Tis the Season....

I ADORE Christmas. I love it so much. The food, the family, the gingerbread houses, the tree, the presents. And the Christmas Eve candlelight service. I haven't gotten to go to one in several years, but I remember as a child loving them. It is something my mom used to take me to. I would get goosebumps.

This year I think I will start a tradition of sitting all the kids down and reading the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. I also want everyone to start wearing Christmas PJ's, but I ran into a few snags this year. So that will start next year.

Cookies for Santa, Reindeer food, hot cocoa...Clark is 3 this year and I think he is really into the whole thing. I can't wait to see him.

What special traditions does your family have for the Christmas season?

I struggle every year with being an adult that can't yet afford to do as much as I would like. I mean, we do the most for our kids of course and then each other. But I feel bad that our parents are so good to us and we can only afford to get them a few things. I try to make them special and thoughtful, but I wish I could do more. I really, truly love GIVING just as much as getting. I love to see the look on the face of someone I love when they open up something I have picked out for them, or that my kids have made them.

So, my next question...how do make Christmas as special as you can while still saving money?

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas!

One beginning...another ending!

Wow, 2010 is coming to a close. It is funny to read back through post from when I started this blog and see what was happening in our lives. Not much has changed, yet so much has changed. The news that we were expecting, three more semesters of school out of the way, birthdays, and the arrival of baby Lexi. And now I get to look back on the year and remember how truly lucky I am. Ok, so I didn't finish the Love Dare and I didn't do very well blogging. (Hey I took like 17 hours a semester)! But, I had a great year. And there are no signs that next year should be any different. I am scheduled to graduate in May, finish up classes in the Summer and student teach in the Fall. Clark started preschool this year and over the last few weeks we have seen tremendous changes in him. He still likes to be naked for the majority of the day, but he learned that isn't allowed in public. He shares a fondness for my pizza fascination and buys me the most amazingly thoughtful gifts at his weekly excursion to the restaurant supply store with Gram. And last but not least, he discovered Super Heroes and Star Wars. Our house will never be the same.

Skylar started the 7th grade and for the most part has had good year. She randomly changes boyfriends for no reason and has a pretty good group of friends. She is getting prettier and prettier and I think we are about 2 years away from locking her in the closet. She is just as smart as ever, but has started using her smartness for evil...I fear she is turning to the darkside.

Note the shifty look in her eyes....

The hubs and I are good, he honestly never noticed (or atleast never said he noticed) that I completely abandoned the Love Dare. I still want to do it and hope that I can when things aren't so crazy. And of course, the baby came....the wonderful blessing that we didn't know we wanted. Well, I knew I wanted more and would still have more...if I had an endless supply of money! But, I think she even has Daddy wrapped around her finger now.

So that is kind of our year in a nutshell. Oh there is so much more I could say...but I can't remember it all. So that will be my lesson to myself. If I had taken just a few short minutes a day to blog...I really would have given you the full story!