got to wear all day

Next we started getting ready for Christmas. I had already decorated the house for the most part. Little Cyril and I went on a lunch date to Ihop, then we went to the Boys Club to pick out our tree together. And yesterday we found a gingerbread house kit on sale at Kroger so we bought it and put it together. That was an adventure as I had never made a gingerbread house before! I have also been working feverishly with my wonderful Mother in law to make Tommy's stocking. Which is now finished!

Little Cyril is now on Christmas break and is enjoying his time off. He is looking forward to Christmas. At Thanksgiving we got a visitor from the North Pole and Cyril has named him "Elfy." If you have heard of "The Elf On The Shelf" that is what he is. So every night Elfy goes back to report Cyril's behavior to Santa and arrives back at a new spot each morning. We have had quite a bit of fun with him and Cyril is always excited each morning to go on an Elfy hunt and see where he has landed. Now I wish I had taken pictures each day. He has been places like Cyril's play kitchen where he was frying an egg. He has also decorated the Christmas tree with Cyril's underwear and socks. This morning we found him in with the TV on and remote in hand. I am sure Cyril will be sad when he returns to the North Pole with Santa for the year.

Tommy is scooting everywhere. He has the crawling movements down, but still isn't coordinated enough to move his hands and legs at the same time to go forward. He is a very happy baby and I am trying to soak in every minute. Hard to believe he will be six months old tomorrow.

My husband Cyril has been working very hard. They are finishing up a project that should have been finished a long time ago. He has taken the next week off of work to remodel our upstairs bathroom. The time has finally come, it has only been two years since I took the wallpaper down and half the drywall with it :) No worries, there will be a blog about it!

Now I am going to get busy wrapping gifts, that is my last task :) I am looking forward to some much needed family time. Excited to see family that is coming in for the holidays. I wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas! May you remember the true reason for Christmas, it is not about the gifts or even the tree. It is the day that Jesus Christ our savior was born. Enjoy the time with your loved ones and cherish each moment. May the blessings of God be with you this Christmas season and always.

Where Did The Time Go?

Cyril is turning five next week...really?!?! When did that happen? When did my baby become a boy? I feel like we just had him last week. The time has really flown. Kind of gives me a glimpse of how my parents may have felt this past October when their "baby" turned thirty :) I remember as a child wishing my life away and wanting to be a grown up, live on my own, have a job, and take care of myself. Now I am here...and time is whizzing by. Can we slow it down? Let it come to a crawl, and cherish every second of this precious life?

And here are a few updates:
Mark passed away on the 28th of November with his family by his side. Please keep his wife Martie in your prayers as well as their children Hillary and Jeff. I cannot imagine how they feel with their husband/dad dying unexpectedly. I wish there was something I could say, but there are no words. All I can do is pray and ask you to do the same.

And Little Miss Brynn is doing very well. She underwent her second heart surgery this past Sunday morning and is well on her way to recovering! Please continue to pray for her as well as her parents Erin and Tony!