January 2020, gosh what a year. Hindsight on 2020 carries so much irony, only because we were so unprepared for what the year would bring. But, I want to push past that and commit these moments in time to the boundaries of the page. Thank you Lord for helping me catch back up in our family record keeping. I am forever grateful for this idea when James was still a baby, and I owe it to you Lord for continuing to bless me with the time, energy and patience to pour through the pages. And when I thought I would NEVER be a 'scrap-booker'! haha!
Our New Year's Day was typical: ham & collard greens & black eyed peas as our meal. But, this visit from my bestie Jessica on the boat was anything but! The peacefulness and beatify of the lake where we live will never be lost on me.
I wanted to do something special for my boys on their 10th birthdays: I wanted to take them on some kind of one-on-one trip. For James, taking him to Universal for the day, just the two of us, to visit Harry Potter world was an absolute blast! It was the most fun day!! I wanted to take him before school started back after Christmas break, so I took him on Jan. 2nd (I believe). Unfortunately, it was a ridiculous decision, only because that is their busiest week of the whole year and most expensive. Mental note to self: NEVER take anyone to any parks over Christmas break. I should have just taken him out for a day of school, oh well!
We went straight into the 'London' side of Harry Potter world so we could enter by the Night Bus and Diagon Alley. You can walk through the tavern just like Harry and Hagrid do in the movie, which was so much fun.
Here we are! Had to stop and take a picture of us.
First things first: we got James his own robes and wand, which was really fun, and that really set the mood for our day. The wands have all sorts of places to do 'magic' in the park, so getting it at the beginning is the ticket. My Pikachu/Hogwarts birthday boy. Classic. "It's not every day yer young man turns '10'." You are so right Hagrid.
We looked all through the shops, rode the Gringotts ride, and then headed over to the 'Hogsmeade/Hogwarts' side by taking the Hogwarts Express! The train ride was like a ride itself, as it was actually a ride as well to the other park.
This park may have been our favorite. The Castle ride, the hippogriff ride, and Hagrid's motorbike ride- we waited almost 4 hours to ride it but it was probably my favorite ride anywhere, of all time. The butter beer & my pikachu buddy made this day great. Chocolate frog & wand & robes aside, it was a day we will always remember!
We drove up to see Mimi&Grandpa in St. Simon's Island and had dinner together. The trees you can climb are the best part of the whole town if you ask me.
One final trip down to see the lights in St. Augustine, and we came home with Pokemon hats.
Cute buddy in the bathtub & the beginning of our inside home renovations! We started with the half bathroom in our downstairs. It was difficult to find a vanity that was the right dimensions for the space, but I am really happy with how it turned out.
Any day is a good day for a bike ride and a ninja dress up party.
To celebrate James' 10th birthday, he had a game truck party! He wanted fortnite decorations, ironically the one game he wasn't allowed to play at home. haha, but he had a blast. Mimi made one of the best cakes yet, and all the boys enjoyed it.
Young Life campaigners bad bowling! and our resident bowling rock star. We grabbed dinner together at Olive Garden.
The normal sights of our daily life. Anthony&David with our boys, snuggles for Hermione, and eating birthday lunch at school. so many things to be thankful for.
Honestly though, we are spoiled by Mimi's birthday cakes. So when it comes to the actual birthday we love DQ ice cream cake. so good!
Happy birthday James buddy! It doesn't seem real that you are 10.
A variegated ivy and our new bathroom!
Another road trip up to GA to see Jekyll Island and take in the sights.
So ironically beautiful - deadwood on the beach.
My sweet friend's book!! What an excitement to see her name in print and read her words. Congrats Meredith! Fantastic job.
Young Life Dodgeball tournament & my YL leader dreams have come true: my face on a t-shirt. Our team was the taco toppings, and of course we were all over the place.
We had a really hard day over Martin Luther weekend as Roo passed away. It was very traumatic for me and for Hayden. It is hard to say goodbye to pets.
Time marches on, as it will. Precious Dr. David from Mrs. Tyree's class. I got to go chaperone a field trip with Calvin's class- I actually cannot remember where we went! haha. I think it was to see a play adapted from books about kid scientist & architects. Iggy Peck, Architect? But it was the last field trip any of us took for a long while.
Lots of progress in the house- upstairs bathroom floor started, demo done as well. Downstairs window seat done but with no top. It didn't quite fit- so that we had to wait on getting redone. The floors in the playroom were taken out & the ceiling issues repaired. The ceilings were all scraped and retextured. All kids of excitement, chaos and dirt.
But then there are flowers. Japanese Magnolia, you are my favorite.
We finished the month with Calvin's lost tooth and David's 4th birthday party. We had it a little early so we could try and give Mimi&Grandpa time to be with John&Kelsey as their second daughter was expected early February. Well, turned out she wanted to come Jan. 31st! So we actually had David's party on the day she was born, haha! Grandpa saved the day and still came to the party, brought and ASSEMBLED the cake all by himself. He did a great job, and David loved it so much! His preschool class came to play at the trampoline park with him, and he couldn't have had a better time.
