finally joining the blogworld!

Well after a little nudging by my so far away sister, Tiffany, and after seeing all the wonderful pix and posts on hers and the other girl's pages I thought "what the hey, I'll give it a try". After all, I use to really love to keep journals and write down everything. And you know I love love love pictures. And since I have gotten pretty bad at sending cards and letters or even photos to my loved ones, maybe the blog is the way to go. Thanks, Tiff!!! :) So here goes my whirl....
We are just wrapping up Christmas, and I am totally dreading going back to work tomorrow. I am always so sad to see Christmas go. It really is the very most wonderful time of the year! We have been scrambling (or Jason has mostly) the last few weeks to get the sheet rock mudded and the cabinets stained in our kitchen. It is so difficult to live in the middle of any kind of construction, and so many times we moved all our dishes in and out of different cabinets and just stared at sheet rock for a few weeks. It's so hard to do this kind of work and balance family, sleeping, and kids!! I know I had to make Madi's lunch for school on paper towels on the floor for lack of counters a few times, but when you are all done with your work, it really is a good feeling...or in our case, almost done! Hang in there, Kirk and Missy! And kudos to my hubby who really is the master mind behind all the remodeling here. I can paint and clean up, but that's about as far as he will let me go!! I think he is scared of what I might do....tehehehehee!! Plus, somebody has to watch the kids....
So the early a.m. hours of Christmas eve I hopped into bed smelling the last coat of paint from my kitchen, and all my family came that night to celebrate our Lord's birth together...I don't think anyone had a clue what the place had looked like only hours before. It was wonderful, and although we miss family in Fla. and Utah tons, we really are grateful to be in our new home this Christmas and to just be here and enjoy all the many blessings we have.
We celebrated Jack's 3rd birthday last weekend. I simply cannot bear to think how quickly my babies are growing up. Just cannot believe it. Well since Jack is pretty much obsessed with trains, and both the kids love the Polar Express movie-- they watch it year round...I got golden tickets and we all went to ride the Polar Express on Dec. 21 for little man's bday. It was COLD in those Great Smoky Mountains, let me tell you. We waited in 12 degree weather for that locomotive, and I loved every minute of it. I knew once that train pulled up and we were able to board and the kids stopped crying and snotting...I just knew that we would have a blast. And we did! It was wonderful, drinking hot chocolate with marshmellows and singing carols and visiting with Santa on the train...the smiles on those kids faces was priceless and something I'll never forget. Don't underestimate Miss Madison though...although she is totally thrilled, she is very skeptical of the truth about Mr. C, and I am holding out as long as I can!!! So the kids had a wonderful holiday season, and we did too. We were all spoiled and blessed, and I am just so grateful for Jesus, and love, and family, and health!!! May God continue to bless us, and may we live only for Him in this new year to come!