Holiday Greetings to You & Yours!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!! With Love From Us

 

 When ONE is sad, we ALL share in the sorrow.

 Tom & Jerry have been with us for a whole year now!!!

Wuv....twue wuv.......

 Mommy's "helper".

 "Seriously?"

 Little Christmas Elf

 Some Christmas stuff in my house.

 Our special advent calendar from Nanny.

A picture I painted a few years ago. I've been asked if one of the kids did it. Nope. That was me. And I like it.

 
 We loved last week's snow!!!! I would have loved it more if Justin wouldn't have done doughnuts on every side street we drove on.

 The tree my sweet husband surprised me with & which the kids & I decorated this week.

 I like my ornaments.

 Some little boys who are confused about what season/ holiday it is.

Yup. Here's my Christmas Card & family letter. Lame, I know. I know I made you think I would send you a card because of the Christmas card pictures I was trying to take a couple weeks ago & about which I blogged. But I decided I'm going cheap this year. Normally, I enjoy making my Christmas cards (you'd think that would be cheaper than buying cards, but it's not). Postage is ridiculous as well...for the amount of cards I send out each year. In these trying economic times, I am so thankful Justin has a reliable job with good health insurance & that we have a roof over our heads & food to eat. We have had significant car troubles the past few weeks, which has put a bit of a strain on us financially. Fortunately, Justin can pretty much do anything he puts his mind to & we didn't have to take it in to the shop. He finished changing the starter in our Suburban on Thursday, last week, just in time to rescue me from the side of the road on Friday, when the alternator in the van died. I think we're going to be a one-car-family for a little while, which is OK. We have everything that we need and more. We're doing better than a lot of people, but I'm still trying to be careful with our money. I am even shopping at thrift stores for my kids' presents, which they're not excited about. But too bad. I hate the commercialism of Christmas anyway....and all the feelings of entitlement that go along with it all. It's ugly. It creeps me out when I see it in my own kids. I want them to understand how blessed we are compared to so many. I want them to think about giving & doing for others. I am having them do some gift-giving & service-giving types of things this season. I may keep this thrift-store-Christmas thing up every year. I've found some great stuff & great deals. SO. Don't feel like you're the only one who's being gypped with a virtual card. I'm just gypping everyone all around. It's nothing personal. And a big thank you to those of you who have sent me a card already this year. I love that tradition. Your cards are hanging on my wall, making me feel special & loved. Hopefully, I'll be able to continue it next year, by sending out real cards. If you want, you can feel free to print out this blog post & hang it on your wall, so you will feel special too. :) What's nice about this blog/Christmas card/family letter is that......if you've been reading my blog, you already know what we've been up to this year. If you haven't, then shame on you. Fortunately, there's this neat little link at the bottom of the blog that says "older posts" & you can catch up. :) But, um.....here's our family update in a nutshell: Life is good. We are very busy with church & church-related activities & friends. Kids are healthy. School is fine. Some of us are learning musical instruments. Some of us are learning to read. One of us is learning to talk. Some of us are still in love. After 16 years. None of us have had pneumonia or appendicitis this year. No nails, quarters or poisons (not very dangerous ones anyway) have been ingested recently. ER visits have been minimal this year. Justin's job is great. We are so thankful for all of our blessings & for the best gift of all: Jesus!!!!