It's the Brighten Blizzard!

Last Friday evening we attended the Brighten Blizzard.  The kids were so excited about going and talked about it all evening until it was time to go.  Finally it was time so we changed clothes and headed to Brighten.  When we first got their they had the students sing with Mr. White their music teacher.  They loved doing this.  They were really jammin'!  After the great music we headed inside to check out what all they had to offer.  We got to make Christmas ornaments, get Who Hair, play musical chairs, see Santa Claus, do sand art, etc... It was a good evening.  Thanks Brighten Academy for another great event!
 

Christmas Dinner with the DECA Officers!

 

Proud

 
This year all of the CTAE CTSO Clubs got together and had a Christmas party together.  The clubs included DECA, FBLA, HOSA, FCCLA, and SkillsUSA.  We had the party in the cafeteria.  We ordered pizza, had drinks and played holiday games.  It was a lot of fun.  In order for the students to attend the party they had to donate a toy that we took to help those in need.  The kids did an amazing job with this and brought over 70 toys including a bicycle.  Way to Chapel Hill!

Dance, Dance, Dance!!!

Blakely did such a great job at her Christmas Dance Recital.  Thank you so much Grandma, Papa, Grammy and Pa for coming out to watch her.  She is really a good dancer.  This year she is taking tap, ballet, and jazz.  Every year they make her the line leader - that's a hard job and she does GREAT!  Way to go B!!
 

Mr. Elfie was captured!

 

What a PIG?

Well you have probably already heard by now and yes it is true we got a PIG!  All Blakely has wanted since going to the all the different fairs this Fall is a pig.  She has talked and talked about them.  How she thought they were so cute, sweet, lovable, etc...  She kept saying she wanted one but we really didn't think much about it but then she continued and continued until I started doing some research on PIGS!  Once I started researching them and finding out more information about them the thought started to become a reality.  We found out through our research that pigs are really good house pets.  They pretty much self litter box train, they have great personalities, you can teach them lots of tricks, they walk on a leash, etc... so after reading and reading Phillip and I finally decided okay we will get Blakely and Drew a pig for Christmas.  Once we decided we went to visit a few farms in Georgia to look at them and their size.  We finally found the pig we wanted but the only problem was it was in Florida - Panama City, FL.  So we had to think about the logistics of how all of this was going to work and finally we decided this pig was going to have to come early so I got busy writing a note from Santa and the Mr. Elfie that explained that it would really be toooo  much for this pig to be delivered on Christmas so he was dropping it off a little early.  It would be toooo cold in the sleigh riding around all night on Christmas!  So that is why we have little Iggy the Piggy early. 

Phillip and my Dad drove and met the pig lady in Dothan, AL to pick up the pig while Mom and I took the kids to the CHOA Parade.  Then Phillip went home and got it all set up and then came to meet us in D'ville and then we headed home together where when we got home Phillip had the pig ready to go.  They were sooooo excited.  They just wouldn't leave it alone.  It was so sweet. 

So far the pig is doing well.  For the most part she is staying our bathroom right now as the breeder suggest they stay in a smaller area so they can start to trust you and learn about their new surroundings.  She is doing pretty well when it come to little box training.  She has had a few accidents but nothing major.  She loves to run and play and of course root around on everything.  The kids are really enjoying her.

Thank you Santa and Mr. Elfie for this wonderful early surprise!

Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Parade

To get us all the in the holiday spirit we went to the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Christmas Parade in Downtown Atlanta.  It is a wonderful parade complete with all the BIG blow up characters and all.  The kids love it.  Last year we went for the first time and we saw how much the kids loved it so I think we have now made it a tradition.  We go with the Westbrook family of the course the kids love that.  Hanging with their cousins is one of their favorite things to do.  This year Mom and little Miss Maya also went with us.  I think at first she was a little skeptical but in the end I think she loved it.  She pretty much stated on Mom's lap during most of it.  She also got to take her first trip on Marta.  I think that might have been her favorite.  She would say..."weeeeee" every time it would start and stop.  It was a great day and the weather was perfect.  You really couldn't ask for anything more perfect.  Now let the holiday season begin....