The Porter Crew

So you would think that one of my New Year's resolutions would be to keep up with the blog better. Sorry to disappoint, but I don't do New Year's resolutions! I try to make "resolutions" throughout the year, but most of the time I don't end up fulfilling them, and I tend to feel very guilty when I don't. One thing I have "resolved" to do, and Lord willing, I will persist, is to eat healthier as a family. I have been very slow to get on the whole organic bandwagon, and I am still not completely on since, as a teacher's family, we just can't afford to go all green; however, after reading a few things, we are trying to make some major switches in our diet, and so far it has been very fun, although my workload has increased to some extent. My main goal is to eat more natural foods/snacks rather than the processed stuff coming in boxes. So, we are switching to mostly cage-free eggs, lots of whole grain/homemade items like granola, and an increase in fiber, protein and omega-3 rich foods. I have tried to make some new recipes along those lines -- some have been a huge hit, like the homemade tortillas, while some have been a bomb, like the "whole grain hockey pucks" which were touted as "chewy energy circles" in the kids' cookbook. While I know that I can easily go overboard with this, and I tend to want to control way too much, I am trying hard not to become a food Nazi who won't allow any sugary donuts, ice cream, etc. Having grown up on homegrown vegetables and home-raised beef and dairy products, but having my sister Catherine go to be with the Lord due to a rare liver cancer a few years ago, I know that the Lord is ultimately in control of our life and health, no matter what we do or don't do.
Other than food and before pictures, I'll quickly tell about Christmas and the start to our new year. For our kids' Christmas present, we surprised them with a quick trip to Atlanta to meet up with our best friends the Lutzes. We arrived on the Monday afternoon after Christmas and had to leave on Wednesday, but we had a wonderful, fun-packed couple of days. The first night Tracy and I took the girls to the American Girl doll store for supper and a little shopping while the two Ryan's took the boys to Dave and Buster's. The next day we went to Kangazoom, a big jumping facility, for a release of energy since it was so cold, then all the older kids went to the movies to see "The Adventures of Tin Tin" while Tracy and I stayed behind with Meredith to bake cookies and get supper started. Wednesday we had a tearful goodbye, then Ryan and I took the kids to the Georgia Aquarium which was as crowded and almost as expensive as Disney World! Then we drove back to MS and stayed a few days in Tchula while Samuel and Emily were in town with their kids. The Lord provided great weather for the trip, so we were able to spend a good amount of time outside in MS which always helps make the visit more pleasant.
Now we are back in the swing of things with school. This will be my last semester to homeschool Maggie since she will be going to ECS next year for 5th grade. It is such a bittersweet feeling for me and for her, I think. I have been teaching her since before she turned 4, and it has been a joy and delight all these years. Yet Ryan and I know that it is time for her to step out of the homeschooling nest, as hard as it is to let go. I am so thankful for all the years I have had her!! It was a hard decision even with Will last year, but when the decision was made, the Lord gave us such peace, and the same is true for Maggie. Will has loved this year at school, and he is so excited every day to go -- not so much for the learning but for being with all his buddies : ) I am also thankful that the Lord is allowing me to have Meredith alone for a while. He is very good to let me let go gradually!
Enjoy the pictures from our Christmas!

Maggie and Meredith having fun in Gigi's wheelchair

Christmas dinner with PawPaw

Meredith and Ruthie

Maggie and Kit

Special memories with Reagan

Will and Connor -- very like-minded boys

All the girls on the slide at Kangazoom

In an effort to give Maggie and Reagan some time, Mama and Meredith paired up.

Will learned to do flips here

The slide again

Saying goodbye

The blue was not planned

Reagan is a favorite with both the girls. So sweet!

Best buds!

Not great light, but here we are at the aquarium

Maggie entertaining the little cousins

Grass-sword fight

Anna Christine is posing -- waiting on Forrest

He's here, but the sun was too bright

There we go!

Meredith and Anna Christine spent most of their time in Samuel's old closet playing Polly Pockets. They had so much fun together!

This looks exactly like Samuel as a baby with my Daddy's curls!

It made my heart so happy to see everyone playing so sweetly! Maggie loved "taking care" of the younger ones.

Anna Christine as Joan of Arc

Blurry because of so much movement. Will also loved taking the little boys and playing with them. Chanin would walk around the house calling for him, "Will, Will? Where Will?"

And of course it helps when someone thinks Will is hilarious!

Will picked out the gun especially for Forrest. I'm wondering how much Emily and Samuel are thanking us now : )

And for Chanin, a little garbage truck!

Will got walkie talkies --- I have laughed so much hearing him talk on them! On the night of the Alabama game, he brought Ryan one while Will had to go take a shower. He would ask for updates from the bathroom.

A beautiful new bed for Kit

And one for Ruthie!

Chanin went and crawled in the bag with Will : )

Back home, and Licorice cuddles with everyone!

Even Ryan! She missed us!

Sushi date night with Will. This was part of his Christmas present because he loves sushi so much. He was a perfect gentleman, opening all the doors for Mama. His only disappointment was that he didn't get to pay.

Will's favorite was with the shrimp

About two weeks ago, I asked Ryan, with much trepidation, "Do you want me to do Christmas cards this year?" His immediate response was, "No!!" I was quite relieved! I feel guilty as I get other families' cards in the mail, kids smiling, grown so much from the year before! We had decided to be an every-other-year Christmas card family, but even though this was the year to send them out, we had too much going on at our house to do one more thing.
So what do we have going on? Well, several months ago, I told Ryan that I would really love to get laminate flooring put down upstairs in all the bedrooms -- eventually, at some point down the road. My grandmother Jan Jan just had her whole house done earlier this year, and it was so beautiful that it started my wheels turning. We had carpet upstairs that had been installed probably when the house was built, so between several owners, kids and pets, it was pretty nasty. (We have an ornery, old cat who didn't use the litter box at all times, so you do the math!) This fall, Ryan was asked to coach the 8th grade girls basketball team. He already coached the 8th grade football team, as well as varsity baseball, so this put him busy year round. When he asked what I thought, I, in turn, asked, "Could we get the floors done if you agree?" And here we are -- we had the bedrooms redone in laminate, and the hall and stairs redone with new carpet. The floors were started Monday and finished Wednesday. We had packed up everything except the furniture, so we have been busy unpacking and rearranging since then. I finished wrapping presents last night (Wednesday), and we will be opening them tomorrow (Friday) before leaving for Mississippi. Our floors are such a blessing though, and I have been thanking the Lord that we could actually do them. They were a huge investment, but at least we can enjoy them for years to come, Lord willing! Oh, and the ornery kitty -- due to all the commotion, her tummy was not quite right, and she vomited twice on the floors. The clean- up was so easy that I cannot complain, only sympathize with poor Kitty.
Merry Christmas everyone!!