Christmas Break 2011

Hey y'all. I'd love to be updating you on our fantabulous Christmas break filled with goodwill and joy, but I have to go Lysol for the thousandth time after the fourth member of our family has succumbed to this wicked stomach flu. May you and yours have experienced a holiday season filled with peace, good cheer, and no Clorox needed.

Oh, hello there!

You're still here, are you? Checking back on us from time to time? That is too kind of you. For awhile there I was afraid Blogger would just shut the whole operation down for being a waste of space. Breathe easy, I have returned.

So just what in tarnation has been the deal around here? Well, first of all, I have discovered Pinterest. Ouch.

Aside from this brilliant invention/devil spawn there is, of course, the issue of three busy boys. Busy, imaginative, challenging, infuriating, lovable BOYS.

On top of this I have, true to form, overcomitted myself in life. When it comes to scheduling myself/our family, my mouth tends to run on ahead of my brain. It's been a chronic problem. Luckily for me, I have a really incredible support system of friends and family who listen, encourage, and work diligently to save me from myself. One reason I love this time of year is that it lends itself to a bit of reflection and reordering. So as the year winds down, I'm re-evaluating priorities, trying to discern the truly important elements of my life. What I've come up with is that, well, those don't include Pinterest. Darn. Truly, though, I am seeing pretty clearly what should have been obvious all along: my family and my relationship with God need room made for them first. I have many other worthy pursuits in my life, but these need to be tied for numero uno. Or maybe numero 1B and 1A, respectively. As I begin the process of removing items from my proverbial plate, don't think that this means you can't ask me to do things. Just don't be too offended when I decline, perhaps forcefully. To strengthen my no muscle I may need to overuse it a little in the beginning.

My overcomittment issues are not the only big haps around here. We've had a few birthdays this week that are more than deserving of note. I'll give you a hint who they belong to:

So that's the short version and now you're somewhat caught up, folks. May your plate hold only the peace and joy of this Christmas season and as the year comes to a close may you be filled with hope for what lies ahead.