2014 Is Almost Gone!

 I haven't blogged since Thanksgiving. That's how you know my life is either blissfully wonderful or dreadfully nuts. I only blog when we're in a happy medium somewhere in between.  Thing about it is- I've started realizing almost every situation can be blissfully wonderful if you look at it the right way... now granted it was hard to find "bliss" in a puking carsick chihuahua on the way back from Jesup for the Bennett Thanksgiving, but hey- that's asking a lot. Things like that will make for great stories when the girls bring their own families home for Thanksgiving. Mama, remember when you were driving back from Jesup because Daddy was holding Clara because she was car sick and then he started screaming at you to cross three lanes of traffic in 4 seconds because Clara was making the "puking noise"?   Our life is one nuthouse moment after another. No lie. I could think of a thousand stories my kids will tell at future family dinners. Here are a few that stand out:

1. Mama, remember when daddy drove you, us kids, AND Nanny and Poppy 38 hours in the sleet snow and ice on a ski trip only to be thrown out of the condo because of a "reservation error"? Remember when we decided Aunt Bonnie could no longer be in charge of planning family vacations?

2. Mama, remember when you were pregnant with Addie and we bought a new van and drove Gran and Papa all the way to Fort Campbell to see Uncle David and Aunt Jess for Thanksgiving and daddy crossed 5 lanes of traffic, jumped a curb and slammed on breaks in front of startled onlookers, then jumped out and yelled for EVERYBODY to get out of the car so he could figure out what heating vent was on that Papa KEPT incessantly complaining about for 3 hours?

3. Mama, remember the time it snowed in Vidette and daddy pulled us with a John Deere gator all over the farm in an igloo cooler?  Remember mama, you made us wear our riding helmets because you didn't want us to end up in the hospital or worse, on the news? 

This holiday didn't disappoint. We had our typical nuthouse moments, like when Addie announced to our entire row of Methodists during communion that SHE DID NOT LIKE WINE! What would a holiday be without somebody in this clan raising a few eyebrows?

Truthfully, it's been pretty blissful around here.  Ali Grace looked amazing at her Christmas Social.

And equally as beautiful at her dance company's performance of "Rudolph". We always celebrate with ice cream rather than flowers!

We didn't travel that much over Christmas break. We pretty much stuck around home and it was nice. We needed the break. 

We did venture across the road to the Big House for the Vidette community Christmas party. Girls had a ball with Colten.

Good times with good friends..

Per Lyles family tradition, Pete juiced oranges for the kids. Emma and Sarah were able to join us this year.

Christmas Eve brought "Cooper Stockings" unlike any other. Cooper stockings are always epic, and a true Cooper family tradition.

The whole week before Christmas was cloudy and rainy. Christmas Day and the days to follow were filled with sunshine and we took advantage of it!

Isn't this a gorgeous sunset?

This morning there was an equally stunning sunrise. I hardly EVER sleep past sunrise. In fact most mornings I'm up by 5:00 am. I guess all the holiday madness caught up with me last night and I only woke up when the sun came through our bedroom windows. Pete was still sleeping and if the girls were awake, they were still upstairs. The chihuahuas hadn't yapped yet either and after determining there was no way we could have a carbon monoxide leak, I laid back down in the bed and snuggled under the covers a little longer. There's nothing like morning sun coming through a bedroom window in a warm house to remind you of how grand this life is. Here's to a better attitude of gratitude in 2015.