A Tender Tennessee Christmas

Santa and the Girls

No pics just pi**ed! Beware venting below...

As if the holidays haven't been hard enough, I feel like the Grinch has got the best of me. Let me explain.
The kids and I came up to Gatlinburg Wed. to spend some time with my parents and for me to recover from a nasty cold. I hadn't taken the kids to see Santa so we found out Santa was going to be at the Christmas Store on Thurs. So, the next day, that's where we go. Of course when we get there he's on break so I sat down on some little benches and read to the girls while we wait. We get the picture taken and leave, only I didn't realize till later I had left my camera (in its bag) sitting on the bench. Three hrs. later, we go back to the store to find it, thinking surely it's been turned in to guest services. I had a sinking feeling in my stomach when nothing had been turned in. All we could do was wait till Fri. so we could talk to the Elf girl who was taking the pictures. Fri. comes and we are there first thing and Elf girl smiles and I asked her if she had seen a camera bag left sitting on the bench. She then described the bag perfectly and stupid me thinks she going to pull out it from a back room or something, and she said she set it down by the stand(that the computer was sitting on)she was so busy she didn't notice anyone taking it and obviously to ignorant to put it in a safer spot, let alone turn it in! I'm beyond boiling at this point and told her she should have put it in a safe place until she could turn it in, (in a not so nice tone of voice). Then in front of parents waiting for Santa, she starts crying and runs off into a back room. The mgr. who was standing there, too and aware of the situation since the night before just stands there! This is the lady who told us "Oh yes, if she had found it, she would have immediately turned it in." when we were there Thurs.
So long story short, my camera and picture card were stolen and somebody is going to get a nice new camera for Christmas. Here's the sad thing, you almost had to be getting pictures taken to see the bag sitting by the computer. Nothing like setting that kind of example for your kids. Finders keepers, losers weepers.
Granted, it could have been my purse, which would have been much worse, but none the less, my pictures can not be replaced and it makes me sick to think there are such heartless people.
My Christmas spirit has been dampened even more due to someones greed. Please be careful with your belongings when you are out and about as having something stolen is a tough pill to swallow.

Random Weekend Pics!

Oh Christmas Tree! and The Soddy-Daisy Christmas Parade

Eat your heart out,Cinderella! You've made it to the top when you're in the Soddy-Daisy Christmas Parade! (Jenn is in the white coat next to me)
Look what Scott plucked from the back yard! No paying for a tree this year!
Mommy told me every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings... (Are you up there flexing your wings, Matt, for all the girls?)
Jenn putting up the angel.
Oh, Christmas tree!

My 3 Elves! Your Laugh for the day! too cute!

Hope this works, it's the cutest thing!

Thanks, Becky for the website and Mom for the elves!

Happy Thanksgiving....

I have so many things to be thankful for and yet, I have this sadness in my heart that I'm afraid I will carry every time the holidays are upon us. Part of me is missing and as hard as it is to shake, I can't seem to.
I am forever grateful for my loving husband and my 3 beautiful, healthy children. They keep me going for sure.
I am also grateful to everyone who follows us along on our journey. You are the reason I continue to blog.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all and gives extra hugs and kisses to those that are near and dear to your heart!

I'm Thankful For....

My name is Meigan. I am 3 years old. This is my Thankful Turkey. On its feathers are 4 things I am thankful for this year. I am thankful for Lolo (Logan), Sissy, Play-dough, and nap,(except when I have to take one and when I have to wake up!)

I wonder where Scott and I rate on the thankful list? Tough competition with play-dough and napping, I guess! I had to laugh when I saw the feather with I am thankful for nap. She's always the last one to fall asleep at school and forget naps over the weekend!
Oh, and the pink mittens were given to her by the asst. teacher today. It's been beautiful today and she does't need them, but she's had them on since she got home!

Happy Birthday, Scott!

Happy birthday, Daddy, cha cha cha!
My poor excuse of a pineapple upside cake! The candles were just for decoration, other wise it would have been flambe', oops, wait a minute, I'm older!

Fall Leaves and Ice?!!!

Solid ice,(and very cold outside!)
Logan chipping away at the ice!

Trees in our backyard
View from the back deck at sunrise...

Ugh, I have been pretty busy subbing and the computer has not been taking much priority lately, as much as the couch has, anyway!
The mornings up here are dipping down pretty darn low, low 30's and through the day gets up to the 50's. Hard to get used to, but the leaves are just beautiful.
I lost my voice over the weekend and gradually getting it back. The kids are doing well. Logan was so thrilled to see ice, silly thing! I'm just waiting for a snow day!

Happy Belated Halloween!

Ooh, pumpkin guts!
Logan carving the pumpkin,(under adult supervision of course!)
The finished Jack o'Latern!
Doesn't this make a mother proud, her son to be Jason?!!!
Cheetah princess and the butterfly!
Trick-or-Treat!


I've been a bit busy the last few days and just now uploading Halloween pics. (Note to self, do not sub for Kindergarten on Halloween or the day after!)
Anyway, the kids had a good time. Logan went trick-or-treating with his friend Gio down the street and Mom and I took the girls to a couple of churches for trunk-or-treating, which is apparently pretty big up here because many churches were doing this. Free food and apple cider, too! Woohoo! I'm not big on lots of candy for the kids and most of it they don't eat anyway so it worked out well. Logan was only gone for about an hour, with less than he had last year, which was fine by me. It was also our first cold Halloween, which was a nice change, too. Leaves are really starting to turn so I need to get out there before they all fall !

Back from NYC!

The trip was exhausting, but we had a blast in the Big Apple! My aunt,her co-workers,my cousin and I crammed as much as we could into 1 day! Hope to go back this summer when we can spend more time there!

Happy Fall, Ya'll!

We had another busy weekend! We first went to a fall fair in Whitwell, Tn. Kinda cool cause it's in the central time zone, about 40 minutes away or so. Always an hr. earlier there! That night we went to the Rock City Corn Maize and Forest of Fear. We all did the maize and Scott and Logan did the Forest of Fear, too. The girls and I did a tractor hay ride. Perfect night for it! Chilly but not too bad.
Sunday, was our church fall festival. The girls dressed up and received treats for wearing their costumes. There were ponies and bunnies and bounce houses so they all had a great evening tiring themselves out!
I'm leaving tomorrow to play in the Big Apple for a day with my aunt and her friends from work. I'll be back Sat. to stayed tuned for some NYC pics!
The leaves here are changing more everyday so look for some pics of those soon, too!

Few More Pics!

And you're in my crate why?
Better you guys than me!

Fall Break Pics!

Back From Fall Break '07

We made it back home from Naples last night at 11 pm. Exactly 12 hrs. which wasn't too bad considering we had the kids. Thank God for portable DVD players, but I will probably have the Nick Jr. theme songs running through my head for awhile!
I haven't had a chance to download any pics yet, but if I'm not subbing tommorrow I'll get them posted. The kids and I had a great time visiting with friends and mom was able to get some flowers planted. The week went by way too fast as that always happens when you're having fun.
Meigan starts taking the bus in the morning so will have to make this short since I have to get to bed at a decent hr. again in order to get up with the roosters!

A "Fairly" Good Weekend!

This weekend was the Hamilton Co. Fair, so being first timers to the event, we wanted to check it out. Logan entered an ice cream eating contest. He didn't win but he sure enjoyed trying! Then I did something that I am not a big advocate for, but thought what the heck. I put Meigan in the Little Miss Hamilton Co. beauty pageant. I swear I will never do it again, because they are so predictable! Cute little blue eyed blonde pig tails girl won. No, not Jennifer. Had to be between ages 3-5. Anyway, she liked her roses and got a shirt out of the deal.
Sunday, we went to a get together for families of children with craniofacial problems. The kids enjoyed riding the ponies, petting farm animals, and making crafts. Jennifer would've smuggled a bunny if she could've! She sat an hr. holding a baby bunny. Meigan wanted the pony. Logan liked the potbelly pig. I think our next place needs to be on a farm!

Happy Chinese Moon Festival!

Lovin' the Chinese Food!
You did say moon festival, right?





Saturday night we were invited to celebrate the Chinese Moon Festival with the Chinese Society of Chattanooga. I had met a very nice Chinese woman and her 2 kids at the Children's Museum over the summer and she gave us the invite this past week. This was very different for us as the last gatherings we had gone to were full of adoptive parents with Chinese children, where as here, we and 1 other couple had adopted from China. For the most part, everyone there was Chinese. Lots of good food and of course, mooncakes! The best part of the evening was Meigan dancing to Chinese Karaoke! There had been a young girl doing ballet for everyone and Meigan must've decided she could do it because once the singers started, she danced till it was time to go!

Sporting her new school shirt!

Are you done yet?

Happy 1 yr. Forever Family Day, Meigan!

Happy 6th Birthday, Jennifer!

Friday was Jennifer's 6th birthday and we made the trip to Ky. to celebrate with all her cousins. It was a perfect fall weather day!