December 2019

December 2019 is something else. So many emotions, so many things going on. 

Lets start with last weekend, we kicked off the Christmas festivities with mom's Christmas fun!

We rode the polar express to the North Pole!

Waiting for the train in the game room!

Neat little train model set up!

1:30 the train is leaving the station!

Santa and Mrs. Claus were on board! I told Santa I wanted a puppy for Christmas! 😅😅

Sisters :):)

Sashie held down the fort while we were gone!

Mama chose my favorite wrapping color theme! She is so observant! (*And the best!!)

We had so much fun together!

The next Monday, my last work day before the holidays, I interviewed for another position within Shaw for various reasons. I hope to hear back from it soon.

........................

Also, a week and a half ago Cody had a planned surgery on his foot to take out some of his bone to help the slippage of his big toe bone due to complications of having clubbed feet at birth. 

We have known Cody has needed this surgery for 6+ years but it was finally time to fix it. 

Cody handled the surgery like a champ and is non-weight bearing for the next 9 weeks. 

 

This has been extremely bad timing as we were supposed to be moved into our new house by now but as you know, we still have a way to go *unbelievably*, and now have to navigate packing, moving, and Christmas break festivities these next few weeks with Cody understandably, needing help with absolutely everything and me having to move all of our things by myself. Plus our moving date being pushed back every other day. I'm sure the moving company just loves us 😤. I had even planned work vacation for moving in which I now lose....all for nothing.

Yes I am bitter, and yes it is impacting my emotional state.

My sweet mama took me on a hiking trip to take my mind off of everything. I had been wanting to do this since March but Cody's feet have been hurting him. Well they always do but......

It was cold but so perfect!

Very fittingly, we had to climb Christmas top trail! It just so happened to be the steepest trail but I LOVE the challenge.

Poor mama hung on so well!

I am one intense personal trainer ;)

 

But once we hiked straight up the mountain, it was all worth it because the view was so breathtaking on the ridge!

Of course there was even a sign indicating the steepest climb!😆 I love White Oak Mountains!

Thanks mama, I really needed it.

For dinner I cooked us some of my famous chili!

-Two pounds of 93% lean ground turkey

-One packet of low sodium chili powder

-One can of low sodium tomato sauce

-One can of reduced sodium dark red kidney beans (with all the juice in the can)

-One can of reduced sodium black beans (with all the juice in the can)

-One can of garbanzo beans low sodium (no juice)

Add some chili cheese fritos for flavor!

The rest of this month will be celebrating Cody's families two Christmas's, and my families remaining two Christmas's.

And figuring out this house building stuff. :/

Love,

Kayla Raborn

12/21/19

Thanksgiving Bliss!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

This Thanksgiving, for the first time in 8 years, I had the Wednesday before Thanksgiving off. It was miraculous! I slept in, worked on packing up the house, checked items off my to-do list, had a wonderful date day with Cody, helped his mom cook for Thanksgiving, and ended it with an intense game of pool and Walking Dead. 

At Cheddars, Cody and I ate an early lunch and I tried something called a Monte Cristo (amazing by the way) and Cody had the usual buffalo chicken wrap. 

 

The next day, Thanksgiving day, I woke up early to watch the Macy's day parade! I look forward to it all year!

 

Later that day we went over to Cody's parents house for the Thanksgiving feast and caught up with family! 

Great food and even better company! :)

He loves his nephew Kamren!

My handsome Cody💘. Why do we look like we are still in high school?

Wamack guys!

Raborn men!

Early the next morning Morgan and I woke up early to drive to Knoxville to make the 10:30am Frozen 2 movie with mom and Nana!

We had an absolute blast and the movie was actually really good! I recommend it!

We then went around looking for the perfect couch for our new house which we did not find unfortunately. 

 

After that we went to the Fantasy of the Trees!! All proceeds go to the children's hospital!

The gingerbread houses were amazing! So much detail!!

 

All of the trees were decorated to be bid on and each had their own theme!

A really neat chair lift was made!

We drank hot chocolate and listened to the live performers.

My mama!

After the Fantasy event, we visited Nana's house and saw her gorgeous Christmas decorations. She by far has the best decor this time of year! Simple, beautiful, and oh so peaceful, like out of a Southern Living magazine!

Everything about her decor has a meaning, the 4 main grandchildren have a certain type of stocking, the two girls have one color, and the two boys have the other, same for the stocking hangers. The grandchildren in-law's have another type of stocking and stocking holders, and the great grandchildren have a third type of stocking and matching stocking holders. There is only one great grandchild right now so Nana has craftily saved identical stocking holders and un-embroidered stockings ready for her next 1-12 great grandchildren 😂. 

Everything has a purpose. The three wedding pictures above are in order from top to bottom of the most recent grandchildren weddings. 2014, 2016, 2019, and then 2020!

She even has all of the grandchildren's names on their little snowmen on the tree and has blank penguin ones for the future great grandchildren to come. Nana is very thoughtful!

Saturday and Sunday were a blur of football games, church, more pool games, watching Walking Dead, and napping! The perfect long weekend!

We have so much to be thankful for this year, God has always had a hand in my life each and every step of the way, and this year was no different. I'm just along for the ride of where God directs me!

Happy Holidays!!

With so much love,

Kayla Raborn