I keep trying to look at other blogs but it keeps redirecting me to my editing home page. So I guess that means that I need to write something instead. Well it's New Years Eve and the kids are in bed and I am the only one home. Justin had to work tonight the first time in 7 years. This is also the first New Years I have spent separate from him in 7 years. It feels weird to not be doing anything. I think that this is the first New Years that I have ever spent alone. I guess I should feel lucky about that.

My sister and her family are in town from Florida. I am so happy that she is here. Her son Christopher and my daughter Abbie get along really well. I wish that they lived here. I don't know if her husband will ever move back here.

Happy New Year!!!

Snow in Vegas!!

I was up early this morning with Kaleb, which is some what unusual now, and I was watching the news. No big deal you say, but what I saw seemed very funny. They showed a picture of the Las Vegas Strip with snow falling. In the 3 1/2 years I lived there it never snowed in the Valley or if it did it melted before it hit the ground. What an amazing sight it was and I wish that I could have been there to see it. We are a little cold here today, but we are above normal and will be in the mid 50's the rest of the week. How odd it is to see snow in Vegas. We have seen very little snow here in Cincinnati so far this season. I wish that I could have been there to share what all my friends are so wowed by.

I really need to be getting to bed, but I needed to clear my head before I went. Christmas was good and I can't believe that it's come and gone already. The kids loved it, but got a little overwhelmed. Justin's parents really spoiled the kids this year. They spoiled us too so I shouldn't complain. I think that I may have hurt my mother-in-laws feelings but she had it coming. I was too tired to hold my tongue, but she just had to point out why they didn't want to have to come to our house for Christmas. She was glad that they had Christmas at their house because they didn't have to take everything to our house then. Well I had heard enough. I started talking before I could think about what was coming out of my mouth. I was like, So we had to get our kids up rush them through Christmas at our own house to get here in time for Brunch at 11 and then open presents and then expect the kids to take naps and then go to my parents house later. I felt bad after I said it all, but there was nothing I could do then. I already told my parents and Justin's that next year we are not leaving our house on Christmas day. The gift part of Christmas is for the kids and I want my kids to be able to enjoy it and not get too overwhelmed.

Today is my parents anniversary and I totally forgot to wish them a happy 28th anniversary. I am such a bad daughter. Justin's parents celebrate their 39th anniversary on the New Years Eve. I can't wait for Justin and I to be married for that long.

I had a great time visiting with the Caldwell's a few days ago. It has been nice to be able to keep in touch with them. I love that Abbie and Katie play with each other like they see each other everyday and not just 2 times in the last year. We are really looking into coming to Las Vegas the last week of May into June. I think that we are going to drive and take time to visit places like the Grand Canyon. We lived in Vegas for over 3 years and never went to the grand canyon.

Well my mind has gone all over the place I will leave you now.

old friends

I went to a Christmas party last night with some old friends of mine. It was a reunion of sorts for my old youth group. We all gathered together and shared what has changed in our lives. Some like me have kids some are pregnant and some are getting married. It was nice to spend time with them again like so much of the time we spent hanging out in high school.

Well the snow is slowly melting away. Over all we got 4 inches which was just about perfect. It's supposed to rain tomorrow, but they are saying we could still have a white Christmas. Abbie is really getting excited about Christmas. She is keeping us on track with our Advent Calendar. She is finally getting the potty training figured out. There are still a few things to work on, but it's going well. Kaleb has his first black eye, which was self inflicted. Well that's what my in-laws say anyway. Kaleb dropped his cup on his face while laying down. It just makes him look tougher.

We are looking forward to visiting with the Caldwell's while they are in town. Justin has most of this week off. He is interviewing with a manufacturing company tomorrow night. I'm not really sure why. It's less money and still about 45 minutes away. I pray he finds himself soon. We are in search of a second car. The one we thought we found has way too many miles and we don't know too much about Volkswagens.

Well we've officially been in Cincinnati for 1 year now. It sounds like so much has changed in Vegas. I am so excited to come and visit sometime this coming year.

We miss you all and Merry Christmas!!

It's snowing!!! We have a little over an inch of snow on the ground and it's still snowing. I don't expect much more, but it does look pretty outside.

Well Justin had a job opportunity but it didn't work out. I don't think that he would have liked it any better in the end anyway. I just pray that some day he will find contentment with his life and what he is doing.

We may be getting a second car finally. A friend of my dad's is looking to sell an old Volkswagen jetta. He is going to bring it by on Saturday so that we can see it. I hope that it all works out. I would love for Justin to get a car so that I can have the mini van for myself and the kids.

Please continue to pray for Justin's brother Jim that he'll find a job. He's been out of work since June and it's getting down to the wire. I know that God will provide for us, but the time may come soon when he won't be able to afford the house payment. I don't know what we would do then.

a childs singing

Today was our church's Christmas cantata (musical). It was good, but I don't think that I really was being able to worship during it till the children got on stage. A girl who is about 9 years old sang "Happy Birthday Jesus" and that was when I felt the movement in my heart. Even now just typing about it brings me to tears. This sweet little girl sang her best and was worshiping herself as she sang to Jesus. It helped to remind me of what this season is all about. I keep telling Abbie about Jesus' birthday, but I don't think that I have stopped to really think about it.

Snow

They keep saying we should get some snow today into tomorrow, but I'll believe it when I see it. I do have to say that it has gotten very cold outside. I wish that we had a fireplace to get cozy in front of. I do hope it snows. I want it to so badly. It just looks so pretty when it snows. I also think that Abbie would enjoy the snow now. She understands what it is now so I think that it would mean more to her. We went and put new tires on the van today so that it would be ready for the snow. We're either going to get none or we'll get more than what they are saying. They keep saying like 1-3 inches. Where we are we could get more like 3-5, but I don't know.

Well I cut all my hair off. My hair is something that I change a lot, but for the last year and a half I have left it long, blonde and curly. Well now it is very short, still blonde and still curly. I really like it. It has been a big change though. It was down to the middle of my back and now it's a little over an inch long. I went for the easy style. Plus Kaleb really likes to pull my hair. Now it's a little harder for him to pull it.

sick

Abbie is running a fever. She very rarely gets sick. That could be the fact that she takes her vitamin and a vitamin C everyday. She's the only child I know that begs to take her vitamins. She's had a fever most of the day. She really hasn't been acting too sick, but she isn't as active as normal. I normally wouldn't be too worried, but with all the kids dying from the flu I can't help but worry. Kaleb was just at the doctor last week for a check up and they didn't give him a flu shot. They said he didn't need one. I don't think that I have ever given either of them one. I just worry about it more especially living where we do.

The weather is getting colder, but still no snow. It's been raining all day today. They keep saying we may get some snow soon, but I have yet to see it.

Well as of this coming Monday I will have lived in Ohio for 1 year. Last year on December 15 my mom, the kids and I flew from Vegas to Cincinnati. I just can't believe that it's been a year. It brings a tear to my eye to know that it's been that long since I've seen most of my friends. Well life goes on and things do change. Things are going well here and we have settled in pretty good.

books

what makes a child think that it's fun to rip pages out of a book? I don't understand the fun in this. What makes it worse is that it's the books they love to read the most that they rip up. Abbie has this problem with ripping her books. Most of them have been her favorite books and she just doesn't understand. I have to be careful not to let her wake up and be in her room for too long on her own or she'll tear up her books. I've started hiding some of them. Ones that i want to save for Kaleb too, I put them away and only get them out to read to Abbie. I hate to take all her books away because she loves to read and look through them on her own.

A friend of Justin's died today. His name was Mark Ely, and he was in his mid 40's. Justin used to play softball with him. Mark was a pastor at a church in the area. Justin's brother Jim was friends with Mark and went to his church. He had cancer. Please pray for his family and the church family.

Life can really feel short sometimes.

girls and boys

The funny thing about my children is that Kaleb is almost as big as his sister. You ask why is that so funny. Abbie is 18 months older than her brother, see my point. Kaleb had is 1 year well check the other day and weighed in at a whopping 30 pounds. Abbie only weighs 34 pounds. The doctor couldn't get over the size of Kaleb's feet. She said that by the way they look he will be a tall boy. Now those of you who know us laugh since Justin and I are short folk. Both of us have very tall genes in our family. In fact I have a 17 year old cousin who is 6' 5" and me only 5'4". Abbie talks about a mile a minute and Kaleb can't get a word in edge wise. It amazes me how much slower boys are at learning things then girls are. Kaleb has been taking his time and he loves to look at everything. Kaleb loves his big sister and follows her everywhere she goes.

I love that I have a little girl and a little boy. This doesn't mean that I will have no more children. It's just nice to have one of each already. I would love to have another little girl and a little boy. Sometime in the future. Right now I just need to get one totally potty trained and the other one talking more.