christmas wishes...

Wow, I can't believe that the holidays are actually over.... Zach, asked if we could have Christmas EVERY day. I assured him that it wouldn't be so special if it happened EVERY day, and that it is Jesus' birthday only once a year. He thought about that and then said, "Then can it be my birthday every day?" (this made me laugh) Well, slowly, and hesitantly the decorations have been put away, and now the walls and shelves are dusted, and pieces are placed back into their "assigned" place, if you look around you almost wonder if Christmas really happened....but it did, and as usual, we were blessed beyond measure, and the Christmas magic filled the air. I wish I could bottle the feeling, the smells, of Christmas.. but until I figure out how to do that, here are a few of my favorite Magical Christmas moments....

The Christmas Story, puppet show.... Emily was the "baby Jesus."

Following the puppet show, we enjoyed the "live" production of the Christmas story.Complete with "baby" Jesus, played by my niece Bella.

And of course Christmas Eve wounldn't be complete without the "matching" Christmas PJ's!! Oh, I love Christmas!

Blowing into 2008

I am just wondering what the rest of you were doing Saturday morning at 3:30am. Maybe, you were like me, feeling like the first little pig, as the big bad wolf was huffing and puffing, trying to blow my house down.... I almost thought that he might be successful. There was enough blowing outside that I "sprang from my bed, to see what was the matter." I went to the window to a scene from the wizard of Oz, also expecting to see things flying by, as Dorothy did - and I DID see things flying by our front window. What? Well besides the trash cans rolling down the street, pieces of our roof (the shingles) were flying one by two, by three, by.......many many many!! I went back to bed to tell Derek. The huffing and puffing had also awaken him, and he asked what I saw, and I told him, our roof is falling apart, it is flying away.

Now it is about 4:30, and he is now up, and we have no clue what to do, and so after a few calls, we decide there is only one thing to do, try to go back to bed. I plugged my ears and eventually drifted off, Derek continued to listen to the howling wind. When morning came Derek went out to assess the damage, which was more that we'd hoped, as our front tree and yard (as well as other neighbors trees and yards, were now decorated with the shingles off our roof.

Thank goodness for kind neighbors, who came to our aid, to offer ideas, solutions, and comfort. So as I said we are "blowing" into 2008!! Just when you think you can ease into a new year, the fun has just begun!! We are off and flying.... I am excited for the adventures that I know this year has in store for us! Life is so exciting, and fun, even when the wolf is huffing and puffing, he didn't blow our house down, so all is well. Happy 2008!

This is one of the piles of shingles, we have several of these. This is the top of our house, and I couldn't do it justice. This is a neighbors tree (down the street) where I spotted another one of our shingles. (You have to look closely - I was a little to far away to do it justice).

P.S. If you find shingles in your tree, just let us know. Derek is pretty good at getting them out!