One Of These Things Is Not Like The Other...

Remember that tune from Sesame Street???

Last Sunday, Emma (who claims she's an artist)  decided to draw pictures of the family during church.  When she got home, she posted her artwork on the fridge:

 

Do you notice something about my hair?  She drew my hair two-toned.  I haven't been to a salon since August (before we moved).  "Does it look that bad?" I asked her "A little." she said.  I hopped on the phone the next day looking for a great stylist.

 

When I flipped over the drawing, I noticed that her eldest brother looked a little "dark".  I asked her why.  She said, "Oh I was out of tan."  I said, "Oh so my hair really isn't that bad, you just didn't have the right colors to use right?" She said, "No it pretty much looks like that."  =(

The Birthday Dinner

When someone has a birthday.  They have the option of choosing what they want for their birthday dinner.  It can be anything they want.  Most of the time they ask me to prepare a favorite meal.  Andrew's birthday was yesterday.  I asked what he would like for his birthday dinner.  Here was the result:

Chicken Pot Pie (marked with an A) , Cranberry Sauce and Deviled Eggs 

We ate and then headed to see Nathan's wrestling match.  When we got  home, we had cake and opened presents.  Before we finished singing Happy Birthday, Barret blew out Andrew's candles.  Andrew said, "Hey,This is my birthday!"  I wish I had a video of that!   We had to hold Barret so he wouldn't blow them out a second time.

 

Barret was so upset that we had to light them a 3rd time so he could blow them out.  Andrew was a trooper

about it.

  Barret's face was so red!

Emma crocheted a scarf for Andrew's bunny.  He was so thankful for her gift that he got down from his chair to hug her.

 

It would kill her to show a bit of emotion.

 

  

He sounded like Mr Krabs (Spongebob) when he was opening his Birthday cards. 

Money Money  Money Money  Money!

I can't believe your already six. You are our most affectionate child.  I never tire of your hugs and kisses and your whispers of "I Love You" in my ear. We'll hold you in our arms as long as you'll let us.  I wish that I could have happy dreams like you.  You have giggled in your sleep since you were an infant.  You made me and dad laugh so hard on the Eve of your Birthday because you were giggling so hard in your sleep that you were out of breath! You're the last one to bed, and the first one up.  You are our most inquisitive child.  It doesn't bother me that you climb into bed every night with a pile of books in your hands.

We Love You So Much! Happy Birthday Andrew! 

Match 5 and 6

I posted some videos of Nathan's recent matches below: 

Tuesday's game was a home game.

 Soddy vs Red Bank


Thursday's game away.  I had one request from my wrestler.  "Please don't call me "Sugar" during a match.  =(

Soddy vs Loftis

The boys came down to congratulate Nathan.

They're halfway through the season and undefeated. Woo Hoo!

Soddy vs. East Hamilton 1/28

Here's  a link to  video of Nathan at Thursday's wrestling match:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1P3k7pvxulM

Hugs,

Evie

Smackdown!!

Nathan joined the Wrestling team and  has been practicing since October.  Monday-Saturday including most holidays,School or no School, Rain or Shine .  It was mandatory.  This is a sport that this old mining town takes seriously.  Most of these kids have been wrestling since 3yrs of age.  They're known as "Mat Brats".  I wasn't sure if Nathan would be able to cut the muster with the experience his teammates  had.  With a good coach and his determination, it all paid off.  His first match was on the 19th and won.  I was afraid it was beginners luck. Last night we went to his second match in East Chattanooga.

 

This kid (that has our opponent pinned down)  has been wrestling for 9 years.

The lightweight kids were the most fun to watch. They didn't give up easily. I was amazed at how flexible the human body is.  They looked like pretzels out there.  The kids really got into it.  Emma was so pumped.  You couldn't come within a 3 foot radius around Emma.  She was off the bleacher lunging forward and yelling, "Get Him! Keep Squeezing! Flip Him!" 

We were 30 minutes into the game when we realized that we were sitting on the opponents side.  Our team hadn't lost a match and we were the only one's left cheering.  I had to ask Emma several times to stop booing for fear that our enemies would retaliate.


The matches roweled Barret up.  He was having his own match with Scot's right arm. He says he wants to be in wrestling.   Emma said she want to as well. 

I must admit I was into it as well.  Andrew was in my lap and cried out a couple of times that I was squeezing him too hard.  It wasn't long after that his pizza kicked in and a foul odor surrounded me.  I forced him off of me. I just kept my eyes on the game.

Here's Nathan (on the right) and his opponent.

 It was over in 14 seconds.  Nathan walked away a winner! 

 

Here's Nathan shaking hands with the opponents coach AKA Guns and Roses Lead Singer  Axel Rose

You couldn't even tell that this was his first season EVER!  My dad was a wrestler back in the day. My Grandpa tells me that he was very good.  Ahhh... I guess it's in the genes. 

Soddy won 64-6.  I think Axel should go back to singing =)

Snow Day

The kids went back to School on Wednesday the 6th.  Mother Nature decided to bring us frigid temperatures in the 10's and snow on Thursday.  So back out they were. Woo Hoo.  My house was a mess and the pantry was empty.  The driveway was iced over and couldn't get the truck out.  So what do ya do with 4 energetic kids?  Go outside and burn some energy.

The kids got a piece of cardboard and slid down the driveway.  Andrew saw The Christmas Story on TV during the holidays and thought he would see if his tongue would stick to the metal post on the mail box.  It was 12 degrees outside. It worked.  He left some of his taste buds. It was too late to stop him before Nathan and I realized what he was up to.  Oh well... Live and Learn.

He loves the snow. He has a plastic container of snow in the freezer still.

It wasn't much but, it was so cold that it  lasted a week.

A snowball fight put an end to all the fun. Here is the instigator. 

A Tennessee Christmas

We had plans for spending Christmas in Texas but our plans changed when my mother fell the Wednesday before Christmas and broke her wrist and foot.  She was scheduled for surgery the following Tuesday. We went to Arkansas for a couple of days before her surgery and came home on Tuesday before the bad weather that was to follow the next day.  Christmas Eve morning,  we made sausage kolaches and pecan filled kolaches. Scot smoked  a  brisket.  That night we read about Baby Jesus and the kids left Santa some milk and kolaches.  We were out of carrots, so we left bread for the reindeer.  Scot and I stayed up and watched our favorite movie,  It's AWonderful Life.
Christmas morning (5:30) we woke up to Barret standing beside the bed whispering,  "Santa left pwesents unda da twee! Come and see dis. Come on.  Hold my hand."  So out of the bed, and into the living room we went.  Emma and Andrew were already there counting how many presents they had each. 

"Are you gonna cry?" I asked "Maybe." he said when he hugged us after opening his PS2.

He was the only one on the Nice list at our house.

Emma is into Moxie Girls.  She got a couple more dolls and a remote control car that she loves but won't play with it.  I will never understand her.

Andrew is an infomercial freak.  He wanted a Glow Station, Bendaroos, and yes, a Snuggie for kids. He got it all and more Lucky Boy.

Barret was so excited when he got his new train set. This makes the third set. 

I guess you can never have too many?

The Elementary PTA hosted a store for the kids to purchase small gifts for family members.  I gave them both $10 Emma came home with a present for everyone except Barret, she was .50 cents short. Not bad.  Andrew came home with a present for the cat and Nathan with 2 dollars left to spend.  I sent him with another $10  and Emma .50 cents. Andrew came home with a present for everyone except dad and Barret.  Wednesday morning he said he's tired of shopping and handed the job over to Emma (such a boy). 

$30 dollars later here's  what we got:
Nathan- rubix cube keychain & a dinasour egg
Barret- a mini car & Yo-Yo
Emma- small memo pad
Dad-  #1 Dad flashlight and  a #1 dad pen
Mom- 2 identical pink #1 mom pens
Andrew- soft baseball
Faith- Cat toys in a plastic stocking. It was the most expensive and she actually played with them the entire time we were opening gifts.

Andrew said "Sorry mom, they were out of Mom Rocks necklaces.

Darn.... Maybe next year