Hello 2019

It seems that some sort of stomach virus has hit the youngest member of our family. This means a few things:
1. Andrew is living his best life. The worst of the virus was yesterday, so today he is missing school, doesn't have to share the internet signal, and is watching YouTube. Honestly, I don't know how life could get any better!?!
2. I am able to catch up with a few chores around the house...and by chores I mean updating this blog.
3. My prayer life has never been better. "Please Lord, don't let me get this stomach virus."

Here is an update from what I can remember. I'm not taking as many pictures these days because I'm trying to be "present" at events so I can't rely on just my photos...here goes...

Right before school started back we decided to do an impromptu trip to the beach. My people love the beach for about 3 days and then they grow weary of it. So we left on a Wednesday and came back on Saturday...right in time for school. We staying on an actual island so we had to take most of our food in to avoid paying "island" prices. We did buy 3 pounds of shrimp. We had shrimp gumbo, shrimp tacos, shrimp fettuccine alfredo. By day three I was beginning to feel like Forrest Gump, but man we love some shrimp.
We basically woke up each morning, went down to the beach all day, and then had dinner in the condo where we ate some form of shrimp. One night we ate out. That was $125 well spent. Gulp.

School started shortly after we got back. Sniff. Sniff.  We have 10th, 7th, and 3rd graders running around here. Seriously, I blinked.

This was Dash the day they went back to school. I don't think he moved the entire day. It's hard working keeping boys safe ALL SUMMER LONG!!!

In August I met up with my childhood friends for a weekend at the lake. Since this year was a pretty epic year where we all turned 40, we felt like a celebration was in order...and celebrate we did. We talked and laughed and ate cake and talked and laughed and cried a little and reminiscenced and had the best time ever. Man, I love these girls.

In October we had my birthday and Andrew's birthday. We celebrated by going to Incredible Pizza with a few family members. It was the best party ever.

 When your great grandmother, Mun, gets to come to your 9th birthday party you know it's a good birthday!

Speaking of 40...this now happens more often than I care to admit.

October was a big month. We also went to Utah to hike at Zion National Park. My parents went along with us. It was really a fun trip. On my actual birthday we were hiking the Narrows, which is one of my favorite places on God's green earth. The morning of my birthday we went to Kanab Creek Bakery. I had the best croissant and iced coffee I've ever had. In fact, that iced coffee was so good I ordered a second one. I dream about that coffee almost daily. Said all that to say, if you are ever in Kanab, Utah you should go to the Kanab Creek Bakery. Have an iced coffee and a croissant for me!

Our church hosted a Mother Son Nerf War for kids. They had the gym open with thousands of Nerf bullets available. Liz and the cousins joined us. We ran around and laughed and shot each other with Nerf guns. It was a blast. When it was all over we were supposed to put on our game face for a photo. Andrew and I didn't quite know what to do with ourselves. 

Sweet Jack has had 17,000 basketball tournaments...not regular season games. Tournaments. It seems like every tournament they have they come in second place. So consequently, every picture I have from tournaments they look furious. Make no mistake. They are furious. We still got pictures though. 

We had a quiet Thanksgiving without a single picture. It was glorious. Just imagine a family sitting around a table eating turkey and dressing. Yep, that's us. 

After Thanksgiving (and the above mentioned basketball tournament) we had our annual cutting of the Christmas tree. It dawned on me while we were cutting that down that Clayton has two more Christmas trees to cut down with us before he graduates. Yikes. 

Once we got the tree we headed into Christmas like a boss. But first, there was an issue with a squirrel in my attic. We had to call in the big guns. Pun intended. My brother came to town for business and we put him to work. I could not resist snapping a picture as he put his very life on the line to do battle with the squirrel that took up residence in my attic. Please note, I was standing in the chair in the corner of the room while snapping this picture. I was there for moral support and nothing more. 

Jeffrey did not have any luck so he left a pellet gun with us, the city dwellers. One beautiful Saturday morning Fred and I chased the squirrel all around our house. I'm sure our neighbors got quite the treat watching us from their windows. In fact, our neighbor directly across the street from us came outside and asked if we were okay and if she needed to call 911. I assured her we were okay, but I'm sure seeing us running, yelling at each other, and one of us having a gun did look a little unsettling. Ha!

 It's Christmas so Clayton had a choir concert. As usual he was behind the director so I could barely see him, but that's okay. I still snapped a picture.

 Team Stephiner, as we call ourselves, had a company Christmas party at P.O, Press in Collierville. It was really good, but it was the longest meal I've ever sat through in my life. We got there at 6:00 and didn't leave until 9:30. Way past my bedtime!

 Jack had his Christmas dance at school. He said he didn't want to go, but at the last minute he told me he was going with a "friend" and she was wearing navy, so he needed a navy sweater. What?? I had so many questions, but as you can see he made it to the dance with a navy sweater.

 Then the boys had the youth Christmas party. Dress for the party was fancy this year so fancy we were. Jack tried to wear sweatpants to the party, but we wouldn't allow it. He felt certain Clayton would win so he didn't really even see the point of trying. Fred photo bombed this one.

 Oh, I forgot to mention that Jack was nominated by his class for the Snowflake Court. Apparently this is a big deal, but since he didn't tell us until he was walking out the door, I got these pictures from a friend. Does he not look huge by this sweet girl from his class?!?

 We had Christmas, which means there were three generations sitting on the couch on their phones. I'm so proud.

 I've mentioned basketball tournaments, but don't let me forget that our soccer coach threw in a Christmas soccer tournament. Sounds like a good idea to me. We didn't have anything else going on, right?? Currently, Clayton is conditioning for soccer which will start in March. He starts conditioning for soccer in October.

I have no pictures from Christmas day either, but I do have Christmas Eve breakfast at Cracker Barrel. We think this year was our 20th year to eat at Cracker Barrel for breakfast on Christmas Eve. After breakfast we shopped with the boys so they could buy gifts for one another. That really is one of my favorite things that we do. They always have a good time shopping for each other. 

 This year I let each boy pick a dessert for Christmas. I did not have to ask Fred. I knew he wanted my grandmother's homemade boiled custard. And it did not disappoint. Here I am lovingly stirring it for the necessary 21 minutes. Clayton picked Chocolate Chess Pie with whipped cream and Andes Mints. Jack picked Peanut Butter Pie, and Andrew picked Lofthouse cookies. You know, "the cookies that you buy at the store that are perfectly round and really soft." (Andrew's words.) I'm going to try not to let it hurt my feelings that I told him to pick his favorite dessert that I make and he chose store bought cookies. I'm gonna try.

 Grandma Beulah gave Jack this quilt. It was made by Fred Shackelford Sr's wife. She started it and then Grandma Beulah's mother finished it. Beulah said that Jack was the first and only baby to lay on it and she wanted him to have it. What a priceless treasure. Jack now possesses a quilt made by his  great, great grandmothers. Beulah thinks that Big Mama (that's what they called Fred's wife) started it in the 60's.

In typical Grandma Beulah style, she even had the picture of the first time Jack was on the quilt. I mean, precious. 

Our boys get three gifts at Christmas. We really don't do that much, but we always give some sort of experience. This year we let each boy pick an activity and a restaurant. 

Jack picked Mexican and climbing at High Point Climbing. 

Andrew picked Incredible Pizza with his cousins. 

Clayton picked the Spider Man movie and OEC, which is a Japanese restaurant in Bartlett. 

Clayton and I got to spend a little quality time together at Campbell Clinic. His knee has been bothering him. Thankfully, the doctor said it's a very common problem and gave us a few exercises to do. He also told me not to buy any new pants for Clayton because he has a year and a half of growth left. Oh dear...

I went shopping for a black dress the other day and came home with this. I think sweatpants and a sweatshirt are the new black dress. 

Well, there you have it. A little update. Hopefully in 2019 I'll be better at updating, If I'm not, just know that we are at a basketball or soccer game, practice, or tournament. And if we're not there, we're in the car going to or from one of those places.