HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Novemeber 6.

The date of the last post I wrote.

The last day of the last time I was in Indiana for 7 days straight.

There is no way to catch you up fully, so we'll just do it in photos!

The day before the stitches came out.

 Since the concussion and the stitches, we haven't had to go back to the ER. Sure, he had 2 incident reports sent home from school in a matter of days, both for hitting his head quite hard, but no more trips to the hospital.

The view from our hotel room.

After the month and a half we had had, a trip to paradise was much appreciated. Bryan and I took off for a few days in St. Martin. He had booked it back in August, not knowing October would be so brutal. It took us a day and a half to relax, but once we did, it was bliss.

We won!

We made an nontraditional exit from Ohio the morning after Thanksgiving in order to make it back to Indy for our kids' high school's  state football game in Lucas Oil stadium. We know most of the kids who were major players, and we didn't want to miss it.

That tree looks a whole lot bigger in our living room.

Christmas preparations were in full swing. The shopping, the volunteering, the decorating...all wonderful, fun, time suckers.

We have another driver in the house!

 I couldn't be happier that her driving lessons are finally over. Just in time for Star to start his classes in 2 weeks.

At least I'll have another way for him to get there now.

Does he look tough or what?

At the school's football banquet, our Turken was giving the Mental Attitude Award. According to the head coach, "For being one of the smallest kids on the team, Turken played as if he was one of the biggest kids on the field. Every practice and game, Turken gave us 100% effort and was the only kid on the team that didn't complain once." The assistant coach added, "When you get stung in the ear and keep playing, you are guaranteed the mental attitude award."  It seems all these years of wrestling teenagers is paying off. :)

Two days after football was over, 3rd grade basketball started. Gym space on the south side of Indy is rare (our only two public facilities were purchased by Sky Zone and Zip City), so coaches off all court sports are getting creative. Turken's coaches tracked down an OLD facility downtown. The boys have to walk past the door to a bar (right next to where Turken is in the photo. (Folks in the place were singing karaoke one night.)) and climb rickety old stairs in order to reach the original court space. Many of the 3rd graders' grandpas played basketball on this very court when they were in grade school. I love, love, love this building.

The annual new Disney pjs from Grandma photo.

 As always, Christmas was celebrated in Ohio.

Not pictured, because I didn't take a single photo, are the days spent in Ohio for Thanksgiving, the long but short trip to Memphis, TN, for Giant's soccer tournament, the three-day weekend spent in Columbus, OH, for Phoenix's volleyball tournament, and the day in Lousiville, KY (and the harrowing drive back that night in a terrible storm which covered the roads with ice!) to celebrate Christmas with my siblings, nieces, nephews, and parents.

We've also hosted a Halloween party for 50 or so teens, a Christmas gathering for Buttercup's friends, a New Years shindig for Phoenix and his friends, and random kids here, there, and everywhere.

Basically, life has exploded in myriad marvelous ways.

My dad now introduces me as "Crissy, She Used to be a Blogger".

It doesn't seem that 2017 is going to calm down any, seeing as how a high school graduation will be added to the mix of our usual spring madness. Lots of big plans for the coming summer as well.

Because of this, I have made the sad decision to not be a TToT cohost anymore. I just can't give the hop the attention it deserves. As much as I've loved being a part of the group, getting to know everyone and sharing our many ups each week, you all should have someone who can commit to it. To hopping around and actually writing and reading.

I'll join in when I can.

I'll keep up as much as possible.

Keep counting those thankfuls!

My prayers are with all of you as we start the new year!

Have a lovely day!