Here is a picture of me with my nephew this Christmas.

My sister Kristin and her husband Matt came to town. She's so cute pregnant. I didn't take nearly the number of pictures I usually do but I got one with her. The new news.... Janelle is pregnant again. She just found out a few weeks ago. The new babies are due in April and August. That should be fun. :)

Pictures

I wish you a Merry Christmas

I have uploaded some pictures of Christmas in South Carolina this year. see link

Can you tell Jayden tended to be in the center of all our attentions. He is growing so quickly. Matt & Kristin made it in from LA and Mom & Dad flew in from PA. We got to talk to Larrian & Teri Justin, Josh & Walker via phone as they opened their gifts. Mom has been around for the last week and a half teaching Janelle all sorts of ways to use up left over chicken and turkey. I was pretty impressed with all the great cooking they have been doing as I dropped in on several occasions to test taste and prepare some baking (although I ended up watching more than helping with the baking).


But since I have to get up in 6 hours to go to work I will keep this brief --- but for all those other ED staff around the world here's a few pieces of advice.
Don't drive sleepy or distracted or drunk. Don't pry cans open with knifes. Don't drink all the wine prior to your first attempt to carve the turkey or the ham. Don't force the dishrag or dish towel down into the glasses as you clean them. Make sure the meat is cooked the whole way through. Have plenty of fun and guard your tongues and thus keep the peace and enjoy staying home And finally don't eat the left overs if they sat out all day. And a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT. MAY GOD'S PEACE BE UNTO YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES.
love you all

My new Christmas door

I have a new front door! My Christmas present to myself. And it opens the opposite way -- a much more inviting way. (And will be better for airflow if I put up a screen door in the summer.) Trevor came over and had to saw into some of the logs to get it in. Apparently they had sawed off the bottom of the last door to make it fit. One more reason it was probably leaking air around it. It now looks like a front door instead of a back door. It is white with an oval window. I now am motivated to paint the other windows and doors another color than that ugly mustard yellow -- unfortunatly its cold and rainy and will be delayed probably until spring. I also got a basement door that locks securely and opens properly. Hopefully no more leaking down there.

I also went out in the pouring rain yesterday in search of a tree. Luckily Lowe's had one I liked and I didn't have to wander the countryside in search of Christmas tree farms. Although that is a favorite memory making experience, I enjoyed only being drenched from the mid thigh down (I had planned enough to grab my oversized raincoat.) I was able to fit it inside the SUV instead of slipping around and getting drenched further trying to tie it to the roof. I took Dassah with me who still has not released the concept of car chasing while in the car. So I had a ringing in the right ear from her deafening barks and a sore arm from blocking her from jumping at me despite her seatbelt.

I love the smell of cedar in the house. This is the smell of Christmas. I also have my food dehydrating some lemons, limes and oranges to hang on the tree and it smells like citrus in the house too. Another year has come and almost gone and more memories to store. Thank you God for your blessings of this new house and new location. May God bless you all with His love and protection during your holiday plans.

My 5 day Thanksgiving journey

So, beginning around 8pm Tuesday night and ending 11pm Sunday night my journey covered 1400miles. It's a great thing to be thankful for -- a reliable car. With the addition of an oil change a headlight change and a break light change the journey was a complete success. Yeah God.. and special shout out to the charge nurse that let me sneak out for the lights from Advance auto before they closed prior to the trip. Ah the joys of being single -- is flexibility to attempt to get so much in during one trip. This could become my thanks list. Thanks to God for the great memories and the protection on the road. Thanks to everyone who prayed. Thanks to family and friends who gave me warm beds for free and a special thanks to my family for the three --- count them, because I know you are jealous ---- THREE THANKSGIVING MEALS. (Aunt Sue, Uncle Lynn, Teri, Rachel & Reatha you all rock as cooks and as meal planners-- I got ham, smoked chicken, turkey, pork and smoked duck during my meals and unbelievably the only dish repeated was the mashed potatoes -- a must for thanksgiving. I got several new ideas for vegetables --thanks again.)

The best part was being together and creating memories.
I got to play games including twister and spoons in Virginia. Check out my previous blog.
In Philadelphia I learned a few tricks in Happy Feet, the game boy addition, with my youngest nephew Walker, as well as learned how creative my oldest nephew is. Stay away from Justin's personally illustrated encyclopedia of the weird -or one of those monsters will get you. And learn that I am a bad driver especially of remote control cars per my middle nephew Josh. And of SUVs in city traffic, per my brother who swears a man jumped back on the curved sidewalk as I reverted into Boston type driving while getting through a mess of Black Friday traffic.
In Harrisburg I learned how to make gingerbread houses out of graham crackers. Mine was the mini sized house. (It suited me) While I think I succeeded at making a dog, my house left a lot to be desired, as did the adjourning dog house. I also got a chance to see cousins I haven't had much time with in ages. I got to check out missions trip pictures -- go Ryan and Jen. Get a ride in my cousin's Saturn -- and be reminded that it gets 38 miles per gal compared to my 20-21 miles per gal SUV. Thankfully he didn't give me the math on the amount of money I lost during that trip in my vehicle. A peek at his fill up at the pump cost vs mine was enough. :P Be teased with Heather's announcement -- o yeah its her birthday -- thats right. Happy Birthday Heather! Next year -- the big 30. Are we getting old....? Naah especially when you decide to revisit 27 a few times. Heather I highly recommend it. :)

On the road I learned how well my Mom is doing recovering from hip replacement surgery. Go Mom. I am so proud of you. I got to harrass dad about his projects and plans for retirement. I got to chat and just be with grandma.

Then back in the burg I got a chance to visit old ones from Alethia. God's blessing on you in your continued mission to reach the campuses. Thanks for the kind words and thoughts. And a chance to change clothes. Pick up gifts to be held til Christmas for me and for others. Return with a cool wagon from my brother to my sister. And I got to open my "Merry Birthday, Happy Christmas" present from Reatha, Rachel Mom & Dad -- a food dehydrator. (PS I am running my first load of apples I started this morning with it. I was so excited to try it. Thanks again guys.)

During my 6 hour return drive that turned into 7. I got caught up to speed on my soap opera -- Grey's Anatomy. Yeah. Got a chance to chat with Marissa, Aunt Debbie, Janelle, Charity, Lindsay& Rachel. Some for hours others for a few minutes. It was great. Thanks for all my chatty friends and family that kept me awake on the way back. And another thanks to God for not allowing that tractor trailer to catch fire on my side of 81 near Wytheville. In fact I saw traffic backed up for about 15 miles at a dead stop as they had both lanes clased to deal with it. And today learned there was a multi-car pile up as a result of the truck on the on ramp behind that truck. Thanks God for making my way safe, rain free and for the most part (besides the Staunton through Roanoke/VA tech region of 81) speedy home.

And last I learned... It was nice to sleep in my own bed again. Thank you Lord for warm and comfortable and quiet beds. Hope your holidays were as blessed as mine. See some pictures below



I am thankful for a warm, quiet home. Unlike this poor family of birds who built a nest on a diesel sign at a Sheet's store. Destined to deal with loud noises, horrible fumes and not a nice worm in site. Destined to feed off the trash of others.


Ever heard of what goes around comes around? It came back around on me as my nephew Justin returned my earlier bunny ears approach to pictures

And you thought you were hungry? This 5 yr old put us all to shame...


Both in the eating catagory as well as the push ups -- one-handed variety mind you...


My sad, first attempt at gingerbread houses. But the dog is cute. :)


Chillin with the mother to be.

Check out the web album for further thanksgiving pictures posted.