Our Christmas Novel.

Ok, ok, ok. So I know I am about 2-3 weeks late on posting about our Christmas, but life has been so hectic since we got back in town. We have been cleaning, unpacking, and trying to find places for all the new stuff-TOYS- that we got for Christmas and I have had time to update the blog. So, now you get to read our Christmas Novel!

Before Christmas, my family surprised me with a visit. Mom, Jonathan, Kristen, and Wesley came down the Saturday before Christmas to spend the day with us. We decorated Christmas cookies and let Baby Wesley open his presents. It was a wonderful and much appreciated surprise, and it was a blast to get to see the kids love on their cousin!

Christmas was small and quiet, but very nice. Christmas Eve we went to Ruby Tuesday's with two of the guys from Scott's office. We all opened one present (pajamas for everyone) and the guys were pleasantly surprised we had PJ's for them too. Christmas morning we awoke to presents from Santa including a new guitar for Harbin and a Barnyard play toy for Catherine. The stockings were full of candy and toys, and the kids had a blast opening their new stuff. Harbin got a lot of new musical instruments and each of us (including the guys) got to play an instrument while Harbin sang or played the guitar.

I was able to fix a pretty normal Christmas dinner despite the small kitchenette. The guys all decided to have bacon-wrapped filet's instead of turkey or ham, but that didn't bother me at all. I prepared mashed potatoes, regular and creamed corn, broccoli casserole, and green beans. We had an oreo dessert and an apple pie. Everyone seemed to enjoy the food and there were plenty of leftovers for later that day.

We finally got to leave Fort Benning on December 27th. Scott and Harbin stayed one more night and then met us at home Friday to leave for Chattanooga. Scott and I had a wonderful, late anniversary celebration. I surprised him with dinner at Porter's steakhouse and our first night without the children since Catherine was born. We spent the night in the Read House where 5 years ago we had our reception and spent our wedding night.

The weekend was filled with celebrating more Christmas with the Tinney family. The kids got tons of toys and clothes and Scott got his new 42' LCD TV. He was so excited (probably more than the kids were about their stuff)!!! It's a beatiful TV and we have all been able to enjoy it since returning home.

We spent New Year's with my mom, Jonathan, Kristen and Wesley back in Atlanta. We opened gifts from them and enjoyed watching football (on Scott's new TV he set up at my mom's) New Year's Day.

Late that evening we finally returned to home for more than a day this time. The house was filled with new toys, laundry and anything that was unpacked quickly out of the van. Scott returned to work and we spent our evenings cleaning up the house, rearranging furniture to make room for the TV and other new toys, and of course, enjoying our new stuff in our OWN house!!

We finished Christmas off by celebrating last weekend with my grandparents out in Hoschton, GA and then opening gifts from Pop-pop (my dad) yesterday.

Since Christmas we have enjoyed getting to see friends at church, having people over for the BCS National Championship game and trying to get back into our normal routine.

Catherine has begun to sleep through the night in her crib which is a huge blessing. I am feeling more rested than ever, making it much easier to grow this new baby inside me!! Catherine took a few steps here and there down at Benning and took about 4 steps for Mike (a friend of Scott's from work) last Monday night. She won't do much more than that, although I am conivnced she could if she wanted to. She learned about 5 signs down at Fort Benning and will now sign "eat", "more", "please", "thank you", and "nigh-nigh". She can verbalize two new words "car" and "baby". I have heard her say brother, although not very clearly, but she won't do that for anyone else.

Harbin has taken a new interest in potty training over the last week that we've been home. He surprised both Scott and me a few nights ago when he announced that he was on the potty going pee-pee. We both ran from the kitchen to see and sure enough he has taken his pants and diaper off and was sitting on the potty. Last night at church he told me he had to go, so we rushed down the hall to the potty and he sat on it. I think we are getting there, but it's been a slow process.

Scott left town yesterday for three weeks. He is training at Fort Irwin in California. He has been keeping up with his running and is hoping to register for a few triathalons coming up over the next few months.

I am picking up a bit with making my hairbows. I have registered to sell at an upcoming consignment sale and hope to get my name out in the area that way. I have had one OB appointment since returning home and everything was normal. I go back at the end of January for another check up and we should be able to schedule our ultrasound for the middle of February when we will find out the sex of the baby. I can't believe that I am already 17 weeks along- this pregnancy has been flying by!!!

I have put some pics in this blog, but it's only a few of the many I had from Christmas. I will try to put a link to all the pictures up on the right side of my blog as soon as I can get the pics loaded on there. Check back in the next few days or so if you are interested in viewing those.

I promise to check in more often now that we are back to a regular schedule and I have caught back up from the holidays!!

The mom.