after 2 months absence...

So I have skipped November and December entirely on the blogging front...oooops!!!  I bet you thought I would never return (reader...whoever you are!).  I sort of have intentionally been keeping off.  I have been trying to keep off everything actually (except email and facebook!) just because it takes up too much time.  I'm trying not to watch TV really ever, or do other internet/screen related activities.  Although, I admit I did quite a bit of online shopping...another oooops!  I have read more and played more and stressed a little less.  I read a book called "Seven" which I loved and should talk more about sometime.  I'm not going to now, but you should really read it!  Ok, a little tid bit.  It has inspired me to give more and spend less (hopefully, although at Christmas time it is hard to feel like you are spending less).  We have also adopted another Compassion child.  A boy who is just a little older than Jude.  I hope that in a few years Jude can be the one to write him letters and learn about a boy from another part of the world.  A boy who lives a little differently than he is so privilaged to.  The book has made me see myself as "privilaged", something I never would have seen myself before.  I don't have the desire for more more more all the time anymore.  I am trying to be more satisfied with what I have, and disgusted with the excess that I have actually.  Ok, rant over.

Subject change:  Christmas time was fabulous!  No one was in the hospital (like Gil was last year with kidney stones).  We got to go to all family Christmases (meaning 6 total). We got way more presents than we should and we gave a few too.  Highlights were Jude's train set, Buzz Lightyear suit, combine, and tractor, Cora's babydolls (she got three...she LOVES babies), mommies new clothes (pregnant women need that...just something new to feel pretty in!), and Gil's new 4-10 handgun for rabbit hunting.  Gil would rabbit hunt everyday if he could!  And he has gotten the dogs pretty well-trained now too.  The snow just adds to the fun (I guess?!?).

Gil is now in Honduras.  He left Wednesday afternoon (after a call that morning beforewhich he was under the impression he was leaving Thursday afternoon...another oooops!).  He purchased a cell phone down there this year so is able to call each day.  Everything is going well.  We are on day four of home alone and everything is going very well.  I am not doing anything special (like blogging every day) like I have in the past.  I am just trying to enjoy the kids more and luckily see other family more.  Carolyn came up EARLY Thursday morning and stayed with the kids that day and the next.  Then we went to Alissa's basketball game last night and this morning dad came with me to pick up a baby swing we bought on craigslist.  That was nice to have some time just with dad.  Don't get to do that very often!  Thanks for the Starbucks date dad!!!  

Here are some of the pictures to highlight Christmas.  I was trying to limit my selection, but apparently I have trouble when it comes to picking pics of my kids...I just think they're all so cute:)

Cora loves her baby cousin Skyler...maybe a little too much for Skyler's liking!

Jude adores his cousin Ashtyn...even enough to play with her hair.  He says he might be a haircutter man when he grows up! 

We don't get pictures of us much!  This is taken of me, by me!

This is the princess Laia look.  And sporting her new Tinker Bell jammies.

Jude in his Buzz suit and in his box he painted to be a spaceship.

Sarai and Cora seeing eachother for the first time over Christmas.  Cora was enchanted with her and her new favorite word was "Sigh" (aka Sarai)

Cora likes to cheese it up for pictures (when she is in a good mood that is!)

Cora and Sarai in their matching sequins shirts from grandma.

our family in front of our GIANT tree!  Sorry the quality isn't the best, but editing photos was just taking too much time!