Boy did he ever come! The kids got more presents than they ever needed. Santa even ate all the cookies that Ani and I made the night before. Ani had a great time opening presents for brother too. Ruston had a good time too. It wasn't long after we opened the presents that he was ready for a good long nap. It was just too much. We hope that you all had a wonderful day as well. We missed you.
The three amigos! It was Brad's birthday (in yellow). Ani and Austin had a good time helping him open his presents and eat pizza and cake. Yum! These three go to school together and are really good friends. They ask to play together all the time. Austin is always telling everyone that Ani is his girlfriend! He even kissed her at school one day. We are keeping an eye on that one!
OH, my. Now you might think that remodeling a room over Christmas isn't a smart thing to do - you would be right! We had to do it sometime though. Ani's room is getting the very nast carpet removed, a new wood floor and new paint. She had a great time helping us move everything out of her room and she was a GREAT helper! I can't wait to see it done. I will post pictures when we get it finished.
We made a very quick run to New Jersey just before Christmas. I was able to see a great friend, Joy, and her family. The last time I was there Joy and I were both about 6 months pregnant with our first babies. We now both have two! Her sons are amazing. Tyler, the oldest couldn't wait to see Ani and had a blast playing with her. Jake the youngest, tried to keep up with the bigger kids the best he could. Joy says Jake doesn't go to just anyone, so when he ran up to me and hugged my legs, my heart melted. It made the 2 1/2 hour flight each way worth it. It was wonderful to meet her kids and her mine. I wish we lived closer so the kids could play. We think Ani and Tyler would be really good friends. I hate that I didn't get a picture of the two of us together, maybe next time. Hopefully it wont be so long! Love ya, Joy!
I believe in pink, I believe laughing is the best calorie burner, I believe in kissing, kissing a lot, I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong, I believe that happy girl's are the prettiest girls, I believe that tomorrow is another day, and I believe in miracles.
Gonna Miss This
Your gonna miss this, Your gonna want this back, Your gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast. . . This song rings in my head every day, every moment, as I watch the kids play and laugh and act silly. I know . . . I am gonna miss this. . . much sooner than I expect.
Our lives are defined by moments frozen in time in our memories. I am no different. I remember my bicycle wreck in California when I was 4, moving across country with my family when I was 7, catching lightening bugs in the yard, my baby cow - named cricket, my grandma's visit, summers on the boat, my mom dying at 15 and life never being the same, meeting the love of my life, at 16, my wedding, buying my first house, the birth of my daughter, reuniting with my family, selling my first house, the birth of my son, loosing my father in law. All along the way learning lesson in life and growing up - which I have learned didn't stop at 18.