Christmas with the Guys

Well before I was Raisin' Hale...i was a Guy. Hale is a fun name to joke around with as is my maiden name Noël Guy. Curt loves to say, "You know I married a guy." Course there is always the joke..."I use to be a guy"....Anyway, we got to spend Christmas with the Guys. My parents live on a farm in the middle of nowhere. When I said "we " got to spend time with the Guys, I meant me and the kids. Poor Curt came down with strep throat just in time for the Dr.'s office to be closed, so he missed Christmas celebrations. He got in the bed on Christmas eve (Friday) and didn't emerge until Monday morning when I was able to take him into the Dr. He spent Christmas day delirious with 103-104 fever. It was pitiful. Thankfully, my parent's have an apartment that is attached to their house and we were able to keep him in there and isolated so the germs didn't spread. I had some great pictures to share that are on my great new camera Curt gave me for my birthday, but the only problem is I can't find my battery charger. So, I can't share those pictures. Here are a few I took with my phone.

Merry Christmas-All I want for Christmas is a shot in the behind.

My uncle Bobby. We don't get to see him very often, but Sophie went right to him and snuggled with him for a long time. Sweet.

Every year after we open presents, my family lights a center candle representing Jesus. Each family (my two sisters' families and us and my parents) have a particular color. We light our candle from the center Christ candle and share how God has blessed us and moved in our lives over the last year. I always end up in a big ugly cry because I'm very thankful for such a sweet family and God's precious grace. It was especially sweet to hear my nieces and nephews share this year. Most of them are teenagers and it's neat to see their heart and their faith being their Own. One of the highlights of the year most everyone shared was Roe becoming a believer. Very special indeed.

My sister-Hopefully, she doesn't read my blog and won't see I posted this picture. She is crazy, in a good way. Right before her share time she tied a green bow on her head. She just found out she's pregnant at 43 with a senior in high school and an 8th grader. She's gonna have lots more to share at next year's candle ceremony;-)

so thankful to my mom who helped me bathe the broken armed Sophie. The big farm sink helped. And thankful to my mom and dad who fed us for six days. Three days longer than we planned on staying, but Curt was too sick to leave. Happy New Year Everyone.

Hale of a Christmas

I am so thankful for the Hale family I married in to. I truly love them so much. I love going to their house at Christmas. My mother-in-law Nancy always has everything so beautiful and always makes us feel so special. We went last week and celebrated Christmas. Sophie had a broken arm and we didn't know it, so she was kind of grumpy, and reasonably so. She cried around 3 hours of the trip down, but we had a much better trip home just because God was gracious to us and answered our prayers for a peaceful trip. It was a really great trip.

Nancy's beautiful decorations.

Nancy, Sophie, Lala, Grandmother Hale, and me...Curt said I looked like a giant. Thanks small Hale women.

The boys and their Beebaw.

Curt's precious grandmother-Laura. We call her Lala.

Sweet Grandmother Hale-She's 93, but you wouldn't know it.

We opened presents at Lala's place.

Sophie getting her present from Lala. Poor thing was holding her broken arm.

The boys and Lala.

Nana, Beebaw and the grandkids.

Broken Arms and Hearts

Well, another Hale has broken their arm. I made light of it on facebook that we didn't ask for a broken arm for Christmas, but it's really been breaking my heart. First of all, I need details in life. Often if Curt and I are watching a tv show...I'll have to ask questions, "But why would she do that?" "What was he thinking?" "But what happen to going there?" Poor Curt will look at me and say, "Noël, we're watching the same show...I've never seen it before either...I have no idea." Sometimes, he'll just make something up to appease me. I just have trouble letting things go and I need to know. So, not knowing exactly how our daughter broke her arm has been greatly troubling to me. I'm the kind of person when I go to the Dr. I tell this super long story with every detail, which is probably not appreciated, but I think it's important to have the overall picture, but I have no idea what happened. The only thing we can think of was a week ago Sunday when I picked her up from the nursery she was crying and the volunteer there said she had fallen and wouldn't stop crying. She had an ear infection, so we thought that was all. Anyway, we had it xrayed last Tuesday, but the radiologist didn't see the break. Saw an orthopedic yesterday and he confirmed it is broken right above the elbow bend. He put a cast on it, but referred us to a specialist today because the bone was rotated a bit. We saw the specialist and he feels like it is going to heal properly with no complications. We are so thankful. Lots of people have been praying for this little girl and we don't take it for granted that her arm is going to be ok. It's so humbling when someone you love is hurt or hurting. I think most of the time I have this false sense of being able to handle things, or kind of being in control, but I can't heal a broken arm, but I'm thankful to know the One who can. God is good. We are blessed by health. Praying for those hurting and sick this Christmas.

It took approximately 6 suckers to get this arm x-rayed and a cast on. It wasn't pretty, but we did it.

This morning she asked if she could wear her princess dress (her tutu) to the Dr. appointment. Cast or no cast...the girl has style.

Super Kid

In Abram's class each week a student gets to be the "Super Kid" of the week. The child chosen gets to bring home a stuffed (rabbit....I think, I wasn't exactly sure what the animal was) named Max. Friday, Abram was chosen as super kid. I'm not exactly sure how the child is chosen. Abram seems to think it has something to do with not wearing blue jeans or tennis shoes. Every Friday, he tries to convince me to let him wear boots to school and some other type of pants other than jeans. He talks about becoming the Super Kid all the time. Anyway, this week it finally happened. Friday, I had actually fallen asleep on the couch (I think Sophie has an ear infection and sleep hasn't been very consistent this past week). While I was sleeping, Roe and Abram got off the bus and I woke up with Abram standing right in my face with the most gigantic smile and Max (the unknown species of animal). He was THRILLED...and he didn't even wear boots that day. So, as Super Kid, you must document the goings on of the weekend. We took pictures and made a few sort of scrapbook type pages to go in the Super Kid book. Abram was beaming this morning when I showed him the finished pages. He was also SO excited because today he gets to sit in the BLUE chair and I think he may even get to be line leader or something prestigious like that. It's a fun thing they do. So thankful he got this opportunity and that he can stop wearing that polyester leisure suit every Friday b/c of the no jeans thing. Kidding, we leave the leisure suit wearing to Curt.

Here are the snapshots of what Max did this weekend.

Max loved looking at our Christmas tree.

Jumping on the trampoline

We loaded up and went to look at Christmas lights in the park.

Abram was so excited that I let him stand on the picnic table-We don't usually allow this at the park.

Max and Abram were bowing down to baby Jesus.

More lights.

Max and Abram told Santa what they wanted for Christmas. Max actually sat by himself on Santa's lap, but Abram later joined him only because he wanted to receive a candy cane. I think Santa freaks him out a little.

Then on to Christmas shopping...First Target. Then, Belk-or as we call it the amusement park. We often go just to ride the escalator. One of my personal favorites as a child.


Saturday we made sugar cookies that were SUPER DELICIOUS!!!!

Max went to church with us.

We caught Max talking to our elf "Elfo"...not sure what they were talking about...but I'm pretty sure it had to do with the Christmas cookies below them.

Sunday it was FREEZING...so max and Abram warmed up by the fire.

Family Photos

We don't take family photos. Why? Because, it takes planning, usually color coordinating, and honestly that stresses me out. I'm doing good on most days to make sure everyone has on pants, much less matches. So, finding five outfits that some what went together in a color scheme seriously stressed me out. The morning of our photo shoot, I went to the store and in a panic I bought Sophie a new dress and me a denim shirt. I don't usually wear denim, mainly b/c there is a fine line between stylish denim and not stylish denim and I fear I'll miss the line. Anyway, Curt saw what Soph and I were going to wear and he thought it looked a bit "country". Curt is from Ft. Walton Beach, FL so I guess he has the right to judge. Anyway, it's what we had so we went with it. I really was afraid we were going to look the cover of a bad country western album, but I think the pictures turned out pretty good. I waited until the last minute to schedule (of course) so the only time we could really go was 1:30p.m.-Smack in the middle of Sophie's nap time. You'll see she was less than excited to be out having family photos taken. Love my family. Love having pictures of my family. It's just the process of getting the pictures that I'm not very fond of.

This girl LOVES her daddy.

Sweet boys.

The Professor. Love Roe Hale.

Abram was born to be a sidekick. He is always encouraging Roe. He loves life. I'd love to see through his eyes for one day. Everyday is the best day of his life.

The chair I was sittting in was weird. I look a bit hunch back. Sophie is THRILLED to be taking photos.

Love this little girl. So thankful for her.