...the day after

There should be a clever little poem for the day after Christmas, just as we have for the night before. If it were about the Chenaults, it would go something like this... The day after Christmas, no alarm cloud did sound. Wrapping paper shreds, boxes, tissue and bags were all around. Scattered around rooms were toys and games to play, So in our pajamas we decided to stay for the whole day. Mama put up dishes, silver, pans and pots, While Daddy, fighting his cold, snoozed and slept and lot. With the afternoon air blowing briskly with a chill, We decided to stay inside, in our jammies still! While a puzzle of 500 pieces was assembled and a Lego creation designed, We feasted on chili, warm leftovers and any cookies we could find. A warm bath for all, cocoa for Graham and chocolate milk for Rob, Then a reading of four of our newly gifted books did the job. Finally, holding Tigger and Dumbo, their eyes have closed. What new adventures to come, only tomorrow knows!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! What a beautiful day we've had! Last night, after church, we put our reindeer food outside and got our cookies and notes all ready for Santa. We tried our very best to go to bed, but it was super hard with all the excitement and anticipation. This morning, just like we hoped, we found Santa had visited! He left all we had asked for! Then church, family dinner, playing... Wow, it has been a full and wonderful day. We are all pooped and nestled together in front of a fire watching the Muppets and looking for the Rainbow Connection. Life can't get any better, can it? Stories and pictures of our antics will come later... Tonight, we are enjoying the special gift of our family tonight, We hope your Christmas has been beautiful and jolly as our has! Merry Christmas!

Graham's Self Portraits

We never know what we'll find on our camera. Uploading Santa pics, the gems were discovered. 

All Aboard! Aunt Steph is here!

What a super treat we had!

Yesterday, we went to the train station to pick up Aunt Stephanie. We could hardly contain our excitement when the whistle blew and Aunt Steph walked off her train. We walked along the platform and the conductor waved out the window to us. When the boys waved back, he rang the bells and the horn, just for us! We stayed until the train left and as we counted the cars passing, Rob wondered which car Dumbo rode in.

We are enjoying our super fun time with Aunt Steph and all her goodies she brings. Christmas time is here!

Breakfast with Santa

 Ho! Ho! Ho!

Tuesday morning, Santa came to school for breakfast. What a special treat! We had donuts and everyone took turns talking with Santa.

Graham asked Santa for a Batcopter and a shark. Rob asked Santa for Dumbo and an elephant. They were super excited that Santa told them they had been good boys. Apparently Santa put in an order for Chocolate Chip cookies because Graham has commanded a trip to the grocery store and ordered we cook him cookies. So, that's what we're doing this week!

We had an extra special treat, too. Aunt Judy came to breakfast with us. Uncle Frank had some jolly to "work" to do that morning.

Aunt Judy and the boys

The Greatest Gift - Kids Musical

Rob, The Donkey 

Our Children's Musical was this morning during our 10:30 service, and as usual, it was an event! I'll get it posted soon, but that requires editing the video and I don't know if I can do any more today. Right now, I'm hoping someone else will take on the production and directing responsibilities next year! Given a few hours of rest, I'll be motivated...

The Shepherd Band (Walker, Parker and Graham)

This year, the children wrote their program and worked with us to select music, scriptures, etc. The idea they wanted to convey was that Jesus is the greatest gift they've ever received. A pretty big idea for elementary kids, isn't it? Its rewarding that they get it. All the "stuff" we work on, the songs, the VBS work, and the Sunday School crafts planned at 10:30 on Saturday night, it makes a difference. My heart skips when my boys talk about Jesus, and celebrating his birthday. To see it on a grand scale - all the kids in our church - is inspiring. The trick is stopping long enough to let it sink in. Ironically, in this really busy time of year, those kids understand and possess more of the Christmas Spirit than me. So, the next few days, this family, especially its Mama, is going to focus on centering in Christ. All the other goodies are superfluous.

Anyway, the boys were involved. Graham was the pianist in the "Shepherd Band" and Rob was the donkey, and again, stole the show. Half way through, the donkey got tired of the program and decided to roam. As he roamed over the altar, his pants came down and he mooned the church... It never fails that its the director's child, does it?

Props to Paul who crafted some quick instruments at the 11th hour. Give that man a piece of wood, a sharpie, a box and Chinet plates, and you'll come out with a drum. Although, he and Chaed Agee looked a little mischievous... I worry pranks have been planned.


Today went splendidly, actually. The children seemed happy, the parents seemed to enjoy themselves, and the good news was shared. We had fun and now we Chenaults are officially on cruise control... We have completed all our big events and tasks of of responsibility. Now, we count down the days to Christmas and celebrate!

Do nutritionists care about taste?

Every time I make my cranberry-oatmeal cookies, they are gone in a blink. For the cookie swap at church, friends specifically asked for the crane-oat cookies. They are like my "signature cookie" now, to officially be corny.

We are all on health kicks of some sort, so I thought surely I could make these healthier. So, I read and consulted, and a nutritionist tells me to make these minor substitutions that "no one will notice." That's an exact quote: "No one will notice."

Well, if you've all burned your tongue and have impaired tastebuds, you won't notice. If you like cardboard, you'll be thrilled.

I guess fat is yummy. The next batch of my favorite little cookie will not be healthy!

Our handiwork...

Button Wreath

Thumbprint Reindreer

Our Ornament Party

Last Saturday, we invited our good friends James and Maggie to join us for an Ornament Party! We spent the day making ornaments, listening to Christmas music and having fun. We made wreath ornaments, Thumbprint Reindeer ornaments, painted and munched all day. Jamie and I would like to report that the "easy" painted glass ball ornaments are not "easy" but somehow the process of swirling paint is therapeutic. Our trees are festive and we are ready to celebrate!

Things they say...

The sweetest part of every morning is when Rob comes in to wake me and whispers (then yells), "I had a dweem!"

Lessons and Carols

Sunday, our church hosted Lessons and Carols, perhaps my favorite service. Through scripture and song, this traditional service chronicles the promised coming and birth of Jesus. Musically, its a big responsibility, but its truly inspiring. Our choir has worked diligently and has grown immensely. Just over three years ago, there were four regular choir members who came to my first practice. Now, look at this group! How I wish I could provide a sound clip for you to listen...

Several of our choir members shared their joyful talents, providing special music with guitar and voices. Our friends from St. Luke's Episcopal Church also came to sing - what a delight. We were thrilled to have so many in the congregation to worship with us. As the line in one of our hymns, "Hark! A thrilling voice is sounding!" By the way, when we closed with O Come All Ye Faithful and Joy To The World, I think the angels were singing along - the sound of the entire church in song was magnificent! It always helps when the hymns a favorite, doesn't it?

So, the origins of Lessons and Carols amuses me. I cannot verify this, but I've been told by more than a few pastors and priests that this service originated in England when a few priests were very challenged with keeping men sober and out of the pubs on Christmas Eve. To protect family happiness and probably church attendance on Christmas morning, this service was designed to be long and thorough, so when chaps were through, they either had too much faith or too little energy to go to the pub. Well, ours was just shy of an hour service, and no one must have been to exhausted because the reception lasted another hour. And to think, we served wine at the reception!

Here's a toast to a beautiful (and completed) Lessons and Carols, and a joy filled Advent and Christmas season!

Things they say...

Tonight, I'm studying for my Teaching of Reading final. As I'm typing, there are two little ones asleep with me. Neither would go to his room tonight; so with the rain falling outside and only the glow of the lights of all our Christmas decorations, we nestled in the den. Two picture books and two chapters in our story book later I'm back to my text book.

Before he was in slumber land, Graham asked me what I had been reading. In our conversation I told him, "You know, very soon you'll be an emergent reader, Graham! See what all Mama is learning?"

He questioned, "Do I want to be a martian reader?" 

Visit with Santa

Ho, Ho, Ho!


This afternoon, Graham was thrilled to visit Santa! Santa welcomed him, warmly, into his lap where Graham told him he wants a Bat-copter and a rocket ship. Rob, was a little shy (and terrified) of him, and stuck firmly to Daddy, not even willing to enter the store. So, sweet Graham told Santa that his brother would like elephants, but probably would enjoy Legos and Star Wars stuff (what Graham likes) more. This afternoon, Graham told me that he only told Santa two things for right now so he can get started; he said since Santa is coming to school for breakfast he'll give him an early start and then give him the rest of the list at breakfast. Good thinking, Graham!

We love a parade!

 There's nothing like a parade, right? This morning, we wen to the Alabaster Holiday Parade to help kick our holiday spirits. With bands, floats, horses, cool cars, dancers, pageant queens, and the Jim N Nicks rig, the parade kept us busy for over 2 hours! The boys had an absolute blast. They spent as much time finding candy as they did watching the parade. And, of course, the highlight was getting to see the big guy. Not only was Santa Claus in the store just behind us, then mingling in the crowd with us, but he rode the top of the firetruck! Here are some highlights for you:

• Our Friends! We had lots of friends to see in the parade... several girls from church were in the dancing troops, we saw one of our favorite Boy Scouts and his dad trying to act cool, and Graham got to see his best friend from school with his parents' Kona Ice business float. Probably one of the highlights for Graham, although Rob really liked the stickers the mother threw at them. Looking for and seeing our friends was like a personal Where's Waldo adventure!
• Candy Concussions! Nearly all the floats threw candy, and mostly hard candy. It seems there are two techniques of parade-candy-throwing: (1) The Dump and (2) The Pelt. The Dump is a seemingly gentle and easy approach, where one dumps massive armfuls of candy just over the side of the float. Where this technique seems harmless and the more gentle approach, the downside is generally the candy is on the parade route, crushed by the floats behind. That candy which isn't crushed typically lands just outside hands' reach from the sidelines, and little boys who see a Snickers or pack of Skittles laying there, all ready for a grab... well it's torture! We Chenaults like the Dump, not the Pelt. Paraders who Pelt throw candy into the crowd, a la Mardi Gras. Whereas this technique seems the best to evenly distribute candy to bystanders, there are two major disadvantages as a bystander: (1) If you are a parent with child on your shoulders, running and maneuvering for candy is like a chicken fight in a dry pool, and like in most chicken fights, you come up the loser. (2) Hard candy is volatile at any speed faster than the speed you unwrap said candy and pop it in your mouth; throwing intensifies its harm. If the hard candy is a lollipop, the stick affects its aerodynamics and direction, and its akin to a grenade. With little league teams throwing, it just gets worse. All the hard candy is like a rain of nails from the sky! By the end of the first hour, we were ducking any arms that went in the air, even mistaking a wave or two. The police officer began to shout warnings: "Hard Candy alert!" I am thrilled to report we survived being mauled or rolled over, and there were no concussions from candy throwing, and the boys have a big stash. (great....)
• Did They Think That One Through? Perhaps we adults found the Shelby County Jail float most humorous. First, kinda an odd parade float participant, right? (No worries, no inmates appeared to be riding.) But, to make it all the funnier, a Boy Scout, in full uniform, was riding the float. Hmmm, does the Scout in the Pokey still qualify for Eagle?
• Parade 101: (1) When you are lip syncing songs, make sure you are singing/mouthing what is playing. (2) If you parade horses, carry a shovel. (3) Don't get behind the Shriners cars. They are way cool, but kick up the fumes! 
• Policemen Always Help! Who cares about the order they protected and traffic our civil servants organized; the police officer protecting the crowd around us pointed out "good candy" to the kids, helping them find the Snickers, Reeses, etc. in the dumped piles. Way to go, Mr. Policeman!
• Always Wait for the JNN Rig! Jim 'n Nicks threw cheese biscuits from the float/rig. Yummy! If you were close the beginning of the route, they were warm - even better!
• Graham said "Huh?" A very friendly, really awesome Santa was in the store behind us for free pics and then perused the crowd during the parade. Graham found it as thrilling as Rob found it terrifying. Well, Graham was thrilled until the friendly Santa was walking around watching the last float, the Santa riding on top of the firetruck. Graham looked at me with his brow wrinkled and exclaimed, "Huh? Somethings not right, Mama!" 

 

Jm N Nicks Rig

Throwing Warm Cheese Biscuits! 

Boy Scout in Jail

What the Chenault boys are saying...

If they are thrilled with something, like getting hot dogs with dinner, both boys clap their hands and exclaim, "Merry Christmas To Me!!"

In the car, on the way home from school today, I inquired what letters he had mastered to get six pieces of candy. (They get one piece per letter.) Graham, too busy to answer, responded: "Oh, Mom, I just faked it. I'll do anything for candy."

While he was being reprimanded for less than good boy behavior, I asked "Robert, who is watching?" Rob gleefully said, "Baby Jesus!" I was shooting for Santa, but Jesus is even better!

Show and Tell!

Graham loves Legos, but this Mama and her vacuum feel a little differently. Can they be any smaller? And the OCD Perfectionist in Graham has to have them "just so." He makes creations daily... there has to be a better way.

Thanks to Family Fun Magazine, we've made Graham a Lego Station! We took the desk in his room and filled the drawers with kitchen and toolbox organizers. Now, the drawers (sadly, all of them) are filled with organized Legos. The Lego men have their bin, the flat 2x2s have their bins, wheels have a home. Oh, its the Lego builders dream!

If you're without an empty desk, Family Fun Magazine used two rolling organizing bins, like the three drawer plastic organizers. They put a piece of MDF across the top for workspace.

I haven't vacuumed a Lego in weeks. And that, my friends, is an accomplishment!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We have so very much to be grateful for. Our God is so good.

Graham is the Indian with a bow in the middle back row; Rob is the Indian with feathers on the right with the argyle sweater vest.

Status Update

So where are we?

Paul is Maitre D at Jim N Nicks in Alabaster and is genuinely thrilled about it. Apparently, his staff is less than thrilled about his dress code enforcement, but we know he'll get them past that. He feels like he's at home again, loves the staff and the people there.

This summer, I left my job in advertising after nearly ten years. I am full time going back to school to get my Masters in Education, Special Ed from the University of Montevallo. I'm obnoxiously thrilled. I loved every experience in music therapy with special ed children and felt energy I couldn't find in advertising. Paul is giving me a beautiful gift, giving me the opportunity and the encouragement to make a big change. I am forever grateful for the wonderful job and company where I spent ten years; I'm proud of those accomplishments. But it's exciting and renewing to pursue this adventure. May 2013 I hope to sport a fabulous graduation cap - they are the best accessory!

Graham and Rob are just busy, busy little bees. Both are in preschool and learning more and more every day. Next year, Graham starts kindergarten and he reminds us daily of his impending status. Big Rob has given us a considerable raise in mastering the potty, Praise Be! Graham enjoyed fall ball this year; Mom and Dad think they did, too. Rob is counting down the day until Tball starts for him - we just have to explain there is no tackling in Tball.

We are still at the Holy Spirit Episcopal Church in Alabaster. I'm the Music Director/Accompanist, and boy is our music growing.

Yes, Chloe and Annabelle (the cats) have survived the boys, too. Chloe has lost weight, regardless of what you visitors say. Running away from bedlam is a fantastic calorie burner. She may be big, but she's beautiful! And Annabelle, well, she comes out a night when the boys have gone to sleep. That is until they start sleep walking... ha!

Life is grand!

Trick or Treat

Too much candy, too much fun. Thankfully Halloween is done!

Catwoman, Batman and Dumbo

Dumbo and the Ringmaster

Dumbo (Rob)

Batman (Graham)

Graham bobbing for apples (he licked every one)

Trick or Treaters Ready for the Prowl!
(Rob, Catherine Scoggins and Graham)

Big Rob turns the Big 3!

Three years? It can't be three! Three years since we went to the hospital for the second time? Three years since the devastation that my mother's water broke (a pipe in her front yard busted) but mine wouldn't? Three years since that perfect little baby boy joined the world? And in three years, we have this hysterical, sweet boy who gives us something special every day.

Rob had a wonderful birthday! Friends and family came to help us celebrate, and he couldn't have been more thrilled. While Graham changed into every dress up costume in the house, Rob chilled with his peeps and loved up his new toys. Alabama even whooped Tennessee as an extra birthday kick. 

Big Rob's Big Day was so full, he didn't even have the energy to eat. Right in front of his food, he fell fast asleep, dressed as Darth Vadar by this time. When I carried him to bed and laid him down, he woke just enough to tell me, "Mama, I grew up." 

Oh, please sweet baby boy, grow up slowly. Every day with you is a treat and Mama wants to soak up every day she can get!

Happy Birthday, Rob!

Darth could stay awake no more

Graham as Obie Wan

We're back!

We are back to Blogger and I solemnly swear to do better this time. Be gentle with me when I get off track, please.

This is for Jamie, who swears to me that people really do give a flip. This is for my mom who wants to know whats going on with her boys, as I am nothing more than their taxi driver now. Its for our Aunts and Uncles, friends, and everyone else who enjoys the laughs they get out of our stories. And this is an outlet for us to share with you how happy we are and how great God is.

Here we go!