Christmas 2008

Santa Claus was good this year! Answering the hopes of a 5 year old's request for a BRATZ hair color doll, a 2 1/2 year old's request for a firetruck and an assumption of a 18 month old's desire for a ride-on toy! He also brought a surprise gift of BRATZ, CARS and Princess slippers, CARS and 2 Princess sleeping bags, an Aqua Doodle and a tent and tunnel for the toy room!
The giant stockings were a hit, too, full of Dollar Tree toys!

As for family gifts, I got Kennedy fancy dress up shoes, Jackson a Blue's Clue's Handy Dandy notebook (that Chandler Grace wishes were hers) and Chandler Grace handheld sweeper and dustpan.
Daddy got Kennedy the Jumanji DVD, Jackson a NERF football, and Chandler Grace a baby doll.
Jackson and Chandler Grace got Kennedy a doctor kit. Kennedy and Chandler Grace got Jackson a Mr. Potato Head. And, Kennedy and Jackson got Chandler Grace a huge Doodle pad.
I got Jordan a coffee pot, golf book and Starbucks gift card. Jordan got me photo editing software, and an Old Navy gift card.
Kennedy got me dress up necklaces and her daddy "Billy Bob teeth" from the Dollar Tree. We take her each year to pick out our gifts.

We had Grandma's sticky buns for breakfast. And for lunch and dinner we had ham, mashed potatoes, dressing, corn casserole, corn, green beans, rolls and macaroni for my picky son.

We were a happy bunch. Then came the flu, cold, sinus infection, hay fever or whatever it is that we got late Christmas day and still have. All but Jordan, that is. Not that he's in the clear-he has the awful job of being the only one to take care of all of us. Not easy.
A combo of fever, runny nose, watery eyes, coughing, diarrhea, vomiting and headache between all 4 of us not how we'd hoped to spend our Christmas break together. We are hoping and praying for a healthy crew.

One of the most special parts of our Christmas was our church giving us the opportunity to choose a boy off of the Angel Tree and a shoebox to fill for a girl that is Kennedy's age in Honduras. It has been a tradition with me and Jordan to do the Angel Tree since we dated and one that we love continuing with the children.

Christmas Eve

We had our 2nd annual Christmas Eve breakfast at the Waffle House. No Dale Earnhardt, Jr. this time. Oh well.

Another special event this year was the Christmas Eve service at our church. They had a live nativity and sang Christmas songs. It was so great to focus on why we celebrate Christmas. Jackson and Chandler Grace went to their regular class, but we took Kennedy with us. She LOVED it! They read the story of the birth and then showed Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus on stage and brought in the wise men (dressed in elaborate robes) and shepherds and during Joy to the World the robes whipped as they bowed to the baby Jesus. Kennedy leaned over and said, "This is awesome." I couldn't agree more.

After the special Christmas service, we came home and made and decorated Christmas cookies for Santa. We left out some milk and then went to bed. Kennedy was so overcome with excitement she literally didn't sleep. She slept from 8 until 12:40 and then was up until 4! Jordan was a hero and let her watch a movie on his video IPod. We had to keep her from coming downstairs. She would've opened everyone's gift!

Christmas Card 2008

Gingerbread House

We made our first gingerbread house-my first gingerbread house EVER! Jordan built it, and then the 4 of us decorated it. Chandler Grace was a very good audience. She did help us eat the candy, though. Maybe next year she'll join in the fun.
Kennedy and Jackson did an excellent job. I didn't know how well a 2 1/2 year old would do, but he surprised us and did great. We all had a great time. I think we have a new Harr family holiday tradition!

Picture with Santa

We waited one hour-that's right-one hour in line to get the kids picture taken with Santa.

Jackson and Chandler Grace smiled the entire wait in line, but not in the picture with Santa. My girl had a big smile, though!

Ah, nothing says the holidays like driving 30 miles in the pouring rain, running into the mall in the pouring rain, running through the mall with 3 kids (1 in a stroller), just to get to the line for pictures with Santa and have the mall cop close the rope. It was Santa's dinner hour (5-6). I knew this since I called ahead. We were there at 4:40, but due to the lengthy line, they closed to ensure he was finished with everyone AT 5.

That's when Jordan shows up.

Okay, new plan.

Jordan takes Kennedy to get an autograped picture and have her picture made with Matthew Underwood from Zoey 101, while I took Jackson and Chandler Grace to the play area. The play area lasted all of 10 minutes because Jackson didn't wait for a smaller boy to clear the way before he went down the slide head first and landed into the poor boy's face. Bawling ensued-on both ends. Then we were walking off and a bigger boy ran into Chandler Grace and knocked her down.

Then she's crying her eyes out. So, I brave the crowds holding Jackson and pushing Chandler Grace in the stoller through the length of the mall. Not fun.

We ate dinner in the food court, then went and waited for ONE HOUR to get a picture with Santa.

Tis the season!

(Compare the picture from last year-WHERE HAVE MY BABIES GONE??!!!)

Our 11th Wedding Anniversary

Eleven years ago today, Jordan and I were married in Maui, Hawaii.

He was 20 and I was 21! Very young, but very sure.

We were married, barefoot at sunset, on Kapalua Bay Beach(at Fleming Park Beach), and honeymooned on Kaanapali beach.

We had ordered our wedding bands from a jeweler, but weren't happy with them. So, we went WITHOUT rings! Before our wedding, we went to a little boutique and they had 2 sterling silver infinity bands-1 was his size, 1 was mine! It was really meaningful since for the past 4 years of dating we would sign every note with an infinity sign!

Another memory is that our luggage was lost! Wedding dress and all. Thankfully, it arrived 4 hours later.

While there, we had the unique opportunity of spending Christmas Eve at a luau, and having our picture taken with Santa and a parrot on Christmas day wearing summer clothes! Quite the experience.

Some of our favorite memories were our steak and lobster room service on our wedding night, the beach, The Banyan Tree Park, picnic at Fleming Beach Park, and the dolphin watch cruise.

I will always remember returning to Dallas with snow on the ground, and of course Little Rock with ice!

Our families had a welcome home brunch for us that we were thankful to get to despite the weather.

Jordan and I dated 4 years before we got married. Which means I have been with Jordan for half of his life! I love that. The friendship-the history. He is my match in every way.

I'm thinking someday we'll have to go back, take the kids and renew the vows!

Marrying Jordan? Best decision I've ever made.

Kennedy's School Picture

Here is Kennedy's Kindergarten picture!
(I was in Arkansas with Chandler Grace when these were taken. I laid out your clothes, but Daddy was in charge of getting you ready.)
What a big girl, but always my baby.
And what a difference a year makes-here is her preschool picture!

My embarrassing moment...

While shopping at Wal Mart with Jackson and Chandler Grace this morning, one of my most embarrassing moments happened. Here's how it went down.

There was a group of mentally challenged people in Wal Mart behind us.
Jackson points and suddenly yells out with great enthusiasm as a teenage girl from the group walks past us "A CHOCOLATE GIRL!"
The girl whirls around and in an offended (of course) tone says, "Chocolate girl?" Mama thought she was gonna get taken down.
Oh dear Lord, I thought to myself, HELP!
You see, this is what Jackson says about Kennedy. He'll say, Kennedy has a chocolate leg or whatever. It's his very innocent way of expressing the difference in color. Clearly one that is only cute and sweet to us. Definitely inappropriate for society.
Feeling the need to respond, I said the only thing I could think of to say, "Yes, she is brown like chocolate." By this time she had joined her group and they were all dying laughing. Thank goodness for mercy.
But, it didn't end there, Jackson continued to yell-I think 2 or 3 more times, at the top of his lungs, "A CHOCOLATE GIRL!"
I leaned over the cart, and with my lips as close together as I could keep them but still produce words, I said, "Jackson, stop yelling that." Thankfully, he did.
I realize at this point the entire dairy section of Wal Mart now thinks, "Great parenting, you racist lady!"
I wanted to cry out, "No! You don't understand- we have a chocolate, I mean brown sister/daughter at home!"
Sigh.
I did all I knew to do, kept pushing the cart to get the yogurt, in shame.
Needless to say, we had a talk about the appropriate names for the different colors people are and most importantly, not to shout it at them.

Kennedy's bedtime story

Last night before bed, Kennedy told us she had a beautiful story to tell us. In true Kennedy form, she made all of us sit on the floor while she sat on the plastic kiddie table to tell the story.

She began-
"Once upon a time, God gave up His son (long pause) 'cause it was worth it. Christmas isn't about getting presents, it's about giving. That's it." (Her version of The End.)

A Satin Sleep Cap

After getting some much needed advice about Kennedy's hair, I went to Sally's to get new hair products and a satin sleep cap!

Kennedy was so excited to sleep in it-she said she felt like a princess. Then she said,"I bet Sharpay wears one of these!" (3 High School Musicals under her belt, what did we expect?!)

It actually stayed on all night, and it didn't bother her.

I am thankful for friends and kind, helpful strangers I have met along the way that have given me advice on how to care for my Kennedy's hair.

Pillow Case Dresses

My cousin, Jodie, is making and selling pillow case dresses. She is very talented and the dresses are TOO cute. If you have girls or know of any that would need one-especially for the holidays, check out her webstie, www.creationsbyjodiecollins.blogspot.com .
The adorable model you will see in some of the pictures is her daughter, Izzie! Check it out.

I've been tagged-please play!

I've been tagged by April, www.aprilkay24@blogspot.com to do the following:

1. Pick the 4 picture folder on my computer

2. Choose the 4th picture

3. Explain the picture

4. Tag 4 people to do the same

This is the 4th folder, 4th picture. It is Kennedy opening a present for her Adoption Day celebrated September 24th, 2007, at Papa and Gigi's (my parents) house in Arkansas.

I tag:

Dallas http://www.henderson-happenings.blogspot.com/

Emily http://www.johnandemilymann.blogspot.com/

April http://www.watsonfamilyfour.blogspot.com/

Jodie http://www.cjcpurple.blogspot.com/

The growing spot

I got a call this afternoon from Kennedy's teacher. I took a deep breath and asked what was wrong. She told me she had a weird request. She went on to explain that Kennedy was complaining she was stinging in her groin area, and since they aren't allowed to look or apply medication to this area, could I come and check it out.
Jordan took our mini-van or these days better known as the vehicle with heat to work today, so I had no way to take the babies and go to school. I quickly called him, and thankfully he was able to go to school and check on Kennedy.
We both assumed it was just her Eczema which is AWFUL right now. This cold, dry weather is the enemy-especially running, playing and sweating outside in it.
So, he glanced and assumed that was it. It was 1 and since school is out at 2, he went ahead and brought her home. I cleaned her up and applied some medicine and saw what appeared to be ant bites-3 of them. She said she had fallen in a hole in the ground at recess and that's when it happened. Okay, now we apply a different medicine.
As I was holding her on the couch, she says, "It's my growing spot." I smiled and said, "Your groin area."

Kennedy crumbles her milk

Yesterday, Kennedy brought a note home from her teacher saying that they were having trouble with Kennedy playing with her food and drink at lunch and have asked her repeatedly to stop-could I speak to Kennedy about this.
When I asked Kennedy about this, she said she was in trouble for crumbling her milk. I said, "How do you crumble milk?" She squeezes a fist together in the air. I said, "You crumble your milk carton?" She said, "Yes."
Oh, brother.

Today, she brought home another note that said Kennedy did NOT play in her food and drink today at lunch and thank you for talking to her about it.
You would have thought she won the spelling bee or something-she was SO proud of herself. She said, "Do I get a wee-wood"? (reward.)

My Sweet Kennedy

We were driving to Walgreens after Kennedy got home from school, when she told me this story. I pulled over immediately to write it down word for word:

Kennedy: "There were some boys being mean to Tiffany on the bus today and they were spitting on her and stomping at her. She started doing it back and I said,
(in a sad, sweet, concerned voice)
"Tiffany, Tiffany-please don't do that. In the Bible it says not do that. Don't do things back to people if they do something bad. Treat others like you want to be treated."

Me: (tears in my eyes) "What did she say?"

Kennedy: "She didn't say anything, she just stopped."

That's my girl. Thank you, Jesus, for my sweet Kennedy's heart for you.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Friday, Jordan (with a little help from Kennedy) decorated the outside of the house. We didn't do this last year, so we were all very excited. Kennedy got the honor of lighting up the house! Saturday, we put up the tree and decorated it-this year all 3 kids hung ornaments which was special. We did our traditional party with finger foods for dinner. Which is a tradition we did with my parents did with me and Kyle when we lived at home. Everyone got to pick something they wanted:Kennedy-crab meat; Jackson-pizza; Jordan and I wanted buffalo chicken dip; along with carrots and ranch, chips and french onion dip, gardettos and cheez-its and fudge brownies. Chandler enjoyed all of the treats! The kids love that they can have desert on their plates with their food!

Chandler Grace may bring down the tree-she cannot keep away from it and from taking ornaments off. It is now decorated from the waist up. Kennedy and Jackson never did this. The "NO!" was all they needed to keep away. I keep expecting to walk in and see the tree over her.

I just love this time of year.