Happy New Year's Eve! We went down to the beach for the day yesterday. It was gorgeous and there were thousands of shells of all shapes, sizes and colors. We may have brought back several hundred:).

Today, I am taking down Christmas decorations and preparing for our traditional New Year's Eve Fondue dinner. We had a wonderful Christmas season, filled with family, food, lights {Callaway Gardens!}, songs, and much thankfulness for our Savior's birth. Wishing you all a joyous 2012!

Christmas Party Rash

I'm afraid Elle's not the only one who's allergic around here. The problem is, we don't know what caused it.

His teacher called from school to say he was breaking out in a rash so Steven went to pick him up early. It spread more once we got him home. They had a Christmas party, but no out-of-the-ordinary foods. They were playing on the playground when he started complaining. Thankfully, a bath, a little Benadryl, a few puffs of the inhaler, several latherings of hydrocortisone, and he's much better. The other side of his body looked like this too...

Elle had a minor episode with her eye swelling up Sunday night. This has happened a time or two before so I wasn't really surprised and as with Grady, we're not sure what caused it. All three kids were watching a movie at church. She was much better Monday morning, after some Benadryl, inhaler, allergy eye drops and a good night's sleep.

This is why we don't go far from home without an Epi-pen, Benadryl, inhaler, allergy eye drops, Zyrtec, and hydrocortisone cream. They are staples at our house:).

Encouraged by my 6 year old

We made a trip to Wal-Mart this morning after dropping Grady off at school for some necessary paper products {toilet paper!}, ingredients to make some spice tea, chicken and vegetables for dinner. We pulled out of the parking lot and got to the stop light at the bottom of the hill.

Elle said, "Mom, did you see that van in the parking lot? {I had not seen them.} There was a lady with a sign that said they needed gas. Should we call the gas company?"

Me: "No, Elle, they need money to buy gas for their car. ...Do you want to turn around and give them your $5?"

She had money with her that she had just gotten over the weekend as a Christmas present.

Elle: "Ummm... I don't know."

We turned left and headed away. I was conflicted at this point as to what to do too.

Elle: "Yes, Mom, I want to go back. The Bible says, 'He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward him for what he has done.'"

I turned around and we drove back to the van in the parking lot. She added another dollar she had to the amount, got out of the car and gave the lady her $6. I told the lady that my daughter had seen them and wanted to help. I was completely overwhelmed at this point. At seeing the Lord work through Elle. At seeing her respond to His promptings with obedience. At seeing the fruit of her memorizing Scripture. **And I don't really care to analyze if they really needed the money or not. The point is that Elle gave because the Lord wanted her to and she was obedient and cheerful in giving. And God says he'll bless her for that. His blessing is not based on what they use the money for.**

We pulled away from the parking lot a second time and I told her how pleased Jesus was with her. That she just showed what the spirit of Christmas is supposed to be. Giving to those in need. Thinking of others. Not being selfish. May we all be reminded that Love came down and met our greatest need and may we respond to His promptings with obedience.

Thanks Elle. You encouraged me greatly today.

Happenings with Reese

I have made one Christmas present purchase so far. I bought this little boy a backpack of his very own. He and Grady rotate days with this backpack with Grady taking it to school on Tuesdays and Thursdays while Reese takes it to church on Sundays and CBS on Wednesdays. And most other times, Reese walks around the house with it on. I think he's going to be happy with his very own back pack with his name on it!

I hesitate to say it, but I think Reese is day-time potty trained! I asked Elle to make a chart for him since we were learning about graphs and charts for math this past week. We like to integrate learning in to all aspects of life here at the Salter Academy:). Monday, we didn't chart, but he was successful multiple times. He had two accidents which both involved pooping in his pants or directly on the rug. He went 17 times Tuesday with no accidents. Because he didn't poop. Wednesday was even better. I put a pull-up on him before going to bible study (because I don't expect his teachers to be able to get him to the bathroom when there's at least 10 other 2 year olds in the room!). But before we left, he went on his own, getting his pull-up down and everything. He also progressed from pooping on a random floor or in his pants to pooping on the bathroom floor in front of the potty. Twice. He's getting the idea just having trouble with the timing. Thirteen stickers for Wednesday. Twelve stickers Thursday. No accidents. Ten stickers Friday with poop on the bathroom floor. The other thing we are working on is waiting until he gets in the bathroom to pull his pants down. Right now, he pulls them down immediately and flashes everybody while he makes his way to the bathroom. But all in all, he's doing great and we are down to diapers just at naptime and overnight...

This was from the week before Thanksgiving but needs to be documented. At CBS, the kids made "thankful place mats". When I picked Reese up from his class, his teacher told me he was thankful for ice cream.

What she failed to mention, is that he is also thankful for girls in bikinis.

Thanksgiving at Lake Martin

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving week with my Mom's family. We rented a big house on Lake Martin with plenty of space for the 24 family members who were able to make it. We missed two cousins: Emily, who is student teaching in Spain, and Jessica, who was spending the holidays with her future in-laws! We shared all the things that have become our traditions. A very specific Thanksgiving feast. Lots of napping. Long walks {to counteract all the eating!}. Much Auburn/Alabama bantering. Board games that sometimes get a little competitive. All of us together. Thankful to be together. We were all especially thankful this year for our Aunt Patti's health and victorious battle with breast cancer. She's made it through lots and lots of chemo treatments, surgery, and now on to daily doses of radiation. And for our Uncle Fred's great care of her through it all...

This was my favorite morning. The fog was thick but it didn't take long for the sun to roll it off the water.

We were also thankful that my grandmother survived a fall the week before that left her with an incredible healing scar from 40 staples in her head. I'm just realizing that here she is seemingly leaning over the railing of the second floor. Hmmm....

A little face time with Emily in Spain. We talked with Jessica too!

My cousin, Parker, thanked God for His goodness, our family and the great food. Our traditional meal:

Fried turkey and dressing

Sweet potato casserole

Chicken and dumplins
Hash brown casserole

Mixed vegetable casserole

Strawberry pretzel salad

Deviled eggs

Cranberry Salad

Green bean & corn casserole

The group photo post-dinner out on the dock.

Complimentary transportation from the photo shoot was provided for those over 75.

Friday, we took a trip to Wynn Creek State Park. We played on the playground, climbed the huge silo tower, attempted to skip rocks, and just enjoyed the outdoors and hanging out together.

Friday night, all of our college-aged family departed for the plains. Saturday morning left just a few of us there. My aunt graciously gave up her Iron Bowl ticket so my sister could attend her first ever Auburn game. Maybe not the best game for a first-timer, but a very cool experience for her, nonetheless. Cousin Parker works with the football team and was able to score some autographed shirts for the kids! Thanks to all the family for making it another memorable Thanksgiving!

Hydrogen Peroxide will induce vomiting

I made our second call to Poison Control last night. It's only been a little over 3 months since my last call, when Reese ate several children's Tums.

The kids had cleaned up, gotten in to their pajamas, and we were watching the end of a movie on TV. Elle started to complain of her throat hurting. They have all had mild colds, so I thought it was probably just drainage from her nose in to her throat. We gave her a little milk. She continued to complain. Then she said she thought she knew why it was hurting...

Come to find out, she drank from a cup in the bathroom that, instead of water, contained hydrogen peroxide.

I usually soak their toothbrushes in peroxide if they've been sick or sometimes when I clean their bathroom. I never leave the cup. Apparently {I can't imagine why}, I got distracted and left the little cup with the peroxide sitting above the sink. She came in, turned it up and drank hydrogen peroxide. She said she only drank a swallow, realized it wasn't right, and poured the rest out.

I called Poison Control and the woman said to try to give her a little juice or cracker to get the taste out of her mouth. She said she could possibly vomit. She was correct. Thankfully, Elle was standing at the sink. But I did get to scoop vomit out of the sink in to the toilet.

Anyway, she was fine after she threw up and had a good night's rest. I went in to her room this morning and we talked about what each of us had learned from the incident and thanked God for taking good care of her and getting that stuff out of her body quickly.

These wonderful kids

We are here and doing well. Just haven't had much time to blog or take pictures. Hopefully soon. But I had to get these quotes down:

I was brushing Grady's teeth tonight and he was just staring at me.

I said, "What are you looking at buddy?". {I thought maybe I had something in my nose.}

He said, "You. You're just so cute." 

Later, I was laying in bed with Elle. We finished reading and were talking with the lights out, getting ready to pray.

She said, "How will we worship God in heaven?"

I said, "Well, I guess some of the same ways we do here, but perfectly and without sin."

She said, "So we'll all sit in a bunch of benches and God will be the preacher?"

We may have laughed a little after that.

Oh, and Reese and the potty was a total fluke. Won't even consider it now. :)