I have been thinking...

...that when you remove the negative people from your life you are so much happier! This is not meant for the people that we have not been around because we can't seem to kick this sickness that has been looming over Candlewood Dr. for the past month! We have been thru 3 cans of lysol, 3 doctor appts to only be told it is "viral", 6 boxes of tissues, tons of soup & crackers, 15 gallons of OJ, unknown packages of cold meds...and I think we might be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel!

Thanksgiving was different for us this year. With me doing childcare out of our home it seems that we never get a break away from everything. SO...we rented a camper and went with Tom's boss over to the Imperial Sand Dunes in Cali just past the Arizona border. The boys spent many hours on the quads and us girls mostly rode the sandrail. We had a good time until the winter storm decided to come a day early and cut the trip short. But it was nice to have the extra day to unpack and get things done before the work week started. Not to mention how nice a real shower and our bed felt! Also it had to better than last year when we spent the entire day cleaning carpets because SOMEONE (not mentioning my OCD husband's name) got on a kick of cleaning them.

Now the tree is up, the outside of the house is partly decorated, some shopping is done and we are ready for a very simple and quiet christmas season. We are cutting back on presents this year. I have been thinking about the 3 gift idea...like Jesus got. Does anyone else do that? We would do 3 gifts for each of the girls, one large gift for the both of them and then stockings. I think we have spoiled our girls every year and I do not want them to grow up and not know the true meaning of the season. I feel they are young enough now to not remember the mounds of presents that they opened in the last few years. Plus most of the toys just get pushed to the side and they go back to the old favorites after a week.

Zoe and Zada are both growing like weeds. Learning new things everyday. And keeping me VERY busy!

Tom is working like a work horse. I am so thankful that he loves his job or I know he would hate all these hours. We are talking 12-14 hour days ... 5 days a week.

Christmas cards are addressed, the letters will be printed tonight and they should hit the mail by thursday morning. I am only a few days behind and that isn't bad for taking 5 days of doing nothing for Thanksgiving.

We hope this Christmas season finds everyone happy and healthy!

ps...no pictures...maybe later this week! I need to get back to blogging weekly

GRAND CANYON

SO WE WENT TO THE GRAND CANYON FINALLY!! GRANDPA GARY WAS HERE AND WE ALL DECIDED THAT IT WOULD BE FUN TO TAKE THE GIRLS UP THERE FOR SOME FRESH AIR...WELL I WASNT THINKING "ICE COLD FRESH AIR". IT WAS ONLY ABOUT 42 DEGREES IN THE HIGH COUNTRY WHERE AS DOWN IN THE VALLEY IT IS STILL ABOUT 75 DURING THE DAY! THE GIRLS WERE SUCH TROOPERS EVEN WITH THE COLD WEATHER. THE BIGGEST PART OF OUR TRIP WAS THAT ZOE STARTED HOLDING HER OWN SIPPY CUP WHILE SITTING UP!! THIS WAS A HUGE FEAT IN THE LIFE OF ZOE!! ZADA OF COURSE STUCK NEXT TO GRANDPA GARY AND DADDY THE WHOLE TIME. SHE WOULD SIT IN HER STROLLER RIGHT AT THE EDGE...UMM...NOT ME! IT HAS BEEN SO GOOD HAVE GARY HERE. FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS HE IS IN CALIFORNIA BUT WHEN HE COMES BACK WE GET TO SPEND A FEW MORE DAYS AND THEN IT IS BACK TO INDIANA FOR HIM :(. WE WILL TRUELY MISS HIM. THE GIRLS HAVE BEEN SO SPOILED SINCE HE HAS BEEN HERE BUT I WAS EXPECTING THAT.

UNTIL NEXT TIME....