This is going to be a LONG post, so I understand if you don't read it all! I am going to go through everything (that I can remember) from the past 10 days or so. Here goes!
The Thursday before school was out Miss Linda had her annual Christmas party. All the kids were there and she had presents for each one. She knows them so well and always picks just the right gift! Addison got some dress up things and some brushes to do hair. They also exchanged names and had a gift from one of their friends. We have been going to her Christmas party for 10 years and I am going to miss it when Addison no longer goes to her house. We may just have to show up anyway!
That night Pily came up from College Station to visit. My kids love it when she comes up and she is always so attentive with them. On Friday, she watched them so Drew and I could do some last minute shopping. We even got to have lunch together. We had a good time talking, laughing, shopping and just being together. Thanks again, Pily!
On Saturday, we decorated the gingerbread house. Pily and I did most of the work. We were a little too possessive and controlling to let the kids help! They helped a little, but not much. That afternoon my dad and Espy came up. We had Christmas with them and Drew made a wonderful dinner.
They left on Sunday. We tried to get some pictures together before they left. It is difficult to get all three kids to cooperate at the same time. Addison refused to smile and kept that stupid flute-thingy in her mouth the entire time! Two year-olds are so much fun!
Again, refusing to smile. Doesn't she look so cute and innocent? Do not be fooled. She is a beast sometimes!
Jackson wanted to take a picture of us. This was the best one.
Another attempt to get a picture of Addison and Pily together. She was hiding on the other side of her bed. Smiling, but refusing to take her hand away from her mouth.
Pily, Dad and Espy right before they walked out the door to go home.
Dad, Me, Drew, Addison, Bryson and JacksonWe had planned to go up to Oklahoma after they left. My granddad came down with the flu, so we decided to wait and see how he felt on Monday before we decided whether to go or not.
Monday, we weren't in a hurry to do anything. I went running and came back and took a nap. About 11:00 we decided that we would load up the Suburban and head up to the Pond. We stopped several times along the way and just took our time getting there. That's the way I like to travel, but I think it drives Drew crazy! He did a great job not showing it, though, and we go to my grandparents' house around 7:00 or so.
Tuesday, Drew set up the tents by the creek so he could camp out with the boys. Addison decided she wanted to sleep in the tent, too, so I decided to sleep out there with them. We have tried this before about a year ago and I ended up driving her back up to the house at about 2 in the morning. It is pretty scary to drive a four-wheeler in the pitch black night holding on to your little girl! I decided to try it again and see what happened. I took a couple of Simply Sleeps to help me sleep, too. I thought if I didn't hear every little sound she made, both of us would sleep better. Around 3 in the morning it started raining. It would rain hard and then stop and start again. I kept thinking I was feeling teeny, tiny rain droplets on my face, but I wasn't sure. If it was rain, it was very small. We have stayed in tents in the rain before, so I wasn't too concerned. Around 6:00 we decided to go up to the house.
It rained all day. That night we stayed in the house. Drew went down to the tent and got the sleeping bags and pillows. He left everything else in the tents. We went to check on things the following day and one of the tents had standing water inside it. The creek had risen so high it was almost over the bank. We quickly decided to take the tents down in case the water kept rising. It was still raining and we didn't know when it was going to stop. We drove around a little bit and took pictures and video of the pond and the creek. I was amazed at how fast the water rose.That afternoon my grandmother had an appointment to have her hair done. My granddad still wasn't feeling too well, so I said I would take her. Addison wanted to go along for the ride. On the way up one of the hills, the wheel on the Suburban started spinning. I tried to back up and go up again, but it didn't work. They spun some more. The more I tried, the worse it got. We started sliding to the left and didn't stop until we got to the ditch on the side of the road. I had to walk up the hill in the rain to get Drew. I had put my phone on the charger at the house, so I didn't have it with me. He had to get the tractor to come pull us out.
Since we were stuck inside for two days, we decided to let the kids open their presents early. They needed something to do. They had fun opening their gifts. Legos can keep kids busy for a long time! We also play Skip-Bo a lot. This helped pass the time.
On Christmas Eve, heavy snow was predicted. We anticipated a white Christmas and having fun in the snow. Bryson watched the thermometer all evening. He couldn't wait until it got to 32 degrees. It finally did, but it had already stopped raining. We ended up seeing a few flakes that night and only got a slight dusting of snow by Christmas morning.
Christmas evening, my Aunt Pat and her youngest two boys (Damon and Corey) came up to visit. I haven't seen Corey in at least five years, so it was fun to see him. We see Damon every once in a while, but it was good to see him again, too. My kids thought Corey was awesome and had fun following him around and playing with him. He even took the boys on a long walk. I know they will be talking about him for a long time.
On Saturday, Drew decided he wanted to cross the creek. We do this just about every time we are up there, but the water has never been as high as it was this time. I told him I wasn't going and warned him against going. He, of course, had to try to prove me wrong and crossed anyway. Damon and I stayed to watch just in case something happened. When he was almost across his feet were swept out from under him and he started being carried down the creek. He was fighting to get back up and I was yelling at him to get up. It scared me so much. At one point, I could only see his head sticking out of the water. He finally stood up and made it the rest of the way. We could tell he was hurt, but there was nothing we could do to help him. He walked down the creek a little ways to where the water was a little calmer. He crossed back without incident. His hand was cut up and he was pretty sore. Next time, maybe he will listen to me!
This is the part of the creek we swim in in the summer. It was about 8-10 feet higher than normal on this particular day. The water was rushing very fast, too.
This is a view of the pond. The water level is way up because of all the rain on Wednesday and Thursday.
This is a view of the hill where I got the Suburban stuck. It doesn't look very steep in the picture. It is steep enough to make things difficult when there has been so much rain! I learned something that day. I should have put it in low and just kept going!
Aunt Pat, Addison and Grandmother coming back from a walk. If my mom were alive, she would have been right there with them.
Saturday, we just played around. Damon took Jackson riding around in his Jeep. Jackson thought that was really cool. We dug around a storage building they have up there. It was fun looking at some old things. There was a box of my mom's things and even a box of Halloween stuff my sister had bought almost 18 years ago. I don't know why those things were saved, but it was fun going through them. Just things, but reminders of who mom and Jamie were.
This is Damon and the raft he wanted to ride in down the creek. I couldn't decide if I really wanted to do this or not. We did it back in March and it was pretty rough. Corey ended up getting sick and I didn't go. We left around 10:00 this morning. I later learned that Damon and Corey ended up going down the creek once Corey started feeling better. They both fell in and said they were very cold. Damon only had one word to describe the ordeal~ "shrinkage!" I'm glad I didn't go, but I do want to go again when it's a little warmer and the water isn't so rough.
( My pictures are out of order, but who cares!) This is Drew before he was carried down the creek. As you can see, the creek is more like a river. It isn't a little creek that you can just hop over or walk easily across. Usually, there are rocks sticking up out of the water.
Since we were stuck inside for two days, we decided to let the kids open their presents early. They needed something to do. They had fun opening their gifts. Legos can keep kids busy for a long time! We also play Skip-Bo a lot. This helped pass the time.
On Christmas Eve, heavy snow was predicted. We anticipated a white Christmas and having fun in the snow. Bryson watched the thermometer all evening. He couldn't wait until it got to 32 degrees. It finally did, but it had already stopped raining. We ended up seeing a few flakes that night and only got a slight dusting of snow by Christmas morning. Santa came during the night and left a few things for each of them. We really cut back this year and didn't go crazy with gifts. They don't need anything and we really don't need to spend so much money each year on more stuff.
Christmas evening, my Aunt Pat and her youngest two boys (Damon and Corey) came up to visit. I haven't seen Corey in at least five years, so it was fun to see him. We see Damon every once in a while, but it was good to see him again, too. My kids thought Corey was awesome and had fun following him around and playing with him. He even took the boys on a long walk. I know they will be talking about him for a long time.
On Saturday, Drew decided he wanted to cross the creek. We do this just about every time we are up there, but the water has never been as high as it was this time. I told him I wasn't going and warned him against going. He, of course, had to try to prove me wrong and crossed anyway. Damon and I stayed to watch just in case something happened. When he was almost across his feet were swept out from under him and he started being carried down the creek. He was fighting to get back up and I was yelling at him to get up. It scared me so much. At one point, I could only see his head sticking out of the water. He finally stood up and made it the rest of the way. We could tell he was hurt, but there was nothing we could do to help him. He walked down the creek a little ways to where the water was a little calmer. He crossed back without incident. His hand was cut up and he was pretty sore. Next time, maybe he will listen to me! 
This is the part of the creek we swim in in the summer. It was about 8-10 feet higher than normal on this particular day. The water was rushing very fast, too.
This is a view of the pond. The water level is way up because of all the rain on Wednesday and Thursday.
This is a view of the hill where I got the Suburban stuck. It doesn't look very steep in the picture. It is steep enough to make things difficult when there has been so much rain! I learned something that day. I should have put it in low and just kept going!
Aunt Pat, Addison and Grandmother coming back from a walk. If my mom were alive, she would have been right there with them.Saturday, we just played around. Damon took Jackson riding around in his Jeep. Jackson thought that was really cool. We dug around a storage building they have up there. It was fun looking at some old things. There was a box of my mom's things and even a box of Halloween stuff my sister had bought almost 18 years ago. I don't know why those things were saved, but it was fun going through them. Just things, but reminders of who mom and Jamie were.
This is Damon and the raft he wanted to ride in down the creek. I couldn't decide if I really wanted to do this or not. We did it back in March and it was pretty rough. Corey ended up getting sick and I didn't go. We left around 10:00 this morning. I later learned that Damon and Corey ended up going down the creek once Corey started feeling better. They both fell in and said they were very cold. Damon only had one word to describe the ordeal~ "shrinkage!" I'm glad I didn't go, but I do want to go again when it's a little warmer and the water isn't so rough.
( My pictures are out of order, but who cares!) This is Drew before he was carried down the creek. As you can see, the creek is more like a river. It isn't a little creek that you can just hop over or walk easily across. Usually, there are rocks sticking up out of the water.I know this was a LONG post, but it was a long 10 days! I know I left some stuff out, but I tried to touch on the highlights!
