Getting Closer to the Present (time, not gift, ha ha) - December

Let's see.....when I think of December, of course Christmas comes to mind. We were busy, but not with so many parties. Just busy.
A lot happened in December. Since I really do not like the way you upload photos to a blogger blog, I am not sure how many photos I will post. I think I might just share a link to the albums on Facebook or Shutterfly - depending on where they are stored. I like that idea.
One of the first Christmas events for us was the parade in our home-town. I have said this before, probably on Facebook, that this parade is nothing like the one we went to growing up. I say "we" because Mark and I grew up in the same town and went to the same candy-throwin' parade each year. However, this is how things roll at our evening Christmas parade. I have to admit it is so much calmer. Also, I am not as worried about a child being run over by a parade float.
Moving on. The hanging of the greens service shows up next in my chronological list of photos. I don't have permission from all of the parents to share photos on the internet, so I won't post the entire album. Here are a few from that evening...

Remember waaayyyy back in November when I said that I liked to cook meals - especially large meals. I had the priviledge of preparing a meal for the college students of our church. It was so much fun working with Ruth on this. There are many photos, taken by Jason Summers. I can't remember if they are on Facebook or not. So many of them though.

There was a teddy bear tea that E and I went to. We went along with some friends. Following this there were Christmas card photo attempts, school Christmas programs, and then our trip to Mobile (aka Saraland). Not everyone knows where Saraland is, but most know where Mobile is. Anyway...the circus trip to Mobile was the weekend before Christmas. We left on Saturday morning with the Saraland Christmas parade being our first venue. Then to my dads, his mother's house, then Sunday lunch at Mark's mom's, then Sunday evening with my mother's mom and my siblings/family. We left Sunday evening for the beach. Our friends the Donald's invited us back to spend a couple of days there. On Monday I had the wonderful chance to have lunch with dear friends from my school days. Sonda and Danielle. So much fun. Sonda's daughter, Logan, joined us for lunch too. They (Sonda and Danielle) have had exciting things happening in their lives this year. Such a fun time spent with them.

After our trip south, we came back home for Christmas at home. The kids had a great Christmas. We all received a Wii from Santa. We have had a fun time playing with it since that morning. After a few days at home, we were ready to go again. The four of us along with Mark's mom headed out early Sunday morning for Williamsburg, VA. Our two kiddos seem to travel really well. Most of the time. We left at 5 am or a little after. We enjoyed 3 full days there. The trip home was a little longer. More potty breaks, stopped for lunch and dinner (Varsity in Atlanta for dinner - woo hoo). The weather wasn't so nice either. Rain and fog. We made it safely home. That was on New Years Eve. B stayed up to see the ball drop on TV. He wasn't really impressed. Unless you are actually in Times Square, is it really that impressive?

Now that you have read (if you really have) an account of Oct - Dec 2009, I will stop posting for today. I really wanted to chronicle this for us. I wanted this blog to be some kind (even lacking my ability to "say" what I want to say) of journal for us. At least I have somewhat thrown together the last 3 months.

Maybe with more diligent blogging - I will have deeper thoughts. I may actually start another blog that is just for my own history and past. Some of the things - other than the death of my mother - that shaped me to be who I am today. Once I do that I have to be ready to see and face those skeletons.

Well, happy 2010. A great year for us thus far. I hope it has been for your & yours too.