'Tis the Season!

Happy Holidays!

It is beautiful outside... everything is white, and it's snowing still!

I finished the quarter last week, but only felt the load lift off when I received the last grade Tuesday night. I'm actually impressing myself with my grades! I guess I've been out of school, out of work, for a long time that I forgot how good I am! Something more to brag about to Sol... lol.

Saturday the 10th was our seventh anniversary. Sol and I had a crazy night out. I enjoyed uploading the pictures and going back in time to that day seven years ago, and the Sousa and Tunis trips.

Kathy and the gang!

This year, we decided to have a holiday tree. Well, the kids are very good at nagging and sometimes it is easier to give in. We tell Moody that he's so lucky--he gets to celebrate more holidays than any other kid. We picked up a real tree on Saturday and got the ornaments and decorations on Sunday. Kathy offered to help with decorating it, which we did on Monday--thanks Kathy and Conor! I am amazed: Tala hasn't even taken one ornament off yet--very unlike her. Well, she did pull Moody's stocking off the mantel. It fell along with the holder and broke some of the glass beads. Luckily, she didn't get hurt.

Angel in the making!

Azzam, Nikki, and Nick are coming this weekend. Hope they don't bring more cold with them from up there! We're all excited and looking forward to having them over. Tala has been asking non-stop, "Is Nick coming? When?" I don't think she remembers him from last year. She said, "I will show him my room, and introduce him to the 'yether' Nick. He will say, 'What a beautiful castle you have!'" The 'yether' Nick, is a stuffed moose they got her last year that she named Nick. Moody, also, is very excited. He told me yesterday, "I'm so excited Nick is coming. I have a long list." When I asked him about the list, he said it has what they will eat for lunch, what movie they will watch, and where they will sleep. The whole experience of anticipation and then having the delightful company is so wonderful; thanks guys!

Kaitlin, Moody, Tala, snow!

Tala has been talking non-stop lately. She had some speech therapy at 18 months of age; she wasn't saying much then! Maybe we shouldn't have done that! lol Last night, I heard her come out of her room. I went up and asked her what she was doing. She answered, "nothing; I don't care!" She loves using big expressions even if they don't fit the occasion or she doesn't know what they mean. I tucked her back in; minutes later she came downstairs and asked that "Dad, give me a good night kiss." We told her not to come out of her room again; she said, "When you guys go to sleep, I will come downstairs." At least she's honest!

I don't hear Moody; hmmm, very alarming! Gotta sneak on him... I just checked; he's listening to music, Phil Collins' Brother Bear; and reading a book, Transformers.