Ten days until Christmas

We are down to ten days until Christmas.  Where did the year go?  Only ten days????  Tuesday evening I pointed out on December 14, 2015 I had every single gift purchased, wrapped, and under the tree.  At that point Robert looked and noticed there was not one present under the tree...not a single one.  Technically, I had one wrapped, but literally just one.  In fact, I didn't even have everything purchased.  I still had a significant amount to purchase for Catherine, and I hate it when I don't have things ready to go for the kids.

I completely acknowledge this is life now that I am working.  Even though I was off Tuesday and Wednesday, I had kids with doctor appointments and I also had to make a trip to my hometown.  That right there is four hours out of my day.  There is just a lot going on in life.

Yesterday though, while out and about to accomplish this week's grocery list, I got several things purchased for Catherine.  I'm glad to have that handled, and I'm really ready to start wrapping.  I'm working today and tomorrow, but next week I plan to be home (other than several hours I have to put in at my church job).  The high school is on exam schedule, so Catherine will be ready to come home each day before lunch.  I'm going to allow myself to be home next week, and I'm looking forward to really being ready for the holidays!

Winter wonderland

It is absolutely gorgeous outside right now.  It got really cold really fast around here, and now it's really, really pretty.  We were expected to get some snow this morning, but not in time to get us a snow day.  It didn't begin until around 8ish, and it's really come down since then.  We were forecasted to get about half an inch, but when I just went out to measure it was nearly 1.5 inches of snow!  It's definitely not going to get warm enough to melt anytime soon either.  Thursday's high is going to be in the teens with nearly dangerous wind chills in the overnight.  I'm so glad winter has arrived, although a little more of a transition in the temps might have been nice.  In the meantime, I'm enjoying the gorgeous scenery of the snow!

I love our church

This post could be alternately titled: "You never know how one decision will affect so many other things in life."

I can't help but think back to 4-1/2 years ago when Robert was finishing up his sixth grade year.  He decided he wanted to switch schools and come to school with his dad.  Because of that, we learned how fabulous the schools really were here and while we weren't unhappy with our old district, this district was far more amazing.  Once we found out how fabulous, we decided all the kids needed to be attending here and we moved.

Because we moved, it was an opportunity to find a church for our family.  My husband was willing to look outside the Catholic denomination so that we could all feel comfortable and attend church together.  We were so amazingly blessed to find our Lutheran church which has been such a fabulous fit for our family.

Because we found this church, two great things happened.  First, I was baptized and am able to participate as a full member.  That means so very much to me.  Secondly, I was able to have my part-time job there that works absolutely fabulously for us as a family.  It provides just a little bit of extra income, and even though it is year-round, it doesn't get in the way of our care-free summers.  It's been such a blessing.

Yesterday was one of the most fun things about attending our church.  It was the Christmas program put on by the youth of the church.  It is primarily for the younger members, but the include anyone up through high school who wishes to participate.  Thomas was the acolyte, and Catherine was an usher.  Robert did a reading and was also an usher.  Andrew was in charge of assisting with the ushers and greeters, and I was helping out with costumes.  I love that we know so many of the families, and it just truly fills my heart with joy that we are where we are supposed to be!

Too much sadness for this time of year

To me, December is just a month where sad things shouldn't happen.  The holidays are too magical and special, and only come around once a year.  Reality tells us otherwise though.

The friend of a friend has been in hospice for breast cancer.  We found out Thanksgiving weekend as they were on their way out of state for one last visit.  They were planning to head back up this weekend, but Julie passed away Saturday.  She is younger than me, and leaves behind three very young boys.  It just isn't supposed to happen like that.

My best friend's sister-in-law lost both of her parents in a car accident Saturday morning.  We were hanging out with Steph & Pat Saturday afternoon and they didn't know yet.  Again, things like that just aren't supposed to happen this time of year.

There was also a horrible tragedy up near my home town.  A middle school student and her grandmother were killed on icy roads in a head-on collision that was witnessed by the girl's father (and grandmother's son).  I can't even imagine experiencing that horror.

Christmas in is 13 days.  I'm so grateful for the health and well-being of my family, and that we are able to make such wonderful memories each year.

I had forgotten how exhausting it can be...but so much fun!

Yesterday I was in first grade.  On a Friday in December.  Where we decorate gingerbread houses in the morning and taped the principal to the wall in the afternoon as a fundraising reward.  It was an absolutely crazy day.  I had forgotten about physically and mentally exhausting it can be to be with the little ones.  There really is very little down time and there is lots of hands on time.  I had just really forgotten how involved it can be.

At the same time, I had forgotten how much fun it can be.  The little ones have such interesting perspectives on life and they are often very comical.  The days go by so fast and it's almost as though it's over shortly after it begins.

I'm so incredibly grateful for a job that allows me to have the flexibility to be around when my family needs me, that allows me to earn a little extra money, and that has so much variety and fun!

Family fun Friday

Last evening was one of the few Friday evenings where the kids didn't have swim practice.  Originally Robert's girlfriend was going to come over, but he made some choices that made him lose that privilege.  Fortunately it is just typical teen stuff, but not okay none-the-less.  Andrew met a friend for dinner, but was still home fairly early.  I had worked in first grade (I'll make a separate post about that) and was pretty darn tired.  After Andrew arrived home, we were all sitting squeezed into the family room.  It was almost 8:00 and I was seriously considering how early I could go to bed and not be considered pathetic, when I realized that American Ninja Warrior was on.  I had caught a few moments when Robert was watching a week earlier, and was telling Andrew all about it.  He was kind of teasing me about how I seemed to enjoy it, and we all sat to watch it.  I loved that for the next two hours our family sat together, ate some snacks together and all hung out in the same room.  So many times, the kids will want to watch something different in another room, and I don't really blame them.  But I absolutely love the fact that last evening we all hung out as a family together even doing something so simple.

Eight years of blogging

I've officially reached eight years of blogging.  So many memories are preserved here and I'm so grateful for that.  I truly enjoy re-reading some of the old memories, especially here at the holidays.  It makes me kind of miss the quieter and less chaotic days, but I'm grateful for the new memories we make as well.  Life is full of so many blessings!