I've been so busy trying to get everything ready for Christmas that I haven't had a chance to update the blog. But, as of Dec. 20, I am done with that and I can move on! We spent a week in Indiana for Thanksgiving and LOVED spending time with our family and friends. We started the trip out by staying in a crusty cabin near Gatlinburg and going to the Aquarium. Everyone was home for Thanksgiving except for Amy (boo hoo!) and a highlight for the girls was being able to play with "the cousins who's my age" as Rylie says. I was so happy to get a chance to see Shelley, too. We went to a park so the kids could all play together. Rylie refers to Jackson as "not the Jackson I'm going to marry, the other Jackson"--long name! At the end of the week, we headed up to Michigan to see Eric's grandma and some of Eric's friends. Rylie and Anna, Tom Konopka's little girl, were inseparable and even slept in the same bed when we stayed at their house. Madelyn wooed everyone with her charms and her ability to parrot-back anything someone says.
Mom gave Rylie a child's nativity scene a few years ago and they have been playing with that a lot over the last month. Madelyn walks around asking, "Where Jeesa (Jesus)?" Her longest sentences so far are:
I want to read a book
I want a drink of water
Rylie's had a lot going on at pre-school in the last month. They went to the Penland Tree Farm and visited Mrs. Claus at Fort Mill's Greenway Dairy Barn. In addition, they had parents surprise the kids for several days by coming to be a guest reader. I went one day and read the class Seven Silly Eaters, one of Rylie's favorites. They also decorated and stuffed stockings, collected canned goods, sang to the elderly at an assisted-living facility, and enjoyed a visit from Santa. I am exhausted from all of Rylie's pre-school adventures. It seemed like I had a note on my calendar every day--Don't forget to take X to school today.
Rylie has asked Santa for a black Barbie and an orange Barbie (whatever this means!) and bottle for her babies. We hope he comes through...Merry Christmas everyone!
