Happy New Year

Good Morning/afternoon/evening/night!

It is January 1, my whole family is still in bed, I'm up putzing through my morning in total silence. It is wonderful. I have so much on my heart and so many bloggable moments over the past month, I wonder if they will ever make it to the page, nonetheless, I shall try to give both family fodder and depth of insight(LOL) as I can muster the intelligence to pull together.

I suppose the best way to publish this post is to make a running countdown for the events of December and a few reflective anecdotes of the year in review.

Thanksgiving, we had friends new and old over for a wonderful meal and time of fellowship(that sounds stuffy) Soon after, Maybe it was even that morning, Randall and I decided to let the kids have their Christmas gifts since we weren't going to take our Christmas up to New Meadows, ID(more details later on). those who know Randall and I would not be the least surprised at this nonsense as we don't always do things traditionally or in a way that makes sense to every one. Can I say that this make for one of the best Christmases ever! I not once heard can I have...I want...I need...blah blah blah...We spent the entire month of December attending all the Christmas traditions for the typical American Christian family(i.e.childrens programs, choir performance, parties...)Everything seemed to have different meaning.

The first weekend in Dec, was our "nerdy Christmas party". I hung the lights on the house this year with duct tape, (Randall hasn't helped me hang lights in 4 years and I was determined to get them up, brick doesn't make that an easy task) just in time for the guests showing up. We had so much fun...(posting pictures below). Randall really gets into this kind of stuff for some reason...

Jaden sung in the Christmas children's choir and she made me so proud.

The following week end was the Church choir performance...I had choreographed for one of the adult #'s and it was nice to see it come together. Meanwhile I had a terrible case of strep..oh well there is too much to do...that is what medicine is for...I had to skip out on one night of the performances to go to Randall's annual company holiday party, they take us out to a fabulously fancy restaurant and I get to dress up and hang out with my man. We went to this organic pasta restaurant in Downtown Dallas called VillaO. I spent two hours curling my hair(huge feet for me, I don't take time to do stuff like that) I got several compliments, felt very embarrassed and got to be pretty for the night...Randalls company is owned by a Jewish family and I was honored to sit next to the wife, I was completely smitten listening to her talk about their visits to Israel, there is something so cool about seeing Israel through the eyes of a Jew! Made my whole night! Good hair and talking to a Jew. What can I say I'm odd!

Third week was pretty much uneventful, Just preparing for the trip, teaching classes as usual and getting excited and nervous for the drive and time in one cabin with all the family.

We left for ID on Thursday night, I had the through the night shift and was supposed to be able to sleep during the day(not). I knew I was in trouble when two Benadryl didn't take the edge off and I was up and hour later.. In Colorado Springs, I met up with a blogger friend and it was the coolest thing ever. We had Starbucks and talked... I slept a bit through the Rockies and then...night fall and Randall starts getting tired...UGH I took over in Salt Lake City...I DO NOT LIKE SALT LAKE CITY NIGHT TIME SNOW DRIVING IN SALT LAKE CITY!!! Especially after a NoDoz...When the roads began to look different like are they wet?? are they ice??? is tat snow?? I couldn't tell, mind you my heart is now pounding, Randall is asleep and...tired and caffeine and snow on bridges don't go together for me! I woke Randall and not two seconds after I lifted my foot off the gas, a car comes by my and skids out of control and crashes into the center median...Praise you Jesus! I was OK, but ten as we passed about 3-5 other crashes I'm like get me off this road!

ARE YOU TOTALLY OVERWHELMED WITH BOREDOM OF MY POST???

We made it after 36 hours...UGH

I will continue this post another time!! Starting with the vacation!