A Tennessee Christmas

We spent a week in TN where my parents are living. My brother Matthew, his wife Andrea and daughter Rachel were also there. We had fun watching all the activities the kids were involved in. There were stories that Mom and Dad shared as to how some of our Christmas traditions came to be. Here are some highlights of our week.

Our Christmas

We had our family Christmas on December 19 since we were going to my parents for Christmas. We begin by reading our Advent lesson and continue a tradition of reading "The Christmas Story," before opening presents. My Dad read the Christmas story every year I was living at home and Alan and I have kept that tradition going since our very first Christmas 12 years ago.

On Sunday night Andrew was in the Christmas play at church. He played the "Night." He did a great job yelling and leaping across the stage the word "NIGHT," every turn he had. Many people came up to Andrew and told him he was their favorite after it was over. Of course when he was done he ran up to me and buried his head in my lap crying. He said he messed up and came in too early. I told him no one noticed and they didn't notice. One sweet lady told him that the grown ups in the play, playing the Shepherds messed up and didn't know when to stand, sit or walk and that she did not notice him making a mistake. Poor kid, he is just like someone else I know.

Andrew's Christmas Book

On the last day of school before Christmas break, Andrew gave me a book that he wrote at school for one of their projects. Below is his version but I will translate:

When Jesus Was Born
Long ago there were bad people
and then the mom had a baby
and then the wise men came and gave baby Jesus a prize.
Then He grew up to be a man.

Andrew told me that he did not get to finish because he ran out of time.

A Christmas Concert

Andrew's Christmas concert was Tuesday night December 8, 2009. I was so excited to go this year (I missed last year because I had a choir concert on the same night). They all had to have teddy bears sitting on their shoulders. Andrew took his Classic Pooh bear he got before he was born from one of my students.

3 1/2 going on 13

Andrew and Anna get along pretty well and they seem to really enjoy each other. However, they do have their moments when they seem to disagree. Monday morning was no exception. Andrew told Anna not to yell in his face. Of course I am standing there trying to ignore this battle. Anna says, to Andrew "I am not yelling in your face. Mommy Andrew said I yelled in his face." While Alan and I are trying to get ready to leave for the day, this argument continues for 3-5 minutes. Alan and I come back into the dining room and Anna has clearly had it. She said very seriously and firmly, "Andrew I am not yelling in your face. If I was yelling in your face I would be doing this." (She gets right up to his face and opens her mouth as if she is going to yell but doesn't) She then backs up and has this very serious look (almost like "The teacher look,"). Alan and I could not help but laugh at how she stood up for herself. My toddler doesn't seem like a toddler anymore.

God! Cancel that request!

Yesterday morning the kids came and jumped into bed with us. Andrew is all about patterns and he said, "Mom! We are a pattern! Girl, boy, girl, boy." (Mom, Andrew, Anna, Dad) He then proceeded to tell us that we need more kids to continue the pattern around the bed, at least four more. I said, "If we had anymore kids, we would be in big trouble." Andrew looked up to the ceiling and said, "OK, God? Cancel that request for more kids."

Snap Shot

I finally settled on a picture of the kids for our Christmas cards. Andrew takes great pictures but Anna is a hit and mostly miss with her. Since she was a baby, she always wants to look down, look to the side or hide her face while I take her picture.