How do we NOT have a reality show about our G & T weekends?

Dramatic disclaimer: We've still been having issues with our internet and cable.  Some days, I think I might die.  Hopefully, I will be able to resume a normal blogging schedule soon.

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Last weekend was an infamous G & T weekend!  Woo hoo!  A couple months ago, I did what I always do: broach the subject with Eric.  It goes something like this:

Me: Hey, as soon as we get through the holidays, is it okay for me to plan a weekend in Bowling Green?

Eric: Why?

Me: Uh, to see G.

Eric: No.

Me: Errriiiiic....be serious.

Eric: You just saw her yesterday.

Me: I know, but we want to spend quality time together. (In my head: We have done this every three months for THREE YEARS...)

Eric: You talk to her twice every day.  Don't you get tired of her?

Me: No.  (Blah, blah, blah...just give me a weekend I can go...)

And, this draining conversation goes on for a few minutes until he finally gives me a date to go!  And with ALL of that, a plan was born.

As soon as I arrived, we headed out for dinner.  It was ridiculously early and I think we actually beat a few of the senior citizens!  That is typical G & T fashion: dinner at 5:30 followed by Starbucks and some Golden Girls by 8:30.  Please keep us in mind for any of your party planning needs.

After dinner, I was adorned with jewelry made by Hope.  Seriously, how cute is it that she made me bracelets and a choker necklace??  ;-)

Saturday, Indiana woke up to MORE snow!  (I am O.V.E.R. snow!)  Eric sent me some cute pics throughout the day of what they were doing.

He took the kids sledding, twice, and they ate dinner out with some friends.  He is honestly the best dad!  I really don't think I was missed much.  (knife through the heart...)

Bowling Green had a "dusting" of snow, but like the troopers we are, we trudged on to Nashville for some pretty intense shopping.  Um, literally 11 hours of shopping.  You guys - we love to shop!  We did have the occasional Starbucks/selfie break. Ha!

And, we also visited my heart.  You guys know about my passion for this store.

I love it!!  I will say that I haven't been impressed with some of the Coach styles over the last two years.  Yes, I'm a snob and like a certain look.  But, this....this is beautiful.

This is traditional Coach and I looooove it!  (That's my new bag in the middle! Cheesy grin!!)  Gretchen thought she'd be oh-so funny and park herself on a bench while I browsed the store.  Usually, it can take me about 5 or 50 minutes to decide on a bag.  Not this time!  We were in and out in 10 minutes!   

 We had a pretty successful shopping day.  More than shopping, we had a really successful bestie day.  Love this girl and every moment we get to spend together!

So, here's to the next 8,459 G & T weekends!!  Or better yet, here's till you move back home!!  Ha!  ...hey, one can be hopeful, right?! :-D

Hello. My name is Tracey and I run this blog.

I'm on a roll!  I think this makes my SECOND post for all of January.  Horrible, people!  But, I do kind of have an excuse.  Last Monday, without notice, our internet and cable went out.  Just WENT OUT.  The first thought that went through my head was did I pay the bill?  Sometimes my brain can be mush, and I completely forget to pay a bill (or two, or three...).  After checking, the bills were all paid.  Shew!  Eric called our internet and cable provider and they said they could see where everything was working properly inside the home, but a connection outside was bad.  Good, right?  WRONG.  They said, "We will have everything restored and up and running by Monday, the 12th.  EXCUSE ME?  A week without cable OR internet?  I don't think so.  I started ranting and told Eric that was unacceptable.

The next morning, I decided that I would call and see if I could make a stink and get the ball rolling.  I needed internet.  Period.  I wasn't going to give up until someone told me it would be fixed THAT DAY!  A week, my foot!  I would take care of this...

Call Center: Hello, Ma'am, how can we help you today?

Me: I need to speak to someone about my internet and cable.  It went out yesterday morning and they are telling me it will be a week before it is fixed.  That is unacceptable.  {What about MY SHOWS that we have set to tape?  Do you even care about that?}

Call Center: I understand your frustration.  {DO YOU?  You probably have cable in your break room!}  Ma'am, from what I can tell, this takes a level 2 or 3 technician and there is nothing we can do to get them their sooner.  I will make a note that you have called.  Twice.

Me: Okay, thank you.

Yeah, so much for my hot headedness!  I got us nowhere...except maybe on the "annoying customer" list.

Needless to say, we were without our internet and cable for a week.  Eric did save the day halfway through and buy us an antenna.  For any of you young'uns out there, that is a device that you hook up to your tv so that you can receive the main channels... 3, 11, 15, 32, and 41.  Yes.  Devastating.

We are up and running again and I am able to blog.  I know so many of you are very thankful. ;-)

So, what's been going on?  Not a whole heck of a lot!  I guess it is a good time to be on a blog-out!  Ha!

  
Levi started basketball.  He loves it!  He has improved by leaps and bounds since last year.  I know they are only a team of 7 year olds, but it is so much fun watching them play.

It is really neat to watch Eric coach.  Sports has become a definite way for them to bond even more.

Other than basketball, we haven't had a lot happening.  Now that we are back in the land of technology, I will be able to update you regularly.  O Happy Day! ;)

For now, Happy 2014.
 

Christmas 2013

I've been receiving some pretty nasty hate mail about my blog not being updated since December 15th.  Okay, so it wasn't hate mail as much as hate texts.  And, by texts, I mean text...one text.  I won't name any names, but if I were to name names, it would be something like Jami Lee.  So, since we are in the new year, I'd better finish up last year!

The Christmas season came and went and to be honest, it already seems like a blur!  Our Christmas is usually very busy.  We start Christmas Eve morning and don't stop until Christmas night.  Sometimes, we don't know if we are coming or going.  That's the way it has always been, even since I was a child, and I can't imagine it any other way.  Except this year, our Christmas was very, very different.

It started out the same - Christmas Eve morning with Eric's family.  We had brunch at Eric's brother's house and it was SO YUMMY!  My sister-in-law is very pregnant and still managed to put out a lovely spread: Eric and I brought biscuits and gravy and she made a yummy egg casserole, french toast, and a fruit bowl.  We loaded up our bellies and then let the kids go at it!  They opened all their presents and just when they thought they were done, Papa pulled out one last gift...  

They got their first bows and were THRILLED!  I think Papa was pretty thrilled, too. ;-)

Maggie got an overload of princess stuff, Minnie Mouse stuff and stickers -- she was in HEAVEN.  I love how simple little things please the heck out of her.

And, then, our Christmas started to take a different turn.  I got a text from my mom that my dad was sick.  Like, really sick.  She was pretty sure he had the flu.  So, that meant we were cancelling Christmas Eve dinner.  It also meant that we needed to cancel our annual Christmas morning breakfast.  My parents have never cancelled breakfast in 42 years.  I've never NOT had breakfast at my parents on Christmas morning.  THE WORLD WAS COMING TO AN END.  Oh, wait...that's not the worst of it...

By the time we were headed home from my in-laws, Maggie was pretty pitiful.  She had been getting sick, too, and it was only getting worse.  She was crying, telling me her ear hurt.  {This is the part where I BRAG ON MY PEDIATRICIAN WHO CALLED IN AN ANTIBIOTIC FOR US ON CHRISTMAS EVE!  She is awesome like that.  I sent her a text and within a couple of hours, we had medicine.}

For the next 48 hours, this was Maggie:

She was burning up with fever and slept.  A lot.  She was up at night, crying, which meant Momma was up too.  Not fun.

The horrible part is that, as sick as she was, we also had to keep up our energy for Levi, who was SO EXCITED FOR CHRISTMAS!

I felt so bad for him.  Eric and I were depressed about our plans being cancelled, but we decided to make it a fun Christmas at home...sickness and all!  

Levi woke up at 4:30 Christmas morning.  Uh, no.  We sent him back to bed and he woke up again at 7:30.  That was doable.  We held him off for a while and then let him wake Maggie.  They tore into their gifts and I LOVED watching them.  

Eric stayed home with Maggie and I took Levi to open more presents have lunch at my aunt's house.  I'm so glad he was able to go and have some cousin fun!

FINALLY...a week late, we were able to celebrate Christmas with my family!  My parents (and by "my parents", I mean my dad...) fixed their awesome breakfast - biscuits and gravy, bacon, sausage, fried potatoes, eggs, and pancakes for the kids.  It was sooo good!  And, for the umpteenth time, the kids tore into their packages.

Last year, Griffin and Levi were initiated into the knife club.  This year's knife from Papa was a Swiss Army knife.  ;-)

Maggie got her "American Girl" doll.  (She won't get her real AG doll until she turns 5 and my mom takes her to Chicago.  This is a trial to see how she does with it! Ha!)

As I sat there in all the craziness of the kids opening their presents, I couldn't help but feel so blessed.  

Even with all the new presents, the kids just seemed content playing and being together.  And, I was so thankful that my grandparents were there for another year to celebrate with us.  So sweet :)

It didn't matter that we were celebrating late.  Christmas wasn't what we expected, but that's okay!  We stayed home Christmas day, away from the busyness, but I liked it.  I liked doing puzzles and playing Guess Who.  I also like the busy.  It's what I grew up on.  It's who we are.  We are all up in each other's business.  We are loud.  We are crazy.  And, no matter when we celebrate, we have a great time together.  You know why?  Because Christmas isn't about the presents.  It isn't about the food, even though it is so good.  It is about celebrating Jesus.  It is about a Savior who loves us so much that He came to earth to die for us.  THAT is something to celebrate EVERYDAY...not just on Christmas Day.