Our Thanksgiving Traditions

Before our family moved from Texas to Florida (we moved in November 2010) we had the usual family tradition of cooking a big meal, getting all gussied up, stressing out over cooking and making sure everything was perfect. For our first Thanksgiving in Florida my Aunt Arrie and my brother Evan came to join us. We loved having them! For our second Thanksgiving we didn't travel and we didn't have any visitors. I made the meal, but it was smaller and not too much work, we got dressed up for ourselves and did the whole shebang at our house with just the five of us. On our third one I still cooked a small traditional meal but we decided it was dumb to get dressed up with just the five of us (no visitors) and after our meal we took the kids to see a movie. It was a revelation for us! Why does Thanksgiving have to be so formal?! Isn't the point to reflect about what you're grateful for  and spend time with those you love?

The next Thanksgiving (2013) we had moved back to Texas and Chad had been hired with Boston Market. His company has a Thanksgiving banquet meal. This is a pre-made (all cooked very fresh and then refrigerated, never frozen) that you pick up the week of Thanksgiving, put in your fridge and just re-heat for your holiday meal. The turkey takes two hours to heat up and the sides take much less time than that. It is so delicious and I don't have to worry about cooking it long enough or too long, it is perfect! Plus the cost is much less than me cooking the meal myself, even when it is just for the five of us. I still make a couple of sides that Chad grew up eating with his family (mainly yams with marshmallows) but I get to sit back, relax WITH my family and enjoy the day. We have made it a point in our household to remove the formality out of Thanksgiving. We (almost always) don't travel. We sometimes invite a few close friends (but if they have plans it doesn't hurt our feelings at all). We do NOT dress up. We heat up the meal when we feel like we'll be hungry for dinner soon, no real planning on what time we will eat. The adults have a couple of drinks. We watch football. We play games with our kids. During our meal we ask our kids what they're most thankful for. We make a choice to really be together and throw out the window "what we're supposed to do". It makes us a closer and happier family and I am SO glad we created our own , relaxed traditions. We're trying to show our kids that when they are grown and have their own families it is ok to do what they like the most and makes them happy no matter what others say. But I do admit that I hope they will want to spend the holidays with family and be informal with us ;)

Last year we traveled for the first Thanksgiving in years to spend time with family on Chad's side and a little time with family on my side. We didn't get fancy but we got much dressier than we would have at home. It was nice to spend time with others. Chad volunteered at a Houston Boston Market (I couldn't go because we had spent the night at my Grandmother's house and I wasn't about to ask her to chase my three children around once they woke up). We loved seeing family on a day where people try the hardest to be around family, but we're happy to get back to our own way of things this year.

Now I do have a little disclaimer because Chad and I do get dressed up for part of the day. It is very early so that Chad and I can go volunteer and help out at the Austin Boston Market. Thanksgiving (the whole holiday season really) is the company's "super bowl". It is their busiest time of year by far. The Chief's and Executives of the company make a choice to help out at the restaurants to set an example and show the store employees and customers how thankful they are for all of their hard work and business. We help for a few hours early in the morning doing whatever they need the most help with. We get home and immediately get our "house clothes" back on and relax the entire rest of the day.

Chad's best friend, Dave, moved back to the Austin area from Pittsburg this past week. He is very close to our family. He is surprising our kids by spending Thanksgiving with us, our kids have no idea that he has moved back. It's going to be a really great day!

I hope each of you have a great Thanksgiving doing what makes you happy! From our family to yours, Happy Happy Thanksgiving!!

Until next time, count your blessings! :)

Sara

Family Portraits 2015

As I wrote in a previous post we recently had our family photos taken. The extremely talented Christel Grall of Christel Grall Photography blessed us with her talent and I'm not sure we could be any happier with the results! I wish Orin was in more of the photos but he decided to be a stinker about half way through the photo shoot, even so, she gave us some wonderful moments captured on film. I'll tag her in my post on Facebook, we highly recommend reaching out to her if you're looking to have any kind of pictures taken!

Family photos mean SO much to me! I'm so careful to make sure we take a new family portrait every single year and I really feel like this was our best year yet! I hope you enjoyed our pictures! :)

Until next time, count your blessings! :)

Sara

Weight off of my Chest

On Tuesday I taught a Pre-K class. I've taught this class a couple of times before but only the morning class (Pre-K is only a couple of hours per class so there are two per day). The afternoon class had a little boy in there that stole my heart! I wanted to put him in my pocket and take him home with me. He reminded me a lot of Orin and everything about his was just precious! I'm looking forward to seeing my new little friend the next time I teach that class. 

Grace had basketball tryouts last week and unfortunately didn't make the team. She was disappointed but not like she was when she didn't make the volleyball team. I'm sure I sound totally biased but I really believe that she isn't making the team because the coaches pick who they like. Grace got in trouble last year with the same coach and they've been awful to her since then. There is no reason that she shouldn't have made the volleyball team, she had been playing for years and is really good. I tried not to be "that Mom" until I went to a game and saw how awful most of the girls who made the B team were. It really made me furious. Chad and I met with the coaches and they can make excuses all day but it was clear that they just weren't fans of Grace and she never got a real shot of making it. I'm going to request that other un-bias parties (staff of the school) watch tryouts next year. Ugh. Anyway, done with that rant.

We had a parent teacher conference with Orin's teacher on Friday that went really well! When Orin went into Kindergarten I was very nervous about his learning ability. I didn't know if his Autism was going to work for him or hinder him from traditional learning. He is doing so well and all of the concern I had is totally gone. He is doing great in math, science, reading and staying on track. It was wonderful to hear! Our school's SPED lead was nice enough to entertain me and attend the meeting too and had nothing but great things to say about Orin's progress. I left feeling great about his academic future!

We went to Houston this past weekend for a family friend's granddaughter's Quinceanera. It was the second one we've ever been to, it was nice, our kids had a blast! During our short trip I got to visit my brother, John. It was the first time I've seen him in a year. I've really missed him and I hated having to leave. I hope it isn't that long before we see each other again. He has some exciting things coming up for himself, if it all works out for him I'll fill everyone in but I don't want to jinx it ;) 

On Sunday morning we visited with my Grandma and Aunt at breakfast and spent some more time at my Grandma's house before we had to head back home. My Grandma is 84 so we are taking every chance to spend time with her that we can. Losing my mom when she was 54 definitely taught us to spend time with those that mean the most to us at every chance. I never expected to lose my mom so early and don't want to take everyone I still have left for granted.

When we got home from Houston my Dad and his girlfriend, Marguerite, came to the house and visited for a little while, we invited them to join us for dinner. This was the first time our kids met Marguerite. It was important to me to meet her first (breakfast last week) before I invited her to meet my kids and I'm glad that I have that policy in place. I don't like people coming in and out of my kids lives, it isn't stable and I don't think it is fair to my kids. I'm very picky about who comes around my family so it is a pretty big deal. Marguerite and all three kids got along really well and it was a great visit. I officially think of her as part of our family (pretty quick for me!) and am happy that she is around. I'm looking forward to spending more time with her and my Dad!

Speaking of being picky about who is around my kids and people coming in and out of their lives I want to get something off of my chest. I was debating writing about it at all, but it is part of my life and I'm ready to let it go and this is therapeutic for me. There are two couples in my life that I'm not a fan of. I say that they're in my life because I'm related to them and don't get a choice about that part. One is probably out of my life forever and the others have a chance to maybe one day be a part of our lives in a positive way again. The first is my former step-dad and the woman he married this past summer. He has been part of my life since I was six, he was a really great step-dad and we were very close until the summer of 2014 when he moved to live with his girlfriend who he married this past summer. As soon as he moved with this woman (they're the same age, she never married before or had kids and is too old to now) he became a totally different person. He used to be a lot fun and goofy, but he isn't anymore. He isn't the same person and it's very strange and sad. When he moved in with her he started to cut all of his kids out of his life. It feels like he is pretending he didn't have a family before he met her and that he is starting his life over. I don't know for sure because we don't talk anymore but that is how my brothers and I feel. It's the strangest thing ever! He was such a great "dad" and grandfather to my kids and then all of a sudden he was just gone. He doesn't acknowledge our birthdays, holidays or anything, its like we never existed to him. My kids have been devastated over this loss. They lost my mom and now because of some woman, they lost their grandpa. I don't understand it and never will. I truly believe he and his new wife are jealous of our happiness and success. It's laughable but in a very sad way. I've made a very conscious choice to stop reaching out to him. He doesn't return my texts, calls or emails anyway. I'm sick of chasing a relationship with my "dad" since he wants to pretend we don't exist. He is doing the same thing to both of my brothers, they feel orphaned by our former family. It really made me mad for while but now I really pity him. It must be a very lonely life. He likes to live off of everyone else's accomplishments and it is to the point that it's kind of funny. If you ask him what he does he will tell you about his dad and not about himself. When we still talked and I asked him about his then girlfriend he was quick to tell me about her family's jobs and accomplishments, but not hers. It was very odd. He also went from telling me how proud he was of me and Chad and our family to constantly cutting us down and telling us that we weren't good enough. He seemed to be grabbing at straws to find unfounded reasons to make himself feel good about cutting ties with all three of his kids and all three of his grandchildren. He went from calling me several times per day to literally acting like he never knew me. I truly believe it is because his new wife doesn't like that he had a happy life before her. He and my mom were married for almost 21 years when she died but now that he has this new person in his life, he constantly bashes my mom, who is dead and can not defend herself. Who does that?! I don't think he realizes how awful that makes him look to be bashing a dead person and a dead person that he stayed married to for over 20 years. I don't know how he doesn't see that anyone that hears him is just floored at his heartlessness. He has turned into a different person, a nasty person and a person that I am now very grateful is out of mine and my family's lives. I don't need his negativity and am now relieved to let him go. It is a weight off of my chest and after writing this I'll probably never talk about him again. He was part of my past and childhood (no matter how much he tries to pretend he wasn't) but is not a part of my future. Again, this is all my take on things and how I feel, but he isn't man enough or enough of a dad to have a conversation with me and tell me any different. One very good thing about this whole experience is that it has made me appreciate how much my real dad has stepped up and become an even more amazing dad and grandpa than my former step-dad could have ever hoped to be. My dad is so great with my kids and lets me know constantly that he is here for me, Chad, our kids and that he does everything he can to spend time with us. He is awesome! I'm also very happy to still have a great relationship with the rest of my family on my former step-dad's side, they're all incredible people and I love having them in my life!

The second couple have no children yet, but maybe one of these days if they become parents they'll realize the errors in their behavior. One of them told me that their relation to someone doesn't dictate how they feel about that individual. I think it is such a dumb statement. If I didn't have to be related to this person I would never have anything to do with them, I would cut them from my life and not think twice about it, but since I do have to be related to them I had put effort into our relationship. I'm done trying at this point because currently this couple adds nothing positive to mine or my family's lives, but I haven't given up hope for the future after they have some time to mature and see the bigger picture of what family really is.

I already feel better getting all of that off of my chest! I don't dwell on negativity or negative people and really feel like I've done a good job at getting people out of my life that I don't feel add a positive quality, I've really never been happier! I feel so lucky to have such an amazing little family with such a hard working husband who I love more and more every day. I love and appreciate the great qualities in each of my friends and am enjoying my life to the fullest every day! 

I'm subbing for a SPED teacher tomorrow and really looking forward to it! I was a little upset about the timing at first because Abby has a field trip and I was sad to miss it, but luckily Chad isn't traveling this week and is able to go with her. I'm sure he'll be answering emails when he gets a free second but I'm so glad he can go with her, I know they'll make some fun memories together tomorrow! Chad is volunteering at the elementary school for a short time on Wednesday and then we'll be meeting Abby and Orin during their lunch times for the school's Thanksgiving celebration. I'm subbing another Pre-K class on Thursday (not the same class with my new friend) and then on Friday evening all five of us are going to the hockey game for Quest night. We're all looking forward to doing that together!

I feel so great about getting that weight off of my chest and look forward to continuing to move on with my life minus the dead weight that I'm letting go of! ;)

Until next time, count your blessings! :)

Pretty calm past several days

Last Wednesday evening I had ladies night with a few of my girlfriends, we ate dinner had a couple of drinks and chatted for a few of hours, it was great! I love my time with friends and getting away. We went to Blue Corn Harvest in Cedar Park, I love that place! If you're in this area I definitely recommend it!
On Thursday I checked in with my RN coach, Tiffany, for my diet and I'm maintaining just great! While I'm not "on" my diet anymore I'll be checking in weekly through the holidays and then switching to every two weeks and then monthly for the foreseeable future to make sure all of my hard work doesn't go out the window, that I'm maintaining my weight and sticking with new lifestyle habits that will keep me on track. My fat percentage is the lowest it has been, I was very happy to see that!
Also on Thursday, I was supposed to meet an old friend/co-worker at Gloria's in the Domain for lunch. We had been planning on it for a while. I've never been "stood up" for anything before, but I sure was at Gloria's! I got there early and left when she didn't respond for 15-20 minutes after she was supposed to get there. I saw later that she read my messages but never responded, I'm not sure what that was about...oh well! I took the opportunity to do some window shopping and have some "me" time. I got a couple of good ideas for Christmas gifts!
Friday was pretty low key, Chad worked from home and I did some chores and took the opportunity to be lazy. We went to lunch together, which I always love, but then came home so he could get some more work done. We were actually going to try and sneak a movie in too while the kids were at school, but didn't see anything that we were dying to see or that worked with our short time frame. Grace had a school dance that evening which she got to dress up in her Halloween costume for, she had a great time! After she got home Chad and I left to play dominoes with some friends and get away for just a little bit.
Saturday morning our alarm went off way too early for the weekend. Abby had her first volleyball tournament, she kicked it's ass! ;) In her league there are no participation medals, there are medals for 1st-4th place only. Abby's team lost their first game. Every team is supposed to play in at least two games, so there is the championship bracket and the consolation bracket for the teams that only lost their first game. If you lose again after the first game you're out and the season is over for you and your team. Like I said, her team lost their first game but they won the next two which landed them in the consolation championship spot! They lost their final round of games, considering how much bigger the girls they played were, we were so proud of the girls on how close the game was! Abby and her team won 4th place and earned their medal. They rocked and did such a great job! Abby loves volleyball and looks forward to her next season which will start up around early March.
After volleyball and relaxing for a little bit as a family we went to some friends son's 5th birthday party. I've been friends with Austin's (birthday boy) parents Candace and Travis, since high school, they're really great people and we enjoy hanging out with them.
After the party we were pretty drained. Chad was watching football and I decided to go to the liquor store. What I had intended to be a quick trip turned into a couple of hours, I made friends with the owners and we got a drink after they closed shop for the night. I invited Chad up to hang out, he came up but he was NOT happy about it at first, he was tired and super annoyed with me that I wanted to hang out. After he met the couple he had a beer and we all had great time talking. We ended up having a fun evening hanging out and hope to spend more time with our new friends soon!
Sunday morning Chad and I woke up and went to one of my BFF's house to help her move. She is unfortunately going through a nasty divorce and has to move out of the house she loves into an apartment while she goes through all of this and figures out the future for herself and her three year old son. It's a crappy situation and my heart breaks for her!
When we got home at lunch time, from helping her move, we took the kids to the park. The day turned out to be so beautiful so it was a great excuse to let them play outside. Chad helped Grace get ready for basketball tryouts that started this morning and go through Wednesday. Please send her a prayer, or good juju, whichever you're into, for her tryouts!
This morning we got the kids off to school (Grace has to be there by 6:45am for tryouts, YUCK!) and met my dad and his girlfriend at lunch at Torchy's. This was my first time meeting my dad's girlfriend. I like her, she seems like a genuine lady and she makes him happy. She is also encouraging him to live a healthier lifestyle and I'm all about that! I hope things continue to go well for them, I like that he is happy!
I'm teaching (substitute teaching) Pre-K tomorrow, we have two parent teacher conferences this week and Bunco (if enough RSVP). Then we are going to Houston this weekend for a birthday party on Saturday evening and then to visit my Grandmother on Sunday morning before we head home. Always busy but not too much on our agenda this week!

Until next time, count your blessings! :)

Sara

 Abby with her Volleyball Medal

 Orin and the birthday boy, Austin

Chad and Grace practicing for tryouts

Halloween and Family Portraits

I'm finally starting to really feel better, thank God because Chad has to travel some this week for work. Being sick is awful enough as is, but I'm thankful that Chad wasn't traveling while I was down.
Saturday morning (Halloween day) Abby had her volleyball game, she has such a great team this season! This was the last regular season game, next weekend is the tournament. With her age group the league doesn't keep score but they will for the tournament, I really think her team will do well next weekend. I'm excited to see what happens! My MIL, Michell, met us at Abby's game and stayed with us for a couple of days, she actually just left to head back to Dallas to stay with my SIL and new nephew for two more weeks before she has to fly home to Saudi Arabia. We hope she and my FIL, Bob, can move back to the states (fingers crossed for Texas) no later than May of next year.
After the volleyball game Chad and Orin went to get haircuts and the girls and I had our nail appointments to get primped for our family pictures on Sunday. The girls loved getting pampered and I love being able to do that with them every so often. Its fun to have daughters and I love getting to girly things with them!
After the haircuts and nails we came home and the kids carved their Halloween pumpkins. Abby and Orin did a traditional face on their pumpkins and Grace carved out a bat. They did a good job and we finished the whole project in less than 30 minutes, unintentional record time! This year Grace dressed as the Queen of Hearts, Abby was Alice from Alice in Wonderland and Orin was Batman! Chad and I didn't really dress up for Halloween day this year. Chad had shoulder surgery last year on Halloween so this year he and Michell walked with the kids trick-or-treating and I handed out the candy. I was kind of disappointed in how few kids came down our street, oh well!
The weekend before, Chad and I went to our friends Renee and Michael's Halloween Party. For mine and Chad's costumes, we put more effort than we ever had in dressing up, it was a lot of fun! We went to our tattoo artist and they put our characters tattoos on us with a stencil and then sprayed us down so our "tattoos" would stay on for the party. Chad won second place in the costume contest! Renee really goes all out for her Halloween Parties! This year she did a Freak Show/Run down Circus theme. Everyone is asked to dress according to the theme. She did a great job with her costume that she hand made and decorating her house! I love to host a good party and love making parties special in the small details, Renee did the same, I was totally impressed and really looking forward to next year! Renee and I have been friends for pushing 20 years (or according to her and I 6+12, it's a joke). She and I worked together at Fazoli's when I was 16, she was with me the night I met Chad. She had her first baby, Emma, this past May. Emma is SO precious, I just love her!
Orin was Batman this year so he could be the good guy and defeat Mommy and Daddy who were the bad guys, it was super cute!
On Sunday morning Michell was sweet and made us all breakfast. We aren't a big breakfast family so when we have a traditional one its kind of a big deal. It was very sweet of her do to do that and the kids loved it. We were able to be a little lazy and take it easy for most of the morning. At 1pm the girls and I had our hair appointments to have our hair curled for our portraits, we go to Vent Blotique in the 1890 Ranch in Cedar Park, we love it! The girls had a great experience! Their hair is SO straight and hard to curl, especially Grace's. They got pampered and looked extra special. After we got home we finished getting ready and drove out to Old Settlers Park in Round Rock where we met the super talented Christel Grall. Christel and I have known each other for most of our lives and went to High School together. She is such a sweetheart and an amazing photographer! We started out with family pictures, did the kids individual pics, some couples pics of myself and Chad and then it was time for the kids group pictures, that is where it stopped. Orin was done with pictures right before it was time to get them as a group. Orin cooperated for a little while but when he is done, he is done. He finally was up to taking one or two in the group but was really over the whole thing. It was super frustrating for me, family pics are a big deal to me. I'm pretty sure Christel was able to get a couple of good ones, I just wish he would have given us 10 more minutes. Next year we will do family, then kid group then individual so that by the time he is done and burnt out the main ones will be done. Regardless, I'm SO excited to see the final results! Christel sent me a sneak peek and it is amazing! (It is the family picture at the top of this post) It made me tear up and I can not stop looking at it! I'm excited to share the images once I get them!
We have a busy week ahead (who am I kidding, we are always busy), but its our normal busy, so it is actually kind of low key for our family. I'm looking forward to being lazy and watching a movie tomorrow at my house with my friend Amanda while all of the kids are at school. I've got a Ladies Night Out with some of my favorite girlfriends on Wednesday, I always look forward to spending time with my girls! Then this weekend we have Abby's volleyball tournament for the first half of Saturday and then our friends' son's birthday party later in the day. We haven't made any plans for Sunday and don't intend to, we intend to do whatever we want that day and relax as a family.

Until next time, count your blessings! :)

Sara