Cousin Time!

Spencer met up with his cousins tonight for a mini Christmas Party! Tom, Gena, Destiny and Steven met us at Fudruckers for a relaxed dinner and a little gift exchange. We missed having Rodney there but hopefully we can all get together again soon. The kids had a great time in the game room, sipping Cocoa Loco Milkshakes and opening gifts!

Cough Cough Hack Hack and then some fun stuff

Bronchitis. I have had a nasty chest cold and bronchitis. I am so tired of coughing that I want to scream.--but I haven't had a voice in days! My ribs hurt, everyone is tired of my constant coughing and I am exhausted. But I am on my second run of antibiotics, steroids and breathing treatments so I should get better any minute now....

Spencer had his Christmas program at School today and he was SO STINKIN CUTE!!! He sang with his class, gave his teachers presents, had holiday snacks and showed us his artwork. Nana, Daddy and I were very proud of him!

Several kids cried because their parents weren't there. I am very thankful that (1) I have a flexible job and (2) I go even when I feel lousy because I know *this* is what is really important. (3) My family supports Spencer and goes to his baseball, basketball, karate, church, school-whatever. I hope Spencer never feels the sadness that the other little kids felt today when they didn't have a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle--anyone that could come to their special holiday presentation.

Have I mentioned how many goodies have been sent to our house? Nancy made us a HUGE cookie tray with 16 varieties of gourmet cookies. Valerie sent 5 pounds of the creamiest homemade fudge ever! Spencer has gotten treats from school and church. Debbie sent a tin of sugar cookies. Everyone has really enjoyed all the special treats!

The holiday cards are pouring in! We enjoy all the well wishes, cards, letters and pictures! It is wonderful to check the mail everyday. Spencer has put himself in charge of opening all cards. It is really cute!

And a note about cards-- my friend Christy from Florida sent me a card and called me a 'Ho not once, not twice-BUT THREE times on the front of the card! What's up with that?? HAHA!

Well, I am almost finished with my Christmas shopping. Spencer's church program is done and his school program is done. Now it is time for parties with friends and family. If I could get rid of this nasty cough, it would be much easier. In the mean time, I hope all of you are enjoying all the love and fun of the season-- stay safe and be good!

A Choir of Cherubs

Spencer has been sick the last few days with a nasty asthma flare up and a double ear infection. But.... he was finally well enough this evening to participate in the Christmas program at Church tonight. He and IV sang their two little songs proudly! We were so proud of them!

In memory of Teegan

Teegan Wynn O'Neal

8-2-04 to 12-11-06

My ScrapJazz buddy, Sarah, lost her baby girl, Teegan, this morning. Teegan passed from a very aggressive viral infection in her lungs. They said that it most likely set in within 12 hours of her death. It was so massive that it eventually filled her poor little lungs with mucous and suffocated her. She passed due to a severe viral infection, the type of virus is still unknown at this time.

Sarah and Grant-- my heart aches for you. We will keep you and your boys in our prayers.

Go Tar Heels!

It was a Carolina weekend for us! We went to Chapel Hill for the UNC- High Point game. We ate at the Rat, shopped on Franklin, cheered on the Heels at the game, then went back to Franklin to Starbucks. Spencer had a fantastic time! He loves the "bowl of cheese" (aka lasagna) at the Rat and he picked out all kinds of new T-shirts, sweatshirts, basketballs, etc. for himself while shopping! I tell ya, our heart will break if this kid grows up and goes to school anywhere else!

Happy Birthday Spencer!

It was an entire Birthday weekend with Spencer! Friday was his actual Birthday. Toby and I took cupcakes and YooHoos to his class for a special snack. After school, Spencer unwrapped a gift from Valerie while I finished up work. It was a Cars Watch-which he loved! He was also VERY impressed with the card she sent (I have warped that poor child....)

Toby had to work Friday evening, so Nana, Boppa and I took Spencer to his favorite restaurant (Ghasson's)and to Toys R Us. Then we came home and began decorating and making loot bags for his big party on Saturday. His party was awesome! We had dinosaurs everywhere! I spent about 2 days cooking- we had tons of appetizers at the "Dinosaur Party" that afternoon and then I had a big spaghetti dinner for friends and family that night. I had gone to a few holiday market/gourmet shops over the past couple of weeks so I had lots of new, yummy things to serve up!

The kids loved the Dinosaur theme. The loot bags were huge-- dino bath toys, coloring book, crayons, dino cup and crazy straw, dino sucker, candy, dino whistle necklaces (nope! never buying those noisy things again!), stretchy dinos, plastic dinos, dino pencils, notebooks, tattoos, etc. This was such as easy theme!

As the kids came in, we made dino necklaces and Spencer opened gifts. Opening gifts early worked out-- the kids were excited to give the present and they didn't have to keep a secret for a long time! After all the kids trickled in, and we had made necklaces and opened presents, Nana had the big activity set up and we all went into the dining room! The kids gathered round the table and each kid got a kit (similar to Build a Bear) with a dinosaur, hypo-allergenic stuffing, stuffing stick, heart, carrying box, and a GGGGGGGROWL noise modulator for its paw. It was about 15 minutes of chaos while we helped the kids make a T-Rex!! They were so cool!!!!!

After the build-a-dino, the kids had cake and icecream, played outside and then as everyone started leaving and the next party (the spaghetti dinner) started about 30 minutes later. We ate, laughed, and played all evening!