Happy Holidays!

It's been a very crazy couple of weeks in our house. After the last post, Preston and I did indeed get sick. It has been the worst cold! It started with a fever, went to an upset stomach, continued with a terrible sinus cold, and concluded by settling into my chest and throat and therefore giving me a cough for the last week. It's never fun to be sick, but to endure two full weeks of it is torture. But, alas, I am on the mend. (Preston didn't get it nearly as severely as I did.)

Thanksgiving was wonderful. We were able to spend it with my WHOLE family. It was 30 people under one roof and it was a blast. We tried to pack everything we could into the weekend. We had crafts, paintball, a guitar hero competition, a poker tournament, and, of course, black friday shopping - although, I must say the black friday experience this year was definitely less enjoyable than usual. People seemed overly annoying - maybe it was my lack of sleep plus my cold symptoms that made me a little more irritable. :)

Now I am getting ready for Christmas and feeling very blessed. Between a wonderful Thanksgiving and some recent discussions in our home with our children, I feel a strong sense of gratitude for my life. And what a great opportunity Christmastime gives us to feel that joy and gratitude.

Happy belated Thanksgiving and a very merry Christmas to everyone! I hope you feel the spirit of Christmas this year as much as I have felt it in the last week. Love to all!