Catching Up...

I know, I know, I've been so slack in posting this week. So let me attempt to bring you up to speed on some of what is going on around here.

Shopping...I'm 99% finished. I'm heading to our local mass merchandiser this morning to pick up 4 more things. And if I could find the roll of tape that I bought last week, I'd do some wrapping today. Does tape disappear at your house too? Someone has "lost" at least 4 rolls lately. That drives me crazy.

School...our kids finish up today. I'm SO glad. I'm looking forward to taking a break from the hurry-scurry of weekday mornings and from packing lunches. And until yesterday I was looking forward to a break from homework. John and I were pretty frustrated that both Will and Sarah have a "Holiday Homework" project. What kind of teacher gives homework over Christmas break? Arghh!

Me...thankfully my hand was only bruised, but now I'm suffering from some kind of sinus/sore throat junk. I was so sad I had to miss out on coffee/chai yesterday with Holly and Joanne. But I didn't feel much like moving, much less talking.

John...he's going to preach at our church on Sunday, and again on Christmas Eve. One of our pastors had emergency surgery this week and so they asked John if he'd like to fill in. He's excited about it, and I love that I'll get to hear my favorite preacher two days in a row.

Will...has had a chance to make a little money this week (he's saving for a Wii). Our neighbors asked him to watch their chickens while they're away. Yep, I said chickens and thank goodess they don't have a rooster! He has to feed/water them and let them out during the day, and put them back in their coop at night. In addition to getting paid, he's been bringing home the 3 eggs they lay each day. Fun! My kids love quiche, so we used some of the eggs he'd collected and made two for dinner on Monday and Will told me it was the best he'd ever eaten. He was very proud.




Jack...well, he's a dog and we love him so much! I was talking to my mother-in-law on the phone yesterday and discovered Jack in the bathtub eating my Mary Kay face soap. Yuck. Much to laugh at these days. We had a white elephant gift exchange at Bunco the other night and I won this lovely ensemble for Jack. It's his lumberjack look. We haven't tried it on him because the kids want to put it in his stocking. I'm sure he'll just love it.



Friends...can I just say that I have THE BEST friends. I love all of them and I've been greatly blessed by them this week. Holly brought me some chicken noodle soup yesterday because she knew I wasn't feeling well, and my friends, Debbie and Renee, both sent me the sweetest emails. I am so blessed to have made such good friends in the short time we've lived here.

Oops, I just looked at the time and I've got to get going. I'll leave you with this fun photo. It was taken as I was leaving our church's Advent retreat last week. I LOVE seeing wildlife, and I love it when I get to be so close. I want to tell you more about that retreat later.