Family Fun

We had the best time playing games over the holiday break!

The pictures are of the kids playing our new Dr. Seuss Game - Horton Gives a Who!

You put on the Horton mask - run to where the clovers are hidden and have to use Horton's nose to pick up the clovers!

We also enjoyed Clue Jr., Connect 4, Camp Rock CD Game, Battleship, and many others over our break.

Hey X-Man,

Hey X-Man, January 1, 2009

What can I say? 2008 has left us and we are now full throttle into 2009. You have provided your mother and me with some fantastic memories from this past year.

You are most definitely the best dressed kid at Pre-K. You are very passionate about making sure that your shirt is “fancy” and is tucked in at all times. You have your teachers in awe as you strut around the campus in your cool Newsboy Caps, and recently you’re insisting on wearing your blazer everywhere and are begging me to get you a tie.

I’m also very pleased with how much you enjoy listening to stories. We are now reading chapter books before bedtime and you do an excellent job of keeping up with the action. My favorite activity is a new one from this past year where we read a chapter book and then go see the movie. This is something that I’ve enjoyed doing for a very long time, and I am thrilled that we can now share in this.

I know these activities with books will serve you well as you continue to learn more sight words and grasp how phonics helps you with reading. Before you know it, you will be reading books all by yourself.

On the athletic side of things, you are showing more and more interest in wrestling and martial arts. I hope this continues, because these two sports did a wonder in shaping my life and I hope that we can share in these activities as a whole family. I think that you will enjoy learning about wrestling and martial arts, as well as grow an appreciation to the type of person they help you to become.

We did a lot of things together this past year. We have read and learned new things, as well as traveled to Disney World. I can’t wait to see what 2009 has waiting for us, especially because I know that we will be experiencing this next year together as a family.

I love you,

Daddy

Dear Mikaela Grace,

Dear Mikaela Grace, January 1, 2009

We have now entered 2009, leaving behind all measurable characteristics of 2008. And while our calendars and clocks are now venturing into a new year, the memories from 2008 are still, and will always, remain vivid in my mind.

Let’s begin with your accomplishment that reigns supreme in my mind-your reading and writing skills. I am so very happy that you love to read like your mother and me. I can’t believe how quickly you seemed to have grasped the art of stories. You have a real grasp for how characters are involved with the plot. You are even getting to be a very good story teller of your own. When I tuck you in at night, we have discussions on how the protagonist needs a better challenge in the plot. I love these talks with you.

While your mother is an avid reader, she is most proud of your accomplishments in math. Even Mrs. Herrick, your first grade teacher, has commented on how you can easily understand new mathematical concepts. This usually transpires into the games you play. You will develop a show and then calculate how many tickets you need to sell and at what price people will pay. You are really using your head.

I have also enjoyed all of the fun games we’ve played over the last year. You became very interested in checkers for a time, and we’ve just begun playing Clue and Battleship. I enjoy this time together as well because we can just hang-out and talk.

Let us not forget how quickly you are growing up. Your favorite thing to do is put on make-up and fancy clothes. You always look so sophisticated with your nails done and your lip gloss, especially now that your ears are pierced. This will come in handy as you pursue your chosen career path of Rock-Star/Teacher/Writer.

We’ve had such a wonderful 2008 together, and I can’t wait to see what 2009 will bring us.

I love you,

Daddy

Christmas at Stone Mountain Park

It wouldn't be Christmas without a trip to see the Christmas activities at Stone Mountain Park (thank you BearPa for your generous Christmas gift which bought each of the kids a year Mountain Membership - we are so appreciative and will enjoy it immensely!).

We started with the 4D viewing of Polar Express - always a favorite.

What naturally comes next of course is a ride on the Christmas train.

We decorated sugar cookies, watched the Snow Angel parade, saw the Kickin Christmas show, the Christmas Carol show (very funny!), and rode our bikes/scooters around.

Mommy was most impressed that everyone got the memo that we were having a fun family day and played along:).

Mikaela gets her ears pierced!

Mikaela has been begging for over a year now to get her ears pierced! Apparently she is the ONLY child left without earrings (according to her version).

Tommy and I started high with the age of 10 - and then backed down to 7.

As she is a very responsible child, we decided to surprise her with a certificate for getting her ears pierced and lunch at the American Girl Bistro for Christmas this year (she is 6 1/2 which is practically 7!).

She was so excited in the days between Christmas and Monday (the 29th). She shared that she was a "little nervous" as daddy and I made sure she understood that she was begging for shots in both her ears - not exactly a painless procedure!

When we arrived at Claires at North Point (where I had already called to make sure that they would do both at one time) - she labored over the decision of which earrings would become her starter set!

She chose rainbow daisies - what else would I expect?

There was one person in front of us - a young teenager getting her second set. We decided that Mikaela wouldn't watch, but I did as I filled out paperwork. Lucky for me, as I was able to assist the teenager and her mother when she promptly fainted after the procedure!

Some of you will be surprised that I went ahead with the ear piercing just after the wheelchair arrived to take the teenager away - but I had promised.....

Mikaela was so brave - as you can see in the video! I thought her Nana, Aunt Ashleigh and I were more likely to be found with tears than her!

She couldn't wait to get home to show her daddy - who was so proud of her!

Girls Day Out

Girls Day Out!

Nana, Aunt Ashleigh and I began our girls day out with Mikaela by doing what all our girls love to do - SHOP!

We shopped until we were famished - and then off to the American Girl Bistro for lunch. Aunt Ashleigh's first visit, my and Nana's second visit, and Mikaela had the most of all with it being her third visit!

We had a FABULOUS lunch - appetizer, entree and side dish for all! Even Rosi (our American girl doll in case you haven't met) had her own menu.

Mikaela shopped the American girl shop - pondering over what to purchase before finally deciding on a doll carrier bag (http://store.americangirl.com/agshop/EndecaForwardServlet?dest=%2Fagshop%2Fhtml%2FProductPage.jsf%2FitemId%2F142417&event=topRecordsReport&sku=F5043 - ours is pink of course!).

Happy Birthday Jesus!

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The Thrailkill tradition of baking a "Happy Birthday Jesus" cake continued this year.

The kids each made a chocolate cake (for sin), and topped it with white icing (symbolizing our salvation).

I bravely let them mix (with the mixer!), pour their cake into pans and slide them into the oven (I helped with the oven part - we have insurance, but it is always a pain to use it!).

The kids decorated their cakes all by themselves!

We sang happy birthday to Jesus and celebrated with the best cake I've eaten all year.

I bravely began what I hope will be a new tradition this year as I cooked our first ever Christmas dinner.

I made a ham, dressing, mashed potatoes and green beans. Dressing...from scratch...yes you can be impressed with me!

Christmas Morning with the New Bike

After a yummy Christmas morning breakfast (Santa pancakes for everyone!), we headed outside to let Xander try out his new bike on something other than my kitchen floor!

Mikaela took her video camera and didn't miss a minute of filming:).

Christmas with Nana, Papa and Aunt Ashleigh

Aunt Ashleigh came bearing more dress up - Anniken Skywalker, Batman and Darth Vader - what more could Xander want? (or daddy - check out that scary look!)

Mikaela adored having her aunt here to make up - it really was a sweet sight!

Mikaela handed out her special gifts she bought in the holiday shop at school - a bracelet for Nana, gloves for PaPa,

a tape measure for daddy, Hulk water bottle and snack keeper for Xander, and the BIGGEST for Mommy - a hanging rack because "mommy can organize anything!"