Family Fun Day

Here we are (minus me) at the skating rink for our family fun day. I took the picture, and no I DIDN'T Skate. I'm to smart for that!!! Just kidding Brumley people, I'm to scared that I'll fall and break myself. I really don't want to be in traction this year, or ever for that matter. I did watch and I have to admit that some of those Brumley people can skate...

and some of us, well we just like to watch....

The older boys played laser tag while the others skated. It was a good day, and even better that nobody got hurt.

Hagan's 10th

                Hagan is now in the double digits, I just can't believe it! Where did my baby boy go?
This little red head is the funniest thing in our house, besides his mamma of course. There's not a day that goes by that he's not cracking us up. He is stubborn, smart, and very sensitive. He would kill me if he knew I put that last part in there.

We had a small family gathering, dinner and then cake and ice cream. I'm not so sure this will go down in his favorite birthday book, because he was very moody that night and he ended up pouting more than laughing.

He asked for a bike, and that's what he got. However, he wasn't to amused at the Nike pull over we got him. Go figure! I'm done trying to please children all the time, I even told him I would take it back but that seemed to upset him even more. New prayer for the War room "Lord, please help me show my children a spirit of contentment! I want to lead by example, so place a spirit of contentment in me." I hope that next year we have a better party all the way around.

Cookies and hot coco for the big man......

Everyone is quite and asleep in the bed.......

Then they wake up at the butt-crack of dawn to tell me Santa came..... Gotta love Christmas morning the best day of the year. I love hearing them tip-toe down the stairs, scoot around the living room and identify the piles of presents. The things I hear them say "Oh my Gosh, he came, he came, he came" then they say "and we weren't even that good this year!" at least they know they've misbehaved.

Looks like Santa was good to them this year too.

Hunter's 19th

So we celebrated this big guy's 19th birthday one week before Christmas. I'm dealing with the fact that he is growing into a semi-independent young man. He made it through his first semester at college, and well I'm dealing with that too. If you would have asked me 19 years ago what the hardest thing about being a parent was, I probably would have said things such as; going without a lot of sleep, the financial worries of raising a baby, finding reliable childcare, and at that time I would have been doing that all by myself as a single mother at the age of 18. Now if you ask me I would have to say; watching him drive off to college every Sunday afternoon, worrying that he will thrive in school and in his life, and praying that God protects him from all of life's troubles. Being a parent is the hardest but most rewarding job in the world, something you can't take lightly. I am so proud of this young man! Some days I look at him and think "Wow, I got something right in life" and I am so grateful that God has blessed me with a wonderful husband who is the only father Hunter knows. Brian has been such an amazing father for our children, a great example for them to follow.
Hunter is majoring in Criminal Justice in hopes to one day join the FBI. He is starting his second semester as a freshman at the University of the Cumberlands. Hunter is also excited to get the opportunity to play the sport he loves, football in the fall. We couldn't be more proud of him.

The Christmas tree and the parade

The tree, a little big but so pretty!

Over 800 lights to make her glow!

New Family ornaments for 2015: Our annual Family ornament, One from my trip to New York, and One from Greg and Angelica from their trip to Nashville.

Decorating the tree.

Time for the Christmas Parade

This year Haven participated in the Somerset Christmas parade with Pep & Pizzazz for the presentation of the Nutcracker, and Brian and Hagan participated with the boys scouts

Haven's 8th Birthday

My beautiful baby girl is growing up so fast. Time please slow down!!! Haven is as sassy as she is smart.

Haven is very independent, but only when she wants to be. She is kind, and yet at the same time can drive her brothers crazy. Haven loves to dance, and Cheer along with singing and playing school. Haven is all girl and loves bling, and all things that sparkle.

I can't wait to see what God has planned for her life, Happy Birthday baby girl we love you!

Fall Retreat with the Tuttles'

 One of my favorite times of the year is fall! One reason why I cherish this time each year is the family trip we take to Pigeon Forge TN with my big, crazy family. Traditions run deep in families and ours is no exception. I asked my Aunt Pam how many years our tradition has been in place, I know that my husband and I have been married for 13 years, together 15 and we have made it every year but 2. Pam told me she thought they had been making this trip for 20+ years. This year we lost my aunt Patsy in September and we missed her so much. The younger generations of the Tuttle family have decided to plan a cousin's night out each month to keep us close together. Family should be first, sadly the reality is that in a family as large as ours we find it challenging to get together often. I love a good challenge! So I'm in, and I hope for any of my cousins reading this they will do whatever it takes to make this a priority.
Brian and I took our niece Mylan and nephew Keaton with us this year. I believe this is the first time for both of them to join us. I think our kids had a good time, although they complained they were bored while we hit some stores to shop. We did manage to take them to the race track to ride go-carts. I think my favorite (and theirs to) was the Alpine Coaster. They rode it 4 times each, once at night time. And no TN trip is complete without a trip to Mad Dogs' Creamery. They have the best Ice cream in town. Our shopping trip ended with The Christmas Place, and I did get everyone's Christmas ornament while we were there.
We celebrated birthdays while we were there too. My dad turned 59 on the 8th, and my Aunt Lynn had a birthday on the 10th (I won't share her age, ladies never tell there age). I hope that the memories we make will linger in the hearts of our children for many years!