Christmas Already?

Wow... I just did October in review on my blog and now it seems like Christmas is right around the corner. I know, I know... we haven't even celebrated Thanksgiving yet. The truth of the matter is that everywhere you look there is already Christmas stuff everywhere. You can't help but feel the pressure to start your Christmas shopping, figure out when you are going to get the tree up, and start thinking about Christmas cards... which brings me to my next topic of discussion.

Last year I toyed with the idea of not sending out Christmas cards. No, I'm not trying to be a Scrooge! My friends at work talked me out of it. But this year, I don't think I can be swayed. Before you shake your head in disapproval and disappointment, let me explain. I send out a TON of Christmas cards. I will not tell you how many because no one can believe I know that many people - and I promise you it is not everyone I know, but actually a very whittled down list. Anyway, it takes a really long time to stuff, address, and stamp all those cards. This is valuable time that I could spend enjoying the holiday season with my family and friends, or getting sleep so my family and friends might actually enjoy ME during the holidays instead of me being a crab because I'm tired. I know this sounds like bad excuse, but let me go on...

Money is tight for everyone this year. Gas has cost lots more than usual in the last few months, food costs more, and we've probably all lost money in the stock market. I feel like this will be a hard holiday season for the many worthy charities out there. So this year I will take the few hundred (yes, not a typo) dollars that I usually spend buying and mailing Christmas cards and donate it to some of our favorite charities. I apologize in advance for anyone that likes to put my kids Christmas card picture on their refrigerator (this is the argument that my friends at work used last year to get me to send out cards). I will post a Christmas picture on my blog, so if you really feel the need, print it out and tape it up!

Let me mention that this is also very "green" because I know some people just end up throwing Christmas cards away eventually.

It used to be the only time some people saw our kids, but now with the fabulousness of blogging, our kids are but a click away! Nothing is lost.

So there it is, the decision has been made, it is final! The Christmas card tradition that I have practiced since college has been broken. As they say, change is good.

Let me leave you with a challenge... find something you can do without this Christmas and then instead use the money for a charitable cause. That is what Christmas is about anyway - the Love of Christ.

Some of our favorite charities...

Compassion International http://www.compassion.com/

Prison Fellowship's Angel Tree program www.angeltree.org/give

The Salvation Army

Children's Hope International's Help an Orphan program http://www.childrenshopeint.org/

And of course, local food banks

Ay, Matey!

Last week was Disney week at Ellie's Daycare. They did fun Disney themed things all week, ending with Pirate & Princess Day on Friday. It should come as no surprise that Ellie wanted to be a pirate, not a princess. She was the cutest pirate I've ever seen!

October in Review

OK, I know I did not write a single post the entire month of October. The McGhees were super busy! October was a fun month! I'll let my pictures tell you about it... they are from some of the most fun things we did... Burt's Pumpkin Farm, Monster Bash at the Creative Discovery Museum, Ellie's class field trip to Hilcrest Orchards, and Halloween - they were Tinkerbell and an Ohio State football player. Oh, there's also just a cute pic of Ephraim laughing stuck in the middle of everything! Enjoy! Maybe I'll do better this month!

Tagged!

I was just telling Scott earlier tonight how I had not blogged in so long and that I just didn't feel like I had anything to say. Ephraim has not had any reactions to any foods he's been eating and I am certainly enjoying being able to eat anything I want. However, in the last month Ephraim had a nasty stomach virus that Scott & I both got at the same time two days later (Ellie, always the medical marvel, never got it). And now Ephraim has had some major diarrhea for DAYS. And of concern to me, he eats like a bird. He won't try anything new. You have to trick him to get new foods into his mouth and then he just gags himself until he works the food out of his mouth. He will really only eat baby food consistently, and now he's starting to not really want that. People always say babies will eat when they get hungry, but quite frankly... I don't believe that! Ephraim must have his Daddy's... okay, his Mommy's stubbornness.

So, on a lighter note, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I had been tagged. Now I have something to say!

Angela tagged me and so here you go:

The Five Tag

10 years ago I:
1. got engaged to Scott
2. bought my first home
3. became an Aunt
4. had been out of college for one year
5. had my first real full-time job

5 things on today's "to do" list:
1. laundry (remember... DAYS of diarrhea)
2. read my Bible
3. pray
4. go to bed
5. sleep

5 snacks I enjoy:
1. hummus & pita chips
2. vanilla yogurt with mini dark chocolate chips
3. Thin Mints (Girl Scout cookies)
4. pumpkin anything
5. banana chips

5 things I would do if I were a millionaire:
1. pay off our house and van
2. hire all kinds of people to do all kinds of things for me... cook, maid, gardener, etc.
3. have a real artist paint a picture of my kids to hang over my piano
4. spend almost every minute of my life with my family
5. give generously!

5 places I have lived:
1. Dalton, GA
2. Athens, GA
3. Chapel Hill, NC
4. Chattanooga, TN
5. Ringgold, GA

5 jobs I have had:
1. Pharmacist
2. Pharmacy intern
3. research assistant
4. server in a restaurant
5. receptionist

I am tagging: Shana F, Tammy H, Tamara C, Terri R, and Chelle R! I'm not leaving you a comment on your blog... you'll just have to read mine to find out you've been tagged!

Rules: Each player answers the question themselves. At the end of the post the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blog and leaves them a comment letting them know that they've been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person that tagged you know when you've answered the questions on your blog.

2 Birthday Parties, Eating, and More!

First of all, I am stinking at blogging lately. I have not updated you, dear friends, on the fact that I can eat a few things now! Ephraim is doing okay on milk. He will drink it though he doesn't seem especially fond of it. Most nights this last week he only woke up to nurse once. That is so fab! I mailed his stool sample to his GI specialist today - his day 12 was Saturday. But, my friend who is a nurse tested a stool sample for me Friday, only a day early, and it was just fine! Soy was the first thing I decided to add back. SO, I had Salsaritas Friday, Mellow Mushroom pizza Saturday, and Tres Amigos Sunday. I have also had a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks (a surprise from my sweet husband on Saturday), ice cream, and a chocolate bar. We will do another stool sample at the pediatricians office on Thursday. If it is okay we will add eggs next.

We have been trying some solid foods with Ephraim. He is not interested. He spits it out, makes faces, and even gags sometimes. I don't really remember it, but Scott said it was a painful process with Ellie, also, to go from baby food to solids. I've also been trying to get him to learn to use a sippy cup. He just can't get the turning it up. I know it will come, it's just a learning process for him. Bless his little heart!

Ellie turned 4 years old last week. She also started preschool. She really likes it. She has homework, which she was not excited about until she started doing it, then all she could do was giggle and say how "neat" it was.

Scott has also been busy painting our dining room and kitchen. He is such a good husband!

So the McGhee's have been busy. I will post some pictures from the past few weeks.

Ephraim couldn't stop staring at his (dairy free) cupcake. It was so funny!

They were actually playing together. This was a first!

The first day of school.

Ellie working on her homework.

Ellie's party at Creative Discovery Museum - she giggled the whole time we sang "happy birthday"!

Oh yeah, baby! Cheese and more cheese... bring it on!

MILK!

It is the wee hours of the morning on Wednesday. I was sooo tired and went to bed just after we got the kids in bed. Ephraim woke up around 1:30 am for a feeding so now I am doing all my nightly duties before I go back to bed.

Monday after work we had a message from Ephraim's GI specialist that all his blood tests were negative and we could proceed with the reintroduction of milk. So this, well technically yesterday, morning Ephraim had one ounce of milk. Today he will get two ounces.

He did fine, but it usually takes about two days to see an effect. Thursday he has his one year check-up with our pediatrician, so I will get her to check his stool for blood. Keep him in your prayers and I will update when there is something to update. Thanks everyone!

Ephraim is ONE!

Happy Birthday my sweet little boy!







Look how little he was when he was born!

My water broke just after midnight one year ago today. Ephraim Thomas was born at 5:33 p.m. and weighed 7 lb 12 oz and was 21 inches long.

He now is trying to walk, has five teeth, and has a vocabulary of Dada, Mama, uh oh, baby, cat, and bye-bye. He jabbers all the time. He is such a sweet and happy boy - a blessing!